How To Be More Productive With Your Spare Time

How To Be More Productive With Your Spare Time If there’s one thing most bloggers know about writing its that its very time consuming. And when time is money, you certainly can’t afford to waste it. My theory is, if you can be more productive even in 5 minutes, you will find that you end up writing more throughout the week with less time on your hands. I want to share a few secret habits of mine that have stuck around since I started content writing, and I’m sure have saved me hundreds of precious minutes and more than a few dollars. How To Be More Productive With Your Spare 5, 30, And 60 Minutes You are not alone in the struggle of writing. Most successful bloggers would not manage their over-stretched workload without amazing tools to help them save time and write more. The most efficient tools are ones you can use on the move in short periods of time, and if you’re anything like me, then you will understand how every moment can be used for something productive toward your writing. So here it is, how  to maximize your time, actually get more stuff done, and be more productive. Oh, and a quote to help you on your content writing way: Do. Or do not. There is no try. - Yoda How To Use  Your Spare 5 Minutes To Be More Productive You may wonder, "How can I achieve anything in 5 minutes?" The answer is simple: Do your micro tasks to free up time later on. This method to help you write more is super handy  when you’re on the go. Whether you are on the bus, train, or in between projects, 5 minutes can mean a lot.  You probably spend 5 minutes listening to a song and a half on your way to work. Here is what you can do instead: 1. Network. If you are in the blogging or content writing sphere, it is important to make and keep connections. You can spend 5 minutes either calling or sending a message to your blogger friend- make it a useful 5 minutes by asking them a question. Twitter chats are a really useful way of networking and a great place to ask questions that people actually reply to! 2. Be creative. Start that infographic/visual idea you always wanted to do. OK, it will inevitably take longer than 5 minutes, but forming the idea won't; it will give you the push to finally do it. Remember that innovation is a painstaking process, and every minute you have spare to process it is essential. Spend spare minutes on innovative ideas to increase your productivity.3. Create a quote. Ever wonder how people come up with all those lovely quotes in their writing? They spend 5 minutes coming up with them. By writing or searching for  two  quotes a day, you will find your blog writing becoming deeper and much more personal, and we all know readers love personal content, right? 4.  Share your content. Send a tweet to someone in your niche. In my opinion, this is one of the most useful things you can do with your 5 minutes. You can find people to connect with by searching for hashtags in your industry and find discussions to get involved in or influencers to ask questions. Oh, and always respond to someone who tweets you. Respond  immediately  or as soon as  possible. This will allow you to create a  relationship with your community. The larger community you build, the more  loyal your followers will be.   Another option is to go back over your old posts and share them. My secret habit: I like using Twitter for accessing events, even if I can’t attend them. By tweeting relevant posts with the event’s hashtag, you can revive traffic to old content and bring more people to your blog. You will meet influencers in your industry and your content will live a bit longer because people search for the event hashtag even days/weeks after it ended. Even better, this really does take only 5 minutes. 5. Use your surroundings  for visual inspiration in your content. EyeEm (Andoid, iOS) is a funky app you should download now. When you are traveling in your daily life, you can use this app to capture amazing shots that you can later add to your content, or even sell them to make money. Now if that isn’t being efficient, I don’t know what is. EyeEm helps you manage your pictures to capture visual inspiration for your content when you're on the go. My secret habit: I like to get unusual shots with my phone, even if it's of a cup of coffee or an empty bench. I keep these pictures for later and it sometimes gives me my most creative ideas. I've activated the automatic Google Drive backup, so every picture I take is saved in MyDrive. Take pictures as your content ideas. It helps you avoid stock photography, gives your content a personal story, and helps you use your spare time to be more productive. 6. Explore  catchy new hooks for your content. Portent's Title Maker  is probably one of my favorite tools for content creation. Basically, enter a keyword and it produces countless options of headlines. You don’t always have to take these headlines and literally use them in your post, you can also use them as a basis for exploring ideas. With 5 minutes, I’ve estimated you can come up with about  250 titles to work with. While the  Title Maker is quick and easy, it's still a robot.  So there are times where the headlines comes out a little like gibberish or not grammatically correct. This is why Portent is an excellent idea finder, and  once you find your idea, you can then use 's  headline analyzer  to check your SEO score and make sure your headlines will get clicks. My secret habit: If I’m having a bad writing day, I like to put the names of famous people as the subject. Some of the results have really brightened up my day and motivated me in the rest of my writing. Start with Justin Bieber. How To Use Your Spare 30 Minutes To Be More Productive OK, so in 30 minutes you might be able to achieve something more meaningful when it comes to actual content writing. The amount of time it takes to watch an episode of How I Met Your Mother is the same amount of time you could use to create new content ideas. Now I am all for sitcom TV and downtime Facebook stalking, but when statistics show that we spend 1.77 hours a day on social media, it's time to make a change. Here are 3 things you could do instead: 1. Refresh those old blog posts with more up to date research. Your readers will appreciate the attention you give to all of your content. 2. Reply to all your blog comments. This is a crucial way of engaging your audience and create discussion around your topics. 3. Add a to your posts. Encouraging sharing is one of the best ways of getting more exposure for your work. 3 ways to improve your #content  instead of binge watching Netflix.Save awesome content to read later when you have spare time. Pocket is my new favorite tool. It  will help you bookmark information you want to read for later. This idea will save you time for when you come to sit down and write. Instead of spending 1–2 hours researching, you will already have a list of great articles to refer to. And the best part about this tool is that it works within other apps you might be using like Flipboard or Twitter. My secret habit: My favorite place to Pocket articles from is Feedly. This way, I can browse multiple articles and bookmark the ones I want to read for later. It's almost a daily habit now, and this way I have a constant stream of articles to read when I have more time. Brainstorm new ideas. bubbl.us is a fantastic brain mapping tool to get your ideas flowing. Start by inputting a core idea and see your idea grow. You can use it either as a desktop version or download the app on your iPhone or Android device. My secret habit: 30 minutes is really quite a long time to brainstorm one topic. I sometimes like to go over two topics,  15 minutes each, leaving more time for writing when I get to the latter topic. Take a break. I know that this one sticks out like a sore thumb, but it’s supposed to! Don’t put so much pressure on yourself to do everything in one day. Having a 30-minute break from your writing is just as important as being productive with the time you have. The more relaxed you are, the more creative you will be, so put your computer/phone/tablet on hibernate and take a walk outside. Really: A study by the Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology found that participants who took 20-minute breaks for progressive relaxation (like meditation) came back to work more productive than when they left. Even better if you are at home:  Have a power nap.  They're proven to improve concentration and performance, which is essential to any writer. How To Use 1 Hour  To  Be More Productive With one hour to spare, you might not feel there is enough time to really sit and get into that blog post you’ve been meaning to write. There are other things you could be doing to get more writing done in this short amount of time: Reinvent your content with LinkedIn Publisher. Most people these days have LinkedIn for connection building reasons, but not every blogger is using it as a tool for content distribution. With one hour, you can repurpose (rewrite) an older blog post and start building a presence on this platform. You will be doubling your writing output without even realizing it. LinkedIn is more effective with articles that offer real solutions for problems or insights that have been backed by research. So try to take the core elements from previously published posts and put a new angle on them. Once you rewrite your post, share it in many different LinkedIn groups for maximum exposure. My secret habit: I like to connect with people who  comment on my posts on LinkedIn. They are often from the same niche that I come from, and I find that this technique has led to valuable leads such as guest posting. Repurpose your content with SlideShare. I love using this tool when I don’t have time to write a full post. 1 hour is enough to get together a good SlideShare. For example, if you wrote a few posts on a specific topic, you can turn them into an informative SlideShare that will attract different readers to your site. Whether it’s to repurpose content or to get some more content out on a different medium, this is a great tool to help you write more in less time. Oh, did I mention it's free? My secret habit: If you've ever  presented anywhere, upload your slides to SlideShare.  With the right tags, you can reach thousands of interested readers which will bring them back to your site. This means you are maximizing your writing through several channels. Learn how to do what you do  even better with Coursera. There are so many online learning courses available, it’s quite amazing. Coursera is one of the best platforms that offers a variety of different lectures. In an hour, you can improve your writing skills, learn how to code your WordPress blog, or even get to grips with your Google Analytics. These courses may not be directly related to writing, though developing these skills will save you time in other aspects of your day that will eventually give you more time for writing. The Extras That Will Save You Time These are tools I recommend if you are looking for that extra something to get you writing more in less time: 1.  E.gg  Timer:  A typical problem  for content writers is actually sitting and writing for a block period of time without doing something else. If you recognize this behavior, start restricting your  time  with E.gg Timer. All you need to do is write how much time you want to focus for, and you will get a notification reminding you it's tea time. Try and stick with it and you will find your workflow increases and improves. 2.  TrenDemon:  I’ve been wanting to use a popup subscriber for a while (sorry, I know we hate to love them) and I found that TrenDemon has great A/B testing methods. They have a free plan for publishers, so I recommend this as a starting point for optimizing your blog subscribing process. By worrying less about picking up subscribers, you will be giving yourself much more time for actual writing. 3.  GetResponse:  If you’re looking for a way to save time for writing, you should stop using that Excel sheet for your subscriber email database. Firstly, it’s not secure, and secondly, it's so time consuming having to send all of the email newsletters yourself. GetResponse is a great option for blogs with more than  1,000 subscribers who want to have easy access to newsletter designs that can be sent automatically. They have a 30-day free trial that is worth checking out, with many cool features like inbox preview that lets you see what your newsletter will look like across different platforms. I hope these tips have helped you get ahead of the time game to help you write more in your busy schedules. My overall general habit is to try and find productive creative outputs in everything that I do. I know it’s not always possible, but this dedication to your writing will become easier over time, and you will find yourself writing more as you get used to this new way of being productive with your time. Just get your free copy of the productivity template to  try out some of these tips the next time you have a few spare minutes.

Why You Shouldnt be Too Nice at Work

Why You Shouldnt be Too Nice at Work It always pays to be a nice person. Almost always. Some people who are genuinely (or un-genuinely) â€Å"too nice† are less likely to be taken seriously, and less likely to stand up for themselves or others- even in cases where such action would be just. Perhaps you’ve also heard the phrase â€Å"nice guys finish last.† While that’s not necessarily true, there are certain situations in which you should curb the niceties and just concentrate on effective communication. Here are a few reason to keep in mind.1. Give, Give, Give, and Never GetIf you consistently give more than you’re asked, and take very little in return, rather than be lauded for your generosity, people will start to get accustomed to this being the pattern. You’ll get none of the thanks and you may even come to resent the imbalance.2. Quid Pro QuoIf you up your niceness level too much, you might find yourself expecting a similar level of niceness out of everyone around you. Whe n this fails to materialize, you might grow a little peeved.3. You’ll Be Like an ATMPeople will start coming to you only when they need something, which can be extremely alienating. You’ll feel like a doormat- like you’ve become a tool to help others succeed, while achieving very little for yourself. You may even attract needy people, like a magnet.4. You’ll Project WeaknessYou might be perceived as weak, particularly if you never say no to anyone. If you’re always doing favors and putting others first, people will not only come to take advantage of you, they will also just assume you have no control over what you will and won’t agree to. They might come to mistrust you for this.5. You Won’t Take Care of YourselfSometimes it’s important to say â€Å"no† to others so you can say â€Å"yes† to yourself. Remember self care? Yeah, that’s not just something you make sure others do to reach their ideal fulfillmen t. No one can make sure you’re taken care of but you. And if you aren’t getting your own needs met, you might become needy in return with your friends or family.6. You’ll Seem InauthenticIf you just automatically are generous and nice and kind, then it might not seem like true generosity, niceness, or kindness. Make sure that when you’re being super nice or going above and beyond that you really mean it. Be friendly when it’s deserved. Pick up slack when it’s equitable to do so, not just an expectation.7. You Won’t ContributeConstructive criticism is extremely important, between  both friends and colleagues. If you’re so nice that you’re reluctant to give anything but praise, then chances are you’re letting people down. Focus more on helping the team succeed, rather than on being well-liked- and too nice to give honest feedback.

The Immaculate Conception with Saints Francis of Assisi and Anthony of Essay

The Immaculate Conception with Saints Francis of Assisi and Anthony of Padua - Essay Example The paper "The Immaculate Conception with Saints Francis of Assisi and Anthony of Padua" seeks to delve into the mastery of this piece, and its excellent execution. Cardinal Girolamo Verospi commissioned the painting by Giovanni Bennedetto Castiglione, â€Å"The Immaculate Conception with saints Francis of Assisi and Anthony Padua†, in 1649, for a new church in Osimo at the Capuchin monastery in Italy. Castiglione hailed from Genoa, and is understood to have studied under Sinibaldo Scorza. He was a passionate student of paintings by Paul Rubens and Anthony van Dyck, whose paintings were readily available in Genoa. Rembrandt also heavily influenced him. Castiglione was one of the earliest masters of monotype, while also being one of the earliest practitioners of Chiaroscuro woodcut art. He became known for combining emotion and high drama in his works with elements of Flemish naturalism and Venetian colorism. His earliest works include Noah’s ark, The Nativity of Christ, which is regarded as his best work, St. James defeats the Moorssfor and Mary Magdalene and Catherine among others. In 1649, he was commissioned to paint The Immaculate Conception with Saint Francis and Anthony of Padua. At this point, Castiglione was at the peak of his powers, having mastered the art of being a draftsman and also pioneering oil sketch development. The essential features of this painting include the Virgin Mary, based on â€Å"The Woman of the Apocalypse† in the book of Revelations. She is depicted standing.

Legal System and Skills Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Legal System and Skills - Essay Example After killing her, James dragged the body wrapped in a counterpane to the stairs and went back to work. Mr. Dutfield later discovered the body, forcing way into the house. On 26 October 1979 the prosecuting counsel at Nottingham Crown Court confirmed based on medical evidence that had been availed that the crown could accept this was manslaughter caused by diminished responsibility. The defence, however, was not willing to accept this plea of guilty to manslaughter. None of the psychiatrist reports that had been obtained from four doctors was presented to the jury2. When this matter was taken to trial, judge Peter Pain directed that the defendant should be accounted fully responsibility of the action for the defence did not seek arguing diminished responsibility. On January 1980 on re-arraignment, he pleaded guilty of manslaughter, but not guilty of murder. This led to the advancement of the plea based on provocation, but it was unacceptable to the crown. The trial thus proceeded with the single issue of provocation where the judge advised the jury to apply the double test. At the time, a recent decision of the House of Lords was Camplin [1978] AC 705 . The judge later directed that standards of self-control expected of a man who is reasonable should be applied3. The appeal was referred by CCRC on the basis that the decision in Morgan Smith had changed the legal position. Psychiatrist evidence that demonstrated the appellant’s ability of behavior control to be impaired was rendered admissible and relevant by this decision. Since that reference by CCRC the decision has supervened in Holley. Before the appeal could be heard, a Privy Council decision in the A-G, Jersey v Holley was announced. Karimi, the appellant, was a great Communist Freedom Fighter in the Kurdistan a movement he had joined in the year 1984. Two years after joining the movement he married his wife, Mehri Rezai, who was in the same movement and two together

Poverty in India Essay Example for Free

Poverty in India Essay Poverty is the deprivation of food, shelter, money and clothing that occurs when people cannot satisfy their basic needs. Poverty can be understood simply as a lack of money, or more broadly in terms of barriers to everyday life. It refers to a situation where a person is unable meet the basic necessities of life. Absolute poverty or destitution refers to the state of severe deprivation of basic human needs, which commonly includes food, water, sanitation, clothing, shelter, health care, education and information. The amount of income a person or family needs to purchase an absolute amount of the basic necessities of life. These basic necessities are identified in terms of calories of food, BTUs of energy, square feet of living space, etc. The problem with the absolute poverty level is that there really are no absolutes when in comes to consuming goods. Relative poverty views poverty as socially defined and dependent on social context, hence relative poverty is a measure of income inequality. Usually, relative poverty is measured as the percentage of population with income less than some fixed proportion of median income. There are several other different income inequality metrics, for example the Gini coefficient or the Theil Index. Relative poverty measures are used as official poverty rates in several developed countries. As such these poverty statistics measure inequality rather than material deprivation or hardship. The measurements are usually based on a persons yearly income and frequently take no account of total wealth. Definitions United Nations: Fundamentally, poverty is a denial of choices and opportunities, a violation of human dignity. It means lack of basic capacity to participate effectively in society. It means not having enough to food and clothing a family, not having a school or clinic to go to, not having the land on which to grow one’s food or a job to earn one’s living, not having access to credit. It means insecurity, powerlessness and exclusion of individuals, households and communities. It means susceptibility to violence, and it often implies living in marginal or fragile environments, without access to clean water or sanitation. World Bank: Poverty is pronounced deprivation in well-being, and comprises many dimensions. It includes low incomes and the inability to acquire the basic goods and services necessary for survival with dignity. Poverty also encompasses low  levels of health and education, poor access to clean water and sanitation, inadequate physical security, lack of voice, and insufficient capacity and opportunity to better one’s life. Copenhagen Declaration: Absolute poverty is a condition characterized by severe deprivation of basic human needs, including food, safe drinking water, sanitation facilities, health, shelter, education and information. It depends not only on income but also on access to social services. The term absolute poverty is sometimes synonymously referred to as extreme poverty. World Health Organisation: Poverty is associated with the undermining of a range of key human attributes, including health. The poor are exposed to greater personal and environmental health risks, are less well nourished, have less information and are less able to access health care; they thus have a higher risk of illness and disability. Conversely, illness can reduce household savings, lower learning ability, reduce productivity, and lead to a diminished quality of life, thereby perpetuating or even increasing poverty. Poverty line is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a given country. In practice, like the definition of poverty, the official or common understanding of the poverty line is significantly higher in developed countries than in developing countries. The common international poverty line has in the past been roughly $1 a day. In 2008, the World Bank came out with a revised figure of $1.25 at 2005 purchasing-power parity (PPP). Determining the poverty line is usually done by finding the total cost of all the essential resources that an average human adult consumes in one year. Individual factors are often used to account for various circumstances, such as whether one is a parent, elderly, a child, married, etc. The poverty threshold may be adjusted annually. Below Poverty Line is an economic benchmark and poverty threshold used by the government of India to indicate economic disadvantage and to identify individuals and households in need of government assistance and aid. It is determined using various parameters which vary from state to state and within states. The present criteria are based on a survey conducted in 2002. Going into a survey due for a decade, Indias central government is undecided on criteria to identify families below poverty line. Poverty in India The problem of poverty and unemployment is considered as the biggest  challenge to development planning in India. High poverty levels are synonymous with poor quality of life, deprivation, malnutrition, illiteracy and low human resource development. The slogan of poverty eradication has been adopted by all political parties in one form or another and there is a national agreement for the goal of poverty alleviation. The national consensus on poverty alleviation provided the necessary condition for launching various schemes and programmes aimed at achieving this objective. But the persistence of poverty during all these years suggests that the national consensus on objectives did not and could not provide sufficient conditions for poverty alleviation. The starting point for estimating the number of households below the poverty line is a nutritional requirement per person per day at some base point. There is a debate on the minimum calorie requirement, and whether it should be the same for all parts of the country. Most acceptable figures are 2,400 calories per person per day in rural areas, and 2,200 calories per person per day in urban areas. The next step is to translate the nutrient requirement into monetary terms. The expenditure level of households which are able to spend the requisite amount to obtain the desired calories serves as the cut-off point, or the poverty line. To adjust the poverty line over a period of time, price variations have to be considered and an appropriate price deflator has to be selected. The problem arises in deciding upon such a deflator. Thus, the following elements mainly affect the magnitude of the poverty ratio: (i) the nutrition norm (translated into monetary terms); (ii) price deflator used to update the poverty line; and (iii) pro rata adjustment in the number of households in different expenditure classes to determine the number of households below and above the poverty line. Different assumptions and methods are used for these three purposes, which accounts for the different estimates provided by scholars. The Planning Commission has been estimating the incidence of poverty at the national and state level using the methodology contained in the report of the Expert Group on Estimation of Proportion and Number of Poor (Lakdawala Committee) and applying it to consumption expenditure data from the large sample surveys on consumer expenditure conducted by the NSSO (National Sample Survey Organisation) at an interval of approximately five years. Estimates of Poverty (Per cent) Year All India Rural Urban All India Poverty Ratio Rural Poverty Ratio Urban Poverty Ratio Number (per cent) Number (per cent) Number (per cent) (Million) (Million) (Million) 1973-74 321 54.9 261 56.4 60 49.0 1977-78 329 51.3 264 53.1 65 45.2 1983 323 44.5 252 45.7 71 40.8 1987-88 307 38.9 232 39.1 75 38.2 1993-94 320 36.0 244 37.3 76 32.4 1999-2000 260 26.1 193 27.1 67 23.6 2004-05 239 21.8 170 21.8 68 21.7 Problems caused due to poverty Human poverty measures suggest even worse outcomes than for income poverty in India. India has never been a good performer in human development terms, despite the much better indicators in some states, particularly Kerala. Overall, both health and education indicators have lagged well below those in other countries at similar levels of development and with similar per capita income. But food poverty has been of particular concern. Recent studies have shown alarming levels of hunger, especially in certain states of India. Studies by IFPRI and ISHI quoted in Banerjee (2008) suggest that most states in India rank somewhere among the poor Sub-Saharan countries:  Punjab, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Assam have a „serious‟ level of hunger; Madhya Pradesh fares worst in the „extremely alarming‟ cohort of hunger. All the other states record an „alarming‟ level of hunger, which is also the general ranking for the whole country. More appallingly, the situation appears to have worsened in the recent period of rapid economic growth. National Sample Surveys shows declining per capita calorie consumption, not only among the entire population, but also among the bottom quartiles, for which consumption was already very inadequate by international standards. Other indicators of both nutrition and health are also extreme. The latest National Family Health Survey for 2005–06 shows that the proportion of underweight children below the age of five years was 45.6 per cent in rural India and 32.7 per cent in urban India, indicating hardly any change from the previous survey undertaken eight years previously. More than one-third of the rural population was also underweight. Anaemia often a good indicator of nutritional deprivation was also widespread: 79.2 per cent of children aged 12–23 months and 56.2 per cent of ever-married women between 15 and 59 years were found to be anaemic. Conclusion Poverty Alleviation Programmes The poverty alleviation programme have been broadly classified into self-employment programmes, wage employment programmes, food safety programme and social security programmes. The focus is on the central government schemes only. It is not possible to map the special programmes of all the states. It must be noted here that some of the progressive states have added additional components or given further subsidy to enhance the benefits of the central schemes. For example, in the highly subsidized public distribution system of Andhra Pradesh, the BPL card holders were provided rice at Rs. 2 per kg. Self-employment programmes: This programme was started in 1970s in rural areas of the country in the name of Integrated Rural Development Programme (IRDP) to increase the source of income of small farmers and landless labourers. The beneficiaries were given subsidized credit, training, and infrastructure, so that they could find new sources of  earning. In this scheme, agricultural labourers and small farmers received new skills to involve in vocations other than cultivating land. They included fishery, animal husbandry, and forestry. In the 1980s, this scheme was extended to schedule castes and tribes, women and rural artisans. Wage employment programmes: The main purpose of the wage employment programmes is to provide a livelihood during the lean agricultural season as well as during drought and floods. Under these programmes, villagers worked to improve the village infrastructure such as deepening the village ponds, constructing village schools and improving the rural roads. Thus the programmes not only provided employment to the villagers but also improved village infrastructure and created village public assets. A positive fall out of this programme is that it created higher demand for village labour, thereby pushing up the wage of the labourer in the villages. Food security programmes: Meeting the very basic need of access to food is a major challenge to the government in the post-economic reform era. Those who are below poverty line are faced with the problem of meeting this very basic need. Starvation and hunger have been reported in different parts of the country, even in economically advanced states like Maharashtra. There is malnutrition in all age groups, especially among children. Problem of low birth weight due to under nutrition of mother during pregnancy and underweight of children are rampant in the country. The purchasing power of certain section of the society is so low that they cannot access food at the market price. They need the safety net of food subsidy. In this context, public distribution system or PDS assumes importance. Social security programmes: Social security programmes are meant for those who are at the bottom of the BPL facing destitution and desertion. The central government has launched the National Social Assistance Programme or NSAP in August 1995. Under NSAP, there are three schemes. The first one is the National Old Age Pension Scheme or NOAPS. A pension amount of Rs. 75 per month is given to those who are above the age of 65 years and are destitute without any regular source of income or support from any family members or relatives. Though it is a very useful scheme for the elderly destitute, the coverage of the programme was not satisfactory. In the year 1999-2000, 8.71 million eligible elderly were identified, but the scheme could reach out to only 5 million beneficiaries. It was found that the benefits really reached the  poor and the leakage rate was found to be low.

A Character Analysis of Sir Lancelot Essay -- Sir Lancelot Essays

A Character Analysis of Sir Lancelot  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚   Sir Lancelot, from the stories of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, has become by far the most popular and well-remembered knight. Through Malory's rendition of traditional materials, we have inherited a character that has become the image of the quintessential knight. How is it that "the outsider, the foreigner, the 'upstart' who wins Arthur's heart and Guinevere's body and soul" (Walters xiv) has taken the place that, prior to Malory, was reserved for Sir Gawain? Malory has made this character larger than life. Of the grandeur of Lancelot, Derek Brewer says, "In the portrayal of Lancelot we generally recognize a vein of extravagance. He is the most obsessive of lovers, as he is the most beloved of ladies, and the greatest of fighters" (8). To achieve this feat, Malory has molded Lancelot to fit the idea of the perfect knight and the perfect lover. The perfect knight is defined by the Chivalric Code set out in Le Morte D'Arthur as "only to fight in just causes, at all times to be merciful, and at all times to put the service of ladies foremost" (Malory 69). In this code, Lancelot is to be found exemplary. To prove himself worthy as a knight of the Round Table, Lancelot must embark on a quest, and it is while on this quest that "A seemingly never-ending series of victories wins him the title of 'the best knight in the world' dedicated to defending the rights of the weak and the oppressed" (Walters xxi). The perfect lover is a bit easier for the modern reader to understand, as it is much the same as today. To prove himself the perfect lover, Lancelot defends the honor of his Lady above all, denies himself the pleasure of all other ladies, and accepts whatever might... ... of all Christian knights: none could match you! You were the most formidable in battle and the most courteous in manners; in the company of warriors the most courageous, and in the company of ladies the gentlest of men, and in a righteous cause implacable. And of great lovers surely you were the truest. So it is you shall be remembered" (Malory 507). Works Cited App, August J..   Lancelot in English Literature, His Role and Character.   New York:   Haskell House,   1965 Brewer, Derek.   The Presentation of the Character of Lancelot.   Lancelot and Guinevere, A Casebook.   Ed. Lori J. Walters.   New York:   Garland,   1996.   3-27 Malory, Thomas.   Le Morte D'Arthur.   Trans. Keith Malory.   New York:   Mentor,   1962 Walters, Lori J..   Introduction.   Lancelot and Guinevere, A Casebook.   Ed. Lori J. Walters.   New York:   Garland,   1996.   xiii-lxxx          A Character Analysis of Sir Lancelot Essay -- Sir Lancelot Essays A Character Analysis of Sir Lancelot  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚   Sir Lancelot, from the stories of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, has become by far the most popular and well-remembered knight. Through Malory's rendition of traditional materials, we have inherited a character that has become the image of the quintessential knight. How is it that "the outsider, the foreigner, the 'upstart' who wins Arthur's heart and Guinevere's body and soul" (Walters xiv) has taken the place that, prior to Malory, was reserved for Sir Gawain? Malory has made this character larger than life. Of the grandeur of Lancelot, Derek Brewer says, "In the portrayal of Lancelot we generally recognize a vein of extravagance. He is the most obsessive of lovers, as he is the most beloved of ladies, and the greatest of fighters" (8). To achieve this feat, Malory has molded Lancelot to fit the idea of the perfect knight and the perfect lover. The perfect knight is defined by the Chivalric Code set out in Le Morte D'Arthur as "only to fight in just causes, at all times to be merciful, and at all times to put the service of ladies foremost" (Malory 69). In this code, Lancelot is to be found exemplary. To prove himself worthy as a knight of the Round Table, Lancelot must embark on a quest, and it is while on this quest that "A seemingly never-ending series of victories wins him the title of 'the best knight in the world' dedicated to defending the rights of the weak and the oppressed" (Walters xxi). The perfect lover is a bit easier for the modern reader to understand, as it is much the same as today. To prove himself the perfect lover, Lancelot defends the honor of his Lady above all, denies himself the pleasure of all other ladies, and accepts whatever might... ... of all Christian knights: none could match you! You were the most formidable in battle and the most courteous in manners; in the company of warriors the most courageous, and in the company of ladies the gentlest of men, and in a righteous cause implacable. And of great lovers surely you were the truest. So it is you shall be remembered" (Malory 507). Works Cited App, August J..   Lancelot in English Literature, His Role and Character.   New York:   Haskell House,   1965 Brewer, Derek.   The Presentation of the Character of Lancelot.   Lancelot and Guinevere, A Casebook.   Ed. Lori J. Walters.   New York:   Garland,   1996.   3-27 Malory, Thomas.   Le Morte D'Arthur.   Trans. Keith Malory.   New York:   Mentor,   1962 Walters, Lori J..   Introduction.   Lancelot and Guinevere, A Casebook.   Ed. Lori J. Walters.   New York:   Garland,   1996.   xiii-lxxx         

The Ethics of Belief

Argumentative Essay on â€Å"The Ethics of Belief† PHIL 2641 Online – Section 001 February 13, 2008 William K. Clifford sets out to show in â€Å"The Ethics of Belief† that â€Å"it is wrong always, everywhere, and for anyone, to believe anything upon insufficient evidence†¦Ã¢â‚¬  In this paper, I will show that his argument lacks key definitions needed in order to found his inference upon and that it begs the question as to what qualifies as â€Å"insufficient† evidence. Furthermore, I will show that the primary issue is not the belief but the results of the belief that is important and that all judgment and interpretation should be based upon said results. Clifford introduces his argument by using the example of a shipbuilder who allows his ship to be used on a transoceanic voyage despite its age and the supposed need for repair. The vessel sinks and Clifford asserts that the ship owner is guilty of the death of the passengers because his belief in the ship’s seaworthiness was unsupported and ill-founded. However, there are several problems with his conclusion. First, Clifford ignores the ship owner’s reliance on the vessel’s past sailing history as being sufficient evidence as to its stable condition. The fact that the vessel had made many a voyage without incident can be viewed as sufficient proof of its ability to set sail safely. This begs the question, â€Å"How can one determine what constitutes sufficient evidence? † The ship owner by relying on the history of the ship alone could have met his obligation. A second problem with Clifford’s argument is that he likely oversimplified the cause of the ship’s sinking. Perhaps the ship sank because there was a collision with another ship. Perhaps it sank because it struck an iceberg in the water. It may have sunk because of human error. In all of these scenarios no amount of fortification of the ship’s structure would have Argumentative Essay on â€Å"The Ethics of Belief† Page 2 of 3 prevented the demise of the voyage. Any one or combination of these causes could have been responsible for the ship’s fate, yet the ship’s age and need for repair is identified as the sole cause of the ship’s sinkage. Finally, Clifford fails to address the source of the ship owner’s doubt and therefore leaves a multitude of unanswered questions. If the question of right or wrong has to do with the origin of belief and whether or not one has the right to believe in the first place, then would the ship owner have been culpable had the doubts about the ship’s condition not been introduced? Is a person required to investigate EVERY doubt or question that is raised by another, which directly or indirectly impacts their belief? What if the source of doubt is unreliable? Without properly addressing these questions it is difficult to determine what the ship owner’s (or anyone else’s) responsibility was in the first place. This, I assert, is the fundamental problem with Clifford’s argument. To implicitly assume that one is guilty for simply believing without â€Å"sufficient† evidence can not be easily determined because the standards and thus the determination for â€Å"right† and â€Å"wrong† are too vague. The solution follows immediately. Since a person can have a different belief at any given point in time and there is no metric by which to determine the sufficiency of evidence upon which they are based, it is not the belief that is to be judged, but rather the action and the positive or negative impact upon society that results from it. Clifford’s primary concern was how beliefs impact humanity, and the impact can only be determined by assessing actions, not beliefs. Argumentative Essay on â€Å"The Ethics of Belief† Page 3 of 3 We can now see that Clifford’s uncogent argument is the result of a lack of clarity as to how one could determine whether or not given evidence was sufficient and the vagueness surrounding the definitions of â€Å"right† and â€Å"wrong†. In its amended form, however, the argument is valid and can serve as a useful tool to determine and measure the overall impact beliefs have on society. My central argument is an inductive argument. Here are the premises and the conclusion: Premise 1: Premise 2: Conclusion: There are no clear metrics to measure the sufficiency of evidence from which a person’s beliefs are derived. Actions and their impacts on society are definite and measurable. Therefore, people should probably be judged based upon their actions and not their beliefs. My argument is cogent because my premises are true and it is improbable that my conclusion is false. Furthermore, no evidence which would have rendered a different conclusion has been ignored.

Bankruptcy Court in Richmond

In the Eastern Edition of Wall Street Journal, an article was published on April 14, 2009 with reports that Circuit City sought the permission of U. S. Bankruptcy Court in Richmond, Virginia to sell the â€Å"Circuit City† and â€Å"The City† brand names and related Web sites, phone numbers, and trademarks to Systemax Inc. , the same company who bought the CompUSA brand name in 2008. This kind of scenario in the business world is an example of acquisition.As defined by the Dictionary of Finance and Investment Terms, the term â€Å"acquisition† refers to a process where: â€Å"†¦one company taking over controlling interest in another company. Investors are always looking out for companies that are likely to be acquired, because those who want to acquire such companies are often willing to pay more than the market price for the shares they need to complete the acquisition† (2006). In this project, the acquiring company is Systemax Inc while the target c ompany for acquisition is the Circuit City. Systemax Inc.(NYSE: SYX) is a Fortune 1000 company and leading retailer of brand name like TigerDirect, CompUSA, MISCO and Global Industrial Equipment, and of private label products including personal computers, notebook computers, consumer electronics, computer-related accessories, technology supplies and industrial products. Systemax sells these products through Integrated Marketing mix such as: branded e-commerce websites, direct mail catalogs, relationship marketers and retail stores. The company also manufactures and sells personal computers under the Systemax logo and computer components under the Ultra Products brand.The company reach extends to a wide range of customers from individual consumers, to small-to-medium sized businesses, to major corporations, to government organizations and to the educational market. On the other hand, Circuit City Stores, Inc. (Pink Sheets: CCTYQ) used to be the second largest U. S. electronics retail er, after Best Buy in brand-name consumer electronics, personal computers, entertainment software, and large appliances. At the time of liquidation, there were 567 Circuit City Superstores nationwide with store size ranging from 15,000 to 45,000 square feet (1400 to 4000 m?), when the company announced total liquidation. When the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in November 2008, an additional 155 stores were closed with the intent of continuing business operations. However, as a consequence of global economic recession during the late 2000s, the lack of consumer spending and overall economic downturn resulted to the demise of the company. When the company shut operation, a small staff remains active at corporate headquarters to complete the company's business such as the termination of its many leases, and the sale of its company-owned real estate and Canadian subsidiary.From the acquisition and take over that happened between Systemax Inc. and Circuit City, we can now see h ow the managers of these two companies strategically implemented their business plans and goals. As for the Systemax Inc, the bankruptcy of Circuit City is a blessing not only because a giant competitor has closed operations, it can now enjoy the existing infrastructures and other stakeholders of the said company. With 14 million dollars cash plus a share of future revenue generated from those assets over a 30-month period, the managers of Circuit City can now address its internal concerns with the employees and customers.The employees can now receive separation payments as deemed by the Labor laws and the customers can now ask for refunds for the defective products sold at Circuit City. References ACQUISITION. (2006). In Dictionary of Finance and Investment Terms. Hauppauge, NY: Barron's Educational Series. Retrieved May 18, 2009, from http://www. credoreference. com. ezproxy. stedwards. edu:5000/entry/barronsfin/acquisition Morath, E. (2009, April 14). Circuit city aims to sell br and name to systemax. Wall Street Journal (Eastern Edition), p. B. 6. Retrieved May 18, 2009, from Wall Street Journal database. (Document ID: 1678320131).

A Main Contributing Factor to Limits on Colonial Unity

Wealth: A Main Contributing Factor to Limits on Colonial Unity Colonial America was a veritable melting pot of individuals of all nations fused into a new race of men whose labors and posterity would shape the future. Legends about America painted the picture of a land unsoiled and pure, an asylum, and a venture at a new beginning for all who desired it. But those who fled from their home countries were met with a more realistic landscape, and were unprepared for the bleak ruggedness of unexplored territories. Soon colonies formed on rocky foundations and prospered into stable communities. Nevertheless, the metamorphosis from a group of colonies to an independent country was not an easy one. Before the thirteen colonies could merge, forming the United States, they experienced hardships and barriers to forming a cohesive union. The distribution of wealth within the colonies, competition for money and differences in assets between the colonies, and failed attempts at unification were all limiting factors of colonial convergence. It seems quite clear that class lines hardened throughout the colonial period. The distinction between rich and poor became sharper. A study of colonial New England showed that the poor numbers continuously rose, and the wandering poor were an inevitable fact of life in the mid-1700s (Zinn 50). In this lopsided concentration of wealth, the rich were high and eminent in power and dignity. They imitated the upper class of England in their mansions, horse-drawn sedans, magnificent portraits, periwigs and rich food (Zinn 36). In 1678 a petition from Deerfield Massachusetts to the Massachusetts General Court proudly illuminated the way the upper class dominated society. You may be pleased to know that the very principle and the best of the land; the best for the soile; the best for situation; as laying in yer center and middle of the town; and as to quantity, near half belongs u...

The 15 Worst Mistakes You Can Make in Your 20s

The 15 Worst Mistakes You Can Make in Your 20s Your 20s are a strange time in your life. It’s a period of transition, adjustment, discovery and lots of cat videos. You might be wrapping up your degree, searching for an entry level job or working your way towards becoming a professional napper. Whatever the case may be, we all know how crucial our 20s can be in terms of developing our foothold in this world. That being said, here are the 15 WORST mistakes you can make in your 20s. You’ll be happy to know, watching funny cat videos is not one of them.  Source [businesinsider]

Study case (Information Resources Management) Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

(Information Resources Management) - Case Study Example If we talk about the governance in any particular ministry or department then there is a need of achieving the efficiency in the processes. This efficiency can be achieved by implementing different technological tools and EA is at the top of list of those technological tools. If the Government or the CIO wants to make investment to increase the efficiency of the ministries then a better option is to develop the tradition of implementing the EA processes in them so that the investments can be fully utilized to achieve the greatest value. The suggestion of investing in the implementation of the technological tools and tactics is really a valuable option for the businesses. While implementing EA process within the departments, there is a need to develop an integral process of governance, therefore EA can be effective at its maximum (Grembergen 1). Architecture governance is really needed because it helps to manage and control all the processes and the activities throughout the enterprise. Many of the researchers define different aspects of the process of governance; if the enterprise fully implements all of these governance processes then it will be more effective and efficient from investment point of view. This may include corporate governance (which refers towards the streamline processes at the entire corporate level), technology governance (the advancement in the technological tools but according to proper resourcing) , IT governance (proper use of different software tools and databases )and architecture governance (whole ER processes). If all these governance processes are fully implemented in the EA system then it will be beneficial to get the m aximum of the efficiency of the EA system. The implementation of the EA processes can achieve the maximum of its efficiency in the capital planning process of the Government. The reason is