Compare/Contrast The Friars Tale and The Summoners Tale

Compare/Contrast The Friars Tale and The Summoners Tale Isaac Atayero Sir. John Campion Advanced Placement United States History 12/14/11 In Chaucer’s genius work, The Canterbury Tales, the Friar and the Summoner tell tales of mockery about one another. Like the Miller and the Reeve before them the Friar and the Summoner are in rivalry with each other. However the difference between the rivalry between the Reeve and the Miller and the rivalry between the Friar and the Summoner is the competitive spirit. Unlike the Reeve and the Miller, the Friar and the Summoner’s rivalry is not a personal hatred but a hatred for the other’s office.This hatred inspires the tales of both the Friar and the Summoner. The two tell tales†¦show more content†¦The Friar’s tale mocks the idiotic summoner who says â€Å" i’ll hold to my engagement...though you were...the very Devil†(298). The Friar’s mockery of the Summoner and his occupation would soon be repaid by the vengeful and angry Summoner. After the Friar’s offensive tale, the Summoner â€Å"rose in wrath against th e Friar†(303). As a bitter response to The Friar’s Tale, the Summoner tells a tale that mocks the Friar. Before his tale, the Summoner mocks the Friar in his prologue. In his prologue, a friar goes to hell with an and he is surprised that of all the friars â€Å"none ever come into this place?†(304). The angel then shows the friar â€Å"some twenty thousand friars...crept into his (the Devil’s) arse†(304). After his funny prologue, the Summoner then tells his even funnier tale.In The Summoner’s Tale , the tale includes acts of perversion of office committed by the friar. These perversions are mainly related to the Friar’s vow of poverty such as â€Å"pretence of praying†(308) for â€Å"those who gave him offerings or food†(305). Like the Summoner did earlier, the Friar interrupts the Summoner while he is telling his tale , saying â€Å"there you lie, you Summoner!†(306). The Summoner continues his tale about a fr iar who stops at the home of a sickly man named Thomas and attempts to get money from the ailing man and his wife. The Summoner chronicles that the friar â€Å"kissed her (Thomas’ wife) sweetly, chirping like a sparrow†(307). When the friarShow MoreRelatedThe Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer1969 Words   |  8 PagesIn his novel The Canterbury Tales, Geoffrey Chaucer presents the corruption of the Catholic Church through several of his characters. Chaucer lived in a time of controversial indulgences, a way to pay off sins. Chaucer’s tales show his opposition to these sinful behaviors that he believed were common among the clergy. In order to protest against sinful behavior and religious corruption, Chaucer uses characters such as the pardoner, the friar, the summoner, and the prioress to show the lack of moralityRead MoreQuestions Macbeth Essay3342 Words   |  14 PagesMacBeth Questions 1) The season that is described in the opening passage of The Canterbury Tales is spring. According to the narrator, when the season comes the people long to go on pilgrammages. 2) English people want to go down to Canterbury to seek the holy martyr, St. Thomas a Becket. 3) The narrator claims he meets some twenty nine pilgrims. 4) The Knight has fought in Alexandria, Prussia, Lithuania, Granada, North Africa, and Anatolia. 5) If the Knight beats his opponents

Issues Responsible for Failure of Doha Talks and Possible Solutions. Free Essays

Title: Issues responsible for failure of Doha talks and possible solutions. Name: Course: Sunderland ID: EThames Students ID: Intake: Introduction: Current Doha round has been one of the most eventful round but its irony that members couldn’t reach to condenses. This research paper concentrates on reasons that caused friction among the nations and possible solutions that can be used to resolve these issues or reasons. We will write a custom essay sample on Issues Responsible for Failure of Doha Talks and Possible Solutions. or any similar topic only for you Order Now Agricultural issues and industrial goods market issues, talks has been suspended without any further notice of next round. At the end all the hard work after years of negotiation wasn’t successful ad differences among the participating nations proved insurmountable. Pascal Lamy, the Director General of the WTO, tried really hard for the success of these talks but all the sides didn’t show the flexibility that was required for the success of these talks. Failure of Doha round talks also highlight the lack of global leadership at least in some quarters, and this fact is pretty difficult to perceive and there are various reasons for that. Only bright thing emerged from this summit is the talk only need one final push as finishing line is insight. Lot has been already achieved but critical issues need consensus. Success to these talks can bring much needed global stimulus for global economy of hundreds of billions of dollars annually. Both developed and developing countries can gain something out of it, in fact it is a great opportunity for developed nations to address complaints of developing nations where they feel that economic linearization is highly tilted in favor of developed nations. But failure of these talks can bring some serious consequences; it will seriously damage the reputation of WTO and more importantly multilateralism for which everyone is working hard for will be damaged permanently. Most of the representatives were worried about what could be perceived from their stance i. e. compromising on their stance might appear as compromising on national interest. (Deardorff, 2008) Reasons for failure of Doha round: Failure of Doha round talks have put temporary pause on further negotiations, this is not the first time that talks has been failed and further discussion has been suspended. This has happened before also ministerial talks in Seattle in 1997 and in Cancun in 2003 also have met the dead end though there were different reasons and different out come for each of the failure. Exception in case of Doha round is for the first time talks has been suspended officially. Official announcement of suspension of talks came after 14 hour long last meeting for overcoming farm subsidies and tariff cut of G6 members yielded no result. Members of G6 group came together to come to consensus on support for domestic farms, agricultural market access and non agricultural market access were the core points of the discussion. Agricultural issues and Outcome of G6 meeting: Pascal Lamy, the Director General of the WTO called this meeting as a last attempt for consensus. This meeting had ministers from India, Japan, Australia, Brazil, unites states and 25 members from European Union. Main aim of this meeting was to reduce or remove hurdles in the way of free trade in the agricultural sector and goods manufacturing. There were many other factors that were needed to be addressed but entire discussion revolved round these issues. Each side remained firm on it stance and more emphasis was put on precondition before further negations. (Bhagwati Sutherland, 2011) It was necessary for all the participating nations to meet the deadlines and to achieve that it was necessary to agree on figures and formulae for the tariff cut and subsidy cut in context of industrial goods and agriculture modalities but talk couldn’t move forward in positive direction because irreconcilable differences between participating ministers representing their nations. Failure in the talks was more unfortunate on the background of fresh hopes which were raised in G8 meeting of worlds most powerful and industry oriented nations. Then president of United States and European commission president assured flexibility. Even heads of developing countries like India and Brazil participating in G8 meeting showed their interest in pushing for the breakthrough. (Bhagwati Sutherland, 2011) G6 minister headed for Geneva after St. Petersburg meeting where they were prepared to transform their promises of flexibility into concrete deals. Pascal Lamy, the Director General of the WTO convinced these nations to discuss these issues. Lamy was pushing for USA to reduce domestic farm support and European Union for increasing access for domestic agricultural market and at the same time developing nations like India and Brazil will be convince for reducing their industrial tariffs. Problem here was each group was expecting other group to give in first. In these triangle of issues main hurdle in the talks were issues in agricultural sector which has been mentioned above. The third issue of convincing of India and Brazil for reducing their industrial tariffs didn’t even make it to the discussion because there wasn’t any result from the discussion of first two issues. In the negotiations USA and European Union were expected to cut the subsidy they were providing to domestic farms at the same time developed nations were expecting India and Brazil, to open their domestic market for agriculture and agricultural goods. Negotiations had the first jolt when far from removing subsidy to agricultural sector USA proposed to increase it. With this development Lamy realized that there wont be any consensus and gap was widening and thus before situation deteriorates any further he suspended the talks. He didn’t give any indications when next round of negotiation will begin he hinted that instead of deadlocking on same issues again participating countries should carry out their respective work internally regarding these issues and then participate in the discussion. (Chimni, Chantal, Thomas Trachtman, 2009) Major reasons From above information it is pretty clear that agricultural issues are the main reason for breaking down of talk. Members had heated discussion on this issue and USA offered to cut farm subsidies which proved trade distorting by 53% that is USA proposed to slash the subsidy amount from $48. 2 billion to $22. 5 billion but issue here was this amount of $22. 5 billion was much higher than their last year subsidy, which was $19. 7 billion thus by proposing slash of 53% they were indirectly trying to increase the subsidy on their agricultural sector where all the nations were gathered together to discuss subsidy cut on the agricultural sector by developed nations. This offer from United States didn’t satisfy any of the G6 members as well as any of the diplomatic delegations from other nations. (Bhagwati Sutherland, 2011) To add to it in the exchange United States expected tariff cut from European nations up to 66% where European Union offered 51% increasing from original proposed position of 39% this offer of 51% was quite close to demand of developing nations where they expected tariff cut from European nations up to 51%. But on the contrary USA stated that European nations only were willing for 48% of tariff cut and they were expecting at least of 54%. Both India and Brazil appreciated this movement from European Nations their representatives also suggested that it was approach from united status which blocked the progress of talk and that resulted in suspension of the talks. Other reasons behind failure of talks: Some issues other than agricultural issues also played their part in the failure of the talks in Doha round. The president’s administration in USA was under severe pressure from congress and it had to give in because of pressure of protecting domestic interests. Delegates from Special interest groups such as National Association of Manufacturers and American Farm Bureau from United States were present at the summit they monitored as well as instructed representatives of United States. Pressure applied by these groups reduced space of negotiation for United States delegation. There was deep rooted North South tension it combined with many other adverse factors to undermine success of the talks. (Chimni, Chantal, Thomas Trachtman, 2009) Many scholars and commentator stated that current situation in major negotiating parties like United States, India and European Union wasn’t quite in the favor of trade concessions; political leadership everywhere was not willing to concede much. Key elections were due in United Status and it was expected that administration won’t go for any risky compromise on their position which might appear as compromise on national interest. To add fuel to the fire economic crisis emerged from Wall Street had huge repercussions and it got converted in global slow down. (Deardorff, 2008) There were oppositions for European Union offer of 51% tariff cut from European nations from European Union according to French president Nicolas Sarcozy 51% tariff cut would result in destruction of European agriculture and would reduce more than 100000 jobs. Absence of fast track authority (trade promotion authority) also didn’t go to well with other delegations. Without passing of trade promotion authority it wouldn’t have been possible to get passing of congress even if participating nations would have managed to reach some kind of consensus. After effects of talk failure: India, Brazil, Japan, Australia, USA and European were involved in 14 hours long meeting to make consensus but unfortunately the meeting ended without any results on lowering tariff and slashing farm subsidies. This failure in talks gave birth to inhibited blame game in the participating countries. EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson said that â€Å"What they’re saying is that for every dollar that they strip out of their trade-distorting farm subsidies, they want to be given a dollar’s worth of market access in developing country markets. That is not acceptable to developing countries and it’s a principle that I, on Europe’s behalf, certainly couldn’t sign up to either. This is not my definition of leadership† In reply to this statement from EU Trade Commissioner, Susan Schwab from USTR alleged that statement by the EU alleging that the US failed to show flexibility and attempting to divert the blame for the stalemate is false and misleading. The countries that have tended to be finger-pointing at this point are the ones that are reluctant to act in terms of market access. We are deeply disappointed that the EU failed to exhibit similar restraint and hope this will not jeopardize the few chances we have left to save the Doha round. † EU and US kept pointing fingers at each other after suspension of Doha round each party blaming other party for failure of Doha round. As usual India also blamed developed nations for not removing subsidies those were proved a trade distorting. India’s industry and commerce minister Kamal Nath said that â€Å"It is best we tell the world that the talks have failed, and the negotiating process is suspended. Now, there is no roadmap for the future,† according to him United State’s approach of refusing to cut subsidy regarding agricultural sector has been solely responsible for failure of talks at Doha summit. European Union also openly blamed Unites status for suspension of negotiation. EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson stated that it was disappointing to see lack of flexibility in USA’s approach after promising the same in G8 summit. To take the blame game further US officials blamed other trading partners for failure of process to bridge the differences on other important issues such as import duties on tariff related to agricultural sector. US officials further alleged that they were prepared to remove subsidies related to agricultural sector those were proved a trade distorting but they could not do so because India and European Union did not present any substantial proposal on global agricultural market access. Pascal Lamy, the Director General of the WTO preferred to stay away from the blame game; he was more intended on how to resume talks. Lamy urged all the participating nations to avoid megaphone diplomacy and do some introspection in order to avoid such situation in the future. Lamy also requested all participating nations to think positively to arrive at any acceptable solution. Chances of resolving the differences: Doha round has been disappointing and talks has been moved to deep freezing state since then. There is very little positivity around these talks very few people are still in belief of revival, though Brazil and United States have promised to work hard in positive direction for revival f the talks chances are looking really thin about it. Most experts believed that there are little hopes for revival of talks ahead of Doha round. Breakdown at that juncture meant that there is very little hope for revival of talk before end of presidency tenure of then president of United States. As mentioned above, fast track authority or trade promotion authority thinks that congress must show green or red signal otherwise opponent might take advantage of such situation. Political climate in United States during that time was not very conducive for any compromise because of mid term elections current trade deficit in US economy also played negative role extension of fast track authority and even if it would have happened, in case of opposition win in the election would lead to weakening of fast track authority. Hoekman, 2003) It is believed that France who is strongly opposing for 51% tariff cut in agricultural sector has forced Lamy to suspend the talks indefinitely. In fact many say that France made it sure that talks get suspended that if discussion is highly concentrated on agricultural issues. Wall street journal quotes French agricultural minister saying that â€Å"I would prefer the negotiations fail rather than raise questions about agriculture†. Because of t his situation promises by USA and Brazil of reviving talks appear unrealistic. Successful round and preconditions: Political capitals should be mobilized in order to have any hope for success in breaking the deadlock this has to be done domestically as well as internationally. This will require monumental leadership globally. With new president United State certainly has position to do this. Morally also United State has to take responsibility because they are the most influential and powerful nation in the world to add to it they are responsible for current economic crisis. Other major trading nations like Canada, Japan and European nations also should join United States in these initiatives of bold economic reforms and liberalization. Meaning of economic liberalization itself is to save public money and removing of wasteful economic programs. It is true that current financial status of United Status might complicate things for that country still United States can afford to act little proactively. Road ahead: There is growing concern about global economic recession and it’s after effects and because of mounting fear world leaders are requesting businesses to consult their respective governments, to think successful solution regarding failure of talks in Doha because if that doesn’t happen there is constant risk of developing other barriers in world trade. Peter Mandelson feels that it better to act quickly and it consensus are not reached immediately, chances are pretty slim that it will be done in future. Trade talks were working on stop start basis from last six years but after Doha talks are on halt. A constructive seminar was held at Davos where subject was â€Å"Threats to the Global Trading System† some progress was registered on some technical issues in this summit but no party still is close enough for any sort of formal agreement because of high degree of skepticism. Developing countries are concerned about interests of their farmers; they feel that lowering the tariff might expose farmers especially poor farmers to global competition for which they might not be prepared for, and this situation will have its adverse effects on growth and will result in slowdown of entire economy. Minister of Commerce and Industry of India Kamal Nath insisted that India, Africa and Asia pacific are the most productive markets for developed nations and if they want to take advantage of these markets it has to be made sure that India, Africa and Asia pacific have healthy economy. Deardorff, 2008) At the same time financial scholars feel that cost of failure of Doha talks is already taking its toll on participating nations and if solution is not obtained in near future most of the countries might opt for protectionism and this will be bad news for free trade as it will be the roll back what ever progress that has bee made in the direction of free global trade. Pascal Lamy, the Director General of the WTO has mentioned his concern may time according to him effects of global economic slow down might be having their exaggerated side effects on global economy due to Doha failure. Minister of foreign affairs in Brazil Celso Amorim is also worried about current situation he feels that though all the negotiating parties are adamant on their position they all have to face the consequences in near future for their stance. (Das, 2009) Because of increasing delay companies are loosing their faith in negotiators and voters though they have lot more o gain from what ever negotiations carried out at Doha though lot more still left to be achieved and because of this companies and powerful and influential corporate houses all over the world should consider the fact that stalling of talks will result in loss of opportunities for them thus as mentioned above they should use their might to convince their respective government and if they succeed to do so, it will be a terrific achievement. Conclusion: The longest trade round ever was held in Doha. It could have been termed as constitutional moment for trading systems across the world. Structure of trade between the member nations is largely dependent on future of Doha talks how it ends and what shape does it take. Having said this, this round will exist without any positive response or developmental challenges. For Doha to succeed and for better future for WTO in the context of its credibility it is important that focus of the talks shifts from mere commercial bargain that is controlled by major negotiating parties to a process of public interests who’s success will be beneficial for all. Commercial bargains of the member nations of WTO have been primarily responsible for jeopardizing of the talks. Although some members think for alternative way for controversial points they won’t be as productive as successful Doha round nor do they will be able to survey larger public good. For dispassionate involvement in the negotiations highlights lack of leadership from USA. It is responsibility of trading partners of United States be its developing or developed nation to prevent that nation from becoming a stumbling block in the talks. At the end of the day it must be remembered that world in which every one has enough food to eat and good enough work to do; only such world can derive peace and security for global citizens which can be provided by successful trade. References: Deardorff, A. , 2008 â€Å"International Provision of Trade Services, Trade and Fragmentation. † Review of International Economics, Vol 9 No. 2. pp. 233-48. The Economist, 2003 â€Å"The WTO Under Fire. † September 18 Available on the Internet at http://www. economist. com. /PrinterFriendly. cfm? Story_ID=2071855 Hoekman, B. 2003. Cancun: Crisis or Catharsis†. Paper presented at the joint roundtable of the Brookings Institution and George Washington University held on 20 September, in Washington DC. Pr Jagdish Bhagwati and Peter Sutherland KCMG, (January 2011) THE DOHA ROUND: SETTING A DEADLINE, DEFINING A FINAL DEAL Interim report B. S. Chimni, Chantal Thomas Joel P. Trachtman eds. , (2009 ) Some Reflections on the Idea of Free Trade and Doha Round Trade Negotiations, in DEVELOPING COUNTRIES IN THE WTO LEGAL SYSTEM 21, at 27–28 A key year ahead for Doha trade talks, available at: http://www. weforum. rg/node/65945 Accessed on: 9-7-11 DAS, supra note 151, at 105. There is also a collective benefit from trade liberalization: developing countries should open their markets among one another to fully achieve â€Å"export-market diversification. † Id. at 106. Dilip K. Das. 2009a. ,Financial Globalization and the Emerging Market Economies. Routledge, London and New York. 2009. Lamy, P. , 2003 â€Å"Can the Doha Development Agenda Live up to its Name? † Available on the Internet at http://europa. eu. int/comm/commissioners/lamy/speeches_articles/spla188_en. htm September 10, 2008 How to cite Issues Responsible for Failure of Doha Talks and Possible Solutions., Papers

Values and Ethical Communication Behaviours

Introduction Ethics are the standards or moral principles that determine whether particular actions or deeds are good or bad. In addition to this, ethics helps to understand whether the choice of action pursued is right or wrong. Values and ethics are a part of all communication and organizational experiences. Certain ethics are applicable to different types of situations and dilemmas. This essay outlines two types of dilemmas that a newly appointed personnel director would be faced with due to the new role and responsibilities acquired.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Values and Ethical Communication Behaviours specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Situation 1 Being the newly appointed personnel director for a large beverage distributor, there are new job responsibilities include screening all applicants for promotions to management positions. The company’s usual procedure is for the personnel director to scre en applicants and select the top three for further interviews with management. A factor to be considred is the company’s president opinions about the staff members, and his desire to keep woman away from his personal staff. The decision is challenging because the most recent vacancy is on the president’s personal staff and the top three applicants are female. The possible causes of action include: sending the three applicants to the president and wait to see what happens; rethinking the selection criteria and trying to have a male applicant in the top three; and re-opening the position, hoping to attract additional qualified applicants. Solution This situation can be tricky in that as a personnel director one is supposed to get a solution that will suit the company without any collusion with management including the president. With this in mind, it is best to do away with the top three applicants and schedule for another interview session after re-advertisement of the position. The men applicants who did not make it to the top three are probably not good candidates, and would therefore be sent away. with a higher rank in the organization, it would be appropriate to inquire from the orgnization’s president on his standing about recruiting female members of staff. Situation 2 You have overheard a conversation between your manager and the manager of a department in which your best friend is employed. From their conversation, it is apparent that your friend is not pleasing her manager and she will definitely be passed over for the promotion she badly wants. You don’t want to see her hurt, and you happen to know she has a job offer from another group within your organization.Advertising Looking for essay on business communication? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Should you tell her about the conversation and urge her to take the new offer? Should you remain silent because of the ma nner in which you heard the information? Should you go to your boss and tell him that you accidentally over- heard the conversation and are concerned because your friend might turn down a good job offer? Should you urge your friend to confront her boss? You have other options. What would you do? What should you do? Solution In this situation, I would give my friend the information i over heard, but insist on avoiding confrontations. As she already has another job offer, the best thing would be to walk away silently and get the other job thereby avoiding office conflicts. This way she might get a recommendation letter from her job. Confronting the manager might be a messy situation. It also would ruin my position in the job as my manager will lose trust in me. However, overhearing information and going ahead to tell it is not company ethics. It may viewed as gossip. It would be better if this information was kept silent and let events take their toll. If my friend’s manager is not pleased with her work, it could mean that she is inefficient therefore passing her over the promotion would be the right thing to do. Again, this would turn out positive as she would sole search herself and opt to work harder and correct her mistakes. In the two situations, what I would do and what the right move should be differ. This is because I chose personal beliefs over company laws. Most of the time we let personal behaviors outdo the organizational responsibilities. For example in the second situation, I chose to help out a friend and ignore normal company beliefs. In layman’s language, human beings let their hearts speak. Criteria The criterion used to solve these dilemmas was observation of the behaviors of people in their personal communication. The solutions provided have to be efficient in order to eliminate arguments and disagreements with superiors while maintaining company ethics, for example, by avoiding gossip and scandals. Conclusion Ethics ensures tha t organizations run effectively by eliminating problems related to the manner in which employees conduct themselves with regard to each other, as well as top management. All employees should avoid unethical behavior in order to create a good and comfortable work conditions. Managers should also ensure that company ethics are observed, by providing correct guidance to the various situations that arise in the work place, and making rational and just decisions regarding employee conflicts. References Zalabak, P. S. (2011). Fundamentals of Organizational Communication (8th Edition). Needham Heights, Massachusetts: Allyn Bacon.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Values and Ethical Communication Behaviours specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This essay on Values and Ethical Communication Behaviours was written and submitted by user Ult1mates to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

The Evolution of the Spinning Wheel

The Evolution of the Spinning Wheel The spinning wheel is an ancient invention used to transform various plant and animal fibers into thread or yarn, which are subsequently woven into cloth on a loom. No one knows for certain when the first spinning wheel was invented. Historians have come up with several theories. In Ancient History of the Spinning Wheel, German author and science historian Franz Maria Feldhaus traces the origins of the spinning wheel back to ancient Egypt, however, other historical documentation suggests that it debuted in India between 500 and 1000 A.D., while other evidence cites China as the point of origin. For those who accept the latter theory, the belief is that the technology migrated from China to Iran, and then from Iran to India, and finally, from India to Europe during the late Middle Ages and early  Renaissance. The Evolution of Spinning Technology A distaff, a stick or spindle upon which wool,  flax or other fibers are spun by hand is held horizontally in a frame and turned by a wheel-driven belt. Generally, the distaff was held in the left hand, while the wheel belt was slowly turned by the right. Evidence of early handheld spindles, from which spinning wheels would eventually evolve, have been found in Middle Eastern excavation sites that date back as far as 5000 BCE. Distaffs were used to create threads for the fabrics in which Egyptian mummies were wrapped, and were also the primary tools for spinning ropes and the material from which ship sails were constructed. Since spinning by hand was time-consuming and best-suited to small-scale production, finding a way to mechanize the process  was a natural progression. Although it would be some time before the technology reached Europe, by the 14th century, the Chinese had come up with water-powered spinning wheels. Around the year 1533, a spinning wheel featuring a stationary vertical rod and bobbin mechanism with the addition of a foot pedal debuted in the Saxony region of Germany. Foot power freed up the hands for spinning, making the process much faster. The flyer, which twisted the yarn as it was spun was another 16th-century advancement that increased the rate of yarn and thread production dramatically. The Industrialization of the Spinning Wheel At the dawn of the 18th century, the technology to produce thread and yarn was falling behind the ever-increasing demands for plentiful, high-quality textiles. Resulting yarn shortages led to an era of innovation that would eventually culminate in the mechanization of the spinning process. With British carpenter/weaver James Hargreaves 1764 invention of the spinning jenny, a hand-powered device featuring multiple spools, spinning became industrialized for the first time. Although a vast improvement over its hand-powered predecessors, the thread spun by Hargreaves invention wasnt of the best quality. Further improvements came via inventors  Richard Arkwright,  inventor of the water frame and Samuel Crompton, whose spinning mule incorporated both water frame and spinning jenny technology. The improved machines produced yarn and thread that was much stronger, finer, and of higher quality than that produced on the spinning jenny. Output was greatly increased as well, ushering in the birth of the  factory system. Spinning Wheel in Myth and Folklore The spinning wheel trope has been a popular plot device in folklore for thousands of years. Spinning is cited in the Bible and also makes its appearance in Greco-Roman mythology, as well as various folktales throughout Europe and Asia. Sleeping Beauty The earliest version of Sleeping Beauty appearance made its appearance in a French work, Perceforest (Le Roman de Perceforest) written sometime between  1330 and 1345. The story was adapted in the collected tales of the Brothers Grimm but is best known as a popular animated film from the studio of Walt Disney. In the story, a king and queen invite seven good fairies to be the godmothers of their infant princess. At the christening, the fairies are fà ªted by the king and queen, but unfortunately, there was one fairy who, through an oversight, never got an invitation but shows up anyway. Six of the other seven fairies have already bestowed gifts of beauty, wit, grace, dance, song, and goodness on the baby girl. Out of spite, the miffed fairy puts an evil spell on the princess: The girl is to die on her 16th birthday by pricking her finger on a poisoned spindle. While the seventh fairy can’t lift the curse, with her gift, she can lighten it. Instead of dying, the girl will sleep for a hundred years- until she’s awakened by the kiss of a prince. In some versions, the king and queen hide their daughter in the forest and change her name, hoping that the curse won’t find her. In others, the king orders every spinning wheel and spindle in the kingdom be destroyed, but on the day of her birthday, the princess happens on an old woman (the evil fairy in disguise), spinning away at her wheel. The princess, who has never seen a spinning wheel, asks to try it, and of course, pricks her finger and falls into an enchanted slumber. As time passes, a great thorny forest grows up around the castle where the girl lies sleeping but eventually, the handsome prince arrives and braves the briars, finally awakening her with his kiss. Arachne and Athena (Minerva) There are several versions of the cautionary tale of Arachne in Greek and Roman mythology. In the one told in Ovid’s Metamorphosis, Arachne was a talented spinner and weaver who boasted that her skills exceeded those of the goddess Athena (Minerva to the Romans). Hearing the boast, the goddess challenged her mortal rival to a weaving contest. Athenas work pictured four tableaux of mortals being punished for daring to think they equaled or surpassed the gods, while Arachnes showed gods abusing their powers. Sadly for Arachne, her work was not only superior to Athena’s, the theme she’d chosen only added insult to injury. Enraged, the goddess tore her competitor’s work to shreds and beat her about the head. In desolation, Arachne hanged herself. But the goddess wasn’t through with her yet. Live on then, and yet hang, condemned one,† Athena said, â€Å"but, lest you are careless in future, this same condition is declared, in punishment, against your descendants, to the last generation! After pronouncing her curse, Athena sprinkled Arachnes body with the juice of Hecates herb, â€Å"and immediately at the touch of this dark poison, Arachnes hair fell out. With it went her nose and ears, her head shrank to the smallest size, and her whole body became tiny. Her slender fingers stuck to her sides as legs, the rest is belly, from which she still spins a thread, and, as a spider, weaves her ancient web. Rumplestiltskin This fairytale of German origin was collected by the  Brothers Grimm  for the 1812 edition of  their Childrens and Household Tales. The story revolves around a social-climbing miller who tries to impress the king by telling him his daughter can spin straw into gold- which of course, she cant. The king locks the girl in a tower with a roomful of straw and orders her to spin it into gold by the next morning- or else face a harsh punishment (either decapitation or lifelong imprisonment in a dungeon, depending on the version). The girl is at her wits end and terrified. Hearing her cries, a tiny demon appears and tells her he will do whats been asked of her in exchange for a trade. She gives him her necklace and by morning, the straw has been spun into gold. But the king still isnt satisfied. He takes the girl to a larger room filled with straw and commands her to spin it into gold by the next morning, again or else. The imp comes back and this time the girl gives him her ring in trade for his work. The following morning, the king is impressed but still not satisfied. He takes the girl to an enormous room filled with straw and tells her if she can spin it into gold before morning, he will marry her- if not, she can rot in the dungeon for the rest of her days. When the demon arrives, she has nothing left to trade but the demon comes up with a plan. Hell spin the straw into gold- in exchange for her first-born child. Reluctantly, the girl consents. A year later, she and the king are happily married and she has given birth to a son. The imp returns to claim the baby. Now a wealthy queen, the girl begs him to leave the baby and take all her worldly goods but he refuses. The queen is so distraught, he makes her a bargain: If she can guess his name he will leave the baby. He gives her three days. Since no one knows his name (other than himself), he figures its a done deal. After failing to learn his name and exhausting as many guesses as she can come up with over the course of two days, the queen flees the castle and runs into the woods in despair. Eventually, she happens on a small cottage where she chances to hear its occupant- none other than the awful imp- singing: Tonight, tonight, my plans I make, tomorrow tomorrow, the baby I take. The queen will never win the game, for Rumpelstiltskin is my name. Armed with the knowledge, the queen returns to the castle. When the imp shows up the next day to take the baby, she calls out the evil tricksters name, Rumpelstiltskin! In a fury, he disappears, never to be seen again (in some versions, he gets so mad he actually explodes; in others, he drives his foot into the ground in a fit of rage and a chasm opens up and swallows him).

Background of the Sheppard-Towner Act of 1921

Background of the Sheppard-Towner Act of 1921 The Sheppard-Towner Act of 1921, informally called the Maternity Act, was the first federal law to provide significant funding to help people in need. The purpose of the Act was to reduce maternal and infant mortality. The legislation was supported by progressives, social reformers, and feminists including Grace Abbott and Julia Lathrop.  It was part of a larger movement called scientific mothering- applying scientific principles and to the care of infants and children, and educating mothers, especially those who were poor or less educated. Historical Context At the time the legislation was introduced, childbirth remained the second leading cause of death for women. About 20% of children in the United States died in their first year and about 33% in their first five years. Family income was an important factor in these mortality rates, and the Sheppard-Towner Act was designed to encourage states to develop programs to serve women at lower income levels. The Sheppard-Towner Act provided for federal matching funds for such programs as: Health clinics for women and children, hiring physicians and nurses to educate and care for pregnant women and mothers and their childrenVisiting nurses to educate and care for pregnant and new mothersMidwife trainingDistribution of nutrition and hygiene information Support and Opposition Julia Lathrop.of the U.S. Childrens Bureau drafted the language of the act, and Jeannette Rankin introduced it into Congress in 1919. Rankin was no longer in the Congress when the Sheppard-Towner Act passed in 1921. Two similar Senate bills were introduced by Morris Sheppard and Horace Mann Towner. President Warren G. Harding supported the Sheppard-Towner Act, as did many in the progressive movement. The bill first passed in the Senate, then passed the House on November 19, 1921, by a vote of 279 to 39.  It became law after it was signed by President Harding. Rankin attended the House debate on the bill, watching from the gallery.  The only woman in Congress at the time, Oklahomas Representative Alice Mary Robertson, opposed the bill. Groups including the American Medical Association (AMA) and its Section on Pediatrics labeled the program socialistic and opposed its passage and opposed its funding in subsequent years.  Critics also opposed the law based on states rights and community autonomy, and as a violation of the privacy of the parent-child relationship. Not only did political reformers, mainly women, and allied male physicians, have to fight for the passage of the bill at the federal level, they also then had to take the fight to the states to get matching funds passed.   Supreme Court Challenge The Sheppard-Towner bill was unsuccessfully challenged in the Supreme Court in  Frothingham V. Mellon And Massachusetts V. Mellon  (1923), The Supreme Court unanimously dismissed the cases, because no state was required to accept the matching funds and no injury could be demonstrated. End of Sheppard-Towner By 1929, the political climate had changed sufficiently that the funding for the Sheppard-Towner Act was ended, with pressure from opposition groups including the AMA likely the major reason for the defunding. The Pediatric Section of the American Medical Association actually supported a renewal of the Sheppard-Towner Act in 1929, while the AMA House of Delegates overrode their support to oppose the bill.  This led to the walkout from the AMA of many of the pediatricians, mostly male, and the forming of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Social and Historical Significance The Sheppard-Towner Act was significant in American legal history because it was the first federally-funded social welfare program, and because the challenge to the Supreme Court failed. The Sheppard-Towner Act is significant in womens history because it addressed the needs of women and children directly at a federal level. It is also significant for the role of women activists including Jeannette Rankin, Julia Lathrop, and Grace Abbott, who considered it part of the womens rights agenda beyond winning the vote for women. The League of Women Voters and the General Federation of Womens Clubs worked for its passage. It shows one of the ways that the womens rights movement continued to work after the right of suffrage was won in 1920. The significance of the Sheppard-Towner Act in progressive and public health history is in demonstrating that education and preventive care provided through state and local agencies could have a significant effect on maternal and child mortality rates.

Governor Deval Patrick-Commonwealth of Massachusetts Essay

Governor Deval Patrick-Commonwealth of Massachusetts - Essay Example Patrick is much concerned with education and that is his main reason of funding the public education at the highest level in the history of the common-wealth. Governor Patrick also made his state to be the leading in biotech, biopharmaceuticals and information technology. Issues of infrastructure and expansion of affordable health care were solved by Governor Patrick. Massachusetts home through the Governor managed to be the first state to have offshore wind farm. These amazing performances made the people of his state to describe him as a high (Strong) performing culture leader (Lussier & Achua, 2013). Governor Patrick as a person who grew up in a poor family, he understands in detail most of the problems the members of society are facing. For this reason, he must be strict to issues related to society such as leadership. As a matter of facts, we all see the Governor financing public school education at the top level in the past of commonwealth that later emerged top in the national competition (Lussier & Achua, 2013). Education according to him was the main key point to success to a child into adulthood. Governor Patrick and his administration embraced variety of ideas that could help to boost the living of residents who elected him (Lussier & Achua, 2013). Almost 98% of residents could get access to affordable medical care assistance. The administration through the support of the Governor also ensured that the state is entitled to good leadership, modernized infrastructure and quality education. It is clear evidence that Governor Patrick represents in him some core principles of leadership. First, we get to find Patrick growing up in a broken home and in poverty where most of the advices he got were from his teachers and the grandmother where he was being told to hope for the best and work for it (Lussier & Achua, 2013). Patrick’s academic career in Harvard made ways for him. As a student, he was elected as an assistant attorney general for

Divorce Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Divorce - Case Study Example Judge: Let this not be a discourse, but I advocate divorce mediation as an eminent step to be taken as a marriage buttress before a couple comes to court. Often marriages are saved when divorce mediators arbitrate and collaborate to get couples back together. So rather than making divorce mediation sound as a defect in the system, I would insist the lawyer to cohere to the specific case. Please divulge the details endemic to the case. Lawyer: Yes, your honour. As you state, the issue of divorce mediation is an arbitrary one. My client seeks a divorce from her husband, after their five year marriage as a dire resort. The basis for the divorce is that her marriage is devoid of the main ingredients: trust and love. Her mental and physical torture has been chronic and justice has been dilatory. The distraught lady deferred divorce till now and lived with the fear of physical attack. She went through physical abuse for simple reasons like not setting the plate right or for bungling up cooking. Kim put her through hell and all she wants is an affable life and equitable justice, which the mediation firm failed to provide. Lawyer: Jackie is a victim of the system, and we have all the evidence the court needs to prove the case. However, let me delineate from the issue and take you to the time of Kim's schooling. School reports constantly emulate Kim to be a rough child. He records show a delinquent affectation through his college days also. He had been denounced by his affluent parents on account of his drug addiction and other vices. Moreover Kim is constantly in and out of clandestine love affairs. I put forth the court an assimilation of his anomalies. Judge: Please also pass the details to the jury so that they can check that there is no disparity and the facts cohere together. Also I would suggest you as a lawyer to abstain from such strong statements. Judge: (After viewing the documents with a discriminate eye) A circumspect view of the records of violence does appall me. However, Kim's records also show that he was quite dextrous and diligent at his work as a mechanic. But let me not deviate from the issue. Was Jackie aware at the time of her marriage that the situation was askew and Kim was a charlatan husband Did she know the situation she would get herself into, with the marriage Lawyer: Jackie's marriage to Kim was more of an arrangement by Kim's parents, who sought a bride from an affluent family. His agile nature led no clue in the first year of marriage. She soon knew about his duplicity and drug abuse, a caustic issue, but thought marriage would cure it. After the first happy year, there was anarchy especially when Kim tried to curb her academic pursuits. Jackie is a devout catholic, and tried to circumvent the situation by attempting to talk to Kim about the issues their marriage was facing. But his behaviour just became increasingly cantankerous and her life was effete with physical and moral abuse. I thus elicit the court to apprehend Kim not just for divorce but also rendering circuitous moral and personal injury to my client. Judge: Jackie could you articulate the