Memory in relation to Jordan, Mary Ellens Balanda My Year in Arnhem Land

Memory in relation to Jordan, Mary Ellens Balanda My Year in Arnhem Land Balanda: My Year in Arnhem Land is Jordan Mary Ellen’s personal reflections about her experiences back in Arnhem Land, a region in northern Australia that is inhabited by Aborigines. As such, the book assumes a more personal tone and the author confesses that any lack of objectivity is deliberate.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Memory in relation to Jordan, Mary Ellen’s â€Å"Balanda: My Year in Arnhem Land† specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Within this book the author selectively chooses what to write about her past, what it was to live among the Balandas in Maningrida, her transformation and lesson learnt. Since this book is about the author past, the author has to rely heavily on her memory. She has to recall what happened and put it in the context of her story. As such, Balanda: My Year in Arnhem Land is a splendid exhibition of the power of writing memory. In this story, the author uses the power of memory to reveal to the reader not only her past experiences, but also make the reader to live through those experiences. Memory works in different ways bringing in different results in Jordan’s work. Not only does the author use memory to imaginatively recreate and reconstruct her past, but also as a device through which the past is brought to bear on the present. Furthermore, Jordan’s memory acts as a reservoir, a rich source of historical facts from where the reader learns a lot about the history of the Aborigine as well as the relationship between Aborigines and the Balandas. Jordan tries her best to put pieces of facts together to compose the whole story. Despite the fact that the story is based on factual information, it has a fictional ring to it. The fact that this story is told from first person point of view means that it is subjective and as such not far from fiction. As such memory bears strongly on Jordan’s work. Balanda: My Year in Arnhem Land is a very useful personal account that presents memory as a tool that imaginatively reconstructs Jordan’s past experiences. The story reconstructs Jordan’s amazing and unanticipated discovery of long running intercultural differences between the Balandas and the Aboriginals. Even though this story is a recreation, Jordan tries her best to make her recreation as truthful and factual as possible. Jordan remarks that this story is about her and the time she spent living and working in Maningrida and that the story is a personal account of her experiences in Arnhem Land (2005, p. vii). This means that the story is not about facts that have been gathered and proven empirically.Advertising Looking for essay on american literature? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Even though she might have taken notes (about actual occurrences) and involved the Balandas and the Aboriginals in as much dialogue as possible, all these are stored in her memory and only retrieved during the time of writing the book. Furthermore, Jordan states that she chooses what to write about based on how she could interpret those facts, how interesting the events were to her and how the events shaped and fitted into her story (Jordan 2005, p. vii). From this confession, the reader concludes that Jordan’s works are based on two things; what she could remember and how it fit into the story she wanted to tell. As such the reader concludes that Jordan’s historical representation is based on memory and that this is intended at fulfilling Jordan’s present need to retell her story. Why say that Jordan’s works are an imaginative reconstruction of memorable facts? There are a number of aspects in this book that are purely fictional. Jordan has deliberately made them so, for a number of reasons. In the story, all the characters are based on real people from Arnhem Land. However, Jordan out of her ne ed to protect the real identities of the real characters she uses â€Å"changes their names, and also blended them with her story, stripped them back and changed them completely† (2005, p. vii). She claims that she is doing so, to successfully attain her goal of creating characters that are as similar as possible to the real people she encounters in Arnhem Land. This implies that Jordan’s characters in this story are just an imitation of the real people that. Her story characters are therefore fictional and created from her recollection, through memory, of the real ones she encountered. In this case, thus, her idea of memory in relations to writing is to help her to recollect and recreate what she can remember so as to suit her present intensions. Another of the aspect of fictionalization of her works is seen in the very first line of her book. At the beginning of Chapter One, Jordan claims that â€Å"just after the small town along dirt road that is otherwise seen as the highway, the Aboriginal world begins† (2005, p.1). This is fictional since she implies that the beginning of the aboriginal world is limited to small geographical location. In the real sense the Aborigines have a rich history which cannot be limited to a singular location, especially one that has a physical dimension. This limitation is work of the limited understanding of human memory. Yet through her memory she imaginatively recreates a fictional Aboriginal past.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Memory in relation to Jordan, Mary Ellen’s â€Å"Balanda: My Year in Arnhem Land† specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Despite the fact that Jordan’s idea of memory in writing can be termed as an imaginative work that helps to reconstruct the past, it heavily relies on historical facts. As such Jordan memory draws a lot of inspiration from real life facts that happened in Arnhem Land. Therefore, Jordan’s writing memory is a reservoir of historical facts (Larson 2007, p. 35). It is a rich field within which lie innumerable artifacts, all of which have been stored there through memorization. As such her memory acts as a treasure house, rich in valuable historical artifacts. Such treasures can only be retrieved through a process of remembering. Jordan uses her memory to retrieve to the reader valuable factual information about the intricate Aboriginal-Balanda relationship, the aboriginal culture as well as the way of life and the various meanings of various symbols that do exist within the Aboriginal world. Through her memory the reader can be able to see the Aboriginal lifestyle as depicted through certain features such as their utilitarian houses. The reader is also able to see that the dilapidated nature of their life depicted by the waste and dirt spread all over in some places such as the school and the art centre (Jordan 2005, p, 8, 13 and 14). Jordan’s nar ration recollects her experiences of her life with the Aborigine in a span of just one year. As such she only recollects her memories about life in Arnhem Land from one strategic point; her own experiences are limited to a very short period of time. Larson (2007, p. 67) explains that when writers recollect small and minute bits of their past from one strategic location, they act like archeologists. This means for Jordan to tell her story she has to go, through memory, into her past and excavate as much detail as she can regarding her own experiences. Like an archeologist, Jordan exposes to the reader small bits of her recollection, one at a time, and tries to piece all them into a final and complete story. Jordan does this without laboring too much, yet maintaining her involvement in the whole process. She keeps the reader active by narrating in first person point of view, a style that asserts more claim to the assertion that she behaves like an archeologist. Within the book Balanda : My Year in Arnhem Land, the reader is able to identify two aspect of time: the present and the past (Larson 2007, p. 31). Within the book, the present exists now and the readers can be able to experience it. The present is depicted in the context in which Jordan narrates her story.Advertising Looking for essay on american literature? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The past is depicted in the artifacts that Jordan exhumes and narrates: she narrates them in past tense. There is a missing link between these two aspects of time. There is no connection between the present and the past. However, the author tries to bring the past to bear on the present through memory. Thus, as Cixous (1997, p. 33) argues, memory makes the things past to become meaningful on the present time. Cixous (1997, p. 33) asserts that memory is the â€Å"present of the things past† as such the writer who relies on memory tries to make the past have meaning in the present circumstances. Since the writer cannot re-live the past in any other way, then memory becomes the only vehicle through which the writer goes back in time and recollects what happened there. Jordan makes her past experiences bear on the present by reciting to the reader her own past experiences of her life in Arnhem Land. The author remembers some useful facts about her experiences such as the aborigin al form of English, their form of lifestyle, the strained but tolerable relationship between the Balandas and the Aborigines and in her own words makes them relevant to the present time (2005). Jordan thus sees memory as a bridge between the past and the present, a bridge that not only makes the past known but adds meaning to it and makes it relevant to the present. Jordan goes to Arnhem Land willing to serve the aboriginal but at the end of it all, she discovered that their culture runs deep and is un-transformable. Instead of transforming the Aborigines, in her words, she explains that instead her cultures are transformed (2005, p. 3). Jordan narrates her cultural transformation experience through a recollection of memorable events. Through out the story the reader sees Jordan slowly change her attitude towards the aboriginal way of life. The changes are evident in so many memorable events such as when she visits the art centre. The place is strewn with dirt (the word dirt is init ially used in the novel to depict her un-approving attitudes about Aborigines, but is eventually dropped from her choice of words as the story progresses). Initially she used to notice the litter strewn all over but with time she becomes oblivious of it. This is a signification of the fact that she has involuntarily imbibed new attitudes, attitudes that made her ignore things she could not. So much is her transformation that at the end of the novel when she recollects feelings of the time she is about to leave for Melbourne, she claims that it had been a pleasurable experience living alongside another culture. She also recollects that as she was preparing to leave this land she had â€Å"packed her Maningrida life away† meaning that she had already adopted Maningrida’s way of life (Jordan 2005, p. 212). Larson (2007, p. 164, 165) explains that in this manner, memory is a depiction of a world that a person inherits. Through these memorable narrations, Jordan is able to narrate to us a world in which she had inherited: the art, the culture the language and the attitudes of the aboriginals. Jordan work is an exhibition of memory at work. This assertion is further enhanced by the fact that she confesses that she selectively chooses what to write. As such her story relies heavily on recall of her past experiences. Jordan uses memory effectively in combination with imagination to recreate her past experience in the land of Arnhem. Through this creative memory the reader is able to see her life as it was in Arnhem Land. That Jordan relies on memory does not mean that her work has lost any artistic appeal to the reader. On the contrary, it is within the use of this combination that her book gains the artistic appeal. So powerful, is the power of memory that she is able to recreate even the minute detail about her experiences. Even though the events of this story are a re-creation of the author, the power of memory is so powerful that through it the reade r can identify the subtle nuances on the meaning of life to the Aboriginal and the Balandas. Reference List Cixous, H. 1997. Rootprints: Memory and Life Writing. New York: Routledge, 33. Jordan, M. 2005. Balanda: My Year In Arnhem Land. Sydney: Allen Unwin, vii – 212. Larson, T. 2007. The memoir and the memoirist: Reading and writing personal narrative. Athens, OH: Swallow Press, 35 – 167.

American Civil War Battles

American Civil War Battles The battles of the Civil War were fought across the United States from the East Coast to as far west as New Mexico. Beginning in 1861, these battles made a permanent mark upon the landscape and elevated to prominence small towns that had previously been peaceful villages. As a result, names such as Manassas, Sharpsburg, Gettysburg, and Vicksburg became eternally entwined with images of sacrifice, bloodshed, and heroism. It is estimated that over 10,000 battles of various sizes were fought during the Civil War as Union forces marched towards victory. The battles of the Civil War are largely divided into the Eastern, Western, and Trans-Mississippi Theaters, with the bulk of the fighting taking place in the first two. During the Civil War, over 200,000 Americans were killed in battle as each side fought for their chosen cause. The battles below are arranged by year, theater, and state. 1861 Eastern Theater April 12-14: Battle of Fort Sumter, South CarolinaJune 3: Battle of Philippi, VirginiaJune 10: Battle of Big Bethel, VirginiaJuly 21: First Battle of Bull Run, VirginiaOctober 21: Battle of Balls Bluff, Virginia Western Theater August 10: Battle of Wilsons Creek, MissouriNovember 7: Battle of Belmont, Missouri At Sea November 8: The  Trent  Affair, at Sea 1862 Eastern Theater March 8-9: Battle of Hampton Roads, VirginiaMarch 23: First Battle of Kernstown, VirginiaApril 5: Siege of Yorktown, VirginiaApril 10-11: Battle of Fort Pulaski, GeorgiaMay 5: Battle of Williamsburg, VirginiaMay 8: Battle of McDowell, VirginiaMay 25: First Battle of Winchester, VirginiaMay 31: Battle of Seven Pines, VirginiaJune 8: Battle of Cross Keys, VirginiaJune 9: Battle of Port Republic, VirginiaJune 25: Battle of Oak Grove, VirginiaJune 26: Battle of Beaver Dam Creek (Mechanicsville), VirginiaJune 27: Battle of Gaines Mill, VirginiaJune 29: Battle of Savages Station, VirginiaJune 30: Battle of Glendale (Fraysers Farm), VirginiaJuly 1: Battle of Malvern Hill, VirginiaAugust 9: Battle of Cedar Mountain, VirginiaAugust 28-30: Second Battle of Manassas, VirginiaSeptember 1: Battle of Chantilly, VirginiaSeptember 12-15: Battle of Harpers Ferry, VirginiaSeptember 14: Battle of South Mountain, MarylandSeptember 17: Battle of Antietam, MarylandDecember 13: Battle of Fredericksburg, Vi rginia Trans-Mississippi Theater February 21: Battle of Valverde, New MexicoMarch 7-8: Battle of Pea Ridge, ArkansasMarch 26-28: Battle of Glorieta Pass, New MexicoDecember 7: Battle of Prairie Grove, Arkansas Western Theater January 19: Battle of Mill Springs, KentuckyFebruary 6: Battle of Fort Henry, TennesseeFebruary 11-16: Battle of Fort Donelson, TennesseeApril 6-7: Battle of Shiloh, TennesseeApril 12: Great Locomotive Chase, GeorgiaApril 24/25: Capture of New Orleans, LouisianaJune 6: Battle of Memphis, TennesseeSeptember 19: Battle of Iuka, MississippiOctober 3-4: Second Battle of Corinth, MississippiOctober 8: Battle of Perryville, KentuckyDecember 26-29: Battle of Chickasaw Bayou, MississippiDecember 31-January 2, 1863: Battle of Stones River, Tennessee 1863 Eastern Theater May 1-6: Battle of Chancellorsville, VirginiaJune 9: Battle of Brandy Station, VirginiaJuly 1-3: Battle of Gettysburg, PennsylvaniaJuly 3: Battle of Gettysburg: Picketts Charge, PennsylvaniaJuly 11 18: Battles of Fort Wagner, South CarolinaOctober 13-November 7: Bristoe Campaign, VirginiaNovember 26-December 2: Mine Run Campaign, Virginia Trans-Mississippi Theater January 9-11: Battle of Arkansas Post, Arkansas Western Theater Fall 1862-July 4: Vicksburg Campaign, MississippiMay 12: Battle of Raymond, MississippiMay 16: Battle of Champion Hill, MississippiMay 17: Battle of Big Black River Bridge, MississippiMay 18-July 4: Siege of Vicksburg, MississippiMay 21-July 9: Siege of Port Hudson, LouisianaJune 11-July 26: Morgans Raid, Tennessee, Kentucky, Indiana, OhioSeptember 18-20: Battle of Chickamauga, GeorgiaOctober 28-29: Battle of Wauhatchie, TennesseeNovember-December: Knoxville Campaign, TennesseeNovember 23-25: Battle of Chattanooga, Tennessee 1864 Eastern Theater February 16: Submarine  H.L. Hunley  Sinks USS  Housatonic, South CarolinaFebruary 20: Battle of Olustee, FloridaMay 5-7: Battle of the Wilderness, VirginiaMay 8-21: Battle of Spotsylvania Court House, VirginiaMay 11: Battle of Yellow Tavern, VirginiaMay 16: Battle of New Market, VirginiaMay 23-26: Battle of North Anna, VirginiaMay 31-June 12: Battle of Cold Harbor, VirginiaJune 5: Battle of Piedmont, VirginiaJune 9, 1864-April 2, 1865: Siege of Petersburg, VirginiaJune 11-12: Battle of Trevilian Station, VirginiaJune 21-23: Battle of Jerusalem Plank Road, VirginiaJuly 9: Battle of Monocacy, MarylandJuly 24: Second Battle of Kernstown, VirginiaJuly 30: Battle of the Crater, VirginiaAugust 18-21: Battle of Globe Tavern, VirginiaSeptember 19: Third Battle of Winchester (Opequon), VirginiaSeptember 21-22: Battle of Fishers Hill, VirginiaOctober 2: Battle of Peebles Farm, VirginiaOctober 19: Battle of Cedar Creek, VirginiaOctober 27-28: Battle of Boydton Plank Road, Virginia Trans-Mississippi River April 8: Battle of Mansfield, LouisianaOctober 23: Battle of Westport, Missouri Western Theater May 13-15: Battle of Resaca, GeorgiaJune 10: Battle of Brices Cross Roads, MississippiJune 27: Battle of Kennesaw Mountain, GeorgiaJuly 20: Battle of Peachtree Creek, GeorgiaJuly 22: Battle of Atlanta, GeorgiaJuly 28: Battle of Ezra Church, GeorgiaAugust 5: Battle of Mobile Bay, AlabamaAugust 31-September 1: Battle of Jonesboro (Jonesborough), GeorgiaNovember 15-December 22: Shermans March to the Sea, GeorgiaNovember 29: Battle of Spring Hill, TennesseeNovember 30: Battle of Franklin, TennesseeDecember 15-16: Battle of Nashville, Tennessee 1865 Eastern Theater January 13-15: Second Battle of Fort Fisher, North CarolinaFebruary 5-7: Battle of Hatchers Run, VirginiaMarch 25: Battle of Fort Stedman, VirginiaApril 1: Battle of Five Forks, VirginiaApril 6: Battle of Saylers Creek (Sailors Creek), VirginiaApril 9: Surrender at Appomattox Court House, Virginia Western Theater March 16: Battle of Averasborough, North CarolinaMarch 19-21: Battle of Bentonville, North CarolinaApril 2: Battle of Selma, Alabama

Aircraft Carrier Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Aircraft Carrier - Research Paper Example This essay stresses that the navy uses the aircraft carriers in the sea, and this allows military aircrafts to land and take off on the flat decks of the warships. The decks store aircrafts, which are brought up using elevators. Aircrafts land safely, with the use of arresting cables, which have a hook attached on the aircraft. Aircraft carriers are accompanied by vessels such as destroyers, and they carry weapons of war such as missiles. They provide cover to other warships and can perform operations in waters outside the borders of a country freely. This paper makes a conclusion that aircraft carriers have advanced self-close defense system, designed to detect any possible external threats and attacks on the ship. The carriers have automated sensors and weapons that can be used fro combat during an attack from enemies. The self-close defenses system coordinates and identifies potential threat and executes necessary procedures during times of attack. Thus, the aircraft may not become obsolete owing to the defense system that allows for the detection and prevention of threat. The strategic significance of aircraft carriers may make them not to become obsolete in times of war. Advancements in the warships have made it strategic during times of war, as modern navies use it to project their powers. Flights have become a vital asset and machine during the war. Based on this, ships powered by nuclear powers that carry fighter jets and planes have been widely used during times of war. ... Several reasons explain why the carrier may not be obsolete. They have advanced Self-close defense system Aircraft carriers have advanced self-close defense system, designed to detect any possible external threats and attacks on the ship. The carriers have automated sensors and weapons that can be used fro combat during an attack from enemies. The self-close defenses system coordinates and identifies potential threat and executes necessary procedures during times of attack. Thus, the aircraft may not become obsolete owing to the defense system that allows for the detection and prevention of threat (Ireland, 2008). They are still a major investment for many countries According to Fontenoy (2006), many countries still carry out investments in the aircraft carriers, with budgetary allocations including in them a component of the warship. Since the carriers have been used for many years, most nations all over the world have come to trust the carriers. Therefore, many countries still inve st in them, because they have proven useful during war. The investment in these warships serves as an indication that they may not necessarily become obsolete. Investments in the warship may take place for including the future. The strategic significance is obvious and irreplaceable The strategic significance of aircraft carriers may make them not to become obsolete in times of war. Advancements in the warships have made it strategic during times of war, as modern navies use it to project their powers (Fontenoy, 2006). Flights have become a vital asset and machine during the war. Based on this, ships powered by nuclear powers that carry fighter jets and planes have been widely used during times of war. The carriers have the capability to carry many aircrafts; therefore, they have been

Political Science Discussion 2 Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Political Science Discussion 2 - Coursework Example Moreover, ethnic and racial considerations also prove that the members are fully representative of the American people. This follows that minority ethnic groups are also being elected to the Congress. The American people have changed considerably relevant to what they want, as well as, expect in a president as evident from the reign of George Washington to the current president. According to the current expectations, the Americans want a president who can act fast and decisively on problems facing the nation including crime as well as drug abuse. Moreover, the Americans want a president who can perform well under pressure (Zegart, 41). Such a president must communicate effectively and commands a lot of trust from the citizens. These are some of the qualities that make a good president. Based on the above criteria, it is important to say that Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barrack Obama were and are, good presidents. The constitution should be amended in order to allow the federal judges to serve only a single, non-renewable and fixed 10-year term. Doing this cannot undermine the independence of the courts and their ability to uphold unpopular rights. However, amending the constitution to allow federal judges a fixed non-renewable term will be very significant in eliminating the possibility of bad judges remaining in the bench indefinitely. This will make the judges become more competent and very smart in their work, thus offering quality services to the

Advertisement Essay Essay Example for Free

Advertisement Essay Essay Anywhere a person looks; there will always be some form of advertisement. Billboards, posters, fliers, and other forms of media are visible almost everywhere. Advertising is a mass communication in the world today, and has been around since 1841. Whether people agree with it or not, it’s not going anywhere. Advertisements are essentially everywhere. No one can go anywhere without seeing at least one advertisement. They’re placed on radios, TVs, magazines and even billboards. Advertisers pay media companies to place their ads in such places and therefore the media companies make money off their ads. Advertiser’s main purpose is to influence the consumer to buy their product. They may lie about the product to make it sound better so more people would want to buy it. It can mislead the consumers to believe that any given product can make them popular, or beautiful. I don’t necessarily like advertisements, but I don’t like them either. Advertisements are everywhere, and it’s your choice to read and believe them or not read and not believe them. I agree, they are misleading but how else would people know about a new product or new improved or additions? Advertising exerts a large impact on us, bringing about good and bad consequences in people’s life. An example would be, if you were looking through the summer edition of a magazine and you see a Hollister advertisement on a page and the models are in bathing suits, in which they are all fairly skinny. If you were a little meatier than them you would probably think to yourself â€Å"I wish I was that skinny.† Or â€Å"I wish I looked like that.† That’s the bad consequence about advertising. There’s a huge impact on teens while looking through their favorite magazine or even watching TV. Another reason I feel advertising isn’t the best is, it can mislead the consumer into wasting money on something that either doesnâ₠¬â„¢t work or will end up breaking. The good side to advertising is it can let people know about free clinics, blood drives, and events coming up in the area. Of course, it’s not going to tell you everything about the event or clinic because an advertisement is  something brief about it, and they’re trying to get you to be interested about it. Some companies sponsor charity events or sport events to advertise with blimps, airplane signs; on-screen ads and even t-shirts in exchange for free advertising. If you were to think about every ad you’ve read, there really isn’t a limit to it. They really don’t care how vulgar or misinterpreting it could be, they’re getting paid for it so whatever they have to do to get your attention, they will. Advertisement should have a limit of what they can put on ads.

The Adversarial System Essay -- Law

Introduction In the discussion which follows, the function served by ‘evidence’ within the adversarial system will be considered. The central importance of relevance to the admissibility of evidence will be linked to the purpose served by the tribunal of fact. The range of factors which impact on the criminal justice system will act as a basis to consider the justification for the exclusion of certain evidential material. Developments in attitudes as a result of recent legislation will lead the discussion to the conclusion that the above statement is not sustainable Setting the scene Purpose. The adversarial system involves competing versions of disputed events being advanced by parties to the litigation. The purpose of this ‘battle’ is much debated in the academic literature. Certain commentators emphasise the ‘truth seeking’ theory of adjudication and the belief that justice absolutely depends on it. Whilst the nature of ‘truth’ in itself may be contested, it is accepted, for the purpose of this discussion, that it is the central goal of the adversarial system. Murphy draws attention to† other legitimate concurrent goals† in the context of the judicial trial which include the upholding of ‘fairness’ the exclusion of evidence which may be ‘inherently suspect/unreliable’ or ‘prejudicial’. The role of evidence in the accurate reconstruction of past events and what restraints, if any, should be in place will be explored. Fairness. The adversarial system involves the State pitted against the individual defendant. There is little doubt that a significant disparity exists between the combatants. Stockdale and Casel claim that many of the basic rights extended to the defendant are attempts to compensate for ... ...istopher Allen. Practical Guide to Evidence.4th.ed (2008) Routledge Cavendish. Jonathan Doak & Claire McGourlay. Criminal Evidence in Context.2nd.ed (2009) Routledge-Cavendish. Raymond Emson. Evidence. 4th.ed. (2008) Palgrave Macmillan Andrew L.Choo. Evidence 2nd.ed. (2009). Oxford University Press. J R Spencer. Hearsay Evidence in Criminal Proceedings. (2008) Hart Publishing. Adrian Keane. The Modern Law Of Evidence.6th.ed (2006) Oxford University Press Maureen & John Spencer. Evidence. Concentrate. (2010) Oxford University Press Tobias Thienel. The Admissibility of Evidence Obtained by Torture under International Law. (2006) The European Journal of International Law. Vol 17. No.2 Robert Munday. Evidence. Core Text Series. (2009) 5th.ed Oxford University Press Colin Tapper. Cross & Tapper on Evidence.(2010) 12th.ed Oxford University Press

Meaning of life †Phrase Essay

Origin: A person seeing a table piled high with sumptuous food has a tendency to get too many and/or too large a portion. Since the problem is brought on by the eyes and a lack of reason, the person is portrayed a one whose eyes are bigger than their stomach. Elephant in the room Meaning: An important and obvious topic, which everyone present is aware of, but which isn’t discussed, as such discussion is considered to be uncomfortable. Origin: The theme of the exhibition was global poverty. By painting the elephant in the same bold pattern as the room’s wallpaper, Banksy emphasized the phrase’s meaning, by both making the elephant even more obvious and by giving those who chose to ignore it (like the woman in the tableau) an opportunity to pretend that it had blended into the wallpaper background. Even at the turning of the tide Meaning: The phrase is used to denote some change from a previously stable course of events. Origin: The phrase comes from Shakespeare’s Henry V where he use turning of the tide in a letter. Ear candy Meaning: Music with an instant appeal but with little lasting significance. Origin: The term may have been in use before 1977, although I can find no references to it in print that predate Reddy’s album title. The term did get picked up though and soon became a generic term for music that was initially attractive but with little lasting substance. Candy is of course what the US calls the confectionery that many parts of the English-speaking world call sweets. The sugary, insubstantial imagery is well suited to these phrases. Excuse my French Meaning: Please forgive my swearing. Origin: A coy phrase used when someone who has used a swear-word attempts to pass it off as French. The coyness comes from the fact the both the speaker and listener are of course both well aware the swear-word is indeed English. F Fair and square Meaning: Honest and straightforward, especially of business dealings. Origin: In the 16th century ‘square’ meant ‘fair and honest’ so ‘fair and square’ is tautological. George Puttenham used that meaning of square in The arte of English poesie, 1589:†[Aristotle] termeth a constant minded man – a square man. â€Å"Francis Bacon’s essay Of Prophecies, 1604 is the first known use of ‘fair and square’: Fast asleep Meaning: soundly asleep. Origin: The ‘fast’ in ‘fast asleep’ derives from the Old German ‘fest’, meaning ‘stuck firmly’; ‘not easily moveable’ – as in ‘stuck fast’. ‘Asleep’ derives from ‘sleep’ in the same way that nautical adverbs like ‘aground’ and ‘astern’ derive from ‘ground’ and ‘stern’. To be ‘fast asleep’ was to be stuck firmly in sleep, analogous to a beached ship being ‘fast aground’. Filthy rich Meaning: Very rich, possibly having become so by unfair means. Origin: The phrase comes from the word â€Å"filthy lucre† means money from dishonorable gain. This was first used as a noun phrase meaning â€Å"rich people; who have become so by dishonorable means† like gambling. Face the music Meaning: Face the truth Origin: Comes from the British military. When someone was court marshaled, there would be a military drum squad playing, hence face the music. The term â€Å"drummed out of the military† came from this practice†¦. From stem to stern Meaning: Thorough, complete. Origin: The very front of a ship is called the stem, the rear is called the stern. From stem to stern includes the entire ship. G Get a leg up Meaning: To get a boost or advantage. Origin: This phrase may incorrectly invoke images of a dog raising its leg. In fact â€Å"Getting a leg up† is from the act of an equestrian receiving help in mounting a horse. The helper would create a foothold by cupping the hands to heft the rider upward, throwing a leg up and over the steed. Get of the wrong foot Meaning: Make a bad start to a project or relationship. Origin: The phrase comes from the idiom â€Å"put your best foot forward. † This means to make a best impression. Despite the implication we only have two choices, so if there’s a wrong foot there has to be a right one too and get off on the right foot is also in common use. Graveyard shift Meaning: A late-night/early-morning work shift. Origin: So they would dig up coffins and would take the bones to a â€Å"bone-house† and reuse the grave. When reopening these coffins, one out of 25 coffins was found to have scratch marks on the inside and they realized they had been burying people alive. So they thought they would tie a string on the wrist of the corpse, lead it through the coffin and up through the ground and tie it to a bell. Someone would have to sit out in the graveyard all night (the â€Å"graveyard shift†) to listen for the bell; thus, someone could be â€Å"saved by the bell† or was considered a â€Å"dead ringer. † Grinning like a Cheshire cat Meaning: Grin broadly. Origin: The phrase comes from the novel â€Å"Alice in Wonderland† where she asked the duchess why the cat grinned. The duchess answered â€Å"Because it’s a Cheshire cat! † ‘I didn’t know that Cheshire cats always grinned; in fact, I didn’t know that cats COULD grin. ‘ ‘They all can,’ say the Duchess; ‘and most of them do. ‘ Good as gold Meaning: Well – behaved and obedient. Origin: When banknotes (known as bills in the USA and some other countries) were first introduced they weren’t considered to be money in the sense we now think of them. They were promissory notes or IOUs. Gold or silver was real money as it had intrinsic value. Notes were just promises to pay in coin. UK banknotes, like those of many other countries, still include messages like this, signed by the Chief Cashier of the Bank of England: ‘I promise to pay the bearer on demand the sum of ten pounds’. So, ‘as good as gold’ ought really to be ‘as genuine as gold’, but the more usual meaning of ‘good’ has taken precedence over the years and left us with the usual meaning of the phrase. H High on the hog Meaning: Extravagantly. Origin: The best meat is on the upper portion of the pig. Rich people have always been afforded this luxury while the servants, slaves and poor have always had to eat pig’s feet, chitterlings, cracklings, etc. – low on the hog. Horse of a different color Meaning: Unlike the subject at hand. Origin: Horses are registered at birth and the registration includes a record of their color. When a horse trades hands due to sale, the registration is also transferred. Sometimes the color recorded on the registration may not match the actual color of the horse leading one to suspect the horse is not the one in the registration. Horses sometimes change color as they age, just as some people’s hair changes color. More likely the horse is not the one represented on the registration but is actually an entirely different horse. Hold your feet to the fire Meaning: To hold one accountable for a commitment, make good on a promise. Origin: Pertains to torture used during the Crusade’s. As a method for extracting confession for heresy, non-believers were positioned in a manner that allowed the inquisitor to apply flames to the feet of the accused. This was done until the accused confessed or died. Head over heels Meaning: Excited, and/or turning cartwheels to demonstrate one’s excitement. Origin: Head over heels’ is now most often used as part of ‘head over heels in love’. When first coined it wasn’t used that way though and referred exclusively to being temporarily the wrong way up. It is one of many similar phrases that we use to describe things that are not in their usual state – ‘upside-down’, ‘topsy-turvy’, ‘topple up tail’, ‘arse over tea-kettle’, ‘bass-backwards’ etc. Hard lines Meaning: Bad luck Origin: Clearly the derivation of ‘hard lines’ is entirely dependent on which line was being referred to when the phrase was coined. There is a reference to lines in the King James Version of the Bible, 1611, and that is the basis of several early citations of ‘hard lines’:Psalms 16:6 The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage.

Protect Our Environment Essay

Losing my future is not like losing an election or a few points on the stock market. I am here to speak for all generations to come. I am here to speak on behalf of the starving children around the world whose cries go unheard. I am here to speak for the countless animals dying across this planet because they have nowhere left to go. We cannot afford to be not heard. I am afraid to go out in the sun now because of the holes in the ozone. I am afraid to breathe the air because I don’t know what chemicals are in it. In my life, I have dreamt of seeing the great herds of wild animals, jungles and rainforests full of birds and butterfilies, but now I wonder if they will even exist for my children to see. All this is happening before our eyes and yet we act as if we have all the time we want and all the solutions. I’m only a child and I don’t have all the solutions, but I want you to realise, neither do you! * You don’t know how to fix the holes in our ozone layer. * You don’t know how to bring salmon back up a dead stream. * You don’t know how to bring back an animal now extinct. And you can’t bring back forests that once grew where there is now desert. If you don’t know how to fix it, please stop breaking it! Here, you may be delegates of your governments, business people, organisers, reporters or poiticians – but really you are mothers and fathers, brothers and sister, aunts and uncles – and all of you are somebody’s child. Ià ¢â‚¬â„¢m only a child yet I know we are all part of a family, five billion strong, in fact, 30 million species strong and we all share the same air, water and soil — borders and governments will never change that. I’m only a child yet I know we are all in this together and should act as one single world towards one single goal. Many people say there is a need to protect the environment, but do not really make any effort to do anything about it. Are you one of these people? What can we do to encourage people to take action to protect the environment? Most people are increasingly aware of the need to protect our environment. Despite this, not many of us are really taking steps to reduce our impact on the planet. In this essay, I will suggest some steps each of us can take and some ways to motivate others to do the same. Many environmental problems seem so big that only governments, local authorities or big companies can deal with them. One example is global warming. We need government action to reduce emissions from coal and oil burning power stations and to develop safer sources of power. These require tough regulations and huge investment. The loss of forests and other habitat is another problem. How can we as individuals stop the destruction of the Amazon or Indonesian rain forests? Yet another example is waste. When people live in cities, they may not be able store or recycle waste, so huge landfills or incinerators are needed. However, as consumers, we are the ones responsible for all these problems. First of all, we all need to consume less power. We need to turn off lights, replace inefficient bulbs with low-power ones, and not leave equipment on standby. Secondly, we need to control our surging populations. Each of us can make a decision regarding family size. This has a huge impact on the size of our cities and the need for food and more agricultural land. In addition, we need to consider eating less meat and more vegetables and fruit, in order to reduce the amount of land needed for meat. Generally, the main step we need to take is to live more simply. We need to reduce our consumption, recycle, and reuse. In conclusion, our choices, however small, do have a real impact. If each of us made took two or three simple steps to live more simply, imagine the positive effect on the planet!

How to answer What are you most passionate about in an interview

How to answer What are you most passionate about in an interview When we’re on the job hunt in search of our next great career opportunity, many of us spend the bulk of our time in prep mode, where we do everything we can to try and get our foot in the door of a company that we want to work for. This includes research to see which companies are hiring, catching up on the latest industry news and trends, and frantic networking to kick open the doors of opportunity. Meanwhile, we’re also polishing our cover letters and resumes until they’re razor-sharp, and- if we’re lucky enough to score an interview- spending an almost embarrassing amount of time thinking about what we’re going to wear to make a perfect impression. Sure, these are positive steps to take and will help you get closer to making your goal a reality. But the truth is, today’s savvy interviewers are looking for more than just walking bulleted lists of skills and accomplishments. They want to make sure they hire well-rounded candidates who are pa ssionate about work and life who will fit well into their company cultures. According to a recent article by Inc., â€Å"†¦ employees who fit well with their organization, coworkers, and supervisor had greater job satisfaction, were more likely to remain with their organization, and showed superior job performance.†Think about it- hiring personnel are going to be bombarded with a blizzard of successful candidates who have the requisite abilities to handle the job effectively. Do you want to be just one more qualified person, or do you want to stand out from the crowd and make a deeper impression?Hopefully, we’ve convinced you that today’s successful job candidates are able to demonstrate what motivates and drives them, and what they’re truly passionate about in life- a question that is increasingly popping up during interviews. The truth is, many candidates (even ones who have prepared intensely) stumble when asked what they’re passionate abou t during interviews. But you don’t have to! Use the following strategies to help you hit a home run when this question comes flying your way.Be honestThe truth is, seasoned hiring managers are great lie detectors and will likely know when you’re telling the truth and when you’re just floundering in an effort to try and make a good impression. Today’s progressive companies often dedicate time, energy, and resources to a variety of helpful humanitarian causes, and if your passions naturally align with theirs then that’s a sign of a great fit. So, if you’re truly passionate about helping orphans in third-world countries or dedicated to ending ocean pollution that’s fantastic, but if you’re just trying to make yourself sound good, chances are it will backfire- especially if you’re asked follow-up questions that you don’t have answers for. Being honest about what you’re passionate about in life, whatever it is, is your best approach, and the right company will appreciate who you are and what moves you.Be boldChances are if you’re asked about what you’re passionate about in life then so are those other qualified candidates, so do what you can to make sure your response stands out. Use bold and genuine language and imagery when discussing your passions, and if you have a compelling story to back it all up, even better. The goal here is to make a strong impression that you’re the sort of person who dedicates 100% of themselves to the things in life that matter to you- an impression that lasts long after the interview is over.Tie it all togetherAs previously mentioned, today’s companies are bolstering their corporate brands by dedicating themselves to all sorts of worthwhile global causes, and if you can show how your passions complement theirs, it’s really going to help you stand out as a potential hire. Also, try to tie your life’s passions to your w ork life, if possible. Show how you’re the sort of person who is naturally driven and motivated by professional challenges, and how work for you is more than just a paycheck. If you can convince interviewers that your passion for your work is undeniable, you’re going to have a much better shot at demonstrating your potential value as a member of their team.If you’re looking to have a stand-out performance during interviews and make a lasting impression, then make sure that your passions- in work and in life- are made clear. Use the advice and strategies presented here to help make that happen, and to ensure that you’re doing your absolute best while on the job hunt. Good luck!

How to Avoid Common Mistakes in English - Good vs. Well

How to Avoid Common Mistakes in English - Good vs. Well Good is often mistakenly used in place of well by both native and non-native speakers. Take a look at the differences between the adjective and adverb form which is certainly one of the most common mistakes in English. The most important distinction is that well describes how someone does something, whereas good is used to describe a noun such as good times, good food, etc. Good or Well Good is an adjective and well is an adverb. Many people, including many native speakers, incorrectly use the adjective form good, rather than the adverb well. Examples: I did good on the test. INCORRECT! - Correct form: I did well on the test.She played the game good. INCORRECT! - Correct form: She played the game well. Use the adjective form good when describing something or someone. In other words, use good when stating how something or someone is. Examples: She is a good tennis player.Tom thinks he is a good listener. Use the adverb form well when describing how something or someone does something. Examples: She did extremely well on the exam.Our parents think we speak English well.

Super size me ( the movie ) written aurgument Essay

Super size me ( the movie ) written aurgument - Essay Example And if he is asked to super size the meal, he has to say yes. Spurlock’s reason for his position is to prove that eating products which are modified such as refined carbohydrates and sugars, products that have preservatives and products which have high calories are harmful to our health and it would complicate our heart, liver, blood and other parts of our body. And most of these products are found in fast food restaurants. He uses this experiment as his means to support his reasons. During Spurlock’s first week of McDonald’s diet he gained 8.5 pounds, which is from 185.5 pounds (Spurlock’s weight before McDonald’s diet) to 194 pounds. During the first week Spurlock was consuming 5000 calories per day which is way above the amount of calories he needs per day which is only 2500 calories. During the second weigh in, Spurlock gained 9 pounds, which is from 194 pounds – 203 pounds. During his third weigh in he lost 1 pound, which is from 203 pou nds – 202 pounds. But his cholesterol levels went up from 165 – 225, his SGOT levels went from 21 – 130 and his SGPT levels went up from 20 - 290. The rapid growth of his cholesterol levels and liver enzymes levels (SGOT/SGPT) made the doctor advice Spurlock to stop his high fat diet before it gets worse. The people who would disagree with Spurlock are the people who are behind the fast food company. The fast food company claims that they are part of the obesity problem but they also claimed that people have the freedom to choose where and what to eat. Fast food restaurants don’t force people to eat their products, but billions are spent on advertising these products. It is on paper, radio, television and internet. Plus they have this must-have-toys and playgrounds which is very inviting to the kids. Spurlock responds to this by letting people have more healthy options. Spurlock visited numerous