Essay on The Wife of Bath Feminism in Chaucers Work

Women in the medieval times were cast into very distinct roles. There was a strict code of conduct that was followed. They were to be submissive to their husbands and follow their lead. A womans place was also in the home and the responsibilities of cooking, cleaning, sewing, etc. fell into their domain. Women who deviated from these cultural-set norms made for interesting characters. Chaucers use of women and their overstepping their boundaries and typical roles in society make them most memorable. Most of the gender expectations stemmed from the Church and biblical history. There were many anti-feminist feelings due to Eve causing the fall of Man. Women were perceived to be responsible for most of the suffering to man, and†¦show more content†¦Who peyntede the leon, tel me who? By God, if women hadde written stories, As clerkes han withinne hire oratories, They wolde han written of men more wikkednesse Than al the mark of Adam may redresse. (668-702) The Wife is referring to one of Aesops fables about who was superior in the relationship. It was argued with a reference to a picture of man having authority over the lion, and then the lion responds with an obvious truth. Since man had painted the picture, of course it would be presented that way. If the lion had painted the picture, the circumstances would have been different. What the Wife of Bath is saying is that since men established the dynamics of the male/female relationship, women are unable to change the image. Had control been in the hands of women from the start, they would be in control of relationships. In so much that the Wife of Bath fights back against the oppression against women, she in turn ends up treating her husbands in the same oppressive manner. It is interesting to note that in her rants against men being the controlling force in marriages, she herself was a bully to her husbands. This makes it difficult to interpret Chaucers intentions in creating a strong women character advocating for her due rights. By vocalizing her thoughts and what were most likely many womens thoughts of his day, he gives an identity and power to those without aShow MoreRelatedFeminism In Chaucers The Wife Of Bath1216 Words   |  5 Pagesof literature deals with interpreting the original meaning of a work and attempting to understand how it applies to modern day readers. As with other pieces of literature, this is also true for Chaucer’s â€Å"The Wife of Bath’s Prologue,† where many contemporary scholars hail Chaucer as feminist icon for his depiction of an eloquent, in dependent woman. This interpretation, however, is flawed because it is highly anachronistic. Feminism, as we understand the term today, did not emerge until the 19th CenturyRead MoreChaucers The Canterbury Tales1381 Words   |  6 Pagescomparison to the parson to show what the ecclesiastical class are doing versus what they are supposed to be doing. In other words, it is to make people be aware of these problems. It can be inferred that the author’s main goal is for this literary work to serve as a message to the people along with changing the society in relation to these problems. The author mentions several issues of the society including how women are treated. Pertaining to women’s role in the society, the Middle Ages was alsoRead More Chaucers Canterbury Tales Essay - Women in The Wife of Bath1433 Words   |  6 PagesWomen in Chaucers The Wife of Bath Chaucers The Wife of Baths Prologue and Tale is a medieval legend that paints a portrait of strong women finding love and themselves in the direst of situations. It is presented to the modern day reader as an early tale of feminism showcasing the ways a female character gains power within a repressive, patriarchal society. Underneath the simplistic plot of female empowerment lies an underbelly of anti-feminism. Sometimes this is presented blatantlyRead More Passive Women in Chaucers Canterbury Tales? Essay1466 Words   |  6 PagesPassive Women in Chaucers Canterbury Tales? One argument that reigns supreme when considering Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales is whether or not there is an element of anti-feminism within the text. One thread that goes along with this is whether or not the women of The Canterbury Tales are passive within the tales told. This essay will explore the idea that the women found within the tales told by the pilgrims (The Knight’s Tale, The Miller’s Tale and The Wife of Bath’s Tale to name a few)Read MoreSex in The Canterbury Tales Essay937 Words   |  4 Pagesinstrument in The Canterbury Tales. Portraying sex as a power that women exert over men rather than the marital bond of â€Å"making love† makes evident Chaucer’s skewed views of love and marriage with underlying tones of misogyny. He expresses these views throughout the work, however, the theme of love and sex is most evident in the sub-stories of The Wife of Bath and The Miller’s Tale. Chaucer breaks the topic of sex into two basic parts: carnality and romanticism. Although carnal love is a controversialRead MoreGeoffrey Chaucer Stance on Feminism1254 Words   |  6 Pages The investigation into whether or not Geoffrey Chaucer was ahead of his time in terms of his views on feminism has been up for debate for hundreds of years. The Wife of Bath’s Prologue is just one solitary example of the complicated nature of Chaucer’s belief system. On the one hand, we have many strong female characters that despite still being extremely dependant on the men in their lives, know what they want out of life. From a contrasting point of view, readers see a group of men, includingRead MoreEssay on No Apologies for The Wife of Bath851 Words   |  4 Pages     Ã‚   In Geoffrey Chaucers Canterbury Tales, the author portrays the Wife of Bath, Alison, as a woman who bucks the tradition of her times with her brashness and desire for control. Chaucer is able to present a strong womans point of view and to evoke some sympathy for her.    In the authors time, much of the literature was devoted to validating the frailties of women.   However, in this story, the Wife is a woman who has outlived four of five husbands for ofRead MoreAnalysis Of The Poem The Wife Of Bath 1754 Words   |  8 PagesBecca Edmondson AP English 12 Mrs. Price Research Paper The Wife of Bath The Wife of Bath is unlike the other women of her time to some extent, yet simultaneously is a member of a certain group of individuals. Although this is taking place in the fourteenth century, surprising as it is, the Wife of Bath fits into the society through her uniqueness. In Chaucer’s tales the women of this time were not portrayed as one might imagine. Many believe the women of the fourteenth century were housewives whoRead More Masculinity in The Wife of Baths Prologue and Tale Essay2175 Words   |  9 PagesMasculinity in The Wife of Baths Prologue and Tale      Ã‚   The Wife of Bath, with the energy of her vernacular and the voraciousness of her sexual appetite, is one of the most vividly developed characters of The Canterbury Tales. At 856 lines her prologue, or preambulacioun as the Summoner calls it, is the longest of any of the pilgrims, and matches the General Prologue but for a few lines. Evidently Chaucer is infatuated with Alisoun, as he plays satirically with both gender and classRead MoreThe Wife Of Bath And His Play With Gender Essay1698 Words   |  7 PagesCohens Professor Robichaud Brit. literature 1 10/18/16 The Wife of Bath and his play with Gender (Feminist and or Misogynist) Like most of literature, The Wife of Bath can be read in multiple perspectives. Within The Wife of Bath, it can be read as feministic and or misogynistic. Chaucer projects his views towards feminism through the wife and her views and attitudes. Many literary critics explored the feministic views of The Wife of Bath. She is a strongminded and dominant woman who knows exactly

Harry Trumans Decision to Drop the Atomic Bomb - 1314 Words

To what extent was Harry Truman’s decision to drop atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki justified? A. Plan of Investigation Research Question: To what extent was Harry Truman’s decision to drop atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki justified? This investigation assesses President Harry Truman’s decision to drop atomic bombs on both Hiroshima and Nagasaki. It will determine whether or not his decision was justified. This investigation will scrutinize the reasons that made Harry Truman feel inclined to drop atomic bombs over Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Preventing further casualties along with the desire to end the war are two argumentative points that will be analyzed to determine if they were strong enough to justify the dropping†¦show more content†¦Thus the value to this source is very high, as the illustration of Harry Truman’s mindset is not altered by an opinion, yet based on factual evidence. One limitation this source retains is that Walker really only mentions the reasons why the bombing should happen, not why the atomic bombing should have not actually taken place, eliminating a whole other side of the story. D. Analysis As the war continued and violence escalated, bombings caused enormous destruction and high death tolls, leading inevitably to the use of the atomic bombs. The bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki represented a culmination in the destructiveness of bombings, not a significant deviation from previous bombing practices. The alternatives to the use of the atomic bomb were likely to have caused equal suffering for the Japanese people. The use of the atomic bomb was no less moral than these horrific wartime practices. Harry Truman’s decision to use the atomic bomb against Japan was justified by Japan’s refusal to immediately surrender. Harry Truman gave the Japanese time to surrender in order to preserve the existence of their people. They did not comply and as a result endured the consequences. (Walker) Yet an alternate perspective states that it was quite unnecessary to drop the Atomic Bombs in that Japan was practically an already defeated opponent. If a conditional surrende r were to be issued by the United States to Japan inShow MoreRelatedHarry S. Trumans Decision to Drop the Atomic Bomb1857 Words   |  7 Pages President Harry S. Truman was confronted with a difficult decision on August 3, 1945 that would drastically change the history of the United States. President Truman decided to drop two atomic bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in order to end World War II and the U.S. would soon meet another formidable enemy with the beginnings of The Cold War. The Cold War developed anti- and pro-Communist views, shifting the United States’ focus towards defeating Communism and its supportersRead MoreTruman and Atomic Bombs649 Words   |  3 Pagesare to take a side and then write an editorial on Harry S Truman’s decision to order the dropping of the atom bomb. HARRY S TRUMAN amp; THE DECISION TO ORDER THE DROPPING OF THE ATOMIC BOMB Boom! Boom! Seventy thousands Japanese citizens were perished instantly after the first atomic bomb was dropped in Hiroshima on August 6, 1945. Japanese still refused to surrender to Allied forces. On August 9, 1945, with the dropping of the second atomic bomb in Nagasaki, where eighty thousands people wereRead MoreEssay Pres, Truman Atomic Bomb Decision1421 Words   |  6 PagesPresident Trumans Decision to drop the Atomic Bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki During World War II the war in Europe ended after the unconditional German surrender at General Eisenhowers Headquarters in Reims, France, May 7, 1945. After the unconditional German surrender in Europe the war shifted to Asia and the Pacific. As the war continued against Japan the Allied forces captured islands such as Iwo Jima and Okinaawa close to Japan brought the Japanese homeland within range of naval and airRead MoreThe Atomic Bombs910 Words   |  4 PagesDuring the 20th century, specifically the year 1945, the United States of America had two atomic bombs that the commander and chief, and president at the time, Harry Truman, knew about. President Truman plan was to drop the bombs on two of Japans cities, Hiroshima first and then Nagasaki. Truman’s plans went accordingly, which to this day leads to a very controversial topic on whether or not dropping the atomic bombs was a good or bad thing. There is evidence and reasoning to back up both claims, inRead MoreThe Atom ic Bombs On Hiroshima And Nagasaki982 Words   |  4 Pagesreviewing Ronald Takai’s Hiroshima, it only makes me wonder what was going through the mind of President Harry Truman when he gave the â€Å"green light† to drop the atomic bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. It has been more than 70 years since that happened and the conclusion of World War II, and yet the legacy remains in our modern day history books and class lectures. But was deploying the atomic bombs on Japan really necessary? What was Truman thinking? And did the end really justify the means? Truly, uponRead MoreWhy Harry Truman Dropped the Bomb on Hiroshima, and the Consequences for Humanity1355 Words   |  6 PagesAugust 6th 1945, the United States, led by Harry Truman, decided to drop the atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan, forever changing warfare. This paper will be dedicated to why Harry Truman decided to use the atomic bomb on Japan and the effects that this decision had on humanity afterward. The creation of the atomic bomb, and subsequently the Manhattan Project, was created in response to the belief that the German Government was in the process of creating atomic weapons. This belief was expressed to PresidentRead More The Decision To Drop The Atomic Bomb Essay897 Words   |  4 PagesPresident Trumans decision to drop the atomic bomb on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were the direct cause for the end of World War II in the Pacific. The United States felt it was necessary to drop the atomic bombs on these two cities or it would suffer more casualties. Not only could the lives of many soldiers have been taken, but possibly the lives of many innocent Americans. The United States will always try to avoid the loss of American civilians at all costs, even if that means takingRead MoreAtomic Bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki Essay879 Words   |  4 PagesPresident Trumans decision to drop the atomic bomb on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were the direct caus e for the end of World War II in the Pacific. The United States felt it was necessary to drop the atomic bombs on these two cities or it would suffer more casualties. Not only could the lives of many soldiers have been taken, but possibly the lives of many innocent Americans. The United States will always try to avoid the loss of American civilians at all costs, even if that means takingRead MoreThe Atomic Bombs : The Justification1038 Words   |  5 PagesThe Atomic Bombs; The Justification One of the most controversial and heavily scrutinized issue of the twentieth century was President Harry S. Truman’s decision to unleash atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945. The motives behind Truman’s actions are shrouded in controversy as top military officials publicly denounced the use of such a disastrous weapon. There is overwhelming evidence supporting both sides of the decision, as historians are split in opinion. The United States had beenRead MoreHarry S. Trumans Accomplishments: Dessegregation and Hiroshima1731 Words   |  7 PagesThe actions and decisions made by the United States President, leader of the free world, are subject to be analyzed, scrutinized, and debated for the rest of eternity. These decisions are how that man will be judged. Out of the 44 men to hold this honored position, one man, Harry S. Truman, made several proclamations such as the institution of Desegregation in the US Military, the dropping the atomic bombs, and the d eclaration of the Martial Law, which forever changed our society and the world

Digital Fortress Chapter 18 Free Essays

Standing before the huge plate-glass window in his Tokyo skyrise, Numataka took a long pull on his cigar and smiled to himself. He could scarcely believe his good fortune. He had spoken to the American again, and if all was going according to the timetable, Ensei Tankado had been eliminated by now, and his copy of the pass-key had been confiscated. We will write a custom essay sample on Digital Fortress Chapter 18 or any similar topic only for you Order Now It was ironic, Numataka thought, that he himself would end up with Ensei Tankado’s pass-key. Tokugen Numataka had met Tankado once many years ago. The young programmer had come to Numatech Corp. fresh out of college, searching for a job. Numataka had denied him. There was no question that Tankado was brilliant, but at the time there were other considerations. Although Japan was changing, Numataka had been trained in the old school; he lived by the code of menboko-honor and face. Imperfection was not to be tolerated. If he hired a cripple, he would bring shame on his company. He had disposed of Tankado’s resume without a glance. Numataka checked his watch again. The American, North Dakota, should have called by now. Numataka felt a tinge of nervousness. He hoped nothing was wrong. If the pass-keys were as good as promised, they would unlock the most sought-after product of the computer age-a totally invulnerable digital encryption algorithm. Numataka could embed the algorithm in tamper-proof, spray-sealed VSLI chips and mass market them to world computer manufacturers, governments, industries, and perhaps, even the darker markets†¦ the black market of world terrorists. Numataka smiled. It appeared, as usual, that he had found favor with the shichigosan-the seven deities of good luck. Numatech Corp. was about to control the only copy of Digital Fortress that would ever exist. Twenty million dollars was a lot of money-but considering the product, it was the steal of the century. How to cite Digital Fortress Chapter 18, Essay examples

Aes Case Solution Essay Example

Aes Case Solution Paper 1. How would you evaluate the capital budgeting method used historically by AES? What’s good and bad about it? â€Å"When AES undertook primarily domestic contract generation projects where the risk of changes to input and output prices was minimal, a project finance framework was employed. † Usually, project finance framework is used when the project has predictable cash flows, which can easily represent operating targets through explicit contract. When cash flows are certainty, the company can have higher level of leverage and it is easier to separate project assets from the parent company. Advantages and Disadvantages: ) Advantages a. Maximize Leverage b. Off-Balance Sheet Treatment c. Agency Cost d. Multilateral Financial Institutions 2) Disadvantages a. Projects V/S Division b. Complexity c. Macroeconomic Risk d. Political Risk: 2. If Venerus implements the suggested methodology, what would be the range of discount rates that AES would use around the world? If Vene rus and AES implement the suggested methodology, the projects would change while WACC changes. To find WACC we must first calculate the leveraged bets for each the US Red Oak and Lal Plr Pakistan projects, using the equation unleveled beta/(1-D/V). It is easy to find debt to capital ratios, which are 39. 5% for U. S and 35. 1% for Pakistan, and the unleveled beta, which are both 0. 25, in Exhibit 7a and 7b. Then we can obtain a leveraged beta for the U. S. , 0. 41, and for Pakistan, 0. 3852. Second we should find the risk free and risk premium rates. Because all debts are finance in U. S. dollar, we use the risk free rate, which is equal to U. S. T-bill, and risk premium rate, which is equal to U. S. risk premium, to calculate the cost of capital for all countries. Using equation cost of capital = Risk Free Rate + levered beta * Risk Premium, we can get the cost of capital for U. S. project, 7. 27%, and for Pakistan project, 7. 2%. After that we should find the cost of debt. Using the formula risk free rate + default spread, we can get the cost of debt for both U. S. project and Pakistan project are 8. 07% (4. 5%+3. 47%), in which both U. S. project and Pakistan project have a same spread, 3. 47%. To adjust we add the sovereign risk into calculation. In Exhibit 7a, the sovereign risk for the U. S. is 0% but for Pakistan is 9. 9%. We will write a custom essay sample on Aes Case Solution specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Aes Case Solution specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Aes Case Solution specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We thereby get the new evaluation of the cost of capital and cost of debt, which are constant for U. S. and rise to 17. 1% and 17. 97% for Pakistan. Finally we calculate the WACC. The formula is leveraged beta * (cost of capital) + Debt to capital * (cost of debt) * (1-tax rate). Then we get for the U. S. WACC= 6. 48% and for Pakistan WACC= 15. 93%. Finally, we should adjust the WACC with its risk score. Because everything is calculated in U. S. dollar, the U. S. risk score is 0. So the U. S. projects WACC is constant. The Pakistan risk premium is 1. 425. So the change is 1. 25 * 500= 705bp = 7. 05%. Therefore, we get the final Pakistan WACC, which is 23. 08% (15. 93%+7. 05%). In conclusion, the difference between the U. S. and Pakistan projects is 16. 60%. Obviously, the U. S. project looks much more favorable. 3. Does this make sense as a way to do capital budgeting? The financial strategy employed by AES was historically based on project finance. The model worked well in the domes tic market and in the international operations. However, when AES started its diversification of business, it had to face to increasing symmetrical risks, such as business risk. In addition, project finance did not include the risk of devaluation of currency in developing economies which resulted in significant losses due to the inability of the company to survive its international debt obligations. And AES should also pay attention to political risk. Hence we see that the geographical diversification of business made project financing less recommendable as a symmetrical risk becomes more manifest. 4. What is the value of the Pakistan project using the cost of capital derived from the new methodology? If this project was located in the U. S. what would its value be? In order to calculate the value of project for the Lal Pir project in Pakistan, we first need to calculate the Weighted Average Cost of Capital (WACC) using the new proposed methodology. The first step is to calculate the value of levered ?. The value of the levered ? comes out to be 38. 52%, which essentially means that our project is not very highly correlated to the market return. Using this v alue of ? we now calculate the cost of Equity. We have used the return on U. S. Treasury Bond, which is 4. 5%, as the risk free return. The cost of equity comes out to be 7. % and similarly, using the risk free return and the default spread we calculate the cost of debt which comes out to be 8. 07%. It is important to note that the cost of debt and the cost of equity also need to be adjusted for the sovereign spread. Once we have the adjusted costs of equity and capital, the WACC comes out to be 15. 93%. However, now we need to adjust this WACC for the risks associated with doing the project in Pakistan. As mentioned in part 2, we get final WACC 23. 08%, which lead us to calculate NPV from the year 2004 to 2023. And it is -$234. 34 million. For U. S. , first we see the sovereign spread is equal to zero. Secondly, in this case we would need to calculate the business risk using the information given in Exhibit 7a. This score comes out to be 0. 64 and using this score, our business risk comes out to be 3. 23% and adding it to calculated value of WACC, we get our final WACC of 9. 64%. Using this we calculate our NPV for USA which comes out to be -$35. 92 million. 5. How does the adjusted cost of capital for the Pakistan project reflect the probabilities of real events? What does the discount rate adjustment imply about expectations for the project because it is located in Pakistan and not the U. S.? To calculate the adjusted cost of capital, we should adjust six common types of risks: Operational, Counterparty, Regulatory, Construction, Commodity, Currency and Legal. In Pakistan, it is possible to meet all these risks except construction. Additionally, the highest probability is the legal risk. When we calculate the WACC for Pakistan through traditional formula it comes out to be 15. 93%, however in order to incorporate the risk factor associated with Pakistan we need to adjust it for the Total Risk Score, which in this case is 1. 425. So we need to adjust our WACC 23. 08%. As mentioned earlier the discount rate is adjusted based on the total risk score of the country. This total risk score is compiled from 6 main types of risks, the probability of which varies from country to country. While currency, regulatory and legal risks are significantly high in Pakistan, the operational, counterparty and commodity risks are higher in U. S.. Similarly when come to the adjusted WACC for Pakistan (23. 08%) and WACC for U. S. (6. 48%), we can conclude that Pakistan is much riskier to invest than the U. S..

Free Essays on Christopher Columbus

Christopher Columbus (1451-1506) Christopher Columbus was an outstanding navigator and organizer of expeditions. He achieved fame by sailing west across the Atlantic Ocean in search of a sea route to Asia. He did not accomplish this goal. Instead, he encountered islands in the Caribbean Sea. At that time, the people of Europe and the Americas did not know of each other's existence. During his four voyages westward-between 1492 and 1504-Columbus explored what are now the West Indies and the coasts of Central and South America. Columbus was not the first European to reach the Western Hemisphere. The Norse(also called the Vikings) had settled for a time on the coast of North America about A.D. 1000. That contact did not last, and most Europeans of the 1400's did not know it had taken place. Columbus' voyages led to enduring links between the Eastern and Western hemispheres. The World of Columbus When Columbus was born in 1451, Europe was struggling against the growing power of the Ottoman Turks, who had conquered much of southeastern Europe. In 1453, the Ottomans took control of Constantinople (now Istanbul, Turkey), a major center of trade between Europe and Asia. The ottomans made Constantinople the capital of their empire, cutting off easy European access to Asian goods. The only alternative to a difficult, dangerous land journey was a sea route-either around Africa or westward across the Atlantic. The desire for a sea route to Asia started a remarkable wave of European exploration, even though Europe had limited resources. European explorers combined the seafaring skill of the Italians with the resources of the Portuguese and the Spanish. Europe constantly improved its ships and navigational aids, as well as its arms for trading and a desire to preach Christianity worldwide. Early Years Boyhood. The exact date of Christopher Columbus' birth is not known. He was born sometime between August... Free Essays on Christopher Columbus Free Essays on Christopher Columbus Christopher Columbus is often described as â€Å"one of the greatest mariners in history, a visionary genius, a mystic, a national hero, a failed administrator, a naà ¯ve entrepreneur, and a ruthless and greedy imperialist†. Throughout history, his story has been referred to in all situations, some were good and some were bad. But all who teach and hear the story agree that without him, the world would be different. There were many different ways Christopher Columbus’ voyages were viewed. His voyages expressed the general political, social, and scientific outlook of the fifteenth century in many ways. Through every thing he had the determination and strength to get through even when he had no support. From the political outlook, not many â€Å"high up† people believed in what Christopher Columbus was setting out to accomplish. He had tried unsuccessfully to enlist support for his project. He presented his intentions to many different people to ask for support. Through a combination of good luck and persuasiveness, he finally was offered help from Catholic monarchs, Queen Isabel and King Fernando, who agreed to back him up. They agreed to Columbus’s demands on the condition that he would be successful on his first voyage. He was to be rewarded with â€Å"being knighted, appointed Admiral of the Ocean Sea, made the viceroy of any new lands, and awarded ten percent of any new wealth. He took his three ships, the Santa Maria, the Nina, and the Pinta. After the voyage of 1492, the widely published reports made Columbus famous. Political support was no longer hard to come by, and he earned the title of â€Å"Admiral of the Ocean Sea† and further royal patro nage. Not only did the political outlook change, so did the social outlook. Before Christopher Columbus set sail, his fellow mariners thought he was wasting his time with mere dreams and idealistic fantasies. After receiving support from Queen Isabel and King Fernando, he se... Free Essays on Christopher Columbus Christopher Columbus (1451-1506) Christopher Columbus was an outstanding navigator and organizer of expeditions. He achieved fame by sailing west across the Atlantic Ocean in search of a sea route to Asia. He did not accomplish this goal. Instead, he encountered islands in the Caribbean Sea. At that time, the people of Europe and the Americas did not know of each other's existence. During his four voyages westward-between 1492 and 1504-Columbus explored what are now the West Indies and the coasts of Central and South America. Columbus was not the first European to reach the Western Hemisphere. The Norse(also called the Vikings) had settled for a time on the coast of North America about A.D. 1000. That contact did not last, and most Europeans of the 1400's did not know it had taken place. Columbus' voyages led to enduring links between the Eastern and Western hemispheres. The World of Columbus When Columbus was born in 1451, Europe was struggling against the growing power of the Ottoman Turks, who had conquered much of southeastern Europe. In 1453, the Ottomans took control of Constantinople (now Istanbul, Turkey), a major center of trade between Europe and Asia. The ottomans made Constantinople the capital of their empire, cutting off easy European access to Asian goods. The only alternative to a difficult, dangerous land journey was a sea route-either around Africa or westward across the Atlantic. The desire for a sea route to Asia started a remarkable wave of European exploration, even though Europe had limited resources. European explorers combined the seafaring skill of the Italians with the resources of the Portuguese and the Spanish. Europe constantly improved its ships and navigational aids, as well as its arms for trading and a desire to preach Christianity worldwide. Early Years Boyhood. The exact date of Christopher Columbus' birth is not known. He was born sometime between August...

Carnauba Wax Composition and Uses

Carnauba Wax Composition and Uses My son says my car smells like candy. This is not because I satisfy some sugar craving while driving, but because I waxed it with the same wax used to coat many candies. This is carnauba wax, also known as palm wax or Brazil wax. What is carnauba wax? Carnauba wax is an ingredient in many foods and household products. Heres a look at what carnauba wax is made of and the properties that make it such a useful chemical. Carnauba Wax Origin Carnauba wax is a natural wax. It  comes from the leaves of the Copernicia prunifera palm grown only in Brazil. The wax is obtained by beating the wax off of the dried palm fronds and then refining it for use. The pure wax is yellow in color. Carnauba Wax Chemical Composition Carnauba wax consists of fatty acid esters (80-85%), fatty alcohols (10-16%), acids (3-6%) and hydrocarbons (1-3%). It is around 20% esterified fatty diols, 10% methoxylated or hydroxylated cinnamic acid, and 6% hydroxylated fatty acids. Properties and Uses Carnauba wax has a very high melting point of 82-86  °C (180-187  °F). It is harder than concrete and nearly insoluble in water and ethanol. It is non-toxic and hypoallergenic. It can be polished to a high gloss. The combination of properties leads to many applications, including use in food, cosmetics, automobile and furniture wax, molds for semiconductor devices, and as a coating for dental floss. You use products that contain carnauba wax every day, though you may not have known what the ingredient was or where it came from. It is one of those extremely useful natural chemicals and renewable resources that doesnt have a synthetic equivalent. As for my car smelling like candy: the wax does have a distinctive sweet scent. It might be more accurate to say many car waxes and candies smell like carnauba wax.

Human Resource Management PT 3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Human Resource Management PT 3 - Essay Example Job analysis drives job descriptions through the identification of clear requirements (or the ‘what’) in a job (Martires, 2004). It was qualified that job analysis has two phases: job description and job specification; where job description presents the detailed job content including title, code number, department, nature of the job, responsibilities, processes or tools used, working hours, immediate superior, compensation and benefits, risks or hazards, and other pertinent aspects related to job content. During the hiring and acquisition process, the job analysis and job descriptions take the paramount role of defining the needed requirements asked by the position. As above noted, the job description that results as an outcome of job analysis would provide HR personnel who are involved in the hiring process with the needed information required by the organization, to ensure that the person to be selected would have the competencies and qualifications expected to match identified job content. As such, these provide the needed structural guidelines that assist recruitment personnel in streamlining applications who would match the tasks with their academic, work experiences, and skills set. To sum, the use of job analysis and job descriptions in the hiring process is to ensure that the person hired would do the right thing and do them well (Henson, 2011). The use of job analysis and job descriptions are critical in the health care or medical area since the accountability of health care practitioners is the lives of patients who seek medical interventions and health care services. Likewise, the diverse factors that impinge and affect health care organization need to be constantly reviewed, evaluated, and incorporated in the job analysis, as required. This was corroborated by Hernandez (2009) when he asserted that the health care