Women In Music Essays - Medieval Music, Conductus, Las Huelgas Codex

Women In Music History shows that women were not as big of participants in music as men until later in the medieval era. This is due to many obstacles that faced women disabling them from singing, playing any instruments, or even composing music. Although barriers were present, many women and nuns were able to surpass them, and make use of their abilities and skills. In this paper, I will present the role of women as they interacted with polyphony, and as they became scribes, performers, composers, and patrons. Women's involvement with medieval music took a variety of forms; they served at times as audience, as participant, as sponsor, and as creator. The evidence for their roles, like that for their male contemporaries, is sporadic at best. Many musical sources have been lost, and those sources that do survive only occasionally provide composer attributions. Information on specific performances is virtually non-existent, and the references to musical performances gleaned from literary allusions must be read critically. Similarly, a work of art portraying a woman musician may be representational or symbolic, or both. Yet despite these handicaps, modern scholarship reveals many ways in which medieval women were engaged with, and enriched by, the music that flourished around them. Women and Polyphony In at least some convents, women performed polyphony (an extensive discussion of this can be found in Yardley, pp. 24-27). Some of this repertory is preserved in the Las Huelgas codex which stems from the Carthusian monastery for women near Burgos in Northern Spain which housed approximately one hundred nuns and forty choir girls at its prime in the thirteenth century. The manuscript itself contains an extensive collection of polyphony, including three styles of organum: note-against-note, melismatic, and Notre Dame; as well as motets, conductus, tropes, and sequences. Although the manuscript was copied in the fourteenth century, the repertory comes from earlier, especially 1241-1288. The contents of the Las Huelgas Codes is as follows: # 24 polyphonic ordinary movements: 6 2 Kyries and 3 troped Kyries 6 1 troped Gloria 6 1 Credo 6 1 Sanctus and 7 troped Sanctus movements 6 9 troped Agnus Dei movements # 7 polyphonic propers # 31 Benedicamus Domino settings: 6 7 polyphonic settings 6 14 troped polyphonic settings 6 10 troped monophonic settings # 31 Prosae (also known as sequences): 6 11 polyphonic prosae 6 20 monophonic prosae # Modern thirteenth-century genres: 6 59 motets: I 2 four-voice motets I 25 three-voice double motets (with two separate texts in the top voices) I 11 three-voice conductus-motets (with homorhythmic upper voices) I 21 two-part motets 6 17 polyphonic conductus 6 14 monophonic conductus (also known as versus) 6 1 solfeggio The prevalence of polyphony and the heavy use of tropes suggests that this convent, at least, placed a premium on up-to-date musical styles. Other convents may not have had the resources to keep up with the latest musical fashions, but small clusters of polyphonic pieces survive from sixteen different women's convents, suggesting that religious women had at least some interest, and perhaps some training, in composed polyphony. Women as Scribes Women not only read musical books, they also copied them, at least in some instances. While no investigation of women as scribes has been published, evidence for women's roles in scriptoria has been accumulating. It is not known that women's monasteries as well as men's often had active scriptoria. Moreover, an index of colophons from France reveals a significant number of women who signed their scribal works. Though text sources naturally predominate, a few musical sources were signed by women (Colophons, passim). Similarly, though no musical sources survive in her name, Sister Lukardis of Utrecht from the fifteenth century is known to have copied musical manuscripts, because a Dominican friar writes of her activities: She busied herself withwriting, which she had truly mastered as we may see in the large, beautiful, useful choir books which she wrote and annotated for the convent (Edwards, p. 10) Judging by handwriting, notational styles and repertory, a number of unsigned chant manuscripts also stem from the convents in which they were used. Indeed, though relatively few women music scribes are known, many of their sisters may have legacies that hide amongst the unsigned manuscripts of the era. Women as Composers Perhaps the most famous of the medieval women composers is Hildegard of Bingen. Her repertory of sequences and antiphons (sacred songs) stand somewhat outside of the musical

An Achievement Gap Created by the Summer Slide Before Grade 9

An Achievement Gap Created by the Summer Slide Before Grade 9 By the time students in the United States enter grade 12, they will have spent 96 weeks, or the rough equivalent of 2 out 13 required academic years, in time designated as summer vacation. Researchers have been bemoaning the loss of this collective time as they point to the negative consequences of summer vacation up to and including high school..   Negative Impact of Summer Vacation Research A meta-analysis of 138 influences or â€Å"what works in education† was published (2009)  in  Influences And Effect Sizes Related To Student Achievement  by John Hattie and Greg Yates. Their results are posted on their  Visible Learning  website.   They ranked the effects of completed studies (national and international), and using the data combined from these studies, they developed a rating where any influence greater than .04 was a contribution to student achievement. For their finding on summer vacation,  Ã‚  39 studies  were used  to rank the effect of summer vacation on student achievement. The findings using this data revealed summer vacation as having  a negative effect (  -.09 effect) on education. In other words, summer vacation ranked at the bottom of what works in education, a dismal 134 out of 138 influences.. Many researchers refer to the achievement damage done during these months off as summer learning loss or the â€Å"summer slide†Ã‚  as described on the US Department of Educations blog Homeroom. A similar finding came from  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"The Effects of Summer Vacation on Achievement Test Scores: A Narrative and Meta-Analytic Review†Ã‚  by  H. Cooper, et al. Their work updated the findings of a 1990 study that originally found: Summer learning loss is very real and has important repercussions in the lives of students, especially those with fewer financial resources. There were several key findings outlined in their updated 2004 report: At best, students showed little or no academic growth over the summer. At worst, students lost one to three months of learning.Summer learning loss was somewhat greater in math than reading.Summer learning loss was greatest in math computation and spelling.For disadvantaged students, reading scores were disproportionately affected and the achievement gap between rich and poor widened. This achievement gap between haves and have nots widens with summer learning loss. Socio-Economic Status and Summer Learning Loss Multiple studies have confirmed that  students in low-income households develop an average two month reading gap during the summer. This gap is cumulative, and each summers two month gap contributes to a sizable learning loss, especially in reading, by the time a student reaches grade 9. Research published in the article Lasting Consequences of the Summer Learning Gap   by  Karl L. Alexander, et al, charted how a students socio-economic status (SES) plays a role is summer learning loss: We find that cumulative achievement gains over the first nine years of childrens schooling mainly reflect school-year learning, whereas the high SES-low SES achievement gap at 9th grade mainly traces to differential summer learning over the elementary years. In addition, a  white paper commissioned by the Summer Reading Collective determined that  two-thirds of the 9th grade achievement gap in reading could be between students from low-income households and their higher-income peers. Other important findings findings pointed out that access to books was critical to slowing summer learning loss. Neighborhoods in low income areas with public libraries for student access to reading materials had  significantly more gains in reading scores from spring to fall than students from high-income households with access to books as well as those from low-income households without access to books at all. Finally, the Summer Reading Collective noted that socio-economic factors played a critical role in learning experiences (access to reading materials, travel, learning activities) stating: Differences in children’s summer learning experiences during their elementary school years can ultimately impact whether they earn a high school diploma and continue to college. With the considerable amount of research documenting the negative impact of summers off, one may wonder why the American public education system embraced summer vacation. History of Summer Vacation: The Agrarian Myth Dispelled Despite the widely held myth that the educational calendar followed farm calendars, the 178 day school year (national average) became standardized for an entirely different reason.  The adoption of summer vacation was the result of an industrial society that opted to let urban students out of the sweltering cities  during the summer months. Kenneth Gold, a professor of education at the College of Staten Island, debunked the myth of an agrarian school year in his 2002 book  School’s In: The History of Summer Education in American Public Schools.  Ã‚   In the opening chapter,Gold notes that if schools were following a true agrarian school year, students would be more available during the summer months while crops  were growing but unavailable during planting (late spring) and harvesting (early fall).   His research demonstrated  that before the standardized school year,  there were concerns that too much school was bad for the health of students and teachers: â€Å"There was a whole medical theory that [people would get sick] from too much schooling and teaching† (25). Summer vacation was the solution to these medical concerns during the  mid-19th Century.   As  cities expanded rapidly, concerns were raised about the moral and physical dangers that unsupervised summer posed to urban youth. Gold goes into great detail about the  Vacation Schools, urban opportunities that offered a wholesome alternative. The 1/2 day  sessions in these vacation schools were attractive to participants and teachers were allowed to be  creative and more lax, addressing the  fears of [mental] overtaxation (125). By the end of World War I,   these vacation schools had become more in line with a growing academic bureaucracy. Gold notes, ...summer schools adopted a regular academic focus and a credit-bearing function, and they soon bore little resemblance to the vacation programs that preceded them (142). These academic summer schools were geared to allow students to gain extra credits, either to catch up or to accelerate, however, the creativity and innovations of these vacation schools diminished as the funding and staffing were in the hands of the administrative progressives that were overseeing the urban districts   Gold traces the standardization of education noting the growing body of  research on the adverse impact of summer vacation, especially on economically disadvantaged students as a growing concern. His work on how American education served the needs of a  continuously growing â€Å"summer leisure economy† clearly demonstrates  the stark contrast of mid-19th Century’s academic standards with the growing demands of 21st Century academic standards with their emphasis on college and career readiness. Stepping Away from Traditional Summer Vacation Schools K-12, and post-secondary experiences, from community college to graduate universities, are now experimenting  with a burgeoning market of opportunities for online learning. The opportunities bear names such as   Synchronous Distributed Course,  Web-Enhanced Course,  Blended Program, and others; they are all  forms of e-learning.   E-learning is rapidly changing the design of the traditional school year as it can be made available beyond the walls of a classroom at varying times. These new opportunities may make learning available through multiple platforms throughout the year. In addition, experiments with year-round learning are already well into their third decade. Over 2 million students participated (by 2007), and the research (Worthen 1994,   Cooper 2003)  on the effects of year round schools explained in   What Research Says About Year-Round Schooling (compiled by  Tracy A. Huebner) shows a positive impact: Students in year-round schools do as well or slightly better in terms of academic achievement than students in traditional schools;Year-round education may be particularly beneficial for students from low-income families;Students, parents, and teachers who participate in a year-round school tend to have positive attitudes about the experience. On more than one follow-up to these studies, the explanation for the positive impact is simple: The loss of retention of information that occurs during the three-month summer vacation is lessened by the shorter, more frequent vacations that characterize year-round calendars. Unfortunately, for those students without intellectual stimulation, enrichment, or reinforcement-whether they are economically disadvantaged or not- the long span of summer will culminate in an achievement gap.    Conclusion The  artist Michelangelo is reputed to have said, I am still learning (Ancora Imparo)  at the age of 87, and while he never enjoyed the American public school summer vacation, it is unlikely he went for long periods without the intellectual stimulation that made him the man of the Renaissance. Perhaps his quote could inverted as a question if there are chances to change the design of school academic calendars. Educators could ask, Are they still learning during the summer?

HMS Nelson in World War II

HMS Nelson in World War II HMS Nelson (pennant number 28) was a Nelson-class battleship that entered service with the Royal Navy in 1927. One of two ships of its class, Nelsons design was a result of the limitations imposed by the Washington Naval Treaty. This resulted in the entirety of its main armament of 16-inch guns mounted forward of the battleships superstructure. During World War II, Nelson saw extensive service in the Atlantic and Mediterranean as well as aided in supporting troops ashore after D-Day. The battleships final wartime service occurred in the Indian Ocean where it aided the Allied advance across Southeast Asia. Origins HMS Nelson  can trace its origins to the days after World War I. Following the conflict  the Royal Navy began designing its future classes of warships with the lessons learned during the war in mind. Having taken losses among its battlecruiser forces at  Jutland, efforts were made to emphasize firepower and improved armor over speed. Pushing forward, planners created the new G3 battlecruiser design which would mount 16 guns and have top speed of 32 knots. These would be joined by the N3 battleships carrying 18 guns and capable of 23 knots. Both designs were intended to compete with warships being planned by the United States and Japan. With the specter of a new naval arms race looming, leaders gathered in late 1921 and produced the  Washington Naval Treaty. The worlds first modern disarmament agreement, the treaty limited fleet size by establishing a tonnage ratio between Great Britain, the United States, Japan, France, and Italy. Additionally, it restricted future battleships to 35,000 tons and 16 guns. Given the need to defend a far flung empire, the Royal Navy successfully negotiated the tonnage limit to exclude weight from fuel and boiler feed water. Despite this, the four planned G3 battlecruisers and four N3 battleships still exceeded the treaty limitations and the the designs were cancelled. A similar fate befell the U.S. Navys  Lexington-class battlecruisers and  South Dakota-class battleships. Design In an effort to create a new battleship that met the required criteria, British planners settled on a radical design which placed all of the ships main guns forward of the superstructure. Mounting three triple turrets, the new design saw A and X turrets mounted on the main deck, while B turret was in a raised (superfiring) position between them. This approach aided in reducing displacement as it limited the area of the ship requiring heavy armor. While a novel approach, A and B turrets often caused damage to equipment on the weather deck when firing forward and X turret routinely shattered the windows on the bridge when firing too far abaft. HMS Nelson in the years before World War II. Public Domain Drawing from the G3 design, the new types secondary guns were clustered aft. Unlike every British battleship since HMS Dreadnought (1906), the new class did not possess four propellers and instead employed only two. These were powered by eight Yarrow boilers generating around 45,000 shaft horsepower. The use of two propellers and a smaller power plant was done in an effort to save weight. As a result, there were worries that the new class would sacrifice speed. To compensate, the Admiralty utilized an extremely hydrodynamically efficient hull form to maximize the vessels speed.  In a further attempt to reduce displacement, an all or nothing approach to armor was used with areas either being heavily protected or not protected at all.  This method had been utilized earlier on the five classes that comprised the US Navys Standard-type battleships (Nevada-,  Pennsylvania-,  New Mexico-,  Tennessee-, and Colorado-classes). Those protected sections of the ship utilized an internal, inclined armor belt to increase the relative width of the belt to a striking projectile. Mounted aft, the ships tall superstructure was triangular in plan and largely built of lightweight materials. Construction and Early Career The lead ship of this new class, HMS Nelson, was laid down at Armstrong-Whitworth in Newcastle on December 28, 1922. Named for the hero of Trafalgar, Vice Admiral Lord Horatio Nelson, the ship was launched September 3, 1925. The ship was completed over the next two years and joined the fleet on August 15, 1927. It was joined by its sister ship, HMS Rodney in November. Made flagship of the Home Fleet, Nelson largely served in British waters. In 1931, the ships crew took part in the Invergordon Mutiny. The following year saw Nelsons anti-aircraft armament upgraded. In January 1934, the ship struck Hamiltons Reef, outside Portsmouth while en route to maneuvers in the West Indies. As the 1930s passed, Nelson was further modified as its fire control systems were improved, additional armor installed, and more anti-aircraft guns mounted aboard. HMS Nelson (28) Overview:Nation: Great BritainType: BattleshipShipyard: Armstrong-Whitworth, NewcastleLaid Down: December 28, 1922Launched: September 3, 1925Commissioned: August 15, 1927Fate: Scrapped, March 1949Specifications:Displacement: 34,490 tonsLength: 710 ft.Beam: 106 ft.Draft: 33 ft.Speed: 23.5 knotsComplement: 1,361 menArmament:Guns (1945)9 Ãâ€" BL 16-in. Mk I guns (3 Ãâ€" 3)12 Ãâ€" BL 6 in. Mk XXII guns (6 Ãâ€" 2)6 Ãâ€" QF 4.7 in. anti-aircraft guns (6 Ãâ€" 1)48 Ãâ€" QF 2-pdr AA (6 octuple mounts)16 Ãâ€" 40 mm anti-aircraft guns (4 Ãâ€" 4)61 Ãâ€" 20 mm anti-aircraft guns World War II Arrives When World War II began in September 1939, Nelson was at Scapa Flow with the Home Fleet. Later that month, Nelson was attacked by German bombers while escorting the damaged submarine HMS Spearfish back to port. The following month, Nelson and Rodney put to sea to intercept the German battlecruiser Gneisenau but were unsuccessful. Following the loss of HMS Royal Oak to a German U-boat at Scapa Flow, both Nelson-class battleships were re-based to Loch Ewe in Scotland. On December 4, while entering Loch Ewe, Nelson struck a magnetic mine that had been laid by U-31. Causing extensive damage and flooding, the explosion forced the ship to be taken to the yard for repairs. Nelson was not available for service until August 1940. While in the yard, Nelson received several upgrades including the addition of a Type 284 radar. After supporting Operation Claymore in Norway on March 2, 1941, the ship began protecting convoys during the Battle of the Atlantic. In June, Nelson was assigned to Force H and began operating from Gibraltar. Serving in the Mediterranean, it aided in protecting Allied convoys. On September 27, 1941, Nelson was hit by an Italian torpedo during an air attack forcing it to return to Britain for repairs. Completed in May 1942, it rejoined Force H as flagship three months later. In this role it supported efforts to resupply Malta. Amphibious Support As American forces began to gather in the region, Nelson provided support for the Operation Torch landings in November 1942. Remaining in the Mediterranean as part of Force H, it aided in blocking supplies from reaching Axis troops in North Africa. With the successful conclusion of fighting in Tunisia, Nelson joined other Allied naval vessels in aiding the invasion of Sicily in July 1943. This was followed by providing naval gunfire support for the Allied landings at Salerno, Italy in early September. HMS Nelson at Mers-el-Kebir during Operation Torch, 1942. Public Domain On September 28, General Dwight D. Eisenhower met with Italian Field Marshal Pietro Badoglio aboard Nelson while the ship was anchored at Malta. During this time, the leaders signed a detailed version of Italys armistice with the Allies. With the end of major naval operations in the Mediterranean, Nelson received orders to return home for an overhaul. This saw a further enhancement of its anti-aircraft defenses. Rejoining the fleet, Nelson was initially held in reserve during the D-Day landings. Ordered forward, it arrived off Gold Beach on June 11, 1944, and began providing naval gunfire support to British troops ashore. Remaining on station for a week, Nelson fired around 1,000 16 shells at German targets. Departing for Portsmouth on June 18, the battleship detonated two mines while en route. While one exploded approximately fifty yards to starboard, the other detonated beneath the forward hull causing considerable damage. Though the forward part of the ship experienced flooding, Nelson was able to limp into port. Final Service After assessing the damage, the Royal Navy elected to send Nelson to the Philadelphia Naval Yard for repairs. Joining westbound convoy UC 27 on June 23, it arrived in the Delaware Bay on July 4. Entering dry dock, work began to repair the damage caused by the mines. While there, the Royal Navy determined that Nelsons next assignment would be to the Indian Ocean. As a result, an extensive refit was conducted which saw the ventilation system improved, new radar systems installed, and additional anti-aircraft guns mounted. Leaving Philadelphia in January 1945, Nelson returned to Britain in preparation for deployment to the Far East. HMS Nelson (left) with HMS Rodney, undated. Public Domain Joining the British Eastern Fleet at Trincomalee, Ceylon, Nelson became the flagship of Vice Admiral W.T.C. Walkers Force 63. Over the next three months, the battleship operated off the Malayan Peninsula. During this time, Force 63 conducted air attacks and shore bombardments against Japanese positions in the region. With the Japanese surrender, Nelson sailed for George Town, Penang (Malaysia). Arriving, Rear Admiral Uozomi came aboard to surrender his forces. Moving south, Nelson entered Singapore Harbor on September 10 becoming the first British battleship to arrive there since the islands fall in 1942. Returning to Britain in November, Nelson served as flagship of the Home Fleet until being moved into a training role the following July. Placed in reserve status in September 1947, the battleship later served as a bombing target in the Firth of Forth. In March 1948, Nelson was sold for scrapping. Arriving at Inverkeithing the following year, the scrapping process began

Business Law exam 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Business Law exam 2 - Essay Example This indicates that the female employee was not being pressurized through organizational apparatus to socialize with the male employee. There is some indication to the creation of a hostile environment by the female employee herself by socializing with a male employee in this fashion. The female employee’s adverse reaction to the male employee’s advances changed the situation altogether. She was denied fair compensation and pay raise for her work. There is little explanation for the sudden fall in her quality of work from the company’s end making coercion through official apparatus a strong possibility. The lack of response from the human resources department especially its lack of providing a sexual harassment mechanism to deal with the situation is also clear. This also serves to indicate that employer and his other agents were fully aware and complacent over the situation. The female employee had to seek psychiatric assistance in order to resolve her issues, w hich in turn indicate grievous damage to herself. Such conduct had both a â€Å"deleterious† as well as â€Å"severe and pervasive† effect on the female employee without doubt. Furthermore, the harassment occurred during employment which makes the employer vicariously liable. The move by the male employee to settle down the situation by offering greater rewards also casts doubt on the male employee’s motives. Given the circumstances of the case, it is clear that sexual harassment laws apply to the case. The employer’s attitude of ignoring complaints made by the female employee means that the tort of Constructive Damage has been set in motion. On another note, it is clear that although sexual undertones and overtones may have existed in the organization but these were latent only. In this fashion, such sexual tones cannot be considered as hostile environment. Furthermore, the female employee’s outstanding performance in the first six

The U.K taxation system Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

The U.K taxation system - Essay Example The paper tells that taxable income includes income from employment either from part-time, full-time, or temporary employment. However, if people receive benefits or perks from their employer, they may be taxable. Income from partnerships or self-employment, pension income such as state pension, retirement annuity and personal or company pension, are also taxable as stated in the UK tax laws. Additionally, pensioner bonds, trust income and investment income, includes dividends on company shares except dividend income from ISAs, are also taxable. Other taxable income includes Rental income, State benefits such as Carer’s Allowance, Jobseeker’s allowance, Employment and Support Allowance, Incapacity Benefit, and weekly Bereavement Allowance among others. The income tax rates in the UK depend on an individual’s personal income. According to Adam, Kaplan and Institute for Fiscal Studies, the 10% rate shows the tax rate for anybody who saves an income of up to GBP 2,4 00. The dividend income below GBP 37,400 is taxed at 10% while that above GBP 37,400 to GBP 150,000 is taxed at 32.5%. In addition, a tax of 42.5% is taxed on dividend income above GBP 150,000. Thus, this shows that income tax is lower in the UK than most countries including New Zealand and Australia. The relevant tax period in the UK starts from 6th April to 5th April in the next year. This includes both income tax and personal taxes. For instance, the 2010-2011 tax year started on 6th April in 2010 and ran through to 5th April 2011. (Adam, Kaplan and Institute for Fiscal Studies, 2002). In the UK, taxes and allowances are usually fixed for any given year, but they often change from one year to another. What is the relative importance of direct and indirect taxes in United Kingdom? What are the implications of this? Direct tax consists of income tax and wealth tax while indirect tax involves central excise duty, customs duty, service tax, purchase tax and value added tax (VAT). Inc ome tax is a direct tax on all incomes that are received by private individuals after some allowances are made. Direct taxes are usually paid directly to the Exchequer by the taxpayer through PAYE, which applies to corporate tax, as well. However, tax liability cannot be forwarded to someone else. Indirect taxes are such as VAT and several excise duties on tobacco, oil and alcohol. Indirect tax, unlike direct tax can be passed onto the final customer by the supplier depending on the price of elasticity of demand and supply of goods. However, over the last twenty years, economists have differed on the optimum mix of taxation between direct and indirect taxes, which has resulted in a shift towards indirect taxation. Economists argue that indirect taxes help in changing the overall pattern of demand for certain products and services, thus, affecting consumer demand such as an increase in the real duty on petrol. Indirect taxes are also useful in controlling and correcting externalities of both production and consumption. Also, they are less likely to interfere with people’s choice between work and leisure than the direct tax. Thus, they have a little negative effect on work incentives. Additionally, they allow a reduction in direct

Difference Between Monopoly Pricing and Competitive Pricing Essay Example for Free

Difference Between Monopoly Pricing and Competitive Pricing Essay Congress is discussing the possibility of removing patent protection for life saving drugs in order to reduce the cost of the Medicare and Medicaid systems. Discuss both the short-run and long-run implications for the economic situation of the drug industry. Include in your answer the impact on prices, new development, etc. of drugs. Include appropriate graphs showing the difference between monopoly pricing and competitive pricing. The drug industry currently takes on both monopolistic and competitive market structures. When a drug company develops a new drug, there are patent laws that allow the company to have a monopoly on selling the drug. In the short-run, the company is able to charge the monopoly price (above marginal cost) and maximize profit by producing the quantity where marginal revenue equals marginal cost. Once the patent runs out, other drug companies have an incentive to enter the market causing it to become more competitive. These new companies produce generic versions of the drug and charge a price below the monopolist’s price. As more and more competitors enter the price is driven down to marginal cost. If congress were to remove patent protection on life-savings drugs, drug company’s profits for life saving drugs would decrease. More companies would be able to begin producing the drugs without waiting for the patent period to end therefore, the original drug maker would not be able to charge the monopoly price for very long because competitors could quickly engineer generic versions. The original producer would no longer be a price maker and instead need to follow profit maximization rules of a competitive market by producing the quantity where marginal revenue equals marginal cost and charge a price equal to marginal marginal revenue. Since the original drug maker will not be able to benefit from monopoly pricing during the patent period, there will be less incentive for them to create lifesaving drugs. A part of the benefit of higher profits during the monopoly period is the ability to recoup some of the research, develop, and testing costs of producing these drugs that the generic makers do not incur. Consumers on the other hand would benefit from competition in the market which prevents a single drug maker from dictating the market price of these newly developed lifesaving drugs.

Comparing Heart of Darkness and Wuthering Heights Essay -- Comparison

Similarities between Heart of Darkness and Wuthering Heights    Although Joseph Conrad's novel, Heart of Darkness, and Emily Bronte's, Wuthering Heights, were written in different era, they do in fact share a few similarities.    First of all, Heart of Darkness and Wuthering Heights compare in the manner that both novels draw on their respective author's personal experiences. Emily Bronte, who wrote in the latter Romantic Period but also had characteristics of Victorian writers, was left motherless at the age of two and spent most of her life with her father and siblings in Haworth, England. It was in this location that Emily first experienced the moors that play a critical role of her novel linking Wuthering Heights with Thushcross Grange. The moors was the area Heathcliff and Catherine would escape to when things were difficult. Haworth was a town that was isolated and surrounded by moors much like the setting of Wuthering Heights is described. Also, Emily Bronte parallels her own life in the manner in which she creates motherless characters. For example, Catherine and Hindley lose their mother at a young age as well as Catherine eventually dies leaving her young daughter, Catherine motherless. Joseph Conra d draws on his own person    al experiences in his novel, Heart of Darkness. Joseph Conrad had always been enthralled with the open oceans, maps, and uncharted territories of the African continent. He was hired by a British Company to operate a small steamship on the African Congo. He went on this trip and while there began keeping journals that would later become the basis for this novel.    Secondly, the authors of Wuthering Heights and Heart of Darkness both write their novels in the narrative fr... ...bright and upbeat feeling. It is true of both novels, for every good there is an evil. In Wuthering Heights, the characters are paired. For instance, two opposite households and the contrast of characters in Heathcliff vs. Linton. We see the coalition of good verses bad in Heart of Darkness, in the distinguishable manner in which Conrad writes o    f the black and the white. The underlying tone of Heart of Darkness is the oppression of the British over the African natives in the Congo.    In conclusion, many years separate Wuthering Heights and Heart of Darkness. The issues at hand facing these two authors were different, however they do possess similar ways of expressing to their readers the message they hope to convey.    Works Cited Bronte, Emily. Wuthering Heights Conrad, Joseph. Heart of Darkness Gersh, Marianna. "Heart of Darkness"

Poverty in America Essay

Poverty has always been with us from beggars outside the gates of Jerusalem to the mentally ill homeless woman in the park. America is known for our huge difference in culture and class. This is due partly to the dynamics behind the political decisions of this country. The president himself admits that America is more unequal than it’s been since the great depression and many of his own supporters say he has failed. America now has, by many standards, the lowest social mobility of all of the high-end countries, meaning that a child born into poverty is likely to grow up as a poor adult. This is surprising for a country that not only prides itself as being a middle class society, but as the society where anyone can make it and where social mobility is so high. In some places now, it is hard to believe that America is an economic giant. â€Å"One in four young children lives in poverty in the richest nation on earth.† (Kindle, 2012) This is a fact that goes unnoticed by m ost Americans. Poverty in America has become a circular phenomenon and it has been shown to affect certain communities while it breezes by others. The Poverty Line â€Å"Some 46 million Americans live in poverty. That is the third highest poverty rate among developed nations, ahead only of Turkey and Mexico.† (Kindle, 2012) We might then ask, what is poverty? Where is the poverty line? For 63% of Americans, ages 16 and over, working is a necessity. From working entry level jobs in retail and fast food, jobs in manufacturing and farming, to banking and health care. These similarities, however, end there. This becomes quite apparent especially when it comes to hours worked and their compensation. For example, the average entry level wage in New Mexico is $8.02 an hour or $16,673 a year, before taxes. As opposed to an experienced worker or a college educated one, $22.93 an hour or $47,692 a year. This is lower than the national level of $17,867 annual for an entry level job and $66,248 for the experienced and educated. Unfortunately there are some that work as many hours and are paid less. Since 1938, there has been a federal law requiring employers to pay their employees a minimum wage. It was 25 cents. (Williamson, 1980) In 1938, the gap between nominal wages and real wages was quite wide compared to now where they are fairly close to each  other and it is predicted they will mirror each other in the near future. Currently in California, the state minimum is $8.00, which is not a lot considering the rising cost of food, housing, and energy. According to 2008 Federal Poverty Guidelines, a family of 4 making $21,200 before taxes is considered to be poor. (Iceland, 2012) There are social programs that are set up to help people in this predicament; however, it does not help them get out of the circumstance. â€Å"The average food stamp benefit is $21 per week.† (Kindle, 2012) This is not nearly enough to support your average American. The aid programs are set up to get the poor by on a day to day basis and are not set up to improve their social mobility. There should be money spent on programs that allow those in poverty to improve their education and careers. What makes people poor? Is it lack of opportunities? Is it lack of education and skills training? Is racism and sexism? There are a wide variety of opinions on why people are poor. There is a sense of ignorance when bringing to attention the issue to those unaffected. Those that are unaffected could help but they do not know which way will help not only with th e poor today but to decrease the poverty in the future. What is surprising is that a lack of education opportunities is often mentioned as reasons for poverty. According to the US department of education, 9.3% of the 37 million students ages 16-24 are high school drop outs. This is ironic considering that public high school is available to all. It seems creating jobs is the consensus and it makes sense especially when you look at the unemployment rate. Nationally the unemployment rate is 6.1%. What is the reason for this number? The loss of non government jobs, mainly in the manufacturing sector. This had a domino effect to other businesses like retail and construction. In the past years, we’ve heard how the economy is on the verge of collapse and this is the worst since the great depression of the 1930s. (Ross, 1967) We have a long way before we are in a depression. In 1935 the unemployment rate was the highest at 24.9% in 1959 it was 5.5% the highest since that time was at 1982 at 10.8% We are not close to another depression but we do have extreme poverty amongst us. Poverty in America has been rapidly growing in the past decade because of poor political decisions. There is an extreme divide between the social classes in America. Most people belong to the 99%. The 1% is some of the richest people in the word and has cornered the market. They own 1/3 of US net worth. The  US has over 400 billionaires, which is the most in the world. (GAO, 2007) Lack of money is not the reason for the extreme poverty rates in America, greed is. There is definitely enough money to go around the US multiple times but no one wants to help those in need. There is this sense of survival of the fittest that is an ongoing theme when looking into poverty here. Race and Class Segregation America is deeply divided. We can agree that poverty is more pervasive among minorities, children, female-headed families and people with less education. It has been shown through true statistics that there is a definite inequality between race and class when dealing with poverty in America. But why is American poverty still colored in the twenty-fifth century? Neighborhoods that are organized around work where significant percentage of the adults is working are significantly different from neighborhoods that are jobless, which are neighborhoods that include a significant percentage of people that are not working. Jobless neighborhoods are a lot more dangerous because they create and breed other problems like crime, gang formation, and drug trafficking. (Iceland, 2012) This leads back to the continuing issue with America’s lack of social mobility. It seems that once one person is in poverty, it becomes a vicious cycle and no one is willing to do anything to help. That’s why poverty is passed down to the same races and the same classes because they get stuck in that predicament. There are 50 million Americans without health insurance. (Iceland, 2012) This does not help our problem with poverty. America is a country that deals with problems as they come and never with preventing them. Those that are born into a poor family almost always end up the head of a poor family. This fact has shaped America and has almost made it impossible for those that are born into less fortunate homes. Dealing with Poverty The facts are as stands; if a person was to walk down the streets in any which neighborhood in America, 1 out of every 6 people passed could be living in poverty. This issue is rarely talked about for these outstanding numbers. Each year the number of poverty in America goes up. The new poor  are the former middle class, and the middle class is disintegrating. There are becoming only two classes; a lower class and a higher class. Bottom line; America needs to reverse the cycle. Through education and assistance programs, America will be able to close the gap between the two classes. Recent unemployment rates have dropped slightly and the economy is showing some signs of growth but only some Americans are gaining from it. Almost a million American children sometimes go hungry and tent cities are springing up across the country. The world’s economic power house has a sickness. While both sides blame each other, America cannot fully admit their poverty, and are certainly not dea ling with it. Annotated Bibliography Iceland, JohnPoverty in America: A Handbook, with a 2012 Preface. Berkeley, Calif.: University of California Press, 2012. This book allowed me to understand better poverty in America. It focuses on early views of poverty in America and where the poverty in America originated. This book also describes the causes and characteristics of poverty as well as why poverty remains high in America. I chose this book so that I would have a timeline of poverty from the beginning as well as poverty now. I would be able to compare and contrast the social and economical times between then and now. I will compare the different ethnicities in America and compare the different ways that they have been affected by poverty over the years. Kindle, Peter A. â€Å"Book Review of So Rich, So Poor: Why It’s So Hard to End Poverty in America by Peter Edelman Edelman, Peter. 2012. So Rich, So Poor: Why It’s So Hard to End Poverty in America. New York: The New Press. $24.95, 208 Pp., Hardcover. ISBN: 978-1-59558-785-5.† Poverty & Public Policy 4.4 (2012): 241-43. Print. This is a journal that gave me facts about poverty in America. I was able to link the problems with true statistics and use them in my paper. I found this journal to be very helpful when deliberating what should be in my paper and not. It was easier to read than the books and really got me interested in the topic. Ross, Arthur M., and Herbert Hill. Employment, Race, and Poverty. New York: Harcourt, Brace & World, 1967. Print. This book talks about the employment,  race, and poverty in America and gives me statistics that are quotable for my paper. It is important to figure out how all these three aspect tie together and it allows me to relate race to poverty in America. This books also paints a picture of what it is like to be unemployed, a minority, and in poverty in America throughout many decades. I will use this source to also explain the unemployment issue and how the unemployed got to where they are and how it affects their families. I will talk about the vicious cycle of the unemployed and how it will almost always be passed down to their children and what other types of issues (jail time, drug dealing, etc) are caused because of the unemployment of certain classes. â€Å"The Other America, 2012: Confronting the Poverty Epidemic | The Nation.† The Other America, 2012: Confronting the Poverty Epidemic | The Nation. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Mar. 2014. This site helped me to form my conclusion. It allowed me to formulate my thoughts and wrap up my ideas. I was able to see how other people looked at poverty and what their stance was on the issue. I also used this site to add some facts to my paper and get more of an emotional effect with my word play. United States. Government Accountability Office. Poverty in America: Economic Research Shows Adverse Impacts on Health Status and Other Social Conditions as Well as the Economic Growth Rate: Report to Congressional Requesters. [Washington, D.C.]: U.S. Government Accountability Office, 2007. Economic research suggests that people living in poverty face an increased risk of adverse outcomes, such as poor health and criminal activity, both of which may lead to reduced participation in the labor market. It also shows that limited access to health care as well as a greater exposure to environmental hazards affects the heath of those living in poverty. I will use this book to examine the effects that poverty has on issues like health, social conditions, and growth rate. The previous book allowed me to examine exactly what poverty is and this book will allow me to see the affects the poverty has had over time. I would like to go over the economic growth rate and see what ethnicities have su ffered the most and which have substantially improved, if any. Williamson, Jeffrey G., and Peter H. Lindert. American Inequality: A Macroeconomic History. New York: Academic, 1980. Print. This book solely focuses on the history of the inequality of class and race in America. The information found in this book will start my paper off with facts about how the poverty came to be what it is today. American inequality  is highlighted in this book and we are able to see where the inequality started and how it is currently affecting America. It is important to explain the macroeconomic history of America for the readers to get an idea of how the inequality in America originally started Revision Plan I. Thesis: I changed the focus of my thesis to relate more to the lack of social mobility in my paper. I felt that it was the basis of my paper and what I was most interested in. My thesis originally was not very powerful but after using Pearson’s writing guide I was able to change my words around and create more of a strong stance. II. Organization: My paper was completely unorganized. It is hard for me to organize my thoughts and to better blend my ideas. I had to make index cards and organize them that way in order to figure out the best order of my ideas. III. Support and Development of Ideas: Adding quotes helped better support my ideas. It added facts to what I already had and also helped with smoothing out my ideas. IV. Style: I changed the style of my paper from MLA to APA. I had never done a paper in APA but it made sense to use this format because we were told to include an abstract and an author’s note which followed the guidelines of an APA style paper. It was different but it turned out to look a lot cleaner than the MLA. V. Mechanics: Using the Pearson writing components really helped develop my paper. I knew what to focus on and what was unimportant in the process. I tried to make the issue clear by painting a picture with my words to help better understand the points I was trying to make.

Chick-fil-A Customer Service Essay

Chick-fil-A president Dan Cathy greeted employees at the newest Charleston area restaurant with a Bible verse, a prayer and a message about doing business the â€Å"Chick-fil-A Way. † Most people recognize the famous Chick-fil-A cows and their misspelled pleas to â€Å"Eat Mor Chikin. † But not everyone may be aware of Chick-fil-A’s unique way of doing business. With a focus on quality food, superior customer service and dedicated employees, Chick-fil-A has built a restaurant empire. Another freestanding restaurant opened Sept. 29 on Dorchester Road near the Ashley Phosphate Road intersection in North Charleston. Two days before the opening, new employees—called â€Å"team members† in the Chick-fil-A world—served dinner to their family members and listened as Cathy explained the importance of smiling and treating customers with honor, dignity and respect. Chick-fil-A’s mission, he said, is â€Å"to glorify God by being a faithful steward of what is entrusted to us. † Sandwich history Cathy is the son of Chick-fil-A founder S. Truett Cathy, who entered the restaurant business in 1946 when he opened Dwarf Grill in an Atlanta suburb. It would be another 20 years before the world was introduced to Chick-fil-A. In 1961, Truett Cathy accepted leftover pieces of chicken breast from Goode Brothers Poultry. The poultry company provided airlines with boneless, skinless chicken breasts that would fit in the plastic trays used to serve food on airplanes but had plenty of leftover pieces to sell. Truett Cathy had considered adding chicken to his menu and decided to take the poultry company up on its offer to take the leftover pieces too big for the airline trays. Truett Cathy spent months perfecting the recipe and figuring out the best way to cook the chicken quickly. After four years, he had a boneless chicken sandwich. According to Chick-fil-A history, Truett Cathy originally called it a chicken steak sandwich but began thinking of something that could carry a trademark. The best cut of a steak is the fillet, so why not call the sandwich a chicken fillet, he thought. The name morphed into chick fillet and eventually became Chick-fil-A (with a capital â€Å"A† to emphasize quality). The first Chick-fil-A opened in Atlanta’s Greenbrier Mall in 1967. The first freestanding restaurant opened in Atlanta about 20 years later. The restaurant has continued its incredible growth, expanding heavily into the western United States, introducing a breakfast menu and healthier menu options. The Chick-fil-A Way Certainly Chick-fil-A isn’t the only quick service restaurant to make billions, but what sets Chick-fil-A apart is the company’s corporate philosophy, its emphasis on values, customer service and treating employees like family members. Dan Cathy attributes the company’s success to his 84-year-old father, whom he describes as a tremendous influence, a â€Å"patriarch† and â€Å"Moses figure† in the family and in the company. Thanks to his father’s influence, Chick-fil-A has â€Å"stayed the course,† Dan Cathy said. Despite the many potential distractions, the company stays focused on its recipes, hot food, clean restrooms—the things that are important to customers. Interestingly, Dan Cathy refers to his company as being in the hospitality business—not usually the first description that comes to mind when thinking about fast food. But Cathy said the idea of being in the hospitality business began when his family opened its first diner. â€Å"That’s our heritage, our roots,† he said. When the focus is on the customers and employees, success will follow, according to Chick-fil-A’s philosophy. â€Å"It’s all about the people,† Dan Cathy said. â€Å"You can’t have great tasting food until you have a good relationship with your employees. † Chick-fil-A offers $1,000 college scholarships to its employees, having awarded about $20 million during the past 30 years. The company also has a unique agreement with its operators, providing franchisees with the chance to sublease a restaurant for $5,000. Each month operators pay the corporate office 15% of gross sales and 50% of net profits as a franchise fee. Operators are assured a minimum annual income of $30,000. The company continues its long-standing tradition of being closed on Sundays, so employees can spend time with their families and attend a worship service. Despite opportunities to go public, Chick-fil-A remains a private company so it can retain control over its key values. Chick-fil-A has proven a business with values and principles can do well. And not just survive but thrive, Dan Cathy pointed out. In 2004, Chick-fil-A achieved sales of $1. 74 billion—an increase of 13. 8% over 2003. The company is opening 61 new restaurants this year, and customer satisfaction scores are the highest they have ever been, Cathy said. The company will introduce milkshakes to its menu next summer. And a spicy chicken sandwich is being tested in the Tampa, Fla. , area. Family ties have local roots Operating the new Dorchester Road location is Daniel Dickerson, whose family has been operating Chick-fil-A for years. His father was one of the first Chick-fil-A operators, and his brother, Patrick Dickerson, is the operator of the Mount Pleasant Chick-fil-A. Raised in Charleston, Daniel Dickerson previously ran a store in Ocala, Fla. Dickerson said he looks up to the Cathy family and also tries to live up to the legacy his own father left behind. Dickerson oversees 72 part- and full-time employees at his North Charleston store. Many of the employees are teenagers, and Dickerson—following a company tradition—employs students who are involved in their schools and extracurricular activities. Chick-fil-A promotes involvement and works around students’ schedules. Dickerson said he would rather have 20 students with less availability than students who aren’t involved in their schools. At the family night celebration, Dan Cathy assured the parents of the many teenage employees their children would be working in a supportive environment. If grades aren’t maintained, students’ work schedules could be cut back. From providing scholarships to closing on Sundays, Chick-fil-A continues to do business its own way, based on principles Truett Cathy instilled in the company more than 50 years ago. In 2002, Truett Cathy published Eat Mor Chikin: Inspire More People, a book that explains â€Å"Doing Business the Chick-fil-A Way. † Truett Cathy opens a chapter on priorities and commitment by recalling when a reporter asked him how he would like to be remembered. Cathy responded, â€Å"I think I’d like to be remembered as one who kept my priorities in the right order. We live in a changing world, but we need to be reminded that the important things have not changed, and the important things will not change if we keep our priorities in proper order. † Holly Fisher is the supplements editor for the Business Journal.

30 Problem Words and Phrases

30 Problem Words and Phrases 30 Problem Words and Phrases 30 Problem Words and Phrases By Mark Nichol Tried-and-true words and phrases are convenient, but they are also truly trying as with clichà ©s, when a writer relies too heavily on stock usage, the resulting prose is tired and uninspired. Watch out for the following deadly usages. 1. After having: â€Å"After looking around, I chose a seat† is fine, and so is â€Å"Having looked around, I chose a seat,† but â€Å"After having looked around, I chose a seat† is redundant. â€Å"Having† means that the action has already been performed, so the context is clear that the writer is writing after the fact. 2. Aged: Identifying the age or age range of a person or a group with this word puts the subject(s) in a category with cheese or wine. Write â€Å"50 years old,† for example, instead of â€Å"aged 50 years,† or â€Å"ages 21–34† rather than â€Å"aged 21–34.† 3. Aggravate: To aggravate is to make something worse, not to bother, annoy, or irritate. 4. And also: And and also are redundant; use one or the other. 5. Anticipate: To anticipate is to foresee (and perhaps act on that foresight), not to expect. 6. Anxious: To be anxious is to feel distressed or worried, not eager. 7. Approximately: How about using about instead? Save three syllables. For scientific or technical references, approximately is fine, but it’s a bit much in most other contexts. 8. As to whether: â€Å"As to† is extraneous; use whether only. 9. At this point in time: Omit this meaningless filler. 10. Basically, essentially, totally: Basically, these words are essentially nonessential, and you can totally dispense with them. 11. Being as/being that: Replace these phrases with because. 12. Considered to be: â€Å"To be† is extraneous; write considered only, or consider deleting it as well. 13. Could care less: No, you couldn’t. You want to convey that it’s not possible for you to care less, so you couldn’t care less. 14. Due to the fact that: Replace this phrase with because. 15. Each and every: Write â€Å"Each item is unique,† or â€Å"Every item is unique,† but not â€Å"Each and every item is unique.† 16. Equally as: As is superfluous; write equally only. 17. Was a factor, is a factor, will be a factor: If your writing includes one of these phrases, its presence is a sign that you’re not done revising yet; rewrite â€Å"The vehicle’s condition is a factor in performance,† for example, to â€Å"The vehicle’s condition affects its performance.† 18. Had ought: Had is redundant; use ought only. 19. Have got: Got is suitable for informal writing only; if you’re referring to necessity, consider must rather than â€Å"have got,† and if the reference is to simple possession, delete got from the phrase â€Å"have got.† 20. In many cases/it has often been the case: Reduce the word count in statements containing these verbose phrases by replacing â€Å"in many cases† with often, for example. 21. In the process of: This extraneous phrasing is acceptable in extemporaneous speaking but unnecessarily verbose in prepared oration and in writing. 22. Is a . . . which/who: If you find yourself writing a phrase like this, step back and determine how to write it more succinctly; â€Å"Smith is a man who knows how to haggle,† for example, can be abbreviated to â€Å"Smith knows how to haggle.† 23. Kind of/sort of: In formal writing, if you must qualify a statement, use a more stately qualifier such as rather, slightly, or somewhat. 24. Lots/lots of: In formal writing, employ many or much in place of one of these colloquialisms. 25. Of a . . . character: If you use character as a synonym for quality, make the reference concise. â€Å"The wine has a musty character† is better rendered â€Å"The wine tasted musty, and â€Å"He was a man with a refined character† can be revised to the more concise statement â€Å"The man was refined,† but better yet, describe how the man is refined. 26. Of a . . . nature: Just as with character, when you use nature as a synonym for quality, pare the phrasing down: Reduce â€Å"She had a philosophical nature,† for example, to â€Å"She was philosophical.† 27. Oftentimes: An outdated, unnecessary complication of often. 28. On account of: Replace this awkward phrase with because. 29. Renown: Renown is the noun (as well as a rarely used verb); renowned is the adjective. Avoid the like of â€Å"the renown statesman.† 30. Thankfully: In formal usage, this word is not considered a synonym for fortunately. 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 Style category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:100 Words for Facial Expressions75 Synonyms for â€Å"Talk†25 Idioms with Clean

English Titles of Nobility

English Titles of Nobility English Titles of Nobility English Titles of Nobility By Mark Nichol Terms for members of the aristocracy are often applied by extension to other, often colloquial, usage. Here are titles of English nobility and some of their other connotations. King, from the Old English word cyning, refers to a hereditary lifelong ruler; a king who rules over other kings might be called a high king. The word emperor, from the Latin term imperator, meaning â€Å"commander,† denoted someone who ruled over an empire, a collection of kingdoms or other states, though it was never used in England or Great Britain. Female equivalents are queen and empress; monarch is a non-gender-specific generic term not used as a title with a name (as king or emperor would be in, say, â€Å"King Arthur† or â€Å"Emperor Hirohito†). King is also used to describe the preeminent person in a field, as in Michael Jackson’s designation as â€Å"the King of Pop.† (Jazz musicians of the early twentieth century were precursors of this tradition, adopting monikers such as Duke Ellington and Count Basie that referred to their stature as leading practitioners of their craft. It is also the name of a playing card, a chess piece, and a crowned piece in checkers; emperor has no such connotations, though both king and emperor are sometimes applied to large animals of their type, as in â€Å"king penguin† and â€Å"emperor penguin,† and â€Å"monarch butterfly† refers to an especially regal-looking specimen of flying insect. Queen, meanwhile, has other meanings: It refers to a woman of regal bearing or of attainment of stature in an area of endeavor, such as in â€Å"beauty queen,† or to an animal, such as a type of bee, that exists for breeding. The word is also applied, often pejoratively, to an effeminate or flamboyant gay man, or, in the phrase â€Å"drama queen,† to a highly emotional person. Queen also refers to a specific playing card and a particular chess piece. The Latin term princeps (â€Å"first citizen†) was originally applied to the unofficial leader of the Roman Senate; later, the emperor Augustus referred to his grandsons by that title, and as prince in English it came to refer to the male descendants of a king. (An heir to a kingship is a crown prince.) It is also used generically, as in the title of Niccolà ² Machiavelli’s classic political tract The Prince, to refer to any political leader of noble birth. A prince might also be the ruler of a small country (called a principality), as was common in Europe during the early 1800s, or the husband of a ruling queen. The feminine form is princess, which is also sometimes used jocularly to be a spoiled woman or girl, while prince was at times used as an obsequious compliment for a man of high professional or social standing. The Latin word dux (â€Å"leader†), from which duke was derived, was used to refer to a military commander, especially a non-Roman one, in the Roman Republic and later the top military commander of a Roman province. From there the sense became that of a ruler of a province (and sometimes a separate country, styled a duchy). Eventually, the title was granted to a few senior nobles, including, in England, the king’s sons. In other countries, a preeminent duke might be styled an archduke or a grand duke; the female equivalent of a duke, or the wife of one, is a duchess. (John Wayne’s nickname, Duke, derived from the name of a favorite dog of his.) A marquis (the English equivalent is a marquess, pronounced as spelled) was a nobleman whose domain was on the march, or border, of a country, and therefore had higher status than the next-highest-ranking nobleman, a count. (The female equivalent is a marquise, or marchioness.) The title of count derives from the Latin term comitem (â€Å"companion†), which refers to an associate or representative of an emperor; from this word we get county, originally referring to the area held by a count. The equivalent to count in the British Isles is earl (from the Old English term eorl, meaning â€Å"nobleman† or â€Å"warrior†), but because no feminine equivalent of that term exists, countess is used for both the wife of a count and the wife of an earl. (Earl is also a given name.) Viscount (the first element of the word is from vice, as in â€Å"vice president†) is a term for a lower-ranking nobleman; viscountess is the feminine equivalent. The lowest-ranking title of nobility is baron, from a Latin word for â€Å"man,† â€Å"servant,† or â€Å"soldier†; a baron held a barony, and his wife was a baroness. Baronet is a title granted by kings of England, but baronets (and their wives, called baronetesses) are not considered of the nobility. By extension, baron has been used to denote to a person of influence in commerce, such as in â€Å"cattle baron,† referring to a wealthy rancher. The rank of knight formerly denoted the bottom tier of nobility, but it is no longer conferred except as an honorary title in England, although hereditary knighthoods persist in other European countries. â€Å"White knight† and â€Å"black knight† refer in business lingo to someone seeking to acquire a corporation in a friendly or unfriendly takeover respectively; â€Å"knight in shining armor† is a dated reference to an ideal man sought by a woman as good marriage material. The female equivalent of knight is dame, which also used to be applied to an elderly woman in general and for a time during the twentieth century was slang for an attractive woman. The wife of a king who does not herself rule is referred to as a queen consort or empress consort; a woman who rules is a queen regnant or empress regnant. The widow of any nobleman is called a dowager (the word is from the Middle French term douagiere, derived from douer, meaning â€Å"to endow†); this term, like the others used in association with a higher-ranking title in a phrase such as â€Å"queen dowager,† may also refer to any woman holding property from her deceased husband, or to a dignified elderly woman in general, though such usage is rare, and the latter is generally meant humorously. 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 Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:How Many Tenses in English?Peace of Mind and A Piece of One's MindHonorary vs. Honourary

Media and Cultural Diversity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Media and Cultural Diversity - Essay Example These movies constructed white men as heroes and guardians of morality and civilization, white women as frail but morally superior figures, and African-American and immigrant men and women as uncontrollable sexual deviants who threatened civilization. These films reflected the fears of the white middle class that massive immigration, waves of black migration to the North, and the increasingly public role of women were irrevocably changing American society and threatening the power of the traditional dominant group in the United States: white middle- and upper-class men. In the 1910s and 1920s the film industry was fascinated with rape in silent feature films. Out of a sample of fifteen of the most popular feature films from 1915 through 1927, eleven contained single or multiple scenes of attempted rape.(1) The attempted rape served as a transitional point for the films and indicated some momentous change in the story line was about to occur. But more importantly rape also acted as a metaphor for larger cultural concerns. Indeed, the action initiated by the sexual violence operated as a symbolic episode that legitimized the power and dominance of white men of the middle and upper classes, who were united through a common culture of respectability that emphasized etiquette and genteel values (Bushman, 1993). Attempted rape scenes in these popular films developed a triangular relationship between the white, manly hero saving his white, female love interest from the sexual violence of the African-American or immigrant rapist. Such plots were based upon a long tradition of melodramatic story-telling with clearly defined notions of good and evil, and many films followed the time-worn traditions of the past. But because films defined white men as good and powerful, white women as objects of sexual violence or adoration, and African-American and immigrant men as violent, all helped to reinforce the cultural perception that white middle-class men were powerful, and that civilization depended on that power. These films defined images of all three types of people by juxtaposing them against the others: logical and powerful white manhood contrasted with weak and passive womanhood and with the destructive sexual energy of the more "primitive" manhood of African-American and southern- and eastern-European men. In short, silent feature films often used rape to preserve and support dominant white manhood, to subordinate women, and to perpetuate negative stereotypes of non-Caucasian males. Further, the metaphorical form these movies used to c onvey that power--rape--also created a highly charged atmosphere of sexuality. Dersu Uzala [1975]: This film, directed not by a Russian but a Japanese (the famous director, Kurosawa) using mostly Russian or Soviet actors and staff, is nonetheless a classic of Russian cinema in the same way that the St. Basil's Cathedral in Moscow is a symbol of Russia despite having been designed by an Italian. An Imperial Russian Army survey party in pre pre-WW1 times goes to chart previously uncharted lands in Eastern Siberia.