Symbolism in Automobile Creation Essay Example

Symbolism in Automobile Creation Essay Example Symbolism in Automobile Creation Essay Symbolism in Automobile Creation Essay Name: Instructor: Course: Date: Symbolism in Automobile Creation The automobile has a history that is quite decorated. From the first automobile created to present day world class machines the brains behind these marvelous machines have demonstrated their love for the work in many different ways. One particular instance that shows this connection with the maker is Henry Ford’s creation of the Edsel. Ford showed this connection by naming the vehicle after his son (Gunn, paragraph 3). This symbolized his great affection for the Edsel. It was however a disappointing creation for the Ford corporation. In an interview with NPR staff about his book Engines of Change, Paul Ingrassia illustrates the symbols represented by certain vehicles. From Ford to Ingrassia vehicles were used to show some symbolism. Automobiles were sometimes taken to represent many things a factor, which affected in a great way people’s cultures and lifestyle. In an article on Newsday writer Malcolm Gunn analyzes the performance of the Edsel. According to Gunn, this line of cars was a perfect example of a failed creation. The Edsel, created about fifty years ago, took the Ford foundation approximately two years to produce and cost them millions of dollars. It was named after Ford’s son Edsel (Gunn paragraph 3). The corporation had expected the car to be a major success in the market since it was manufactured at a time when the automobile industry was experiencing a manufacturing boom. It was conceived at a time when Ford had very few credible competitors such as Volkswagen so it was bound to make an impact on the automobile market. Ford had decided to introduce this model to satisfy the ever-increasing demand for automobiles. It was supposed to be attractive in order to appeal to buyers. From advertisements and leaks from the press, potential customers were geared towards something extraordinarily different from the usual Ford cars. When the car was finally released, it became an object of mockery from both the media and the people. The subject of mockery was the grille that hung among the fenders (Gunn paragraph 5). Because of the grille, the Ford foundation was unable to make their anticipated sales even after Ford tried to make major alterations to its design. The Edsel named after Ford’s son, became a subject of humor for a very long time afterwards. In an interview with NPR’s Scott Simon, Paul Ingrassia the author of Engines of Change, a book that analyzes fifteen historical cars and what they represented during their time, talks about the symbolism attached to cars. In the book, Ingrassia demonstrates how the automotive industry has affected the American culture and ways of life. Ingrassia says in the interview that the fifteen cars he chose were the most influential on the American citizen (NPR paragraph 3). Ingrassia says that aspects of the American culture and history can be captured by different automobiles. In the interview, he cites several examples; his first example is the Chevy Corvette. Ingrassia says that since this car was introduced in 1953, when Elvis Presley recorded music, Hugh Hefner founded the Playboy and the Korean War ended it was thus a symbol of peace and freedom (NPR paragraph 6). He also says that the Volkswagen beetle was a symbol of peace, love and since it introduced during the 1950’s the American people bought it as a sign of their distaste to the extravagant behavior of American consumers. About the Mustang, Ingrassia says it had a major influence on American culture. It symbolized the introduction of a sporty cheap vehicle. This was significant because it encouraged American families to own two cars. Ingrassia mentions the Prius and says it was symbolic because of its shape. He says that it was a technological masterpiece. This attribute and its shape made it a household name in America during its time (NPR paragraph 10). At the end of the interview, Ingrassia says that the automobile industry has great potential and there was still a lot of chance that it may churn out similarly influential vehicles. Outline From the above articles and the examples given, vehicles have been used as symbols in many different ways throughout the history of the automobile industry. The symbolism can be viewed from the manufacturer’s perspective (Ford) and from the customer’s perspective (Ingrassia). From the manufacturer’s perspective, the car represented something they cherished and therefore influenced his mind from the onset. From Ford’s example, the Edsel was a project that he held close to his heart. He had named it after his son and thus had high expectations on its performance. The fact that Edsel represented someone he really loved cannot be disputed. Ford injected a lot of money and work force into this project because he did not want it to fail. Even when all indications showed that the line of cars was failing, he still tried to salvage it my making more changes. The failure of the Edsel can also be largely attributed to the way the media used the grille in their mocke ry. The grille had different names tagged on it for instance among some circle it was called â€Å"an Oldsmobile sucking a lemon† (Gunn, paragraph 6). Perhaps such names that symbolized outdated automotives were reasons why the Edsel never picked up. This is an example of how this symbolism affected culture and people’s way of life. This symbolism can also be seen from the Ingrassia depiction of what historical cars symbolized. The American citizenry view cars according to what event or part of their life particular cars captured. This symbolism affected largely the kind of cars they bought and why they bought them. As illustrated by Ingrassia, people sometimes bought cars to pass a message, as was the case of the Volkswagen beetle. This symbolism in the automobile industry had and still has a great impact in the way people behave and cars are still symbols of culture and lifestyle. Gunn, Malcolm. â€Å"Ford Edsel: Shiny grille Derailed a Sure Success.† Newsday, Feb 11. 2013. Web. Feb 23. 2013. Staff, NPR. â€Å"In ‘Engines’, A History of America Through Cars.† NPR Books, May 01. 2012. Web. Feb 23. 2013.

The Pilgrimage of Grace - Protesting Henry VIII

The Pilgrimage of Grace - Protesting Henry VIII The Pilgrimage of Grace was an uprising, or rather several uprisings, that took place in the north of England between 1536 and 1537. The people rose against what they saw as the heretical and tyrannical rule of Henry VIII and his chief minister Thomas Cromwell. Tens of thousands of people in Yorkshire and Lincolnshire were involved in the uprising, making the Pilgrimage one of the most unsettling crises of Henrys most unsettled reign. Key Takeaways: The Pilgrimage of Grace The Pilgrimage of Grace (1536–1537) was an uprising of tens of thousands of people, clergy and conservatives, against King Henry VIII.  They sought the reduction of taxes, the re-establishment of the Catholic church and the pope as the religious leader in England, and the replacement of Henrys main advisors.  None of their demands were met, and over 200 of the rebels were executed.  Scholars believe the rebellion failed for lack of leadership and conflicts between the demands of the poor versus those of the gentry. The insurgents crossed class lines, uniting commoners, gentlemen, and lords together for a few brief moments to protest social, economic, and political changes they observed. They believed the issues resulted from Henrys naming himself the Supreme Head of the Church and Clergy of England. Historians today recognize the Pilgrimage as growing out of the end of feudalism and the birth of the modern era. Religious, Political, and Economic Climate in England How the country came to such a dangerous place started with King Henrys romantic entanglements and search to secure an heir. After 24 years of being a jovial, married and Catholic king, Henry divorced his first wife Catherine of Aragon to marry Anne Boleyn in January of 1533, shocking Catherines supporters. Worse, he also officially divorced himself from the Catholic church in Rome and made himself head of a new church in England. In March of 1536, he began to dissolve the monasteries, forcing the religious clergy to give over their lands, buildings and religious objects. On May 19, 1536, Anne Boleyn was executed, and on May 30th, Henry married his third wife Jane Seymour. The English parliament- deftly manipulated by Cromwell- had met on June 8th to declare his daughters Mary and Elizabeth illegitimate, settling the crown on Janes heirs. If Jane had no heirs, Henry could pick his own heir. Henry did have an acknowledged illegitimate son, Henry Fitzroy,1st Duke of Richmond and Somerset (1519–1536), from his mistress, Elizabeth Blount, but he died on July 23rd, and it became clear to Henry that if he wanted a blood heir, he would have to acknowledge Mary or face the fact that one of Henrys great rivals, the King of Scotland James V, was going to be his heir. But in May of 1536, Henry was married, and legitimately- Catherine died in January of that year- and if he had acknowledged Mary, beheaded the hated Cromwell, burnt the heretic bishops that allied themselves with Cromwell, and reconciled himself with Pope Paul III, then the pope would have most likely recognized Jane Seymour as his wife and her children as legitimate heirs. That is essentially what the insurgents wanted. The truth was, even if hed been willing to do all that, Henry couldnt afford it. Henrys Fiscal Issues Jervaulx Abbey was one of the great Cistercian abbeys of Yorkshire, founded in 1156. It was dissolved in 1537, and its last abbot was hanged for his part in the Pilgrimage of Grace. Dennis Barnes / Photographers Choice / Getty Images Plus The reasons for Henrys lack of funds were not strictly his famed extravagance. The discovery of new trade routes and the recent influx of silver and gold from the Americas into England severely depreciated the value of the kings stores: he desperately needed to find a way to increase revenue. The potential worth raised by the dissolution of the monasteries would be a huge influx of cash. The estimated total revenue of the religious houses in England was UK  £130,000 per year- between 64 billion and 34 trillion pounds in todays currency. The Sticking Points The reason the uprisings involved as many people as it did is also the reason they failed: the people were not united in their desires for change. There were several different sets of written and verbal issues that the commoners, gentlemen, and lords had with the King and the way he and Cromwell were handling the country- but each segment of the rebels felt more strongly about one or two but not all of the issues. No taxes during peacetime. Feudal expectations were that the king would pay his own expenses unless the country was at war. A peacetime tax had been in place from the mid-twelfth century, known as the 15th and the 10th. In 1334, the amount of the payments was fixed at a flat rate and paid by the wards to the king- the wards collected 1/10th (10%) of the moveable goods of the people living in the urban areas and paid it to the king, and the rural wards collected 1/15 (6.67%) of those of their residents. In 1535, Henry steeply raised those payments, requiring individuals to pay based on periodic assessments of not just their goods but also their rents, profits, and wages. There were also rumors of taxes to come on sheep and cattle; and of a luxury tax for people making less than 20 pounds per year on such things as white bread, cheese, butter, capons, hens, chickens.The repeal of the Statute of Uses. This unpopular statute was of vital importance to wealthy landowners who held estates owned by Henry, but less so to the common folk. Traditionally, the landholders could use the feudal dues to support their younger children or other dependents. This statute abolished all such uses so that only the oldest son could derive any income from an estate owned by the King The Catholic church should be reestablished. Henrys divorce from Catherine of Aragon to marry Anne Boleyn was only one problem the people had with Henrys changes; the replacement of Pope Paul III as a religious leader to a king who was perceived as a sensualist was inconceivable to the conservative parts of England, who truly believed the switch could only be temporary, now that Anne and Catherine were both dead.The heretic bishops should be deprived and punished. The basic tenet of the Catholic church in Rome was that the supremacy of the king was primary unless to follow his will was heresy, in which case they were morally obligated to work against him. Any clergy who refused to sign an oath siding with Henry was executed, and once the surviving clergy had recognized Henry as the Head of the Church of England (and were, therefore, heretics) they could not go back.No more abbeys should be suppressed. Henry began his changes by taking down the lesser monasteries, describing a laundry list of evils being perpetrated by the monks and abbots, and decreeing that there should be no more than one monastery within five miles of another. There were nearly 900 religious houses in England in the late 1530s, and one adult man in fifty was in religious orders. Some of the abbeys were great landowners, and some of the abbey buildings were hundreds of years old, and often the only permanent building in the rural communities. Their dissolution was a dramatically visible loss to the countryside, as well as an economic loss. Cromwell, Riche, Legh, and Layton should be replaced by noblemen.  People blamed Henrys advisor Thomas Cromwell and other of Henrys councilors for most of their ills. Cromwell had come to power promising to make Henry the richest king that ever was in England and the population felt that he was to blame what they saw as Henrys corruption. Cromwell was ambitious and smart, but of the lower middle classes, a clothier, solicitor, and moneylender who was convinced that an absolute monarchy was the best form of government.The rebels should be pardoned for their insurrection. None of these had a reasonable chance of success. The First Uprising: Lincolnshire, October 1–18th, 1536 Although there were minor uprisings before and after, the first major assembly of dissident people took place in Lincolnshire  beginning around the first of October, 1536. By Sunday the 8th, there were 40,000 men gathered in Lincoln. The leaders sent a petition to the King outlining their demands, who responded by sending the Duke of Suffolk to the gathering. Henry rejected all of their issues but said if they were willing to go home and submit to the punishment that he would choose, he would eventually pardon them. The commoners went home. The uprising failed on a number of fronts- they had no noble leader to intercede for them, and their object was a mix of religion, agrarian, and political issues without a single aim. They were patently afraid of civil war, probably as much as the King was. Most of all, there were another 40,000 rebels in Yorkshire, who were waiting to see what the Kings response would be before moving forward.   The Second Uprising, Yorkshire, October 6, 1536–January 1537 The second uprising was far more successful, but still ultimately failed. Led by the gentleman Robert Aske, the collective forces took first Hull, then York, the second largest city in England at the time. But, like the Lincolnshire uprising, the 40,000 commoners, gentlemen and nobles did not advance to London but instead wrote to the King their requests. This the King also rejected out of hand–but the messengers bearing the outright rejection were stopped before they reached York. Cromwell saw this disturbance as better organized than the Lincolnshire uprising, and thus more of a danger. Simply rejecting the issues might result in an outbreak of violence. Henrys and Cromwells revised strategy involved delaying the rabble at York for a month or more. A Carefully Orchestrated Delay While Aske and his associates waited for Henrys response, they reached out to the Archbishop and other clergy members, those who had sworn allegiance to the king, for their opinion on the demands. Very few responded; and when forced to read it, the Archbishop himself refused to assist, objecting to the return of papal supremacy. It is very likely that the Archbishop had a better understanding of the political situation than Aske. Henry and Cromwell designed a strategy to divide the gentlemen from their commoner followers. He sent out temporizing letters to the leadership, then in December invited Aske and the other leaders to come to see him. Aske, flattered and relieved, came to London and met with the king, who asked him to write up the history of the uprising- Askes narrative (published word-for-word in Bateson 1890) is one the main sources for the historical work by Hope Dodds and Dodds (1915). Aske and the other leaders were sent home, but the prolonged visit of the gentlemen with Henry was cause for dissension among the commoners who came to believe they had been betrayed by Henrys forces, and by mid-January 1537, most of the military force had left York. Norfolks Charge Next, Henry sent the Duke of Norfolk to take steps to end the conflict. Henry declared a state of martial law and told Norfolk he should go to Yorkshire and the other counties and administer a new oath of allegiance to the King- anyone who did not sign was to be executed. Norfolk was to identify and arrest the ringleaders, he was to turn out the monks, nuns, and canons who still occupied the suppressed abbeys, and he was to turn over the lands to the farmers. The nobles and gentlemen involved in the uprising were told to expect and welcome Norfolk. Once the ringleaders were identified, they were sent to the Tower of London to await trial and execution. Aske was arrested on April 7th, 1537 and committed to the Tower, where he was repeatedly questioned. Found guilty, he was hung at York on July 12th. The rest of the ringleaders were executed according to their station in life- noblemen were beheaded, noble women were burned at the stake. Gentlemen were either sent home to be hung or hung in London and their heads placed on stakes on London Bridge. End of the Pilgrimage of Grace In all, about 216 people were executed, although not all the records of the executions were kept. In 1538–1540, groups of royal commissions toured the country and demanded that the remaining monks surrender their lands and goods. Some didnt (Glastonbury, Reading, Colchester)–and they were all executed. By 1540, all but seven of the monasteries were gone. By 1547, two-thirds of the monastic lands had been alienated, and their buildings and lands either sold at market to the classes of people who could afford them or distributed to local patriots. As to why the Pilgrimage of Grace failed so abysmally, researchers Madeleine Hope Dodds and Ruth Dodds argue that there were four main reasons. The leaders were under the impression that Henry was a weak, good-natured sensualist who was led astray by Cromwell: they were wrong, or at least wrong in understanding the strength and persistence of Cromwells influence. Cromwell was executed by Henry in 1540.  There were no leaders among the rebels with unconquerable energy or willpower. Aske was the most passionate: but if he could not convince the king to accept their demands, the only alternative was to have Henry overthrown, something they could not conceivably succeed in doing on their ownThe conflict between the interests of the gentlemen (higher rents and lower wages) and those of the commoners (lower rents and higher wages) could not be reconciled, and the commoners who made up the numbers of the forces were distrustful of the gentlemen who led them.  The only possible uniting power would have been the church, either the Pope or the English clergy. Neither supported the uprising in any real sense. Sources There have been several recent books on the Pilgrimage of Grace over the past few years, but writers and researching sisters Madeleine Hope Dodds and Ruth Dodds wrote an exhaustive work explaining the Pilgrimage of Grace in 1915 and it is still the main source of information for those new works. Bateson, Mary. The Pilgrimage of Grace. The English Historical Review 5.18 (1890): 330–45. Print.Bernard, G. W. The Dissolution of the Monasteries. History 96.4 (324) (2011): 390–409. Print.Bush, M. L. Enhancements and Importunate Charges: An Analysis of the Tax Complaints of October 1536. Albion: A Quarterly Journal Concerned with British Studies 22.3 (1990): 403–19. Print.-. Up for the Commonweal: The Significance of Tax Grievances in the English Rebellions of 1536. The English Historical Review 106.419 (1991): 299-318. Print.Hope Dodds, Madeleine, and Ruth Dodds. The Pilgrimage of Grace, 1536–1537 and the Exeter Conspiracy, 1538. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1915. Print.Hoyle, R. W., and A. J. L. Winchester. A Lost Source for the Rising of 1536 in North-West England. The English Historical Review 118.475 (2003): 120–29. Print.Liedl, Janice. The Penitent Pilgrim: William Calverley and the Pilgrimage of Grace. The Sixteenth Century Journa l 25.3 (1994): 585–94. Print. Schofield, Roger. Taxation Under the Early Tudors, 1485–1547. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing, 2004.

Differences in effectiveness of Humen Resource Management practices Essay

Differences in effectiveness of Humen Resource Management practices (HRM) in Saudi Arabia between local and multinational banks - Essay Example The two fold problem has been considered in this dissertation. First of all it has been identified that what are the main effective human resource practices with respect to banks in Saudi Arabia and in the other developing and developed countries. It is then considered that whether the human resource practices are more effective in international banks as compared with the local banks. The questionnaire method been used for data collection. Equal numbers of people from local and international banks in Saudi Arabia were asked the questions. Likert scale was used to devise the questionnaire. Job satisfaction was considered as proxy for effective human resource practices. The job satisfaction is a direct consequence of the phenomenon and it can be said that the HR is working effectively. So job satisfaction has been taken as a proxy for effective HR practices. SPSS was used for analyzing the responses. It has been found out that in the domain of recruitment and selection the main effecti ve HR practices are scientific recruitment methods and clear job analysis. In performance management the significant practices are quick and professional feedback. Effective training is also an effective HR practice. On the other hand it was found that the multinational banks have more effective HR practices than the local banks. ... Signature: Name: Mana Almana   Dated: 8/9/2010 Table of Contents Chapter 1. Introduction: 1 1.1 OVERVIEW: 1 1.2 Research Objectives 9 1.4 Research Chapters: 11 1.5 Summary 11 2.LITERATURE REVIEW 12 2.1.Selection and recruitment: 12 2.2. Performance Management: 19 2.3. Training and Development 25 2.4 Job satisfaction as proxy for HR effectiveness 34 Chapter 3. METHODOLOGY 30 3.1. Introduction 30 3.3. The Research Hypothesis 32 3.4. Data Sources and Collection Methods 34 3.5. Summary 44 Chapter 4: Data Analysis and findings: 44 Through SPSS 45 3.1 Recruitment & selection and HR effectiveness (as represented by job satisfaction) 41 3.2 Performance management and the HR effectiveness (as represented by job satisfaction) 56 3.3 Training and HR effectiveness (as represented by job satisfaction) 53 3.4 Performance of International banks and local Saudi Banks 57 Chapter Summary : 64 Chapter 5: Discussion 74 Chapter 6: Conclusion and Recommendations 76 References: 69 Appendix 1: Questionnai re 74 Chapter 1. Introduction: The first chapter is prepared to give an insight of the research problem discussed. It provides background information in overall structure and function of the Saudi banking sector. It then presents the literature review conducted to elucidate human resource management in general. Following up from the fundamentals the importance of this discipline is studied and explained with respect to the banking sector in particular. The study evaluates the significance of human resource management to this industry by comparing the theoretical grounds with the best practices. Finally the purpose of the research will be explained along with

Tesco's Strategic Real Estate Management Case Study

Tesco's Strategic Real Estate Management - Case Study Example The futuristic thrust of a company can be assessed by its assets. If the company carries forward its business prospects by accumulating assets on a recurring basis, this indicates towards the fact that the company is not there for short term gains. Policies of such companies, in general, always happen to be friendly to different sets of stakeholders. Acquiring real estate is one good indication towards the strategic focus of the company. Tesco's policies have been to acquire the real estate with an eye on long term perspective. Continuously monitoring the environment and following the leaders has become key to a successful business. Continuously studying the different aspects of environment (social, political, legal, technological etc.) and taking corrective and adaptive steps accordingly helps in growing of an organisation. Tesco started computerised checkout counters as early as 1982 and this stride continued with opening of www.tesco.com and its online operations. Today it is the largest store in UK with presence in many countries around the world. This study is an effort to find out how the management at Tesco has been able to make use of its strengths and adapted to external pulls and pressure while successfully managing the resources at its command. Of all the changes in distribution during the last century, those taking place in retailing have been the most dramatic. Totally new institutions have appeared in an industry that a hundred years ago consisted mostly of small general and specialty stores. Tesco is one such store which had a humble beginning early in the 20th century and today it is one of the leading company in the retail sector. Besides acquiring prime space in the major cities in UK, in the form of its stores, company has been able to take advantage of the opportunities in the overseas market. This study is an effort to figure out how the company is able to synchronise its marketing efforts while investing in real estate as well. The Evolution of Tesco Tesco has been a leading company in the retailing business. With its presence in many parts of the world, the company has been able to take good advantage of the liberalisation policies being adopted by nations around the world. While talking about the policies adopted by the management in order to take growth oriented approach, it is worth discussing how the company was able to effectively manage its assets like the real estate. It was in the year 1919 that Jack Cohen founded Tesco, when he began to sell surplus groceries from a stall in the East End of London. His first day's profit1 was 1 and sales 4. The name comes from the initials of TE Stockwell, who was a partner in the firm of tea suppliers, and CO from Jack's surname. It was in year 1929 that Jack Cohen opens his first Tesco store in Burnt Oak, Edgware, North London. And there's no looking back since then. Tesco has a long term plan for growth, based on four key strategies2: i. Growth in the Core UK ii. Making corporate social responsibility an integral part of the business iii. To expand by growing internationally iv. To be as strong in non-food as in food v. To follow the customers into new retailing services The company has been steadily progressing with these strategies over the years and with over 2100 stores in UK and serving 12 markets 12 markets internationally, in Europe, Asia and North America. Over the years, the company has also widened its

Social Isolation and the Female, Live in Domestic Worker in South Africa Essay Example for Free

Social Isolation and the Female, Live in Domestic Worker in South Africa Essay In a world which tends to discriminate against race, gender and class, many black, female, lower class women face an uphill battle in day to day life. Those who manage to find employment often work as domestic workers in the homes of the more elite. These women often serve many roles within a household such as nanny, cook and cleaner. Many of these women become live in maids for the convenience of their employers. This study takes a qualitative approach in examining why these women are prepared to leave their families and face such social isolation. Using one women’s story of life as a live in domestic worker this study delves into the reality of day to day life in post apartheid South Africa. This allows one a unique opportunity into a personal perspective of those previously disadvantaged and even though the sample is not big enough to generalize with the study is relevant in that it provides a framework and the motivation to pursue further studies in this area. One must also take into account that even though one person’s experiences may be narrow, their perspectives may reflect those of a greater population and therefore must always be considered relevant in some way. Literature Review Many female South African domestic workers live in the houses of their employers. This may be isolating and lonely for some. This qualitative study seeks to observe the effect this has on ladies who are particularly far from their families. Many domestic workers in South Africa are migrants from upper Africa who are already culturally isolated, by becoming live in they may experience social and class isolation. This interview tells the story of a female live in domestic worker who, although South African, has followed her job more than ten hours away from her family and support network. The key issue here is social isolation. For one to be socially isolated one is living without companionship, social support and connectedness. One has no one to turn to for day to crisis and it is not surprising that the stress of such a situation is associated with poorer health. It is also associated with things like poor life meaning, levels of satisfaction and well being. The socially isolated even have a higher consumption of health care resources and unfortunately fare badly in acute interventions such as cardiovascular surgery. The socially isolated are far more highly linked to mental illness, distress, dementia, suicide and premature death (Hawthorne, 2006). Social isolation is therefore a grave matter and with findings like this the western ritual of paying domestic workers to live in and possibly in turn become socially isolated should seek ethical approval. Social Isolation In Graeme Hawthorne’s study he points out that social isolation is most connected to personal relationships, or rather lack thereof. He points out that within this things like neighbourhood friendliness, social initiation, geographic location and ethnicity play a large role in determining isolation. Ethnicity plays a large role in the social isolation of a domestic worker because although interacting with others they are not around those of their own ethnicity. Hawthorne’s study investigates the validity of a psychometric scale to measure social isolation and therefore defines the concept well, giving one a well rounded perception of this sort of isolation. His study found that the ‘friendship scale’ was a reliable tool when measuring social isolation and would therefore prove to be an interesting second measure when looking at social isolation of female domestic workers in South Africa (Hawthorne, 2006). To follow up this quantitative research with a reliable psychometric scale may yield fuller results. This together with a larger sample of domestic workers would make this study far more reliable and conclusive. In interviewing one participant many gaps are left, for instance this case shows a very positive employer-employee relationship however this cannot simply be generalized to the rest of the South African population and therefore cannot be used for much in the line of determining where change is needed. Race, gender, class post apartheid changes. Race, gender and class come up in any study such as this, especially when the country has a history a rife of that of South Africa. Although these discriminatory themes are still a serious issue in South Africa, past studies do show that things may have improved vastly since even the late apartheid era. A study by Hickson and Strous (1993) depicts a far worse picture than the results of this interview, with complete lack of care for the humanity of the worker, poor live in living conditions and low, often non-monetory salaries (Hickson Strous, 1993). This study shows a problem which has to a large extent lessened with many domestic workers well supported by the families for which they work. Shireen Ally goes as far as to say that post apartheid South Africa has launched one of the most extensive efforts to protect domestic workers. These efforts have surely paid off in many ways as pay in itself has improved on a great scale. Just the fact that domestic workers are politically recognized and are able to form unions was a big step out of the apartheid days (Ally, 2008). A later study by Jennifer Fish shows that although social change on a public level has dramatically revolutionised, the micro scale of everyday interactions still has a long way to go. Therefore although things have changed in certain areas many domestic workers are still being subjected to very discriminatory treatment as a result of their race, class or gender (Fish, 2006). Due to these present and past discriminations there remains an air of elitism among employers. This air may serve as a barrier to connectedness between employer and employee. This lack of connectedness to those around the live in employee leads to social isolation with grave consequences. The live in dometic worker A study by Hondagneu-Sotelo shows some benefits of domestic workers who do not live in. It provides an interesting alternate perspective. This study followed immigrant Mexican women in California. These women are isolated from their culture, country and often family. However the fact that they are not live in provides them with networking opportunities. They mostly work numorous jobs a week and in doing so interact with many other women who, although not always even similar in ethnicity, provide a support structure for each other. This structure helps the women to learn skills like negotiating fair pay and more importantly provides them with connectedness and social interaction (Hondagneu-Sotelo, 1994). This study when compared to studies on live in domestic workers may yield a more healthy and ethical alternative and therefore is very relevant to this topic. Method This studied used a qualitative approach to research. Such an approach allows for great depth of research rather than great breadth. Qualitative research allows for more understanding into why people behave in certain ways or how they think rather than focussing simply on what they do or believe (Ambert, Adler, Adler Detzner, 1995). This makes it suitable for research on the attitudes and perspectives of the less heard groups of people, like domestic workers. It allows for true feelings and attitudes to be revealed and therefore gives far greater insight into the life and trials of a domestic worker. The method used to obtain information was that of a semi structured interview. This is an interview guided by questions but not strictly so. It is a highly beneficial means in many ways. It obtains macu relevant information, the audience is specifically targeted, it is structured to allow comparisons, can be used on sensitive topics, and allows for new areas of interest to emerge as one is able to diverge from the topic if necessary. The disadvantages however are that interviewing skills are required and that it is a time consuming and resource intensive process. There is also always a risk of interviewer bias as the interviewer is a just a human being interacting with another human being (Cozby, 2005). The participant in this study was a 53 year old black lady from originally Vryburg. She is the domestic worker of my father’s girlfriend and therefore has had much contact with me prior to the interview. Although she was a very willing participant this may have affected the way in which she answered questions. She was promised complete confidentiality which should have helped her to feel comfortable to say what she wants, however there is still the possibility she may have held back especially in regard to her feelings about her employer, you may notice she only said positive things about this which leaves room for the unsaid negative. However she seemed comfortable and relaxed throughout the interview. Being from a higher class to that of the participant may have limited the interview somewhat. The interviewee may have felt I cannot relate to her and therefore shared less of her experiences. Perhaps in further research of this kind it would be beneficial to train ex-domestic workers to conduct interviews. By doing so the participant would stand on common ground with the interviewer. Although the participants English was extremely good it is not her first language and perhaps if I were able to conduct the interview in her first language it ould have been more welcoming and she might have expressed herself far better. Results The interview shed light on five major themes. These themes may not all be entirely relevant to the question posed, however that’s the beauty of qualitative research, one often finds far more than one was looking for and this opens up new areas to be researched. Gender, class race effects It became apparent that the participant views of herself and capabilities were constructed closely around what would be expected of a black, lower class women. She aspired to nursing and then as a second resort chose domestic work. Passive acceptance Throughout the interview the participant never once shows a strong desire to change her situation even though she does not seem entirely satisfied with it. She accepts the situation and does not seem to see a way out of it. Isolation The participant admits to wanting to be around her family. She very rarely socializes with someone she calls a friend and this lack of companionship must be very lonely. Self sacrifice The participant seems to feel that even though she is not satisfied the fact that she is able to support her family is enough for her. This may link up to the theme of gender in that as a women she may feel her happiness is less important than serving her husband and family. Money Money is a large theme that appeared in this study. The participant mentions it numerous times and it seems highly relevant in her job satisfaction. Being able to support her family financially appears more important than being there with them. This theme also fits in with that of self sacrifice. Discussion Some of these themes that arose relate closely to the literature reviewed. Race, class and gender tie in closely with the literature on domestic work during apartheid and the after effects thereof. Having constructed her hopes around what a person of her position should expect to hope for she has left no room for disappointment and is possibly protecting herself. This is perhaps a coping method. The participant seems to identify the positive in most situation, thereby holding onto the all the dignity and satisfaction possible. This study however broke away from any literature which depicted the new South Africa as still lacking change on a micro level. The participant seems well looked after by her employee and seems to like this aspect of her career, ‘ miss X has helped my family alot over the years’. Social isolation becomes clear throughout the interview. As Hawthorne says social isolation occurs as a result of a lack of personal relationships, and this is very apparent in the life of the participant (Hawthorne, 2006). She seems to long for her family, ‘if I could live with my family that would be better ’. This could be having serious effects on her health as she ages. Although the participant seems to think being a live in domestic is beneficial in her case, Hondagneu-Sotelo argues that the social networks developed amongst part time workers are highly beneficial and supportive to women who are otherwise isolated. Money and benefits seem to stand out almost the most in this study. In asking questions unrelated to money the participant answers saying that the pay is good, showing the great emphasis she puts on it. This theme is the most probable answer to the research question posed. The participant’s main reason for being willing to isolate herself from her family, culture and class is money. She wants nothing more than to support her family and make sure her children are educated. The fact that her employer is generous and she has been able to do this leaves her at terms with her social isolation. Further research into her stress and isolation levels at a quantitative or psychometric level my yield clearer results, this study however demonstrates that there is a ground for such research and that it may be beneficial. Physical health tests of live in as opposed to live out domestic workers may also lead to interesting literature on this matter. Conclusion This study has therefore provided an in depth account of a problem which possibly demands more consideration, showing that some women are prepared to sacrifice almost their whole life in order to support their loved ones inancially. Although the situation shown here is somewhat undesirable this study has also depicted many positive changes of the post 1994 South Africa with the participant saying she is looked after well by her employee. This study therefore not only met its aim of finding out why women are prepared to live in, but also uncovered other interesting research areas. Hopefully in the future these other topics will be covered more extensively.

Directing Juliets Long Soliloquy Essay -- Drama

How would you direct Juliet's long soliloquy in Act 4 Scene 3 on a Shakespearean stage, conveying Juliet's nightmarish terror and indecisiveness? My staging of Act 4 Scene 3 will emphasise the major themes which are continued in the play as a whole; love, fate and violence. Both Romeo and Juliet are sometimes portrayed as 'pawns of fate' unable to escape their destiny, yet in this scene as I wish to stage it, I want to show that Juliet, following the Friar's plan, takes a step towards changing that destiny. She does this out of love for Romeo and to escape the despair brought on by what she thinks will be a loveless marriage to Paris. Juliet is in the grip of very strong emotions and in this scene her morbid fantasies about tombs and spectres take a violent turn, showing the violence of her feelings and state of mind. It seems strange that most modern productions omit this scene, giving only the first and last lines. The last line too is given in various versions. Do the directors think that this "death bed soliloquy" - for that is what it turns out to be - from the heroine, is too wordy and that modern audiences cannot interpret the violent images she talks about without the images themselves before their eyes? Or do they think that such violent emotions are uncharacteristic of Juliet and are out of place? In my production I intend to combine the powerful words of the distraught Juliet with the inclusion of visual images to produce maximum impact. In order to help the Shakespearean audience visualise Juliet's words, I will place actors as ghosts and spectres acting out her fantasies in the gallery as she speaks the lines. On a Shakespearean stage the scenery was minimal, as were the props, so the contemporary audience relied on the words, clothing and the actor a lot more than we would normally do now. As the director, I would ask the young actor playing Juliet to be wearing a yellow aristocratic night gown of the era. This would indicate to the audience that in the play it is currently night time and that Juliet is in her chambers (because a respectable girl would not be outside in her night clothes). The Shakespearean audience was very superstitious, so Juliet wearing a night gown that is yellow would also portray to them ideas of optimism. Also, along the ideas of superstition, I would want the vial to be red, ... ...loor of the gallery, where he has been waiting. Tybalt should look extremely menacing and threatening towards the crowd. As soon as Juliet says "O look!" I want the actor playing Romeo to appear on the gallery, next to Tybalt. While Juliet is speaking the next lines they should fight with rapiers. At the precise moment that Juliet says the second "stay!", I want Tybalt to stab Romeo, and then for all the actors on the upper stage to collapse to floor so they are not seen. I believe that in the staging of this scene, with actors acting out Juliet's fantasies as she says them, I have exploited the full potential of the Elizabethan stage. Since their access to props and lighting was limited, words had to convey the idea of action, but by combining verbal and visual I wanted to maximise the impact of the words. Juliet's highly emotional state is shown by her restless movements over the stage and her imaginings are portrayed in the gallery above. The violence shown throughout the play is mirrored here in Juliet's words. Her love for Romeo is the cause of the scene but the audience knows that in the end it is all futile since Juliet and Romeo are "star-crossed lovers".

A History of Naan

The story of Naan begins many years ago in the imperial court of Delhi. The Sultan of ancient India in 1320 was Khusro Khan, or Nasiruddin, and he (like his predecessors) was used to fine dining. Chicken, peas, succulent soups and fruits were staples of royal feasting. When naan was introduced, it changed the way food was consumed. While the Sultan liked his food, he couldn’t keep the naan formula to himself. the fabulous recipe was bound to escape, bringing joy to even those that were not considered royalty.Soon, even the lowest of the low were indulging in the tasty treat. Information travels fast, and the news about naan was definitely no exception. Before long, many people of different countries were eating naan, and creating dishes to accompany it. The naan recipe made it’s way to North America with traveling immigrants, and from there its been passed down from generation to generation. Since the recipe made its way by mouth to mouth, every recipe is translated and made differently. Naan is leavened bread baked in a clay oven, originating from India and Southeastern Asia.The first record of its existence is from a journal from the 1300’s, and it wrote of it being served in the imperial courts of Delhi. The name Naan comes from new Persia, and is a generic word for bread. While naan is made of most of the things you find in traditional bread, but you also add yogurt or dahi, which makes the bread fluffier and lighter. After being carefully handled, it is put in a tandoori oven, which is a large clay pot that stands tall above the ground, and baked to perfection. This type of oven is designed to provide dry heat at a very high temperature; the temperature in a tandoori oven usually reaches 900Â °F.The kinds of naan are as vast as the number of years it has been served. The most common types you will find in a restaurant or grocery store are garlic and sweet naan. Naan is typically served with Indian food, but it can be used in everyday foods, or used as sandwich bread with different types of cheese and meats. While Naan is very popular in India and Southeastern Asia, it seems to have become a very widespread delicacy in the Western world. It is so popular, that it has been used in many different food related contests, and has been featured in the Guinness Book of World Records.The largest naan to be made weighed 20 lb 15 oz and was made by Loblaw Companies Limited in Brampton, Ontario, Canada, on 5 July 2008. The naan bread measured 9 ft 6 in x 3 ft 4 in. Indian restaurants have popped up in every country and state, making naan a staple in fine Indian cuisine. http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Delhi_Sultanate http://www. palkirestraurant. com/history-of-the-naan http://www. wisegeek. org/what-is-nann. html http://wordnetweb. princeton. edu/perl/webwn? s=naan http://www. wisegeek. com/what-is-a-tandoori-oven. htm http://www. guinnessworldrecords. com/records-1000/largest-naan-bread/

Theme for English B

Dwayne ThomasThomas 1 11/19/2012 Composition II Figures of Speech Essay The Literary Working of Theme for English B Langston Hughes’ instillation of metaphors throughout his poem accentuates the theme concerning the integration of schools which conveys America’s ode to freedom and equality. In addition to the metaphors, irony is also displayed within the carefully crafted work of art, stressing the ridiculousness of society’s digressing of unity and togetherness.These literary devices are shown by the speaker’s inquiry of the paper he is assigned by his white professor whom states, â€Å"let that page come out of you— then it will be true. † â€Å"I guess I’m what I feel and see and hear. Harlem, I hear you†, says the speaker as he is expressing the beginning of his paper. The fact that he only hears Harlem implies that he has lost touch with the feeling and visual context of the African American culture due to the integration o f schools. This does not necessarily expose a bad conception, for he still hears Harlem.Therefore, the idea is that the mixing of races within schools creates a melting pot that disregards feeling different and having opposite perspectives, but maintains the knowledge of where you come from. This is Hughes’ description of the American persona. The speaker extends this metaphor of the American persona even more by stating his enjoyment towards different styles of music, â€Å"I like†¦ records – Bessie, bop, or Bach. † This ranging style of musicality proves that though he is black he is no different than other people of Thomas 2 iverse ethnicity, providing another reasonable argument cooperating with the integration of public schools. Following the quote, the speaker explains, â€Å"I guess being colored doesn’t make me not like the same things other folks like who are other races. † The double negative presented in this quote symbolizes the do uble standard the society of America used during that time period. Though many people regardless of race enjoyed the same music, it was noted that the people of other races were vastly different and could not identify with any other race accordingly.With that, this quote further clarifies the similarity of diverse ethnicities. Hughes incorporates the paper the speaker writes, itself, as a metaphor as well. The physical paper itself represents, in a simplistic view, white people, as the words represent black people. Paper would not mean anything without words written on it, as words would be nothing without paper to put them on; referring to integration this simply means that the black schools and the white schools are two parts of one, and when put together they generate a meaning, an expression, a unified America.This point is emphasized by the speaker’s epiphany that his paper will be a part of the instructor as he explains, â€Å"You are white— yet a part of me, as I am a part of you. That’s American. † The second to last stanza in the poem demonstrates the ludicrous and child-like behavior between the two races, â€Å"you don’t want to be a part of me. Nor do I often want to be a part of you. But we are, that’s true! † This quote, nonetheless, highlights the fact that all of the races are a part of each other no matter how much it is disliked. And that each person learns something from one another, though others were considered â€Å"somewhat more free. In effect, this stanza thoroughly explicates the stressed meaning of the poem by exploiting the comparisons of every Thomas 3 race through humble scenarios. In addition, the last stanza, â€Å"This is my page for English B†, validates the speaker’s paper due to the professor’s claim that the page â€Å"will be true† if it comes â€Å"out of you†. Thus, Hughes cleverly rationalizes his agreement of integration. All in all, t he poem is utilized as a gateway to express the theme of union between different races through integration of public schools.In fact, the beginning of the poem rhymes as does the end, whilst the middle of the poem contains the persuading information. This may represent the two conflicting races being unified by the material discussing the principle of America, for at the beginning the professor speaks and the speaker speaks at the end (symbolizing the two races). Also, the main point within the poem is emphasized when the speaker lists the differing genres of music he likes, because they all begin with the letter â€Å"b†, as does the title of the work. So at that particular point, the theme is best expressed.Another impression is that the title names the letter â€Å"b† as symbol of society’s current position in life. â€Å"A† stands for America, and Hughes is attempting to state that we are not there yet, but rather a step below becoming true Americans because of the conflict between races straying us from unity. Through his employment of strong metaphors and a well use of irony, Hughes skillfully indicates his argument of a need for harmony within society by integrating schools – this being the central view as the â€Å"American† way within poem.

Free Essays on The Truth Of Tradition

In the short story "The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson, the author uses irony to expand on a theme of traditions that continue although they are ludicrous and barbaric. The characters are honoring a tradition that is handed down to them from former generations. The reader is led through the seemingly normal and quaint little village, and is taken on a ride of ironic horror as he or she slowly grasps the eventual fate of one inhabitant of the village. Shirley Jackson also uses symbolism to make us aware of the pointless nature of humanity regarding tradition and violence. The title "The Lottery" implies a contest with a winner of some kind, like a sweepstakes. When in reality, the â€Å"Lottery† is not about what is won but what is lost. The mood of the story at first seems almost festive. Then in small, but telling glimpses we are told that the men are smiling rather than laughing at the jokes, and the conversation among the bystanders turns to murmurs as the town official, Mr. Summers arrived in the square, carrying the "black box." Then the good-natured folk keep their distance and Mr. Summers must ask for help. There seemed to be a resigned air among the citizens. The narrator recounts a partial history of rituals involving the black box, complete with rumors of chants, recitals, stances, dim memories of the way the lottery used to be conducted. The reminiscing serves as a reminder to the villagers of the way things are and the way they have always been. The sheer weight of generations of villagers following the lottery tradition is felt. The mood of the people shifts from friendliness, to false boasting, to relief and finally nervous release as they fulfill the obligation of stoning the victim. The village, by all appearances, seems to be a normal and ordinary place with its inhabitants meeting in a square with festival like intentions. Children are playing, men are talking about the rain and taxes, and the women are chatting am... Free Essays on The Truth Of Tradition Free Essays on The Truth Of Tradition In the short story "The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson, the author uses irony to expand on a theme of traditions that continue although they are ludicrous and barbaric. The characters are honoring a tradition that is handed down to them from former generations. The reader is led through the seemingly normal and quaint little village, and is taken on a ride of ironic horror as he or she slowly grasps the eventual fate of one inhabitant of the village. Shirley Jackson also uses symbolism to make us aware of the pointless nature of humanity regarding tradition and violence. The title "The Lottery" implies a contest with a winner of some kind, like a sweepstakes. When in reality, the â€Å"Lottery† is not about what is won but what is lost. The mood of the story at first seems almost festive. Then in small, but telling glimpses we are told that the men are smiling rather than laughing at the jokes, and the conversation among the bystanders turns to murmurs as the town official, Mr. Summers arrived in the square, carrying the "black box." Then the good-natured folk keep their distance and Mr. Summers must ask for help. There seemed to be a resigned air among the citizens. The narrator recounts a partial history of rituals involving the black box, complete with rumors of chants, recitals, stances, dim memories of the way the lottery used to be conducted. The reminiscing serves as a reminder to the villagers of the way things are and the way they have always been. The sheer weight of generations of villagers following the lottery tradition is felt. The mood of the people shifts from friendliness, to false boasting, to relief and finally nervous release as they fulfill the obligation of stoning the victim. The village, by all appearances, seems to be a normal and ordinary place with its inhabitants meeting in a square with festival like intentions. Children are playing, men are talking about the rain and taxes, and the women are chatting am...

Lines and Slopes in SAT Math Geometry Strategies

Lines and Slopes in SAT Math Geometry Strategies SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips In our SAT guide to lines and angles, we dealt with parallel lines, perpendiculars, and the many different ways to find angle measures with two or more lines. Now, we’ll look at the other aspect of lines, namely their slopes and equations. This will be your complete guide to lines and slopes- what slopes mean, how to find them, and how to solve the many types of slope and line equation questions you’ll see on the SAT. What Are Lines and Slopes? Before we start, you may want to take a moment to familiarize yourself with our guide to SAT coordinate points in order to refresh yourself on the basics of coordinate geometry. Basically, coordinate geometry takes place in the space where the $x$-axis and the $y$-axis meet. Any place on this space is given a coordinate point- written as $(x, y)$- that indicates where the point is along each axis. A line (or line segment) is a completely straight marker with no curvature. It is made up of (and connects) a series of points together. A slope is the measure of the slant (steepness) of a line. A slope is found by finding the change in distance along the y axis over the change in distance along the $x$ axis. You are probably most familiar with this concept by finding the â€Å"rise over run† to find the slope of a line. $${\change \in y}/{\change \in x}$$ Here is a typical line, presented on the coordinate grid. To find our slope, first start by marking the points where the line hits the grid at perfect integer coordinates. This will make life simpler when we go to find the slope. Wherever the grid meets at a corner, we will have coordinates that are integers. We can see here that our line hits the coordinates: $(-3, 4)$, $(0, 2)$, and $(3, 0)$. Now let us find the rise and run of the line. Our "rise" will be -2, as we must move down 2 units to reach the next coordinate point in our line. Our run will be +3, as we must move 3 units to the right to reach the next coordinate point in our line. So our final slope will be: $\rise/\run$ $-{2/3}$ Properties of Slopes A slope can either be positive or negative. A positive slope rises from left to right. A negative slope falls from left to right. A straight horizontal line has a slope of zero. It will be defined by one axis only. $y=2$ A straight vertical line has an undefined slope (because run will always be 0, and you can't divide by 0). It will be defined by one axis only. $x=2.5$ The steeper the line, the larger the slope. The red line is steepest, with a slope of $4/1$, or 4. The blue line is not as steep, with a slope of $4/9$ San Francisco knows a little bit about steep slopes. Line and Slope Formulas Finding the Slope $${y_2 - y_1}/{x_2 - x_1}$$ In order to find the slope of a line that connects two points, you must find the change in the y-values over the change in the x-values. (Note: It does not matter which points you assign as $(x_1,y_1)$ and $(x_2,y_2)$, so long as you are consistent.) Given the coordinates $(2, 2)$ and $(-1, 0)$, find the slope of the line. Now, we can solve this question in one of two ways- by drawing a graph and counting, or by using our formula. Since we already saw earlier how it's possible to count out our slope on a graph, let us use our formula to see how it's done. Of the two coordinate points, we must assign one set to be $x_1$ and $y_1$ and the other to be $x_2$ and $y_2$. Let us pick (2, 2) to be our $x_1$ and $y_1$ and (-1, 0) to be our $x_2$ and $y_2$. ${y_2 - y_1}/{x_2 - x_1}$ $(0 - 2)/(-1 - 2)$ ${-2}/{-3}$ $2/3$ But what would have happened had we assigned $(-1, 0)$ to be our $x_1$ and $y_1$ and $(2, 2)$ to be our $x_2$ and $y_2$? We would have gotten the same results either way! ${y_2 - y_1}/{x_2 - x_1}$ $(2 - 0)/(2 - -1)$ $2/3$ No matter which coordinates we assign to be the first or second values for x and y, we will end up with the same slope so long as we are consistent. Equation of a Line $$y=mx+b$$ This is called the â€Å"equation of a line† or a line in "slope-intercept form" and it shows exactly how a line is positioned along the $x$- and $y$-axes as well as how steep it is. This is the most important formula you’ll need when it comes to lines and slopes, so let’s break it into pieces. $y$ is your $y$-coordinate value for any particular value of $x$. $x$ is your $x$-coordinate value for any particular value of $y$. $m$ is the measure of your slope. $b$ is the $y$-intercept value of your line. This means that it is the value where the line hits the $y$-axis (remember, a straight line will only hit each axis a maximum of one time). Find the equation of the line from the graph. We're using the same graph from above, and we can see that the line intersects with the $y$-axis at around $y=0.5.$* We also determined earlier that the slope is $2/3$. So when we put those two pieces of information together, the equation of our line would be: $y = {2/3}x + 0.5$ *If the question wants you to be more specific than "about a half" about what fraction of a number the line hits $x=0$ or $y=0$ at, it will have a more detailed drawing. In this question, while the actual intercept for a line with coordinates $(2,2)$ and $(0,-1)$ would actually be $2/3$ or $0.66$, not $0.5$, the graph is not at a scale where you could reasonably visually estimate that. Remember to always re-write any line equations you are given into the proper form! Often, the test will try to trip you up by giving you an equation not written in proper form and asking for the slope of the line. This is to get people to make a mistake if they are going too quickly through the test. $$tx+12y=-3$$ The equation above is the equation of a line in the $xy$-plane, and $t$ is a constant. If the slope of the line is -10, what is the value of $t$? First, let us put this equation into the proper equation of a line. $tx+12y = −3$ $12y = −tx−3$ $y = - {tx}/{12} -3/12$ Now, we only care about finding the slope, so let’s find the value of t (our slope) by using our given. $-{t/12} = -10$ $-t = -120$ $t = 120$ Our final answer is $t = 120$. Always remember to set up your equation as your first step and you’ll be able to solve most any slope problem quickly and easily. Perpendicular Lines When two lines meet at right angles, the lines are called â€Å"perpendicular.† Perpendicular lines will always have slopes that are negative reciprocals of one another. This means that you must reverse both the sign of the slope as well as the fraction. For example, if a two lines are perpendicular to one another and one has a slope of $3/4$ the other line will have a slope of $-{4/3}$. Perpendicular lines with slopes of $3/4$ and $-{4/3}$ And if a line has a slope of −5, the line that meets it perpendicularly will have a slope of $1/5$. Parallel Lines When two lines will never meet, no matter how infinitely long they extend, the lines are said to be parallel. This means that they are continuously equidistant. If two lines are parallel, they will also have the same slope. You can see why this makes sense, since the rise over run will always have to be the same in order to make sure that the lines will never touch. Parallel lines with slopes of $4/3$ When lines turn devious. Typical Line and Slope Questions Most line and slope questions on the SAT are quite basic at their core. You’ll generally see two questions on slopes per test and almost all of them will simply ask you to find the slope of a line or the equation of a line. The test may attempt to complicate the question by using other shapes or figures, but the questions always boil down to these simple concepts. Just remember to re-write any given equations into the proper slope-intercept form and keep in mind your rules for finding slopes (and your rules for parallel or perpendicular lines). With this knowledge in hand, you’ll be able to solve these types of problems quickly and easily. From the graph, we can see that the y-intercept of the line is (0,1). The line also passes through the point (1,2). This is enough information for us to figure out the slope of the line, which we know is ${\change \in y}/{\change \in x}$. ${2-1}/{1-0}={1}/{1}=1$ Now we know that the slope of the line is 1. In slope-intercept form, the equation for line $l$ is $y=x+1$ or choice D. Our final answer is D. We know that slope is the ${\change \in y}/{\change \in x}$. The equation $y=kx +4$ is already in slope-intercept form, so we know the slope of the line is $k$. We also know that the line contains the point $(c,d)$ which means we can substitute those variables for $(x,y)$ in the equation. This gives us $d=kc+4$ Solving for this equation for the slope, $k$, gives us $k= {d-4}/c$ Our final answer is A, ${d-4}/c$ How to Solve a Line and Slope Problem As you go through your line and slope problems, keep in mind these tips: #1: Always rearrange your equation into $y=mx+b$ The test makers will often present you with an equation of a line that is not in proper form, for example: $4y+3x=12$. If you are going too quickly through the test or if you forget to rearrange the given equation into proper slope-intercept form, you will misidentify the slope of the line. So always remember to rearrange your equation into proper form as your first step. $4y + 3x = 12$ = $y = −{3/4}x + 3$ #2: Always remember your $\rise/\run$ It can be easy to make a mistake try to find the change in $x$ before finding the change in y, as our brains are used to doing things "in order." Keep careful track of your variables in order to reduce careless mistakes of this nature. Remember the mantra of "rise over run" and this will help you always know to find your change in y over your change in $x$. #3: Make your own graph and/or count to find your slope Because the slope is always "rise over run," you can always find the slope with a graph- whether from a given graph or from your own. It's never a bad idea to take a second and make your own graph if you are not provided with one. This will help you better visualize the problem and avoid errors. If you forget your formulas (or simply don't want to use them), simply count how the line rises (or falls) and trace its "run," and you will always find your slope. Oh, for the days when all we needed to know about lines was how to color in (or out of) them.... Test Your Knowledge Now that we’ve walked through the typical slope questions you’ll see on the test (and a few basic tips you’ll need to solve them), let’s put your knowledge to the test. 1. 2. 3. 4. Answers: D, A, B, D Answer Explanations: 1. We know that slope is the ${\change \in y}/{\change \in x}$. We are also told that our slope is -2, which means it must be $-{2/1}$. This means that, for every time our y value decreases by 2, our x value increases by 1. And every time our y value increases by 2, our x value will decrease by 1. If we use our rectangle, we also have one point of reference on the line. We can see that the rectangle has a length of 3 (because it spans horizontally from $x=0$ to $x=3$) and a length of 4 (because it spans vertically from $y=0$ to $y=4$). This means that the rectangle hits the line at the top right corner at coordinates (3, 4). Now we can simply count where the line will hit the y-axis. Because the slope increases horizontally (along the x-axis) one unit at a time, we can see that there will be $3/1 = 3$ even points along the line needed to find the y-intercept. Basically, this means that we are taking the slope, $-{2/1}$, and multiplying it by 3 to get $-{6/3}$. In other words, we are adding 6 to the change in y and subtracting 3 from the change in x because we are taking the slope backwards. So now we can find our new point by saying that we increased our y-value from 4 to $4+6=10$, and we have decreased our x-value from 3 to $3−3=0$, which would give us the new slope of: $(4 + 6)/(3 - 3) = 10/0$ So our new coordinate point is (0, 10), which means that our y-intercept is 10. Our final answer is D, 10. 2. We know that we can find the slope of the line using ${y_2 - y_1}/{x_2 - x_1}$, so let's plug in our coordinates of (0,r) and (s,0) for these values. ${y_2 - y_1}/{x_2 - x_1}$ $(0 - r)/(s - 0)$ $r/s$ Our s will remain unchanged, but our r value will become negative, as it is being subtracted from zero. Our final answer is A. 3. If you count to the point at which the line crosses the y-intercept, you can see it hits at $y=3$ In the equation $y=mx+b$, the b is the y-intercept. That means our b will be 3. We can therefore cross off answer choices A and D, leaving us down to B, C, and E. We can also see that our line falls from left to right, so our slope will be negative. This means we can eliminate answer choice E, leaving us between choices B and C. Now let’s take the two points at which the line hits the axes. We already saw that the line hits the y-intercept at $y=3$ and we can also see that the line hits the x-axis at $x=2$. This means our line hits coordinates (0, 3) and (2, 0). This means that the change in our y value is -3 and the change in our x value is +2. (Why? Because we decreased our y value by 3 and we increased our x value by 2.) So our slope must be $-{3/2}$, which means that our final equation will be: $y = -{3/2}x + 3$ Our final answer is B. 4. We're told that the equation of the line is $y=2x-5$. This means that the slope of the line is 2 and the $y$-intercept is at (0,-5). A slope of 2 means that, for each increase in $x$ of 1, $y$ increases by 2. Looking at each of the graphs, choices C and D are the only lines with a slope of 2. (Don't be fooled by choice B which has a slope of -2). Next we can look at $y$-intercepts. The line in choice C has a $y$-intercept at ($0,5)$, which doesn't match the equation of the line we were given. However, choice D's line has a $y$-intercept at $(0,-5)$, which is exactly what we're looking for. Choice D is the only line with both the correct slope and y-intercept. Our final answer is D. Hurray, hurray! You've found your slopes, you know your lines! Congrats, congrats. The Take-Aways Once you have familiarized yourself with the basics of coordinate geometry, slopes should not be too far off field. Though the SAT will try to complicate problems as much as they are reasonably able, questions on lines and slopes are almost always easier than they appear. Keep your important formulas close to your heart and be vigilant with your negative signs, and you’ll do just fine when it comes to slopes and intercepts. What’s Next? Phew! You've learned all there is to learn about your slopes angles. Luckily for you (for a certain definition of "luck"), there is so much more to learn! Before you continue on, make sure you have a firm grasp of all the topics covered on SAT math so that you can see what to prioritize. If you're looking for a particular math topic, scope out our SAT math archive for individual topic guides like this one. We've got guides to solid geometry, probability, ratios, and more! If you don't know where to begin, make sure you take a practice test and see how your score ranks. This will give you a good sense of where your strengths and weaknesses are and how you should focus your study time. Looking to get a perfect score? Check out our guide to getting an 800, written by a perfect scorer! Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points? Check out our best-in-class online SAT prep program. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your SAT score by 160 points or more. Our program is entirely online, and it customizes what you study to your strengths and weaknesses. If you liked this Math strategy guide, you'll love our program. Along with more detailed lessons, you'll get thousands of practice problems organized by individual skills so you learn most effectively. We'll also give you a step-by-step program to follow so you'll never be confused about what to study next. Check out our 5-day free trial:

Elder abuse Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Elder abuse - Essay Example Other types of elder abuse include financial abuse that involves misuse of assets belonging to a defenseless adult, neglect, and abandonment of a vulnerable adult (Jarvis, 2012). Like other types of abuse, elder abuse can be prevented. Effective intervention such as calling for the respect of older people’s assets has the potential to curb elder abuse (Jarvis, 2012). Increasing awareness among family members, physicians as well as mental health professionals can also help break cycles of abuse. For instance, educating the persons close to the older people on the essence of observing the rights of older people will aid significantly in solving this problem. Keeping in touch with older people through simple activities such as taking older friends out to dinner, visiting them as well as calling on them to see how they are faring on will aid in preventing elder abuse. Additionally, participation in committees that advocate observance of older people’s rights as well as encouraging the development of education programmes for older persons on their rights will aid significantly in solving elder

History of Internal Combustion Engine Literature review

History of Internal Combustion Engine - Literature review Example Resonance intake manifold The structure of the internal combustion engine requires a particular length of the manifold. The ability and the efficiency of an internal combustion engine will be determined by the size of the manifold. Short manifolds reduce the performance of the engine. Consequently, manufacturers have developed a system that allows for the length of the manifold to be controlled. Because a vacuum is created when the air is forced out by the piston, the fuel in form of vapour enters and creates energy. The valve that allows the fuel in closes and adds pressure to the fuel. When the fuel mixture is accelerated oscillations are developed depending on the length of the manifold. When the length of the manifold varies, it is also possible to vary the oscillations. Variability in length of the manifold usually affects the power, the speed of the operation and efficiency in fuel use. To maximize the efficiency of this system two intakes are refashioned each of which is regul ated by a valve connected to two manifolds. A short manifold usually functions when the engine is fully loaded while the long one operates when the engine is not fully loaded. ... This spin usually assists in distributing the fuel (in form of vapor) and makes the air and fuel vapor to uniformly mix. With this mixture the process of combustion is enhanced, completed and can even to an extent prevent the engine from knocking. When few revolutions per minute are recorded the velocity of the air is enhanced, while with more revolutions increases per minute, most paths are opened thereby increasing the load. A high volume of air therefore generally leads to increase in the power of the engine3. Vacuum boost theory The difference in pressure between the inlet manifold and the outside atmosphere is referred to as manifold vacuum. Therefore it acts as a measure of the amount of the airflow which is restricted in the engine. The amount of power the engine generates has a relationship with the amount of air that enters the internal combustion engine. For engines that use diesel in the internal combustion engine, greater dependence lies on the amount of fuel that is supp lied while those using gasoline will depend on the restrictions of the airflow. Manifold vacuum is usually in all the engines that use natural fuel as source of energy. The engine’s geometry and the speed of rotation affect the input flow in the engine, because geometry cannot be adjusted while the engine has commenced to run. The input flow in the intake manifold should not be restricted as this will interfere with the power of the engine and the possibilities of the engine breaking down. When the air from the atmosphere is allowed in the engine there is possibility that the pressure will automatic increase thereby creating the vacuum. The engine is now powered. We can conclude that engines running on natural fuel such as diesel generate