John Milton s Paradise Lost - 1047 Words

John Milton’s epic poem Paradise Lost explores themes of divine power to justify the ways of God. His portrayal of Satan as the protagonist rather than the villain allows reader’s to see that God doesn’t control people’s actions, and that instead we all have free will even though He does have the power to manipulate it. By including Satan’s side to the story as well as his fall, Milton is able to inform readers about the reason for the happy fall as well as include themes of pride, deceit, and communication. The idea of the happy fall successfully justifies the idea that people have obtained free will from Adam and Eve’s disobedience to God, and that God did plan the fall, but for humanity’s own benefit and to stop Satan. The retelling of The Fall in the epic poem allowed Milton to portray to reader’s that God’s actions were made to benefit all of humankind. Milton’s portrayal of Satan as the protagonist of the epic poem shows readers that God does not have control over their own actions, that people have free will. Satan explained to the fallen that â€Å"[God] Put forth at full, but still his strength concealed, which tempted our attempt, and wrought our fall† (Book 1, Lines 641-642). By stating this he is blaming God for their fall from Heaven, and then he shares his plans on how to have revenge on Him. Satan tells the fallen â€Å"our better part remains to work in close design, by fraud or guile† (Book 1, Lines 645-646). In this portion of his speech, he informs them that theirShow MoreRelatedJohn Milton s Paradise Lost985 Words   |  4 PagesJohn Milton’s Paradise Lost is a paradox of morality and character definitions. After reading multiple articles, the largest concerning topic was the hero status of an inherently evil character. The issue lies within defining what a hero is and is not in terms of e pic poetry. John Milton’s refusal to clarify a hero shows this paradox he has created is a something that he meant to achieve. According to Mary Nyquist in The Father s Word/Satan s Wrath, â€Å"The text seems here not just to invite, butRead MoreJohn Milton s Paradise Lost1636 Words   |  7 Pagessense to the readers, but would also influence how the readers understood those topics. John Milton’s, Paradise Lost, is a series of twelve Books that tell the story of creation and the world’s first sin, and he relates that to the political distress that was occurring in the seventeenth century and his political agenda in trying to advocate a Parliamentary system versus a monarchy. Throughout his novel, Milton focuses a great deal of time creating a backstory for Satan, who is the protagonist. AdamRead MoreJohn Milton s Paradise Lost1738 Words   |  7 PagesJohn Milton sought to a very ambitious thing with his greatest work, Paradise Lost. He boldly asserted himself to the epic tradition, the most difficult genre. Further, the goal of his writing was perhaps the hardest topic a human being can engage with, the problem of evil. At the risk of being cliche, the old adage, â€Å"If you lose your faith over anything less than the problem of evil, you are simply not thinking.† seems fitting. Milton seems at least, whatever his faults, to understand the weightRead MoreAnalysis Of John Milton s Paradise Lost1442 Words   |  6 Pages(Name) (Instructor) (Course) (Date) Heroism in John Milton’s Paradise Lost There are many definitions of a hero, and establishing the hero in John Milton’s Paradise Lost has been object to scholarly debate. One definition of a hero is that by Aristotle, who defined a hero as a person who is divine and superhuman. However, other definitions encompass the aspect of virtue in heroism. Despite all the definitions for a hero, it remains factual that a hero would be someone that the readers would delightRead MoreAnalysis Of John Milton s Paradise Lost 1071 Words   |  5 Pages Writing AP Exam Essays Advanced Placement English Literature Composition Name Juan Linares Major Work Data Page Paradise Lost Writer/Nationality John Milton/ UK 1608-1674 Theme/Meanings of the work as a whole Disobedience plays a key role in the unfolding of Milton’s poem. Satan disobeys God because God gave him free will, and causes Eve to disobey Adam, to disobey God. Justification of God. Death must happen to the world but because of the Son, DeathRead MoreAnalysis Of John Milton s Paradise Lost 1852 Words   |  8 Pagesnot merely summarize the plot. (2010 AP Literature and Composition) Disobedience and Exile an Analysis of Satan from Milton’s Paradise Lost John Milton’s epic poem, Paradise Lost, has been the subject of criticism and interpretation through many years; these interpretations concur in that Adam and Eve are the sufferers of the poem, and it is their blight to lose Paradise because of their disobedience; however, their exile is merely a plight brought by Satan, and it is he who suffers exile beforeRead MoreJohn Milton s Paradise Lost 1328 Words   |  6 PagesRobert Mezian Professor Mylander English 589 14 November 2016 Paradise Lost Essay In his epic poem titled Paradise Lost, John Milton describes his work as a process to justify â€Å"the ways of God to men†. In terms of the personal and individual, Milton’s main concern was between a man’s relationship and God. With this, comes the very idea of free will itself. One can define free will as the ability and freedom to choose between different possible courses of action. Not only is free will portrayed inRead MoreJohn Milton s Paradise Lost1528 Words   |  7 Pagesfree world. God judges no one and forgives all for his or her sins. God is an honest being. The last statement might not be the case in John Milton’s Paradise Lost. The fall of Adam and Eve is truly a tragic tale. Some suggest that their fall could have been prevented. However, after close examination, one can believe that it might not be that simple in Paradise Lost. God displays some questionable actions in the process that eventually leads to the fall. While not the popular opinion to some, God isRead MoreJohn Milton s Paradise Lost921 Words   |  4 PagesJohn Milton’s Paradise Lost continues the epic tradition developed by the ancient Greek and Roman poets. Composed in exact imitation of its predecessors, the work depicts all characteristics of a traditional epic poem—including the epic hero, a powerful embodiment of societal values. Milton presents his hero in a most unpredictable form: Satan. Despite the unorthodox oddity, the former archangel exhibits the conventions of an epic hero. Milton’s forced perception of Satan as the hero of the poemRead MoreJohn Milton s Paradise Lost1686 Words   |  7 Pagesand bled into the writing it produced. John Milton’s Paradise Lost is no exception to this, as it explores human sexuality and gender roles. It has been argued that when Adam and Eve are described as â€Å"Two of far nobler shape erect and tall,/ Godlike erect† (4.288-289) there is no distinction between the two , and that they are being portrayed, even by Satan, as equal. This is the reader’s first introduction to Eve who, based on these two lines from Paradise Lost, is Adam’s equivalent in power and in

The Truth About Fast Food Essay - 854 Words

Fast food chains such as Mcdonalds, Burger King, and Wendy’s are selling many products that are nearly inedible due to the unhealthiness and even the presentation. The link between fast food consumption and obesity is causal. Obesity, especially during childhood, has both individual and environmental causes. It easily makes people feel bad about themselves, leading to unhappiness. As for the presentation, these fast food chains use 99% faux â€Å"food† in any advertisement. If you ever even tried to eat the food that looks appetising from their advertisements, you would be put in the hospital in a heart beat. The health and presentation involved in any fast food should be improved tremendously because of the mental and physical unhealthiness†¦show more content†¦Large portion sizes are another explanation for why fast food is so fattening. The American Population Study Cardia suggests that frequent fast food consumption is associated with risk of insulin resist ance. People who ate fast food more than twice a week had a 104% greater increase in insulin resistance than people who ate less than one fast food meal per week. Another issue with fast food is its presentation. Fast foods are much less attractive in person compared to what they look like in commercials or magazines. For presentaion purposes, red meat is barely cooked to avoid looking cremated. Fruit that has been sitting out gets brown and unappealing-looking, so fast food chains paint on a mixture of water and a product called Quick Thick to make fruit glisten. Real ice cream melts easily, so in advertisements they create a fake ice cream by mixing sugar, shortening, corn syrup, and food coloring. This faux ice cream looks much more appetising than real ice cream. To keep pre-made wraps from drying out, fast food restaurants apply a thin layer of vaseline to the outside of the wraps. This is the reason behind the differences between appearances in fast food in presentation and in real life. Recent studies suggest that neighborhood fast food restaurant availability is related to greater obesity. It is intuitive that these restaurants contribute to obesity by promoting fast foodShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of DonT Blame The Eater By David Zinczenco1057 Words   |  5 Pagesimplications, but, big corporations and fast food restaurants have a big part in this obesity epidemic. Although Zinczenco does not say so directly, he apparently assumes that the fast food industry is completely at fault for the growing health issues in children, including diabetes. Throughout his article, he makes it clear that an individual should be able to obtain self control whenever consuming fast food, however, he goes into explanation that the deception on food labels is what really fumes the flamesRead MoreFast Food Should Not Be Served For School Lunch Menu946 Words   |  4 Pagessystem has been serving unhealthy foods to kids (Psyche Pascual).Schools are changing salad bars for ice cream bars and fruit for candy. Your body is not designed for harsh amounts of sodium, fat, and sugar. In the school system, kids should be allowed to only choose healthy alternatives. The community and parents need to change laws to promote healthy nutrition in schools. There are overwhelmingly too many obese children because of school lunch menu. Fast food should not be served in schools becauseRead MoreFast Food Research Paper1014 Words   |  5 PagesFA Research Paper Topic: Fast Food 1. Why is fast food bad for you? 2. What are the effects of eating fast food? 3. What are some successful fast food industries and there business strategies? Introduction It seems harmless, satisfies your hunger, and is cheap, but really is egregiously unhealthy. The fast food industry is very smart; they have many sly business strategies to make money. They target children and students and make millions of dollars in profit. Each and every dayRead MoreComparison of the Jungle and Fast Food Nation1436 Words   |  6 Pagestheir food than the social problems. Sinclair says, â€Å"I aimed at the public’s heart†¦and by accident I hit in the stomach.† (pg3). After several years, Sinclair fighting the injustice system, finally society began to change and started to form unions in various meatpacking industries. However those unions didn’t last too long as fast food industries started impact the society in the 1960’s. Now almost century has past and another book was written, Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser. Fast Food NationRead MoreEssay on Whistle Blower and the Allegory of the Cave1282 Words   |  6 Pagesof the ulti mate forms, which subsequently represent truth and reality. The complex meanings that can be perceived from the â€Å"cave† can be seen in the beginning with the presence of the prisoners who are chained in the darkness of the cave. The prisoners are bound to the floor and unable to turn their heads to see what goes on behind them. Eric Schlosser is pinpointing to his readers that we are the prisoners to fast food. In his book, Fast Food Nation, he stated that â€Å"brand loyal† customers â€Å"may beginRead MoreFast Food And The Dark Side Of All American Meals1027 Words   |  5 PagesThe obesity rate is twice the proportion in Taiwan compared to Korea. I think this number is an admonishment to let us to know that eating junk food not only affects people’s health, but also influences the country’s development. There are many books and movies, coving fast food and the dark side of all American meals. According to Eric Schlosser, â€Å"Fast food is now so commonplace that it has acquired an air of inevitability, as though it were somehow unavoidable, a fact of modern life†(7). In factRead MoreEric Schlossers Fast Food Nation And The Jungle1698 Words   |  7 PagesFast food restaurants exude bright colors, distribute meals with toys, and create a sense of happiness, but what truly goes on behind the scenes of this magical industry? In Eric Schlosser’s Fast Food Nation and Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle, the authors use similar rhetorical strategies to reveal the motives and unconventional practices of the food industry. Schlosser conveys his purpose through the utilization of pathos, ethos, anecdotes and imagery as compared to Sinclair who uses historical referencesRead MoreFast Food : A Good Source Of Protein1450 Words   |  6 PagesAmerica, the fast food industry is gr owing at an exponential rate, accumulating profits while at the same time creating jobs to flourish our economy. Advancements in technology with the couple of the downward spiraling economy have increased a demand in cheap food; such as fast-food industries offering unlimited refills of 24oz bottles of soda for merely .99 cents to scrumptious chicken sandwiches for a dollar! Many people may wonder what the harm is in having all this cheap delicious food. Chicken isRead MoreThe Truth about the Food Industry 719 Words   |  3 PagesThe truth about the food industry The food that you are eating maybe is fake food. The food industry owns to its consumers a clear nutritional label that is easy to understand especially if the food is genetically modified. GMOs (Genetically Modified Organisms) have been around in the markets for the last 20 years GM crops can be engineered to be naturally pest-resistant, undermining the need for pesticide chemicals. GM crops can be engineered to tolerate extreme weather conditions, such asRead MoreEssay on Valuation of Supersize me1101 Words   |  5 Pagessupermarket, college campuses, offices, playgrounds, fast food restaurants, or malls and see the evidence of fat America. What is causing this epidemic of obesity? There are a plethora of reasons including overeating, lack of exercise, fast food, processed food, dieting, and sedentary lifestyles. Morgan Spurlock of New York City decided to tackle one aspect of this problem with his idea of studying the McDonald’s way by limiting his intake of food for on e month to only McDonald’s and filming this adventure

General Nutrition Companies Inc Free Essays

string(100) " the Internet used for advertising purposes but it is also being used as an online ordering system\." General Nutrition Companies Inc. , was founded 65 years ago in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on the premise that Americans wanted to maintain control over their health. David Shakirian founded the company. We will write a custom essay sample on General Nutrition Companies Inc or any similar topic only for you Order Now In 1935 he launched a dream of his by establishing a little health food store in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He called it Lackzoom. The products that were offered at his store included yogurt and healthy foods such as honey, grains and healthy sandwiches. The concept of being a health store and serving health food was thought to be a fad that would soon pass over back then. To the surprise of many of Shakarian’s critics, many people embraced Lackzoom. David and his store came a long way from its first day†s receipts of 35 dollars to open a second store six months later. Since those first two stores, Lackzoom, which is now GNC, has grown to be the largest manufacturer of vitamins and mineral supplements in the United States (1998 Annual Report). General Nutrition Companies, Inc. , collectively with its subsidiaries, is the only nationwide specialty retailer of vitamin and mineral supplements, sports nutrition products and herbs, and is also a leading provider of personal care, and other health-related products. The products were sold through 3,757 General Nutrition Centers, 2,531 of which were owned and operated by the company and the other 1,226 stores were franchised. Much of the growth of GNC has occurred in the last 7 years. Since 1992, the Company has opened or acquired in the United States 2,593 new GNC stores (SEC 10k form). The company†s initial growth was through company-owned stores located primarily in regional malls. Many of the stores that were created in the past 7 years have been franchises. This franchise initiative has enabled GNC to expand into secondary locations as well as International markets. It appears that there is no end to the growth of GNC. At a Franchising meeting on February 6,1999 GNC awarded and agreed to open an additional 323 domestic and 428 international franchise locations. All of these stores report to GNC headquarters, which is located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Pittsburgh is also home to one of General Nutrition†s three distribution centers. The other two distribution centers are located in Atlanta and Phoenix. The products that are distributed through these channels are manufactured in Greenville, South Carolina. This facility is one of the largest and most modern vitamin and supplement manufacturing facilities in the United States. Within the coming months a new 600,000 sq. ft. manufacturing plant and distribution center in Anderson, SC will open which will double the capacity of the company (www. gnc. com/about/history). As you can see net revenue increased to 1. 4 billion dollars, an increase of 18. 8 % over 1997. This increase was driven by the success of the Company†s store expansion program and increased demand for the Company†s products, as reflected by increased sales, across all business segments. During 1998, the Company developed a web site, GNC. com, to sell products via the Internet. Although still in the early stages of operation, the Company expects sales to increase based on the growth of the Internet. The history of GNC shows their excellence in planning and execution of these plans. Going into the next millennium, the Company must actively scan their environment for opportunities and threats. The General Nutrition Company is exposed to many external threats. Over the past five years there has been a trend in consumer behavior towards healthy living. This trend has caused the health product and supplement market to drastically increase. Some of the most prominent external threats that GNC faces are new competitors, competing products and services, new technologies, government regulations, increasing customer expectations, general economic conditions, and the different cultural ways of the host countries. Some of GNC†s new competitors include Internet and mail order companies such as discountnutrition. com and the Vitamin Shoppe have entered the vitamin and supplement market recently. They have taken some of the Company†s residual sales by offering different mediums of purchase. The Internet and mail order companies tend to offer discounted prices because they buy their products in bulk. A new competitor that has appeared in small regions across the United States has been Vitamin World. These shops tend to carry a similar product line with the exception of General Nutrition†s exclusive products. In addition to Vitamin World many other small chains have been started. Two of these chains are Great Earth and Vitamin Specialty of New York. These stores propose more of a threat to GNC†s corporate stores rather than the franchises because of the personalized service. The franchise stores also have more leniency in determining the final price and any discounts or specials. With the addition of these new competitors and the threat that they pose the Company has maintained if not increased its market share in many markets. GNC manufactures and sells several lines of supplements, vitamins and minerals, as well as a variety of health foods. These product lines carry many names. Some of these names include Preventative Nutrition, GNC, and Pro Performance. All of these lines are sold exclusively at GNC stores and at their online manufacturer. In addition to their own product lines, GNC stores carry a variety of products from third-party vendors. These third-party vendors include big names such as EAS (Experimental and Applied Sciences), Twinlab, Met-Rx, and Metaform. All of these vendors are in the top 5% of sales for their flagship product. The Company must realize this and make their own products more attractive to the consumer. Competing products from the third-party vendors are also sold at other stores, so this forces the Company to not only compete within their own store but to also compete in the marketplace. Today, many companies are facing the threat of the internet. Many companies are not used to this advanced technological system and do not have the resources to compete. Not only is the Internet used for advertising purposes but it is also being used as an online ordering system. You read "General Nutrition Companies Inc" in category "Essay examples" With the shift towards an online ordering system many things have to be taken into consideration and changed accordingly. The entire supply chain must be examined to identify any and all potential problems and differences that must be made as a result of this shift. In this case, the manufacture, supply, distribution, and information flow are critical and will inevitably be modified from the traditional way of supply the product to the retail centers. Government regulations pose an enormous threat to the company. Potential government regulations will mandate FDA regulations and the testing of all products. This will dramatically increase the cost of production, which will ultimately be passed on to the end consumer. Some sport and diet supplements sold by the company today could be ruled illegal in the coming months if this occurs. This could potentially reduce the number of products available as well as the customer base. With the nation†s shift towards healthier living, many consumers have begun to experience unrealistic expectations of the products offered by the company. This can be witnessed by the fact that 45% of all adult American†s take some form of supplement. An attitude that many American†s exert today is that they want the â€Å"pill† or supplement to take the place of the work that they themselves would otherwise have to do. Customers are also looking for a company that offers exceptional customer service and sales associate knowledge. With today†s flourishing economy, the average American†s income is at an all time high. If anything would happen to cause a negative occurrence in the economy the average American†s disposable income would, as a result, probably decrease. This decrease in their disposable income would take away from their ability and/or desire to spend their money on products offered by GNC. The Different Cultural Ways of Host Countries The way that GNC handles their international business is through franchising. The franchising done internationally is done differently than is domestically. During the international franchising process, the entire General Nutrition rights are sold to the franchisee for the entire country, not just an individual store as done domestically. The government regulations and culture differences or preferences are left to the discretion of the potential or existing franchisee. The threat is posed as a result of the lack of assistance and guidelines that would normally come from the corporation headquarters. As far as dealing with the individual host country†s government regulations and culture, it may discourage business in that country all together. The availability of raw materials poses basically no threat to the company at this point because of their vast resources and long term contracts with their suppliers. But, in the future with the addition of many new entrants into the market a shortage of some raw materials and components may occur. General Nutrition was the pioneer of the nutrition industry and will continue to be for years to come. On of the major contributing factors to their success has been their ability to maximize their external opportunities. Around the late 1980’s the average Americans active lifestyle had reached an all time low. With the 1990’s came the current trend of healthier living. It was at this time that consumers turned to GNC to help maintain a healthy lifestyle. GNC capitalized on this opportunity in several different ways. They began to change the typical consumer†s idea and preferences about the General Nutrition stores and products. They began advertising to all people and having specially trained employees with knowledge of all products that were carried. This helped to make the store a more inviting place to everyone from a young high school athlete to a middle-aged mother of two. This also lead to new product market niches. Some of the more successful are the pro-performance line which is geared towards athletes, also the live well concept which promotes an overall healthy lifestyle which would be more suited for the average adult. With the change in customer preferences, GNC has the opportunity to increase market share by creating customer loyalty and trust through groundbreaking products. General Nutrition has done a tremendous job on utilizing these opportunities and in order to remain atop the competition they must continue to fine tune the and analyze the business strategy. Definitely one of General Nutrition†s greater external opportunities is their franchising and long-term alliance with Rite Aid. This opportunity is so tremendous that along with 697 stores opened in 1998 they also signed an alliance with Rite Aid. The alliance with Rite Aid allows GNC to enter a new channel for marketing its supplements. With a the average American only five miles away from a GNC, there still is such a demand for the stores that they plan to open an additional 250 stores in the next year alone. This combined with a total commitment to providing customer support has helped make GNC one of the most successful franchises for the past decade. To continue to capitalize on these external opportunities the company can look to actively pursue their franchising capabilities while avoiding cannibalization of existing stores to allow them to remain the pinnacle of the health food industry. The main reason that GNC has been and will remain the world leader in the nutrition industry is due to their ability to use technology to receive great benefits. Their greatest areas of technology that set them apart from the rest are their manufacturing and distribution. This past year the company took a tremendous leap into the 21 century with the completion of a 630,000 square foot state of the art manufacturing facility in South Carolina. Along with the new manufacturing facility, the Company was involved in a recent merger with the Dutch pharmaceutical company Royal Numico. This merger makes the Company the world†s largest manufacturer of vitamins and supplements. This merger presents the company with a great opportunity to take advantage of the world class research facilities available to them. The Company should streamline their supply chain to fully take advantage of the new manufacturing and distribution facilities. This will increase the Company†s overall efficiency. The Company should look for a strategic alliance with an established online drugstore to broaden the Company†s market share. This would also allow the Company to gain entry into the world of e-commerce. Internal strengths of the company include quality products emphasizing vitamins and minerals along with sports nutrition. This product mix focuses on high margin value added products, which are sold under the GNC proprietary brand. Along with vitamins, herbal, and sports supplements the Company also offers customers the opportunity the Gold Card program. This program enables stores to add to their product line. The basis for this program charges a $15 annual fee that entitles each member to a 20% discount on all products one time each month. Sales of proprietary brands represented over 50% of total sales in 1998. Company reputation is another strength for the company. The Company is the only nationwide specialty retailer of vitamin, mineral supplement, sports nutrition products, and herbs. Along with these products the Company is also the leading provider of personal healthcare products. The company†s reputation was built on two basic principles. The first of these is strong customer service. The Company has a strong competitive advantage over competitors because of well-trained and informed employees who have knowledge of the entire product line. The Company†s employees are knowledgeable and efficient because of the strong employee-training program. The second principal that has built their reputation is a superior product line. The proprietary brands along with other strong brand names enable them to have a product line better than the competitor. Production capabilities at the Company have enabled them to become the world leader in the their industry. The Company will be able to maintain their position as a leader because of their capacity to not only meet company inventory requirements, but also enough to sell to third parties in the wholesale market. The Company is able to maintain strong production capabilities because of their emphasis on quality control. Each product is tested from the beginning to the end until the final product meets their standard. The Company has experienced a strong sense of executive leadership. The current president has 25 years of experience within the company and the CEO has 18 years. The executive vice president has 19 years of experience and the head of logistics has 22 years under his belt. Along with this experience it is evident to see that there is an extremely low employee turnover ratio within management. Turnover within this company as with any retail organization occurs with retail store management and part time sales positions. To keep this factor at a low level the Company started the franchise program. The Company wanted to bring strategic partners into their system that would personally invest in the Company†s program. Along with strong management leadership the Company maintains a strong employee base through orientation and hiring kits that enable the new employee to adjust quickly and become an efficient employee. The company gives their employees the opportunity for tuition reimbursement, profit sharing, good medical and health benefits, and 401k and stock options. All of these factors allow a GNC employee to be part of a team. The Company uses patents to its advantage. By having patents on their proprietary formulas, vitamins, sports nutrition, and herbal supplements, the Company creates barriers between themselves and competitors. Along with their patents the Company conducts research with other companies. One such company is Proctor and Gamble. Recently the Company has held the patent with Proctor and Gamble on calcium (calcium citrate malate). This product was found to be more absorbent than any other type of calcium. The Company achieves economies of scale throughout the entire organization and network of 5,000 retail stores by a close arrangement of entities. These include arrangements with product suppliers, raw materials, packaging material, store supplies, retail advertising, third party advertising, insurance coverage, and credit card processing. The close surveillance and agreement of these entities allows the company to achieve greater economies of scale. The mission of the Company is to maintain quality over quantity in its products. The company typically introduces 25 to 30 new products each year and reformulates existing products on an annual basis. An annual reset is done for the stores to introduce new vendor third party products, and new company products through expansion and deletion of retail shelf space. General Nutrition Companies Incorporated is the leader in health products but the company is not adverse to risk. These risks that we can find within the company are considered to be the weaknesses of the company. The first risk is that Royal Numico has acquired GNC, now being a part of a larger company they must now try to fit into the larger system and integrate themselves. With the integration of the Company into Royal Numico there will be a significant amount of cash spent, some potentially dilutive issuance†s of equity securities, incurrence of debt or amortization expenses, related to goodwill and other intangible assets. Any of these can adversely affect the company; it†s operating results and financial conditions. In addition to the financial and operating factors we could find difficulties in the assimilation of the technologies, products and personnel of the integrated company. Another weakness that the company has is their leverage problem. This means that the company has raised much of its capital through debt financing, including loans. Based on the current level of operations and anticipated level of growth, the company†s available cash flow, together with other sources of liquidity, will be adequate to meet to future needs of capital. Although it looks to be enough, there can be no assurance that the company will generate enough cash flow. How to cite General Nutrition Companies Inc, Essay examples

Comparing the Classical and Baroque Eras of Music free essay sample

Music From the sasss through the offs, two distinct forms of musical composition and periods came Into play that would change the way the world looked at musical performance In all Its revelations. Baroque music displayed music that expressed drama, expression of self and talent in retrospect to the way church felt had previously felt about in the medieval era of thinking. The form of Classical era music that began to engulf much of western Europe gave the spectator a sense of a wide emotional spectrum to feel as the instrumentation made its way among staff taxation, Orchestra, etc.Although both had similarities and differences, one must take a closer look at two important composers of both periods to gain a grasp on the individual notions of each and how they helped to drive the periods. The Brandenburg Concerto no. 5 in D Major, a piece by Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750), was part of a larger series called the The Brandenburg Concertos. We will write a custom essay sample on Comparing the Classical and Baroque Eras of Music or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page This series was given as a gift to the Marriage of Brandenburg-Eschewed.This particular piece was of great Importance to the Baroque style, expressing very dramatic tones and shifts In orchestra. The entire piece consisted of flutes, violins, strings, and the harpsichord, a primitive piano that played a very supporting and above all else a concerti piece that seemed to unify the piece as a whole. The repetition of the piece is in a concerto gross format, consisting of a Tutu-Concerti-Tutu, where the song continuously traverses from a mezzo-piano to a fortissimo, with the Harpsichord as the strongest appearance.The texture and harmonic features of this piece is the dominant function of the D-MaJor with 8 and 16 note appearances, and coupled with rhythm of high pitch tones to a very strong finish help to make this composition a very influential addition to popular orchestrations in the Baroque period. Plano Concerto no. 23 In A Major, a composition by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-Bibb exclusively published around the same time as his greater play, The Marriage of Figaro, to gain greater publicity.Mozart compositions helped to move the classical period to new heights, especially with the production of this great orchestra, consisting of one flute, two clarinets, two bassoons, two horns, and strings, along with piano. There was a great performance with the piano as the supporti ng function of the orchestra, and a repetition of a allegro in A-Major, an Andante in F-Sharp, and Presto in A finishing the piece. Throughout the composition, a soft tone could be heard that kept an almost fixed dynamic all throughout the piece, and was accompanied by 6/8 notes hidden within the sounds of the instruments. As for the melody of the piece, the first section was melancholic with a positive feel about it while the second part also portrayed a melancholic but opera type tone among the Instruments. The third part presented a very strong and cheerful melody that gave spectators a sense of happiness and excitement that was typical of the Classical period. The evolution from the Baroque period Into the Classical period was filled from the enlightenment and reformations that were taking place at the time.The Baroque started with an equal footing of both secular and religious works of music, unlike the earlier religious restrictions from the church. Individuals of that period began to pursue expressive ideas of creativity that was not monitored by any particular institution or class, and this gave music the dramatic and emotional cockade that individuals craved during this period, which gave rise to concerto gross. This form of musical individuality allowed a small group of performers to give dra matic displays of musical excellence for those willing to hear such a refined and sophisticated sound.As the period progressed however, more people began to want style, and performances based upon talent of the individual rather than the group, and so concerto came into the scene. A Concerto is the individual that performs one solo instrument in a talented and refined way to give the crowd the moment of aromatic expression, a moment when they are placed on the edge of their seats in anticipation. This became the classical period, a time of Greek revival of arts, sciences, and luxurious styles, architecture, and appeal.In both compositions produced by Bach and Mozart, there are a few similarities and differences, mainly because the classical period and baroque period intertwined within itself at certain periods in time. The similarities can be seen if one looks close enough, as the instruments used during both compositions are the same except for the harpsichord f Bachs piece, although the Piano, clarinets, bassoons and horns of Mozart piece Newer added as Classical technology began to succeed the baroque period.It seems as though Bachs piece gave a soft to intense moment at any given time, while Mozart tended to express softer tones throughout his composition s. In terms of Bachs concerto gross, the reader needs to understand the Baroque style that the elite Noshed to hear smaller groups performing to refined tastes and did not want to hear one particular sound at that time. As the classical period aged, Mozart concerto took old, in which large scale audiences wished to see talent as it was meant to be heard, alone over a group of instruments that would simply drown out the talented individuals sound. In my view of Bachs work of musical genius, I could relate to the dramatic tone that the work entailed, mainly because of my lifes eventful days. The music itself offered me a sense of relaxation but with a sense of productive thought that gave rise to some of my creative writings in the past as well. I thought the sounds of the combined orchestra with the flutes and harpsichord in general gave he emotional attachment that I would look for with a mellow chord presentation and loud renditions of the flute.The slow increase from mellow to dramatic form with the solo of the harpsichord gave a very intense moment that I could truly feel and almost touch. In terms of Mozart piece, the emotional detail for me personally was much different, although I thought of his composition Just as highly. I personally felt much at ease with his music, but almost with a sense of not depression, rather a sense of the outside looking in at the world at large. The piano truly gave this composition the purp orting role to move the emotional sense of the spectator such as myself. Overall, would have to choose Mozart as my favorite among the two, only because for a musician to make the spectator think of the world as a whole rather than taking them Into the heat of human dilemma and actions. It was once said that an average looked out and said, I wonder how God created the universe. This is the same with Bach, who looked to find human emotion through the dramatic style of the Baroque period, while Mozart simply wanted to find the finesse and balance of the world through the Classical Period.

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Wooden Houses Vs Concrete houses in Saudi Arabia

Wooden Houses Vs Concrete houses in Saudi Arabia Introduction The choice of housing is usually determined by different factors. Climatic and weather conditions include some of the elements that inform potential homeowners. Observably, a cost benefit analysis of diverse housing alternatives must be conducted. Presently, people have recognized the need to erect different kinds of buildings. Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Wooden Houses Vs Concrete houses in Saudi Arabia specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More These include both the concrete and wooden houses. However, it is crucial to note that the costs involved are an important factor in informing this decision. This essay compares the choice between wooden or concrete houses in Saudi Arabia. Some of the issues discussed include cost, compatibility and sustainability with the country and weather conditions, time efficiency and environmental friendliness. 1st Point: Cost There are obvious disparities between the wooden a nd concrete houses in Saudi Arabia. Homeowners consider the cost effectiveness of various architectural designs for their houses. Cost considerations play significant roles in the decision for proper housing. Observably, this also includes the basic materials to be applied in the construction process. Saudi Arabia is located within a desert. This area has a lot of sand and other natural material for concrete building. These materials are exploited and used directly or indirectly. It is apparent that it is easier to obtain the materials for constructing concrete buildings. Ideally, a desert environment lacks the natural capacity to support the practice of forestry. Therefore, forests are less likely to develop within the desert area. It is imperative that Saudi Arabia has no sufficient wood sources. Building a wooden house in Saudi Arabia would prove very expensive for most people. This is unlike the concrete buildings. There is a very high cost of importing timber for construction into Saudi Arabia. Notably, very few neighboring countries or states have the potential to produce enough timber for exports. This makes it hard and expensive for people to construct wooden houses. Sand is readily available within Saudi Arabia. This means that people can locally extract sand and use it for the preparation of concrete material. The people have applied locally available technology to initiate these processes. Apart from sand, there are other concrete materials such as stones and processed cement. Consequently, several cement-processing plants are located within different regions of the country. All these factors play a significant role in lowering the cost of constructing the concrete houses. The wooden houses lack adequate resiliency and resistance to last for a long period. Generally, they are more susceptible to abrasion, breakage and destruction. Majorly, these emanate from the harsh environmental conditions within the desert in Saudi Arabia. However, the concret e houses prove to be more resistant. Advertising Looking for report on architecture? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More They are very resistant to abrasion and other destructive occurrences that might emanate from the desert environment. It is, therefore, deductable that there are negligible or lower maintenance costs involved. This is unlike the case of wooden houses that require a lot of attention, surveillance and maintenance initiatives. These elements might also increase the general expenses involved in the design and operation of wooden houses in Saudi Arabia. There might be limited or lack of adequate labor for the construction of wooden houses. The condition emerges because the desert faces a great level of timber scarcity. The scarcity of human resource increases the expenses used for hiring labor. Contrarily, the masons involved in the construction of concrete houses are readily available. This trend remains o bservable across the entire Saudi Arabia. There is minimal labor costs involved in the process. This makes the concrete houses cheaper to construct than the wooden houses. 2nd Point: Compatibility and Sustainability with the Country and Weather Conditions Saudi Arabia has variable weather conditions. There are different seasons within a year. These variable weather conditions affect physical structures in different ways. It is important to note that the country and weather conditions might affect the sustainability of the houses. Evidently, the concrete houses prove to be more durable and resistant to all weather conditions. Agreeably, they last longer and serve their basic purpose in an effective manner. However, this situation is not applicable for the case of the wooden houses. These variable weather conditions make the wooden houses more vulnerable to rapid destruction. The concrete houses are more compatible and sustainable to the country and weather conditions. Wooden houses are more likely to be destroyed through various processes. These processes originate from different weather and environmental factors. Physical processes cause breakages and destructions in the wooden houses. In addition, other notable chemical process might lead to gradual destruction of the wooden houses. Principally, these emanate from different environmental changes causing weather alterations and interactions. These factors make the owners of such houses to incur additional and high maintenance expenditures. Indicatively, this is not the case for the concrete houses. The composition of concrete is more durable and resistant to these weather changes. They can be occupied even during periods of adverse weather. Additionally, they are also suitable in Saudi Arabia because they help to prevent excess heat and cold from reaching the occupants. There are many weather-generated agents with negative impacts on the wooden houses. Certain animals such as ants, insects and rodents occupy human habitats. Wooden houses are mostly targeted in this aspect. Perhaps, unlike the concrete houses, wooden ones provide a readily available source of food for these ants. Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Wooden Houses Vs Concrete houses in Saudi Arabia specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More They are more susceptible to destruction from the action of such animals. It is notable that the concrete houses are very sustainable within the desert conditions. The hard concrete surface acts as a critical guard and protection against the harsh weather conditions that prevail from the outside desert environment. Excessive and strong winds predominant within the Saudi Arabia desert environment might have detrimental implications on the wooden houses. There is a high probability of the wooden house being swept away by wind. This is majorly because the wooden house foundations might not be as strong and firm as the concrete ones. Foundations made from concrete material are very strong, firm and remain rooted to the ground. In this regard, they are most suitable for desert conditions that experience extensive and huge wind flows during all periods. Building wooden houses within such places would be dangerous to the life of occupants. Generally, the concrete houses are more appropriate within desert areas like Saudi Arabia. The wooden houses are not sustainable within such areas. 3rd Point: Time Efficiency There are many challenges associated with building wooden houses in Saudi Arabia. These challenges lead to the development of major inefficiencies. These might relate to the habitats and other processes taking place within the houses. Apparently, the concrete houses built within Saudi Arabia have limited cases of inefficiency as compared to other wooden ones. The wooden houses require a lot of time and concentration. These must be undertaken during the construction and maintenance stages. Normally, the hou se owner might need to utilize the services of an expert during the construction process. These initiatives always result into longer durations of consulting and hiring the appropriate personnel to complete the construction activities. Unlike the case of the concrete houses, the trained personnel are easily accessible. It is crucial to note that one might not even require integrating or outsourcing for the services of building experts. This saves a lot of time in the construction of these concrete buildings. As compared to the concrete houses, the wooden ones are easy to clean and maintain in a sanitary manner. In fact, the wooden one just needs to be wiped in order for the house to be clean and sanitary. Depending on the type of the concrete finish of a specific surface, it may be challenging to sanitize the concrete house. From these observations, it is noteworthy that the wooden houses are important and leading in times of time saving.Advertising Looking for report on architecture? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More However, this is only true during the cleaning operations. The concrete houses would need a lot of water to clean or sanitize. These also require several personnel and energy input. These factors combine to influence the length of time spent in attaining the maximum level of sanitation within these houses. The materials for constructing concrete houses are readily accessible within the country. This means that a lot of time is saved during the procurement and construction procedures. The building contractors do not have to travel for longer distances to search for these materials. There are also minimal cases or instances of imports. The overall implication is that it is more time saving and efficient to develop a concrete house in the Saudi Arabia. Nonetheless, this is the opposite case for the wooden houses within this region. Timber meant for construction of these houses must be imported into Saudi Arabia. This means that there must be adequate periods allocated for identificati on, invoicing and negotiation initiatives. These also involve the normal procedures undertaken in procurement, including the clearance schedules within the customs duty departments. Therefore, sufficient time must be slotted for all these operations to be achieved. These usually lead to the realization of gross time inefficiencies. 4th Point: Environment Friendly Wooden houses prove to be more environment friendly as compared to the concrete houses. However, this argument only serves certain aspects of the wooden houses. For instance, they help to cushion the occupants or inhabitants from the harsh climatic and weather conditions within the desert. Most people consent that it is usually more comfortable to reside within the wooden houses. Particularly, this relates to specific places with poor environmental conditions such as the deserts of the Saudi Arabia. The concrete houses are more prone to negative climatic situations. These houses usually make the occupants more vulnerable t o these harsh conditions within their external environments. There have been negative arguments from most environmental conservationists about these wooden houses. According to these conservationists, wooden houses are made from timber. This practice results into massive deforestation that leads to the development of severe environmental impacts. Some of the impacts already noted and highlighted include the increased rates of global warming and ozone depletion. In this context, it is notable that the wooden houses are not environmentally friendly. In this regard, the concrete houses appear to be more environmentally friendly. Conclusion It is evident that the concrete houses do not encourage or propagate the impacts of global warming. Since man is part of the larger environment, the wooden houses provide a very conducive and moderated environment for habitation. The concrete houses are usually sensitive to the weather changes that emanate from the external environment. In most cir cumstances, they are not as environment friendly as the wooden houses. Notably the concrete houses have several advantages as compared to the wooden houses constructed within Saudi Arabia. In summary, it is better to construct the concrete houses in Saudi Arabia rather than the wooden houses.

Philosophy of Education Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Philosophy of Education - Essay Example Philosophical reflection informs the manner of instructive practices as well as the point to which instruction should do so. In the republic, Plato termed education as a practice which stands exclusively necessitating direction from the most embracing as well as refined metaphysics (Blake, Smith & Standish 2006). All past and current human societies have had a vested concentration on education and most of the people have claimed that most educational activities or teaching are the second oldest occupation. Almost every society allocates adequate resources in support of educational institutions and activities as they are very important. Learning institutions are one of the agents of socialization in most societies because all children are born innumerate and illiterate. They are also normally ignorant of the cultural achievements and norms of their society or community of which they are part of. However, with the assistance of teachers, the rest of the society and educational resources, they learn to read, write, and act in ways that are culturally appropriate. Most of the people learn these skills with more education facilities than other people. Education equips people with substantive knowledge and skills that enable them to identify and pursue their own aspirations and take part in their community life as independent and full-fledged citizens. In his educational philosophy, Plato argued that a person is served best when he or she is subordinated to a just society. Plato promoted the notion that children should be removed from the care of their mothers and raised as state wards with a lot of care being taken to t ell apart children suitable to the different castes, the highest attaining most education, to ensure that they act as city guardians and care for the less fortunate (Rozema 1998). Plato further argued that education would be holistic including physical discipline, skills, facts, art and music which he took as the utmost form of undertaking. He believed that talents were not distributed genetically and thus they had to be found in any social class. There have been other philosophies of education after Plato. Freire (2002) attacked the ‘banking concept of education’. In this concept, students are viewed like an empty account that should be filled by the teachers. Freire suggested that a deep reciprocity should be inserted into people’s idea of student and teacher. He rejected the teacher –student dichotomy and encouraged the role of participants in the classroom as the student teacher (a student who teaches) and teacher student (a teacher who learns). Freire (2002) kind of classroom was at times criticized because it can disguise the authority of the teacher rather than overcome it. Freirian education philosophy has been extremely important in academic debates over participatory development and overall development. Dewey (1916) argued that the basic ineluctable birth and death facts of every member of a social group make education a necessity because in spite of this genetic inescapability, the community has to continue. The immense societal significance of education is highlighted by the fact that when people are taken aback by a predicament, it is regularly viewed as a sign of fail and teachers and the system of education become scapegoats. On the other McLaren argued that education should bring about social and self empowerment. He criticized the conventional American tradition in which schools try to establish and develop an egalitarian and democratic society, with the conventional humanities curricula informing learners about the ethical standards and human values. McLaren saw modern schools as doing precious little to encourage the Western humanist traditionist. Schools produce economic and social which has to be weighed against a real record of serving the affluent interests. This condition by McLaren has been in latest conservative developments where the curriculum and aims are geared to the worldwide economic