A Cultural Analysis of Norway Samples †MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Cultural Analysis of Norway. Answer: Introduction: The study is based on analysing the culture of Norway from different perspectives like its peoples beliefs on health related facts, their family patterns, the communication style and the death dying practices. Culture represents an identity in particular in foreign countries. There is an ample number of countries on this globe and most of them are different to each other in regards to culture (Bendixen et al., 2017). The study is aimed at understanding a culture which may be different to many; however, this is not just the purpose for the research. It is mainly for enhancing the understanding level of graduates who are expected to face a varied type of cultures at the workplace. Four Elements of Culture: Health beliefs and practices: Norway is one of few countries which are rated high in terms of health values. They are one of the fittest populations on this globe. The average life expectancy rate is also very high and is equal to nearly seventy-eight years. The modern beliefs have largely replaced the traditional medical beliefs that had existed in the eighteenth and the nineteenth centuries. They are well versed in good health facilities. The government does also support the healthcare sector by making 15 percent investments in the industry (Theorell et al., 2015). The people living in Norway had carried the very same feeling for healing option as this is in some other parts of the world. They have always relied on the modern form of treatment. In the ancient times, the Norwegian people had the approachability to alternative medicines; however, they had considered it after all popular treatment method had failed. However, their views had started to take a different shape since the foundation of Norwegian Healers Associationin 1994 (Larsen, 2015). People then started to think of alternative medicine and had consulted the healing while not bothering for the traditional format of healing. They also had no such trust in the complementary form of treatment. It all happened in 1998 when the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs appointed a committee consisting of no healers but only the doctors from traditional medicine profession. They were being asked to publish a report on healing. They had found that there are some scientific facts present in the alternative medicine and healing. Today, healers are employed in most of the institutions and hospitals of social care. NAFKAM was then being established by the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs to administer the Registry of Exceptional Course of Disease (Ljunggren, 2017). The NAFKAM was being formed in Norway, so that, the approach could be monitored. The government had identified the incrementing demands for treatment in parallel with the complementary and the alternative medicines. This is why they had wanted to monitor the CAM (Complementary Alternative Medicines) on critical diseases, so that, the viability level could be identified. The treatment techniques were being found as suitable in some cases whereas it lacked in few areas. The purpose behind the formation of NAFKAM was to identify whether both the treatments should exist or only the CAM or conventional medicine alone (Whitworth, 2015). Summary of health beliefs and practices: To summarise, the people living in Norwegian uses the different kinds of techniques ranging from the conventional form of treatment to alternative medicines and the complementary treatment (CAM). After the formation of NAFKAM in 1994, they had actually started considering the various kinds of treatments though not fully relying on any single method but allowing all kinds of treatments and healings on an observation basis. Family Patterns (How different genders are regarded in specific culture as well as generational gaps): In the 1970s, women were in large numbers in the workforce; however, they had worked for no money and their numbers were higher than men. The Gender-Related Development Index initiated by the United Nations Development Programme, had come into existence to measure the gender related development in 146 countries. Norway had then ranked second in this regards which shows how open thoughts they have for women working at the workplace (Eckstein, 2015). Women have been given relative status in the country. The positions which are unique only to men like the politics and the military were being integrated in 1981. Now, both men and women can be in politics and also in the military (Ericsson, 2016). Women had occupied close to 55 percent of the entire student numbers in universities by 2000 (Ericsson, 2016). Marriage is also considered as a valuable act; however, the rate of divorce has now doubled in the last twenty years. They are also alike to various cultures when it comes to post-marriage mentalities of both husband and wife. Post-marriage, all substance goods becomes a joint property. Three generations family exist, especially in the rural areas. Parents and children prefer to live together with other relatives close to their homes. They get to their relative homes on some selected occasions like confirmation, baptism, marriage, and death (Nordfjrn, ?im?eko?lu Rundmo, 2014). Both husband and wife get the parental leave. They both take care of their kids. Mother used to breastfeed her children; however, the pattern of breastfeeding has now changed. In past, they were allowed to breastfeed in every four hours but, now, they can feed their child on demand at any time (Khodakovsky Lexau, 2017). Mother used to carry their infants close to their breast but, the prams are more commonly used by mothers. Many parents used to prefer day-care facilities for their kids from one to six year olds; however, it is not advisable to use day-care facilities for such kids. It is advisable indeed for older toddlers (Khodakovsky Lexau, 2017). Children are given an independent and cooperative environment. If parents are employed, they give their child to day-care facilities to make them socialised. They also hire babysitters if there is no grandmother at home. The socialisation is quite encouraging as they do not believe in teaching the boundary-setting policies and the etiquettes. They are treated like a child for a longer period of time than many European countries. The adolescence age is not over till the time they are not over with their graduation in high school (Pedersen-Rise Haddud, 2016). Communication Style: Norwegians do not speak their first language outside of Norway. It is not they do not like speaking their native language outside their home country but, it is that they prefer learning other languages also, so that, they become the proficient speaker of other languages. They do it so to open up doors of opportunities for various purposes like business at the global platform. The real hard focus that they put on learning other languages has made them a proficient speaker of many foreign languages. They are good at English which is a universally accepted language. They are also good at three or four foreign languages other than English (Loe Kelman, 2016). The Norwegians are very straightforward in their approach and expect the same courtesy from another end. If somebody wants to convince a Norwegian on any point, they must follow a straight route without being deviated to unrelated talks. They are very straightforward and believe in giving honest comments. If they like something they appreciate it or else they refuse it giving the honest reviews. If Norwegians are not at all agreeing to a certain fact, they will straightforward say a no to it. They expect the very same courtesy from the other end (Khodakovsky Lexau, 2017). If somebody is trying to sell them something then it should be dealt with pure honesty. If they like the idea they will agree to it or else they will say a no to it. They also do not like the fillers. Suppose, if somebody has nothing at all to speak about, they must not speak a single word or else the Norwegian people will dislike such thing. They believe that being silent can also be an indication towards a stage where the observer is going through some deep thoughts (Whitworth, 2015). They express a very minimal body language. However, it does not mean that they have no emotion. They actually have it. They also pay attention to an important thing and expect others to follow the same path. Being reserved is a highly valuable characteristic for them. It means when they are silent and are lacking in emotion, it should not be considered as if they lack the attention (Whitworth, 2015). Death and dying practices: Death and dying practices which are also known as cremation had kept on changing under the influence of religious faiths. During the middle Ages prior to Christianisationof Norway, cremation was one of the ways practiced for the disposal of the body. The traditional method of cremation did become an obsolete concept when Christianisation arrived in Norway during the eleventh century. The traditional faiths of Christian eschatological context do consider fire as being associated with the fire of hell. Additionally, the belief also states that fire is a sign of punishment, humiliation, and annihilation. Death not necessarily is a punishment and can be a gift to those to whom there is mercy (Eckstein, 2015). The cremation in Norway had not believed the resurrection of Jesus Christ as expressed in the Apostles doctrine. They had rather believed in the body moving to an eternal life after the death. They had followed a rather different approach to disposal of the body and had considered burying the body inside the ground. They had followed the Christianity believes in burying the body (Larsen, 2015). According to the beliefs of Christianity, a body is a symbol of hope for a resurrection on the Day of Judgment. They will then be given the returns of their deeds. If they have good deeds in their worldly life, they will be rewarded with an entrance into heaven. On the other side, if they have bad deeds they will be rewarded with an entrance into hell (Larsen, 2015). Before 1898, cremation was understood as an illegal activity in Norway. This was due to a fact that they have no such approvals from scientific facts. They had kept on denying the fact until they have no such proofs. To abolish such objections a society named Norwegian Cremation Society was then formed in 1889 (Eckstein, 2015). However, the society could not bring any such difference to the objections against burial disposal of the body and had continued until it was dissolved in 2003. It was re-established again as the Norwegian Cremation Foundation. It initially had only a few members of the association. It had qualified lawyers, academicians, physicians and business entrepreneurs. The main goal of the society was the legalisation of cremation and foundation of crematoria (Eckstein, 2015). The society had its success in 2010 when 92% of the deaths had a memorial service solemnised by The Church of Norway. The modern edge cremation process in Norway is mainstream, mechanical, very controlled and administered by different laws, norms and experts. Everything from getting cremation permit to; transport of boxes, timings fixing to cremation, sterile perspectives, ignition, box size and materials, natural contamination, fire wellbeing safety measures and others (Larsen, 2015). Conclusion: Therefore, the culture in respect to various aspects has vivid varieties in Norway. A radical transformation was being observed in every context like the health beliefs, family patterns, death dying practices and communication style. Norway had witnessed a transformation from having just a conventional medicine practice to complementary alternative medicines (CAN) and healing process. It has kept on managing an equal society values to both men and women. They, unlike most European nations, consider their kids as a child until they are in graduates. Norwegian people follow a very normal communication style and have expertise in local languages, English three to four other foreign languages. The death dying process in specific the burial as per the Christianity beliefs was not legalised until 2003. It becomes legalised with the foundation of Norwegian Cremation Foundation in 2003. References: Bendixen, M., Asao, K., Wyckoff, J. P., Buss, D. M., Kennair, L. E. O. (2017). Sexual regret in US and Norway: Effects of culture and individual differences in religiosity and mating strategy.Personality and Individual Differences,116, 246-251. Eckstein, H. (2015).Division and cohesion in democracy: A study of Norway. Princeton University Press. Ericsson, K. (2016).Women in War: Examples from Norway and Beyond. Routledge. Khodakovsky, E., Lexau, S. S. (Eds.). (2017).Architectural Conservation and Restoration in Norway and Russia. Routledge. Larsen, K. (2015).History of Norway. Princeton University Press. Ljunggren, J. (2017). Elitist egalitarianism: Negotiating identity in the Norwegian cultural elite.Sociology,51(3), 559-574. Loe, J. S., Kelman, I. (2016). Arctic petroleums community impacts: Local perceptions from Hammerfest, Norway.Energy Research Social Science,16, 25-34. Nordfjrn, T., ?im?eko?lu, ., Rundmo, T. (2014). Culture related to road traffic safety: a comparison of eight countries using two conceptualizations of culture.Accident Analysis Prevention,62, 319-328. Pedersen-Rise, O., Haddud, A. (2016). Exploring lean culture challenges in a small family-owned manufacturing company: a case study from Norway.International Journal of Lean Enterprise Research,2(1), 1-25. Theorell, T., Knudtsen, M. S., Horwitz, E. B., Wikstrm, B. M. (2015).Culture and public health activities in Sweden and Norway(pp. 171-7). Oxford: Oxford University Press. Whitworth, A. (2015). ESO country information guide: Norway.

Simile and metaphor Essay Example

Simile and metaphor Paper The speakers anger is a central to the whole poem. In stanza two Afrika achieves a shocking intensity by his line arrangement and repetition. The repetition of and(12-15) gives the impression of deep familiarity with the bureaucratic sounding District Six (9) and we can understand the sentiment amiable weeds(8) more clearly. The listing effect establishes a rhythm and a pattern, which the reader anticipates. This means that when and(15) turns into anger(16) it comes as a shock. The stanza also concentrates on the sensitive parts of his body, skinlungseyes(13-16) all, which are subject and vulnerable to hurt. Anger is also associated closely with heat and fire. It is the hotanger of his eyes(15-16); the sign of the restaurant is flaring(18) and his hands burn(45). The image of glass(17, 30, 41, 47) is very important in the poem (the word appears four times) as well as a reference to clear panes(28). It is glass which shuts out the speaker in the poem. It is a symbol of the inequality between whites and blacks, rich and poor. The glass symbolises the exclusion of the blacks from the whites world. But in the glass as well as looking in on outside, one can also see a reflection of oneself. The glass acting as a mirror means that it brings about a double traumatic experience . The speaker sees the standard of living that he has, the stains of bunny chow on his jeans, but he also sees the higher standard of living being enjoyed by his (now) equal countrymen. It is this injustice, which causes the speaker to yearn, for a stone, a bomb, to shiver down the glass(46-47). It is not the actual glass that he wants to smash; it is the racist mentality of those in power that he wants to shatter. We will write a custom essay sample on Simile and metaphor specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Simile and metaphor specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Simile and metaphor specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The poems title and last line suggests, Nothings changed(48). The speakers familiarity with this environment has not changed. Although there is no sign there, the poet can feel that he is in District Six, my feet know/and my hands.(11-12) The gap in the standard of living has not shortened between the black and white people. There is still that element of exclusivity, no sign says it(25) as the apartheid is over, but there is a guard at the gatepost(23). The poet still feels the anger and violent rage towards those that exclude him. The title in this sense is ironic, physically everything has changed, the Port Jackson trees(21) threaten to take over and there is new restaurant whose patrons are exclusively white. However deep down the important matters and worthwhile changes have not taken place. This leads to a sense of disappointment because an expected change has not happened. District Six has changed, but the speakers feelings have not because the new South Africa operates apartheid based on wealth. The poet reflects that despite the changing political situation, there are still huge inequalities between blacks and whites. The poem is a protest about the injustices of a system that allowed apartheid in the first place, but now does so little to improve the lives of the non-whites. Those in powerful and influential positions resist progress and deny justice to the common people. The title, Inglan is a Bitch is repeated as a refrain throughout the poem. The word bitch has many connotations, all of which are negative, so straight from the beginning the reader can intelligently guess that the poem criticises England. Black immigrants were brought to England to help alleviate the labour force after the Second World War; it was labelled as a country of many opportunities, a promise that turned out to be false. Literally a bitch is a female dog and they are noted for their hardworking nature. This could signify that in order to survive in England you have to be diligent also. In Linton Kwesi Johnsons, Inglan is a Bitch the narrator is black immigrant worker, who describes his work history in England. He has worked in the andahgroun(2); has had a lickle jab in a big otell(11) and in a crockery factory. All his jobs have been hard labour and menial work even at the age of fifty-five(42). He tells the reader that he was doing well while he was working as a dish-washa(11). This type of employment is quite unskilled and a job that most white Britons would consider beneath them. The poem dispels the myth that England has good economic prospects for everyone. Not only are the immigrants working very hard for a lickle wage packit(17), they are forced to pay high taxes also. (Employment) In the 1950s and 1960s people from the Caribbean migrated to Britain in relatively large numbers. Most of these settled in cities, especially in the large English cities, and in most of these communities people from Jamaica were more numerous than people from other parts of the Caribbean. Although the Caribbean is made up of many different islands and mainland territories, including many where an English Creole is not spoken, British Black English is most similar to Jamaican Creole, because of the larger number of Jamaicans who settled in this country. (Sebba, Creole English and Black English) The most striking element of this poem I felt was the sound of the poem. Written in a Street Creole variety of dialect it forces the reader to read the poem with a different tongue; London is written as Landan(1). However this may also cause a problem with communication. It is hard in some sections to decipher what the poet is actually trying to say. A language barrier is formed. The tone of the poem is conversational, but it also has a musical, song-like quality. The rhyme scheme, rhythm and the beat all contribute to this Caribbean musical quality. There is also a refrain or in the context of a song, a chorus. The aural nature of the poem functions as a mirror for cultural identity. The style and speech represents Jamaica, but the context is in England. The refrains in the poem are very interesting, deres no escapin it(5) is repeated in every other stanza along with Inglan is a Bitch. The speaker wants to escape, but cannot. The tone is resigned and there is not much hope. Because he has lived in England, he cannot even go back. This could be due to a fused identity and now he does not fit in either culture. noh baddah try fi hide fram it(16) The poet feels oppressed and has accepted defeat. The discrimination is ever-present. This next line is important, a noh lie mi a tell, a true(24) the speaker explains to the reader that he is not moaning or exaggerating, but is giving a accurate representation of his problems. yu haffi know how fi suvvive in it(32) The verb used is survive, a harsher substitute for live. The speaker explains that life is not easy and the basics are hard to come by. yu bettah face up to it(40) echoing line 16 the speaker tells us and tells himself to just accept the hardship. There is no point in denying or trying to change something more powerful. He has no options, as no one will even listen to his problems. This is why he is writing the poem, hoping this medium will reach out to those who can help him and understand his despair. is whey wi a goh dhu bout it?(56) The last line seems to invert the vibe given out in the lines above. There is a positive emphasis as the speaker asserts this question to his audience, who may be influential black people or sympathetic white people. The wi (we) is also only seen in the last line. It signifies collectiveness and unity for a particular purpose. On his own he is nothing, but through his poetry he may find people in similar predicaments and together they can bring about a change. Ending the poem with a question means that the poet is leaving the reader to make up his mind on the situation. The poem as well as reflecting the cultural identity of the black immigrants in England, also creates a mirror for national identity. It depicts to those in power what the condition of the Afro-Caribbean contingent is. It is sweet and glorious to die for your country. This is the full translation of the phrase Dulce et decorum est Pro patria mori. Which comes from Dulce Et Decorum Est by Wilfred Owen. The title of the poem is ironic. The poem does not so much induce pity as it does shock, especially for the civilians at home who believed war was noble and glorious. Owens war poems are for civilians to make audible to them the authentic experiences of the arm. (Kerr, p.219) The soldiers are trudging back from the battle, a daunting depiction expressed through simile and metaphor. The mens wretched condition is compared to old beggars(1), hags(2). The young men have grown unnaturally old and decrepit (Kerr, p.276). They cannot walk straight as their blood-shod(6) try to negotiate the mud. The words that Owen uses have different meanings beyond the real meaning and exploit ambiguity, for example, distant rest(4), what kind of rest? In line 8 the rhythm slackens as a particularly dramatic moment approaches.

Brazilian Economy Essays - Public Finance, Austerity,

Brazilian Economy An Economy Recovering From Chaos. Brazil earned the reputation of being a "miracle economy" in the late 1960s when double-digit annual growth rates were recorded and the structure of the economy underwent rapid change. Since 1981, however, Brazil's economic performance has been poor in comparison to its potential. The country's dramatic reduction in output growth, which averaged an annual GDP growth of only 1.5 percent over 1980-93, reflected its inability to respond to the events of the late 1970s and 1980s. Some events that took place during this period were: the oil shock, increases in real interest rates, the debt crisis, and the resulting cutoff of foreign credit and foreign direct investment. These shocks, in combination with poor management of public finances and heavy state intervention, resulted in large fiscal deficits at state and federal levels. Even if the fiscal deficits were reduced after 1990, deviating policies generalized indexation, and exchange rate management contributed to keeping inflation high and increasing. Monthly inflation skyrocketed from 3 percent in the late 1970s to 50 percent in mid-1994. The country's income distribution, already poor, worsened drastically in the 1980s. Against these conditions, the success of the Real Stabilization Plan in effect since mid-1994, which has reduced inflation to an annualized rate of about 15 percent, stand out noticeably. Growth rates were satisfactory in 1994 and 1995 at 5.8 and 4.2 percent, respectively (Page 45-47). From Portugal's discovery in 1500 until the late 1930s, the economy relied on the production of primary products, such as sugar cane for exports. Portugal subjected it to a strict enforced colonial pact, or imperial mercantile policy, which for three centuries heavily restricted development. The colonial phase left strong marks on the country's economy and society, lasting long after independence in 1882. Significant changes began occurring only late in the eighteenth century, when slavery was eliminated and wage labor was adopted. Important structural transformations began only in the 1930s, when the first steps were taken to change it into a modern, semi-industrialized economy. These transformations were particularly strong between 1950 and 1981, when the growth rates of the economy remained quite high and a diversified manufacturing base was established. However, since the early 1980s, the economy has experienced substantial difficulties, including slow growth and stagnation. Nevertheless, the country still has the potential to regain its former dynamism. In the mid-1990s, it had a large and quite diversified economy, but one with considerable structural, as well as short-term problems. Socioeconomic transformations came about rapidly after World War II. In the 1940s, only 31.3 percent of its 41.2 million inhabitants resided in towns and cities. By 1991 its population had reached 146.9 million and 75.5 percent lived in cities, therefore creating two of the world's largest metropolitan centers ? Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. The rate of population growth decreased for about 3 percent annually in the transition. By mid-1999 it had an estimated population of 166 million (Levine 200). The share of its primary sector in the gross national product declined from 28 percent in 1947 to 11 percent in 1992. Despite this reduction, the agricultural sector remains important. Although part of it is primitive and demanding, part is modern and vigorous. Brazil remains one of the world's largest exporters of agricultural products. In the same 1947-92 period, the contribution of industry to GNP increased from less than 20 percent to 39 percent. Its GNP per capita in 1999 was of $4,750 per year. The industrial sector produces a wide range of products for the domestic market and for export, including consumer goods, intermediate goods, and capital goods. By the early 1990s, it was producing about 1 million motor vehicles annually and about 32,000 units of motor-driven farming machines. On an annual basis, it was also producing 1.8 million tons of fertilizers, 4.7 million tons of cardboard and paper, 20 million tons of steel, 26 million tons of cement, 3.5 million television sets, and 3 million refrigerators. In addition, about 70 million cubic meters of petroleum were being processed yearly into fuels, lubricants, propane gas, and a wide range of petrochemicals. Besides, Brazil has at least 161,500 kilometers of paved roads and more 63 million megawatts of installed electric power capacity (Becker 88-90). Even with these figures, the economy cannot be considered developed. While the economic changes since 1947 raised the country's per capita income above US$2,000 in 1980, per capita income in 1995 was still only US$4,630. Growth and structural change have not altered significantly the country's extreme unequal distribution of wealth, income, and opportunity. Regardless of impressive rise in economic growth and

Beginning a Sentence with And or But

Beginning a Sentence with And or But Beginning a Sentence with And or But Beginning a Sentence with And or But By Maeve Maddox Several opinions about what is permissible in writing have acquired an almost religious authority with some English speakers. One of these opinions is that beginning a sentence with the coordinating conjunctions and and but is an unpardonable breach of usage. Here are some typical reader attitudes: I almost fainted when I read [a post] about the acceptability of beginning sentences with â€Å"and† or â€Å"but†. [How can anyone] justify the use of conjunctions to begin a sentence? It simply drives me crazy! Writers of English have been beginning sentences with and as long as English has been written. The Venerable Bede (672-735) did it. King Alfred (849-899) did it. You’ll also find examples in Swift (1667-1745), Johnson (1709-1784), Austen (1775-1817), Dickens (1812-1870), Orwell (1903-1950), and Roth (1933-). According to The Chicago Manual of Style, the belief that beginning a sentence with and, but, or so is an error â€Å"has no historical or grammatical foundation.† Not only that, but â€Å"a substantial percentage (often as many as 10 percent) of the sentences in first-rate writing begin with conjunctions. It has been so for centuries, and even the most conservative grammarians have followed this practice† (CMOS 5.206). Authors capable of â€Å"first-rate writing† are one matter. Teachers, on the other hand (and editors working with grammatically challenged adults) are wise to advise against it. Writing is a craft. Every craft demands that beginners learn in stages. A rule against beginning a sentence with a conjunction has pedagogical usefulness. Beginning writers benefit from being guided. They don’t need to have all the rules and exceptions dumped on them at the outset. My London headmistress forbade the use of semicolons. She said that semicolons could wait until students mastered the use of commas and periods. Her rule was intended to be transitional. Beginning writers overuse the conjunction and. Giving inexperienced writers permission to begin sentences with and is asking for trouble. Here, for example, is an excerpt from the writing of nine-year-old Daisy Ashford: Mr Salteena had dark short hair and mustache and whiskers which were very black and twisty. He was middle sized and he had very pale blue eyes With this style of writing, a rule against beginning a sentence with and can only be a blessing. In my teaching days, I forbade students to begin a sentence with because, not because I didn’t know about complex sentences, but because inexperienced writers tend to begin sentences with because and never get to a main clause. A practice that exacerbates this tendency in high school students is accepting sentence fragments as answers to essay questions on tests. For example: Question: Why did Silas put Eppie in the coal hole? Answer: Because she kept wandering away. Teachers of every subject could contribute to a higher standard of student writing by requiring students to rephrase the question in the answer: Question: Why did Silas put Eppie in the coal hole? Answer: Silas put Eppie in the coal hole because she kept wandering away. When students have learned to distinguish between a main clause and a dependent clause, they can progress to the use of because to introduce a subordinate clause. When they have learned to control their use of coordinating conjunctions, they can use them at the beginning of a sentence from time to time. Here are two examples from the work of writers known for â€Å"first-rate writing†: Besides, another purpose of the enlarged armywas to minimize the ever-present possibility of sedition. And with this purpose once again in mind, [Septimus Severus] took a number of steps to make the officers of the legions a privileged class and tie them firmly to his own person. –Michael Grant, History of Rome. If he charged, I could shoot; if he took no notice of me, it would be safe to leave him until the mahout came back. But also I knew that I was going to do no such thing. –George Orwell, Shooting an Elephant Like any stylistic device, beginning a sentence with and or but may be overused or used incorrectly. A common fault with but is to use it where and is required. But is an â€Å"adversative conjunction.† It introduces a contrast. Some writers tend to begin a sentence with but when and is the appropriate choice. Here’s a revision suggestion from The Chicago Manual of Style: Evaluate the contrasting force of the but in question, and see whether the needed word is really and; if and can be substituted, then but is almost certainly the wrong word. Bottom line: Beginning a sentence with and or but is a common stylistic device used in English by the best writers of every century. Writers who dislike the device are free to avoid it. Forbidding it to inexperienced writers has pedagogical value, but condemning it out of hand is to set a fetish above English idiom. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Style category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:What Is Irony? (With Examples)Homogeneous vs. Heterogeneous15 Idioms for Periods of Time

Banking Industry Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Banking Industry - Research Paper Example It was a considered a premier bank in the Asian region. In Japan, after opening its branch in 1866, the bank went on to become an adviser to the government on banking and currency. In 1888, it was the first bank to be established in Thailand, where it printed the country's first banknotes. Today HSBC proudly boasts of over 100 million customers around the world1, with 9500 offices in 85 countries and a diverse workforce of more than 335,000 people1. The bank has successfully completed 140 years of its presence in China in 2005 with UK having the biggest share of its operations with over 55,000 employees serving the bank customers. Political: Today the world is indeed divided into many political arenas on the basis of issues like economic policies, fundamentalism, terrorism, oil exploration, nuclear power etc. The banking industry is the one whose association is required in almost all types of businesses. In the times when economic liberalisation is in full swing all around the globe, the attitude of governments determines the fate of banking operations in any country. HSBC has so far been doing well in almost all parts of the world, without being associated with any major controversy. Economic: The economic policies being pursued by the government also... PESTLE factors include; Political: Today the world is indeed divided into many political arenas on the basis of issues like economic policies, fundamentalism, terrorism, oil exploration, nuclear power etc. The banking industry is the one whose association is required in almost all types of businesses. In the times when economic liberalisation is in full swing all around the globe, the attitude of governments determines the fate of banking operations in any country. HSBC has so far been doing well in almost all parts of the world, without being associated with any major controversy. Economic: The economic policies being pursued by the government also determines the banking and finance sector. For example, if the country has an open economic policy, pursuing the globalisation and liberalization policies, that indicate more and frequent business operations, diversifications, expansions, mergers, acquisitions etc. which in turn imply more opportunities for the banking sector. HSBC having majority market share in many markets like UK and USA, heavily depends on economic factors. At present the indications of recessionary trends from many markets, doesn't bode well for banking sector in general and HSBC in particular. Socio-cultural: The society in general has a big influence on any business and the banking and finance industry is certainly not an exception. The saving habits, the spending habits, holidaying practices and the lifestyle determine the extent to which banking industry will be affected by such factors. Technology: Impact of technology can be seen in almost all walks of life today. The increasing emphasis on online banking, e-commerce etc. requires that banks invest good amount in making available reliable

Men representation in mass media Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Men representation in mass media - Essay Example They are characterized as competitive, aiming to be on top and never opting to be second-best. They are courageous in their endeavors, enduring difficulties because they possess a much higher threshold as contrasted to their female counterparts. Further, the media depict men as aggressive who stop at nothing in order to eliminate emotional or physical challenge even if it calls putting their safety and reputation at stake. In addition, men are portrayed as ambitious and lead individuals ready go furthest in life to be higher achievers (Luther, Catherine, Carolyn and Naeemah 67). Men are further characterized as individuals who do not convey their emotions especially in the presence of other people. Therefore, across the 20th century and to a great portion the present world, media representations of gender reflected and caused the hegemonic reality of patriarchy. Media stereotyping about men is an upsetting phenomenon as it increases negative assumptions about males who face difficult ies in meeting the standards set by the media. Films, magazines and other media often set a standard about how men should look, act and even think not only to satisfy themselves but also to please other people. The act of stereotyping men is a worsening situation as it demands great expectation from males in general. This puts a lot of pressure on them as they try to achieve the male stereotype portrayed by the media. For instance, a man who is sickly and unable to be physically active so as to develop a muscular body can have a negative image of himself which makes him unable to socialize well. In addition, it may lead to a perpetuation of such images amongst the young children who grow imitating such unbecoming representation (Dines, Gail, and Jean 43). The worst thing is when men are unable to live up to such standards; they can be depressed and

European community law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

European community law - Essay Example In addition, such compensation had to be made to a person, even if the infringement was the outcome of a decision of the court of last instance. However, the court would be liable, only if the violation was sufficiently serious and a direct causal relationship could be established between the infringement and the harm caused to the injured party (Kobler v Austria). Moreover, the highest national courts act as the court of last resort for individuals to rely on the rights provided by EC law. These courts of final instance are also duty bound to request a preliminary ruling, on the basis of the provisions of Article 234(3) EC. The ECJ, after taking these issues into account has ruled in favour of state liability being extended to judicial infringements. The ECJ rejected the argument that the principles of legal certainty and res iudicata would be affected adversely. It stated that proceedings to make a Member State liable would not have an impact on a national court’s decision a s res iudicata. This opinion of the ECJ was founded on the contention that â€Å"proceedings seeking to render the State liable do not have the same purpose and do not necessarily involve the same parties as the proceedings resulting in the decision which has acquired the status of res iudicata.† (Council of Europe). This line of reasoning of the ECJ was held by some to be specious. Their arguments were based on the premise that the national courts were compelled to reconsider disputed decisions, in order to determine whether such decisions were really infringing EC law (Council of Europe). They were also required to find out the reasoning behind such decisions Individuals can claim against a Member State if it fails to implement a Directive or if its domestic law infringes European Community (EC) Law. In addition, no Member State can enact legislation that attempts to exclude state liability. The misinterpretation of provisions of EC Law will be treated as infringement (Trag hetti del Mediterraneo SpA, in liquidation v Repubblica italiana). Furthermore, the Community law disallows the enactment of legislation that seeks to limit liability to instances of intentional fault and serious misconduct of the courts. Such limitation is in the context of laws that are aimed at circumventing the liability of the Member State in other case, wherein there had been an explicit breach of the relevant law (Traghetti del Mediterraneo SpA, in liquidation v Repubblica italiana). Hence, the competent national courts have to investigate the gravity of the infringement in the decision of a court. Such competent courts have to consider the judicial function of the infringing court and ascertain whether this infringement was obvious. It was also held by the ECJ that conditions, such as the special length-of-service increment under Austrian law, served to hinder the free movement of workers. Any hindrance to the free movement of goods or workers was against the objectives of t he European Union; consequently, the Austrian condition was untenable (Wissink 419). In Brasserie du Pecheur, the ECJ established the concept of state liability. However, there was considerable confusion as to whether such liability was applicable to infringements committed by national courts. The ECJ eliminated this muddled understanding, via its decision in Kobler (Council of Europe). In this case, it ruled that Member States were also liable for breach of EC law by their national judicial authorities. In Kobler, the ECJ clearly established that breach of