Risk and its Importance Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Risk and its Importance - Coursework Example Essentially a company is indulging into risk management if it is actively analyzing and attempting to quantify the possible losses in a business decision or an investment and then is taking appropriate action to mitigate the possibility of those losses occurring. It is fairly important to manage risk in an investment appraisal process as it helps the organization in protecting itself from all kinds of risks; it helps the organization’s customers from large non-market related losses such as a firm failure or fraud. A strong risk management process does not only help the organization, but it also provides security to the overall industry. Importance of risk management can also be gauged by some recent crisis that has happened due to loopholes present in risk management strategies of a few companies. The financial meltdown of 2008 is a key example. b) Measuring risk and incorporating risk in an investment opportunity Risk management is now an essential part in all the businesses as more and more businessmen are facing the repercussions of a poorly managed business decision in terms of risk. With the financial crisis slowly recovering, it is harder for people to now ignore the importance of risk. Predominantly, risk is considered to be a negative term. It is the probability of a result deviating from its forecast, usually towards the negative side. Therefore, it is predominantly considered negative. However, in investment and financial terms, risk is always associated with return. The more risk a person or an entity is willing to take, the more the return is expected. Understanding risk today is perhaps one of the most important things in financial education and financial market. Its importance cannot be stressed more. A deviation from expected outcome can both be negative as well as positive. Therefore, the idea of ‘no pain, no gain’ works in harmony with this situation. If one is willing to undertake a certain amount of losses to ensure that t hey are the winner in the end in terms of returns, they are effectively managing their risk. Measuring risk in absolute terms is done through standard deviation. It is the basic tool for understanding the deviation of an outcome from a central tendency. A lot of other techniques are used; tools are incorporated in order to measure risk of an investment opportunity. There are a number of models through which firms decide upon the nature of risk that an investment opportunity might have. VaR is another tool; value at risk defines how bad things can go and its probability giving a certain level of confidence for a given amount of time. This helps to identify the potential losses that an investing entity might have if they take a certain decision, taking time and confidence of calculations into account. Incorporating risk in an investment opportunity is through taking into account the impact of risk on the outcome of the investment. Critical questions should be answered as the start of the investment appraisal such as the time, the expected return on investment or if the money invested could be used better in another investment opportunity. Beta is another measure through which risk associated with two different investment opportunities is measured. It is specific for a specific kind of project (Jackson, 2008).

Something good Essay Example for Free

Something good Essay As I venture into my work, I always presume that something good will happen. I always believe that taking risks will definitely bring me something positive, although difficulties arise at times. In the world of reality, there will always be hindrances that will come my way which may lead me to feel hopeless, useless, worthless. But that should not stop me from believing in my dreams and just give up everything because being a coward will not help me in improving my skills. To gain excellence in my career, I should take into consideration different things that will help me improve my ability as a leader. And that means I should not only take care of the clients I want to handle, but I also have to deal with the clients whom I think I cant even handle. By this, I will be trained by the challenging customers I deal with and will certainly this will be a reason for my maturity as an individual, particularly as a leader. Consequently, my attitude towards my work is a major aspect of my individuality as a leader. â€Å"No one should ask you what you bring to your position. Your work and actions should make this absolutely clear to all those around you. Demonstrate your skills in your conversations, in your work and in your attitude. Communicate your professional goals when appropriate and work all the time you work. Be your own boss. As you take the helm of your career and steer it toward your future, you must realize that no matter what the hierarchical structure is in your profession, you are your own boss, (Kanjungu, 2006) . † I have observed that people develop their leadership skills by taking into the unknown. Taking out of their comfort zones was their main component to be able to enhance their competence particularly when it comes about leadership. It was evident that trying something new, and not sticking to what you always know will lead you to be a better individual that may help you lead other people in the right track. Motivation is one of the key points why people are improving in their skills. Apparently, they become more comfortable in what they do when they have a high motivation that leads them in doing the things they are assigned to do. The strong will to work for their family and other loved ones is the best driving force I have observed they are taking into consideration, and it clearly alleviate the insecurities they have. In improving their focus in their customer, I noticed that they are more tolerant to the people they are dealing with. Being tolerant is considering not only the positive sides of the customer, but the negative sides of them as well. They always make sure to deal properly to the customer and stay their focus on them so as not to divert the customers attention. In improving the customer-focus, one must regard that the customer should always be the one who will be obeyed, and not the other way around. Being approachable is also one factor in catching the interest of a certain customer because they will feel that they are very welcome and well entertained. Personally, I can attest that the things I have observed are quite helpful in developing ones leadership skill and in improving the focus to the customer as well. I myself experienced dealing with people who are inconsiderate, yet managed to make it to the end of the journey. As I asses things, I can say that in developing my leadership skills I have to bear in mind important factors to make it through the day. Being responsible in everything I do is a major factor that I should always keep in mind. Responsibility takes a major part in living a life of being a leader because many followers are watching your every step and one wrong move may mean a downfall for you. So, to be able to survive the journey of life, being accountable for whatever you do is really a must. It is a fact that no one is responsible for whatever you do, but yourself. â€Å"No one can control the events or the people surrounding them. The only thing we can control is ourselves. To succeed in todays workforce or in any professional endeavors, your value must be readily recognizable and memorable, (Kanjungu, 2006) . † Its true that it is necessary to act out what you have learned in the past experiences or lessons is life you acquired. For me, I will use the things I learned by sharing it to other people and teaching them every details of the values I gained. Learning without sharing is such a stingy deed and absolutely not a good idea to be ungenerous to the people around you. In every learning experience, I always want to use those things by imparting the essential things which the experience brought me. Works Cited: Kanjungu, Nuwagaba. â€Å"http://www. monitor. co. ug. † Monitor Online Jobs. 6 Dec. 2006 http://www. monitor. co. ug/job/news. php? news_id=3auth_sess=61d799506760b1633a9d70dbff330f20ref=748962c846b2603077010c84a.

Effect of Print Media on Society and Social Change

Effect of Print Media on Society and Social Change How Far and in What Ways is it Reasonable to See the Development of Print as a Motor of Revolutionary Social Change? Abstract Print and the ways of presenting the written word have had a long history in which the ideas that were possible to be communicated through these written words profoundly influenced human history. The first movable type of print consisting of baked clay was developed in China in AD 1050. This was followed by the wooden movable type of print that was also invented in China in AD 1300. However, it was the invention of Gutenberg which brought together a number of technologies to bring about the first printing press which had a capability for conveniently and inexpensively bringing print to the masses. The Mid – 15th Century invention has since then assisted in bringing about profound and revolutionary changes in human societies and culture around the world. The development of print, which was by itself a revolution, made it possible for knowledge and ideas which had previously been the preserve of the privileged nobility to be brought to the masses. The media was born as a result of the invention of the print and this media not only brings culture and information into the private domain of individuals, but also sets societal standards, trends and a whole way of life through print advertising. Print made it possible for ideas to be discussed and a societal consensus to evolve as a result of these ideas being able to be communicated cheaply and effectively. Political revolutions, the evolution of science and technology, culture, religion and the interactions of humanity have all been profoundly influenced by print, which is still evolving from its earlier beginnings and has the capacity for inducing profound as well as revolutionary social change. This brief essay takes a look at how print can act as an agent for bringing about social change and also just how far print can go towards influencing such a change.   Contents (Jump to) Introduction The Capacity of the Print to Influence Revolutionary Social Change in the Future Conclusion Bibliography / References Introduction Ever since the Mid-15th Century when Gutenberg had discovered the idea of the first movable type printing press, the print media has profoundly shaped the world in which we live. Printing brought together the technologies of paper, oil based ink and the engraved lettering to quickly as well as cheaply make many copies of the content which was required to be printed. Although the written word had been discovered much earlier then the time of Gutenberg’s invention, its power and value had been limited because of the difficulties associated with its quick and inexpensive reproduction. Written manuscripts containing ideas, human knowledge and information had been very expensive and cumbersome to reproduce, limiting their access to the privileged and the noble classes with mostly oral traditions of communications being relied on. As a result of inventions such as the movable type and later the electronics communications technologies, humanity now lives in the information age when ideas abound and are communicated to millions instantly. The advent of electronics communications technologies has invariably propelled the print into a new light, making it easier to store, process and exchange information. Obviously, such capabilities expanded the breadth as well as the depth of thinking of an average individual and thus transformed the society in which they lived. Because the technologies associated with printing are constantly evolving, therefore, it is very likely that the evolution of these technologies will continue to have a revolutionary impact on the society at large. The invention of printing by itself was revolutionary and since its inception, the technology has continued to shape the world and humanity (Jones, 2000, Chapters 1 – 6), (White, 1979, Chapters 1 – 5) and (The University of Vermont, 2005, Complete). Literature related to history has indicated that printing profoundly influenced change in the Europe during the Middle Ages, assisting in bringing about the Reformation, Renaissance and the Scientific or Technological Revolutions. The Protestant Revolution and humanity’s change in the concept of the earth – centred to the sun – centred universe were also influenced by the print making it possible for the ideas to propagate. Print made it possible for the many millions to examine ideas, debate their usefulness and present their own views, resulting in a consensus being developed much more rapidly then would have been otherwise possible. A greater level of homogeneity was brought about then would have been otherwise possible. The print is something which could be understood and interpreted by humanity and its processing, reproduction, transmission or storage only assisted in making it more appealing or conveniently presentable to the mass audience. It is the conven ient and ready availability of sound ideas in print with a capacity for appealing to the mass logic which has the capacity for bringing about radical social change, if the ideas that are being presented in print are logically sound and appealing to the mass audience. It was the availability of information, ideas and the desire of the masses to be informed of these, along with their desire to have access to knowledge that was the birth of democracy. No longer was knowledge and wisdom in the sole custody of the privileged few and it was the collective will of all who could access as well as understand the print which determined the future of societies, cultures and nations. Nearly all political revolutions in the world after the Middle Age in Europe were made possible because there was the support of the masses which was pitted behind such changes and such support was only made possible because it was convenient to communicate through the print. Oral traditions had required a vastly s uperior effort and because of a limited capability for the oral message to be communicated to a large audience, societal decisions were made by a few. Even established religion benefited enormously from the capabilities of the print. Although the wine or olive oil screw type press had been in use in Europe much earlier then the invention of Gutenberg and block – print technology had been known of since the time of Marco Polo’s return to Europe from his travels to China at the end of the 13th century along with mass paper making techniques which produced paper that was considered to be too flimsy for use in books, it was Gutenberg’s invention that brought together many technologies to make print seriously feasible, opening up the way for a capacity to influence social change like it had never been possible before. The private experience that was made possible as a result of the print invariable led to the public expression of an individual’s personality, c haracter and beliefs which had been shaped by their private experiences (Eisenstein, 1979, Parts 1 and 2), (Eisenstein, 1993, Chapters 1 – 5) and (Briggs, 2001, Chapters 1 – 5). It was the development of the print which gave birth to the media which used print to bring culture and information into private spaces of individuals. In addition to bringing culture and information into the private spaces, the media also shaped society by presenting advertisements which prompted individuals to purchase, prefer a way of living, develop societal standards and highlight issues as well as setting trends. Having advertisements presented in print led to more print as more newspapers, magazines and journals were sold and print itself blended into the fabric of the society, transforming culture, thinking, values and expectations for the future. This domino effect also provided a vocation for many who are associated with the print industry and a new set of professions was introduced. It was print that assisted in the evolution of technology in general and the design of the new electronic communications media which is in the process of further changing societies (Dewar, 2000 , Complete), (Eisenstein, 1979, Parts 1 and 2) and (Eco, 1995, Pp 71 – 74). The history of the print had to be discussed in order to be able to make some sort of predictions about the future. The potential for bringing about revolutionary social changes in the future is still very much a possibility and it is worth investigating how print can influence and bring about social change. Technology and lifestyles are constantly changing and the way in which print technology influenced society is also evolving. Without the development of the print, humanity will be living in an oral society with its enforced illiteracy of the masses and the manipulation of the oral tradition or knowledge to suit the purposes of individuals or the state, as was the case in China prior to the development of the print. In such a society, the creation as well as the possession of knowledge is only restricted to the few creators of knowledge and there is a capacity for the masses to be fed what versions of oral truths that suited the political powers of the day. Development of exact sc iences, technology, logic and reason was, therefore, very much hindered in the oral society which emphasised more on rote memorising rather then an understanding of its knowledge (Dewar, 2000, Complete), (Eisenstein, 1979, Parts 1 and 2) and (Eco, 1995, Pp 71 – 74). In this brief essay, an attempt has been made to take a look at the development of print and its potential for as well as the manner of bringing about revolutionary social change in societies. The Capacity of the Print to Influence Revolutionary Social Change in the Future It is necessary to understand the historical influences of the print in bringing about revolutionary social change so that the future implications for social change can be considered. The history which has been discussed in the introduction to this essay was presented with this concept in mind. The modern educational systems around the world, the production of books, the growth of the literati culture and the popular culture are all made possible because printing and the economic reproduction of the written word is possible. Books on a subject have to accumulate in order to make a difference and these books must be logically correct and present the truth in order to be of lasting value. The ideas that are presented in print are still subject to criticism, debate, investigation and understanding prior to acceptance. Advances in technologies which continue to make the production of print easier, faster and more economical also attempt to present the print in more innovative ways. These technologies also free up humans to try and produce better quality of print and to try to understand the message instead of devoting more time to the production of the message. In developed societies, it is not just the print which counts but the quality of the ideas in print that are of the greatest importance. The qualities of ideas that are presented and recorded in print determine the state of intellectual development of the society and its capacity for improvement as well as gaining an edge over other societies. Some print is very highly regarded because it represents the essence of human knowledge, understanding or universal truths. Encyclopaedias, handbooks, the Scriptures and standard texts represent the print which the society has accepted as being of timeless importance after much debate, criticism and consternation. Often, the knowledge stored in print in these important books will represent the culmination of great struggles, triumphs of understanding, conflict and even bloodshed. However, print represents ideas and the truths which have to be utilised in order to be of benefit. The print must be of importance and it should be given importance for the benefits of the print to become available. Respecting print means that the ideas, knowledge and truths that are contained in the print are being respected, considered, given importance to and are held as being profoundly important for the individual, humanity and the society. Giving respect to the Holy book does not mean that there is respect for the paper, ink or the quality of craftsmanship but that there is respect for ideas. Hence, unless the print is capable of producing ideas which are accepted as being profound, important and of significance for the future, the capacity of the print to bring about revolutionary change is restricted. Therefore, a progressive society which has the capacity for benefiting from revolutionary change must also have a system for producing the ideas which are of profo und importance. These ideas must then be held as being important and acted upon or implemented into practical realities. Unless the message which is considered to be of importance is transformed into practical reality by a society, the society cannot benefit from the message or the ideas and hence the print itself is not able to induce change. In the context of social change, there has to be a requirement for change which is embodied in a vision of something better and this vision must be sufficiently appealing to the many, or to those who are important in the society, for the vision to be attempted to be transformed into practical reality by committing resources, effort, taking the risks involved in change, going against the established order, getting organised or the pitting of an organised movement against tyranny to produce change. A developed society has to have a system for using print to disseminate or generate ideas, conduct discussions and a scrutiny of these ideas. There h as to be a constant desire to have something better and to transform ideas into practical realities. Print can act as a vehicle for conveying ideas and their wider scrutiny but print by itself is important because it can do this in an economical, effective and appealing manner in order to effectively make the ideas available to the many (Jones, 2000, Chapters 1 – 6), (McGINN, 1991, Chapters 1 – 4) and ( Dewar, 2000, Complete). Although the basic reason behind the importance of print and its capacity for influencing change are the ideas that are contained in the print, the manner in which the print can be presented, communicated, stored, manipulated and the knowledge which is considered to be of importance retrieved from the print is also constantly being influenced by the force of ideas and changing. The capability of presenting the printed word as a sequence of signals in a computer and its rapid manipulation has made it possible for the society to consider and develop ideas much more rapidly then it was previously possible. This capacity has been of great benefit to the society but it has also had an impact on the printing of ideas on paper. Print on paper must now coexist with print as an electrical signal and the society has progressed sufficiently for the rapid and cheap transformation of the print on paper to the electronic print to be made possible. Hence, centralised printing presses are now still useful but they are being challenged by the distributed printing presses which are capable of quickly transforming the electronically stored print into print on paper when required. A cheap printer connected to a computer which is linked to the World Wide Web has the capacity for tapping into a huge reservoir of ideas and the human repository of knowledge. These ideas can be selectively printed as required on paper for the convenience of the human users. The larger press is used for printing material for which there is a confirmed demand and it is very likely that in the future all kinds of books will be downloaded from websites when and if required to be viewed on small or computerised portable reading equipment. The price of such computer equipment which need not be as sophisticated as a laptop computer, but which can also integrate a lot of other functions into it such as the communication function and the entertainment function is progressively declining. This does not mean that the printing press is likely to become idle, because humanity has a requirement for all kinds of packing, wrapping and informative material which is in constant demand. However, it is very likely that the high value added print material will be preferred in the electronic format and stored on web servers or the CD – ROM to be downloaded when required for payment by electronic means. The benefits of purchasing a book in the electronic format are much superior to having a published book on paper. New editions can be rapidly produced and information in the electronic book readily manipulated. This is already happening and the only reason why individuals still prefer to read paper books is because the display technologies which provide the written word in human readable form need to be improved and made more affordable. That this is happening is the beginning of another social revolution which is likely to gain momentum with time. Hence, humanity is moving towards an age in whic h there will be far fewer books in the paper print form and very many web repositories from which electronic books, newspapers and magazines can be downloaded. There is likely to be an emphasis on having small portable devices which will have the telecommunications capabilities and pleasant displays that are affordable. Such devices can usher in a new social revolution. Such a social revolution is not likely to be bad because the dwindling global forests require new attempts to conserve energy and reduce waste. A burgeoning repository of human knowledge means that permitting rapid access and manipulation of the electronic print is required. This, however, does not mean that there is not going to be a demand for the editors, the creative writers, researchers, scientists, technologists and philosophers etc who generate the content which could previously have been printed on paper only. There is in fact likely to be a greater demand for such creative individuals, especially those who a re capable of producing quality. The creative content industry will continue to boom and there will be a greater demand for good content because content will still be king. It is very likely that even schooling will be more distributed with pupils being able to download their lessons from a server rather then physically carrying backpacks of books to school. Universities will become more of a place for conducting research and generating new content then a place for disseminating this content through print on paper. The transmission of knowledge through the vastness of the globe and even into space and under the ocean will become an instantaneous affair rather then requiring the transportation of huge piles of bulky paper across the vastness of oceans, on ships, for the force of ideas and enlightenment to be unleashed in a dark region of the world. Language and the printed word, or rather the represented word is still important because this is what humans understand. However, the nee d to print this word on paper will be diminished. It is all a question of economics and developing newer and more capable computerised devices is gradually changing the way humans live. Sufficiently reduce the cost of portable computing equipment, software as well as the cost of telecommunications and the revolution will be very much accelerated. It is surprising that many publishers have not taken up the challenge and produced important books which can be downloaded from web stores. This most certainly has something to do with the price an individual has to pay for the right viewing hardware for electronic text. Widespread adoption of such hardware is also limited by its fragility and complexity. Young children and many elderly individuals can find it difficult to operate viewers of electronic text and hence prefer the printed word. Perhaps there is a need for the invention of a cheap device with the human / computer interface vastly simplified for the purpose of reading and intera cting with the electronic text. A new revolution is certainly possible and it is very likely already happening, in which humanity will live in a world without the printed book (Dewar, 2000, Complete) and (Smith, 1994, Chapters 1 – 4). Revolutionary social changes have always depended on the force of ideas which used to be conveyed through the print after an age of the oral tradition. However, the printed word on paper is now becoming rather inconvenient as a medium for transmitting and disseminating these ideas and humanity has found more convenient ways for doing this. However, for revolutionary social change to be possible there has to be a need for change, merit in the ideas and a capacity to topple the existing order or norms of the society. History has indicated that despite the force and the might of tyranny, it is the soundness of ideas and their appeal to the masses which are the engines for change. Hence, ideas presented through the written language must be widely available and considered to be important by the masses for revolutionary social change to take place. Because of the high cost of the computing equipment and the complexities involved in its operation as well as the fragility of the equipment, s uch equipment is still in the process of gaining a wider acceptance. Costs associated with communications and a decent bandwidth for telecommunications is also another deterrent. It will still take some time for the full effects of the information age to become apparent and there will be many unintended consequences of change in this age. However it is very likely that in the future, the print media will give way to the electronic text viewers / communicators as the most widely means for distributing these ideas and conducting social debates on them. Humanity has indeed come a long way since the invention of the printing press (Briggs, 2001, Chapters 1 – 5) and (Cooper, 2004, Complete). Conclusion The print media has contributed very significantly to bringing about social change since the invention of the Gutenberg printing press. The renaissance, the scientific revolution and many other political revolutions benefited from the capability of the print to cheaply and conveniently disseminate ideas. It was, however, the force of these ideas which was behind the revolutions and the print acted by accelerating the dissemination, debate and acceptance of ideas, something which was not possible to be done in the oral tradition. In the present age, the electronic word is gradually going to replace the printed word as a more convenient and faster means for disseminating ideas as the technology and its present limitations are gradually overcome. References/Bibliography American, p. International Printing Pressmen and Assistants Union of North America 1965, Development of the printing press, 1450-1965 : 75th anniversary of the American Pressman [Pressmens Home, Tenn. : International Printing Pressmen and Assistants Union of North America]. Atiyeh, G. N. 1995, The book in the Islamic world: the written word and communication in the Middle East Albany; [Washington, D.C.]: State University of New York Press: Library of Congress. Atton, Chris. (2002). Approaching Alternative Media: Theory and Methodology. Napier University, Scotland. Retrieved: August 25, 2005. From: http://www.ourmedianet.org/papers/om2001/Atton.om2001.pdf Banks, W. H., International Conference of Printing Research Institutes (, Krems) 1971, Recent developments in graphic arts research : (proceedings of the tenth International Conference of Printing Research Institutes held in Krems, Austria, 1969) Oxford : Pergamon Press. Barker, N. 1992, Aldus Manutius and the development of Greek script type in the fifteenth century, 2nd ed edn, New York : Fordham University Press. Batey, C. 1954, The printing making of books: an examination of tradition with an assessment of the trends of invention and the development of techniques presently discernible in the several crafts devoted to the making of books Oxford: Privately printed at the University Press. Baumgarten, J. Frakes, J. C. 2005, Introduction to old Yiddish literature Oxford: Oxford University Press. Bernard Quaritch (Firm) 1888, [A general catalogue of books offered to the public at the affixed prices], Monumenta typographica: a catalogue of books produced by the earliest typographers in all countries, arranged so as to illustrate the history of the origin and development of the art of printing; as well as the publications of the famous Aldine, Giunta, and Elzevir Presses; preceded by some examples of prae-typographical printing edn, [London]: [B. Quaritch]. Bijker, W, Hughes, T and Pinch, T (eds) (1988) The Social Construction of Technological Systems: New Directions in the Sociology and History of Technology, Cambridge MA: MIT Press. Blades, W. 1968, Books in chains, and other bibliographical papers Detroit: Gale Research Co. Bolton, C. Alembic, P. 1981, DeLittle, an English wood-letter manufacturer: including a brief history of the development of wood-type Winchester: The Alembic Press. Braden, C. S. 1970, Spirits in rebellion. The rise and development of New Thought. (Third printing.) Dallas: Southern Methodist University Press. Briggs, Asa and Peter Burke. (2001). A Social History of the Media: From Gutenberg to the Internet (Paperback). Polity Press. Retrieved: August 25, 2005. From: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0745623751/002-0897207-2795222?v=glance British Printing Industries Federation. Development and Technology Committees Composition Group 1984, The ASPIC handbook: a guide to authors symbolic pre-press interfacing codes London: British Printing Industries Federation. Cambridge University Press 1938, Cambridge University Press: notes on its history and development, 6th ed edn, Cambridge [Cambridgeshire]: The Press. Carter, R. Open University 1984, Systems, management and change: a graphic guide London: Harper Row in association with the Open University. Ceruzzi, P. E. 2000, A history of modern computing Cambridge, Mass.; London: MIT Press. Charles, R. H. 1914, Religious development between the Old and New Testaments London: Oxford University Press, 1914. Cooper, Mark and Steven Cooper. (2004). HOPE AND HYPE v. REALITY: THE ROLE OF THE COMMERCIAL INTERNET IN DEMOCRATIC DISCOURSE AND PROSPECTS FOR INSTITUTIONAL CHANGE. Stanford Centre for Internet and Society. Retrieved: August 25, 2005. From: http://cyberlaw.stanford.edu/blogs/cooper/archives/HOPEALL.pdf Copinger, W. A. Priory Press, M. 1898, Handlist of a collection of incunabula: illustrating the progress and development of the art of printing prior to the year 1500, by specimens from over three hundred different presses [Manchester? Eng.] : Priv. print. and not for circulation. Cranz, F. E. 1964, An essay on the development of Luthers thought on justice, law, and society Cambridge, Mass. ; Oxford : Harvard University Press : Oxford University Press. Daud, P. 1934, The influence of Arabic poetry on the development of Persian poetry Bombay: Fort Printing Press. Deibert, R. (1997). Parchment, Printing and Hypermedia: Communication and world order transformation. New York: Columbia University Press. Dewar, James A. (2000). THE INFORMATION AGE AND THE PRINTING PRESS: LOOKING BACKWARD TO SEE AHEAD. RAND. Retrieved: August 25, 2005. From: http://www.rand.org/publications/P/P8014/P8014.pdf Eco, U A Medieval Library. (1995). D. Crowley P. Heyer (eds). Communication in history: Technology, culture, and society (2nd ed., pp. 48-57). White Plains, NY: Longman. Pp 71 – 74. Eisenstein, E. (1979). The printing press as an agent of change. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. Eisenstein, E. L. (1993). The printing revolution in early modern Europe. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press. Fairhead, M. Pira, I. 1993, Latest developments in newspaper technology: a literature review Leatherhead: Pira International. Finkle, J. L. Gable, R. W. 1968, Political development and social change, 1st corr. print edn, New York : Wiley. George, A. J. Didot Family 1961, The Didot Family and the Progress of Printing A brief review of the development and accomplishments of the House of Didot, with facsimile pages and translation of Épà ®tre sur les progrà ¨s de limprimerie by Pierre Didot, printed in 1784, etc [Syracuse, N.Y.] : Syracuse University Press. Goody, J. (1986). The Logic of Writing and the Organization of Society. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press. Goody, J. and Watt, I. (1963). The consequences of literacy. Comparative Studies in History and Society. Vol. 5. Hacker, L. M. 1959, The triumph of American capitalism: the development of forces in American history to the end of the nineteenth century New York: Columbia University Press. Johnson, J. d. M. Bibliographical Society ( 1936, The development of printing other than book printing London : Bibliographical Society. Jones, Bruce. (2000). Manuscripts, Books, and Maps: The Printing Press and a Changing World. University of California, Davis. Retrieved: August 25, 2005. From: http://communication.ucsd.edu/bjones/Books/booktext.html Joos, M. American Council of Learned Societies. Committee on Language Programs 1966, Readings in linguistics I : the development of descriptive linguistics in America 1925-56, 4th ed edn, Chicago ; London : University of Chicago Press, 1966. Lehmann-Haupt, H. 1966, Gutenberg and the Master of the Playing Cards New Haven ; London : Yale University Press. McGINN, R. (1991), Science, Technology, and Society, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, Prentice Hall. McLuhan, M. (1964). Understanding Media. New York: McGraw-Hill Book Co. McLuhan, M. (1997). The Guttenberg Galaxy, University of Toronto Press. Moran, J. Royal Society of Arts 1971, The development of the printing press : a paper London : Royal Society of Arts. Moran, J. 1973, Printing presses : history and development from the fifteenth century to modern times London : Faber (1973). Moran, J. 1973, Printing presses; history and development from the fifteenth century to modern times Berkeley : University of California Press. Moran, J. C. 1971, The development of the printing press Colchester : printed by Benham Co.. Mulhall, M. G. 1971, The progress of the world in arts, agriculture, commerce, manufactures, instruction, railways, and public wealth since the beginning of the nineteenth century Shannon : Irish University Press, 1971. Myers, R. Harris, M. 1981, Development of the English book trade, 1700-1899 Oxford : Oxford Pol

Comparing Two Seafood Restaurants :: comparison compare contrast essays

Comparing Two Seafood Restaurants From a succulent fresh lobster tail to a mouth-watering red snapper filet, everyone loves some type of seafood. The residents of our city are lucky, restaurants specializing in seafood are plentiful. Many locals consider Pappadeux and Joe's Crab Shack to be the best. Although they both serve wonderful, fresh seafood, the differences in the menu, the service, and the overall atmosphere set them apart from one another. Pappadeux offers elegant, elaborate dishes on its menu, while the food described on the menu of Joe's Crab Shack is the sort which tastes best when accompanied by an ice-cold beer and a large plate of french fries. For example, my favorite meal at Pappadeux consists of a flaky filet of red snapper blackened in hot Cajun spices and smothered in a rich Bearnaise sauce. It is then topped with lightly sauted crawfish tails and mushrooms. Once this concoction touches the tongue, it simply melts. On the other hand, Joe's Crab Shack has been made famous for its barbecued crabs. The cook begins by slowly cooking small dungeoness crabs in a large barbecue pit. Once the crabs have been seared to perfection, the cook tosses them on a large tray, and they are ready for presentation. The waiter then serves these divine crabs with a hammer, a bib, and a roll of paper towels. After pounding on the shell for five minutes, the lucky diner discovers a piece of crab meat which, like the sna pper filet, melts in the mouth. Distinguishing each restaurant further is the service; although it is impeccable at both Pappadeaux and Joe's Crab Shack, the manner in which one is served varies greatly. When dining at the classy Pappadeux, each patron is greeted by an exquisitely dressed staff. The waitstaff is clad in black slacks, white tuxedo shirts, and classic bow ties, while the hostess dons an elegant dress. The staff greets each diner with the traditional "ma'am" and "sir" and treats her or him with the utmost respect and dignity. In contrast, at the relaxed Joe's Crab Shack the entire staff wears t-shirts and shorts or jeans and treats everyone as if they are life-long friends; greeting patrons with "Hey! How's it going?

Against legalizing gay marriage Essay

Whenever there is debate on gay marriage it involves social as well as legal arguments and it can be for or against the topic of legalizing gay marriage. If people are asked about equality of basic rights to gays like that of protection in law or owning property or benefits from the government, almost three fourth of the population will favor the suggestion. But as soon as the same set of people are asked about gay marriage, only one third out of them might agree with it. There are many pre-occupied thoughts that prevail in the minds of people in the society about gays. The first and the foremost thing is that marriage is a tradition in which a man is legally bound to a woman and is responsible for the development and security of the family as well as the society too. If gay marriages were allowed there would be no meaning to this holy institution and it is not in the best interests for the development of children, as they will be deprived of either the father or mother. As far as equal rights are concerned gays too have all rights that common residents of the state has and they can marry the person of opposite sex just as anyone marries. But sking for legalization of gay marriages is something extra because they would like to marry the person of the same sex, which is only based on sexual relationship. Marriage is a holy institution and the tradition followed is not because the base of marriage is only sexual relationship but the whole lot of responsibilities is shared right from bringing up children and giving them healthy environment to grow and become a good human being. Gay marriage would weaken this respect for marriage as an institution and would also change the real definition of marriage. From time immemorial, studies show that marriage has helped people become stronger emotionally, financially, and psychologically and most of the time medically too. If gay marriages were legalized the traditional values of the families would be weakened and they are very important for the proper development of the society. Marriage is considered as the building block of our society with families involving man, woman and children in each. It is well said that lovers as well as friends come and go but family stands for anyone in any circumstances. The reason behind the deterioration of ulture and values is the weakening of today’s family bonding. If ‘another’ type of family is introduced in the society through gay marriages, it will make the situation even worse. It is going to create significant and long term damage to culture and society. Marriage is an honorable institute that complete, support and encourage one another in a bond that is invisible. Almost every religion is not in favor of homosexuality and most of them consider gay marriage as a sin. Many scholars are of the opinion that gay marriage would give way to polygamy and extra marital relationships and then it would be very difficult o save and bind the society into specific values and rules regarding relationships especially sex. The kids today have become extrovert and frank and at the same time they don’t hesitate to agree with the fact that they are homosexual or bisexual. If gay marriage were legalized its consequences would be very deteriorating for the society and there would be massive repercussions. The consequences of these marriages would be in the upbringing of children and the future generation would be huge sufferers. Now, the existing marriage and system of law that help to get divorce easily has already pulled down the institution f marriage. It is the undeniable interest of the countries to put it on the right path, which will not be possible if gay marriage was legalized. There is another point that should be taken care of and that is the scientific and logical perspective. While talking about marriages and relationship, society as well as science does not accept and conclude that incest is safe and that is the reason why intermarriage of family members are prohibited. Also polygamy is not good for the health of the family and society as a whole and that is why Muslims and Mormons are restricted in many ountries to marry more than one compliant adult without divorcing the existing one. So we see that there are reasons behind all relationships and rules to follow in the institute of marriage so that a healthy society is built up. As far as gay marriage is concerned, never in the history we find that gays have achieved marital status or it is good and for the welfare of the society for any convincing reason and so it is not so easy to shred the tradition of society. Social scientists are seriously concerned about the development of children as well as society and are worried about the fractured family that the children of today are getting. If this continues and autonomous people marry and remarry or have relationships outside marriage, children will be the utmost sufferers. If in this condition gay marriage is legalized, everyone is going to care for themselves and no one will take the responsibility of the future generation and society as well. Marriage ties two people together and along with them future and past generation are also attached. It is an institution that teaches carrying along responsibilities and selflessness, which further helps build a society with strong and successful values and culture. Gay marriage would only lead to society with eople who care for their interests and these kinds of people never consider the development of society or believe in traditional values and culture. People will start doing what they like and this will give rise to cases of polygamy and may be give rise to pedophiles or zoophiles too. It has never been an issue to legalize gay marriage in history until recently. But for the overall development of society and to save our real values and culture and above all save the future generation from getting selfish motives to lead life. Children would be deprived of either father or mother and their development would definitely hamper. The couples would not be able to teach their children commitment and bonding of love and responsibility towards family and society. Marriage is also considered sacred in most religions and a step towards God as well as to perform duties, which are answerable to God too. The married couple has to carry out certain responsibilities and follow the rules of society because after all ‘man is a social animal’ and no one can be sufficient on his own. Homosexual relationships have nothing to do with the propagation of society and they would not serve the society in state interest.

Tips for Finding Your Memoir’s Theme

Tips for Finding Your Memoir’s Theme Writing memoir: Tips for Finding Your Memoir’s Theme - By Julia Scheeres Julia ScheeresA few months ago, we had an interesting piece on our blog from our Reedsy editor and advisor Rebecca Heyman  on why authors should think twice before writing a "memoir". We believe that in a subjective industry like this one, it's important to showcase a variety of opinions. So when we interviewed narrative non-fiction author Julia Scheeres a few weeks ago, we asked her if she would contribute a blog post on writing memoir.  Julia is the bestselling author of Jesus Land  and one of our best memoir editors on Reedsy.  She luckily  accepted our  offer, and  leaves  us with some great nuggets of wisdom on finding your memoir's theme. Memoir authors, this is for you.My students often look stricken when I ask them this question:â€Å"What’s your memoir about?†I don’t blame them – I also struggled with this question, even after my memoir was published. During dozens of radio interviews about Jesus Land, the host - who frequently di dn’t have time to read my book – would bluntly ask: â€Å"So, what’s your book about?† and expect a zippy answer. I so dreaded that question. How was I supposed to reduce a 350-page book down to a single sentence or word?â€Å"What’s your memoir about?† is also a confusing question because it can be answered two ways. The asker may merely want to know the general plot, or story arc, of your book, which you probably had figured out a long time ago. But she’s also usually curious about something deeper - the emotional story you’re trying to convey. Not just the what, but the why.It was only in honing my sound bytes for radio interviews that I understood what my theme was. â€Å"Jesus Land is about the unbreakable bond between a brother and sister.† That’s the emotional story. The longer version hints at the plot: â€Å"Jesus Land is about the unbreakable bond between a brother and a sister raised in a hostile envi ronment.†Like me, you may not be able to put your theme into words until after several drafts of your book. But if you’re able to sort it out beforehand, you’ll waste a lot less time with superfluous events and characters. Most memoirs are essentially survival stories. The author survives an ordeal - a harsh childhood, cancer, alcoholism, divorce, a loved one’s death, kidnapping, a plane crash - and lives to tell the tale. The theme therefore conveys something the author learned by enduring the experience: inner peace, resilience, empathy.Examples of famous memoirs' themes:Some memoirs are easier to categorize than others.Mary Karr’s third memoir, Lit, for example, is about battling alcoholism with prayer;Wasted is about Marya Hornbacher’s struggle to overcome a nearly-fatal eating disorder;Tracy Ross sums up the theme in The Source of All Things, which details her painful relationship with her stepfather, in a single word: forgiveness.Having an identifiable theme gives your memoir universal appeal. Readers who’ve likewise struggled to overcome a hardship will relate to your book and want to read it, feeling they share a commonality with you and may learn something about c oping from your experience. And readers who’ve had the Hallmark card version of life will also read it to broaden their worldview and experience some vicarious drama.Writing memoirs: tips for finding your memoir’s theme:Tell someone your story. Note which parts arouse their curiosity and the questions they ask. The more you talk about your memoir, the clearer your theme will become in your mind.Think about how you were changed by your experiences. You start your memoir at point A and end up at point Z. What did you learn between those two points?Ask yourself, â€Å"why am I writing this book?† or â€Å"what do I want to say?† Lodge these queries in the back of your mind. The answers may come when you least expect them, such as at 5 a.m. or when you’re doing laps in the pool - moments when you’re relaxed and undistracted.Consult someone who knows your story well. Ask them what they think are the most moving/ dramatic parts of your experience and why. As memoirists, sometimes we can be so close to our material that we become myopic - we can’t see the bigger picture or recurring threads that weave through our work. You may hear them say something like, â€Å"how did you survive xyz?† or â€Å"you were really abandoned as a child† - comments that could help you articulate your theme.Write down the major events of your life and see if there is some connection between them. In doing so, you may well find the beats of your story. You may find it takes several drafts before your true theme emerges. (Hint: it’s hidden in the events that you find yourself obsessing over the most, or that place where your deepest shame resides). When you figure it out, you’ll be able to slice off the flab – all the digressions and superfluous material that bogs your narrative down.For me, it took several rewrites to figure out what Jesus Land was really about. I narrowed down my material to my dramatic teenage years. But I didn’t know which aspects of those years to focus on - moving to the countryside, my strict Christian household, the seething racism of rural Indiana, trying to fit in at a new school or being sent to a reformatory with my brother David. As I wrote, I kept coming back to David - my adopted black brother. My parents adopted David when he was 3 and I was a few months older. I gradually realized my relationship with David should be my â€Å"through line,† or the one constant ag ainst which all the other elements (racism, religion, abuse) unfolded.Once this became clear, I was able to go through my pages and cut out the extraneous details that watered down the book’s central focus (such a long sections involving my high school boyfriend or various cliques). The result, I believe, is a more powerful and poignant book.Narrative nonfiction must have a focused, deliberate arc and structure. As a memoirist, it’s your job to impose order and meaning on the chaos of life. That’s the art of writing memoir.

Holiday Shopping Safety Tips

Holiday Shopping Safety Tips The holiday season is a time when people can become careless and vulnerable to theft and other holiday crimes. People are often in a rush buying gifts, decorating their homes, visiting friends or traveling. There is a big increase in the number of people that are out and about shopping at the malls and grocery stores, packing the parking lots, grabbing taxis, filling up the seats on rapid transit and waiting in lines at ATM machines. Late Nights Many stores extend hours late into the night. People head to the stores after work, then at closing time, you see them emerging with the dazed eyes of sleepwalkers. Amazingly, then the mall parking lots empty out in record time and within minutes become deserted. Without fail, there are always a handful of people wandering the lots alone, looking for where they parked their cars or digging through handfuls of shopping bags searching for their lost car keys. To normal, law-abiding people, all of this kind of holiday hoopla and pressure is just part of the festive mood of the season. And all the gaiety, unfortunately, also tends to cause people to let their innate sense of caution temporarily fall by the wayside. Why Thieves Love the Holiday Season All the hustle and bustle going on over the holidays gives thieves what they want, almost as much as an unlocked bank vault, and that is the opportunity to become invisible. By being as nondescript as possible, they can move through big crowds of rushed and distracted people without anyone noticing them. They can pickpocket and shoplift and when their victims realize that they have been robbed, they will have no idea who did it.   In most communities, the police work additional hours during November and December. They are kept busy the increase in traffic accidents, home fires, bar fights, and family disputes. Also, during the month of December, more people die of natural causes than any other time of the year. Police often have to change their regular routines and leave the nightly patrol through neighborhoods to answer emergency calls. Thieves Feed on Opportunities Thieves know that the police are overloaded during the holiday season and they take full advantage it. They thrive on the fact that the police and stores loss prevention staff have their hands full with amateur thieves who are hauled to jail for trying to steal from the electronics departments or waiting for the parents of pre-teens who pocketed the latest video game. In the meantime, the professional thieves are busy breaking into cars in the parking lots to steal gifts, cell phones, and electronics, or stalking and robbing or scamming the people who are alone. Some thieves prefer burglarizing homes. They spend their time walking neighborhoods, looking for houses that appear that the homeowners are away. Darkened homes nestled between neighbors with front yards bursting with holiday lights will draw their attention. Having the kids off from school is another concern because of the number of unsupervised teens hanging around without anything to do. Homes within neighborhoods are broken in more times by young male teens that live in or near the neighborhood. They often choose a home and then hang out to see when the homeowners leave each day. They might be so brazen and ring the doorbell, then pretend to try to sell something if anyone answers. How to Keep From Becoming a Holiday Crime Victim The following tips can help you be more careful, prepared and aware during the holiday season. Try to shop during the day, but if you do shop at night, do not do it alone.Dress casually and comfortably.Avoid wearing expensive jewelry.Do not carry a purse or wallet, if possible. Consider bringing a security travel pouch instead.Always carry your drivers license or identification along with necessary cash, checks and/or a credit card you expect to use.Recognize when you are rushed, distracted and stressed out, and stay alert to what is going on around you.Avoid carrying large amounts of cash.Pay for purchases with a check or credit card when possible.Keep cash in your front pocket.If you discover that a credit card is missing, notify the credit card company as soon as possible. Dont assume that you misplaced it and will find it later.Keep a record of all of your credit card numbers in a safe place at home.Be extra careful if you do carry a wallet or purse. They are the prime targets of criminals in crowded shopping areas, terminals, bus stops, on buses and other rapid transit.Av oid overloading yourself with packages. It is important to have clear visibility and freedom of motion if you are approached. Beware of strangers approaching you for any reason. At this time of year, con-artists may try various methods of distracting you, including working in teams, with the intention of taking your money or belongings.