Life and Travels of Ibn Battuta, World Explorer and Writer

Life and Travels of Ibn Battuta, World Explorer and Writer Ibn Battuta (1304–1368) was a scholar, theologian, adventurer, and traveler who, like Marco Polo fifty years earlier, wandered the world and wrote about it. Battuta sailed, rode camels and horses, and walked his way to 44 different modern countries, traveling an estimated 75,000 miles during a 29 year period. He journeyed from North Africa to the Middle East and Western Asia, Africa, India and Southeast Asia. Fast Facts: Ibn Battuta Name: Ibn BattutaKnown For: His travel writing, which described the 75,000-mile journey he took during his rilha.Born: February 24, 1304, Tangier, MoroccoDied: 1368 in Morocco  Education: Schooled in the Maliki tradition of Islamic lawPublished Works: A Gift to Those Who Contemplate the Wonders of Cities and the Marvels of Travelling or The Travels (1368 Early Years Ibn Battuta (sometimes spelled Batuta, Batouta, or Battutah) was born in Tangier, Morocco on February 24, 1304. He was from a fairly well-to-do family of Islamic legal scholars descended from Berbers, an ethnic group indigenous to Morocco. A Sunni Muslim trained in the Maliki tradition of Islamic law, Ibn Battuta left his home at the age of 22 to begin his rihla, or voyage. Rihla is one of four forms of travel encouraged by Islam, the best known of which is Hajj, the pilgrimage to Mecca and Medina. The term rihla refers to both the travel and the genre of literature that describes the journey. The purpose of rihla is to enlighten and entertain readers with detailed descriptions of pious institutions, public monuments and religious personalities of Islam. Ibn Battutas travelogue was written after he returned, and in it he stretched the conventions of the genre, including autobiography as well as some fictional elements from the adjaib or marvels traditions of Islamic literature.   The first seven years of Ibn Battutas Travels took him to Alexandria, Mecca, Medina, and Kilwa Kiswani.   Wikipedia Users Setting Off Ibn Battutas journey began from Tangier on June 14, 1325. Originally intending to make a pilgrimage to Mecca and Medina, by the time he reached Alexandria in Egypt, where the lighthouse was still standing, he found himself entranced by the people and cultures of Islam.   He headed for Iraq, Western Persia, then Yemen and the Swahili coast of East Africa. By 1332 he reached Syria and Asia Minor, crossed the Black Sea and reached the territory of the Golden Horde. He visited the steppe region along the Silk Road and arrived at the oasis of Khwarizm in western central Asia.   Then he traveled through Transoxania and Afghanistan, arriving in the Indus Valley by 1335. He stayed in Delhi until 1342 and then visited Sumatra and (perhaps- the record is unclear) China before heading home. His return trip took him back through Sumatra, the Persian Gulf, Baghdad, Syria, Egypt, and Tunis. He reached Damascus in 1348, just in time for the arrival of the plague, and returned home to Tangier safe and sound in 1349. Afterwards, he made minor excursions to Granada and the Sahara, as well as to the West African kingdom of Mali. A Few Adventures Ibn Battuta was mostly interested in people. He met and talked with pearl divers and camel drivers and brigands. His traveling companions were pilgrims, merchants, and ambassadors. He visited countless courts. Ibn Battuta lived on donations from his patrons, mostly elite members of Muslim society he met along the way. But he was not just a traveler- he was an active participant, often employed as a judge (qadi), administrator, and/or ambassador during his stops. Battuta took a number of well-placed wives, generally daughters and sisters of the sultans, none of whom are named in the text.   Ibn Battuta is thought to have reached Asia.   Wikimedia Users Visiting Royalty Battuta met countless royals and elites. He was in Cairo during the reign of the Mamluk Sultan al-Nasir Muhammad ibn Qalawun. He visited Shiraz when it was an intellectual haven for Iranians fleeing the Mongol invasion. He stayed in the Armenian capital of Staryj Krym with his host, the governor Tuluktumur. He detoured to Constantinople to visit Andronicus III in the company of the Byzantine emperor Ozbek Khans daughter. He visited the Yuan emperor in China, and he visited Mansa Musa (r. 1307–1337) in West Africa.   He spent eight years in India as a qadi in the court of Muhammad Tughluq, the Sultan of Delhi. In 1341, Tughluq appointed him to lead a diplomatic mission to the Mongol emperor of China. The expedition was shipwrecked off the coast of India leaving him with neither employment nor resources, so he traveled around southern India, Ceylon and the Maldive islands, where he served as qadi under the local Muslim government. History of the Literary Rilha In 1536, after Ibn Battuta returned home,  the Marinid ruler of Morocco Sultan Abu Ina commissioned a young literary scholar of Andalusian origins named Ibn Juzayy (or Ibn Djuzzayy) to record Ibn Battutas experiences and observations. Over the next two years together, the men wove what would become the Book of Travels, based primarily on Ibn Battutas memories, but also interweaving descriptions from earlier writers.   The manuscript was circulated around different Islamic countries, but not much cited by Muslim scholars. It eventually came to the attention of the west by way of two adventurers of the 18th and 19th centuries, Ulrich Jasper Seetzen (1767–1811) and Johan Ludwig Burckhardt (1784–1817). They had separately purchased abridged copies during their travels throughout the Mideast. The first English language translation of those copies was published in 1829 by Samuel Lee. Five manuscripts were found by the French when they conquered Algeria in 1830. The most complete copy recovered in Algiers was made in 1776, but the oldest fragment was dated 1356. That fragment had the title Gift to Those Who Contemplate the Wonders of Cities and the Marvels of Traveling, and is believed to have been a very early copy indeed if not an original fragment.   The complete text of the travels, with  parallel Arabic and a French translation, first appeared in four volumes between 1853–1858 by Dufrà ©mery and Sanguinetti. The full text was translated first into English by Hamilton A.R. Gibb in 1929. Several subsequent translations are available today.   Criticism of the Travelogue Ibn Battuta recounted tales of his travels throughout his voyage and when he returned home, but it was not until his association with Ibn Jazayy that the stories were committed to formal writing. Battuta took notes during the journey but admitted that he lost some of them along the way. He was accused of lying by some contemporaries, though the veracity of those claims is widely disputed. Modern critics have noted several textual discrepancies which hint at substantial borrowing from older tales.   Much of the criticism of Battutas writing is aimed at the sometimes confusing chronology and plausibility of certain parts of the itinerary. Some critics suggest he may have never reached mainland China, but did get as far as Vietnam and Cambodia. Parts of the story were borrowed from earlier writers, some attributed, others not, such as Ibn Jubary and Abu al-Baqa Khalid al-Balawi. Those borrowed parts include descriptions of Alexandria, Cairo, Medina, and Mecca. Ibn Battuta and Ibn Juzayy acknowledge Ibn Jubayr in the descriptions of Aleppo and Damascus.   He also relied on original sources, relating historical events told to him in the courts of the world, such as the capture of Delhi and the devastations of Genghis Khan. Death and Legacy After his collaboration with Ibn Jazayy ended, Ibn Batuta retired to a judicial post in a small Moroccan provincial town, where he died in 1368. Ibn Battuta has been called the greatest of all travel writers, having traveled farther than Marco Polo. In his work, he provided priceless glimpses of the various people, courts and religious monuments around the world. His travelogue has been the source of countless research projects and historical investigations. Even if some of the stories were borrowed, and some of the tales a bit too marvelous to be believed, Ibn Battutas rilha remains an enlightening and influential work of travel literature to this day. Sources Battuta, Ibn, Ibn Juzayy, and Hamilton A.R. Gibb. Ibn Battuta, Travels in Asia and Africa 1325-1354. London: Broadway House, 1929. Print.Berman, Nina. Questions of Context: Ibn Battuta and E. W. Bovill on Africa. Research in African Literatures 34.2 (2003): 199-205. Print.Gulati, G. D. Ibn Battuta in Transoxiana. Proceedings of the Indian History Congress 58 (1997): 772-78. Print.Lee, Samuel. The Travels of Ibn Batuta Translated from the Abridged Arabic Manuscript Copies. London: Oriental Translation Committee, 1829. Print.Morgan, D. O. Battuta and the Mongols. Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society 11.1 (2001): 1-11. Print.Norris, Harry. Ibn Battuta on Muslims and Christians in the Crimean Peninsula. Iran the Caucasus 8.1 (2004): 7-14. Print.Waines, David. The Odyssey of Ibn Battuta: Uncommon Tales of a Medieval Adventurer. London: I.B. Tauris Cp, Ltd, 2010. Print.Zimonyi, Istvn. Ibn Battuta on the First Wife of Ãâ€"zbek Khan. Central Asiatic Journal 49.2 (2005): 303-09. Print.

Hernan Cortes and His Captains

Hernan Cortes and His Captains Conquistador Hernan Cortes had the perfect combination of bravery, ruthlessness, arrogance, greed, religious fervor, and insubordination to be the man who conquered the Aztec Empire. His audacious expedition stunned Europe and Mesoamerica. He did not do it alone, however. Cortes had a small army of dedicated conquistadors, important alliances with native cultures who hated the Aztecs, and a handful of dedicated captains who carried out his orders. Cortes captains were ambitious, ruthless men who had the right blend of cruelty and loyalty, and Cortes would not have succeeded without them. Who were Cortes top captains? Pedro de Alvarado, the Hotheaded Sun God With blond hair, fair skin, and blue eyes, Pedro de Alvarado was a marvel to behold for the natives of the New World. They had never seen anyone quite like him, and they nicknamed him Tonatiuh, which was the name of the Aztec sun god. It was a fitting nickname, as Alvarado had a fiery temper. Alvarado was part of the Juan de Grijalva expedition to scout the Gulf Coast in 1518 and had repeatedly pressured Grijalva to conquer native towns. Later in 1518, Alvarado joined the Cortes expedition and soon became Cortes most important lieutenant. In 1520, Cortes left Alvarado in charge in Tenochtitlan while he went to deal with an expedition led by Panfilo de Narvaez. Alvarado, sensing an attack on the Spanish by the inhabitants of the city, ordered a massacre at the Festival of Toxcatl. This so infuriated the locals that the Spanish were forced to flee the city a little more than a month later. It took Cortes a while to trust Alvarado again after that, but Tonatiuh was soon back in his commanders good graces and led one of the three causeway assaults in the siege of Tenochtitlan. Later, Cortes sent Alvarado to Guatemala. Here, he conquered the descendants of the Maya who lived there. Gonzalo de Sandoval, Cortes Right-Hand Man Gonzalo de Sandoval was barely 20 years old and without military experience when he signed on with the Cortes expedition in 1518. He soon showed great skill at arms, loyalty, and the ability to lead men, and Cortes promoted him. By the time the Spanish were masters of Tenochtitlan, Sandoval had replaced Alvarado as Cortes right-hand man. Time and again, Cortes trusted the most important assignments to Sandoval, who never let his commander down. Sandoval led the retreat on the Night of Sorrows, conducted several campaigns before the reconquest of Tenochtitlan, and led a division of men against the longest causeway when Cortes lay siege to the city in 1521. Sandoval accompanied Cortes on his disastrous 1524 expedition to Honduras. He died at the age of 31 of illness while in Spain.   Cristobal de Olid, the Warrior When supervised, Cristobal de Olid was one of Cortes more reliable captains. He was personally very brave and fond of being right in the thick of the fighting. During the Siege of Tenochtitlan, Olid was given the important job of assaulting the Coyoacn causeway, which he did admirably. After the fall of the Aztec Empire, Cortes began to worry that other conquistador expeditions would poach land along the southern frontiers of the former empire. He sent Olid by ship to Honduras with orders to pacify it and establish a town. Olid switched loyalties, however, and accepted the sponsorship of Diego de Velazquez, Governor of Cuba. When Cortes heard of this betrayal, he sent his kinsman Francisco de las Casas to arrest Olid. Instead, Olid defeated and imprisoned Las Casas. However, Las Casas escaped and killed Olid sometime in late 1524 or early 1525.   Alonso de Avila Like Alvarado and Olid, Alonso de Avila had served on Juan de Grijalvas mission of exploration along the gulf coast in 1518. Avila had the reputation of being a man who could fight and lead men, but who had a habit of speaking his mind. By most reports, Cores disliked Avila personally, but trusted his honesty. Although Avila could fight (he fought with distinction in the Tlaxcalan campaign and the Battle of Otumba), Cortes preferred to have Avila serve as an accountant and entrusted him with much of the gold discovered on the expedition. In 1521, before the final assault on Tenochtitlan, Cortes sent Avila to Hispaniola to defend his interests there. Later, once Tenochtitlan had fallen, Cortes entrusted Avila with the Royal Fifth. This was a 20 percent tax on all gold the conquistadors had discovered. Unfortunately for Avila, his ship was taken by French pirates, who stole the gold and put Avila in prison. Eventually released, Avila returned to Mexico and took part in the conquest of the Yucatan. Other Captains Avila, Olid, Sandoval, and Alvarado were Cortes most trusted lieutenants, but other men held positions of importance in Cortes conquest. Gerà ³nimo de Aguilar: Aguilar was a Spaniard marooned in Maya lands on an earlier expedition and rescued by Cortes men in 1518. His ability to speak some Maya language, coupled with the slave girl Malinches ability to speak Nahuatl and Maya, gave Cortes an effective way to communicate with Montezumas emissaries.Bernal Diaz del Castillo: Bernal Diaz was a footsoldier who participated in the Hernandez and Grijalva expeditions before signing on with Cortes. He was a loyal, dependable soldier, and had risen to positions of minor rank by the end of the conquest. He is far better remembered for his memoir The True History of the Conquest of New Spain, which he wrote decades after the conquest. This remarkable book is by far the best source about the Cortes expedition.Diego de Ordaz: A veteran of the conquest of Cuba, Diego de Ordaz was loyal to Diego de Velazquez, governor of Cuba, and even at one point attempted to subvert Cortes command. Cortes won him over, however, and Ordaz became a n important captain. Cortes even entrusted him to lead a division in the fight against Panfilo de Narvaez at the Battle of Cempoala. He was eventually honored with a knightship in Spain for his efforts during the conquest. Alonso Hernandez Portocarrero: Like Cortes, Alonso Hernandez Portocarrero was a native of Medellin. This connection served him well, as Cortes tended to favor people from his hometown. Hernandez was an early confidant of Cortes, and the slave girl Malinche was originally given to him (although Cortes took her back when he learned how useful she could be). Early in the conquest, Cortes entrusted Hernandez to return to Spain, pass along some treasures to the king, and look after his interests there. He served Cortes admirably, but made enemies of his own. He was arrested and died in prison in Spain.Martin Lopez: Martin Lopez was no soldier, but rather Cortes best engineer. Lopez was a shipwright who designed and built the brigantines, which played a crucial role in the siege of Tenochtitlan.Juan Velazquez de Leà ³n: A kinsman of Governor Diego Velazquez of Cuba, Velzquez de Leons loyalty to Cortes was originally dubious, and he joined a conspiracy to oust Cortes early in the campaign. Cortes eventually forgave him, however. Velazquez de Leon became an important commander, seeing action against the Panfilo de Narvaez expedition in 1520. He died during the Night of Sorrows.  Ã‚   Sources Castillo, Bernal Diaz Del. The Conquest of New Spain. Penguin Classics, John M. Cohen (Translator, Introduction), Paperback, Penguin Books, August 30, 1963. Castillo, Bernal Diaz Del. The True History of The Conquest of New Spain. Hackett Classics, Janet Burke (Translator), Ted Humphrey (Translator), UK ed. Edition, Hackett Publishing Company, Inc., March 15, 2012. Levy, Buddy. Conquistador: Hernan Cortes, King Montezuma and the Last Stand of the Aztecs. Hardcover, 1st edition, Bantam, June 24, 2008. Thomas, Hugh. Conquest: Montezuma, Cortes and the Fall of Old Mexico. Paperback, Reprint edition, Simon Schuster, April 7, 1995.

A Feminism that Combines Gender and Race (and Class) (responses) Assignment - 1

A Feminism that Combines Gender and Race (and Class) (responses) - Assignment Example Katherine relationship with Michael was not based on informed choices. She did not have the correct priorities. Katherine and Michael did not have a healthy relationship because she says that she never has an idea who Michael was, but wanted to have his children. A healthy relationship is based on the understanding and expectation of the future. Couples need to know what is expected of them once they have established a relationship to avoid false start and conflicts. Moreover, a healthy relationship does not rush on having sex without discussing it beforehand so as to prepare appropriately. According to Katherine her grandparent and her parent have the best relationship that she could find. She says that they are the happiest marriages, and they enjoy being together all the time (Blume 30). Even when there are disagreements in the family, Katherine says that they laugh about it, and she adores its. Katherine grandparent has the best relationship in the novel. They have succeeded in their marriage and helped Katherine parents too. Moreover, her grandmother is interested to help Katherine in her relationship and how to establish a healthy relationship. Therefore, for their good nature Katherine grandparents can be said to have a healthy

Thorough distribution plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Thorough distribution plan - Essay Example Things that will be accounted include permission to distribute the product, certificate of quality assurance provided by the concerned authority and legal requirements that have to be met like registration of the product. The availability and vicinity of the distribution centers in these countries have to be accounted for. The global entry strategy into these countries will be through franchising. Franchising will facilitate speedy distribution of the product. Franchising involves the granting of a franchise. In this case, the product will be franchised to a franchisee; the franchisee will supply the capital and labor and operate the franchised business. The approach of franchising will be; authorization of a number of retail stores to sell the product. The advantage of using franchising is that the product will be able to reach the targeted population in the shortest time possible and within their favorite shopping places. The supply chain is vertically integrated and will include a manufacturer, a distribution center and a retailer. The manufacturer will manufacture the product and franchise it to the distribution centers and retailers. A distribution center will assist in the supply of the product as needed and be able to ship the product to the required destinations that are outside United States and Canada. This means that it has both the local and international advantage in supply of the product. Vertical integration method has advantages such as low transaction costs, high investment opportunities and the ability to monopolize the market through market foreclosure. Another advantage is quick supply of goods and being able to meet the demand in the market. Retail partners will be supermarkets, chemists, drug stores, cosmetic shops, and electronic stores. These are common places for many shoppers in the United

National Geographic Essay Example for Free

National Geographic Essay The first website is the National Geographic (www.nationalgeographic.com), which is very diverse in terms of the topics it features and discusses on their site. It talks about the environment, humanity, history, entertainment, and travel. Due to the variety of topics, the website caters to everyone and anyone who seek reliable information. Five topics were researched including the brain, heart, skin, digestive system, and lungs. The search was very easy because the website has its search option where users can type what they are looking for and the website will generate the nearest results that it can find. Other topics can also be accessed with ease because the website features hyperlinks on the left side and on top, which are very easy to find. For the topics that were researched, images and graphics were available for users to understand the topic better. It also has a â€Å"Daily News† section, which features the latest news about the environment, space, and people. The website does not contain any grammatical errors and information are organized in such a way that they fall in the proper category. It also posts contact information so that users can contact the company if they want to research more or if they want to verify what they have learned. Considering that National Geographic is a known company with its own television channel, it is not hard for users to trust the content of its website. The website is very easy to navigate and it presents everything in such a way that users would not question the contents. For those who would use the website to research on educational topics, they would certainly find useful and accurate information because the National Geographic is known to conduct researches, documentaries, and studies. The company consults professionals and specialists to make sure that everything they post are correct and accurate. Wellness. com is a community for people who want to learn more about wellness and improve their lifestyles. It is also a place where people who have knowledge about wellness and healthy living can share what they know to those who want to obtain information. According to the website, it aims to create a place where people can obtain wellness information that can be trusted and used by everyone. In terms of evaluating the website for its accuracy and reliability, it can be said that the website can probably do better. Much of the information posted can be questioned because the authors are the members of the community and everyone just shares information with each other through the site’s forums. The members can post blogs about different topics, mostly about simple things like lying to get treatment for menopause, self-criticism, and breast cancer. The website has its search option that would return results from the site’s blogs and forums. Due to the importance of obtaining health-related information only from professionals, the website lists providers by category. Users are also given the option to search a provider by name. Information on health is categorized and listed alphabetically so that users do not have a hard time finding specific topics. It also offers wellness information for pets so that users who have pets have a place to gather information. Multimedia content is not available in this website and there are not much images featured. However, to compensate for its cons, the website has its contact page where people can contact the organization if they have any inquiries or recommendations. Overall, it is not a great place to obtain accurate information but it is a good place to find people who share the same experiences and thoughts. If a person wants to find a community to belong to in terms of wellness and health, then Wellness. com is the right place to go.

Utopian School :: essays papers

Utopian School My Utopian School If I was able to create my own school, and was able to select every student, every staff member, all members of the faculty, class sizes, curriculum, and everything and everyone that has to do with effectively running the school, then I believe that the utopian school would consist of the following. I believe that the students that would be enrolled in the school would have to all be of the same or around the same abilities and intelligence, I believe that if students are around other students that are at about the same level, it is easier for them to learn and score better. If all the students are slow learning, then they can be taught at the same rate, and the same goes for students with higher learning abilities. The faculty would have members from different backgrounds so that the students can learn different life experiences. Curriculum would be the same throughout all grades, all first grade would be the same, and so on, all the way up until fifth. Class sizes would be smaller , so that the teachers can give more attention to every student, and every class would have kids who are all about the same intelligence and learning rates. Support staff would also be qualified to teach the children, not just assist. They would be able to assist the children just like the teachers do. There wouldn’t actually have to be any specific groupings within the class, because every class would only consist of children that are all at the same level, so there would be no seperation, and the kids would not feel bad about being slower, and being separated from the â€Å"smart kids.† I would do my very best to make absolutely sure that the entire facility would be one-hundred percent clean, I think that a clean school would make it easier for students to learn, instead of trying to learn in filth. I would try to raise money with events and fundraisers to keep the school clean and a positive learning environment. As far as materials and equipment go, I would use the best materials and the highest grade equipment so that my students could use them to get the best education possible. I believe that all of these attributes would make the perfect school, every single student would be able to get a proper amount of attention and they would be able to use moder n technology and have people that actually care about the students and their education, and what they are going to do with their future.

Suburbia

Suburbia Paper A â€Å"staple† of a quality liberal arts education would be theater that truly presses the boundaries of conventional society. CU’s recent rendition of Eric Bogosian’s Suburbia revealed how great Boulder is at pushing the limits of what is considered politically correct, and challenging taboos. The story takes place in front of a 7-11 in a small, suburban New Jersey town, and follows a tragic two day span in the life of a few early 20 something youths, who are circling the proverbial drain. The youths spend the majority of their time drinking and complaining about the world instead of working to improve themselves.The main character, Jeff Gallagher, is a troubled alcoholic who is in love with the idea of his girlfriend Sooze Beckwith. To say that their relationship is complicated would be putting it lightly, with Jeff’s â€Å"Rebel Without a Cause† mindset and Sooze’s dream of moving to New York and becoming a successful artis t. They were doomed from the start, but with the introduction of Neil â€Å"Pony† Moynihan, the play’s antagonist, their fate is sealed. Easily considered the most complex character in the play, Tim Mitchum’s character appealed to me the most as the playwrite dared to spotlight an American hero, the soldier, in a way considered most taboo.Propaganda films since the 1920’s have done a fantastic job at glorifying the soldier as an American hero, so Bogosian’s decision to depict the honorably discharged Irag veteran as an unfulfilled alcoholic with performance anxiety is extremely progressive and daring. The interaction between Tim and the Pakistani store owners was an excellent depiction of modern day racism and prejudice. The action of the play begins with the reunion of the gang’s aforementioned high school companion turned successful musician, Pony. His presence is unwelcomed by Jeff, who feels his relationship with Sooze is threatened by t he successes experienced by Pony.The conflict only gets worse as Sooze starts to fancy the idea of moving to New York with Pony. The action climaxes with the death of Bee-Bee Douglass from alcohol poisoning and drug overdose. This death was symbolic of the realization experienced, by each of the characters, that life is real and there are consequences to each of your actions or lack-there-of. I would strongly recommend seeing a performance of Suburbia, especially to a member of my own generation, as it has a deeply profound message, disguised with the language often spoken by today’s youth. There is more to a successful performance than an edgy plot.CU’s utilization of a Black Box stage really aided in the effect by adding to the realism of the show. It gave the audience a chance to get immersed into the story. In the first act, as the lights go on, the audience is overwhelmed by actors dressed in plain clothes, behaving much as the troubled youth behave in the real wo rld today. This coupled with being on level ground as the audience allows the audience to feel as if they are watching the events happen not being performed. This causes the viewers to be dragged in and become fully invested in the play from being so close and in the action.Another design element that really stood out to me was the attention to detail in everything ranging from the stocked shelves on the interior of the store, where no action takes place, to the simplicity of the costumes worn throughout the course of the action. In the second act, Pony, the famous rockstar walks on stage with only a guitar case to distinguish himself from the regular people of his hometown. This symbolism added to the theme that you are in control of your life by showing that even the ones idolized by the masses are still just regular people with small distinguishing features.Within the first few minutes of the show the audience is overwhelmed with F-bombs and politically incorrect slurs. Suburbiaà ¢â‚¬â„¢s abrasive dialogue might be concerning to some, and the director’s decision to keep all of it certainly speaks on the intended message. The aspect that won me over the most was in the first act when the character most responsible for comedic relief, Buff Macleod, was constantly making a mess by throwing food and beer all over the stage. The utilization of authentic props greatly added to the play’s realism.Buff’s character is written to be zany and comical, but the way the actor became Buff was by chewing his pizza with his mouth open and fully investing in each step of his blocking, forcing him to act like a complete buffoon. The second act was won over by a spectacular performance by the actress playing Bee-Bee. The directing and acting styles used to portray the emotional turmoil suffered really allowed to audience to feel how Bee-Bee felt immediately prior to her suicide. Her wavering voice as she spoke her final words on the phone forced the room to tears as the crowd watched the life being drawn from a vibrant youth.As a typically emotionless male stereotype, I regret to admit that even my eyes came in contact with the occasional twinkle of sadness. Strictly for the emotional experience alone, I would recommend this show be frequented. The production did an amazing job at projecting the message of how life can pass you by, if you don’t take full advantage of the privileges given. This life lesson is strongest during the several conflicts between the alcoholic veteran Tim and the muslim store owner Nazeer.Tim represents the loss of drive to have a happy life whereas Nazeer being the foreigner with American dream aspirations represents optimism and hope. This message could be easily translated into a contemporary dance number with minimal subtractions from the original piece. The reason this is possible is due to the fact that, like the characters themselves, the plot is rather stagnant without clear direction. The main themes of the play were not ones that were so abstract that dialogue is a necessity, so the removal of that would not detract from the message.The strong character development would translate very well, giving the dancers room to be expressive with the roles. As with most things in life, this translation would have both its advantages as well as its disadvantages. The strongest benefit would be that the translation would be less aggressive without its foul language, allowing a broader audience to be impacted by the message. The disadvantage would be that in translating the piece you would forfeit the shocking power that much of the dialogue had.The complete disrespect that Tim shows to Nazeer would be difficult to translate into dance without the impact of taboo language used in the original. In summation, Suburbia was an edgy, progressive play about the dwindling youth of suburban America. I would strongly recommend going to see it not only for entertainment purposes, but also for the opportunity to see a play that is destined to pioneer modern theater. Bogosian’s complete disregard for political correctness is a welcomed innovation to the arts that I hope to see in more up and coming theater.

Importance of consumer centric approach marketing Essay

           A consumer centric approach is a method in marketing that focuses on the needs and wants of an individual consumer (Kaufmann & Mohammed 302). The approach does not deal with customers like the mass market. It makes constant interaction with the customers. This is done so as to get information that makes a business understand what are customers’ expectations, perceptions and desires. By acquiring all the necessary information the business is able to design new and best strategies to increase its loyalty in the services and products. The businesses also use this approach to increase the customer’s satisfaction. The customer centric is like focusing on what the customers’ value in life. After finding that value is when the business can dedicate its efforts on a particular high value customer segment. Internal and external factors associated with consumer-centric             According to Jham & Puri (3) there are internal and external factors that affect the consumer- centric method from identifying the customers’ behavior. They make it difficult for a business and its consumer to have an interaction. The external factors are the environmental influences and the internal factors are the individual differences. The external factors such as social class, personal influence, attitudes and family: complicate the consumer’s decisions (Jham & Puri 3). The internal factors include; motivation knowledge, personality, attitudes, lifestyle, consumers’ resources and values. They also affect the consumer’s decisions. The consumer resource as part of internal factors; reflects on time and money. It is difficult to establish an interaction with the consumer if he or she is not financially stable. The most crucial factor is behavior. Most of the customer’s can buy the product out of convenience not because they bel ieve in the brand. Why do we need to focus on consumers?            The customers are very important in a business. They are the ones who determine the success of any organization. When an organization focus on consumer satisfaction; it becomes easy to find some metric that it can use to improve its business. However, it also becomes easy to manage the selling of the products and services. Concentrating on consumers has advantages to the business. It helps the business identify the consumer’s loyalty (Beard 1). The consumers’ acts like advocates in a business. They can help the business grow. A satisfied customer is able to share with others the goodness of the product or a service. This help increase the rate of consumers in a certain business. They are like small marketers or â€Å"evangelists.† Unhappy customer results to a risk of losing many consumers in the business. This is because of the negative word of mouth.               Concentrating on consumer help bring differentiation (Beard 1). A market is a competitive place that every business fights to get more customers. In order to succeed in this kind of environment one need to focus customer satisfaction. The customer can only choose to associate with the business that satisfies them. They find that kind of businesses unique and different from others. Customer satisfaction reduces Churning. Poor services make customers want to experience products from the competitors. A certified customer does not find it necessary to experience the quality of other products. In a business, it is very expensive and difficult to acquire new customers. The organization may spend resources on marketing and adverts so as to acquire more customers. The best option to avoid these circumstances is by retaining customers through satisfaction. It is the only way for a business to succeed. Consumer-centric in companies          Customer centric marketing is used by many companies in the world today. The companies that use this approach become knowledgeable on ways to enhance their products and services. However, the consumer-centric companies have more qualities compared to others. They are accessible. The customers find it easy to connect with them. They are responsive. They are able to reach out to their customers by different channels and respond to their suggestions and needs. Customer centric marketing (CRM) has been upgraded into eCRM in many companies (Kaufmann & Mohammed 302). The advances in the technology have changed the way consumers such for information of the products they need. The old CRM did not satisfy the needs of all consumers.             With the help of the new technology both eCRM with traditional CRM are now used by companies to enhance consumer quality service standards. The eCRM is a new tool being used by many companies to enhance their marketing skills. This is because it allows transferring of information across channels through the data driven tools. The companies that use eCRM are able to increase consumer satisfaction, their services and loyalty. However, some of them have increased online sell through this new technology. Customer centric companies have large market share compared to others. This is because they are able to reach out the market through â€Å"customer satisfaction.† This is very important thing. Other companies that do not have CRM have small market share. The business can only have a large market share by being the heart of the consumers. Concept of relationship marketing in consumer-centric approach            Relationship marketing is a concept in the business related to Consumer-centric marketing. Its main agenda is to achieve the consumer’s loyalty. The approach makes sure the businesses have interaction and long term engagement with the consumers (Learning business 1). The approach allows open communication with customers and gives them information suited for their needs. It makes the business develop an emotional connection or relationship with the customer. This approach is same as the consumer-centric. It deals with loyalty and developing a good interaction with the consumers. It has the same agenda of satisfying consumers. The methods used in relationship marketing apply in CRM. They use methods such as; marketing campaigns. This can be used by the CRM to promote organizations, the products, special offers and the brand.             Methods such as competitive prices, excellent customer services and quality products are essential in providing a good relationship with the customers (Learning marketing 1). They lead to best buyer- consumer relationship. They are the best methods of retaining customers in a business. However, the relationship marketing monitoring methods used to ensure customer satisfaction are appropriate for CRM. Personal interview by use of questionnaires or phone calls is best to find out consumers view regarding products and services. The mystery shoppers can also be applied. They include suggestion boxes, online surveys. Customer complaints and customers’ general comments are also important. They help business know where they stand in the market. The CRM help the business to come up with the best market segmentation. It is because they can know the needs of each individual in a certain area. The fit of marketing offering in consumer-centric approach             Marketing offering is appropriate when using the consumer- centric approach. It is because it deals with additional values to the customers (Hunt 1). In order to deliver values such as availability, technical support, convenient delivery or quality service; CRM is the right approach. It deals with maintaining a good relationship with the consumers. Adding the values to CRM helps the consumers be more loyal and trust the products or services. The offering marketing fits in the CRM because before it is carried out. The business needs to understand customers’ important factors. They help understand if the products are supportive or convenient. The convenience acts like a differentiator between the values offered to that of the competitors. The offerings are determinants whether the customer can buy from a certain company or not. They also involve the customer service similar to the CRM. If a business responds to the request of customers immediately; it gives t hem confidence. Conclusion               Customer- centric is a good approach for business. It enable establish a good relationship between the business and consumers. However, it responds to customers request which a very important aspect. Customer satisfaction is a very important thing. Consumers determine the growth of the business. They are advocates. A business that practices consumer satisfaction has a competitive differentiation. However they do not experience churning since their services and products are convincing than others. CRM is related to the relationship market. All this approaches are interested in customers’ loyalty. They are approaches that help the business acquire a large market share. Customers’ are always attracted with satisfaction than any other thing in the product or service. Reference Beard, R. Why customer satisfaction is very important (6 reasons). (2014). Retrieved on 27th February 2015. < http://blog.clientheartbeat.com/why-customer-satisfaction-is-important/> Hunt, Shelby D.  Marketing Theory: Foundations, Controversy, Strategy, Resource-Advantage Theory. Armonk, N.Y: M.E. Sharpe, 2010. Print. Jham, Vimi, and Sandeep Puri.  Cases on Consumer-Centric Marketing Management. Hershey, PA: Business Science Reference, 2014. Internet resource.Kaufmann, Hans R, and Mohammad F. A. K. Panni.  Customer-centric Marketing Strategies: Tools for Building Organizational Performance. Hershey, PA: Business Science Reference, 2013. Print. Learning marketing. (2014). Relationship marketing. Retrieved on 27th February 2015.< http://www.learnmarketing.net/relationshipmarketing.htm> Source document

Crucible Character Study of Abigail Williams

Crucible Character Study of Abigail Williams Abigail Williams, a vicious antagonist from Arthur Millers The Crucible, will stop at nothing to attain her demented goals. In another writer’s hands, Abby could have been portrayed in a sympathetic light. After all, she is under age and has been sleeping with a supposedly honorable man thirteen years her senior. ​Arthur Miller, however, finds little humanity within her. Abigail Williams' Reputation Throughout the play, Proctor labels her a â€Å"harlot† and a â€Å"whore.† And perhaps Miller isn’t far off. According to the playwright’s research, the real Abigail Williams turned to prostitution several years after the Salem Witch Trials. Her Almost Unrealistic Characteristics She convinces young women to dance in the dark forest (a sinful act by Puritan standards).She practices voodoo in an attempt to win back her lover, John Proctor.She feigns demonic possession, luring the rest of the girls to behave the same way.She plants evidence of witchcraft in Elizabeth Proctor’s home, hoping to send her to the gallows.She manipulates the judges and denies having a relationship with Proctor. Perhaps the most sinister act takes place after a dozen citizens have been hanged. Abigail steals Rev. Parris’ life savings and runs away, never to be heard from again. In short, Miss Williams is a wretched, diabolic person!

Important Quotes from Night by Elie Wiesel

Important Quotes from Night by Elie Wiesel Night, by Elie Wiesel, is a work of Holocaust literature, with a decidedly autobiographical slant. Wiesel based the book- at least in part- on his own experiences during World War II. Through just a brief 116 pages, the book has received considerable acclaim, and the author won the Nobel Prize in 1986. The quotes below show the searing nature of the novel, as Wiesel tries to make sense of one of the worst human-made catastrophes in history. Night Falls Wiesels journey into Hell began with a yellow star, which the Nazis forced Jews to wear. The star was, often, a mark of death, as the Germans used it to identify Jews and send them to concentration camps.   The  yellow star? Oh well, what of it? You dont die of it.   Chapter 1 A prolonged whistle split the air. The wheels began to grind. We were on our way.   Chapter 1 The journey to the camps began with a train ride, with Jews packed into pitch-black rail cars, with no room to sit down, no bathrooms, no hope. Men to the left! Women to the right!   Chapter 3 Eight words  spoken  quietly, indifferently, without emotion. Eight short, simple words. Yet that was the moment when I parted from my mother.   Chapter 3 Upon entering the camps, men,  women, and children were usually segregated; the line to the left meant going into forced slave labor and wretched conditions- but temporary survival; the line to the right often meant a trip the gas chamber and immediate death. Do you see that chimney over there? See it? Do you see those flames? (Yes, we did see the flames.) Over there-thats where youre going to be taken. Thats your grave, over there.   Chapter 3 The flames rose 24-hours a day from the incinerators- after the Jews were killed in the gas chambers by Zyklon B, their bodies were immediately taken to incinerators to be burned into to black, charred dust. Never shall I forget that night, the first night in camp, which has turned my life into one long night.   Chapter 3 Utter Loss of Hope Wiesels quotes speak eloquently of the utter hopelessness of life in the concentration camps. A dark flame had entered into my soul and devoured it.​  Ã‚  Chapter 3 I was a body. Perhaps less than that even: a starved stomach. The stomach alone was aware of the passage of time.   Chapter 4 I was thinking of my father. He must have suffered more than I did.   Chapter 4 Whenever I dreamed of a better world, I could only imagine a universe with no bells.   Chapter 5 Ive got more faith in Hitler than in anyone else. Hes the only one whos kept his promises, all his promises, to the Jewish people.   Chapter 5 Living With Death Wiesel, of course, did survive the Holocaust  and became a journalist, but it was only 15 years after the war ended that he was able to describe how the inhumane experience in the camps turned him into a living corpse. When they withdrew, next to me were two corpses, side by side, the father and the son. I was fifteen years old.   Ã¢â‚¬â€¹Chapter 7 We were all going to die here. All limits had been passed. No one had any strength left. And again the night would be long.   Chapter 7 But I had no more tears. And, in the depths of my being, in the recesses of my weakened conscience, could I have searched it, I might perhaps have found something like-free at last!​   Chapter 8 After my fathers death, nothing could touch me any more.   Chapter 9 From the depths of the mirror, a corpse gazed back at me. The look in his eyes, as they stared into mine, has never left me.   Chapter 9

Work in a Pediatric Department Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Work in a Pediatric Department - Essay Example Catering for the welfare of people requires leadership skills. I also aspire to lead my colleagues in ensuring that patients’ needs are professionally and perfectly addressed. My confidence in achieving leadership goals stems from earlier experience when I was chosen to lead a group involved in Regional Occupational Program project. I ensured that all members undertook their responsibilities. The application of my leadership skills and teamwork coordination enabled my group to achieve a perfect grade after presenting the research project. These efforts made me receive commendation from various quarters. Some of the awards I have received in the last four years include Principal Honor Roll, Volunteer of the Month Award, Faculty Honor Roll: Chemistry and History, Certificate of Achievement: Medical Assisting Office and Certificate of Achievement: World History and Chemistry. My involvement in Regional Occupation Program Career Training Courses enabled me to complete crucial cour ses that are necessary for a prosperous future in the medical field. They included Medical Core, Anatomy and Physiology, Medical Terminology, Medical Abbreviations, Medical Assisting Front Office, Medical Assisting Back Office and CPR Certified and Health Unit Coordinator. The activities I participated in during my high school life established a firm medical foundation suitable for enabling excellence in the future nursing career. My interest in community health motivated me to spend over 300 hours at the Knott’s Care Center.

Cost Estimation Plan Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Cost Estimation Plan - Coursework Example According to the agreement, these operations will be transferred to government. Approach road to this tunnel is shared with that of Sydney Harbour Bridge. The SHT is 2.3 kilo meters long with only 1 kilometer of the tunnel being under the Sydney Harbour. There are total 4 sections in the tunnel; two on the North of the Sydney Harbour and the other two on its Southern side. The two land tunnels on the North side have a length of 1 kilometer each and those on the Southern side have a length of half kilometer each. The four units are joined by means of eight solid concrete blocks. There are two carriage ways in SHT, each having two traffic lanes. This tunnel is one of the largest tunnels in Australia and therefore, has much importance. The project for construction of the SHT can be considered as one of its own nature as there are certain outcomes observed which have raised questions about the project. One such important issue is the fact that the project Sydney Harbour Tunnel was a PPP in which the private partner bore higher portion of risk as compared to that of public partner, or to be more precise, in this case government of Australia. In the next section of this essay we will focus on the various assumptions made during the cost estimation of the STH plan. Various approaches towards the cost estimation of mega infrastructural projects and their application to the Sydney Harbour Tunnel Project will follow the assumptions. A cost-benefit analysis of the project is given and conclusion is drawn on the basis of all the discussion. To start the discussion about cot estimation of STH, let us first discuss some of the major assumptions made during the financial planning stages of the project. Given are some of the basic facts and figures about Sydney Harbour Tunnel: 2.0 Looking into The Finances and Economics of Sydney Harbour Tunnel Sydney Harbour Tunnel was built on the principle of 'BOT,' i.e., Build, Operate and Transfer. There were a number of financial advisors involved in economic and financial analysis of the project. A combination of analysis techniques were used by these consultants and a unified statement as a result of the analyses was given by the Auditor General NSW in 1994.It was stated that the project was viable and beneficial on financial, economic and environmental basis. The tunnel was reported to be justified on the basis of factors like travel time, air quality, economics of the project and the quality of travel with special reference to air quality. However, it was mentioned in the later parts of the report that technical deficiencies and constraints may affect some of the outcomes o the project. These assumptions are addressed in the very next section of the essay with their detailed analysis and how it influenced the overall functioning of the tunnel from the start up to the date. The estimated cost for the construction of the tunnel was reported to be 3.8 million Australian Dollars. These funds were generated from three different sources. The first tool used was the issuance of inflation-index bonds of maturity 30 years to raise a capital of AU $ 486. The second