Is Odysseus a True Epic Hero Essay Example

Is Odysseus a True Epic Hero? Essay How do you define a hero? Some may define a hero as someone with courage and bravery, someone who knows how to fight monsters and win historic battles, remain loyal to himself and or his or her men, or someone who has intelligence to overthrow an evil kingdom and make everything â€Å"right†. My definition of an epic hero is someone who can overcome passed mistakes and struggle to become a better person internally, while leading, staying loyal and sacrificing what needs to be sacrificed for the sake of his or her people. In the epic poem, The Odyssey, Odysseus, son of Laertes, is challenged to his true potential of being an epic hero. He is challenged to make decisions not only for his sake, but for his men’s sake. He was cursed to be lost out at sea by Poseidon, god of the sea, after the long Trojan War and travels for ten years on a dangerous journey to get back home to Ithaca. On Odysseus’ journey, he is challenged by the Cyclops, the giant with one eye, Circe, the goddess of witchery, the beautiful singing Sirens, Scylla, and more. They all challenge his true ambition of getting back home by temptation. Odysseus is easily tempted. With temptation being so easy, there’s no way this â€Å"epic hero† can really be classified as a true epic hero. Odysseus has strong focal points as well as weaknesses. He knows how to lead a big group of men, keep his composure and think of quick plans to help him and his men through obstacles, but Odysseus doesn’t know how to stay focused. He can easily be tempted to stay in one place on his journey for many years. We will write a custom essay sample on Is Odysseus a True Epic Hero? specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Is Odysseus a True Epic Hero? specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Is Odysseus a True Epic Hero? specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Even though he tries to get his ship load of men back home, he focuses on the obstacles that are happening at that time, he doesn’t think about the future until someone reminds him of their journey to get home. Odysseus reacts without thinking and that’s his major downfall. A true epic hero weighs out his or her options and thinks what would be best for his or her men. Odysseus on the other hand reacts to the obstacles at a quick pace, without thinking and analyzing the situation and doesn’t remain loyal to his men. Loyalty was very important back in The Odyssey’s time, because during the Trojan War, if you weren’t loyal to your men, you were to be killed. Odysseus knew he was returning home, but without the accompaniment of his men. They were all going to be killed, but Odysseus didn’t tell them, he just let fate take over and kept the death of all of his crewmen to himself. Not true epic hero quality. Being an epic hero does not mean you are the best and will forever hold the title as the best epic hero. Epic heroes make mistakes sometimes, but they learn from previous mistakes and learn lessons from them. Epic heroes remain loyal to their men no matter what the circumstance is. Only egotistical cowards withhold valuable information from their crewmates and make continuous mistakes. Odysseus’s character does not change from the beginning of the book to the end, which is a major reason why he is an egotistical coward. Epic heroes know they are epic heroes and their actions prove it. Odysseus is the king of Ithaca, but lacks the epic hero qualities like being loyal and learning from passed mistakes. These characteristics of Odysseus make him an epic failure.

Free Essays on Ligeia

A short story written by Edgar Allan Poe which fuses the themes of transcendence and lost love is "Ligeia,†. The narrator of this story meets and marries a woman of exquisite beautya woman named Ligeia. To the narrator, she is the perfect woman. She possesses classical beauty, expanded intellect, and spiritual purity. The narrator describes at length the strange attributes of this woman Ligeiaher raven-black hair; her low, musical voice; her ivory skin, lofty forehead; her delicate nose and radiant smile. However, Ligeia's most striking feature was the presence of her dark, large eyes, which the narrator is obsessed with. He seems to exert quite a bit of emotion when describing her eyes. By reading this story, you would realize that her eyes were the things that fascinated the narrator the most about Ligeia. The narrator describes his beautiful spouse almost like a ghost: "She came and departed as a shadow." He also thinks her beauty, more specifically her eyes, as a "! strange mystery." Her eyes make her seem unreal or superhuman because of her large "expressive" eyes that the narrator cannot explain except that they are "far larger than the ordinary eyes of our own race." Ligeia's unusual beauty represents a reoccurring theme throughout the story. The text portrays a rejection of the features that society would call "ordinary" beauty. One example of this is how Poe repeatedly points out how flaws in the classical appearance of Rowena, "the fair-haired, the blue-eyed," by comparing her to Ligeia whose "features were not of that regular mould which we have been falsely taught to worship in the classical labors of the heathen." Poe explains through the narrator how more exalted and meaningful Ligeia's beauty is specifically because she exhibits more natural features instead of the classical features. The rejection of the classical beauty and the welcoming of the unusual, mysterious beauty indicates Poe's bias towards Romanti... Free Essays on Ligeia Free Essays on Ligeia A short story written by Edgar Allan Poe which fuses the themes of transcendence and lost love is "Ligeia,†. The narrator of this story meets and marries a woman of exquisite beautya woman named Ligeia. To the narrator, she is the perfect woman. She possesses classical beauty, expanded intellect, and spiritual purity. The narrator describes at length the strange attributes of this woman Ligeiaher raven-black hair; her low, musical voice; her ivory skin, lofty forehead; her delicate nose and radiant smile. However, Ligeia's most striking feature was the presence of her dark, large eyes, which the narrator is obsessed with. He seems to exert quite a bit of emotion when describing her eyes. By reading this story, you would realize that her eyes were the things that fascinated the narrator the most about Ligeia. The narrator describes his beautiful spouse almost like a ghost: "She came and departed as a shadow." He also thinks her beauty, more specifically her eyes, as a "! strange mystery." Her eyes make her seem unreal or superhuman because of her large "expressive" eyes that the narrator cannot explain except that they are "far larger than the ordinary eyes of our own race." Ligeia's unusual beauty represents a reoccurring theme throughout the story. The text portrays a rejection of the features that society would call "ordinary" beauty. One example of this is how Poe repeatedly points out how flaws in the classical appearance of Rowena, "the fair-haired, the blue-eyed," by comparing her to Ligeia whose "features were not of that regular mould which we have been falsely taught to worship in the classical labors of the heathen." Poe explains through the narrator how more exalted and meaningful Ligeia's beauty is specifically because she exhibits more natural features instead of the classical features. The rejection of the classical beauty and the welcoming of the unusual, mysterious beauty indicates Poe's bias towards Romanti... Free Essays on Ligeia Two Portraits of women in Poe's tale Ligeia. Not only does Ligeia’s unusual beauty represents the main theme throughout the story, but the text reflects Poe’s rejecting the â€Å"ordinary†, a common theme in literature. The writter rejects classical values and welcomes supernatural through unusual, mysterious beauty. Ligeia was extremely beautiful, she knew a lot. A relationship with the narrator was a deep affection. He describes her very precisely as being afraid to omit any perfect feature: â€Å"I examined the contour of the lofty and pale forehead – it was faultless (†¦), the skin rivalling the purest ivory (†¦), the gentle prominence of the region above the temples†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ The speaker portrays his perfect spouse almost like a ghost : â€Å"She came and departed as a shadow. I was never made aware of her entrance into my closed study†. He also thinks her beauty, more specifically her eyes, as a â€Å"strange mystery†. The narrator sees a secret in his beloved eyes. Her eyes make her seem unreal because they are so â€Å"expresive† and the narrator cannot explain except that they â€Å"far larger than the ordinary eyes of our own race†. He even compares Ligeia’s eyes to the stars: â€Å"Those eyes! Those large, those shining, th! ose divine orbs! They became to me twin stars of Leda†¦Ã¢â‚¬ . The narrator is impressed by her voice also: â€Å"which at once so delighted and appalled me – by the almost magical melody, modulation, distinctness and placidity of her low voice.† At first it seems that the narrator is interested in Ligeia’s body only, because the largest part of her portrait consists of her physical appearance. But later it appears that the narrator is also impressed by her knowledge, she was the first woman met by him who was so intelligent. And in some spheres she knew even much more than her husband: â€Å"In the classical tongues was she deeply proficient and as far as my own acquin...

Beowulf as an Epic Hero in Burton Raffel’s Translation of the Story Beowulf

He continuously portrays features that no ordinary human being could acquire including eternal fame, extraordinary skill, and heroic courage. It is interesting to read about all his extraordinary hero qualities. In Anglo-Saxon culture, immortality was believed to be attainable through the gain of fame and glory by the act of doing noble deeds (HubPages). It was also possible by spreading one’s personal name throughout the land. In this epic, the concept is played quite well by the deeds Beowulf portrays as an epic hero; he not only saves the day, but spreads his name through the land. He introduces himself to Hrothgar, King of Danes, speaking of his bouts with five giants leading to his single handed removal of the giant race from the earth. He also leads to speak of fighting and defeating many sea monsters underwater at the deep depths of the darkest oceans (Beowulf 31). These deeds show the characteristics in Beowulf that many epic heroes seem to possess like defeating demonic, and god-like foes saving the day and in turn adding to the notoriety of the heroes name, aiding to their belief of immortality. Beowulf further pursues fame and glory by aiding Hrothgar in defeating the demon Grendel which has ran amuck in the kingdoms mead hall Herot and killed soldiers of the crown. By ripping Grendel’s arm, Beowulf ensures his fame as keeping it as a trophy and mounting it over Herot for all to observe. But an epic hero like Beowulf never is sated with fame so throughout his lifetime he continues to defy odds and accomplish heroic deeds spreading his name and giving him his sense of immortality. In order for an epic hero to be an epic hero he cannot just achieve high notoriety, he must have the skill to defeat the demons bent to kill all mankind. But not just a regular warriors skill can defeat a demon conceived by Satan and evil, the heroes skill must match that of the gods. A good depiction of Beowulf’s extraordinary skill is the moment when he first battles Grendel choosing to fight bare-handed in order to give the opponent a â€Å"fair fight† (Beowulf 31). This feat shows that Beowulf believes he has the skill to defeat the monster Grendel and shows a sort of chivalry among him by honoring his opponent’s condition. Beowulf also has skill in strength and speed, catching and nearly breaking back Grendel’s clawed fingers on his hand as he slashed to swoop and eat a light sleeping Beowulf; later leading to Beowulf ripping of Grendel’s arm (Beowulf 33). Afterwards revenge is sought by Beowulf after Grendel’s mother abducts and eats the kings trusted noble and friend Aeschere leading him to use his incredible skill to swim for hours underwater to her lair at the bottom depths of a dark lake resulting in her death by Beowulf adding to his fame. Beowulf as an epic hero needed courage in order to make skill useful and be able to gain more fame. Many courageous acts are done by Beowulf firstly with the simple act of battling a huge demon like Grendel without the use of neither weapons, nor armor for protection. Going without weapons shows the courage in Beowulf and the lack of fear even after removing the little help given to provide a fair fight for Grendel. Afterwards, Beowulf continues to display great courage by gaining revenge from Grendel’s mom and battling her under water while sea creatures watched (Beowulf 39). These examples of courage show that Beowulf is willing to battle and defeat any foe, no matter the cost in order to save the day. Epic heroes through time have had the same characteristics. These include the ability to bring exceptional skill to battle against many demons and evil doers. These traits combined with the courage of a man which fears nothing aides Beowulf in being able to defeat many of his foes throughout the tale. To Beowulf, hearing of Grendel terrorizing the mead hall is more of a blessing than a problem for it allowed Beowulf the opportunity to slay a creature and build his name through the land of Danes. Ending in epic victory, these qualities are expressed throughout the stories and even though made king, Beowulf never ceases to reach his goal of the world’s greatest fighter having unmatched fame through the land, skill of many men, and the courage greater than that of any man or creature ever to be found.

Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education Local plagiarisms Essay

Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education Local plagiarisms - Essay Example Therefore many institutions have laid out guidelines and rules concerning these vices, and even stipulated the penalties for anyone who does not comply. The issue of intertextuality is addressed, which involves the author borrowing and transforming a text or a reader referencing one text in reading another one. Transgressive intertextuality involves the breaching of acceptable borrowing practices. The interpretation of the concept of improper intertextuality varies from one lecturer to another, according to interviews conducted on lecturers from various disciplines. The reasons for this disparity include the unique expectations and practices of each discipline. The results of these interviews showed certain areas where students experienced problems in citing sources. These include poor paraphrasing, students’ identities as the authors, improper understanding of common knowledge, information contained in many sources such that it is difficult to pinpoint its source, and the uni que expectations and practices of each discipline. Therefore it is suggested that there should be a different definition of inappropriate intertextuality for each discipline in order to address various disciplinary perspectives. This paper seeks to evaluate how the problem of plagiarism and collusion is viewed and attempts to curb it in various academic institutions. The paper mainly focuses on the lecturer’s views about transgressive intertextuality in various disciplines like the humanities, history, languages, engineering, law and fashion. The paper has successfully tackled a number of issues. The lecturers’ responses mostly comprised of their own personal interpretations of intertextuality and the experiences that they had encountered while dealing with their students, therefore they were able to give a picture of the real situation that was taking place in the institutions. The paper also highlights the opinions about transgressive intertextuality in various disci plines; therefore the students can get to know what is expected of them in writing academic papers in their respective disciplines (Worton and Still 1991). Suggestions are also given on how to deal with transgressive intertextuality. The lecturers who were interviewed gave details about how they had punished the culprits and other steps that they had taken to reduce the misconduct. The study also highlights the future repercussions of indulging in plagiarism and collusion. Some of the interviewees expressed the feelings of anger and sympathy for those students who were practicing plagiarism because they felt that they were jeopardizing their careers. Cases of plagiarism can also lead to termination of grants. According to Maier (2011), plagiarism tarnishes the professional reputation of an individual and may make it hard to secure a job in the future because the prospective employers may view you as dishonest and lazy, and therefore not fit to work for them. The study also clarifies that it is not possible to treat the issue of transgressive intertextuality in the same manner across all disciplines because different disciplines have varying demands. For instance, a history student is expected to come up with an account from an existing text while a literature student tries to interpret and react to written works. Therefore any copying in literature is not tolerated while historians do not deal with it severely because they understand that students will always use other peoples work in writing

American International Group (AIG) Research Paper

American International Group (AIG) - Research Paper Example This essay discusses that the CEO Greenberg ensured that he networked with everyone including the different presidents in power and hence built himself a fortress of support and built himself and AIG immunity from questions and outside auditing which would have discovered the fraud and illegal business deals that were taking place in the company and which led to the massive expansion of the company and its ultimate downfall. The rest of the executives offered their full support of the illegal Credit Default Swap (CDS) project which even though it brought in a lot of money than any other department in the firm, its activities and ethics were questionable. The executives even prevented external audit firms from coming to audit them as they did not want their grand fraud and illegal scheme to be discovered by outsiders even though that eventually took place. If only the firm had an organizational culture that necessitated external auditing, then they would not have initiated the program in the first place hence saving themselves embarrassment and government the bailout money. A stronger ethics program would have prevented Greenberg from calling in favors to prevent the firm from being scrutinized and the uncovering of the truth. The corporate executives were dishonest and harbored business deals that were not illegal but unethical. They also jeopardized the lives of millions of Americans through the unethical deal with CDS as many people whose money was lost in one way or another would have suffered. Their unethical conduct also out at risk the jobs of all their employees some of whom even had no idea what really that financial department that dealt with CDS was all about or that it even existed and hence were caught in the spur of the moment at the discovery of the truth. If the executives were ethical and honest in the company, the bailout would not have been necessary. A stronger ethics program would have prevented even the illegal department officials to carry out these illegal deals. The corporate executives should be the ones to set a perfect example to their employees and not aid in turning them criminals if they had put in place a stronger ethics culture within the organization. 3. What could AIG have done differently to prevent its failure and subsequent bailout? AIG should never have set up that department and the CDS financial dealings in the first place. This would have prevented the whole meltdown as it was. Even after its creation, they would have allowed external auditors or even external scrutiny to be carried out which would have unveiled the problem as early as possible hence preventing the government from having to spend over $180 billion bailing it out and preventing it from being fully bankrupt hence preventing other businesses and individuals in America from the already bad economic recession of 2008. The employees who were aware of the deal should have refused to participate in an unethical deal and even taken the init iative and report the firm to securities and exchange if the corporate culture had taught them how to be ethical. 4. Provide your thoughts/opinion about the importance of Corporate Culture in the Business world? Corporate culture provides guidance to all the employees in an organization starting from the top executives to the downright bottom employee in the chain of command (Flamholtz and Yvonne 3). This therefore ensures that no unethical behavior goes unreported to the necessary authorities hence preventing an embarrassing situation later on. A business has many stakeholders and a good corporate culture helps to define the roles of each of these stakeholders

Women are portrayed as powerful Essay Example for Free

Women are portrayed as powerful Essay William Shakespeares play Macbeth is set Scotland in the eleventh century. The play is about the protagonist Macbeths, bloody rise to power, through the murder of the Scottish king, Duncan. Macbeths ambition is to become king. In the play there are both powerful, manipulative and unnatural women portrayed by the likes of Lady Macbeth and the witches and the not so powerful and more traditional portrayal of females such as we see in Lady McDuff. The witches are portrayed as having ultimate power over Macbeth and the way in which they make potions, mixtures and use magic which makes them quite unnatural as this is not something an ordinary human would do. Lady Macbeth is shown as the more dominant figure with lots of power and is manipulative and a unnatural character. However after the murder of King Duncan she is overwhelmed by the guilt and begins to lose power, and is less manipulative over Macbeth. Lady Macduff on the other hand is the complete opposite of Lady Macbeth and the witches and is portrayed as being a stereotypical women from the eleventh century. She has very little power and perceived as being a normal female of the time. At the beginning of the play Lady Macbeth is a strong, powerful and manipulative person and she is more controlling than her husband Macbeth. Generally in the eleventh century, males are more domineering and powerful over females but that was not the case in Macbeth. Lady Macbeth seems to have more power than Macbeth as she successfully changes Macbeths mind to kill king Duncan through her manipulation Look like th innocent flower but be the serpent under it. Lady Macbeth is very unnatural as she want to be filled with cruelty to go through with the deed. Come, you spirits that tend on mortal thoughts! unsex me here, and fill me from the crown to the toe, top-full of direst cruelty. Lady Macbeth receives a letter from Macbeth where he states he is having thoughts of killing Duncan but he does not say that he will. Lady Macbeth decides to take the matter into her own hands because she wants a better title for herself. She is stronger minded than Macbeth as she knows that although Macbeth is an ambitious person he is too noble to be able to go through with the deed himself. She manipulates his self-esteem by playing with his manliness and his bravery. However towards the end of the play and after the killing of King Duncan she is overwhelmed by guilt and losses all her power and Macbeth appears to be the more dominant character. She becomes more natural and less manipulative after her guilt catches up with her. Throughout the play the 3 witches are portrayed as having ultimate power and are very unnatural in the way they use magic and prophecy to control and manipulate characters such as Macbeth whom they control through addicting him through prediction of his future which he completely believes they have the power to do. At the beginning of the play the witches greet Macbeth as Thane of Glams, Thane of Cawdor and as King of Scotland. This prophecy leads Macbeth to genuinely think about being in control and having power. After Macbeth received the news that he was Thane of Cawdor he built a trust with the Witches as he now believes they were right about everything. Macbeth continued seeing the witches to see what his future will hold, speak, I charge you. The witches are portrayed as being unnatural and unhuman like as they make all different kinds of potions and eat unusual mixture. in the cauldron boil and bake; eye of newt and toe of frog. The Witches therefor are very powerful, in the way they control Macbeth and manipulate him in his desperation for power. They are also very unnatural and demonstrate unhuman like behaviours in the way they eat unnatural things. Lady Macduff is the complete opposite to Lady Macbeth and the witches and is portrayed as being a stereotypical women from the eleventh century. Lady Macduff has no power, is submissive and is portrayed as a natural female. Lady Macduff cares about her son and has maternal instinct, to leave his wife to leave his babies from whence himself does fly? She is protective of her son and is a traditional mother figure. Lady Macduff is loyal to Duncan and Scotland and cares about the welfare of the country. In a conversation with Ross Lady Macbeth says, His fight with madness. When our actions do not, out fears do make us traitors. She is so loyal to Scotland that she considers her own husband a traitor for leaving the country and believes that every traitor should be hanged. Everyone that does so is a traitor and must be hanged. Lady Macduff is the opposite to being powerful, manipulative and unnatural as she lets her husband take the lead and essentially needs him for living.

Michelangelos David :: Arts Paintings Art History

Michelangelo's David Michelangelo Buonarroti (1475-1564) was a Florentine Sculptor, painter, poet, and architect. Based in Florence he started out as painter at the age of thirteen, apprenticed to Domenico Ghirlandaio, the leading fresco wall painter in Florence. But eventually his ambitions led to sculpture. Michelangelo had an ideal based on the physical expressiveness of the male nude.[1] Michelangelo sculpted in a Naturalistic style, its main characteristic being the depiction of subjects in a realistic manner. His sculptures, like David, often depict the mastery of anatomy; this can be shown by the structure of every muscle and sinew in the sculptures. For David, Michelangelo had taken up the theme Donatello and Andrea del Verrocchio had used successfully in their David sculptures; Michelangelo’s version was from a political point of view.[2] David is the largest free standing marble statue since classical times. The narrative derived about this sculpture speaks of the shepherd boy who defeated the giant Goliath. Michelangelo has transformed David into an ancient hero of unrivaled grace and beauty. Interestingly David’s sling is barely visible which may tell us his strength is derived from his moral courage. The hands of David also are shown exceptionally large signifying a sense of power. David stood as a symbol of Florence’s supremacy. [3] David was constructed in 1501 but not completed until 1504, and towered over the people at the entrance to the Palazzo Vecchio. Now it stands at the Galleria dell’ Accademia, Florence. This sculpture was an influence to other sculptor’s of the Renaissance because of how Michelangelo pushed the boundaries and artistic ideals of his generation to their physical and stylistic extremes. David is a large sculpture, measuring 13’ 5† high, and is a sculpture of marble. Michelangelo’s sculptures were often larger than life.[4] --------------------------------------------------------------------- [1] Alison Cole.

A Critique Paper on the Article Essay

There had been rampant news about economic crises that come and go due to a variety of reasons. More often than not, these crises affected a number of countries, and not surprisingly, a lot of businesses as well, especially those that operated in the affected countries. The issue here now is how a business’s top management will respond when faced with the repercussions of a crisis. Of course, there are many courses of action to choose from, and one of these options is restructuring. Corporate restructuring is entered into by firms that deemed that no other viable options exist but this. The usual form of restructuring is debt restructuring, wherein the creditor and the debtor renegotiate the terms and conditions of the existing debt of the latter in order to make it less onerous to fulfill. It may lead one to wonder why any sensible creditor would agree to this knowing it would be disadvantageous on his part. One of the main reasons why creditors agree to this arrangement is because of its relationship with the debtor. If it is in good terms with the debtor or has a history of mutual benefit, creditors would then consider this option, notwithstanding the detriments on its part. Restructuring is not also limited to corporate bodies. Any types of businesses, may it be small, medium or large enterprises, may use this option. In fact, this paper tackles the restructuring process and the probability of its success based on small- and medium-sized enterprises, given the following variables of determination enumerated in the paper. II. Main discussion a. Summary of the article This paper aims to measure the likelihood of success of a firm’s restructuring process with a bank’s assistance, given identified factors. To empirically test the paper’s hypothesis, the model is formulated as follows: Success in Restructuring = f (firm size, ROA, debt ratio, debt structure, bank debt, restructuring period, value of collateral) The size of the firm, which is measured using a firm’s total assets, is taken into consideration in determining the outcome of the restructuring process. This is so because it determines the level of resources a firm possesses. In the same vein, the value of collateral is considered as well as the degree of collaterized debt a firm has. The firm’s return on assets (ROA) is included as a measure of the firm’s profitability. The debt ratio, which is the portion of total debt on total assets, is considered for obvious reasons. The debt structure is incorporated to determine mainly the percentage of short-term and longterm to the total debt of the firm. The bank debt, measured as the percentage of debt owed to the bank in relation to the total debt, is taken into consideration. This is so because a firm receiving bank assistance for its debt restructuring may be affected because of their liabilities towards the ones helping them during their tumultuous times. Lastly, the restructuring period is added. A longer period would require more resources to be expended on the part of the distressed firm, in turn affecting the likelihood of success of its restructuring. Since this [paper] was made in the context of the Netherlands, the sample of firms and all other relevant data were taken from said country. The researchers gathered and classified 51 â€Å"successful firms† and 22 â€Å"unsuccessful firms†. The paper employed a qualitative response model (QRM), particularly the logit, to test their model in its multi-variate setting. The results of the empirical test were summarized in the subsequent tables (all taken from the paper): Table 2. 1 shows that both classes of firms were relatively comparable in terms of their size despite the difference (Total assets), but this is significant only at the 10% level, meaning, the size discrepancy is not enough to be a source of bias in the results. In the industry level, it can be seen that the Manufacturing and the Services and Transport industries are the ones that experience a lot of financial distress (results were significant at the 1% level, in other words, really significant). However, it is a different story between the two. The Manufacturing industry has more cases of unsuccessful restructurings whereas it is the other way around for the Services and Transport. The Other industries is also significant (10% level), which can mean that the researchers should have considered more industries rather than lumping them all in one. For the reasons of distress, it is surprising to see that only Overinvestment was significant (5% level). This can explain the reason why Manufacturing is on the top of the list: overinvestment has led the firms to grow at unmanageable levels, which was also coupled by a decreasing demand for the firm’s products, leading to their demise. Table 2. 2 answers the main topic at hand, which is the determination of significant factors (firm characteristics) to the probability of successful restructuring. These figures were taken pre-restructuring. The results show that the significant factors were those that relate to a firm’s debt. Moreover, it can be seen that unsuccessful firms had a really high debt ratio compared to the successful firms. It can therefore be concluded that a firm’s debt condition spells out its success or failure in debt restructuring. b. Significance This study can be useful for firms of all sizes and also to banks, the former to determine if restructuring is a wise decision given their debt situation, and the latter to decide if a financially-distressed irm is worth helping given their financial constraints. To put it simply, it helps both parties (especially the banks) to maximize the use of their resources that will reap them the most benefits. This is also not limited to developed countries, since this can also be applied in developing countries like the Philippines. Policy-makers can also get value from the results of this study by implementing the appropriate rules in connection with t his issue to ensure that the economic condition of the country will be protected from any harm that can emanate from this. III. Relation to class discussion It was actually in class that I have first heard of restructuring, and of course how to address the accounting problems posed by debt restructuring. In relation to this article, it actually deviates from the accounting issues learned in class, and takes it to another level, which is applying it in the real-world context. For my part, journal articles like these make me think that there is more to something that what we initially see. For instance, the class opened my eyes to the accounting perspective of debt restructuring, but this article made me appreciate this topic a whole lot more because of the familiarity I have with the topic and the discussion itself. Moreover, it has enriched my knowledge on the said topic. After this, I am really encouraged to read a lot more to quench my thirst for knowledge not only in my chosen field of expertise, but also in anything I am curious about. After all, living a meaningful and satisfying life is not by being ignorant, but by being curious about the things around you.

Stefan’s Diaries: Origins Chapter 3

August 21, 1864 I can't stop thinking about her. I will not even write her name; I daren't. She is beautiful, entrancing, singular. When I'm with Rosalyn, I am Giuseppe's son, the Salvatore boy, essentially interchangeable with Damon. I know it would not matter one whit to the Cartwrights if Damon took my place. It is only me because Father knew Damon would not stand for it, knew I would say yes, just like always. But when I saw her, her lithe figure, her red lips, her eyes that were flickering and sad and thrilling all at once †¦ it was as though I was finally just myself, just Stefan Salvatore. I must be strong. I must treat her like a sister. I must fall in love with the woman who is to be my wife. But I fear it is already too late†¦. Rosalyn Salvatore, I thought to myself the next day, tasting the words as I walked out the door, ready to fulfill my duty by paying a second call on my soon-to-be-betrothed. I imagined living with Rosalyn in the carriage house–or perhaps some smaller mansion my father would build as our wedding present–me working all day, poring through ledgers with my father in his stuffy study, while she took care of our children. I tried to feel excitement. But all I felt was cold dread seeping through my veins. I walked around the grand path of Veritas and gazed wistfully up at the carriage house. I hadn't seen Katherine since she arrived yesterday afternoon. Father had dispatched Alfred to invite her to supper, but she'd declined. I'd spent the evening looking out the window toward the house, but I couldn't see any flicker of candlelight. If I hadn't known she and Emily had moved in, I'd have assumed the house had remained unoccupied. Finally, I went to sleep, wondering the whole time what Katherine was doing and whether she needed comforting. I tore my eyes away from the drawn upstairs shades and trudged down the driveway. The dirt road under my feet was hard and cracked; we needed a good rainstorm. There was no breeze, and the air felt dead. There wasn't another person outside as far as the eye could see, yet as I walked, the hairs on the back of my neck stood on walked, the hairs on the back of my neck stood on end, and I got the uneasy feeling that I wasn't alone. Unbidden, Robert's warnings about walking off on my own floated through my mind. â€Å"Hello?† I called out as I turned around. I started. Standing just a few feet behind me, leaning against one of the angel statues that flanked the drive, was Katherine. She wore a white sunbonnet that protected her ivory skin and a white dress dotted with tiny rosebuds. Despite the heat, her fair skin looked as cool as the pond on a December morning. She smiled at me, displaying perfectly straight, white teeth. â€Å"I had hoped for a tour of the grounds, but it seems you are otherwise engaged.† My heart pounded at the word â€Å"engaged,† the ring box in my back pocket as heavy as a branding iron. â€Å"I'm not †¦ no. I mean,† I stammered, â€Å"I could stay.† â€Å"Nonsense.† Katherine shook her head. â€Å"I already am taking lodging from you and your father. I will not take your time as well.† She raised a dark eyebrow at me. Never before had I spoken with a girl who seemed so at ease and sure of herself. I felt the sudden, overwhelming urge to whip the ring from my pocket and offer it to Katherine on one knee. But then I thought of Father and forced my hand to stay put. â€Å"May I at least walk with you for a bit?† Katherine asked, swinging her sun umbrella back and forth. Companionably, we walked down the road. I kept glancing to my left and right, wondering why she didn't seem nervous to walk, unaccompanied, with a man. Perhaps it was because she was an orphan and so utterly alone in the world. Whatever the reason, I was grateful for it. A light wind blew around us, and I inhaled her lemony ginger scent, feeling as though I could die of happiness, right there, next to Katherine. Simply being near her was a reminder that beauty and love did exist in the world, even if I couldn't have them. â€Å"I think I shall call you Silent Stefan,† Katherine said as we walked through the cluster of oaks that marked the line between the village of Mystic Falls and the outlying plantations and estates. â€Å"I'm sorry †¦,† I started, fearing that I was as dull to her as Rosalyn was to me. â€Å"It's simply that we don't get very many strangers in Mystic Falls. It's difficult to speak to someone who doesn't know my whole history. I suppose I don't want to bore you. After Atlanta, I'm sure you find Mystic Falls a bit quiet.† I felt mortified as soon as the sentence left my lips. Her parents had died in Atlanta, and here I was, making it sound like she'd left some exciting life to live here. I cleared my throat. â€Å"I mean, not that you had found Atlanta exciting, or that you wouldn't enjoy getting away exciting, or that you wouldn't enjoy getting away from everything.† Katherine smiled. â€Å"Thank you, Stefan. That's sweet.† Her tone made it clear she didn't want to delve into the topic any further. We walked in silence for a few long moments. I kept my stride deliberately short so Katherine could keep up. Then, whether by accident or by design I'm not sure, Katherine's fingers brushed against my arm. They were cold as ice, even in the humid air. â€Å"Just so you know,† she said, â€Å"I don't find anything about you boring.† My entire body flamed hot as a conflagration. I glanced up the road, as if trying to ascertain the best route for us to follow, though really I was hiding my blush from Katherine. I felt the weight of the ring in my pocket again, heavier than ever. I turned to face Katherine, to say what, I'm not even sure. But she was no longer by my side. â€Å"Katherine?† I called, shielding my eyes against the sun, waiting for her lilting laugh to rise up in the underbrush along the road. But all I heard was the echo of my own voice. She had vanished.

12 Evocative Words That Include Ae

12 Evocative Words That Include Ae 12 Evocative Words That Include â€Å"Ae† 12 Evocative Words That Include â€Å"Ae† By Mark Nichol There’s something about the digraph ae that lends it a dignity and an aura. Perhaps it’s the vowel combination’s ubiquity as a plural marker taken directly from Latin (antennae, nebulae, and so on). Maybe it’s the frequency of its appearance in classical nomenclature (maenad, praetor, and the like). Whatever the reason, words in which ae appears are often vivid in their evocations. Here are some of my favorites: 1. Aegis: Originally the name of a shield associated with Zeus and Athena, the word later came to mean any protective shield or garment signifying that one was under divine protection. The meaning now extends to protection in general, as well as influence, sponsorship, or guidance. 2. Aerie: This word for an eagle’s nest lends itself well to the description or name of a mountain fastness. 3. Aether: This is a variant of ether, which refers to practically to an organic compound but also has figurative and theoretical connotations as well as denoting an element once thought to constitute outer space. In this sense, â€Å"the aether† is synonyms with â€Å"the heavens.† The adjectival form is aethereal, one of the most elegant words I know. 4. Brae: A Scots term (from a Norse word for â€Å"eyelid†) referring to a hillside, especially one overlooking a river. Many words in Scots, such as naething for nothing and waeful for woeful, indicate how their pronunciation of English words diverges. 5. Caesura: A caesura is a break or interruption, especially a rhythmic or rhetorical pause in poetry. 6. Chimaera: Originally the name of a specific mythical creature consisting of anatomical features of various real animals or of similar beings such as centaurs, this word, often in the modern form chimera, is used in science to refer to an organism with genetically distinct cells. It also applies, in architectural, to such decorative yet practical features as rain spouts in the form of gargoyles or other imaginary or actual animals. But perhaps its most interesting usage is to denote an illusion, fantasy, or fancy. 7. Daemon: This archaic spelling of demon invokes its original pre-Christian sense of â€Å"soul.† (Philip Pullman used it in his remarkable His Dark Materials fantasy trilogy to refer to human souls manifested as familiar-like animals.) 8. Faerie: This word, often capitalized, refers to the realm of the fairies and/or other supernatural beings, into which unsuspecting and often unfortunate mortals are often lured. The origin of the word is the Latin term fata, referring to the Fates, who in classical mythology determined one’s destiny. 9. Jaeger: This word meaning â€Å"hunter,† also sometimes referring to elite soldiers, is spelled jger in its native German. 10. Lacunae: This is the plural form of lacuna, Latin for â€Å"gap† as well as â€Å"pit† and pool (ultimately from lacus, â€Å"lake,† and the source of the word lagoon). It refers to an omitted segment or a period of silence, as well as a space in or a lack of something. As such, it alludes to the mystery of the missing. 11. Maelstrom: This word for an often permanent whirlpool capable of drowning people and swallowing small watercraft but not larger vessels (literally, â€Å"mill stream† with mill in the sense of grinding) evokes calamity and diabolical forces. 12. Phaeton: The name of the ill-fated son of Helios, the Greek sun god, who burned out when he took his father’s sun-chariot for a joyride, was employed in Victorian times to refer to a type of carriage. The word’s highfalutin airs makes it a suitable ironic appellation for a junky jalopy or a humble farmer’s wagon. These and other terms that include ae can inspire new nomenclature for fiction writers or provide allusive opportunities. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Spelling category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Fly, Flew, (has) FlownFlied?"Owing to" vs "Due to"7 Other Types of Pronouns

Analysis of ICT market in UK Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Analysis of ICT market in UK - Essay Example The Vodafone and Telefonica-O2 were newly licensed in the same Conservative government. It produced the far-reaching variations in ICT sector of UK. It stimulated the competition and enabled the mobile manufacturing companies to make the innovative products. During the same time, Asian and Eastern Europe countries had become capable to compete in manufacturing the electronic products in market. In reply to this electronic growth, ICT sector of UK concentrated on the software services. ICT sector was much focused to develop the new software instead of making the new hardware. ICT industry in UK is concentrated with most famous fifty companies of the world. On other hands, there are 95000 small level firms. The smaller firms are micro-business with fewer than ten employees. Software design, IT management, IT consultancy, IT reselling and distribution are key activities of ICT market in UK. This paper is focused upon the market analysis of ICT market in United Kingdom. ICT market analysis in the perspective of sub-sectors particularly education and why small medium enterprises (SMEs) are slower in full adoption of ICT in UK? Along with this impacts of ICT on education sector of UK has been also analyzed. Literature review is aimed to summarize ICT market analysis in UK. Market analysis allows seeing the technology impacts on different sectors varying from education to SMEs for their businesses. Review will help to identify the areas, where ICT has impacted positively and investigate the areas which are less or negatively impacted. The ICT market as a whole in UK is most attractive for foreign companies to invest in ICT goods and services. UK’s legal framework is supportive for business in ICT sector. Increased appetite of consumers in UK for technology supports the build up and growth of UK’s marketplace (UK Trade & Investment, 2009). In a report   Middleton (2014) identified that a strong link existed

Public Health--Discuss the health problems and health service issues Essay

Public Health--Discuss the health problems and health service issues that are associated with homelessness - Essay Example discussion presented in this essay will draw on evidence from a large variety of credible sources to see what past and contemporary research has to say on the subject. The gravity of this matter of homelessness is evident from statistical data revealed in one of the latest newspaper reports in the country. According to this report, as many as 112070 people identified themselves as homeless in the UK in 2014. This figure represents a whopping 26% increase in homelessness over the last four years which demonstrates the hideous proportions of this very serious matter in the country. While the rate of homelessness has increased by 26% which is a spine-chilling reality in itself, the number of those people who sleep on the streets or pavements has tremendously increased by 75% (Henley 2014). This is saying something about an ever-increasing wealth gap between the rich and poor in the UK. This gap is at its worst in the present contemporary times as a result of which homelessness has also increased at a gigantic pace. There is a definite link between homelessness and health issues in particular mental health as it is suggested by many that both entities are inextricably linked to each other. Research claims that the use of institutions like psychiatric hospitals to treat the mentally disordered homeless people has fallen in the UK. However, particularly high fear levels have been noticed in those who â€Å"spent a large proportion of their lives in psychiatric hospitals† (Glover-Thomas 2002, p. 157). It is claimed that such patients when discharged to live freely in the community have only served to â€Å"add to the homelessness problem† (Glover-Thomas 2002, p. 157). The correlation between homelessness and adverse mental health is of such extent that about 1/3rd of all homeless people are diagnosed with different critically severe mental health issues like suicidal distress, chronic substance abuse, schizophrenia, and paranoia (Videbeck 2013, p. 6). Actually,