Short essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Short - Essay Example In the case of eligibility to get elected to the post, Texas House is far easier than US House to reach. First of all, the minimum age required to be elected to the Texas House is twenty-one years while that of the US House is twenty five years. In addition, while US House requires that a member should be a citizen of United States for the past seven years, for Texas House, it is 2 years. However, in the case of compensation, US House far outreach the Texas House. While the former gives an annual salary of $ 174, 000, the latter offers a meager amount of $ 600 per month, along with a per diem of $ 128, thus totaling to $ 17,920 per year, showing a ten times difference! In addition, other retirements heavily favor US House members In addition, the US House members enjoy a hefty pension, personal staff allowance, expense allowances, foreign travel allowance, and in addition, can make an income from outside employment that does not exceed 15% of their member pay. On the other hand, Texa ns receive a meager sum as salary. In the case of terms of service both seem similar in the fact that both are elected for two year terms and can get elected infinite number of times. However, in the case of Texas legislation, the number of regular session is 140 days to the maximum though the governor calls for special sessions which can go up to a maximum of 30 days (Texas House of Representatives). On the other hand, US House is considered full-time but sessions last six months or more, that starts in January and ends by the end of July. In total, it seems that though the US House members are in full-time job getting huge salaries and other benefits, they remain far away from their constituency, thus being unable to concentrate on the issues affecting the local people. On the other hand, though Texas house members get less salary and other benefits, they get ample opportunity to interact with the people, and thus, playing their role well. I would rather go for Texas House members hip as it gives the satisfaction of public service. 2 Both the Texas legislature and the US Congress are similar to a great extent in their structure, function, election and length of terms. However, a close look will reveal a huge difference in the pay of representatives and nature and duration of sessions. When the structure of both the legislatures is taken into consideration, one can find a lot of similarities, the first one being their bicameral nature. The US Congress is divided into two; the Senate and the House of Representatives with 100 members in the former and 435 members in the latter. Similarly, Texas legislature has a Senate with 31 members and a House of Representatives with 150 members. . One can find a lot of similarities in the nature of elections too. In both the cases, the term of each member is two years and the election to all the posts in the House of Representatives takes place every two years, in even-numbered years. However, there is difference in the elec tion of Senate members. Senate members of the Congress hold their office for six years, but one third of the seats come up for election every two years. On the other hand, the members in the Texas senate are divided into two groups and half of the seats come

Characteristics of Gothic Literature Essay Example for Free

Characteristics of Gothic Literature Essay The Gothic In 1798 an anonymous author published a commentary that revealed exactly how some writers received the Gothic during this time: â€Å" Take—An old castle, half of it ruinous A long gallery, with a great many doors, some secret ones. Three murdered bodies, quite fresh. As many skeletons, in chests and presses. An old woman hanging by the neck; with her throat cut. Assassins and desperadoes, quant. suff. Noises, whispers, and groans, threescore at least. † (1-7) After reading many of the selections in the anthology, I found this poem on a Gothic’s â€Å"recipe† to be quite true (602). However, in the case of this anonymous writer, he considers all of these characteristics to be negative. I, on the other hand, find it very intriguing that this type of novel developed in a time ruled by writers whose main focus was politics and poetry. Many influential writers including Coleridge and Wordsworth criticized the characteristics, morality, purpose, and significance of these novels; however, I believe many of the features they disliked actually broadened the scope of literature. The Gothic novel was often attacked for being too formulaic. Although the specifics of the plot changed from novel to novel, the characteristics were often similar, which is something that is pointed out repeatedly by the Gothic’s critics. The similarities encountered in the characteristics of these novels include the setting, mystery, and characters to name a few. The setting of this type of novel is usually in a castle of sorts, or in some other mysterious place that produces suspense and terror within the reader. Although these settings were often alike, they â€Å"exist to convey the atmosphere† and are used â€Å"for ends that are fundamentally psychological† (Hume 286). This characteristic is one that set up the entire feeling of the novel, one of suspense, horror, and mystery. The setting of various novels was not uniform because it was the easy or obvious choice like many critics believed, but because it created a certain atmosphere that was needed for the plot. If the story had been set on a sunny beach, the atmosphere would have been much different and the reader would not get the same affect. Like the settings, the mysteries that develop within Gothic novels are usually somewhat similar. From what I have come across, many include a murder or deep, dark secret that is unraveled by an ordinary person. While this may support Wordsworth’s claim that these novels are â€Å"sickly and stupid German tragedies† because of their straightforward plot, I find them to be quite interesting (266). These mysteries create suspense, and were the first â€Å"page-turners† that were ever written. Readers no longer had to decipher long and complicated meanings from pieces such as the â€Å"Lucy Gray† poems; instead, they could sit back, relax, and enjoy these novels that created an escape into a mysterious world. Another piece of the â€Å"formula† that was important to the genre were the characters that were used throughout the novels. The characters were often simple people who were thrown into a situation that required extraordinary actions. While the simplicity of the characters was often criticized by writers who considered themselves to be â€Å"high culture,† these characters had the ability to â€Å"involve the reader in special circumstances† (Hume 286). Unlike the pieces that came before them, the Gothic novel had the capacity to draw the reader in, and put them in the shoes of the main character. For me, it was very hard to feel for the personas in earlier poems that we came across. I think the main reason for this is that the characters tended to be somewhat generic, but interesting. They allowed for anyone to understand the character and immerse themselves within the character’s thoughts. They also allowed for people to sink in to a particular character and feel the terror that they were feeling. Another aspect of the Gothic that was often called into question was the morality of the characters and authors. There are many instances in which these novels incorporated grotesque scenes that included rape and murder among many other things. In The Monk by Matthew Lewis the main character, Ambrosia, is a virtuous and ethical man who seduced by the demon Matilda. In one scene â€Å"his desires were raised to that frantic height by which brutes are agitated†¦ and [he] hastily proceeded to tear off those garments which impeded the gratification of his lust† (598). Ambrosia is obviously an immoral character, and he is criticized for not being so. To me, it seems like critics were getting to the point where they were trying to find anything and everything to criticize about the Gothic novel. While this genre may involve some unseemly characters, they are needed in order to create an interesting plot. Having some sort of villain is necessary in any type of writing that has a mystery or murder involved. Without villains, we cannot have heroes, and both are very important aspects of literature. Coleridge, for example, not only attacked The Monk as a novel but also attacked Lewis as a person for having the ability to create such an immoral character. He believed that â€Å"the merit of a novelist is in proportion†¦ to the pleasurable effect which he produces (604). I highly disagree with this statement because I believe controversy affects change, and change is needed in order to forward society. Novelists and poets were no longer writing poems that had the sole purpose of making a person feel good or empowered; instead, they were writing for entertainment. Also, many of the writers before The Monk addressed political issues that were not considered pleasurable, but controversial and hard to confront. Coleridge’s statement seems to contradict everything that literature stands for. Authors and the literature they create are unpleasant at times, and that is not wrong—it is merely a necessity for the forward movement of society and evolution of literature. Another important issue to address when it comes to these novels is their specific purpose. It seems that every literary movement in history had some sort of motive or driving force behind them. For the Gothic, this driving force or purpose seems to be to induce terror while entertaining. Before this movement, we never really encountered works of literature that were straightforward, suspenseful, and enjoyable all at the same time. In an essay by Aikin and Aikin, they claimed that people would â€Å"rather chuse to suffer the smart pang of a violent emotion than the uneasy craving of an unsatisfied desire† (584). By this, they mean that terror is pleasurable, and that is exactly what these novels delivered to their readers. It was not an emotion that was regularly produced when readers came into contact with the typical works of this time. For a piece of literature to induce such error was something novel and interesting that affected many of their readers. Because terror is an emotion that is hard to come by, these novels were, like I said, an escape for readers. Terror is not something that a person wants to encounter in their real life, but is something they can enjoy and acquire through reading these novels. Their purpose was not to confuse the reader with complicated meanings full of allusions. Instead, these terrifying novels have the ability to â€Å"render the poorest and most insipid narrative interesting when once we get fairly into it† (584). Although many of the authors of Gothic novels may not have been the best composers compared to standards during this time, they were still able to draw in a huge audience because they gave the people what they wanted. I would not consider the narratives â€Å"insipid,† but compared to the works that came before them, they were much simpler and used language that was not considered to be as articulate. This simplicity that is encountered when reading a piece of Gothic work, though criticized, says much about how society was changing during this time. These novels significantly altered the way in which literature was composed and whom it was available to. Instead of being read by the elite few, it was accessible to pretty much anyone who could read. During this time, the percent of literate people was rising rapidly, especially in the middle class. These books appealed to these people, and sold millions upon millions of copies because of this. I think that much of the distaste that so-called â€Å"high culture† writers had for these novels is because of their success. They were extremely popular, more so than the most popular of the poets during this time. For example, Wordsworth was said to be a commercialized version of â€Å"real† poetry because it was easier to understand than many other pieces out during this time. However, he never even came close to selling as many copies of Lyrical Ballads as the Gothic writers did with their own works. For Wordsworth to criticize a genre that feeds off of the readers’ ability to comprehend seems to be extremely hypocritical of him. Also, I think that when something appeals to the masses, it is a good thing. Change cannot occur unless everyone is on the same page, and that is what the Gothic provided to the people. Finally, I would like to confront just how significant this movement is to the literature we have today. This was the first time we encounter a genre that is similar to the types of genres we see today. The Gothic genre was criticized because the novels were too alike—but that is exactly what a genre is, according to today’s standards. One could argue that the novels that are published today are not of the same caliber as novels published 50, 100, or 200 years ago. And maybe that is true, but is it necessarily bad? In my opinion, having novels that are more accessible to more people makes for a better, more unified society. Having works of literature that are too complicated, wordy, or abstract leads to more ambiguity, and eventually creates a divide among social classes. I am not saying that all written works should be easy to understand, but I do think that the Gothic novel was the first in a wave of works of literature that helped society grow more literate. Finally, scholars and everyday people were able to read and talk about the same kinds of things. Although scholars who thought they were better writers were constantly criticizing it, they could not appeal to the masses. Gothic literature had the ability to do this, and you can still see its influence in novels on shelves today. It has a definite place in literary history, and should not be overlooked. It may not have had the deepest plots or the most complicated characters, but the genre had an impact during the 18th century, and continues to have an impact today.

The Causes Of The Civil War Essay -- essays research papers

"The tragic ‘fireball in the night’ imagined by Jefferson had finally rung. The Missouri Compromise had failed. Proslavery and antislavery civilians clashed in the streets and took up arms. Thousands of Northerners were willing to die for their beliefs. The Civil War had begun. The states were at war with each other." This dividing battle between the North and the South was unavoidable. The Civil War was caused by economic, political and moral problems. It all started by an alarming increase in a need for cotton, which triggered the building of a barrier between two territories in a growing nation. New Machinery was changing the textile industry in New England and Britain. These mills needed more and more cotton, creating a new demand in the south. For this trade with Europe, after 1812, raw cotton accounted for one-third all cotton exports of the United States. By 1830, it increased to half. Cotton quickly became a big money-making cash crop for the South and North economy alike. But the demand also revived the need for slaves. The plantations had to be worked, and blacks were a cheap, efficient way to get the cotton picked. To make their jobs easier, Eli Whitney took advantage of the new idea, and invented the cotton gin(short for engine). It rapidly cleaned the seeds from the short, sticky fibers of upland cotton, the variety that grew all over the South. The process was simple: a roller carried raw cotton along wooden slats. Sharp metal teeth thrust through the slats and quickly pulled the fibers from the seeds. In 1794, he obtained a patent. Whitney still earned little because it was simple enough for manufacturers to copy. Even though the machine made attaining cotton faster, slaves were still pushed to work harder and produce more. Blacks under captivity certainly led a harsh, unfair life. But that is where the white southerners believed blacks belonged. Northerners knew better. Harriet Beecher-Stowe, a female, black abolitionist was aware of these conditions. She wrote Uncle Tom’s Cabin, which was published in 1852, and described the incredible cruelty and horrors of slavery. Stowe wanted to "write something that would make the whole nation feel what an accursed thing slavery is." Her novel became widely popular, and within a year, readers had bought 300,000 copies. Wherever it went, it ... ...opular sovereignty was also put into effect. This act gave the voters, in each territory, the right to decide whether to become a free state or a slave state. Together, they rendered the Missouri Compromise meaningless. As the South’s dependence on slavery increased between 1790 and 1860, the gap between the Southern cotton economy and industrial economy of the North widened. The opposing goals and needs of the North and South created a deeper conflict- a conflict that eventually lead to war. Basically, the North fought to keep the union together, and give black slaves freedom, while the South fought for their lifestyle, homes, and to keep things together economically. The northerners had high moral issues while the Southerners wanted to keep their plantations and cotton production. They weren’t willing to give up there slaves. There were too many conflicts between the two territories, so they fought to resolve them. John Brown, a vengeful abolitionist put it best, "the crimes of this guilty land will never be purged away, but with blood". The north won the war, and ties were broken. The barrier they had started to build so long ago finally crumbled.

Contrasting Views of bell hooks and Toni Morrison :: comparison compare contrast essays

Contrasting Views of bell hooks and Toni Morrison Even though people might have similar backgrounds it doesn't mean that they share the same opinions. This is evident in the works of bell hooks and Toni Morrison. bell hooks article mainly deals with the concept of racism and feminism. Her article looks at the movie about her people in a negative light. The other articles by Toni Morrison look at life and what it holds in a positive light. From the different works, I sense that bell hooks looks at the world with pessimism and Toni Morrison views the world with optimism. Toni Morrison feels that everybody is equal and the same. While bell hooks feels that everybody is not equal. From her opinions of female black woman you sense that she feels that life is not fare. On the other hand Toni Morrison's work makes her seem like a person who thinks that you make the best with what you are given. Authors make many choices when they write. These choices give authors the uniqueness that they share from their counterparts. Many authors use different writing techniques to portray their point. Others take different views or opinions to portray their ideas on paper. However authors do use similar styles and opinions to portray their ideas in writing. In the works of Toni Morrison and bell hooks many similarities and differences can be drawn from their writings. Both authors come from similar backgrounds, Black middle aged females. Their background provides them with many bizarre and extraordinary beliefs that are uncommon to most Americans. The article "Sorrowful Black Death is not a hot ticket" was written by bell hooks to discuss the image of Black families portrayed by Hollywood. In particular she discusses the image of the Black family in Spike Lee's movie Crooklyn. The first point that bell hooks makes about Spike Lee's portrayal of Black families is his depiction of the black female child. In his movie Troy, a ten-year-old girl is put in the role of "mini-matriarch because her mother is sick and dying requires of Troy that she relinquish all concern with pleasure and play, that she repress desire"(p.

Popul Vuh

There are many stories that talk about the creation of the earth and have been passed from generation to generation. However, each culture and each region has its own stories about the creation. They are unique in some way but still share the same themes that are universal to many civilizations. Almost all the themes talk about how we and everything on earth were created or how the universe and humanity developed. Two of the most popular creation stories are the Book of Genesis and the Popol Vuh.While the Genesis and Popol Vuh are different in the way God created iving things and their explanation of creation, their similarities are important because they tell us how everything come from and the people's belief in Gods. First of all, the Genesis creation myth is known as one part of the Hebrew Bible that explains how God created human and living things. Therefore, their entire traditional stories seem as the views of a monotheistic world, praising one, all-perfect deity.Genesis focus es mainly on the relationship between God and humans beings in the earth. While the Popol Vuh is one of the Maya creation stories and also showed the perspectives of a polytheistic culture, believing and living under various Gods. In this story, the Gods tried to create something that would praise them and thanks to them. In Genesis myth, God created man and woman to live and love each other. However, one strict rule that Gods did not want them to violate was not to eat an apple from the Tree of Knowledge in the Garden of Eden. Of every tree in the garden thou mayest freely eat: but one of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou halt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. † (Genesis 67). Meanwhile, in the Popol Vuh, Gods did not create human at first. Instead, they created animals first and then they created mud people and wood people secondly. Gods finally created humans who made from the corn and have the shape exactly like wha t human nowadays beings. Unfortunately, in both stories, the creation did not satisfy their creators. They did mistake and fail to meet the Gods' expectations.For the Genesis, Adam and Eve were nticed by a serpent and ate the fruit anyway even though they were warned before by the God. Feeling angry from their mistake, God forced them out of the Garden and began to be multiplied and full-filled in the earth. From another part of the Genesis, God was unhappy from what he created because the humans at that time were very greedy and did not follow God's expectations. Therefore, he created a great flood on the earth, destroying everything and killing everyone from this flood. â€Å"l will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth,†¦ or it repenteth me that I have made them. (Genesis 70). In contrast, in the Popol Vuh, when animals, mud people and wood people could not reach Gods ‘expectations because they did not praise the creators as they wanted them to do . Therefore, Gods made a flood to kill all the mud and wood people. â€Å"The manikins, woodcarvings were killed when the Heart of Sky devised a flood for them. † (Popol Vuh 82). While God in Genesis gave humans a second chance to live by saving life for Noah's family after destroying everything, Gods in Popol Vuh began to create the corn people after a flood to serve for their desire because they could praise the Gods and did everything that they wanted. as created and how it was ended. Gods in both stories created humans on the earth, gave them food and shelters but also destroyed humans by a great flood as a symbol of their anger when they failed to their expectations. One more similarity between two stories that all Gods were selfish and being scared when people gain too much knowledge. For example, in the Genesis, God did not want Adam and Eve at the forbidden fruit because they will know everything about the nature as the Gods were doing.While in the Popol Vuh, when the Gods saw the corn people were very intelligent and perfect after created, so they felt threatened by the corn people as they would be more powerful than them. miet they'll become as great as gods, unless they procreate, proliferate at the sowing, the dawning, unless they increase. † (Popol Vuh 85). In order to solve this problem, Gods took away some In conclusion, even though the Book of Genesis and the Popol Vuh were written by wo different cultures, they also have some similarities in general such as the creation of the flood and human's knowledge.However, their myths were also different in some way. For the Genesis, God Just wanted people to live happily and healthily on the earth while the Gods in the Popol Vuh stories want people to praise for their merit and keep their day together. Therefore, as we can see that the differences between two stories are very important because they showed us how different cultures and regions affect human's life and thinking about their cr eation.

Product Innovation

Product Innovation Salient features of the product for innovation emphasized on the continuously changing market needs and trends in the market. The trends identified the need to implement an innovation strategy on Rexona which had been a leading bathing soap and household brand for many years.Advertising We will write a custom thesis sample on Product Innovation specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Due to the changing times, need, customer behavior, and substitute products, the first phase of innovation on Rexona commenced. Emphasis was on the kind of soap that addressed the problem of an oduor due to sweating, a problem associated with different physical and psychological effects. The parameters included According to the article Innovation Zen (2006), a radical innovation made the toilet soap unique and synonymous with household use. Unique characteristic features of the soap, a common toilet soap, included an attractive smell and ability to maintain that status for a number of hours in addition to other extras. According to Innovation Zen (2006), an innovative approach on the product included analyzing the chemical characteristics of the soap and technologies available to address those concerns. Chemical Researched Scientific research was conducted to bring to light the chemical processes involved when human beings sweated with an emphasis on the type of sweat involved and the chemical composition of the sweat. According to Innovation Zen (2006), human beings responded to two kinds of sweat, sweat due to stress or anxiety and sweat due to emotional stress. According to Innovation Zen (2006) Rexona, a popular soap and household name synonymous with bathing was innovated along the line of the different types if human sweat. Modular and radical approaches to innovation were used in undertaking the innovation on the deodorant article (Innovation 2010). The article Innovation (2010) asserts that research findings pointed to the arms and hands as the specific sources of the unpleasant smell. In addition to that Information and previous knowledge on the deodorant was collected and analyzed to identify various stages of product improvement in relation to research findings on the sweating of the body and the available technology to develop and innovate the deodorant. According to Innovation (2010), technology was readily available and an innovative approach to product development commenced. This included developing an anti-perspiring chemical formulated in the house hold soap. The micro-capsules formulated into the innovation acted by blocking instant and long term chemical perspiration reactions which could result in unpleasant odours. This could in the end make the user feel fresh for a long time.Advertising Looking for thesis on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More According to Innovation (2010) â€Å"Our Rexona deodorant uses body- responsive micro-capsule technology that kicks in when it’s needed most, giving people the confidence to face the days more stressful situations.† This innovative approach was supported by scientific formulations and relevant technology to address instant or long term perspirations. However the innovation has been incremental based on market needs and changing trends in addressing customer needs, tastes, preferences while remaining competitive in the market over the years. According to Innovation (2010) the innovative approach could impact well on the personal needs of individuals who use the deodorant in their homes. The Market Today According to Timeline (n.d) the soap was developed back in 1899 and has undergone successive innovation till today. Currently the deodorant has been innovated to address scents varying from silver ice to extreme scents as critical needs in the market toady. References Innovation. (2010). Intelligent Deodorant. Web. Innovation Zen.(2006). H enderson – Clark Model. Web. Timeline.(n.d). Web.

Business leadership and Ethics Essay Example

Business leadership and Ethics Essay Example Business leadership and Ethics Paper Business leadership and Ethics Paper Business leadership has the created the image of unethical behavior. It has become evident that corporate scandals, massive layoffs, and inflated executive bonuses have tarnished the perception of corporate America. In order to change perception businesses need to mend relationships with their customers, employees, and other stakeholders. According to Howard Gardner, a Harvard University psychologist, individuals need to use a combination of their five minds. Those minds include the disciplined mind, the synthesizing mind, the creating mind, the respectful mind, and the ethical mind. The five minds need to be cultivated if we are to thrive as individuals, members of a community, and as human beings (Gardner 2007). The discipline mind is what we gain through applying ourselves in a disciplined way in school. Over time we and with sufficient training we gain expertise in more than one field. We become technical experts in such fields as project management, accounting, music, and dentistry. To do anything well we need discipline (McLemore 2003). The synthesizing mind helps us survey a wide range of sources, decide what is important and worth paying attention to, and weave this information together in a coherent fashion for oneself and others (Gardner 2007). In a world where people are flooded with information, the key is what to learn and what information to disregard. By knowing the contents of codes that apply directly to you will help you understand the deeper issues before others ((McLemore 2003). The creating mind casts about for new ideas and practices, innovates, takes chances, discovers. While each of these minds has long been valuable, all of them are essential in an era when we are deluged by information and when anything that can be automated will be (Gardner 2007). The respectful mind is the kind of open mind that tries to understand and form relationships with other human beings. A person with a respectful mind enjoys being exposed to different types of people. While, not forgiving of all, they give the benefit of the doubt (Gardner 2007). This is especially important in today’s society with the diverse workforce. Without having a respectful mind you are subjective to ethical dilemmas (McLemore 2003). The ethical mind broadens respect for others into something more abstract. It is about realizing your role and responsibilities, in a profession and as a citizen. With an ethical mind you need to be self aware. The ethics of a corporation can be threatening the environment of a business. When a company values money and success over all other priorities then individuals have the little incentive to be honest. Thus, creating the nice guys finish last mentality (McLemore 2003). In an era when workers are overwhelmed by too much information and feel pressured to win at all costs its easy to lose ones way. When employees are in an ethical dilemma they look to leaders for cues as to whats appropriate and whats not. If the leaders are not standing up to ethical pressures then their employees won’t either. In order to create an ethical environment you must believe that retaining an ethical compass is essential to the health of your organization. Then you must state your ethical beliefs and stick to them. You should also test yourself rigorously to make sure youre adhering to your values, take time to reflect on your beliefs, find multiple mentors who arent afraid to speak truth to your power, and confront others egregious behavior as soon as it arises. In the end, Gardner believes, the world hangs in the balance between right and wrong, good and bad, success and disaster. You need to decide which side youre on: he concludes, and do the right thing† (Gardner 2007). References Gardner, H. (2007). The ethical mind. Harvard Business Review, 1, 1-7. McLemore, C. (2003). Streetsmart ethics. Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press.