Warwick Castle Essay Example

Warwick Castle Essay Example Warwick Castle Essay Warwick Castle Essay Warwick Castle Robert Craven and Stuart Chambers Warwick Castle the finest mediaeval castle in England. INTRODUCTION The Stratford-on-Avon and District Hotels and Caterers Association (SCATA) publishes a brochure which has described the Castle as follows; â€Å"This magnificent ancient Castle, situated at the very centre of England, is a treasure house of great beauty and splendid, rare quality collections of pictures, furniture, furnishings and an outstanding collection of arms and armour which bear witness to the power and influence of the Earls of Warwick down through the centuries. The beautiful grounds landscaped by Capability Brown, where peacocks roam freely, are a delight in all seasons. . . Excellent catering facilities are available all year round to suit every pocket and disposition, as well as several gift shops† Warwick Castle is less than two hours by road from London with easy access from all major cities by motorway, road and rail. This excellent infrastructure allows the area to be part of the itinerary of any visitor to the UK. The County of Warwickshire is lyrically described in the SCATA brochure: â€Å"Stratford-an-Avon and Shakespeares Country. When you think of England, and the very best of England, you are probably thinking about this fascinating region. Here in this most English of English landscapes, the broad rolling sweep of the Cotswolds, the classic half-timbered villages of the Vale of Evesham and leafy Warwickshire, there is an unparalleled variety of attractions. The birthplace of the worlds greatest dramatist, William Shakespeare; the finest mediaeval Castle and most-visited stately home at Warwick; Englands most magnificent palace at Blenheim; and the worlds most famous theatre in Stratford† THE CASTLE The Castle is part of the Tussauds Group, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Pearson plc, which also owns the Financial Times Group and Royal Doulton among other varied interests. The Tussauds Group runs entertainment centres that include: Madame Tussauds, the famous waxworks in Baker Street, London; the London Planetarium and Laserium; the Royalty and Empire Exhibition at Windsor; Alton Towers, the UKs only world-rated leisure park; and Chessington World of Adventures and Zoo. The Castles General Manager, Martin Westwood, works in the stately home, from a majestic suite of offices overlooking the grounds. He is enthusiastic about the Castle both as a building steeped in history and as a business. In the relaxed atmosphere of his office, where he is surrounded by portraits and old paintings of the Castle, he refers to it as a brand leader in stately homes for it is in the top five most visited historic sites that charge entry fees (see Table 1). Table 1 Historic sites attracting more than 300,000 paid admissions 1 Tower of London 2 Roman Baths and Pump Room, Bath 3 State Apartments, Windsor 4 Stonehenge, Wiltshire 5 Warwick Castle 6 Shakespeares Birthplace, Stratford 7 Leeds Castle, Kent 8 Hampton Court Palace, near London 9 Tower Bridge, London 10 Blenheim Palace, Wood stock, Oxford 11 Beaulieu, Hampshire 12 Cutty Sark, Greenwich, London 13 St Georges Chapel, Windsor 14 Anne Hathaways Cottage, Stratford 15 HMS Victory, Portsmouth 16 Mary Rose, Portsmouth 17 Royal Pavilion, Brighton 18 Chatsworth House, Derbyshire 19 Hever Castle, Kent 20 Fountains Abbey, North Yorks. Paid admissions (000s) 2298 950 855 703 685 604 540 525 528 517 493 411 372 365 340 333 314 306 303 300 As you pass through the ticket office from the large car park you catch your first view of the Castle. The view truly takes your breath away and fully warrants the description given by Sir Walter Scott in 1828: the most noble sight in England. MARKETING Marketing Manager, Sarah Montgomery, is another enthusiast of the outstanding beauty of the Castle. Discussing the marketing of the business she considers that the Castles unique selling point must be that carried on all the promotional material: Warwick Castle the finest mediaeval castle in England. But she does not discount the Castles unique state of preservation, the breadth of attractions it offers, its location on the banks of the River Avon or its thousand-year span of history. In the year 1068 the first castle was built at Warwick and since that time it slowly developed into a mighty stronghold and later a grand mansion befitting the station of a high ranking nobleman. . In November 1978 the present Earl sold Warwick Castle and its contents to Madame Tussauds of London. The Castles marketing team recognised that the Castle attracted a diverse audience, each segment of which wanted different things from a visit. So in targeting audiences the team had to decide whether it was trying to sell the Castle aspect, the stately home aspect or the gardens. It was felt that all thre e areas attracted different audiences and conjured up different expectations. Research had established that from the publics point of view castles were not associated with grounds and formal gardens, and neither were they associated with the notion of being someones home. On the other hand, stately homes were associated with grounds and gardens but were felt to be formal and museum-like, with ropes keeping the public away from the interesting areas. So, was the most visited Stately Home in Britain really a castle, or was the Castle also a stately home? This conundrum had to be solved. The Castle management has a deliberate policy of charging one overall admission charge for all areas of the Castle and Grounds open to visitors. In the past they had considered charging separate admission prices for the Castle and the Grounds but this, it was felt, would confuse the customer. (See Figure 1 for price and attraction details. ) The Castle regularly has detailed market research questionnaires compiled by an outside company. Sarah said that market research is taken very seriously by the team: â€Å"On average, overseas visitors represent 42 per cent of the total. Twenty-five per cent of our customers seem to come in groups of greater than 20 and these groups are predominantly from overseas. On the other hand, 58 per cent of visitors come from the UK, of which roughly half come from within a 100 km radius of the site. Another interesting point is that 25 per cent of all customers are repeat visitors which we feel reflects the popularity of the Castle. With UK visitors 33 per cent are repeats. Of the nonlocals, that is UK residents from outside the 100 km radius, 78 per cent stay overnight in the area and the remainder have travelled over 100 km to visit the area for the day. With the recent opening of the M 40 motorway into London (approximately180 km} it is felt that travel time may be a more important factor to consider than distance travelled in kilometres† Figure 1 Admission Rates and attractions at Warwick Castle The data are collected over a period of days, and the market research reports sent to Sarah include not only the profile of visitors but what parts of the Castle they visit. The popularity of various parts of the complex varies according to how busy the site is. For instance, on a quiet day 87 per cent might visit the Private Apartments, but on a busy day this igure drops to 68 per cent. Likewise, during one such busy period, the visitors to the Woodland Gardens increased from 17 per cent to 20 per cent, to the Mound from 46 per cent to 52 per cent, and to the River Island from 34 per cent to 40 per cent. On average, visitors stayed on the site for three hours. Coach parties tended to visit for three hours, probably because the Castle was part of a full-day, tightly scheduled excursion that included other nearby tourist attractions. Competition for the paying tourists disposable cash was quite fierce in the area, it was felt. Other sites competing for the leisure pound were the Black Country Museum, Drayton Manor (Adventure) Park, West Midlands Safari Park, Cadbury World, Blenheim Palace, Alton Towers Theme Park, Ironbridge, Stratford’s Shakespeare and Chatsworth House in Derbyshire. In the Undercroft Restaurant marketing researchers overheard an elderly professor in conversation with a friend he had encountered in the Castle grounds: â€Å"I came early in the morning to avoid the rush. Any major historic tourist site is going to be heaving by midday in the summer and personally I hate all the queuing and tourists with cameras and all that. I got here at about 10 a. m. when the place opened this morning. I was able to enjoy the pure magic of the building with relatively few other people around. By lunch-time the queues were what I felt to be unreasonably long, but it is August and this must surely be their peak time here. I do wonder, for instance, should they not encourage more visitors out of season and what about allowing people to visit early morning or in the evening to avoid the lunch-time crush? † MANAGING DEMAND Warwick Castle brochures show a wide variety of activities that supplement turnover outside the peak season. According to Sarah, this literature was intended to push up the shoulders of demand: Every Friday and Saturday evening the Undercroft provides the setting for splendid five-course mediaeval banquets recreating the eve of the Battle of Agincourt. . A special events calendar has been published (see Figure 2). The Warwick Arts Festival uses the Castle as a venue in the evenings for a week in July. Exclusive tours of the Castle, and separately of the Gardens, are run by experts for pre-booked groups. These are available during the periods October to March, and March to November respectively, except during school half-term holidays and bank holidays. As a profit centre for the Pearson Group, the Castle is given targets that increase at a rate exceeding inflation. From these, prices are derived based on product developments, the prices that competitors are charging and known external factors that may affect demand (such as exchange rates and elections! ). The Castle expected between 700,000 and 800,000 visitors in the next year and profit projections were made based on these estimates. All catering facilities are run by the Castle, recognising franchising to another company would result in lost control and reduce potential to participate in profitable activities. Martin Westwood commented on fluctuations in demand: â€Å"Staffing varies relatively little with demand. It is felt that once the basic positions around the Castle are attended by staff, there is little that an additional staff member can provide. Winter weekends attract more visitors than winter weekdays, such that Saturday and Sunday combined turnover is the same as the other five days of the week put together. In summer things are more even, a Saturday or a Sunday being equivalent to two weekdays, although Sunday is usually busier than Saturday† Figure 2 Warwick castle Special Events Calendar BUSINESS OBJECTIVES Martin is clear that the Castles prime objective is to achieve growth in earnings per share for its shareholders. At the same time he emphasizes the sense of responsibility the management feels as custodians of this precious monument to work within it and use integrity and sensitivity at all times. Hence all signs, directions and facilities take a very low profile. Flashing neon lights are not the order of the day! Sarah Montgomery commented on the need to underplay the commercial side of the organisation: â€Å"Coca-Cola have offered us a sponsorship deal. They will give us money for a particular project which will increase our revenue and also the number of visitors we are getting. The problem is that Coke is the epitome of youth and fizz while the Castles target market is adults ABC 1, average age somewhere around 45! So how do we pull this deal together? † It is the integrity of the business in which the management take pride. It is not any business site but a very special building that is loved and cherished by the staff. Their constant concern is how to run a business from the Castle without destroying the charm and romance of the buildings, and without covering it with obtrusive signs and facilities. All staff are very polite and courteous and, though they are available to the public, tend not to interfere with the customers visit. In fact they blend in with visitors as they wear little that suggests they are actually staff. And when the Castle is relatively empty of visitors it has a really enchanting atmosphere. PERFORMANCE Evaluation of the performance of the business has difficulties. On the one hand, queues are an obvious problem (see Table 2) but then the customers do not seem to mind too much! Above all, the business is going from strength to strength, and achieving healthy profit performance. So, while the criticisms have to be noted, management has been achieving the high returns and growth that the shareholders require. Table 2 Observations of queuing and flow, Tuesday afternoon Queue to Private Apartments (number of people) 1. 00pm 130 1. 20 147 1. 40 128 2. 00 153 2. 20 132 2. 40 119 3. 00 137 Flow through doors to Private Apartments (number of people) 1. 00-1. 20 104 1. 20-1. 40 113 1. 40-2. 0 107 Flow from Private Apartments and State Rooms (number of people) 1. 00-1. 20 127 1. 20-1. 40 117 1. 40-2. 00 121 Queue to Rampart Walk 0-20 people at anyone time Number of people entering Rampart Walk 1. 40-1. 50 174 Queue at top of ramparts to get down (number of people) 6 minutes 63 Martin Westwood was defensive on the question of queues: â€Å"What popular to urist attraction doesnt have queues, and in any case, the queues here move pretty quickly. If we get queues for one part of the Castle we simply put out a sign suggesting people move on to the next attraction, although, to be frank, that doesnt really work. You see, the trouble is, that once people see a queue they dont want to miss out so they still join on the end of it. Our marketing questionnaires (see Appendix 1) suggest that weve got the operation about right, but theres always room for some improvement† The Professor in the Undercroft Restaurant had raised several issues connected with this: â€Å"The Castle really is in a unique condition of preservation. Its truly marvellous but I wouldnt seriously consider visiting it in the peak season. I just happen to be in the area because were going over to Stratford tonight to see Twelfth Night at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre. Im really looking forward to it! I wonder why they dont have off-peak rates for those not visiting around midday and maybe open earlier and close later. I would be more than happy to spend more time on the site if it werent for all the other tourists everywhere. And another thing, couldnt they do a package deal with the theatre at Stratford? Im sure a lot of visitors here also go there. In fact, I would pay a premium price to have the Castle almost to myself. For instance, Id find it simply delightful to sip a Pimms or a gin and tonic in the grounds as the sun went down. I know that I am rambling but I am sure theres a way to re-jig the prices so that the site basically generates more income throughout the year. And even if you say they do things out of season Ive not heard about them, so whats the use of publicity if it doesnt reach the people that want to spend money? † Sarah Montgomery, mindful of the need to keep a close eye on customers diverse requirements, often talked to individuals at the exit. A transcript of one such encounter is reproduced in Appendix 2. APPENDIX 1 MARKETING QUESTIONNAIRE OF RANDOM SAMPLE OF PEOPLE LEAVING WARWICK CASTLE Age range 0-5 6-15 16-25 26-35 36-45 46-55 56-65 66+ 7 37 27 25 34 17 20 33 Area of origination Local (within 100 km) UK (outside 100 km) Europe (excl. UK) USA/Canada S. America Australia Africa Asia Other/unspecified Length of stay in area Day trip 1-3 days 4-7 days 8+ days Method of transport Coach trip Own transport Hire car Public transport Other (bicycles etc. ) 37 27 25 47 3 11 5 14 2 96 50 13 5 96 74 31 20 12 Did you find that you had to queue very much? Yes 186 No 12 No comment 2 Did you feel that the queues were the same as other large tourist sites? Same 190 Better 4 Worse 6 Did you visit? State Rooms and Great Hall The Private Apartments The Watergate (Ghost) Tower The Armory The Dungeon The Torture Chamber The Gatehouse and Barbican 191 190 31 104 193 183 87 Guys Tower, the Rampart Walk and Clarence Tower The Victorian Rose Garden The Peacock Gardens The Conservatory The River Island Foxes Study and Cedar Walk Pageant Field The Mound Refreshment Stall Stables Restaurant and Tearoom Undercroft Restaurant The Bookshop Did you.. .? Bring your own picnic Did you see the Red Knight Did you buy a brochure How long have you spent at the Castle? hours Is this your first visit? Yes No Would you visit again? Yes No Maybe Dont know 186 103 117 102 57 31 101 54 118 52 71 62 32 81 99 5 67 75 37 16 148 52 144 31 23 2 APPENDIX 2 TRANSCRIPT OF A CONVERSATION WITH A VISITOR Christabelle Trymko, Oldbury-on-Severn, Gloucester We got here at about midday. We came up for the day from Gloucestershire. It was quite a good trip and the kids behaved t hemselves in the car. We had heard a lot about the Castle from some friends who have just moved up to Stratford, which is just down the road from Warwick. The Castles in superb condition! You dont know what its going to be like until you get past the ticket office and it really is amazing. It has been kept in impeccable condition, and the gardens are beautiful as well as being far less crowded than the Castle. There were too many people in and around the Castle. The queues were an irritation but I parked my husband in the queue and took the kids elsewhere until he was near the front and then we joined him. I think a few people got upset because we seemed to be pushing in, but Im not prepared to wait with three children in long queues in the sun. Mind you, its nothing like the queues at Madame Tussauds in London, they really are crazy. I didnt realise quite how big the grounds were. If I had known I think we would have spent longer at Warwick Castle and made a full day of it. We should have come here at about ten and then spent the whole day here. That way the queues inside the Castle would have been shorter for us. The grounds are lovely and theyve got special picnic areas which I thought was a nice idea. (I wish wed brought a picnic. ) Mind you, it does seem to be more than a bit light on entertainment for the kids. Nicky loved the man with the wonderful moustache dressed up in full Crusader uniform on the horse. He was very good with the kids. Nicky also liked the waxworks in the Private Apartments place. The queue wound its way up, down and around the place but apart from mild feelings of claustrophobia (thats my problem, I suppose) it went at about the right speed and I guess it lasted a bit under an hour. Oh yes, the Ra mpart Walk, they ought to warn you about just how many stairs you have to climb. I mean, I know there is a sign but you dont take it seriously, do you! You go up and up and then theres that great spiral staircase up the inside of that tower, I wont do that again in a rush! But it was worth it for the view. All in all it was a good day. More interesting than the average castle and not full of the usual touristoriented rubbish associated with tourist attractions. The commercial side is very much underplayed and I like that. You dont feel obliged to buy ice creams and tee-shirts and pencils and tea towels. Maybe some of the signs were a bit too discreet we had to ask where the toilets were but it makes a pleasant change. Also I like the one price for everything. At other places, I object to paying an admission charge and then paying on top of that for particular attractions. You always feel mean if you dont pay up, and then you also feel that you might be missing something. No, Id recommend the place and its so much less hassle than the tourist places in London which you almost feel obliged to visit every so often. This case is from : Cases in Operations Management (Second edition) Johnston, Chambers, Harland, Harrison, Slack, FT Prentice Hall 1997

American Revolution, Major General Nathanael Greene

American Revolution, Major General Nathanael Greene Major General Nathanael Greene (August 7,  1742–June 19, 1786) was one of General George Washingtons most trusted subordinates during the American Revolution. Initially commanding Rhode Islands militia, he earned a commission in the Continental Army in June 1775 and within a year was leading large formations in Washingtons command. In 1780, he was given command of American forces in the South and conducted an effective campaign that greatly weakened British forces in the region and ultimately forced them back to Charleston, South Carolina. Fast Facts: Nathanael Greene Rank: Major GeneralService: Continental ArmyBorn: August 7, 1742 in Potowomut, Rhode IslandDied: June 19, 1786 in Mulberry Grove Plantation, GeorgiaParents: Nathanael and Mary GreeneSpouse: Catharine LittlefieldConflicts: American Revolution (1775–1783)Known For: Siege of Boston, Battle of Trenton, Battle of Monmouth, Battle of Guilford Court House, Battle of Eutaw Springs Early Life Nathanael Greene was born on August 7, 1742, in Potowomut, Rhode Island. He was the son of a Quaker farmer and businessman. Despite religious misgivings about formal education, the young Greene excelled in his studies and was able to convince his family to retain a tutor to teach him Latin and advanced mathematics. Guided by future Yale University president Ezra Stiles, Greene continued his academic progress. When his father died in 1770, he began to distance himself from the church and was elected to the Rhode Island General Assembly. This religious separation continued when he married the non-Quaker Catherine Littlefield in July 1774. The couple would ultimately have six children who survived infancy. American Revolution A supporter of the Patriot cause during the American Revolution, Greene assisted in the formation of a local militia near his home at Coventry, Rhode Island, in August 1774. Greenes participation in the units activities was limited due to a slight limp. Unable to march with the men, he became an avid student of military tactics and strategy. As such, Greene acquired a substantial library of military texts, and like fellow self-taught officer Henry Knox, worked to master the subject. His devotion to military affairs led to his expulsion from the Quakers. The following year, Greene was again elected to the General Assembly. In the wake of the Battle of Lexington and Concord, Greene was appointed as a brigadier general in the Rhode Island Army of Observation. In this capacity, he led the colonys troops to join in the siege of Boston. Becoming a General Recognized for his abilities, Greene was commissioned as a brigadier general in the Continental Army on June 22, 1775. A few weeks later, on July 4, he met General George Washington and the two became close friends. With the British evacuation of Boston in March 1776, Washington placed Greene in command of the city before dispatching him south to Long Island. Promoted to major general on August 9, he was given command of Continental forces on the island. After constructing fortifications in early August, he missed the disastrous defeat at the Battle of Long Island on the 27th due to a severe fever. Greene finally saw combat on September 16, when he commanded troops during the Battle of Harlem Heights. Engaged during the later part of the battle, his men helped push the British back. After he was given command of American forces in New Jersey, Greene launched an abortive attack on Staten Island on October 12. Moved to command Fort Washington (on Manhattan) later that month, he erred by encouraging Washington to hold the fort. Though Colonel Robert Magaw was ordered to defend the fort to the last, it fell on November 16, and more than 2,800 Americans were captured. Three days later, Fort Lee across the Hudson River was taken as well. Philadelphia Campaign Though Greene was blamed for the loss of both forts, Washington still had confidence in the Rhode Island general. After falling back across New Jersey, Greene led a wing of the army during the victory at the Battle of Trenton on December 26. A few days later, on January 3, he played a role at the Battle of Princeton. After entering winter quarters at Morristown, New Jersey, Greene spent part of 1777 lobbying the Continental Congress for supplies. On September 11, he commanded a division during the defeat at Brandywine, before leading one of the attack columns at Germantown on October 4. After moving to Valley Forge for the winter, Washington appointed Greene quartermaster general on March 2, 1778. Greene accepted on the condition that he be allowed to retain his combat command. Diving into his new responsibilities, he was frequently frustrated by Congress unwillingness to allocate supplies. After departing Valley Forge, the army fell upon the British near Monmouth Court House, New Jersey. In the resulting Battle of Monmouth, Greene led the right wing of the army and his men successfully repulsed heavy British assaults on their lines. Rhode Island That August, Greene was sent to Rhode Island with the Marquis de Lafayette to coordinate an offensive with French Admiral Comte dEstaing. This campaign came to a dismal end when American forces under Brigadier General John Sullivan were defeated on August 29. Returning to the main army in New Jersey, Greene led American forces to victory at the Battle of Springfield on June 23, 1780. Two months later, Greene resigned as quartermaster general, citing Congressional interference in army matters. On September 29, 1780, he presided over the court-martial that condemned spy Major John Andre to death. After American forces in the South suffered a serious defeat at the Battle of Camden, Congress asked Washington to select a new commander for the region to replace the disgraced Major General Horatio Gates. Going South Without hesitation, Washington appointed Greene to lead Continental forces in the South. Greene took command of his new army at Charlotte, North Carolina, on December 2, 1780. Facing a superior British force led by General Lord Charles Cornwallis, Greene sought to buy time to rebuild his battered army. He divided his men in two and gave command of one force to Brigadier General Daniel Morgan. The following month, Morgan defeated Lieutenant Colonel Banastre Tarleton at the Battle of Cowpens. Despite the victory, Greene and his commander still did not feel the army was ready to engage Cornwallis. After reuniting with Morgan, Greene continued a strategic retreat and crossed the Dan River on February 14, 1781. Due to flood waters on the river, Cornwallis elected to return south to North Carolina. After camping at Halifax Court House, Virginia, for a week, Greene was sufficiently reinforced to recross the river and begin shadowing Cornwallis. On March 15, the two armies met at the Battle of Guilford Court House. Though Greenes men were forced to retreat, they inflicted heavy casualties on Cornwallis army, compelling it to withdraw toward Wilmington, North Carolina. In the wake of the battle, Cornwallis decided to move north into Virginia. Greene decided not to pursue and instead moved south to reconquer the Carolinas. Despite a minor defeat at Hobkirks Hill on April 25, Greene succeeded in retaking the interior of South Carolina by mid-June 1781. After allowing his men to rest in the Santee Hills for six weeks, he resumed the campaign and won a strategic victory at Eutaw Springs on September 8. By the end of the campaign season, the British were forced back to Charleston, where they were contained by Greenes men. Greene remained outside the city until the wars end. Death With the conclusion of hostilities, Greene returned home to Rhode Island. For his service in the South, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia all voted him large grants of land. After being forced to sell much of his new land to pay off debts, Greene moved to Mulberry Grove, outside of Savannah, in 1785. He died on June 19, 1786, after suffering from heat stroke.

Business Presention IP3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Business Presention IP3 - Essay Example Hence, there is a dire need for a distance education system that would allow these types of people to ease up the troubles of learning, while having more time for work and the family. After a brief backgrounder, I plan educate the audience of the objectives of the presentation and how ABC Corporation could benefit in investing in our company. The objectives of my presentation are the following: a) to briefly introduce Creative Learning Center; b) to emphasize the essence of a distance education system in today’s society; and c) how Creative Learning Center and ABC Corporation could bridge the education gap. Through these objectives, I hope that I could make an indelible impression on my audience about the need for a learning education system, the difference of Creative Learning Center among other distance education systems, and the importance and role of Creative Learning Center and ABC Corporation in the field of distance education system. Aside from doing all these through a PowerPoint presentation, I hope I could also use a video presentation interview, if time and opportunities permit, of those people who have benefited and look as e-learning as a very helpful tool in attaining one’s goals and objectives in life. The video presentation would also serve as first hand information and testament, proving the importance of this type of business venture in today’s restless modern society. During the presentation, I plan not to be too aggressive with my presentation. Instead, I would play the role, not of a businessman, but that of an individual, a father, a mother, a husband, and a wife, who sees the potential of this opportunity as a viable option in preparation for the future. With this image, I hope to relay to the CEOs and other executives of ABC Corporation of the need for such an educational system,

Abbey Wood Playhouses Ticketing System Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Abbey Wood Playhouses Ticketing System - Essay Example If it's a casual booking than it can be So pseudo code for this application will be similar to below for booking. if Show date is > 7 day and day = Sunday Then Check for the seat availability If seat(s) is(are) available, Check is patron is holding any discount ( i.e. student or other discount) then ticket price = 2.5 and let the system book the ticket If it's a bulk booking ( i.e. seats > 5 and Seats then ticket price = 2.0 and let the system book the ticket Else If there is no discount then price = 3.0 and let system book the ticket. End if End if End if Pseudo code for this application will be similar to below for cancelling. if Show date is > 7 day and day = Sunday Then Ask for seat to be cancelled. If seat is in database then allow cancellation. Else Show error message that system can't cancel the ticket. End if End If. 3. Creating the Application in Visual Basic .NET. Following program has been written as per the above design. This program has been written using Visual Basic .NET. Attached is the source code of the different forms and module. Module code with ticket as an object: Option Explicit Type ticket patron_name As String * 30 patron_phone As String * 10 patron_email As String * 30 patron_seat As String * 30 seat_status As String * 2 show_date As Date price As Double ID As Integer End Type Source for designing the form1. Private Sub Command1_Click() Form4.Show Form1.Hide End Sub Private Sub Command2_Click() Form2.Show Form1.Hide End Sub Private Sub Command3_Click() Form5.Show Form1.Hide End Sub Source for designing the form2. Option Explicit Dim position As Integer Dim rec As ticket Dim fileno As... This application has now been modified so that it uses the Microsoft access database, rather than a random access file. Following is the attached Access database file which has been created when data was entered in this application.

Critical Issue in Education Essay Example for Free

Critical Issue in Education Essay Education is the key determinant of development in any country in the contemporary world. Human capital development plays an important role in the overall development of any country. Schools have a common mission of providing students with developmentally appropriate education which emphasize high academic performance in addition to the student becoming socially responsible. In the long run, education is aimed to earn the students skills and knowledge that encourage them to be productive, responsible citizens in the dynamic global society. The government and teachers have a common vision in supporting education programs and students. The vision of teachers is to produce citizens who will participate productively and responsibly in a rapidly changing society through using problem solving techniques to handle everyday challenges, communicating effectively, respect of self, others and environment in which they are working in. School leaders encounter a multitude of critical issues while carrying out their day to day responsibilities and this pose a challenge in the realization of the vision and mission set by the school. The challenges experienced in most American schools include school violence, low performance due to introduction of bilingual system of education among other challenges. This paper will discuss challenges that are facing school leaders today as a result of school violence. This paper will identify several causes of school violence and the appropriate measures taken to curb the problem. What is the issue and why is it critical for schools/school leaders? School violence has affected the academic performance in schools and therefore the problem must be addressed to realize improved performance. Population is growing rapidly as indicated by the high number of students in public schools as compared to educators. Leadership in schools is been blamed for the continued increase of the school violence problem. However, discipline management in schools especially public schools has become difficult due to the high ratio of students to teachers. It becomes to do individual student follow-up. Most educators have also fallen victims of school violence and therefore some have been silenced due to improper organizational structure to govern student behavior. Students have been noted to riot while educators are in class and this raised alarm over student behavior management. School leaders experience a problem in controlling school violence due to inadequate support from parents especially those who argue that their kids must carry weapons to school for self defense due to increased insecurity in schools. Literature Review Many researches on school violence indicate varied results as to the causes of the social dysfunction. Forensic psychologists who study criminal behavior argue that school killers are very different from other violent youth, such as gang members or drug dealers. The school killers usually experience inferiority complex by feeling powerless and therefore become obsessed with killing or injuring others. The school killers hence direct their threats to those that threaten them or taunt them. Social loafing has been argued to increase incidences of violence in schools. Some quiet decent students become violent when in a group during a school riot or mob justice incidence. Students engage in mob justice when confronting people who attack those using guns as a defense mechanism. School viol4ence continues to create an on going challenge to the nations educational environment. To address the problem of school violence in the United States, it demands collaboration among educators, students, parents and social service organizations in analyzing the problems that are facing the student community, their causes and effect of the school violence. The stakeholders should then jointly find lasting solutions. Research indicates that children look for caring adults up to adolescence who can share with them about the critical issues facing them. Freud, a psychoanalyst theorist argues that early life experiences where children are exposed to violence at home and community around them may have a deepening effect which pushes them to violence. Criminologists, physiatrists, counselors have put the blame on the media for providing a steady diet of movies where violence is glorified and on the evolution of single parent homes. Kids who watch violent movies usually perceive violence as fun and adventurous. Moynihan in his article Deviancy Go Down argues that kids from single parents are more likely to engage in robbery with violence, rape and other social disorders because in most cases the single parent is financially unstable and therefore the kids look for alternative ways to achieve the socially approved goals. Lack of respects and accountability at homes has contributed to lack of respect for the law. Survey indicates that its common for police in the U. S. to encounter kids between ages 7 and 8 who disrespect law (Dewey, 2006). Research indicates that inequalities in the education system has contributed top the problem of increased school violence. Discrimination of some cultures, races has also led to higher levels school violence among the African-Americans who perceive that the education system disfavors them. The socio-economic disparity between Whites and blacks create rivalry between Whites and blacks. The black kids perceive that their White counterparts are being favored because of their color and social status. Research indicates that most cases of school violence go without report and its on the rampant rise. Physical violence at homes, appraisal of violence movies and bullying are identifies as major contributors of violence in American schools. What does the research say about this issue? School violence has become a social problem not only in the United States but also in Australia and England. National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) conducted a survey in American schools in 2003 and reported that 5% of students between ages 12 and 18 have been involved in nonfatal crimes, 4% in theft crimes while 1% of the student population had been reported as victims of violent crimes. The rate of school violence is reported to be higher in public than in private schools as indicated by the ratio of 7: 5 percent (National Center for Education Statistics, 2003). A national survey indicated that rural students had a high probability to be bullied in school than their urban and suburban counterparts. This is mainly because the rural students are generally considered to be innocent and highly regard social unity and harmony, due to difference in socialization from urban and suburban counterparts. Socialization is the process by which beliefs, norms and culture are passed from generation to generation. There are two types of socialization which include primary and secondary socialization. Primary socialization usually takes place at tender age, that is, up to 6 years. The children learn through imitation of family members, relatives and neighbors who are close to the kid. It lays a foundation for the secondary socialization. Secondary socialization agents are mainly teachers, peers and media. A national survey undertaken in 1999 among high school students indicated that 7% of students carried a weapon to school in the last month, 14% said they had been involved in a physical fight in the school premises in the past year while 5% of the students had misses school at least once in the past month because they felt unsafe in school. 1999-2001 national survey undertaken by National Center for Education Statistics indicated that 20% of all public schools experienced one or more serious crimes such as rape, sexual assault, robbery and aggravated assaults (Henry, 2000; National Center for Education Statistics, 2003; Dewey, 2006). Public schools in particular reported 71% incidences of violence and 46% of theft. Violence in schools is on the rise worldwide. However, its hardly reported until a kid picks a gun and slaughters another. A nationwide study undertaken by the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control on violent deaths in U. S schools indicated that 77% of the school deaths were done using guns while 17% were done using knives. A study conducted between July1, 1992 and June 30, 1999 indicated that out of 323 school-associated violent death events were mainly carried by firearms obtained from the perpetrators homes or from friends and relatives (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2003; Dewey, 2006). National Center for Education Statistics national study in 2003 indicates that male students are more likely to fall victims of school violence than their female counterparts (National Center for Education Statistics, 2003). 17% of high school girls have been reported to be abused physically while 12% of high school girls are sexually abused (The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University, 2003). Survey carried out by Justice Department in U. S in 1992 indicated a remarkable decrease in violent crime victimitization at school between 1992 and 2001 from 4. 89% in 1992 to 2. 8% in 2001. A study on school crime and safety in 2003 indicated that from 1997-2001, teachers were victims of approximately 1. 3 million nonfatal crimes at schools including 817,000 thefts and 473,000 violent crimes such as rape or sexual assault and aggravated or simple assault(Department of Education and United States Department of Justice, 2003; Dewey, 2006). School violence has become a major concern among many individuals worldwide. School violence not only affects students but teachers too. School violence has contributed to 57% deaths that occur in schools (Dewey, 2006). Exposure to violence to kids at tender age has been argued to contribute greatly to the kid been violent at school. School violence has become a determinant factor in the performance of schools. Most students fail to go to school at least once in a month for fear of being physically assaulted in school. Availability of guns in most American states has contributed greatly to the violent incidences in schools. Teachers have declared school violence as a monster affecting performance in schools. Public schools which usually have a high population of students experience the problem of school viol3nce more than private schools. This may be contributed by the high ratio of students to teachers in public schools. Some parents too have contributed to the problem of school violence because they forbid teachers to discipline their kids when they misbehave. Have Others Addressed the Issue School violence has become a significant social problem that affect the security of most schools worldwide. Various institutions and organizations have proposed solutions to solve the social problem in schools. Some propose a solution by encouraging students to engage in mob justice against those students or individuals that use guns in school. Some educators too carry guns as self defense mechanism. This has resulted in more harm than good. Most states in America have approved that educators should discipline students who are caught in engaging in violence. Some states have established juvenile delinquency rehabilitation centers where violent students are taken so as to reform. However, the centers have become overcrowded and this has reduced the effectiveness of the solution. Findings and Conclusion The problem of school violence is increasingly becoming rampant especially in the last 15 years. Research indicates that the problem can only be solved if and only if there is collaboration between educators, parents, students and social service organizations. Neglect of kids by parents especially due to commitment to jobs has deprived the kids parental guidance in handling everyday challenges and thus they follow their peers and mass media advices which in most times are incorrect (Edwin, 2004). Youth violence has increased significantly in the U. S over the last 15 years. Homicide has become the second leading cause of deaths for persons between ages 15 and 24 and the leading cause of death for African-Americans in this age group (National Center for Education Statistics, 2003; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2003). However, most cases are never reported in the national data so the magnitude of the problem is always underestimated. National level data indicates that middle and high schools especially larger schools are at high risk for serious violence. The problem arises from the difficult in administration of discipline among the students who are usually too many for the school leaders or educators to handle. Research indicates that male students are more likely to be victims of school violence than their female counterparts. Therefore male students are more violent that female students (National Center for Education Statistics, 2003). The government should acknowledge that school violence has become a major social problem in the contemporary times and therefore direct more resources towards control of school violence. Emerging Consensus about ways to solve the Issue Physiatrists, counselors and criminologists have agreed that the problem of school violence can be solved if a policy which regulates programs in the mass media is passed. The policy should also regulate what tapes; video compact disks (VCDs) are released to the market. This will ensure that young adults are not exposed to violent scenarios or movies that may trigger them to do the same. The problem cannot be solved by one party and therefore it has been agreed that collaboration between educators, parents, students and social service organizations and other stakeholders can bring lasting solution if the stakeholders analyze the problems facing the student community, their causes and effect of school violence and then eventually generate lasting solutions to the root problems. It has been proposed that students should be involved in community development projects like cleans-ups, destitute children visitation, planting of trees among other projects. This will enhance teamwork skills and promote communication skills. This will help reduce conflict among students and consequently reduce school violence (Walker, 1995). Proposed Solutions/Recommendation Management of school violence causes will help to promote discipline and consequently high performance in academics. Several solutions have been proposed to reduce school violence cases in the American schools. The major solution involves dialogue between parents, teachers, students, social service organizations and other stakeholders on the problems facing students, their causes and effects of school violence. The stakeholders can then communally focus on finding solutions (Edwin, 2004). School should intensify security through employment of personnel that have metal detectors to ensure that no student enters the school compound with any metallic weapon like a gun which have become common weapons in the recent years. The government should install surveillance cameras within the school compound to keep track of the behavior of students. This can help reduce the incidences if school violence for fear of being caught through images taken by the cameras. This therefore enhances conformity to rules and regulations governing students. The government should finance schools to collaborate with bomb-sniffing dogs to avoid the recent trends where the Islamic students enter with bomb in their bodies and while in company of other students explode themselves (Walker, 1995). Building or enhancing student-staff relationship help reduce incidences of school violence like theft, aggravated assault and simple assault. Teachers should be encouraged to respect students in their dialogue and behavior and this will help reduce school violence which erupts as a result of inferiority complex by some students. Schools should have a referral system for neglected and abused kids. The neglected and abused kids usually experience inferiority complex and therefore develop an urge to kill or harm the people that abuse them. When separated the threat is eliminated and consequently harmony is restored (Walker, 1995). Educators and policy makers (Edwin, 2004)should involve students in future planning to avoid conflicts that arise from new laws and policies which students perceive to be undermining or threatening and therefore riot. Most riots can be avoided through dialogue to ascertain whether the proposed policies or laws are ideal and just. Educators should emphasize on academic excellence and this will encourage students to focus their energies towards academics. Educators should support students to excel through guidance and counseling in areas of deficiency and support through tuition so as to keep the students busy and focused on academics. The community should involve students in community development projects, for example, visitation of the elderly, hospital clean-up, city clean-up activities and mountain climbing to instill the participation motivation. Such activities enhance teamwork skills and this help reduce conflict that yield school violence (Walker, 1995). Summary School violence (Edwin, 2004) is a social problem which has become common in most schools worldwide. School violence has continued to increase in the last 15 years as indicated by the high school deaths in the last 15 years. School violence can only decrease if the educators, parents and students agree to do their part effectively. School violence has been contributed by various factors, for example, childhood experiences, media, neglect of kids by parents, bullying by other students and exposure to violence in the community among other factors. Surveys indicate that male students are more prone to violence than their female counterparts. Incidences of school violence (Edwin, 2004) are more in public schools than in private schools. This is said to be contributed by the high number of students in public schools who pose a challenge in discipline management. The problem of school violence has attracted many debates in most states. Leaders especially in public schools are appealing to parents, students and social service organizations to come together to analyze the problems facing the students, their causes and effects of school violence so as to communally find lasting solutions. . References Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2003). Source of Firearms used by Students in school-Associated Violent Deaths. United States, 1992-1999. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. Edwin, G. R. (2004). Handbook of School Violence. Education New York: Routledge. U. S. Department of Education and U. S. Department of Justice, (2003). Indicators of School Crime and Safety: 2003. Dewey, G. C. (2006). School Violence: Fears versus Facts. Psychology. California: California University Press. Henry, S. (2000). What is School Violence? An Integrated Definition. The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Problems, 3(2): 11-132. National Center for Education Statistics, (2003). National Data of School Violence in The United States in 1992-2001. The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University (2003). The Formative Years: Pathways to Substance Abuse. Walker, H. M. (1995). Antisocial Behavior in School: Strategies and Best Practices. New York: Cole Publishing Company.

The Present State Of Neutrino Masses :: essays research papers

One of the current questions in physics is whether or not neutrinos have mass and what this mass is. Neutrinos are subatomic particles that have no electrical charge and interact only via the weak nuclear force. They are products of radioactive decay processes, and thus are produced abundantly in our Sun, our atmosphere, and in other astrophysical sources such as supernovae and active galactic nuclei. Millions and millions of them are crossing through the Earth every second, but only very few of them will interact with the Earth. In practice you can say they are invisible. But fortunately we can detect them by building a very large detector and waiting long enough. There are several reasons to search for a possible non-zero neutrino mass. Fermion masses in general are one of the major mysteries/problems of the standard model. Observation or nonobservation of the neutrino masses could introduce a useful new perspective on the subject. Nonzero neutrino masses are predicted in most extensions of the standard model. They therefore constitute a powerful probe of new physics. Also, there may be a hot dark matter component to the universe. If so, neutrinos would be (one of) the most important things in the universe. The observed spectral distortion and deficit of solar neutrinos is most easily accounted for by the oscillations/conversions of a massive neutrino. The largest neutrino detector is the Super-Kamiokande and is located in the Kamioka Mine, about 200 km north of Tokyo. It is water cerenkov detector, which means it is a large (40 meters diameter by 40 meters tall) tank of ultra-pure water viewed by thousands of sensitive phototubes. Super-Kamiokande will address some of the most important open questions in physics today, such as: why does the Sun appear to produce only half as many neutrinos as theory would predict? Do neutrinos have mass? Do protons decay, as predicted by Grand Unification Theory? One source of neutrinos are nuclear reactions. Inside our Sun nuclear reactions are occurring on a gigantic scale. Lots of neutrinos are produced. There are enough of them, that when they reach the Earth they can still be detected. Since physicists can calculate how many of them should be seen, there is a big problem because we see too few, roughly two times too few. This is so called the solar neutrino problem. There can be several solutions to the puzzle. One is that we do not understand the Sun well enough.

Keeping Marine Mammals in Captivity Essay

Problem (2 Points) Does captivity affect the overall health and behavior of marine mammals? Research (2 Points) Wild Animals Habitat: Open ocean Diet: Krill Behavior: Friendly Captivity Habitat: Tank of ocean water, replicated to appear like the ocean. Diet: Krill caught in the ocean, fed three times a day. Behavior: Friendly to other mammals within the tank. Hypothesis (4 Points) If we keep marine animals in captivity for over a year, then their health and behavior will be negatively impacted. Procedure (4 Points) 1. Set up area in both wild and captive areas for testing. 2. Choose the same marine mammal for both the wild and captive area to test. 3. Tag and assess health of the wild marine mammal. Asses the health of the  captive mammal. 4. Monitor mammals for a year. 5. Record their behavior with detail and accuracy. 6. Asses health and behavior of both mammals after one year. Analysis (4 Points) The animals in captivity appeared to be healthier and friendly to their tank mates. They were fed organic krill and were fed regularly, but were very nervous and slightly hostile to outside animals once they were exposed. The animals that were not in captivity fed on their own time but were not necessarily unhealthy. They were not hostile to other mammals and peacefully coexisted with other mammals in the ocean. Conclusion (2 Points) My results did not support my hypothesis. The mammals kept in captivity were healthier than the mammals in the wild, due to controlled setting, and regular nutritious diet. However their behavior was negatively impacted. They were nervous and somewhat hostile towards the wild mammals once exposed to the wild. Grammar/Spelling (2 Points) Once you complete designing your own experiment, check the assignment for directions on how to submit your final product to your instructor.

Martin Luther King’s Religous Beliefs Essay

Martin Luther King lived from 1929 to1968 in America, there was much discrimination against black people. Even though slavery had been abolished in 1869, most black people still lived in poverty. Black people earned half the amount white people earned and many could not vote. Martin Luther King was Black American Christian who believed that god made everyone equal. Because of his Christian beliefs he worked towards equal rights through non-violent protests; his beliefs being that there was never an excuse for violence as that doesn`t express the love of god – just hatred. King followed in his father and grandfathers footsteps by becoming a pastor in 1954 in a Baptist church in Montgomery. Following Rosas Parks protest through refusing to move from her seat on the bus to give it to a white person, he became involved in the civil rights movement. Mixing the Christian idea of perfect love (Agape) with St. Thomas Aquinas` philosophy that an unjust law in the eyes of God is immoral, and therefore, not a law. King said in his letter from Birmingham Jail that, â€Å"an individual who breaks a law that conscience tells him is unjust and who willingly accepts the penalty of imprisonment in order to arouse the conscience of the community over its injustice, is in reality expressing the highest respect for the law. † Furthermore his campaign of nonviolent protest and civil disobedience began to take shape. After Rosa Parks was arrested for refusing to move from her seat to allow a white person to sit down, King decided it was time to start acting and after calling a meeting, where it was decided for all black people to stop using the buses. This was called a ‘bus boycott’. After 381 days with buses being virtually empty (costing the company lots of money), the government passed a law to state that it was illegal to segregate black people from white people on the buses. This was a victory for King and his beliefs in non-violent direct action. King believed that the Good Samaritan parable was a prime example of how we should treat each other equally. In the parable a Jew is beaten, mugged and left for dead. A priest, a Levite both cross to the other side of the road when the see him. However when a Samaritan sees him he helps him and pays for accommodation and care for him despite Jews and Samaritans despising each other. This parable showed you should love each other as neighbours despite religion or race. King demonstrated how you should stick up for your dreams, follow your beliefs and how violence isn`t needed to achieve your goal. His work made life in America better for everybody, his message to black and white people caused them to think and change the way things were being done.

Adolescent Stress and Depression essays

Adolescent Stress and Depression essays Asking for HELP when it comes to stress and depression for adolescents. When it comes to stress no one knows more on the topic then today's youth. Thousands and thousands of students go through depression and stress every day, but not one individual asks for help. Many adults believe that stress occurs in the late twenty's or early thirty's of your life that is a myth. Almost all of today's adolescence suffers from stress or depression. Based on a study done by the Stanford School of Medicine almost 80% of those who suffer from stress are teenagers ranging from 13 to 21 years of age. In today's society many people face many obtuse and gigantic problems with stress and depression. Many even go years with depression and never discover it. Once a person discovers that he is suffering from depression the biggest problem that arises is asking others for help. Here are some steps that an adolescent with depression can take to speed up his or her recovery. First, family support is undeniably the strongest and most effective way for adolescent to begin their recovery. Most people fail to rely that in the worst of times family members tend to open their arms and welcome family members when there in need of help. There is no reason for teens to hide it from them. Sharing their expressions and life style with family and friends will not only help their recovery speed up its course, but also get understanding them better. Second, consult your physician. Physicians today have many alternatives that suit their style of living. Today there are many treatment options from exercise and natural stimulants to prescription and anti-depressants, but only their physician can make that decision. Try having them making an appointment to discuss the problem and see how he will be able to help. Third, with todays advances in medicine nothing stays valid for long so I urge that they to do a bit of research. Search the web for medical breakth ...

10 Grammar and Punctuation Rules to Always Remember - Freewrite Store

10 Grammar and Punctuation Rules to Always Remember - Freewrite Store The English language, cobbled together over centuries from Germanic, Scandinavian, Latin, French and Greek sources, is a minefield of confusing (and often contradictory) rules. So it’s no wonder that writers frequently struggle with the correct use of words and punctuation. However, most readers will agree that writing littered with errors comes across as sloppy and unprofessional, damaging their trust in the message and the author. To help you improve your writing, here’s a list of some of the most common mistakes that writers make, and tips on how to avoid them.   1. Apostrophes Apostrophes have two main uses – in contractions and to show possession. They’re quite different, so we’ll cover each one separately. Contractions: A contraction is where you take two words and combine them, missing out a letter or two along the way. Should not = shouldn’tI have = I’veWe will = we’ll Generally, wherever the missing letters are, that’s where the apostrophe goes. You can also apply this rule if you’re writing dialogue where someone cuts off the beginning or end of a word, like ‘ello, or nothin’. Possessives: A possessive apostrophe is used to show ownership. It’s done by placing ‘s after the noun. I am walking Pete’s dog this morning.I need to buy a gift for my sister’s birthday.The children’s bus was late again. Things get slightly more confusing, however, if the noun already ends in an s. In this case, you need to consider how you would say it out loud. If you would add an es sound to the end of the word, then you write it with ‘sat the end. I was summoned to the boss’s office.The bus’s tire was completely flat.Dennis’s parties were legendary. However, if you wouldn’t add an es sound to the end of the word, then a lone apostrophe is appropriate. I am walking my parents’ dog this morning.The kids’ hamster had five babies.The Hastings’ roses are magnificent this year. When not to apostrophize Don’t forget that apostrophes have no place in ordinary plural nouns, like bananas, toys, or megabytes. An apostrophe in an ordinary plural is sometimes called a â€Å"greengrocer’s apostrophe† because it could often be found on signs in fruit and vegetable shops. Apostrophes also don’t need to be used in dates or acronyms. I was born in the 1970s.Nobody uses CDs anymore. The exception is if you’re omitting letters or numbers or using the apostrophe possessively. The ‘80s produced some amazing music.Landing a probe on Mars was one of NASA’s greatest achievements. You also never use an apostrophe in a possessive pronoun. Theybecomes theirsHerbecomes hersItbecomes its 2. Semicolons Much confusion surrounds the use of the semicolon, but it’s actually quite simple to utilize. It only has two functions. The first is to join two related clauses in a sentence. There are three conditions of use: both parts of the sentence must be able to stand alone, they need to relate to each other somehow, and they need to be of equal weight. For example: I love Hawaiian pizza; the pineapple tastes amazing.I burned my tongue on the pizza; the pineapple was too hot. If you put a coordinating conjunction between the two clauses (and, but, for, nor, or, so, yet), then you would replace the semicolon with a comma. The other use of a semicolon is when you’ve got a long sentence, and you’re listing groups of items. To prevent reader confusion, you can use a semicolon between each group. For example: My son needs a lot of things for his first day of school: pens, pencils and markers; exercise books, writing pads and binders; and erasers, paperclips and a calculator. 3. Oxford Commas The Oxford comma (aka serial comma or Harvard comma) is the comma that occurs before the and in a list. The second comma in the list below is the Oxford comma. I like pizza, cake, and chocolate. For such a small piece of punctuation, it has generated a lot of debate. Many style guides now prescribe that the Oxford comma should be omitted. At the same time, it has a lot of very vocal fans who insist it should be retained. If you don’t have a set style to follow, there’s no definitive rule beyond being consistent with whichever method you choose to follow. Most of the time, taking out the Oxford comma has no detrimental effect on the structure of a sentence. However, there are occasions where omitting the Oxford comma leads to ambiguity and, in those cases, it should always be used. For example, here’s a real-life quote: Amongst those interviewed were Merle Haggard’s two ex-wives, Kris Kristofferson and Robert Duvall. Without the final comma, the sentence appears to suggest that Merle Haggard was married to both Kris Kristofferson and Robert Duvall. The use of an Oxford comma would have made it obvious that this was a list of four separate interviewees. So, if you have no set style guide to follow, the choice to deploy the Oxford comma rests with you – but if you prefer not to use it, make sure its omission doesn’t change the meaning of your sentence. Next, let’s look at commonly mixed-up words. Most of these are words that sound the same but have different applications. 4. Your/you’re Your = it belongs to you. Your library book is overdue. You’re = the shortened version of ‘you are’. You’re welcome. When in doubt: Try replacing the word with you are. If it doesn’t fit, then use your. 5. There/they’re/their There = a place. Put it over there. They’re = the shortened version of ‘they are’. They’re going to be late. Their = belongs to them. The couple enjoyed their pizza. 6. To/too To is a preposition with many meanings, including â€Å"towards† and â€Å"until†. Let’s walk to the bus. It should get here at five minutes to midday.Too is an adverb that means â€Å"also† or â€Å"very†. I want to catch the bus, too, but I am too tired to walk there. 7. Who’s/whose Who’s = the shortened version of â€Å"who is†. Who’s that? Whose = belonging to who? Whose bag is this? When in doubt: Try replacing the word with who is. If it doesn’t fit, use whose. 8. It’s/its It’s = the shortened version of it is. It’s a beautiful day. Its = belonging to it The cat swished its tail. When in doubt: Try replacing the word with it is. If it doesn’t fit, use its. 9. Less/fewer Both less and fewer mean the same thing, but they are not interchangeable. There’s a fairly simple way to work out which one you should be using. Less is for situations when you’re using words that don’t normally have a plural, aren’t made plural by adding an s,and cannot be counted. Examples of this include water, rain, and traffic. There was less water in the bath than I expected.I had hoped for less rain today.If more people caught the bus, there would be less traffic. Lessis also used when referring to numbers, either on their own or in measurements of time, distance or weight. The bus will arrive in less than five minutes.It is less than a mile away.The pizza recipe uses less than 12oz of flour. On the other hand, fewer is used for items that can be counted or made plural by adding an s, like cats, jobs, and roses. There are fewer cats in the neighborhood since the dog moved in.The rise in automation means there are fewer jobs available.This summer we have fewer roses in our garden. When in doubt: See if you can add a number to the word. You can’t say â€Å"there is five traffic,† so you would use less. You can say â€Å"there are three pizzas,† so you would use fewer. 10. Everyday/every day People tend to write this as one word. However, that changes the meaning. Everyday = common, usual. I’m wearing my everyday clothes. Every day = each day. The Queen doesn’t wear a tiara every day. When in doubt: Replace everyday with each day. If the meaning of the sentence remains intact, then you need to write everyday as two separate words. Given the complexity of the English language, there are exceptions to most of these rules. However, the ones we’ve outlined here will apply to most instances where you need to use these punctuation marks and words.  Are there any writing mistakes we've left out that drive you nuts?   Let us know in the comments section below!  Ã‚      About the author: Claire Wilkins is a freelance copywriter and editor from New Zealand. She loves to write about travel, health, home, and proper punctuation. After a career in financial services spanning almost three decades, Claire left the corporate world behind to start Unmistakable - her writing and editing business. She creates website copy, blogs, and newsletters for creative agencies and small businesses, and  specialises  in polishing existing content until it shines. In her spare time, Claire enjoys cloud-spotting, singing in the car and editing video.

Death in venice long Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Death in venice long - Essay Example How does Aschenbach’s homosexuality slot into the bigger image of Death in Venice and why, in spite of of Wagner’s view on Borgade’s manifestation, could this be hard? Through a study of Visconti’s movie, I wish to illustrate that similar gender attraction in Death in Venice functions to expound more on the states of art and living as associating to the homosexual perspective of the twentieth century era. To perform this, I will foremost investigate the past perspective of both the movie/ manuscript’s plot in the era of twentieth century and its association to the Visconti output of the 1970’s era. How is Viscontis movie and Aschenbach’s similar gender attraction function in the two, the plan’s and the movie’s relevant past sites in time and secondly, the notion of the (gay) performer in Visconti’s movie. How does the thought of the homosexual performer associate to both the fictional Aschenbach and to Visconti him self (Santas 156). Lastly, the examination of the association that the homosexual performer in the past, by Death in Venice, had to ability and living will has review. What importance does aschenbach’s lure to Tadzio have in view of his behavior like a (purposely) unsuccessful, dying performer and how does Visconti apply this to convey his communication. Initially, the past perspective of the manuscript’s plot including Visconti’s 1971 creation shall have consideration. Whereas Death in Venice can function precise like an eternal â€Å"tale concerning longing and fascination†, it is in addition extremely much a â€Å"mise-en-scene of the homosexual state in a particular past epoch†. This past era, if people are to agree Mann’s wife’s accounts concerning their real festival in Venice, which motivated the manuscript, could have been 1911, a decade prior to the manuscript had publication and yet extremely applicable when the manuscript c ould have remained initially read. Not so was the matter with Visconti’s job, which in the era of 1970’s would previously have classification like an era section (Santas 158). By then, Mann’s manuscript and as effect Visconti’s movie could have remained just a â€Å"last holiday of a left†¦ sexual administration†, â€Å"longing and obsolete inside the quickly reforming gay traditional perspective†. In quintessence, Mann’s manuscript’s significance at the start of the 20th century was of a rather varying state than Visconti’s movie was in the back 1970’s. Whereas Mann’s manuscript’s regarded gay matters as they had occurrence, Visconti’s movie reminded people of the manner they used to be and as a result illustrated to the people the way they have reformed. The existence of youthful Tadzio’s behavior, whereas not so jolting in the early 1900’s, created a specific problem in t he back 1970’s, mainly with â€Å"the stiffening bans on pedophilia inside socio-medical-juridical dialogue†¦.and reforming ideas of the economic task and sexual uniqueness of the teenager†. Moreover, Tadzio creates a challenge in Visconti’s movie because of the reality that he had to have visualization and therefore specialized instead of emerging more or less like a protrusion of Aschenbach’s brain (Santas 160). Because â€Å"Visconti lacks time to intimate Tadzio into Aschenbach’s awareness as cleverly and skillfully like the real

An Examination of Obamas Inaugural Speech Essay

An Examination of Obamas Inaugural Speech - Essay Example Despite its lack of the excitement aroused by his earlier speeches, this inaugural speech had the basic ingredients of the art of rhetoric characteristic of most political and civil movement speeches. Because of its messages and the use of the fundamentals of rhetoric, President Obama’s inaugural speech has been described by many as a moment and speech that the American people had longed for since the election night. In fact, some feared that they might have died without hearing such a speech. Besides being the first African-American to be sworn in as president of the United States of America, President Obama wrote a speech that both his opponents and supporters will remember for quite some time. In fact, the speech introduced a new era of leadership and communication in the country. The speech was not only well written but was also well-read, a feat quite hard to achieve if the performance of the post-2996 inaugural speeches is anything to go by (Walker 8). There was plenty of anaphora in President Obama’s inaugural speech, in which many words were repeated at the beginning of neighboring clauses and sentences. For instance, he said, â€Å"Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished.† In addition, anaphora was evident when he said, â€Å"For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and traveled across oceans in search of a new life. For us, they toiled in sweatshops and settled the West, endured the lash of the whip and plowed the hard earth.† The other fundamental of rhetoric used in the President’s speech was ethos when he said, "From the grandest capitals to the  small village where my father was born.† The speech was also delivered at the grandest of stages by a man â€Å"†¦whose father less than 60 years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath.†