Friday, December 27, 2019

Poems Family and Gary Soto - 926 Words

For this paper I will be discussing three poems. They are Wood Butcher by Norman Hindley, Behind Grandma s House by Gary Soto, and Manners by Elizabeth Bishop. I will be examining the common theme I found throughout the three poems. I found that to be how the relatives teach lessons to their relation of a younger generation and the different approaches to their teaching. To start off I will discuss the Wood Butcher by Norman Hindley. I believe the way the father taught the son was some what like an apprenticeship. The line I was your helper, and that first year We worked weekends through most of winter gave me the impression that it was a watch and learn experience rather than explaining it. Take note of how the father†¦show more content†¦The grandpa told the grandson exactly how to act. He said Always offer a ride and sure enough he invited the next person he saw up. The grandpa was not a hypocrite at all during this poem. I personally think that makes a huge diffe rence in the rate in which the grandson picks up these manners. He begins to use words like we and our to show that he was doing as he s grandfather was. Out of all the poems I believe this non-violent approach was the most effective. Maybe the others worked in the end, but the poem didn t state it as specifically as this one did. In conclusion, Wood Butcher by Norman Hindley, Behind Grandma s House by Gary Soto, and Manners by Elizabeth Bishop all had a common theme. I found that to be how the relatives teach lessons to their relation of a younger generation and the different approaches to their teaching. They each had their own teaching method and some may have appeared to work better than others. In the end the older relative was always trying to get some type of messageShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of The Poem Oranges And Small Town With One Road 1372 Words   |  6 Pagespassion, prior experience and multiple outer influences. Gary Soto is a famous poet who blossomed in t he late 20th century. Soto used different variations of poetry tools to create expressive poems based on his own life experience. While Soto wrote many different poems, the poems â€Å"Oranges† and â€Å"Small Town With One Road† stand out and can be deeply analyzed. Both poems are strongly emphasized with his past experiences in life. Gary Soto writes poems about hope, diversity and harshness of life, becauseRead MoreGary Soto And The David Soto1376 Words   |  6 PagesMarch 2017 Gary Soto Poet, author, and filmmaker Gary Soto did not always have an interest in literature. In fact, he wasn t interested in learning about literature until his college years, when Soto took a look at a poetry anthology while pushing off a research paper (Fabiano 279). According to author Charles Tatum, Soto grew up in Fresno, California with his two parents and two siblings. He also lived a childhood filled with sadness, loneliness, and poverty. (Tatum Vol. 1). Gary Soto got past hisRead MoreGary Soto1452 Words   |  6 PagesFinal Essay: Gary Soto Gary Soto, born on April 12th, 1952 is a proud Mexican-American that grew up in a very low class neighborhood in Fresno, California with both of his parents (Gillespie, Becker 100). Soto exclaimed that he was marginal kid; this means that he could have either ended up in prison or easily graduate from college. He put forth more effort in other things than school, such as girls or work. As a child and teen Mr. Soto was never interested in his schooling but he tried hisRead MoreSaturday at the Canal Analysis743 Words   |  3 Pagesthis. The years frozed as we sat in the bank. Our eyes followed the water, While-tipped but dark underneath, racing out of town. Connotation- The symbolic choice of choosing Saturday, as the day in the poem, makes me think that the poet wants to give an extra to the poem. Saturday is the day that is culturaly used to party out and have fun, but this teenagers, are not. The poet gives you a sensation of lonelyness. Also, the phrase used, by the poet San Francisco was a postcard on aRead MoreOranges by Gary Soto Essay653 Words   |  3 PagesOranges By Gary Soto Gary Soto was born April 12, 1952, in Fresno, California to Mexican-American parents. His grandparents emigrated from Mexico during the Great Depression and found jobs as farm laborers. Soto grew up poor in the San Joaquin Valley and learned that hard work pays off through chores, such as moving lawns, picking grapes, painting houses, and washing cars. When Gary was five his father died as the result of a factory accident, and his mother was left to raise her threeRead MoreGary Soto s The San Joaquin Valley2143 Words   |  9 PagesLiterature Ms. Brown December 20th 2016 Gary Soto â€Å"Gary Soto was born in Fresno, California, in April, 1952, to working-class Mexican-American parents. At a young age, he worked in the fields of the San Joaquin Valley. He was not academically motivated as a child, but became interested in poetry during his high school years.† Soto uses his cultural experiences lead him to write about his character how he does and throughout all of his short stories, books, and poems he adds in Spanish words, to show usRead MoreAnalysis Of Grandma s House 1332 Words   |  6 Pagesinclude changing the way that they dress, the foods that they eat or the way that they act. In Gary Soto’s Behind Grandma’s House the main character is a clear example of this. The main character is not only trying to conform to a new social group but is also doing so against the wishes of his family. Conforming is always difficult but it can be made even more difficult but, as illustrated in Soto’s poem, if the familial support is not pr esent where it should be. Why do people insist on conformingRead MoreGary Soto : A Mexican American Author2038 Words   |  9 PagesCameron Ellis Ms. Brown 11th Lit/Comp 14 December 2016 Gary Soto: Gary Soto is a popular Mexican-American author, who uses his experiences and cultural background to tell stories. Soto effectively uses his cultural background, the importance of family, and experiences to tell stories in a way that readers can either relate to or vividly imagine. Over the course of his career, Soto has earned worldwide recognition and continues to serve as one of the main faces of international authors successRead MoreBlack Hair By Gary Soto And Between The World And Me1221 Words   |  5 PagesBlack Hair by Gary Soto and Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates tell the stories of two authors who want to share their diverse experiences, but chose two very different ways to do so. In the poem Black Hair, Gary Soto uses imagery to show how he copes with the negativity in his life. In the novel, Between the World and Me, Ta-Nehisi Coates describes the injustice he has observed and been through in his life. Coates tries to pass on his story of injustice to his â €Å"body† to comfort his descendantsRead MoreImagery In Gary Sotos Small Town With One Road1070 Words   |  5 PagesThe poem, â€Å"Small Town with One Road,† by Gary Soto compares the life of the speaker from when he was a child to the life he has as an adult. The speaker of the poem is a Mexican who lives in a poor town where many of the people do manual labor to earn their income. At this point he is grown and has a daughter, but is in a town that reminds him of his childhood. Here, he describes the happy children in the neighborhood to the hard life he imagines he would have if he stayed in such a town in his adulthood

Thursday, December 19, 2019

Ethical Issues Involved in Obtaining Consent for Treatment...

Ethical Issues Involved in Obtaining Consent for Treatment Medical consent is the act, in healthcare, of informing patients of disease processes, its natural history and treatments or observation of such. Consent involves competing values of patient autonomy versus provider paternalism and much of the ethical controversy resides here. Consent is commonly written, but may be oral or implied, and is often supported with decision aids such as written materials, videos, etc. The ethics of medical consent requires a greater standard than the legal requirement. Consent, as defined by law, must be voluntary, competent, and informed. The ethics of each component may violate the providers fiduciary duty. Voluntary consent may be fraught†¦show more content†¦Thus, patients would not accept treatments and violate their autonomy by this dissociation. This concept is the timeliness of consent. Competence typically involves a person of legal age with a reasonable knowledge of their self and understands basic discussions. Competence is not assured when patients are unable to give consent, unconscious, underage or mentally incapacitated. If competence is questioned, then parenthood, guardianship or durable power of attorney is required and assures the clinicians. Competence varies with elective versus emergent care. Informed consent can be assured when patients are given the natural history of the disease with or without treatment, and risks, alternatives and standards of care have been adequately delivered. The clinician has some latitude with the amount of detail provided by the concept of quantitative imperative as discussed by Schwartz.[2] Quantitative imperative demonstrates complete patient autonomy by requiring patients to receive all statistical information prior to their consent. Many patients may be unable or unwilling to tolerate such numerical information. As such, a â€Å"qualitative’ imperative is acceptable and may include such te rms as low risk, medium risk, or high risk which replaces numerical values. In my practice, it takes little effort to recognize which patients prefer complete statistical information versus those who need generalizations. Our farming community appreciates qualitativeShow MoreRelatedHcs 335 Presentation to the Board of Ethics1056 Words   |  5 Pages Presentation to Board of Ethics Obtaining an informed consent is a vital part of current health care. This document lists out several key pieces of information for both the patient, Provider, and the ancillary staff that also access the document during the procedure process. However, obtaining informed consent has not always been the practice norm and in research, informed consent carries different specifications. Surgical or Procedure Informed Consent When a patient is going through theRead MoreA Short Note On A Vulnerable Population For Research Studies1121 Words   |  5 Pagesfor research studies. They are unable to give their own voluntary, informed consent. There are special considerations to obtaining informed consent of neonates with strict guidelines from Health and Human Services, splitting studies into 4 levels and which includes parental permission. The ethical issues surrounding research studies can be navigated using the principles of respect, beneficence, and justice. Nurses involved in research studies with these vulnerable populations have certain implicationsRead MoreLegal And Ethical Issues Of Nursing Practice1464 Words   |  6 PagesLegal and Ethical issues in nursing Introduction The aim of this essay is to discuss the legal and ethical issues in nursing practice about gaining consent and why it is important. The meaning of consent will be explained and barriers that might prevent obtaining a valid consent from patients. In addition, there are five elements of consent that needs to be considered when obtaining consent: competence, disclosure, confidentiality, understanding and voluntariness; this will be discussed. AccordingRead MoreThe Legal And Ethical Issues Of Nursing Practice About Gaining Consent And Why It Is Important1401 Words   |  6 Pages Introduction This essay aims to discuss the legal and ethical issues in nursing practice about gaining consent and why it is important. The meaning of consent will be explained and barriers that might prevent obtaining a valid consent from patients. In addition, there are five elements of consent that needs to be considered when obtaining consent: competence, disclosure, confidentiality, understanding and voluntariness; this will be discussed. According to the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC)Read MoreNursing and Consent1370 Words   |  6 Pagesthe nurse. (Consent) Word Count: 1,146 (One thousand, one hundred and forty six) There are a number of legal and ethical duties expected of nurses. Most of these involve care for patient’s autonomy and confidentiality despite the medical care. Failure to act regarding these can give rise to liability. One aspect of Patient’s autonomy involves giving or withholding his consent about treatment. This paper takes into account ‘consent’ as the aspectRead MoreConsent : An Definition Of Consent1347 Words   |  6 PagesINTRODUCTION Consent is a highly discussed topic amongst all working fields within Australia. Consent is the art of agreeing this can be portrayed in three different ways; implied, verbal or written. Implied consent is often given for simple or routine procedures with common knowledge and a broad understanding of the procedure, implied consent is often conveyed by actions. Verbal consent is expressed verbally. Finally written consent is provided in writing and is the most common kind of consent and thisRead MorePrior To Henrietta’S Operation, Written Permission Was1316 Words   |  6 Pagesmedical staff could provide local or general anesthetic to perform surgery. It does not address the ethical issue of obtaining consent for the medical staff to acquire tissue samples for research. Dr. Lawerence Wharton, Jr. performed the procedure to treat Henrietta’s cancer as well as gain samples of Ms. Lacks’ tissues from her tumor and another sample from her healthy cervical tissue w hile lacking consent for the procedures and disclosures, explanation of the procedures and her rights, plus the useRead MoreThe Invention Of The Polio Vaccine920 Words   |  4 Pageswoman who died of an aggressive form of cervical cancer at Johns Hopkins in 1951. Her cells were taken without her consent nor the consent of her family members after her death and used for research from the effects of cosmetics to the formation of the polio vaccine. The cells, tagged as â€Å"HeLa† by the scientist who received them at Johns Hopkins where Henrietta had come for treatment, are used even today. They were the first cell line to be successfully cultured and proliferated beautifully to becomeRead MoreVarious Brain Structures : Informed Consent Forms1325 Words   |  6 Pagesfrom a drug treatment service will be informed by the service staff of the study being conducted. The study will include thirty opiate dependent subjects as well as thirty healthy individuals (15 males and 15 fe males over the age of 18). Opiate dependent subjects will be required to have no current psychiatric diagnoses and to also abstain from using any substances, aside from their usual opiate prescription, twenty-four hours prior to their scanning sessions. Materials Informed Consent Forms InformedRead MoreThe Mental Capacity Act1019 Words   |  5 PagesThis essay will discuss issues that nurses have to consider when caring for a person that either lacks or have compromised capacity. At the same time, the author will explain important terminology in the essay such as the meaning of consent, capacity, best interest, Deprivation of liberty, advanced decisions, risk assessment, including several examples from experience during placement The author will also discuss the principles of the Mental Capacity Act (2005) and the Mental Health Act (1983) and

Tuesday, December 10, 2019

Unorthodox Solutions to Project Management-Free-Samples for Students

Question: Write a Reflective Essay on Creative Thinking Skills as Unorthodox Solutions to Project Management. Answer: Introduction The first sentence describes what the paragraph is going to discuss which will be on creative thinking skills of a project manager at Blue Lab Company in India. The project manager is required to design and install low smoke stoves and economically viable toilets. Project manager becomes one of the important decisions for the project success(Burke, 2013). The writer further explains the last sentence that creative thinking skills in project management is that of applying distinctive knowledge, tools and techniques in project activities to achieve unique results. The project manager is expected to be technical and administrative credible(Hedman, 2013). Creative thinking skills represent the ability to use equipments and tools, relate with project team members and produce innovative products, while competency of project manager defines ability to put many pieces of task together innovatively to make valuable decisions. The last sentence is a concluding sentence that summarises the para graph. A skilful and competent project manager who is a creative thinker should be knowledgeable in a several areas and functions(Gido Clements, 2014). Literature review Project manager allocated creative thinking skills is important for today management and ensuring company success. The project manager in Blue Lab Company is expected to utilize skills from project beginning to closure. The project management creative thinking skills and responsibilities are classified into broad areas to parent organization, and project stakeholders (clients, project team members). Skills importance to Blue Lab Company The creative thinking skills of a project manager can be important for the parent company (Blue Lab) in ensuring unique project goals is achieved. To support the first sentence there are several responsibilities that a project manager needs to carry out during the project life cycle(Kendrick, 2013). The tasks of a project manager are to use planning skills to formulate a project management plan that covers several components. The writer supports the argument by mentioning the components to be planned to include: procurement, quality, communication, risk, schedule, and resources. Through creative thinking several tools and techniques can be used by project managers for this planning process for example: risk registers, work breakdown structures, critical path methods, and stakeholder registers. There are other special demands for project managers which include: acquiring adequate resources, motivating project personnel, dealing with obstacles, setting project goals and reporting roles (Bourne, 2015). Ideally, there should be another sentence that links to the next paragraph. The several demands are unique with management and the success of projects, and project managers need to use creative thinking when dealing with them. The role of a project manager through planning and organization skills is to balance the three constraints (scope, budget, time)(Lock, 2014). Resources need to be obtained from the right source and use them optimally; time and budget need to be conceptually generated to ensure operations of the project run smoothly. The next sentences explain the last sentence in which the writer was discussing. Project manager creative thinking skills are to ensure balancing of the three constraints to avoid one overriding or affecting the other. Due to uniqueness of projects several risks and crisis face it. Project managers need to identify, assess and mitigate these risks. Projects can fail if the scope requirements are not well defined. The project creative thinking skill is to use relevant softwares to breakdown project activities into smaller tasks, work packages and establish relationship and responsibilities over them(Kloppenborg, 2014). It makes easy to allocate resources and time if the ac tivities are structured well. The project manager is required to have negotiation skills during acquisition of resources and contract making process. The writer further explains other additional roles and responsibilities. Projects require means of verifying and maintaining performance. Project managers are required to have controlling skills that is manifested by them setting standards and ensuring the standards are maintained(Kendrick, 2013). One role of the project manager in Blue Lab Company is to creatively set standards and specifications for work performance and ensure that they are followed. Measurement and follow ups of standards can be achieved in projects by having monitoring and evaluating units. The work of such unit is to ensure project performance is measured as per the set standards and requirements, and corrective measures are taken in consideration. Skills importance to Blue Lab Company stakeholders Blue lab clients represent several stakeholders directly or indirectly affected by the project. Blue lab company stakeholders include: customers, employees, suppliers, and other relevant bodies. The project manager role to the clients is to ensure integrity of the project is maintained in spite of other conflicting demands from other parties with legitimate interests through integrative and interpersonal skills(Armstrong, 2010). Blue Lab Company through its project manager needs to creatively have a clear policy that will integrate and manage its clients interests. By carrying out stakeholder analysis the company will identify the needs and interests of each client and provide suitable methodologies to manage them. In project sustainability is important and that can be achieved by project manager having a democratic leadership skills of allowing all clients participate in project activities(Grindle, 2014). The project managers through human resource skills need to negotiate with other functional managers to acquire desired personnel and convince them to take project roles(Armstrong, 2010). Human resource skills entail identification, development and maintaining of the right personnel for project needs. Project team members need to apply creative thinking in projects through suitable methodologies and policies. The author expands his point, but is still relevant to the first sentence, and uses a reference to support this. Project manager need to take a leading role in creating a comfortable work environment for employees to focus on what they can achieve(Heagney, 2016). The project manager general task is to creatively have skills of how to acquire adequate resources, motivate employees, deal with obstacles, handling conflicts and failures, and maintaining communication. The last sentence is a concluding sentence that summarises the paragraph. The project manager need to have a clear de finition of how success and failure can be determined that makes it easy to keep track and monitor various activities(Hedman, 2013). Critical analysis of literature review Project management creative thinking skills are important for a project manager to function effectively in a project(Ferigotti , Cunha Fernandes , 2016). To support the first sentence the writer mentions project management creative thinking skills discussed in the literature to covers areas like: technical, planning and conceptual, social and interpersonal, negotiation, human resource management, and conflict management skills. The writer critically analyses each of the mentioned project management skills where creative thinking is required. Technical skills involve using tools and techniques found in project management to support decisions and activities in projects for example risk registers, work breakdown structures(Hurwitz Hurwitz, 2013). Project managers can creatively use technical skills to develop tools and techniques that simplify project activities and employing them to increase efficiency and effectiveness. The writer then adds some examples to support what his point of view by proving practical examples and illustrations. Planning and conceptual skills are critical in coming up with guidelines and budgets for achievement of project activities for example project management plans of quality, procurement. To support the importance of creative thinking skill project managers can use planning and conceptual skills to ensure procedures and systems are formulated to execute project activities. There are other skills which are useful in project management. Social and interpersonal skills are important in management of stakeholders in projects. This is explained further by the writer that project managers use social and interpersonal skills for creative communication plan(Gido Clements, 2014). The next sentences just explain the first sentence in that human resource management creative skill is important for a project manager in managing, maintaining and motivating the right project staff in unique competitive way. That entails identifying through a selection process, training and remunerating them to perform well in organization. Creative thinking in conflict management skill is coming up with suitable methodologies for a project manager to mitigate conflicts arising from project team members in the project. Leadership skills are important in creatively directing and inspiring project team members towards project activities. The writer explains further that the project man ager is expected to take a leadership and operative role in integrating all aspects and elements of the project, ensure that proper knowledge, skills and resources are available, and ensure the project results are timely and cost effective. Conclusion The writers conclusion categorizes the creative thinking skills in project management as those that can be mastered and those that cannot be mastered. For those skills mastered theoretically include: negotiation, controls, human resource management, planning, leadership and conceptual skills one can uniquely apply creative thinking. For those project management skills not mastered and require practice after learning include: technical, interpersonal and conflict management skills where creative thinking can be a challenge. Both skills are helpful to accomplish unique outcomes with limited resources under critical time constraints for those who are aspiring to be future project managers. To support the last sentence further creative thinking in project management provides aspiring managers with tools that improve their ability to plan implement and control project activities by utilizing resources distinctively. The creative thinking skills in project management can be improved by fur ther learning and confidently applying them in projects. References Armstrong, M. (2010). Human resource management. London, England: Mc Graw Hill. Bourne, L. (2015). Making projects work:effective stakeholder and communication management. New Delhi: CRC press. Burke, R. (2013). Project management: planning and control tecniques. New Jersey: Wiley publishers. Ferigotti C., Cunha S Fernandes B. (2016). Managerial competencies for requirements of sustainable innovation: the case of Electrolux of Brazil. International Journal of Innovation and Sustainable Development,, 160-176. Gido Clements. (2014). Successful project management. Chicago: Nelson Education. Grindle. (2014). Administrative Team Management: Four Essential Components. The Clearing House,, 56(1), 29-33. Heagney, J. (2016). The project manager leader. In fundamentals of project Management. New York: Adventure works press. Hedman, K. (2013). Project management professional exam study guide. Indianapolis: Wiley. Hurwitz, M., Hurwitz, S. (2013). Personal, Team, and Organizational Development. In Leadership is Half the Story: A Fresh Look at Followership, Leadership, and Collaboration . University of Toronto Press, 10(4), 23-78. Kendrick, T. (2013). The project management tool kit: 100 tips and techniques for getting the job done right. . AMACOM Div: American management Assn. Kloppenborg, T. (2014). Contemporary project management. London: Nelson Education. Lock, M. (2014). The essentials of project management. New York: Ashgate publishing Ltd.

Tuesday, December 3, 2019

Species Preservation Essays - Natural Environment, Biology

Species Preservation One issue that has been a controversy is the preservation of endangered species. Ever since the 1960's, scientists have been fighting for laws and acts to protect animals and plants in keeping them in good health and their populations high in numbers. The problem is animals and plants are having trouble surviving in today's world which leads them to be classified as endangered or threatened. Endangered, meaning animals or plants with little population that the species could soon become extinct and threatened is less severe and basically just means that they are close to becoming endangered. By species becoming endangered, this affects our habitat's biodiversity. Today, however, human beings are dependent for their food, health, well-being and enjoyment of life on fundamental biological systems and processes. Humans derive all of its food and many medicines and industrial products from the wild and without biological diversity these actions could not take place. Overall, major concern is stressed over this topic not only for species well-being, but for our strength and our environment. The law has a major impact on life sciences. Many acts and laws have been passed and through the years even revised to help benefit the species. The first act is a major act in dealing with this subject .The Endangered Species Preservation Act of 1966 and the Endangered Species Conservation act of 1969 was to demonstrate the stress on trying to protect endangered species. Although they weren't that effective. So on December 28, 1973, Richard M. Nixon signs the Endangered Species Act, which leads to the rise of environmental protection legislation. This law makes it illegal for Americans to import or trade in any product made from an endangered or threatened species unless it is used for an approved scientific purpose or to enhance the survival of the species. Also the endangered species on this list cannot be hunted , killed, collected, or injured in the United States. This law is said to be the toughest environmental law. Of course that isn't the only law that affected or aided conservation. The convention of International Trade in Endangered Species, also known as CITES was amended in 1975. As of 1993, it was signed by 120 countries and lists 675 species that cannot be commercially traded as live specimens or wildlife products because they are endangered or threatened. Another recent act is the Rhinoceros and Tiger Conservation Act of 1994. The US congress passed this to provide resources to conservations programs focused on saving these endangered species. This year Congress should be making a revisable copy and figure out the spending on these animals. There are many other acts like the African Elephant Conservation Act of 1988 which is to assist the conservation and protection of African elephants. The Lacey Act of 1990, which prohibits import, export, transportation, sale, or purchase of fish, wildlife, or plants that are taken in violation of any Federal, State, tribal or foreign law. And lastly there is the Eagle Protection Act which began in 1940. This act makes it unlawful to import, export, take, sell, purchase, or barter any bald eagle or golden eagle, even if its just their parts. All of these acts are dealing with this issue directly, which is not the case all the time. Many laws are put into effect for another issue but indirectly help the preservations of animals and plants. One example would be the Clean Air Act of 1990. It was amended in 1970. This act was to place limits on industrial pollutants that cause acid rain, called for reductions in toxic and carcinogenic chemicals released by U.S. factories and reduction in automobile emissions; included reductions of 50 percent in industrial emissions of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide, 70 percent in carbon monoxide from automobiles, and 20 percent in other emissions; 250 toxic chemicals were to be monitored by the Environmental Protection Agency; and industries would be required to use the best technology to prevent such wastes. The reason for this act was pollution but it does help out endangered species. It helps their health which helps their population grow. Although it's not a subject you hear about all the time in the media or just in everyday conversation, but the percentages of endangered animals and endangered species are high. One-fourth of the world's species of mammals are threatened with extinction. Half of that number may be gone in a decade. . There is 77 species of Cetacea, 4 species of Sirenia, 113 species of primates and 99 species or Carnivora are included. From 1970 to

Wednesday, November 27, 2019

17 Free Online Academic English Writing Courses

17 Free Online Academic English Writing Courses If you are an English language learner and getting ready to enter into university, getting up to speed on your academic writing will mean the difference between success and struggle in your academic pursuits. However, youre in luck, as there are several free online academic English writing courses available that offer students like you a chance to brush up on your skills in your own time and without paying a dime.A Beginners Guide to Writing in English for University Study - In this five-week course provided by the University of Reading (via FutureLearn), you will learn how to write using academic English in preparation for university study. The course was developed to help students learn the basics of writing in English for academic purposes, including the stages of essay writing. Aimed at non-English speakers with a minimum level of IELTS 4.5 or equivalent, you should know some English before taking this course.Adjectives and Adjective Clauses - In this four-week course provided by the University of California, Irvine (via Coursera), you will learn how to make your writing more interesting through writing adjectives and adjective clauses. In the first module, you will review what adjectives (and adjective phrases) are and how to use them correctly in English. In the second module, youll learn about adjective clauses, what they look like, and how to use them correctly to make your sentences more complex. In the final module, youll learn the different ways to use adjective clauses in academic writing.Advanced Writing - In this four-week course provided by the University of California, Irvine (via Coursera), you will learn to raise your level of academic writing in preparation for college-level work. Specifically, you will learn to plan and write a more sophisticated argumentative essay; identify plagiarism and explain how to prevent it; read and analyze several articles to form your own opinion on a topic; make connections between several articles; form thes is statements from your readings; and use sources effectively when writing an essay. While youll have access to all the instructional videos and handouts by taking the free version of this course, youll need to enroll in the paid version to receive peer feedback and take quizzes.Conjunctions, Connectives, and Adverb Clauses - In this four-week course provided by the University of California, Irvine (via Coursera), you will learn about the different types of conjunctions in English and how to use them and punctuate them in sentences. You will also learn how to join ideas with correct grammar and punctuation, including transition words and prepositional phrases, complex sentences, and adverb clauses. Finally, youll learn a more advanced way to write complex sentences by reducing the adverb clauses. Each of these lessons will help you write academic English more fluently.English Composition - In this eight-week course provided by Arizona State University (via edX) as part of the Glob al Freshman Academy (GFA), you will learn how to communicate your ideas clearly through English writing. Specifically, you will learn to develop ideas effectively for a variety of purposes, audiences and occasions through completing several major written projects. Furthermore, you will learn how to craft your writing to meet the needs of specific audiences for specific purposes; how to make decisions about what to include and not include in your writing; how to use invention, research, drafting, revising, and editing in your writing; to use various formats and stylistic choices, including genre conventions; and how to use diverse technologies to write more effectively and efficiently.English Composition I - In this ten-week course provided by Duke University (via Coursera), you will learn college-level writing by reading carefully, writing effective arguments, understanding the writing process, engaging with others ideas, citing accurately, and crafting powerful prose. Throughout t he course, you will also learn how to summarize, analyze, question, and evaluate written and visual texts; argue and support a position; recognize audience and disciplinary expectations; identify and use the stages of the writing process; identify characteristics of effective prose; apply proper citation practices; and discuss applying your writing knowledge to other writing occasions.English Grammar and Style - In this eight-week course sponsored by The University of Queensland (via edX), you can learn key concepts and strategies in grammar and style to help enhance your writing. The course offers instruction in grammatical principles, word usage, writing style, sentence and paragraph structure, and punctuation. Video interviews with distinguished grammarians, along with quizzes and writing activities, assist students build their English writing skills.Getting Started with Essay Writing - In this four-week course provided by the University of California, Irvine (via Coursera), yo u will learn about the three types of academic essays and how to improve your writing skills when writing each type. The course covers how to create effective thesis statements for your essays; how to plan and write compare/contrast, cause/effect, and argument essays; and how to write well-developed body paragraphs. While the lectures and practice activities are available for free, students must enroll in the paid version to take the quizzes and receive feedback on writing assignments.Grammar and Punctuation - In this four-week course offered by the University of California, Irvine (via Coursera), you will learn the basics of writing academic English for studying in an American university. It includes video lectures, readings, practice exercises, and quizzes, although the free version does not offer peer feedback and graded quizzes. By the end of the course, you will know how to identify the correct verb tenses to use, use commas effectively, utilize several different sentence type s, and write more effectively in English.How to Write an Essay - In this five-week course provided by the University of California, Berkeley (via edX), you will be introduced to academic writing for English learners by learning essay development, grammatical correctness, and self-editing. The course covers basic grammar terminology and understanding; writing effective sentences and paragraphs; introductions and conclusions; strategies for writing longer texts; and thesis statements. It is provided in partnership with the U.S. Department of State.Introduction to Research for Essay Writing - In this four-week course provided by the University of California, Irvine (via Coursera), you will learn the steps involved in planning, outlining, and writing a research paper. Some topics covered include how to choose appropriate research topics for your classes, how to find source material for research papers, how to avoid plagiarizing, and how to take and organize notes in the process of you r research. You will also learn how to use an appropriate academic tone and language in your writing, along with how to document sources by creating a list in MLA format.Perfect Tenses and Modals - In this four-week course provided by the University of California, Irvine (via Coursera), you will learn about important intermediate verb tenses, including present perfect, present perfect progressive, past perfect, and past perfect progressive. The course also covers common modal verbs used in English. Although it is designed for learners who already have a basic understanding of English grammar, it will help you become a better academic writer.Preparing for College: Writing Proficiency - This self-paced course provided by Parkland College (via Canvas Network) is third in a series of four courses that are aimed at helping students improve their scores on placement tests while preparing for college-level courses. The focus of this course is on writing skills, along with links to pract ice tests to help students identify problem areas and supplemental help for students who need it.Scribble: Writing for New Writers - In this 13-week course provided via OpenLearning, you will learn the process of writing- from simple paragraphs to more complex writing structures. The courses eventual aim is to prepare you for research writing. Designed for students who are studying English and are preparing to soon enter a university, this course will help you brush up on some basic skills such as sentence and paragraph creation, along with proper English structure and forms of writing.Tricky English Grammar - In this four-week course provided by the University of California, Irvine (via Coursera), you will learn about tricky issues in English grammar that can confuse even the most astute student. This includes tricky nouns, articles, and quantifiers; when to put a or the in front of a noun; when to put nothing in front of the noun; using gerunds and infinitives correctly; making requests and asking for permission; some word forms that cause confusion; and phrasal verbs and collocations.Verb Tenses and Passives - In this four-week course provided by the University of California, Irvine (via Coursera), you will review the verb tenses that you learned in beginning English classes and learn about a few tenses you may not know very well. It covers 12 of the English verb tenses and passive verb forms, along with how to blend these tenses, which is what native speakers frequently do. Overall, this course will help you improve your fluency in written and spoken academic English. While the free version of this class gives you access to all of the instructional videos and handouts, you will need to enroll in the paid course to receive peer feedback and take quizzes.Writing in English at University - In this four-week course provided by Lund University (via Coursera), you will learn to understand the conventions of academic writing in English along with the various components of the academic writing process. The course is divided into four modules:Writing in English at university: An introduction;Structuring your text and conveying your argument;Using sources in academic writing; andThe writers toolbox: Editing and proofreading.The course consists of video lectures, reading assignments, and reflective self-assessment questions, along with peer review exercises that provide students with an opportunity to interact with their peers also taking the course.

Saturday, November 23, 2019

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Bio

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Bio Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is an American politician and former community organizer. Her embrace of democratic socialism and economic, social, and racial justice  issues earned her a large following among fellow progressive millennials, which propelled her to a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. Her ascent is noteworthy because she defeated the fourth-highest ranking Democrat in Congress and became the youngest woman elected to the House. Fast Facts: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Occupation: Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New YorkNickname: AOCBorn: Oct. 13, 1989, in Bronx County, New York City, New YorkParents: Sergio Ocasio (deceased) and Blanca Ocasio-CortezEducation: B.A. in Economics and International Relations, Boston UniversityKnown For: Youngest woman elected to Congress. She was 29 when she took office in January 2019Interesting Fact: Ocasio-Cortez worked as a waitress and bartender before running for CongressFamous Quote: â€Å"Where did I get off? I mean, I’m going to tell people that I, as a waitress, should be their next congresswoman?† Early Life Ocasio-Cortez was born in New York on Oct. 13, 1989, to Sergio Ocasio, an architect raised in South Bronx, and Blanca Ocasio-Cortez, a native of Puerto Rico who cleaned houses and drove a school bus to help the family pay the bills. The couple met when he was visiting family in Puerto Rico; they married and moved to a working-class neighborhood in New York City. Both parents had been born into poverty and wanted their daughter and son, Gabriel Ocasio-Cortez, to have more prosperous childhoods. The family eventually relocated from New York City to a wealthy suburb, Yorktown Heights, where they lived in a modest home and sent Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to a mostly white high school, where she excelled. Ocasio-Cortez graduated from Yorktown High School in 2007 and entered Boston University, initially studying biochemistry. She got her first taste of politics by volunteering to make phone calls for Democrat Barack Obamas successful 2008 presidential campaign. Her life changed dramatically, though, when her father was diagnosed with lung cancer while she was at college. Ocasio-Cortez said her fathers death her sophomore year forced her to put all of her energy into school. The last thing my father had told me in the hospital was ‘Make me proud,’ she said in an interview with The New Yorker. I took it very literally. My G.P.A. skyrocketed.† After her fathers death, Ocasio-Cortez shifted gears and began studying economics and international relations. She graduated with a bachelor of arts degree from Boston University in 2011. By that time she had also stepped back into politics, working part-time through college in the Boston office of U.S. Sen. Ted Kennedy, the so-called liberal lion and surviving member of the Kennedy political dynasty. The 2016 Campaign and a Career in Politics After college, Ocasio-Cortez worked as a waitress and bartender. She became involved in politics at the national level in the 2016 Democratic primaries, when she canvassed for U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, the Democratic Socialist who unsuccessfully sought the presidential nomination against former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. After Sanders lost, like-minded Democratic Socialists began recruiting candidates to run for the House and Senate as part of an effort called Brand New Congress. In the fall of 2016, as Republican Donald Trump was heading toward a stunning electoral upset over Clinton, Ocasio-Cortezs brother sent an application to the group on her behalf, and her campaign for Congress was born. Like Sanders, Ocasio-Cortez supports such proposals as free public college and guaranteed family leave. A marcher holds a sign that say, If Youre Scared of Me, You Are The Problem with an image of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Democratic of the 14th congressional district of the House Of Representatives in front of Trump International Hotel during the Womans March in the borough of Manhattan in NY on January 19, 2019. Ira L. Black - Corbis / Getty Images In the June 2018 Democratic primary, Ocasio-Cortez soundly defeated U.S. Rep. Joseph Crowley, who had amassed a great deal of influence not just in his district but among his partys congressional leadership over two decades. Ocasio-Cortez went on to defeat a Republican, college professor Anthony Pappas, in the fall election to take the seat representing New York states solidly Democratic 14th Congressional District, which is centered in New York City and covers parts of the Bronx and Queens boroughs. Nearly half the residents of the district are Hispanic, and fewer than 20 percent are white. At age 29, she became the youngest woman to win a House seat. The youngest person elected to Congress was William Charles Cole Claiborne of Tennessee, who was 22 when he began serving in 1797. Democratic Socialist Ideology Ocasio-Cortez has championed economic, social, and racial justice in the House. In particular, she has taken on the issues of wealth disparity and the treatment of undocumented immigrants in the United States. She proposed taxing the wealthiest Americans at income-tax rates of as much as 70 percent; called for the abolition of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Homeland Security agency that arrests and deports people living in the United States illegally; and pushed for the elimination of for-profit prisons. U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) speaks as Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA) (R) and other Congressional Democrats listen during a news conference in front of the U.S. Capitol February 7, 2019 in Washington, DC. Sen. Markey and Rep. Ocasio-Cortez held a news conference to unveil their Green New Deal resolution. Alex Wong / Getty Images Her most ambitious policy proposals were contained in the so-called Green New Deal, which she said is designed to combat climate change by shifting the energy portfolio in the United States away from fossil fuels to all renewable sources such as wind and solar within 12 years. The Green New Deal also proposed non-energy moves such as a job guarantee program to assure a living wage job to every person who wants one,† as well as universal health care and a basic income. Much of the new spending to fund those programs would come from higher taxes on the wealthiest Americans. Many political observers have suggested that Ocasio-Cortez- whose campaign was funded by small donors and not corporate interests, and whose agenda sets her apart from the establishment members of the Democratic Party- has replaced Sanders as the de facto leader of the left. Sources Remnick, David. â€Å"Alexandria Ocasio-Cortezs Historic Win and the Future of the Democratic Party.† The New Yorker, The New Yorker, 17 July 2018, www.newyorker.com/magazine/2018/07/23/alexandria-ocasio-cortezs-historic-win-and-the-future-of-the-democratic-party.Chappell, Bill, and Scott Neuman. â€Å"Who Is Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez?†Ã‚  NPR, NPR, 27 June 2018, www.npr.org/2018/06/27/623752094/who-is-alexandria-ocasio-cortez.ï » ¿Wang, Vivian. â€Å"Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez: A 28-Year-Old Democratic Giant Slayer.†Ã‚  The New York Times, The New York Times, 27 June 2018, www.nytimes.com/2018/06/27/nyregion/alexandria-ocasio-cortez.html.The Intercept. â€Å"A Primary Against the Machine: A Bronx Activist Looks to Dethrone Joseph Crowley, the King of Queens.†Ã‚  The Intercept, 22 May 2018, theintercept.com/2018/05/22/joseph-crowley-alexandra-ocasio-cortez-new-york-primary/.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Benefits of having a personal disaster kit Essay

Benefits of having a personal disaster kit - Essay Example In other words, if you fail to coordinate precautionary measures prior to the occurrence of a disaster, you are prepared to handle the consequences. In cases like these, it is important to be prepared as being prepared can make a difference between life and death. In a disaster medical assistance is also often slowed, as emergency crews must focus on the victims of the disaster. Banks and other businesses might be closed, affecting a family's ability to withdraw money to pay bills and buy groceries Possessions are not hard to replace, as many people keep insurance on their property and tangible goods. The emotional toll of natural disasters is much more devastating. The death of a loved one may be the worst-case scenario but it's not the only lasting emotional effect victims experience. Whole communities may be displaced, separating friends and neighbors; victims face anxiety and depression as they wonder if it could happen again. In extreme cases, they may experience post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). (Cited from ehow.com) Life throws the unexpected at us every day. It is difficult to predict how a disaster will be. The effects of a disaster can be lessened if preparations are made ahead of time. One of the most important steps to being prepared for a disaster is having a personal disaster kit. Your personal disaster kit should include; water, food, first aid supplies, clothing and bedding, tools and emergency supplies and special items such as medication. Water should be stored in plastic containers such as soft drink bottles and store at least three gallons of water per person to serve for at least a three day period. Store at least a three day supply of non-perishable food items, food for infants and spices, vitamins or stress foods. It is far better to select foods that are compact and light weight such as ready to eat canned meats, fruits, vegetables and canned juices. Your disaster kit should also include a first aid kit. This kit should include; ban dages and pins, sterile adhesive bandages, roller bandages, sterile gauze, cleansing soaps and agents and non-prescription drugs like antacid, anti-diarrhea and pain killers. Paper cups, plates and plastic utensils, emergency preparedness manuals, battery operated radio with extra batteries, plastic storage containers, waterproof matches, flash lights stored with batteries inserted backwards, toilet paper, personal hygiene products, plastic garbage bags and household chlorine bleach are also among the many essentials for your personal disaster kit. It is important to store your kit in a convenient place with smaller versions of it in your car. Ensure all items are kept in air tight plastic bags. Finally replace the stored food and water in your kit every six months. Every year people are affected by disasters. Lives are lost, property is destroyed and personal effects lost to the unforgiving aftermath of both natural and man-made disasters. The saddest part of such devastation is th at most of it could have been averted with the proper preparation. Being prepared does not mean that one won't incur any loss, however, if one prepares properly, it can save lives, homes and personal affects. Proper preparation can also make recovery and dealing with insurance companies and government entities exponentially easier. Once a disaster

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

A Rise in Officially Authorized Economic Prospects and the Crime Rate Research Paper

A Rise in Officially Authorized Economic Prospects and the Crime Rate - Research Paper Example In the majority of cases, murder is committed by someone the sufferer is familiar with. Serial killers, who mostly choose victims at the ‘dictates of chance’ with no obvious reason have been identified to â€Å"become overcome with the urge to kill† (Lily et al, 2010), similar to the addict who wants his fix. It has been an observation that this situation is an outcome of both genetic as well as environmental aspects. This is a psychological sickness at work. Early caution symptoms take account of arson and brutality towards animals. â€Å"Crime costs the United States billions of dollars every year† (Williams & McShane, 2009). Costs appear not just from lost belongings, remunerations and health care expenditures, but the huge amount of cash syphoned into the detention centre. Legal costs are an additional aspect when talking about crime. One must consider all the wages remunerated to legal representatives as well as public advocates, in addition to the utility bills for courtrooms. Possibly, the major expenditure is reimbursing the law enforcement agencies all over the nation to fight crime to have safe streets. The death sentence has not been shown to act as prevention for crime, although it does convey the message indicating that it means business. â€Å"It is hard to say how many inmates get more out of prison other than hooking up with fellow criminals and learning new ways to commit crimes† (Tibbetts & Hemmens, 2009). Individuals who would really like to amend have the most excellent shot; how ever, not all jails have self-enhancement plans.

Sunday, November 17, 2019

A Perspective on the Influence of College Clubs Essay Example for Free

A Perspective on the Influence of College Clubs Essay College clubs have been a part of university life since the very first fraternities and sororities were created. If the student so chooses, he or she can make college an experience to remember by joining a club. They range from things like journalism and math to sports such as soccer or lacrosse. People who join these clubs tend to have a background in the topic or at the very least, an interest in learning about it. There is a club for everything you can think of, and if there isn’t, it is not that hard to start one. Clubs in college, although similar to those in high school, are quite different in the types of people and the variety of cultures brought together by the sheer size and caliber of a college. The importance and benefits of college clubs cannot be numbered, not just for the students but also for the community. Though there are myriad benefits to joining a college club, some have brought up possible problems with joining or being able to join clubs. Academically speaking, college clubs have interfered with a student’s productivity, particularly in the areas of homework and studying. This leads into the economic issues with college clubs; students sometimes have trouble being able to pay fees to join clubs that they would like to join and therefore can be deprived of the experience simply because of financial issues. Finally the social perspective: some sociologists have been led to the conclusion that college clubs have, in several cases, caused social problems for students because of the connections people unknowingly make between a club name or topic and a preconceived notion about what it may concern. These arguments, while valid, do not outweigh the benefits derived from joining clubs. Joining a club during your freshman year of college is a great way to meet people who have similar interests. Finding friends in college can be difficult. College clubs can help change that because they bring together people from different cultures and backgrounds and create a common ground where they can discuss their ideas about a certain topic in a safe environment without having to worry about being ridiculed. College clubs are a way for people to establish their own socioeconomic status, or SES, within the campus and dictate their values. Depending on the clubs available, people join the ones that will most suit them and create a reputation just by the clubs they join. The various options come with various consequences and outcomes during and after college. Marybeth Walpole, an Assistant Professor at Rowan University, has discovered that the clubs one joins have been proven to shape the way one progresses through college, and, in some cases, completely alter the way one views the world after college. John Foubert and Lauren Grainger explored the psychological development of students in their freshman year and those in their senior year and the differences between the two. They found that students who get involved during their freshman year show more development over the course of the four year period and are more likely to continue to join clubs and find ways to involve themselves on campus. Clubs have a very influential and positive impact on both the students that participate in them and the campus, or community, where they take place. Research on college clubs has been tested and revealed several interesting facts about the correlation between academic performance and being part of a club. In general, taking part in a club has little to no effect on doing well academically in school. This generalization, taken from the statistical analysis of a collection of survey responses conducted by Myrnell L. Martin, a graduate of Missouri West, is applied with the knowledge that most clubs are non-academic and instead support extra-curricular activity. Many believe that clubs can interfere with homework and study time in a student’s life. This can be true if the student is unorganized and is unable to manage a schedule. With this in mind, a club can therefore act as a tool to help the student manage time more wisely. For most college students, participation in a club allows the student to have a basis on which he or she can create a schedule and arrange their daily lives. Homework and studying should not take a backseat to clubs but certainly does not have to as long as the students takes into account the amount of work that must be done both for the club and outside of the club. This concept, of successful time management, learned by the student because of joining a club in college, can then be applied outside of college in the working world. Joining a club can quite possibly cost a lot, depending, of course, on the club. Clubs whose fees are higher generally have smaller group and a much more developed program. Most clubs only require a few dollars out of pocket, perhaps twenty-five dollars at most, at the very beginning for small purchases here and there. Those clubs that don’t require any fees are usually the most populated and will have a greater chance of bringing people from very diverse backgrounds together. Although clubs may charge fees, many clubs will have payment options or even sponsorships from various third parties. This is truly beneficial for students who are stretched to the limit financially, especially at expensive universities. Paying for club participation is usually a sign of quality, and leads to an enriched environment in which the student can take more away from the experience. When clubs charge a fee, it means they have either activities planned for the club or possibly some food and paraphernalia throughout the year. While having to pay for a club does not sound like the most exciting thing in the world for college students, it will most likely to lead to a more rewarding experience and more enjoyment from that club. College clubs have their place on campus, and are often widely recognized as important contributors to the campus as a whole. In special cases, clubs have developed into organizations that play a major part in the goings-on on campus. These include student governing organizations and the like which have developed because students take an interest in government and ruling ideals which help these students later on in life because they learn about the democratic process in a hands-on environment, as well as leadership skills that can be applied across the board. Clubs have a history of improving campus life and involving students in societal projects to better the community. Edward Hartshorne conducted research in this field and discovered that college is the ideal place for continuous club organizations and their universal impact on the campus. He reasons that each student’s impact spans for an approximate seven year â€Å"generation,† where there are the three years ahead of the student as a freshman and then the three years behind the student as a senior. This provides for a perpetuation of ideas through normal contact which results in a link that can span for as long as the club or organization decides to continue. This continuation of clubs and ideas transforms into a sort of â€Å"college culture†, described by Hartshorne as the upholding of certain social â€Å"norms†, which were established long before each generation arrived and will continue to endure after that generation departs. I, myself, am currently involved in Cal Poly Club Lacrosse as well as Formula SAE, and feel I am better for it. It allows me to escape from the academic side of college and do physical exercise in a manner that suits me. I love playing lacrosse and though I find it hard to make the time commitment I have always been able to push myself to make time in my schedule for everything I need to get done. Club lacrosse helps me to organize myself because it creates a time pressure situation where I must manage my time wisely and complete the homework necessary before I plan time for myself. Although I have had less time to do the things I want to do, such as hang out with friends, I still am able to do these activities, just in moderation. However, I accomplish more because I strive to do better so that I don’t have to stress out over the small things. Lacrosse has also been an outlet for me to find new friends on campus which I can rely on because I know that lacrosse is important for them as well. Formula SAE allows me to utilize what I’ve learned in school and apply it to real life situations by designing a racecar to compete against other schools. I have learned a lot from both the club experience and the other members of the club. This club also allows me to spend time with other engineers who are interested in cars. Clubs have definitely made a difference in my life at Cal Poly and I’m that they can do the same for all college freshmen.

Friday, November 15, 2019

Brexit: Causes and the Future of Britain

Brexit: Causes and the Future of Britain Abstract A referendum was held on June 23rd 2016, to decide whether the United Kingdom (UK) should leave or remain as a part of the European Union (EU). This vote is commonly referred to as Brexit merging words Britain and Exit. The 4 nations of the UK (England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland) voted to leave the EU. This paper explores the reasons for the Brexit, its global implications, the current situation and what lies ahead. Keywords:   Referendum, United Kingdom, Brexit, European Union. On June 23rd 2016, a referendum was held to decide whether the UK should leave or remain as a part of the EU, also known as Brexit. The 4 nations of the UK (England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland) participated in the referendum with leave winning by 51.9% to 48.1%, with almost 30 million people voting (Hunt A. & Wheeler B., 2017). To understand the reasons for the referendum and why the UK voted to leave the EU, a brief history of the relationship between the UK with the EU is studied. The reasons to vote for and against Brexit as also analyzed, along with its global consequences. Finally, the current situation and how much of the Brexit has been implemented is discussed. European Union and its History with the United Kingdom After the end of the Second World War, the European nations wanted to end the frequent and costly wars between neighbors. In 1957, Belgium, France, West Germany, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands signed the Treaty of Rome, establishing the European Economic Community (EEC), or ‘Common Market’. (European Union, n. d., para 2). EEC was formed with the goal of economic cooperation between the European nations. The 1960s improved the economy of the EEC members as they started trading without charging custom duties when they traded with each other. On January 1 1973, Denmark, Ireland and the United Kingdom joined the EEC. Greece became the 10th nation in 1981, followed by Spain and Portugal five years later. In 1986, Single European Act was signed, with the intent of allowing free flow of trade across EU borders, creating the ‘Single Market’. (European Union, n. d., para 5). The Maastricht Treaty in 1993 established the European Union (EU), of which the EEC was a main component. The EU was formed with the goal of unifying Europe’s nations under one united foreign policy, common citizenship rights, trade rights and a single currency, called euro. (Pruitt S., 2016). Although the UK became a part of the EU in 1973, the relationship between the UK and the EU has been a turbulent one. The UK applied first applied for EEC membership in 1963. But France’s President Charles de Gaulle vetoed its application, on the worry that English would replace French as the main language of the community. But in 1973, UK was finally allowed into EEC under Conservative Prime Minister Edward Heath. (The Telegraph, 2016). But within two years, UK was on the verge on leaving the EEC. In 1975, UK voted on the referendum to whether stay or leave the EEC. 67 percent voted to remain in the EEC. Tension again began in 1984, when UK Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher wanted to reduce British payments to the EEC budget. At that time, the UK was the third poorest country of the EEC, but was paying a lot more to the budget due to its lack of farms. At that time, farm subsidies made up 70 percent of total expenditure. The UK, due to its relatively few farms, got a very small share of the farm subsidies. Margaret Thatcher with her tough talks managed to reduce Britain’s contribution to the EEC from more than 20 percent to about 12 percent. The UK also had issues with the EU regarding France’s ban of British beef during â€Å"mad cow† disease outbreak in the late 90’s, to the decision to allow British chocolates to be sold to rest of Europe in 2000, after a 27-year long dispute. Decision to vote for Brexit In 2011, David Cameron became the first UK prime minister to veto a EU treaty. This was done to protect London’s financial sector and stop a levy on banks. In 2013, he made a speech where he outlined the challenges faced by EU and committed to renegotiate UK’s membership with the EU. At the same time, a lot of support began among British people for the UK Independence Party (UKIP), which held a hard stance with the EU. An ongoing migrant crisis and an economic unrest in the Eurozone increased anti-Europe sentiments. With the increasing support for the UKIP, David Cameron made a pledge in 2013 that if the Conservatives were in power after the 2015 election, there will be an in/out referendum. (Wright O. & Cooper C., 2016) . After coming to power after the election, Cameron promised the vote by end of 2017. He continued his renegotiation with the EU and had managed to make new deals for Britain, which he said was a strong basis to back a Remain vote. To remove the EU vote from holding headlines in the political agenda, David Cameron set an early referendum date of 23rd June, 2016. Reasons for and against Brexit After the decision for the referendum date was taken, a lot of polarizing took place for both sides of the vote-leave or remain. Campaigns for both leave and remain had contrasting opinions of the issues at large. Views for both leave and remain campaign regarding the important issues are discussed below. Main issues of Brexit A lot of arguments for the leave campaign was based on the fact of economic freedom of the UK from the EU, control of UK border from the migrant crisis and trade deals. Arguments of remain was that the vision of the leave campaign lacked convincing detail. (Buttonwood, 2016). Economic Issues The leave campaign had the view that the UK’s links with the EU meant that it cannot make individual trade links with emerging markets like China or India. Leaving the EU would allow UK to diversify its trade deals. However, the remain campaign pointed the fact the 44 percent of UK’s export goes to the other EU countries. Leaving the free-trade agreement of the EU would hurt UK’s economy and leaving EU would be counterproductive. Remain also argued that leaving the EU will hurt the banking industry in UK as trading advantages of being inside the EU helps the banks make profit. The leave campaign rubbished those fears and believed that London would remain a financial capital outside of EU, and banks would still want to be based in UK due to low tax rates. Immigration and Jobs People for the leave campaign had the view that the UK cannot control their border as long they remained a part of EU. EU gives freedom of movement to other EU citizens and an automatic right to live in the UK. (Smith-Riley B., 2016). The immigration crisis also triggered very polarized views. EU had the belief that aiding the refugees was a moral obligation. (Mauldin J., 2016). But people who wanted UK to leave EU had the viewpoint that immigration was a national issue and each country should have their own say on whom they want to enter their country. Remain campaign were of the view that leaving would not solve the migration crisis, but simply shift border control from France to the UK. Regarding jobs, nearly 2.5 million people are employed in UK due to EU trade, which gives freedom of movement for EU citizens. The remain campaign held the view that closing the borders would result in loss of some of those jobs, raising unemployment in the country. Also, businesses may invest less in the UK as they may have to pay high taxes for import and export, outside of â€Å"free trade†. The leave campaign was of the view that the job loss claims were exaggerated. In fact, jobs may flourish in the UK if they can provide better incentives to new businesses like low corporation tax. Defense and Sovereignty Issues People for the leave campaign had the belief that the UK may have to contribute to a EU army to fight against terrorism and other threats. Such a contribution would take away funds and independence from UK’s own military. Remain campaign argued that countries working together would give the best chance to the EU to counter terrorism threats from ISIS and other countries which wants to undermine the EU. Many people who supported the notion of leaving the EU believed that multinational organizations take away control from the individual nations. There was growing mistrust between the countries, coupled with a simultaneous rise in nationalism. There were calls for further economic integration after the euro crisis, which was opposed by the euro sceptics. Remain campaign argued that in this age of globalization, countries must have common economic goals to sustain a healthy economy benefiting everyone. They argued that it is better to remain a part of EU and help change the rules from inside, rather than leave it altogether and have no say in any new decision makings. What happened on June 23rd 2016? How did UK vote? On June 23rd 2016, over 33 million people of the UK countries of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland cast their vote to either leave or remain in the EU. Leave won by 51.9% to 48.1%. But the voting pattern was different in the 4 countries. While England and Wales voted to leave the EU, Scotland and Northern Ireland voted remain. But the overall vote count had leave have more votes than remain. A breakdown of the vote for leave and remain for the individual countries is given below. Figure 1. Voting pattern for Brexit of the 4 UK countries- in percentages (Hunt A. & Wheeler B., 2017) There was a political fallout as the immediate result to vote for Brexit. Scotland, who had decided to vote to remain in the EU, were forced to leave as the UK voted as a whole. Scotland wanted to go for another referendum to vote and decide whether to remain as a part of the UK, or gain independence and apply to the EU as an independent nation. Prime Minister David Cameron, who led the remain campaign, announced to resign from his position. Theresa May was appointed as the new Prime Minister of UK on 13th July 2016. From the beginning, she was firm in her decision that no attempts should be made by UK to remain as a part of EU or to rejoin it after Brexit. On the other hand, Eurosceptic leaders celebrated as they strongly wanted to withdraw from European Union, or diminish the scope of EU’s legislative influence. There was a political uproar throughout the whole country because people plunged into the phase of uncertainty that could not only affect the global political situation, but also could impact the world economy. Economic & Global impact European single market is a trade bloc, that enables free trade between 28 countries (including UK) that come under the European union. This single market not only enables easy navigation of goods and services between the member countries, and easement of several trading barriers, but also boosts economic growth, helps in effective governance of trade practices, and improves the overall standard of living in the member countries. Brexit will not only hinder smooth trade practices but will also affect the financial markets. Currency Turbulence â€Å"Just a day after Brexit, it had been seen that pound fell sharply against euro. On June 24th, the pound fell to a 31 year low against the dollar.† (Allen K. and Monaghan A., 2016). Sterling also fell against euro. This weaker status of pound against euro brought tension among holidaymakers, tourists, and exporters because pound could then fetch lesser returns and made trading more competitive. Tourists from UK couldn’t travel Europe as comfortably like before as they got lesser money’s worth after Brexit. Reduced Trade The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, popularly known as OECD, which is an association for developed nations, has stated that Brexit would bring a â€Å"major negative shock† in UK. France, Germany and Italy are the stronger members of European Union. They are also key trading allies of UK. But now due to Brexit there will be reduction of trade with these countries due to stringent regulatory policies and lesser labor mobility. UK cannot easily access the European single market. By 2020, GDP would be over 3 percent smaller than otherwise in the U.K.† (Rafal Kierzenkowski et. al., 2016) Domino Effect UK has been the first state to withdraw membership from EU. Since no other state has withdrawn the membership from EU, this could frame a pattern or design that will enable the other member states to increase their momentum of membership withdrawal from EU. In fact, after Britain’s exit from EU, Alternative for Germany (AfD) chairman Bjorn Hocke said I know the German people want to be free of EU slavery.† On the other hand, there can be a different outlook towards exit. â€Å"For instance, Scotland might leave the U.K. to become a stand-alone nation within the EU (like the Republic of Ireland).†Ã‚  (Geewax M., 2016). In a nutshell, Brexit will keep bringing rippling effect that will not only bring disruption in political front or obstruction in the flow of labor, capital and commerce; but will also increase Euroscepticism among the present member states of EU. Brexit’s influence on various industries Housing and commercial property The unreliability and unpredictability of the market after the referendum’s result came out, freaked out the Investors, which also affected the commercial property sector. Estate agents were more affected than house builders. As per Anthony Codling, an analyst at Jefferies, housing sector would be comparatively less affected because government helped the first-time buyers with financial aids. In fact, demand for houses would be vigorous but the cost of construction would keep rising. Building shares kept declining and the most affected housebuilders were Taylor Wimpy, Barkley and Baratt. In FTSE 100, they lost more than 4% in addition to their land securities. (Inman P. and Farrell S., 2016) Retail Retail sector was badly hit, which was already going through a lot of pressure. In fact, before the voting results were even declared, an atmosphere of uncertainty was creeping up. The shopping habits of majority of consumers took a different path. They stopped spending on things that do not come under necessary products. For example, the fashion sales declined drastically and saw the biggest drop in their sales for seven years. As most of the fashion retailers purchase their raw materials from Asia and pay them in dollars, they have been affected more due to the drop in the value of pound.   But some companies have benefitted as well. We know that deflation is the situation in which the supply of money in an economy gets diminished. During this time the purchasing power of money is greater. So, Brexit would help to bring relief to Britain’s supermarkets, which couldn’t earn their desired revenues in last two years due to the deflationary environment. Also, FTSE 100 index is currently at 7343.08 compared to 6338.10 on the day of referendum. This index basically depicted many companies which earned in dollars and not in pounds in UK. Hence, when there was a decline in the value of the pound compared to dollar, their returns multiplied. Telecom â€Å"Vodafone’s announcement that it could  move its headquarters out of the UK  brought one of the most striking impacts of the referendum on corporate Britain.†Ã‚  (Rhiannon B. et. al., 2016).    Since EU has a pivotal role in regulating the telecom sector, Brexit has already put forward many questions against Britain’s own telecom industry. A Spanish telecom company called Telefonica also began their assessment and evaluation of their UK based subsidiary company named O2. An attempt was made to sell O2 to Hong Kong’s CK Hutchison, but that unfortunately got hindered due to concern over competition. Later in October 2016, Telefonica has also renounced their plan of listing O2 in the London Stock Exchange due to the tumult created by Brexit. Also, there could have been rise in the momentum of Vodafone’s merger with the company called Liberty Global, which had taken over British cable group Virgin Media in 2013 to branch out into Europe’s cable market. But due to the turmoil created by Brexit, the valuation of Virgin Media had significantly dropped. Insurance Insurance companies had to mandatorily comply with Solvency II directive of European Union Law. This rule aims in harmonizing EU insurance regulation. Solvency II consists of three pillars, viz., pillar 1, pillar 2 and pillar 3. Pillar 1 states the quantitative requirements and resources that insurance companies need to maintain for meeting the liabilities. Pillar 2 deals with risk management structure, which helps to foresee risk against which capital must be held. Pillar 3 deals with transparency and disclosure of risk and meeting the capital requirements. Lord Turnbull, the former civil service head who served as a board member of Prudential, believed that Brexit would help the global companies who wanted to disassociate themselves from the complex directive of Solvency II. Also, after Brexit investors were in dilemma because of its harm on balance sheets and regular business operations. That’s why insurers had to struggle to minimize the immediate problem of share price fluctuations. Legal & General’s stock declined substantially by 30pc in two days, before it reassured shareholders that its solvency and cash generation were retaining properly. (Williams C., 2016) Energy National Grid and SSE have both urged the Government to ensure Britain remains in the EU’s internal energy market (IEM) that will enable them to perform smooth trading of electricity and gas between UK and the European countries. (Williams C., 2016). Since EU laid an easy pathway for UK to make smooth dealing in regards to receive the utilities and benefits of energy sector, Brexit would bring disruption in the whole process that ran with a continuous synergy. Therefore, the UK consumers will now have to incur more costs for energy consumption because UK’s exit from EU could lead to 500 million pounds rise in the cost of procuring energy as a resource. Transport Airline industry has also been badly hit due to Brexit. Sterling’s sharp depreciation has brought perplexity in the aviation sector because this decline in the value of sterling would reduce the demand to travel. This drop in the value would make traveling more expensive. EasyJet has already speculated that they will have less passengers to travel during summer months, and this uncertainty has forced them to rethink whether they should carry on their business in UK or not. Positive Aspects Pounds weakness would increase tourism in UK. People from all around the world can visit and spend comparatively more than what it used to be before. UK’s hospitality industry can flourish more. Big touristy attractions like Madame Tussauds or Legoland can gain more foot traffic. Even the renowned restaurants and pubs can get more customers. Current Scenario of Brexit’s Implementation Theresa May, the current Prime Minister of the UK has stated that she will trigger Britain’s exit from the EU by end of March, 2017 and begin the two years of negotiations. To begin the negotiations, she must invoke Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty, and decide on what deals the UK will make with the EU. According to the deals to be made, people are terming it as either a â€Å"hard† Brexit or a â€Å"soft† Brexit.   Article 50 None of the states have ever left European Union; Britain was the first to do so. This has created a lot of turmoil in global economy. The rules for withdrawal or exit is mentioned in Article 50 of the Treaty of Lisbon. Lisbon Treaty aimed to make EU more transparent and efficient in functioning. It was a treaty that was agreed by the head officials of EU member countries. But since UK has left the EU, Prime Minister Theresa May would trigger Article 50 by the end of March 2017. Though the decision of the referendum was taken in a day, the process of leaving EU will be time consuming. After Article 50 is triggered, no directives or rules of EU that exercise control over its member states, will be applied to Britain. Britain and EU will then become two individual parties to any contracts or agreements, and will have to take every decision through bargains and negotiations. Many economists believe that creating future trade relationships or agreements on crucial policies like immigration or trade tariffs between UK and EU countries can become more difficult and burdensome. Figure 2. Steps to be taken for UK to leave the European Union (Hunt A. & Wheeler B., 2017) Hard and Soft Brexit A hard Brexit will be an arrangement where the UK will surrender its full access to the single market and customs union along with the EU. (Sims A., 2016). The trade relationship will be based initially on the World Trade Organization (WTO) rules. Going for a hard Brexit will give the UK full control of its border, and decide on trade deals on its own. A soft Brexit on the other hand will mirror the current deals the UK has with the EU as much as possible. It will lose having a seat on the European Council, but may keep access to the open trade market of the EU. The leave campaign members are more inclined towards going for a hard Brexit approach, while the remain campaign wants to take the path of a soft Brexit. However, both approaches come with their own pros and cons. International Trade Secretary, Liam Fox, has said a hard Brexit approach would benefit the UK by making it a global trading nation. (Sims A., 2016). However, leaving the open market may subject the British goods and services to tariffs, as well as increase bureaucratic checks on goods. If the UK decides to go for a soft Brexit, London’s position as a financial hub may be kept intact if the UK decides to allow the EU rule of free movement of European nationals to work and settle in the UK. Supreme court ruling The latest update of Brexit’s implementation is the Supreme court ruling. Justices ruled that Prime Minister Theresa May cannot use the privilege to trigger  Article 50  of the Lisbon Treaty and begin the two-year process of negotiating the UKs separation from its EU partners. (Telegraph Reporters, 2017). Britain’s Supreme court has also ruled out that the UK government must hold vote in the Parliament before beginning the process of annulment. (Greene Allen R. & Dewan A., 2017). Though UK Government was dissatisfied with this new ruling but they would abide by it. Jeremy Wright, Attorney General of England and Wales, told reporters that they would agree to court’s ruling but would also take every measure to implement Brexit. Theresa May is playing the key role in enacting Brexit and she looks forward to execute all the plans by the end of March 2017, in association with all who voted for leaving EU. References   (1) Hunt, A. & Wheeler, B. (2017) Brexit: All you need to know about the UK leaving the EU. Retrieved from: http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-32810887 (2) European Union. (n. d.) The history of European Union. Retrieved from:   https://europa.eu/european-union/about-eu/history_en#1945_-_1959 (3) Pruitt, S. (2016) The history behind Brexit. Retrieved from: http://www.history.com/news/the-history-behind-brexit (4) The Telegraph. (2016) Britain’s 40-year relationship with the EU. Retrieved from:http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/06/16/britains-40-year-relationship-with-the-eu/ (5) Wright, O. & Cooper, C. (2016) Brexit: What is it and why are we having an EU referendum? Retrieved from: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/what-is-brexit-why-is-there-an-eu-referendum-a7042791.html (6) Buttonwood. (2016) Eu Referendum- The arguments for voting remain. Retrieved from: http://www.economist.com/blogs/buttonwood/2016/06/eu-referendum-2 (7) Smith-Riley, B. (2016) Leave or remain in the EU? The arguments for and against Brexit. Retrieved from: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/06/16/leave-or-remain-in-the-eu-the-arguments-for-and-against-brexit/ (8) Mauldin, J. (2016) 3 Reasons Brits voted for Brexit. Retrieved from: https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnmauldin/2016/07/05/3-reasons-brits-voted-for-brexit/#1c8d5991f9d6 (9) Allen, K. & Monaghan, A. (2016) Brexit fallout- the economic impact in six key charts. Retrieved from: https://www.theguardian.com/business/2016/jul/08/brexit-fallout-the-economic-impact-in-six-key-charts (10) Kierzenkowski, R., Pain, N., Rusticelli, E. & Zwart, S. (2016) The economic consequences of Brexit- A taxing decision. Retrieved from: http://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/economics/the-economic-consequences-of-brexit_5jm0lsvdkf6k-en (11) Geewax, M. (2016) Circle June 23. A vote that day in the U.K. could affect your wallet. Retrieved from: http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/06/10/481424109/circle-june-23-a-vote-that-day-in-the-u-k-could-affect-your-wallet (12) Inman, P. and Farrell, S. (2016) Pound hits 31-year low after disappointing service sector data. Retrieved from: https://www.theguardian.com/business/2016/jul/05/pound-hits-31-year-low-after-service-sector-data (13) Rhiannon, B., Dakers, M. & Martin, B. (2016) UK firms mull moves in wake of Brexit. Retrieved from: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2016/06/29/uk-firms-mull-moves-in-wake-of-poll/ (14) Williams, C. (2016) What does Brexit mean for the key parts of the UK economy? Retrieved from: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2016/07/02/what-does-brexit-mean-for-the-key-parts-of-the-uk-economy/ (15) Sims, A. (2016) What is the difference between hard and soft Brexit? Everything you need to know. Retrieved from: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/brexit-hard-soft-what-is-the-difference-uk-eu-single-market-freedom-movement-theresa-may-a7342591.html (16) Telegraph Reporters. (2017) Brexit ruling: The Supreme Court judgement in full. Retrieved from: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/01/24/brexit-ruling-supreme-court-judgment-full/ (17) Greene Allen, R. & Dewan, A. (2017) Brexit ruling: UK Supreme Court gives parliament Article 50 vote. Retrieved from: http://www.cnn.com/2017/01/24/europe/brexit-article-50-supreme-court-ruling/

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Online Marketing †Grocery Retailing Business Essay

â€Å"With household internet access continuing to increase, the customer base for online grocery shopping is widening, while other technological innovations such as the advent of smart phones is further benefiting the market† (Source: â€Å"Global Market Review of Online Grocery Retailing† report available at www.MarketResearch.com). The grocery retailing industry has many opportunities inherent in it for online marketing, and the competitive advantages that it would provide. While local brick-and-mortar storefronts will always be necessary – due to the perishable nature of many items, the bulk and expense of shipping groceries and the occasional need to purchase something immediately – there are ways in which the internet can be leveraged to add to consumer convenience and increased profits. Providing online shopping is a possibility for grocery retailers. It’s very different than dry-goods retailers such as books, music, shoes and apparel – or services being marketing such as travel. â€Å"To date, sales of food and drinks over the internet have yet to make the same impact observed in other parts of the consumer goods industry, most notably books, clothing and electronic items such as computer equipment† (Source: â€Å"Global Market Review of Online Grocery Retailing† report available at www.MarketResearch.com). One way to leverage the internet – and I have seen this at my local ShopRite – is to purchase groceries online and pick them up at the local store. The shopper clicks on the items they want in an online virtual market, which are then gathered by a â€Å"personal shopper† in the store. The shopper then drives over to the market, pays at the customer service counter near the front of the store, from which an associa te will even wheel the cart out and load the bags into their vehicle. The potential is also there for personalization. By tracking online purchases, a profile can be developed with shorter lists of preferred items from which selections can be made. There could be a â€Å"standard template  order† (bread, milk, eggs, etc.) or whatever the consumer buys on a regular basis – which could provide a starting point, then be tweaked or added to by the consumer depending on their needs at any particular time. The system could become so sophisticated so as to proactively tell a consumer of an upcoming discount or sale price on an item. In this form of integrated marketing, For example, I’m entering an order and going to put an item on there that I usually buy. The smart technology has already prepared an item profile, and can tell me that it is going on sale in a few days, in case I want to wait to take advantage of the lower price. It could also inform me of a manufacturer’s coupon I may not be aware of – and send me to that supplier’s website for a printable or scannable coupon. Online shopping can reach more customers. Perhaps there are elderly, handicapped or other shut-ins for whom it is inconvenient to shop in a grocery store. So maybe they let a relative do their shopping, which would be at the store of the relative’s choosing. Now, the consumer can bring their business to the store of their own choosing, and simply ask someone to pick it up. Or perhaps they can drive, just not walk around the store. This could also increase the order size, since someone will be pushing it around the store and loading it into their vehicle for them. The opportunity also exists for a store to provide or arrange for delivery service to the consumer’s home. Increasing customer loyalty is another way in which grocery retailers can utilize online marketing to increase business. Many stores already have store cards with store discounts and coupons attached to them, as well as incentive goals to be reached with benefits attached. With online marketing, all of this information can be tracked. The coupons that print at the register and many people throw away or misplace, can now all be stored virtually and in one convenient place to be accessed when needed. The removal of expired coupons could also be automated. The opportunities for marketing in this space are vast, and we have only scratched the surface.

Sunday, November 10, 2019

How does Chaucer’s portrait of Alison add to the interest of the poem? Essay

Alison is married to the carpenter. The carpenter is the total opposite of Alison. He is old and it is likely that she finds him boring and unattractive, which explains why she has an affair. The Carpenter realises that she is not that much in love with him, and is jealous as a result of it, â€Å"Jalous he was, and held hir narrwe in cage. † There is a sense of doom for John the Carpenter. It seems too good to be true that an old man like him should have such a beautiful wife. It is obvious something is going to happen to take her from him. In the description of Alison, Chaucer shows the difference between Alison and the carpenter. We know the carpenter is old, but the continuous portrayal of Alison makes us more convinced with every line that the two are note suited. â€Å"She was wild and young and he was old. † She is obviously very attractive, she presents herself well and she is youthful. We know that if Alison had any choice then she would not be married to this old carpenter, but back then, marriages were often arranged. The second man in love with Alison is hende Nicholas. Nicholas is a student of astronomy, who is lodging at the Carpenter’s inn. Nicholas is also young and much more suited to Alison that the Carpenter is. He declares his love for Alison in a way that is not too courtly, â€Å"And prively he caught her by the quaint. † This is not a very romantic way to court someone. You would not expect Alison to accept, but after much persistence from Nicholas, â€Å"Lemmen, love me all atones or I wol dien! † she agrees to meet with him. Alison warns him it must be a great secret â€Å"Ye moste been full derne as in this cas,† and Nicholas swears he will not say a word. This is not the type of love in stories like the Knight’s Tale. They are simply attracted to each other, making it closer to lust than love. There is a lot of description of Absolon, the parish clerk who is also in love with Alison. The description is a very feminine one, describing his fancy clothes â€Å"His rode was red† â€Å"Curl was his hair. † Chaucer seems to be mocking Absolon, making fun of his ways, and embarrassing him in the end. By mocking Absolon, Chaucer is mocking courtly love as Absolon represents this. He goes to Alison’s window every night and sings to her and reads her his poems, but every time he is rejected. Alison does not treat Absolon very well either. Absolon is a very jolly and gay character, but he is miserable and woebegone when Alison does not return his feelings. He sings to her and sends her cake and spices, but still Alison has no love for Absolon. â€Å"He n’hadde for his labour but a scorn! † After all the work he puts in to get Alison to fall in love with him, he is scorned. At the end of the story, both Alison and Nicholas at laughing at Absolon after the cruel trick they play on him. There is a lot of humour in the Miller’s Tale. This is to be expected from the description of the Miller in the general prologue, as it tells us he is fond of dirty stories and jokes. Love that is not returned can always be made humorous in such stories. We laugh at the carpenter because he actually thinks that a beautiful young girl like Alison would be in love with him. She makes a fool out of the carpenter in two ways. The first being her affair with Nicholas, which shows us she does not love him, even though he is very much in love with her, â€Å"This Carpenter had wedded a new wif, Which that he loved more than his lif. â€Å"