Everything Your Need to Know About Irony

Everything Your Need to Know About Irony Hearkening back to the infamous Alanis Morissette song, Ironic, its first most important to recognize that rain on your wedding day isnt ironic. Winning the lottery and then dying the next day is also not ironic. Both are just instances of bad luck.One reason why irony is often confused with bad luck is because they can be used to describe similar situations- but the words themselves are the difference between simple bad luck and actual ironic turn of events. For example, if you are on your way to an important meeting that could mean a significant job raise but end up being late and therefore not receiving the raise- thats bad luck. However, if the reason you were late is because you were busy bragging about how youre always on time for anything important- thats ironic.Its easy to get confused about what irony means and how to correctly identify it. Not only are there multiple types of irony, but its use is not meant to be pointed out directly to the reader. In fact, Bob Harris, in h is New York Times article, Isnt It Ironic? Probably Not, quotes the Times style book with the following:[The use] of irony and ironically, to mean an incongruous turn of events, is trite. Not every coincidence, curiosity, oddity and paradox is an irony, even loosely. And where irony does exist, sophisticated writing counts on the reader to recognize it.Bob Harris in New York TimesSo, lets take a look at what irony is, the different types of it, and some examples of it used correctly in literature and life.Verbal ironyWhen you say one thing and mean another, that is verbal irony. Think of it as the times in which the words you use contradict what is expected. In these cases, there are underlying meanings that contrast with the literal meaning of what you intend to communicate. Most importantly, it takes a certain level of intelligence on behalf of the audience to understand when irony is occurring. As a writer, you cant point out if something is ironic- it must be understood by the a udience to have full effect.Sarcasm, exaggeration/overstatement, and understatement are all types of verbal irony. However, not all verbal irony is sarcastic. Think of sarcasm as having a more biting, derogatory undertone.ExamplesAn example of verbal irony can be found in Johnathan Swifts essay, A Modest Proposal.[†¦] whoever could find out a fair, cheap, and easy method of making these children sound, useful members of the commonwealth, would deserve so well of the public as to have his statue set up for a preserver of the nation.I have been assured by a very knowing American of my acquaintance in London, that a young healthy child well nursed is at a year old a most delicious, nourishing, and wholesome food, whether stewed, roasted, baked, or boiled; and I make no doubt that it will equally serve in a fricassee or a ragout.A Modest Proposal by Jonathan SwiftAnother example would be a character who has been in an awful car wreck and suffered major physical injury being asked h ow they are feeling, only to respond Ive never felt better!Situational ironySituational irony is when something occurs that is incongruous with what is expected to occur. Photo by Judeus Samson on Unsplash.Situational irony is when a situation occurs that is ironic. Specifically, it is when something occurs that is incongruous with what is expected to occur. Whereas verbal irony requires a speaker to evoke irony through their words, situational irony can be recognized by a reader without any words spoken.Situational irony, at its core, shows the differences between reality and expectations, and can be an excellent literary device to hone in on this incongruency. It reinforces the idea that in many ways, control is an illusion.ExamplesOne example of situational irony in literature is the plot of The Gift of the Magi, a short story by O. Henry. The story is of two lovers who are poor but want to buy their beloved a Christmas gift to show the depths of their affection. Della, the young wife, sells her hair to buy a fob chain for her husbands most precious possession- a pocket watch.However, unknown to Della, her husband, Jim, has sold his pocket watch to buy her a gift- ornamental combs for her long hair. As the gifts are exchanged, the couple realizes that each of their gifts is now useless. Jim no longer has a pocket watch to use with his wifes gift, and Della no longer has long hair that can be put into the ornamental combs Jim bought for her.Another example is the poem, Messy Room, by Shel Silverstein. In it, the narrator begins by berating the occupant of a room that has been left in disarray. By the end of the poem, however, the narrator recognizes it as being his own room.Whosever room this is should be ashamed!His underwear is hanging on the lamp.His raincoat is there in the overstuffed chair,And the chair is becoming quite mucky and damp.His workbook is wedged in the window,His sweaters been thrown on the floor.His scarf and one ski are beneath the TV,An d his pants have been carelessly hung on the door.His books are all jammed in the closet,His vest has been left in the hall.A lizard named Ed is asleep in his bed,And his smelly old sock has been stuck to the wall.Whosever room this is should be ashamed!Donald or Robert or Willie or–Huh? You say its mine? Oh, dear,I knew it looked familiar!A non-literary example of situational irony would be a party that is planned indoors to avoid being out in the heat of summer. However, on the day of the party, the outdoor temperatures drop to a comfortable 70 degrees with a soft breeze blowing, while the air conditioning on the inside breaks, leaving the party room hot and stuffy with no windows to open.Dramatic ironyDramatic irony occurs in fictional or dramatic works and is a device the writer uses to allow the audience to know crucial information that the character does not know. According to Literarydevices.net:By allowing the audience to know important facts ahead of the leading char acters, dramatic irony puts the audience and readers above the characters, and also encourages them to anticipate, hope, and fear the moment when a character would learn the truth behind events and situations of the story.More often, this irony occurs in tragedies, where readers are led to sympathize with leading characters Thus, this irony emphasizes the fatality of incomplete understanding on honest and innocent people, and demonstrates the painful consequences of misunderstandings.Literarydevices.netExampleOne of the most famous examples of dramatic irony in fiction is in William Shakespeares Romeo and Juliet. The moment that Romeo ingests the poison, thinking his beloved Juliet to be dead, the audience knows that Juliet is very much alive. The letter announcing her plans to fake her own death never arrived to Romeo, thus keeping him from knowing the truth while the audience is aware of it.Another example of Shakespeares extensive use of dramatic irony occurs in Macbeth, when Dun can announces his trust for Macbeth while being unaware of the witches prophecy. In that prophecy, which the audience knows, it is revealed that Macbeth will be king and would kill Duncan.Cosmic ironyWhile not a part of the more well-known types of irony (verbal, situational, and dramatic), cosmic irony is a type of irony youll often find in philosophical discussions. It is a subtype of situational irony and is also known as the Irony of fate. In essence, it is the belief that the fates (or God/gods) enjoy toying with humanity, either for their own amusement or for some greater experiment.Cosmic irony is the belief that the fates (or gods) enjoy toying with humanity. Photo by NASA on Unsplash.ExamplesA literary example of cosmic irony is found in Thomas Hardys Tess of the dUrbervilles. In this work, the main character, who is innocent, loses everything to tragedy. Eventually, she dies, and Hardy ends the novel with the words: Justice was done, and the President of the Immortals (in the Aeschylean phrase) had ended his sport with Tess.Historical ironyHistorical irony is when an event occurs that is in juxtaposition to a claim or situation that contradicts it.ExamplesOtto Lilienthal, who created the flying glider, once stated: No one can realize how substantial the air is, until he feels its supporting power beneath him. It inspires confidence at once. However, the historical irony comes from the fact that Lilienthal was later killed during one of his flying experiments when the air was, in fact, not substantial enough to keep him from falling.Margaret Thatcher, the first female prime minister of the UK, stated in 1973 that she didnt believe there would be a woman prime minister in her lifetime.Using irony in your writingIrony is a fantastic device at any writers disposal to add a sense of wonder, fate, or even comedy to their story. Using it to juxtapose that which is expected versus reality not only adds depth to your writing but its also fun for your reader t o recognize it when it occurs.

Tracking an Odd Construction in the Media

Tracking an Odd Construction in the Media Tracking an Odd Construction in the Media Tracking an Odd Construction in the Media By Maeve Maddox The following usage struck me as odd when I read it in the roundup column that appears on the front page of my daily paper: Rumsfeld says that George W. Bush was wrong to try to create democracy onto Iraq. I assumed that â€Å"create democracy onto Iraq† was simply an unfortunate stylistic lapse on the part of a local harried reporter. It can’t be easy to fit an entire news item into one coherent sentence of fewer than 50 words, especially under a tight deadline. But then I did a Google search of â€Å"create democracy onto† and traced the phrase to the article in which it originated: Former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, one of the staunchest defenders of the Iraq war, said in an interview with the  Times  of London that his boss, former President George W. Bush, was wrong to try to create  democracy onto Iraq.- David Knowles, Bloomberg One might attempt to create a democracy in Iraq or even for Iraq, but â€Å"to create a democracy onto Iraq† is not idiomatic English. To rule out the possibility that Rumsfeld was responsible for the odd wording, I tracked down his original comment in the Times: The idea that we could fashion a democracy in Iraq seemed to me unrealistic. Rumsfeld was not the culprit. The word that he did use, fashion (â€Å"to give shape to†) is an appropriate choice in the context of altering an existing system. Create is from Latin creare, â€Å"to procreate or to give birth.† One meaning of the verb create is â€Å"to bring into being, to cause to exist,† especially with the sense of â€Å"to produce something where nothing was before.† Some synonyms for create in the sense of produce or make: generate fabricate fashion build construct design devise originate frame develop shape form forge Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Expressions category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:When to Use â€Å"That,† â€Å"Which,† and â€Å"Who†The Writing ProcessOne Scissor?

Do employment consultants need to be trained when dealing with the Essay

Do employment consultants need to be trained when dealing with the unemployed - Essay Example An employment consultant is the link between a job seeker and the company where a vacancy exists. The consultant has the unenviable job of not only matching the skill sets of the applicant with the position, but also to judge the mental make-up and socio-psychological responses of the applicant in different situations. A highly qualified and well-experienced person might be unsuitable for an opening because of his temperament. On the other hand, a lesser qualified person, but with a different temperament might be right for the job. Not everyone is capable of managing people. The person needs to be outgoing, be able to perceive the unspoken needs of the clients and co-workers. Similarly, not everyone is suited for research. A candidate might have the required qualifications, but no desire for knowledge or curiosity. In my opinion, a lesser qualified person, but with an intense desire for knowledge would be better suited for the job. Thus, it would not be only the degrees and certificates that need to be verified during an interview, but also the attunement of the candidate for the mentioned opening. The social background of the candidate and exposure to various situations also holds a key to the candidate’s behavior under different life-situations. Then again, there could be gender differences. Aspirations and dedication to different kinds of jobs could be different in men and women. Though traditionally, men might be suited for a particular job, an enterprising woman might be able to do more justice to it. Similarly, while society might consider a particular job as â€Å"lady’s job, some men might be more suitable for the same. Thus, it is the consultant’s job to sense and discover these aptitudes in the candidates and offer them suitable openings. (iii)The ways in which we look at the world, are known in the literature as â€Å"paradigms†. These influence how we perceive problems and their solutions, and what we choose to

INTERDISCIPLINARY TEAMWORK Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

INTERDISCIPLINARY TEAMWORK - Essay Example The team also exhibits features of positive interdependence and promote of interaction when applying my emotional intelligence. This interdependence points to the imperative role of my emotional intelligence in ascertaining the effectiveness and functionality of the team, as well as the quality of the project outcome underway (Luca and Tarricone, n.d.). Members of the team get better advice on ways to enact approaches that help with collaboration when working under the influence of my emotional intelligence (McCallin and Bamford, 2007). Lastly, members of the team undergo processes more comprehensive for learning through project collaboration and experience when working under the influence of my emotional intelligence (Druskat et al., 2013). As a result, it would be beneficial for the team when I use my emotional intelligence to assign duties or set up a cooperative setting for completing a given project. Nathaniel Faatoafe is right about the importance of considering personality differences within a team. Personalities determine emotions, which in turn influence the input offered by each team member, and the project’s future. Marvin Lopez reply about the realizing a team’s strong points and weaknesses bent on individuality differences amongst its members is convincing. I think Lopez offers a compelling view of informing tea member’s about one’s potential to assist in the advancement of the team through emotional intelligence. Braquel Jackson is so categorical about the role of emotional intelligence in teamwork that he outlines its relationships with trust and personality differences. I think such a response offers an objective point of communication in a team. Cassandra Burton’s response is unique in the sense that she offers a personal account of the important role of emotional intelligence in a team. Burton sheds

Filipino Accounting Education Essay Example for Free

Filipino Accounting Education Essay This Statement is issued by the Accounting Education Change Commission (AECC). The AECC was appointed in 1989 by the American Accounting Association and supported by the Sponsors Education Task Force, representing the largest public accounting firms in the United States. Its objective is to be a catalyst for improving the academic preparation of accountants so that entrants to the accounting profession possess the skills, knowledge, and attitudes required for success in accounting career paths. The Commission encourages reproduction and distribution of its statements. The Commissions first Position Statement, on the objectives of education for accountants, emphasized the importance of teaching. The Statement cited the need for training in instructional methods, recognizing and rewarding contributions to teaching and curriculum design, and measurement and evaluation systems that encourage continuous improvement of instructional methods and materials.1 Without progress in these prerequisites to effective teaching, the objectives of that Statement cannot be realized. Moreover, progress is needed in mechanisms for sharing ideas and techniques and in the culture and organizational climate that establishes and maintains the scholarly status of teaching within the professoriate. All interested parties (e.g., university boards of trustees, regents, legislatures, governors, parents of students, and other sponsors of education) should help establish a priority on teaching and otherwise improve its effectiveness, but faculty and administrative leaders bear the greatest responsibility. CHARACTERISTICS OF EFFECTIVE TEACHING The characteristics of effective teaching must be identified if their presence is to be measured and improvements envisioned. Understanding the characteristic of effective teaching is essential for faculty (so they know what is expected) and administrators (so they can assess performance). Five characteristics of effective teaching are listed below. Curriculum Design and Course Development. To effectively design curricula and develop courses the teacher must: set appropriate objectives; develop a useful framework for the conduct of courses and programs; conceptualize, organize, and properly sequence the subject matter; integrate courses with other related courses, disciplines, and current research; and be innovative and adaptive to change. Use of Well Conceived Course Materials. Effective course materials enhance presentation skills, fulfill course objectives, are consistent with current developments and new technology in the field, create a base upon which continued learning can be built, challenge students to think, and give them the tools to solve problems. Presentation Skills. Effective presentation skills stimulate students interests and their active participation in the learning process, respond to classroom developments as they occur, convey mastery of the subject matter, achieve clarity of exposition, instill professionalism, and engage students with different learning styles. Well Chosen Pedagogical Methods and Assessment Devices. Effective pedagogical methods (e.g., experiments, cases, small group activities) vary with circumstances (e.g., size of class, nature of the subject, ability or skill being developed). Assessment devices (e.g., examinations, projects, papers, presentations) should be geared both to course objectives and to the progress of the course and should have a pedagogical component (e.g., fixing in the students mind what is most important, learning by thinking through a problem, identifying weaknesses to be corrected, reinforcing acquired skills). Guidance and Advising. An effective teacher guides and advises students as appropriate to the level of study and research (e.g., a freshmans exploration of potential careers, a seniors job placement, or a doctoral students work on a dissertation). THE ADMINISTRATIVE TASK Administrators should ensure that the reward structure stimulates effective teaching. They should also give attention to the other administrative issues that can affect the quality of teaching. These include: The schools or departments infrastructure for learning. This infrastructure includes, for example, classrooms, EDP and projection equipment, library facilities, and study space. Deployment of discretionary resources (e.g., availability of secretarial assistance, printing and duplicating, travel funds for teaching conferences). Appropriate class sizes and teaching loads, given the educational mission and resources of the school. Administrators should consider how each of the factors above is influencing the quality of teaching at their institutions and whether improvements can be made. Finally, administrators should be satisfied with the quality of the procedures in place in their institutions to evaluate teaching and continuously improve it. REWARDING EFFECTIVE TEACHING Faculty and administrators have a joint responsibility to develop incentive systems that produce the best educational outcomes for students. No one reward system or set of reward criteria can serve all institutions, but all should create adequate incentive for effective teaching. The incentive systems should reward effective teaching in deed as well as in word. Effective teaching should be a primary consideration in the tenure, promotion, and merit evaluation process. Effectiveness and innovation are not free, and it would be a mistake to assume that in the long term simply faculty pride and altruism are sufficient to accomplish continual change and improvement in the instructional function. STRATEGIES FOR EVALUATING AND IMPROVING TEACHING There is a close relationship between evaluating and improving teaching. Information about performance provides feedback on where improvements might be made. Assessments of performance need not have a purely administrative function of determining salaries and promotions; they can be devoted to improving teaching. The techniques below illustrate the range of what is available. Regardless of the technique chosen, assessments of teaching should be systematic and consistent. Self-assessment. Every teacher should regularly assess his or her work in order to improve. Self-assessment requires an evaluation of what was effective, what was not, why some things were relatively more effective, and what changes are desirable. Self-assessments can include documentation of purposes and techniques provided to colleagues as part of formal evaluations and are a natural basis for informal discussions of teaching techniques. Observations by Colleagues. Faculty should be primarily responsible for evaluating the teaching performance of colleagues. The evaluation process should be systematic and should strive for objectivity. A structured approach lends consistency to observations, which can make subsequent observations less stressful. All observations by colleagues should have as a major purpose to make recommendations for improvement, even if the occasion for the observation is administrative. Experience should be considered in assigning faculty observers. Student Evaluations. Student evaluations provide direct evidence of student attitudes toward the classroom experience. Students can report reactions to course workload; to the course materials; to the teachers classroom enthusiasm, demeanor and control; and to their personal interaction with the teacher. They can also estimate their own academic growth in the course. Alumni Input. Graduates can report on the thoroughness of their preparation, the usefulness of specific educational experiences in their lives and careers, and recollections of effective courses and teachers. Aggregate data on alumni outcomes (e.g., employment data) can be combined with information on curriculum design and teaching effectiveness to evaluate how both an accounting program and teaching approaches might be improved. Instructional Consultants. Consultants can analyze teaching techniques and styles and provide recommendations for improvement. Sometimes it is useful to work with a consultant and a faculty colleague, with the colleague focusing on course content and the consultant on teaching techniques. Teaching Portfolios. A teaching portfolio is a factual description or collection of a professors teaching achievements (i.e., an extended teaching resume). The teaching portfolio is to a professors teaching what lists of publications, grants, and academic honors are to research. A portfolio might include documentation of ones teaching experience and philosophy, syllabi, evidence of student learning, student and faculty evaluations, videotapes, and documentation of work on curriculum design and course development. A teaching portfolio may be critical to providing the teaching vita with the portability and external review enjoyed for so long by the publishing vita. CONCLUSION Every party with a stake in improving accounting education has a stake in improving accounting professors teaching, but faculty and administrators can do the most to bring it about. They can work to ensure that teaching is appropriately rewarded and supported, that campus conditions are conducive to effective teaching, that effective teaching strategies are shared with others, that sound mechanisms for feedback on teaching effectiveness are in place and functioning, and that methods of evaluating teaching are refined and viewed as credible by those who play key roles in the evaluation and reward process. SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY Angelo, Thomas A. and K. Patricia Cross. Classroom Assessment Techniques: A Handbook for College Teachers (2nd Edition) San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass Publishers, 1993 Boyer, Ernest L. Scholarship Reconsidered: Priorities of the Professoriate. Princeton, N.J.: The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, 1990. Blackburn, Robert T. and Judith A. Pitney. Performance Appraisal for Faculty: Implications for Higher Education. Ann Arbor, MI: national Center for Research to Improve Postsecondary Education, The University of Michigan, 1988. Braskamp, Larry A. and John C. Ory. Assessing Faculty Work. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass Publishers (in preparation), 1993. Cashin, William E. Defining and Evaluating College Teaching, IDEA Paper No. 21. Kansas State University, Center for Faculty Evaluation and Development, September 1989. Centra, John, Robert C. Froh, Peter J. Gray, Leo M. Lambert and Robert M. Diamond, eds. A Guide to Evaluating Teaching for Promotion and Tenure. Syracuse University, Center for Instructional Development, 1987. Diamond, Robert M. Designing and Improving Courses and Curricula in Higher Education. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers, 1989. Edgerton, Russell, Patricia Hutchings and Kathleen Quinlan. The Teaching Portfolio: Capturing the Scholarship in Teaching. Washington, D.C.: American Association for Higher Education, 1991. Gabbin, Alexander L., Scott N. Cairns and Ralph L. Benke, Jr., eds. Faculty Performance Appraisal. Harrisonburg, VA: Center for Research in Accounting Education, 1990. Lambert, Leo M. and Stacey Lane Tice, eds. Preparing Graduate Students to Teach: A Guide to Programs that Improve Undergraduate Education and Develop Tomorrows Faculty. Washington, D.C.: American Association of Higher Education, 1993. McKeachie, Wilbert J. Teaching Tips: A Guide Book for the Beginning College Teacher. (8th Edition) Lexington, MA: Heath and Company, 1986. Mckeachie, Wilbert J., Paul R. Pintrich, Yi-Guang Lin and David Smith. Teaching and Learning in the College Classroom: A Review of the Research Literature. Ann Arbor, MI: National Center for Research to Improve Postsecondary Education, The University of Michigan, 1986. Menges, Robert J, and B. Claude Matkis, eds. Key Resources on Teaching, Learning, Curriculum, and faculty Development. San Francisco, CA. Jossey-Bass Publishers, 1988. Seldin, Peter. The Teaching Portfolio: A Practical Guide to Improved Performance and Promotion Tenure Decisions. Boston, MA: Anker Publishing, 1991. Seldin, Peter and others. How Administrators Can Improve Teaching: Moving from Talk to Action in Higher Education. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass Publishers, 1990. Stark, Joan S. and others. Planning Introductory College Courses: Influence on Faculty. Ann Arbor, MI: National Center for Research to Improve Postsecondary Education, The University of Michigan, 1990. St. Pierre, E. Kent, Michael P. Riordan and Diane A. Riordan, eds. Research in Instructional Effectiveness. Harrisonburg, VA: Center for Research in Accounting Education, 1990. The Teaching Professor. A newsletter published by Magna Publications, Inc., Madison, WI: Maryellen G. Weimer, Editor, Pennsylvania State University. The AECC acknowledge the contributions to the Statement of the following task force members who are not Commission members: Ronald J. Patten and Arthur R. Wyatt. Other Statement issued by the Accounting Education Change Commission: Issues Statement No. 1: AECC Urges Priority for Teaching in Higher Education (August 1990). Position Statement No. One: Objectives of Education for Accountants (September 1990). Issues Statement No. 2: AECC Urges Decoupling of Academic Studies and Professional Accounting Examination Preparation (July 1991).

Music Essay - An Analysis of the Rap Song, Put it On :: Exploratory Essays Research Papers

An Analysis of the Rap Song, Put it On While on a recent carefree jaunt throughout Harlem, I was introduced to the lyrical genius of one â€Å"Big L.† As is common of all true artists, Mr. L passed before his time, but not without a legacy. You see, it is the will of the Almighty Himself that I elucidate the meaning of Mr. L’s first major work, â€Å"Put it On,† in order for it to be made accessible to the common man and the upper crust alike, so that this truly majestic piece may live for eternity in the bosom of humankind. To this end, I have composed a line-for-line translation of the complex, sophisticated diction, which, I expect, will henceforth serve as the standard through which all scholars will study this master of the English language. Verse One Ayo you better flee, hops, or get your head thrown three blocks. L keep rappers’ hearts pumpin’ like Reeboks. And every year I gain clout and my name sprout. Some brothers would still be virgins if crack never came out. I got the wild style, always been a foul child My guns go boom-boom, and your guns go pow-pow. I'm known to have a hottie open, I keep the shottie smokin,’ Front and get half the bones in your body broken. And when it comes to getting’ nookie I'm not a rookie- I got girls that make that chick Toni Braxton look like Whoopie. I run with sturdy cliques, I'm never hittin’ dirty chicks, Got thirty-five bodies, buddy, don't make it thirty-six. Step to this, you're good as gone. Word is bond. I leave mics torn when I put it on. Summary: This verse serves to make a strong impression of Mr. L. We first learn that he is not to be toyed with. Big then threatens his opponents, speaks briefly about his fondness for firearms, and draws attention to his sex appeal. As for a more detailed analysis of the verse: Ayo you better flee, hops, or get your head thrown three blocks. L keep rappers’ hearts pumpin’ like Reeboks. Greetings. You had better take flight, my good man, or else you will receive a wallop - for I am to be feared. And every year I gain clout and my name sprout. Some brothers would still be virgins if crack never came out. I strengthen my fame on an annual basis. Hence, my name becomes increasingly better known with time. Incidentally, a number of black men would still have not had sexual relations with women, had it not been for the advent of crack cocaine.

Nancy Mairs-Disability

A forty three year old woman has multiple sclerosis and she can barely walk with a brace and a cane. She saw another woman with MS in a show who wants to go to Kenya and live a happy life. She almost did it, made up to the taxi but no escape to Kenya for the cripple. The woman with sclerosis believes that crippled people should be considered same as the normal people. People acts differently to handicapped patients. Crippled patients want them to be considered a part of the world, not like being alienated by the normal beings.The meaning of the article is to make people understand how normal beings should consider the handicapped patients equal and not different. Media should portray disables as part of everyday life because otherwise they deny disability and leave TAP (Temporary Abled People) unprepared to cope if they become disabled. They should treat them the same way they treat everyone. The handicapped people are treated differently and are alienated, they want their freedom to o. The author is trying to say that human beings acts differently when they see handicapped people which are true.The woman here is trying to connect herself to this world. Nancy Mairs is narrating the whole essay which means she used narration style of writing. In this style the writer tells a story. A story has characters, a setting, a time, a problem, attempts at solving the problem, and a solution to the problem. The whole essay is a story of a woman who has multiple sclerosis. She explained her point though this type of writing. She used first person as to narrate her story and explain why people act different to handicapped people.

Drug Dilemmas Essay

Read Case 5.2 on pp. 226- 228 – Drug Dilemmas. (Of course, you must read Chapter 5 prior to reading the case 🙂 Chapter 5 is very interesting in many respects. We need to consider whether corporations have social responsibilities and whether they have moral responsibilities in addition to making profits. You can see it’s a difficult balance to attain. Go to pages 202-203 to read about â€Å"Corporate Moral Agency† and the 2010 Supreme Court ruling giving corporations First Amendment rights. As you know, the First Amendment gives us, among other rights, the freedom of speech. Although corporations had limited â€Å"personhood† rights prior to the 2010 decision, now they have rights indistinguishable from individual citizens. Justice Roberts believes that â€Å"a corporation, just like an individual, has many diverse interests†¦indistinguishable from the individual who owns them.† Now, perhaps we need to reevaluate the responsibilities that accompany the rights given to corporations. If a corporation has rights equal to a living human person, then what responsibilities accompany such important rights? Here are some ideas we should be addressing in this forum: 1. Given the nature of their product, do pharmaceutical companies have ethical responsibilities that other corporations don’t have? In your view, are the large U.S. drug companies good corporate citizens? (Hint: Remember Chapter 2 and the Kantian good will, do no harm, always promote good, categorical imperative, or the utilitarian view of the greatest good for everyone involved.) 2. Assess the motivations of drug companies that do their testing overseas. Do you think test subjects are being exploited? Under what circumstances, if any, are companies morally justified in testing overseas? 3. Finally, do drug companies have an obligation to make new drugs available to patients who were involved in their development in the U.S. or overseas? No, I don’t feel that pharmaceutical companies have ethical respnsiblilities that other corporation don’t have. The reason I feel like this is because pharmaceutical companies have the ability to conduct research and save money and by while conducting their research overseas they avoid any restreiction of the FDA. That when you can go to Kantian good will, do no harm, allways promot good categorical imperative or utilitarian view of the greatest good for everyone involved. To use Kantian again, people are being used as guinea pigs, because when using patients in studies and not being able to contin;ue to help them after the study is not ethical to me. I do think that by tesing overseas the subject is being exploited because the help is not continueouly. They have the ability to test overseas circumvents Let’s engage in this fascinating topic using your knowledge you have gained thus far. The discussions will be grated according to this scale: Very good, 10 points: student demonstrates full understanding of the reading material and application of the material and moral theories to this case. Good, 8-9 points: student demonstrates basic understanding of the reading material and application of the material and moral theories to this case. Fair, 6-7 points: student demonstrates partial understanding of the material, but provides some important insights.

How the teachings of Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab influenced everyday life in Saudi Arabia The WritePass Journal

How the teachings of Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab influenced everyday life in Saudi Arabia Introduction How the teachings of Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab influenced everyday life in Saudi Arabia IntroductionReferencesRelated Introduction Commins (2006, p. 97) asserts that the teachings of Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab have influenced the contemporary political and cultural environment in Saudi Arabia. This religious movement, commonly referred to as the Wahhabi movement started in central Arabia in the mid-18th Century and grew because of the preaching and scholarship of Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab. According to Zayd (2006, p. 41), Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab was a scholar of Islamic jurisprudence who received his education in Mesopotamia and Hijaz and then returned to Najd (central Arabia) to advocate for Islamic reforms. This paper explores how his teachings influenced the everyday life in Saudi Arabia. Allen (2006, p.89) says that Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab was concerned with the practices of the people of Najd, which he regarded as polytheistic and wanted them to stop the practices. He wanted reforms that would remove all practices that were added to Islam after the death of Mohammad. He was against practices like using votive and sacrificial offerings, veneration of caves, stones and trees, celebration of birthdays of prophets, praying to saints and making pilgrimages to special mosques and tombs. These were common practices in Najd and the people here regarded them as being in compliance with Islamic teachings. However, to Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab they were polytheistic. He was concerned with these practices because he perceived them as being lax in terms of adherence to Islamic law. In addition to this, he was also concerned with the fact that the people were reluctant to perform religious devotions like disregard to obligatory prayers, not showing care to the widows and orph ans, rampant adultery and failure to give women their fair share of inheritance. These practices formed the basis of his preaching as he was determined to make the people change their ways of life and start living in full compliance with Islamic laws. Weston (2008, p. 11) asserts that his teachings revolved around the breaches of Islamic laws and emphasised the need to comply with all customary practices like jahiliya. He initially encountered opposition but eventually overcame it by forming an alliance with Muhammad ibn Saud, a local chieftain. This alliance ensured that his influence endured through difficult times because Muhammad ibn Saud was very powerful in southern Najd. Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab and his descendants converted the alliance that was initially for political loyalty into religious obligation that had to be followed by everyone. In his teachings, he insisted that all Muslims must present an oath of allegiance (bayah) to Muslim leaders when alive so that they can get redemption when they die. He emphasised that Muslim leaders must be given unquestionable allegiance from the people as long as they are providing leadership that is in full conformity with Islamic laws. He held the perception that the purpose of the Muslim community was to be a living embodiment of Islamic laws (Hegghammer Lacroix 2011, p. 64). The responsibility of ensuring that the community knows and conforms to the laws of God lay squarely on the legitimate rulers. Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab and his followers then started a jihad targeting the backsliding Muslims in the region to ensure that there is total obedience to Muslim rulers and God. This was the beginning of religious intolerance in Saudi Arabia. Fatah (2008, p. 77) claims that the key message in the teachings of Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab was tawhid (oneness of God). Tawhid is very important in Saudi Arabia and it is emphasised by both state and religious leaders. It is for this reason that its adherents call the movement as the call for unity (ad dawa lil tawhid). He was against third party intercession and all prayer rituals because he considered them as leading to shirk. This is why he objected Sufi mysticism, celebrating the birthdays of prophets and Shia mourning ceremonies which were considered as religious festivals. As a consequence grave marking, building of tombs and any other shrines are forbidden in Wahhabism. However this is partly practised in Saudi Arabia because the shrine of Prophet Muhammad is in the country and Muslims go there to pay pilgrimage. They only accept authority from the Sunna and Quran and disregard any reinterpretation of the two books on issues that were already settled by the previous jurists. They totally remain opposed to reinterpretation but give allowance for interpreting the areas not decided by the earlier jurists. Livingstone (2011, p. 50) suggests that they literally interpret the Sunna and Quran and aim towards enforcing parochial Najd practices. The religious and political leadership work collectively in ensuring that there is conformity in behaviour throughout the country. Life in Saudi Arabia is guided by Wahhabism as the government remains committed to ensuring that there is full compliance with Islamic laws (Brym Lie 2010, p. 31). In addition to this, the government has supported the Wahhabi literal interpretations of right and wrong behaviour. Prayer performance in a ritually correct and punctual manner is required of all men. Livingstone (2011, p.54) says that all the believers are forbidden from taking wine because literally, the Quran forbids it. They have extended this ban to include all intoxicating drinks and stimulants like tobacco. Both men and women are required to dress modestly in accordance with the Quran. These conservative regulations have direct influence on all aspects of life in Saudi Arabia. The leaders of Saudi Arabia support the conservative religious establishment and monitor closely the people who present potential threats to their regimes (Lacroix Holoch 2011, p. 96). In the Middle East, Saudi Arabia ranks as one of the most conservative and restrictive countries with those who do not subscribe to the Islamic religion barred from practicing their faith even in private (DeLong-Bas 2007, p. 66). It is this harsh, conservative and restrictive environment that has led to radicalisation of some people in Saudi Arabia as they have no tolerance to other religious faiths. In school the religious curriculum teaches students that there are two types of people; the first one is the Salafis (Wahhabis) who are the chosen ones and will go to heaven because they are the winners. The other group are Muslims, Jews, Christians and all other religions. These ones are either, enervators, or deniers of God (kafirs) or they put their gods next to God (mushrak). The Sunni Muslims are called enervators because they do things that are proscribed by Salafis like celebrating the birthday of Prophet Mohammed (Husain 2009, p. 15). All these groups of people are not accepted b y the Saudi Arabians as Muslims and as such, they are supposed to be hated, persecuted and even killed. This is what the government is encouraging and has led the Saudi Arabians to be intolerant to any other dissenting views on religion because of the rapid radicalisation and fundamentalism (Allen 2006, p. 77). This paper has shown that the teachings of Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab influenced everyday life in Saudi Arabia. His teachings, which were originally intended to bring reforms to the Islamic faith, have gone to the extent of radicalising the people of Saudi Arabia. As the paper indicates, they have no tolerance for other religions. To them, the people of other religions should be hated, persecuted and even killed. This is what is fuelling fundamentalism and radicalism in Saudi Arabia and has already brought about extreme terrorists like Osama bin laden among others. References Allen, C. (2006). Gods terrorists: the Wahhabi cult and the hidden roots of modern Jihad. Cambridge: Da Capo Press. Brym, R. J., Lie, J. (2010). Sociology: Your compass for a new world, the brief edition. Belmont, California: Wadsworth Cengage Learning. Commins, D. (2006). The Wahhabi mission and Saudi Arabia. London : Tauris. DeLong-Bas, N. J. (2007). Wahhabi Islam: From revival and reform to global jihad. London: I.B. Tauris. Fatah, T. (2008). Chasing a mirage: The tragic illusion of an Islamic state. Mississauga, Ont: John Wiley Sons Canada. Hegghammer, T., Lacroix, S. (2011). The Meccan rebellion: The story of Juhayman al-Ê »Utaybi revisited. Bristol, England: Amal Press. Husain, E. (2009). The Islamist: Why I became an Islamic fundamentalist, what I saw inside, and why I left. New York, N.Y: Penguin Books USA. Lacroix, S., Holoch, G. (2011). Awakening Islam: The politics of religious dissent in contemporary Saudi Arabia. Cambridge, Mass: Harvard University Press. Livingstone, D. (2011). Terrorism and the illuminati: A three-thousand-year history. Joshua Tree, CA: Progressive Press. Weston, M. (2008). Prophets and princes: Saudi Arabia from Muhammad to the present. Hoboken, N.J: Wiley. Zayd, N. A. (2006). Reformation of Islamic thought: A critical historical analysis. Amsterdam: Amsterdam Univ. Press.

A Biography of King John of England

A Biography of King John of England King John was King of England from 1199 to 1216. He lost many of his family’s Angevin lands on the continent and was forced to concede numerous rights to his barons in the Magna Carta, which has led to John being considered a colossal failure. In later years many poor reputations have been rolled back by modern supporters, and while Johns financial management is now being reassessed, the anniversary of the Magna Carta saw almost every popular commentator criticize John for - at best - terrible leadership and at worst terrible oppression. While historians are more positive, this is not getting through. His missing gold appears in the national English newspapers every few years but is never found. Youth and Struggle for the Crown King John was the youngest son of King Henry II of England and Eleanor of Aquitaine to survive childhood, being born in 1166. It appears that John was the favored son of Henry, and so the king tried to find him large lands to live from. One grant of several castles, given when John was first to be married (to an Italian heiress), provoked anger among his brothers and started a war between them. Henry II won, but John was given only a little land in the resulting settlement. John was betrothed in 1176 to Isabella, heir to the rich earldom of Gloucester. When John’s older brother Richard became heir to his fathers throne, Henry II wanted to promote Richard to inheriting England, Normandy, and Anjou, and give John Richard’s current holding of Aquitaine, but Richard refused to concede even this, and another round of family warfare followed. Henry turned down the Kingdom of Jerusalem for both himself and John (who begged to accept it), and then John was lined up for the command of Ireland. He visited but proved to be seriously indiscrete, developing a careless reputation and returning home a failure. When Richard rebelled again – Henry II was at the time refusing to recognize Richard as his heir – John supported him. The conflict broke Henry, and he died. When Richard became King Richard I of England in July 1189, John was made Count of Mortain, plus given other lands and a large income, as well as staying as Lord of Ireland and finally marrying Isabella. In return, John promised to stay out of England when Richard went on crusade, although their mother persuaded Richard to drop this clause. Richard then went, establishing a martial reputation that saw him considered a hero for generations; John, who stayed home, would end up achieving the precise opposite. Here, as with the Jerusalem episode, Johns life could have ended up very different. The man who Richard left in charge of England soon grew unpopular, and John set up what was almost a rival government. As war loomed between John and the official administration, Richard sent a new man back from the crusade to take charge and sort things out. John’s hopes of immediate control were dashed, but he still schemed for the throne, sometimes in conjunction with the King of France, who was continuing a long tradition of interference in their rival. When Richard was captured returning from the crusade, John signed a deal with the French and made a move for the crown of England itself, but failed. However, John was prepared to surrender notable parts of his brother’s lands to the French in return for their recognition, and this became known. Consequently, when Richard’s ransom was paid, and he returned in 1194, John was exiled and stripped of all possessions. Richard relented some in 1195, returning some lands, and totally in 1196 when John became the heir to the English throne. John as King In 1199 Richard died - while on a campaign, killed by a (un)lucky shot, before he could ruin his reputation - and John claimed the throne of England. He was accepted by Normandy, and his mother secured Aquitaine, but his claim to the rest was in trouble. He had to fight and negotiate, and he was challenged by his nephew Arthur. In concluding peace, Arthur kept Brittany (held from John), while John held his lands from the King of France, who was recognized as John’s overlord on the continent, in a manner greater than was ever forced out of John’s father. This would have a crucial impact later in the reign. However, historians who have cast a careful eye over John’s early reign have identified a crisis had already begun: many nobles distrusted John because of his previous actions and doubted whether he would treat them correctly. The marriage to Isabella of Gloucester was dissolved because of alleged consanguinity, and John looked for a new bride. He found one in the form of another Isabella, heiress to Angoulà ªme, and he married her as he tried to involve himself in the machinations of the Angoulà ªme and Lusignan family. Unfortunately, Isabella had been engaged to Hugh IX de Lusignan, and the result was a rebellion by Hugh and the involvement of French King Philip II. Had Hugh married Isabella, he would have commanded a powerful region and threatened John’s power in Aquitaine, so the break benefitted John. But, while marrying Isabella was a provocation to Hugh, John continued to snub and anger the man, pushing his rebellion. In his position as French King, Philip ordered John to his court (as he could any other noble who held lands from him), but John refused. Philip then revoked John’s lands, and a war began, but this was more a move to strengthen the French crown than any vote of faith in Hugh. John began by capturing a mass of the leading rebels who were sieging his mother but threw the advantage away. However, one of the prisoners, his nephew Arthur of Brittany, mysteriously died, leading most to conclude murder by John. By 1204 the French had taken Normandy - John’s barons undermined his war plans in 1205 – and by the start of 1206 they’d taken Anjou, Maine and chunks of Poitou as nobles deserted John all over the place. John was in danger of losing all the lands his predecessors had gained on the continent, although he managed small gains during 1206 to stabilize things. After being forced both to reside in England more permanently and to produce more money from his kingdom for war, John proceeded to develop and strengthen the royal administration. On the one hand, this provided the crown with more resources and strengthened royal power, on the other it upset nobles and made John, already a military failure, even more unpopular. John toured extensively within England, hearing many court cases in person: he had a great personal interest in, and a great ability for, the administration of his kingdom, although the goal was always more money for the crown. When the see of Canterbury became available in 1206, John’s nomination – John de Gray - was canceled by Pope Innocent III, who secured Stephen Langton for the position. John objected, citing traditional English rights, but in the following argument, Innocent excommunicated John. The latter now started draining the church of funds, raising a large sum he partly spent on a new navy – John has been called the founder of the English navy - before conceding that the pope would be a useful ally against the French and coming to an agreement in 1212. John then handed his kingdom over to the Pope, who bestowed it on John as a vassal for a thousand marks a year. While this might seem curious, it was really a cunning way to get Papal support against both France, and against the rebel barons of 1215. By the end of 1214, John had succeeded in mending his bridges with the top of the church, but his actions had alienated many further down and his lords. It also angered the mona stic chroniclers and writers historians have to use and may be one reason why so many of the modern histories have been so critical of King John, while the modern historians are increasingly peeling criticism away. Well, not all of them. Rebellion and Magna Carta While many lords of England had grown discontented with John, only a few had rebelled against him, despite widespread baronial discontent stretching back to before John took the throne. However, in 1214 John returned to France with an army and failed to do any damage except gain a truce, having once more been let down by vacillating barons and the failures of allies. When he returned a minority of barons took the chance to rebel and demand a charter of rights, and when they were able to take London in 1215, John was forced into negotiations as he looked for a solution. These talks took place at Runnymede, and on June 15, 1215, an agreement was made on the Articles of the Barons. Later known as Magna Carta, this became one of the pivotal documents in English, and to some extents western, history. In the short term, Magna Carta lasted just three months before the war between John and the rebels continued. Innocent III supported John, who struck back hard at the baron’s lands, but he rejected a chance to attack London and instead wasted the north. This allowed time for the rebels to appeal to Prince Louis of France, for him to gather an army, and for a successful landing to take place. As John retreated north again rather than fight Louis, he may have lost a portion of his treasury and definitely fell ill and died. This proved a blessing for England as the regency of John’s son Henry were able to reissue Magna Carta, thus splitting the rebels into two camps, and Louis was soon ejected. Legacy Until the revisionism of the twentieth century, John was rarely well regarded by writers and historians. He lost wars and land and is seen as the loser by giving the Magna Carta. But John had a keen, incisive mind, which he applied well to government. Unfortunately, this was negated by an insecurity about people who could challenge him, by his attempts to control barons through fear and debt rather than conciliation, through his lack of magnanimity and insults. It is difficult to be positive about a man who lost generations of royal expansion, which will always be clearly chartable. Maps can make for grim reading. But theres little that merits calling King John evil, as a British newspaper did.

Global Industries experience with the then Pension Fund Manager Essay

Global Industries experience with the then Pension Fund Manager - Essay Example According to his analysis the funds represent a small fraction of the U.S.-managed fund industry, but despite this their net assets grew by 262% from 1998 to 2005, compared to a 10.8% increase in U.S. high-yield bond funds. There was significant public attention but academic research did not give much attention to the emerging market bond funds. So did the Pension Fund Manager who also did not pay proper attention to this fund. I would have gone deeper in my research as Pension Fund Manager and would take correct and patient decision before shifting from the fund. I would also for a diversified fund investment rather than concentrating on single fund and suffering. Similarly, if we study carefully the Lazard’s Emerging Market Equity Market Returns annually from 1993 to 2008 we can note of certain emerging markets doing very well. In 1997 Turkey, Hungry and Mexico returned more that 50% from the equity market. In 1998 Korea and Greece returned more than 50%; in 1999 Russia and Turkey returned more than 200% % and Indonesia, India and Korea returned more than 75% from this market. 2000 was a poor market but from 2001 the equity market again started looking up. By 2002 the return was very lucrative: Pakistan returning 150% and Check Republic and Indonesia returning about 40% and above. Minimum five important emerging markets continued yielding sound returns till 2007 The main problem concerns about reading the market trends correctly and selecting the target market with the help of proven experts in the market. Perhaps the Pension Manager could not foresee the correct trends in the market and his decision about investment yielded losses. In 2003 the loss incurred was due to wrong reshuffling of his portfolio to US Treasury Bills for two years and Treasury notes yielding only 1% to 3% return.