The eNotes Blog Why I Keep Rereading JaneEyre

Why I Keep Rereading JaneEyre Booklovers all have stories we return to over and over again. One of mine is Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontà «- but I don’t just reread it, I revisit it like a friend. I read my favorite chapters when I’m lonely, consult it when I need advice, turn to it when I feel lost or need comfort. Though it’s over 150 years old, I still find something new and relevant in it each time. Gothic Elements I first read Jane Eyre when I was fifteen, and it’s remained my favorite novel since then. I love it for the characters and atmosphere- Jane’s fierce independence, her romance with Rochester, the gothic allure of Brontà «Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s writing- but also for the way those things have challenged me. One of the first things that struck me about the novel is the fantastical and gothic elements and how they’re included in the story. From the ghostly red room to Jane and Rochester’s eerie, moonlit meeting to Rochester’s frequent teasings that Jane is one of the fairy folk, fantasy is part of the everyday in Jane Eyre. Victorian Conventions This isn’t entirely unusual for a novel from the Victorian era: Victorians loved fairy tales. Andrew Lang’s fairy tale collections, Christina Rossetti’s poem â€Å"Goblin Market,† and Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland are all products of the Victorian fascination with fantasy. But the way Brontà « portrays the fantastic elements goes deeper than surface level. Jane and Rochester’s relationship contains elements of mysticism- from Rochester’s humorous impersonation of a fortune teller to the way Jane and Rochester, agonizing over losing each other, each hear the other’s voice calling to them during their separation. These things are eerie and beautiful; they render the love story impossible to contain in earthly bonds. In this way and others, the novel depicts romance quite differently from the Victorian norm. This is one reason the novel was so popular (and criticized by some) after it was published. Jane and Rochester’s relationship is powerful and intense from the start, and Brontà « wrote it with a fiery passion woven into the words on the page. It’s partly the restraint and tension that make it so intense, but I still marvel at how moving it is even to modern-day readers who aren’t used to the same censors on romantic and sexual content that Victorian readers were. Romance and Subverted Power Dynamics I especially love how Jane and Rochester develop feelings for each other not because of shallow physical attraction but because of a much deeper kind. I’ll call it an understanding: At their cores, they understand each other in an almost mystical way. Their relationship is based in intellect, in challenging each other to think differently and in talking about issues and philosophical ideas that matter to them. At fifteen, this kind of basis for love was foreign to me; at almost twenty-eight, I’ve still never read another love story quite like it. It represents a bond that transcends the normal human experience, and I think it’s utterly beautiful. I also appreciate the frank, unflinching way Brontà « explored power dynamics in Jane and Rochester’s relationship, including the initial imbalance of power between them. One scene that stands out is when Rochester threatens sexual violence when Jane announces she’s leaving him. (The movie adaptations usually gloss over this scene.) Rochester is both a hero and a villain in the novel, and I love that Brontà « depicted the more troublesome aspects of his character and built a relationship between him and Jane that is complex, layered, and utterly imperfect. Some readers see Rochester’s maiming and blinding as a way to â€Å"lower† him to Jane’s level- the level of a woman in Victorian society- and look upon this choice by Brontà « unfavorably, but I have a different take. I see it as Rochester being cleansed (literally in fire, even) for his sins, having to shed his controlling nature and toxic masculinity in order to deserve Jane as his equal and partner. His wounds are his battle scars, his reminder of what he has learned and overcome. While there are problematic elements to the way Brontà « refers to Rochester’s disabilities, there is also something powerful in this message. In Brontà «Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s time, a man of Rochester’s wealth and social standing would have been considered far too good to marry a servant like Jane, and this cultural aspect is explored in the novel. However, Brontà « subverts this norm when she shows readers that it was actually Rochester who had to prove his worth to Jane. The main aspect of the novel I turn to during times of sadness or stress is Jane’s determination to live by her own moral code. Though she is influenced by her religious beliefs and the norms of the time, she also makes her own decisions. She chooses not to marry St. John because she doesn’t love him romantically. She chooses to return to Rochester not knowing he no longer has a wife. Her strength and strong will have always been reminders to me to live my life according to my own moral code: to trust in myself and to find strength in my own independence. Feeling like rereading  Jane Eyre? Check out the  complete annotated text  of Jane Eyre  on !

Definitions and Discussions of Medieval Rhetoric

Definitions and Discussions of Medieval Rhetoric The expression medieval rhetoric refers to the  study and practice of rhetoric from approximately A.D. 400 (with the publication of St. Augustines On Christian Doctrine) to 1400. During the Middle Ages, two of the most influential works from the classical period were Ciceros De Inventione (On Invention) and the anonymous Rhetorica ad Herennium (the oldest complete Latin textbook on rhetoric). Aristotles Rhetoric and Ciceros De Oratore werent rediscovered by scholars until late in the medieval period. Nonetheless, says Thomas Conley, medieval rhetoric was  far more than a mere transmission of mummified traditions that were poorly understood by those who transmitted them. The Middle Ages are often represented as stagnant and backward . . ., [but] such a representation fails dismally to do justice to the intellectual complexity and sophistication of medieval rhetorics (Rhetoric in the European Tradition, 1990). Periods of Western Rhetoric Classical RhetoricMedieval RhetoricRenaissance RhetoricEnlightenment RhetoricNineteenth-Century RhetoricNew Rhetoric(s) Examples and Observations It was Ciceros youthful, schematic (and incomplete) treatise De inventione, and not any one of his mature and synthetic theoretical works (or the even fuller account in Quintilians Institutio oratoria) that became the shaping influence on so much medieval rhetorical teaching. . . . Both the De inventione and the Ad Herennium proved to be excellent, coherent teaching texts. Between them they conveyed complete and concise information about the parts of rhetoric, topical invention, status theory (the issues upon which the case rests), attributes of the person and the act, the parts of a speech, the genres of rhetoric, and stylistic ornamentation. . . . Oratory, as Cicero had known and defined it, had declined steadily during the years of the [Roman] empire under political conditions that did not encourage the forensic and judicial oratory of earlier periods. But rhetorical teaching survived through late antiquity and into the Middle Ages because of its intellectual and cultural prestige , and in the course of its survival it took on other forms and found many other purposes.(Rita Copeland, Medieval Rhetoric. Encyclopedia of Rhetoric, ed. by Thomas O. Sloane. Oxford University Press, 2001) Applications of Rhetoric in the Middle Ages In application, the art of rhetoric contributed during the period from the fourth to the fourteenth century not only to the methods of speaking and writing well, of composing letters and petitions, sermons and prayers, legal documents and briefs, poetry and prose, but to the canons of interpreting laws and scripture, to the dialectical devices of discovery and proof, to the establishment of the scholastic method which was to come into universal use in philosophy and theology, and finally to the formulation of scientific inquiry which was to separate philosophy from theology.(Richard McKeon, Rhetoric in the Middle Ages. Speculum, January 1942) The Decline of Classical Rhetoric and the Emergence of Medieval Rhetoric There is no single point when classical civilization ends and the Middle Ages begins, nor when the history of classical rhetoric ends. Beginning in the fifth century after Christ in the West and in the sixth century in the East, there was a deterioration of the conditions of civic life that had created and sustained the study and uses of rhetoric throughout antiquity in courts of law and deliberative assemblies. Schools of rhetoric continued to exist, more in the East than in the West, but they were fewer and were only partially replaced by study of rhetoric in some monasteries. The acceptance of classical rhetoric by such influential Christians as Gregory of Nazianzus and Augustine in the fourth century significantly contributed to continuation of the tradition, though the functions of the study of rhetoric in the Church were transferred from preparation for public address in law courts and assemblies to knowledge useful in interpreting the Bible, in preaching, and in ecclesiastical disputation. (George A. Kennedy, A New History of Classical Rhetoric. Princeton University Press, 1994) A Diverse History [A]s the history of medieval rhetoric and grammar reveal with special clarity, all the significant original works on discourse which appear in Europe after Rabanus Maurus [c. 780-856] are merely highly selective adaptations of the old bodies of doctrine. The classical texts continue to be copied, but new treatises tend to appropriate for their purposes only those parts of the old lore which are of use to the one art. Thus it is that the medieval arts of discourse have a diverse rather than a unified history. The writers of letters select certain rhetorical doctrines, the preachers of sermons still others . . .. As one modern scholar [Richard McKeon] has said in relation to rhetoric, in terms of a single subject mattersuch as style, literature, discourseit has no history during the middle ages. (James J. Murphy, Rhetoric in the Middle Ages: A History of Rhetorical Theory from St. Augustine to the Renaissance. University of California Press, 1974) Three Rhetorical Genres [James J.] Murphy [see above] outlined the development of three unique rhetorical genres: ars praedicandi, ars dictaminis, and ars poetriae. Each addressed a specific concern of the era; each applied rhetorical precepts to a situational need. Ars praedicandi provided a method for developing sermons. Ars dictaminis developed precepts for letter writing. Ars poetriae suggested guidelines for composing prose and poetry. Murphys important work provided the context for smaller, more focused studies of medieval rhetoric.(William M. Purcell, Ars Poetriae: Rhetorical and Grammatical Invention at the Margin of Literacy. University of South Carolina Press, 1996) The Ciceronian Tradition Conventional medieval rhetoric promotes highly formalized, formulaic, and ceremoniously institutionalized forms of discourse. The major source of this static richness is Cicero, the magister eloquentiae, known primarily through the many translations of De inventione. Because medieval rhetoric is so extensively committed to Ciceronian patterns of amplification (dilatio) through the flowers, or colores, of figured speaking that decorate (ornare) the composition, it often appears to be a ponderous extension of the sophistic tradition in a moralistic framework. (Peter Auski, Christian Plain Style: The Evolution of a Spiritual Ideal. McGill-Queens Press, 1995) A Rhetoric of Forms and Formats Medieval rhetoric . . . became, in at least some of its manifestations, a rhetoric of forms and formats. . . . Medieval rhetoric added to ancient systems its own generic rules, which were necessary because documents themselves had come to stand in for the people as well as for the Word that they meant to convey. By following articulated patterns for greeting, informing, and taking leave of the now-distant and temporarily removed audience, the letter, sermon, or saints life acquired typical (typological) forms.(Susan Miller, Rescuing the Subject: A Critical Introduction to Rhetoric and the Writer. Southern Illinois University Press, 1989) Christian Adaptations of Roman Rhetoric Rhetorical studies traveled with the Romans, but educational practices were not enough to keep rhetoric flourishing. Christianity served to validate and invigorate pagan rhetoric by adapting it to religious ends. Around AD 400, St. Augustine of Hippo wrote De doctrina Christiana (On Christian Doctrine), perhaps the most influential book of its time, for he demonstrated how to take the gold out of Egypt to fortify what would become the Christian rhetorical practices of teaching, preaching, and moving (2.40.60). The medieval rhetorical tradition, then, evolved within the dual influences of Greco-Roman and Christian belief systems and cultures. Rhetoric was also, of course, informed by the gendered dynamics of medieval English society that isolated nearly everyone from intellectual and rhetorical activities. Medieval culture was wholly and decidedly masculine, yet most men, just like all women, were condemned to class-bound silence. The written word was controlled by clergy, the men of the cloth and the Church, who controlled the flow of knowledge for all men and women. (Cheryl Glenn, Rhetoric Retold: Regendering the Tradition from Antiquity Through the Renaissance. Southern Illinois University Press, 1997)

Security Audits Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Security Audits - Essay Example Network Security Audits. http://www.securityspace.com/smy) Furthermore, it can diminish the security loopholes or any flaws that exist in the company’s current IT infrastructure. In order to enforce this policy, one must understand that running a security audit can save an organization millions of dollars in case of a crucial emergency(2011). Network Security Audits. http://www.securityspace.com/smy). It can dynamically help an organization be prepared for disasters and mitigate the IT risks that can potentially threaten its sensitive information. Security audits are beneficial because they also ensure that the security systems are in fact working (2011). Network Security Audits. http://www.securityspace.com/smy). Without a doubt, there are numerous benefits of both internal and external auditing. Internal audits can be beneficial as they catch management’s attention in critical business issues (2001). Internal audit. http://www.entrepreneur.com/tra). It lets management understand and analysis the current weaknesses in the system of the control and make key suggestions to improve these controls (2001). Internal audit. http://www.entrepreneur.com/tra). Moreover, one cannot diminish the fact that internal audits clearly give positive reassurance to management when controls are operating in an effective manner (2001). Internal audit. http://www.entrepreneur.com/tra). It gives the organization confidence to rely on their systems and to penetrate the technology aspect to gain a competitive advantage. Lastly, internal auditing can give management an early notice of risk and potential problems that can be addressed before any harm is conjured. The best way to understand the necessity of a sec urity audit is to look at real-life scenarios. For example, a company can run sample testing on certain users who have unauthorized access to log on accounts which have been the root cause of financial

PC, MPC, consumption function nd th siz of multiplir Essay

PC, MPC, consumption function nd th siz of multiplir - Essay Example It is clcultd s th chng in consumption xpnditur, DC, dividd by th chng in disposbl incom, DYD, tht brought it bout. In othr words, th mrginl propnsity to consum is msurd s th rtio of th chng in consumption to th chng in incom, thus giving us figur btwn 0 nd 1. Th MPC cn b mor thn on if th subjct borrowd mony to finnc xpnditurs highr thn thir incom. On minus th MPC quls th mrginl propnsity to sv. It is ffctd by fctors such s th prviling intrst rt nd th gnrl lvl of consumr surplus tht cn b drivd from purchsing.1 Totling, conomists oftn spk of th mrginl propnsity to sv (MPS), which is th frction of xtr incom tht popl sv. Givn tht popl ithr sv or consum dditionl incom, th sum of th mrginl propnsity to sv nd th mrginl propnsity to consum should qul on. Th vlu of th mrginl propnsity to consum should b grtr thn zro nd lss thn on. vlu of zro would indict tht non of dditionl incom would b spnt; ll would b svd. vlu grtr thn on would mn tht if incom incrsd by $1.00, consumption would go up by mor thn dollr, which would b unusul bhvior. For som popl MPC of 1 is rsonbl, mning tht thy spnd vry dditionl dollr thy gt, but this is not tru for ll popl, so if w wnt consumption function tht tlls us wht popl on th vrg do, vlu lss thn on is rsonbl. vrg Propnsity to consum is th... Shift in th Consumption Function Th consumption - incom rltionship chngs whn othr fctors thn incom chng - for xmpl ris in intrst rts or fll in consumr confidnc might ld to fll in consumption spnding t ch lvl of incom. ris in houshold wlth or ris in consumr's xpcttions might ld to n incrsd lvl of consumr dmnd t ch incom lvl (n upwrd shift in th consumption curv). Th min diffrnc btwn PC nd MPC lis in th fct tht PC is th vrg consumption t ch lvl of incom, mnwhil, MPC is th chng in consumption rsulting from chng in incom. Th multiplir is th mount by which chng in utonomous xpnditur is mgnifid or multiplid to dtrmin th chng in quilibrium xpnditur. Th multiplir quls 1/(1 - MPC) or, ltrntivly, 1/MPS. Th siz of th multiplir dpnds on th mrginl propnsity to consum: th highr th mrginl propnsity to consum, th highr th multiplir. highr mrginl propnsity to consum mns tht lrgr shr of ny incrs in incoms is thn spnt on consumption. highr mrginl propnsity to consum mns tht th ggrgt dmnd lin--th lin rprsnting totl spnding s function of incom--is stpr. Th MPC is dirctly (positivly) rltd to th siz of th multiplir. Th MPS is invrsly (ngtivly) rltd to th siz of th multiplir. stpr ggrgt dmnd lin mns tht vn smll upwrd (or downwrd) shift in it will hv lrg ffct on whr it crosss th 45 dgr incom-xpnditur lin, nd thus lrg ffct on ntionl incom. This is wht is clld lrg vlu of th multiplir. Th xggrtd chng tks plc bcus chng in production (such s wht occurs whn invstmnt xpnditurs purchs cpitl goods) gnrts incom, which thn inducs consumption. Howvr, th rsulting consumption is lso n xpnditur on production, which gnrts mor incom, which inducs mor consumption. Th nxt round of consumption lso triggrs n ltr in production, which gnrts vn mor incom, nd

A Life Lesson from My Grandma Essay Example for Free

A Life Lesson from My Grandma Essay The tears rolled down profusely as I held the telephone receiver in my hand. My aunt was still on the other end, demanding that I immediately rush over to Grandma Mary’s house. At this instant, my gut instinct responded by tightening up indicating that something was definitely wrong. And it was only then; memories of her youthful days flashed across my mind, reminding me of her mantra, â€Å"You must never allow anyone to steal your joy†. And it appeared as if she was standing right beside me, but I knew it was just a fragment of my imagination. I confirmed there and then to myself, I recognized now that I had lost someone, but I would have something with me for life, the value of unconditional love my grandma often displayed amongst her family and her neighbors by extension, and she would always reiterate how much she wanted it to live on. Granny Mary was like a female Goliath. Blessed with a dark chocolate skin tone, moles and wrinkles canvassed her face which we often referred to as the storylines of her life. But the positivity she gave off could connect a grounded wire on a cold winter night. How she did it, she alone knew. I remember her making ends meet, and providing food for her family after two failed marriages. As the other half of her twin, Uncle John would pay his sister to do his laundry, cook his food and maintain the downstairs of the home which he occupied. And yes, pretty amazing how this money brought up six kids and assisted my sister and I as the two first grandchildren in the family. Not only did she raise her grand kids, but the entire neighborhood’s children were taken care of by â€Å"Aunty Mary† also, a name she would always be remembered by. I can still recall how many days the neighbor’s kids will come without food or clothes, but when they left, their tummies were filled, and late evening shower already taken. We would all surround granny as she read a bible story and explained the role of each person mentioned in the  bible. It was as if her joy was ensuring that all children were always happy and knew the value of love. And yes, this stood out most, because to this day, I share the same sentiments when dealing with my daughter and my niece, or all children I interact with on a daily basis. To this day, I could count the number of times I saw a toothy smile on her almost daunting face, after that late December afternoon when the hospital called to say my Uncle Brian passed away after being involved in a motor vehicular accident on the Solomon Hochoy Highway. She continued to emphasize that we were totally in control of our own happiness, and we should live life to the fullest always displaying love and making sure all is well with our soul as we never know when the good Lord will call us home. I remembered her kneeling to pray with her every night before we go to bed. She embedded that prayer was the answer to every problem you can ever encounter in this life and happiness is within one’s self. Grandma Mary would often have us assist her when she picked peas or fed the chickens in the backyard. We watched the chickens developed from baby chicks to mealtime. And yes, we’d joke about it when it was time to catch them to have grandma prepare some great soul f ood for us. In April 2012, I was able to display the said qualities Grandma Mary embedded in us. I gave birth to a still born baby boy, and all I saw after giving birth, was my grand-mother’s face. How she’d often say God is ever to wise to make a mistake, and God sees what we don’t. Although I didn’t want to hear that at that time of grief, I clearly remembered dreaming her one night, giving me confirmation that all would be well, and continue to love and have faith in God. And as I thought about her the morning after I was discharged from the hospital, I made hot cocoa, and the aroma took me back to twenty years ago when my grandmother was alive. We’d wake up to the aroma of hot cocoa and her favorite Jim Reeve would be blasting through the house, â€Å"If heaven’s not my home, then Lord what will I do?† And it was as if she strengthened me to look forward and not regret. I remembered her mantra, and I did not allow the death of my son to steal my joy. I still had my daughter to brighten up my days, and prayers assisted me in trusting and believing that God had better plans for me. As an individual, I can associate part of my grandmother’s journey to that of mine. No mother comes on this earth with the intentions of having to bury their own child, but all in all, life has to go on. And not just go on, but I am in control of my own joy. The qualities she left us with have continued to reign throughout my family, and every time I sit to tell a story about Grandma Mary, I can safely associate her with love, faith and God. The aroma of hot cocoa today brings a smile on my face, and each time I hear a Jim Reeve play, I’ll see her wrinkled face. There is no greater joy in having a loved one live on although they are no longer with us in body. I am one hundred percent guaranteed she is indeed happy with the positive value we continue to display. And the deep voice ringing through my head, â€Å"You must never allow anyone to steal your joy†.

Vouchers and School Choice More Effective than Affirmative Action Essay

School Choice More Effective than Affirmative Action If America is to become an equal society, then the direction of affirmative action must be changed. Rather than continuing to focus the brunt of our efforts on helping those individuals near the top succeed, we must implement policies designed to provide opportunities to those individuals at or near the bottom. Specifically, affirmative action must return to its original purpose--helping minorities move into the middle class through programs based upon equality of educational opportunity and job creation. Affirmative action is still needed, but its efforts must be redirected. The truth is that minorities poised to break through the glass ceiling will do so, based upon sheer ability, but minorities on the bottom rungs of society need help to break through the cellar ceiling. These are the individuals for whom affirmative action can do the most good, consequently, these are the people upon whom our efforts should be focused. When affirmative action was first instituted, the majority of Americans supported its goal of moving the poorest members of minority groups to an improved position in society. Over time, however, affirmative action proponents have lost sight of this goal. Affirmative action programs have ceased to function as a rising tide designed to lift all boats and have instead become preoccupied with helping those near the top. Too little attention has been paid to helping those at the bottom, as a result, the lives of minorities living in poverty have become increasingly bleak. Today, our inner-cities more closely resemble a war zone in Bosnia than they do an American suburb, and conditions continue to deteriorate. This is wrong, an... ...lem's economy would come to resemble Hong Kong's. True "opportunity zones" would attract the capital needed for job creation, and increased employment will be the engine that transforms our inner-cities from war zones back to hospitable places to live. Today, the need for affirmative action remains strong, but the current programs must be replaced with programs that help the poorest minorities. Affirmative action programs must return to their original purpose. Instead of advocating programs that benefit individuals already poised to succeed, proponents of affirmative action must fight for those individuals who are suffering the most. We, as Americans, have a responsibility to help our Nation's poorest minorities. Policies of school choice and "opportunity zones" will help us meet this responsibility by increasing educational and employment opportunities.

A Review of Laser Processes Used in Solar Cell Fabrication

A Review of Laser Processes Used in Solar Cell Fabrication Abstract There are many different laser techniques that can be used in the production of solar cells. By examining the research which the various solar cells were fabricated with laser technique, it is possible to understand the pros and cons of using laser for produce the cells. The following paragraphs will list which process the laser technique have been used in this review. Introduction The buried contact solar cell was invented at University of New South Wales by Green et al. in 1983. These solar cells have a relatively high efficiency approximately 25% and present a possibility of cost-reduction with applying this technology to the manufacturers’ production lines. The following are the general main steps of forming the buried contact solar cell: 1. Texturing of surfaces 2. Top surface diffusion 3. Oxide growth 4. Groove cutting and diffusion 5. Aluminum deposition and sinter 6. Metal plating 7. Edge isolation The key parts of this process, which result in the cells become more efficiency than the standard screen printing solar cells are the laser grooving and groove diffusion to reduce the cell shading and contact resistance and the texturing which reduce the surface reflection. A schematic of a buried contact solar cell is shown in the figure below (Green 1995). [pic]Figure 1: Cross-section of buried contact solar cell Research continues working on the ways which could further improve the efficiency of the buried contact solar cell. With the statistics obtained from the experiment, they can try to figure out the effects which using different methods and materials in solar cells would cause. These parts include different diffusion profiles to form the p-n junction, surface passivation using different materials, and the different methods of grooving of the silicon, rear surface treatment, metallization and so on. Laser texturing In order to reduce the reflection effect of the solar cells, front surface texturing is one solution. There have many methods to increase the light trapping, such as mechanical scribing and reactive ion etching. However, laser texturing could effectively texture the multicrystalline surface, providing isotropic etching that other techniques cannot do. Abbott and Cotter (2006) revealed that with deeper laser texturing, the less the front surface reflection is. More detailed results are shown in figure 2 (adapted from Abbott and Cotter 2006). Note that with very shallow texturing (10mm), they cannot trapping very well, as a result behaving like the planar one. Figure 2: Front surface reflection of laser textured samples with different ablation pit depths (0) 10mm, (? 20mm, (? ) 30 mm, (*) 40 mm, (x) 50mm with residual slag, (+) planar silicon and (line) random pyramid textured silicon. It is straightforward that we should texturing deeper pit, however, this will increase the surface recombination rate, which is detrimental to solar cells. Even though the pit depths 50mm have the lowest reflection, it will leave some slag in the pits that acting like defects. These residual slags will enhance t he surface recombination rate, reducing the open-circuit voltage as well as the efficiency of the solar cells. Finding better parameters of operation to texture the wafer properly without the appearance of slag is therefore becomes the main issue for the manufacturers. Top Surface diffusion The conventional method for doping materials is the thermal diffusion which performed at high temperature (over 800? ). The process is so-called solid state diffusion and has various methods, for instance physical vapour deposition, to control the doping profiles. Also there is a considerable alternative method of forming doping areas in silicon solar cells by using laser-doping. With the Nd:YAG pulsed laser, the doping profiles can be controlled with the desirable doping area. Ogane et al. (2009) asserted that by using the laser doping technique with 0. 5W output, it can fabricate the solar cells with comparable efficiency to those fabricated by thermal diffusion methods. Some statistics of the result from their research are shown in figure 3 (adapted from Ogane et al. 2009). Note that a large number of the oxygen atoms are induced to the solar cells owing to the operation is in air. This increase the sheet resistance and as a result, reducing the efficiency of the solar cells. The advantages of the laser doping process are that it can be operated at room temperature, in the atmosphere, as well as the easier process forming a selective doping area without any lithography pre-set processes. With these advantages, even though the properties of these solar cells are slightly worse than the cells handled by thermal diffusion, it is acceptable to some manufacturers and worthy to work on it. [pic] Figure 3: The average of six solar cells properties of cells with emitters fabricated by laser doping as a function of laser output power, compared with the case of thermal diffusion (TD). Laser groove The most common device which is used to form the laser grooved front surface contacts is the Nd:YAG pulsed laser, operating at a high frequency. The depth of the laser groove after lasing is typically 30 microns deep and approximately 20 microns wide. During the process, laser will vaporises silicon through the oxidation layer, and this will induced the thermally damaged to silicon. Such this damage will acts as recombination sites of carriers when operating the solar cells, minimised this defect is therefore necessary in order to improve the efficiency of the solar cells. Studies on this part (Schoonderbeek et al. 2007) have revealed that using the shorter wavelength of the laser, i. e. the higher power output can reduce the thermal damage induce by the laser. [pic] Figure 4: Increased lifetime ratios (decreased laser damage) are obtained when scribing lines using short-wavelength lasers. Figure 4 (adapted from Schoonderbeek et al. 2007) above shows that by using lasers with short-wavelength at either 532nm (green) or 355nm (UV) will have better properties in comparison to 1064nm (IR) laser. Nevertheless, the lower cost of the IR laser is more favourable to the manufacturer. Thus the solar cell research of this part is undertaken at institutions and companies in order to find out the better trade-off point. Back surface field and laser-fired contacts The technology which usually used for rear contact passivation in solar cells is that highly doped region near the back contact. This is called back surface field. Normally aluminium is applied to it by evaporation, following by sintering to make aluminium atoms diffuse into the silicon. For reducing the cost per watts generated by solar cell, some different methods were tested for the feasibility analysis. One of the ways for reducing the cost is doping aluminium locally (Meemongkolkiat et al. 2006). It is obviously that doping less metal could reduce the cost, however the efficiency should not be diminish too much. In this process the oxide on the back surface is partially etched prior to aluminium were screen-printed on it. In their research, with choosing the aluminium screen-printing pastes properly (the composition is not provided in their paper), the efficiency of the solar cells are adequately (16%) compared to the normally full back surface field (16. %). Alternatively, aluminium deposition can be applied to the solar cell with the passivated emitter and rear contact, followed by fast scanning laser firing to reduce the rear surface recombination rate as well as improve light trapping. With this so-called laser-fired contact technique, Schneiderlochner et al. (2002, p. 32) demonstrated that the efficiency of the laser-fired contact solar cell can reach up to 21. 3%. Some result s from their research can be seen in figure 5, which are adapted from Schneiderlochner et al. 002. Note that the silicon nitride passivated layer has a lower efficiency maybe due to degradation in passivation quality during laser firing. [pic] Figure 5: The solar cell results with the laser-fired contact technique compared with conventionally processed passivated emitter and rear cells The main advantage of the laser-fired contact is that after possessed a passivating layer and depositing the aluminium, there is only one step needed (laser firing) instead of several processes of photolithography. Hence by using Nd:YAG pulsed laser system for laser-fired contact processing, the cost per watts can be reduced due to less handling steps, as well as the expensive chemicals. Summary There are some different techniques with respect to laser that applied to the fabrication of the solar cells are discussed above. With the laser system applied to the back surface field and laser-fired contacts, the cost can be reduced by using less costly chemicals, whereas shrinking the cost of instruments and operation for the case that laser system induced to the top surface diffusion. The aims of both grooving and texturing using laser technique are improving the properties of the solar cells. The laser system provides the possibilities of reducing the cost per watts without decreasing too many characteristics of the solar cells, which is the most important issue for manufacturers. Therefore, studies focus on these techniques will continue while some of them are already used in fabricating solar cells with other techniques. The ultimate aim of these is make the solar cells as cheap as possible so that public are willing to having it, thus minimizing the environment impact. Reference Abbott, M. and Cotter, J. 006, ‘Optical and electrical properties of laser texturing for high-efficiency solar cells’, Progress in Photovoltaics: Research and Applications, Volume 14, Issue 3, pp. 225-235. Honsberg, C. and Bowden, S. 2009, Buried Contact Solar Cells, Photovoltaics CDROM, accessed 12 September 2009, . Meemongkolkiat, V. ; Nakayashiki, K. ; Dong Seop, K. ; K im, S. ; Shaikh A. ; Kuebelbeck, A. ; Stockum, W. and Rohatgi, A. 2006, ‘Investigation of modified screen-printing Al pastes for local back surface field formation’, Photovoltaic Energy Conversion, Conference Record of the 2006 IEEE 4th World Conference on, Volume 2, pp. 1338-1341. Nd:YAG laser’, wiki article, 3 July 2009, accessed 14 September 2009, < http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Nd:YAG_laser>. Ogane, A. ; Hirata, K. ; Horiuchi, K. ; Nishihara, Y. ; Takahashi, Y. ; Kitiyanan, A. and Fuyuki, T. 2009, ‘Laser-doping technique using ultraviolet laser for shallow doping in crystalline silicon solar cell fabrication’, Japanese Journal of Applied Physics, Volume 48, Issue 7, pp. 071201. Schneiderlochner, E. ; Preu, R. ; Ludemann, R. and Glunz, S. W. 2002, ‘Laser-fired rear contacts for crystalline silicon solar cells’, Progress in Photovoltaics: Research and Applications, Volume 10, Issue 1, pp. 9-34. Schneiderlochner, E. ; Grohe, A. ; Glunz , S. W. ; Preu, R. & Willeke, W. 2003, ‘Scanning Nd:YAG laser system for industrially applicable processing in silicon solar cell manufacturing’, Photovoltaic Energy Conversion, 2003. Proceedings of 3rd World Conference on, Volume 2, pp 1364-1367. Schoonderbeek, A. ; Stute, U. ; Ostendorf, A. ; Grischke, R. ; Engelhart, P. ; Meyer, R. and Brendel, R. 2007, ‘Laser technology in silicon solar cell production’, Proceedings of the 4th International WLT-Conference on Lasers in Manufacturing, pp 693–698. [pic]

Global Household Brand Essay

Executive summary After a review of the â€Å"Global Household Brand† article, I was assigned the task of reviewing your business and to provide a well-detailed critique on global households’ brands. I will develop a strategy; identify the likely cause of the company’s financial woes. The major factor on the poor financial performance of the company is that of competitive strategy and differences in operational effectiveness. Ineffective management strategies have led the company to lose lots of profit (Michael E, 1998). Its lack of a clear strategy on how to effectively compete with big marketers has made it either to exit the market or to end up in the financial mess.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     The company must continuously improve the level of its operational effectiveness, and income must be increased and regulated. Sustainable performance will largely be dependent on global household brand having a strategic position (Tony P, 2000). There is need to evaluate consumers’ trend.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Company and Industry Overview Global household brands has lost the image she built as a leading producer and marketer of a variety of â€Å"niche† dentifrice products that includes polident, powdered aspirin, household cleaning brands among a few others to company characterized with lack of customers and loss making one. The company initially thrived on venturing in new markets and exiting them when the competition became a little bit stiff. The restructuring of the company together with other measures to bring a change in the financial fortunes of the company have only helped to worsen the situation.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   However, the firm has intention of reinventing itself to turn around its fortunes so as to be competitive and generate revenue in a continuous and sustainable manner. In the mid 1990s, when various big marketers such as Clorox, S.C Johnson, and Arm and Harmer began competing against global household brand’s 2000 flush automatic toilet bowl cleaners, X-14 mildew as well as soap scum removers and carpet fresh carpet refreshers, the company decided to exited the group of products due to their inability to gain substantial market share.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   During this period the company was not anywhere close to the red line, actually it was worth around $1.5 million. The exit made by global households brand did not seem to affect its profitability within the markets. The items it dealt with were in areas considered less competitive which enabled her to rake in high amounts of profits on their line up to branded products. During the period 1995-98 the profits started to drop by about 10-15% per annum.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Their potential to stay at least in the market was waning. The sale of their brands as well as the hiring and restructuring their management executive did not seem to over turn the events. Eventually after global household brand had had their sales drop from $130million to $ 70 million they decided to hire Goldman Sachs to sell their brand of products. After about one and a half years with Goldman at the helm, the sales figures were not anywhere near $100 that Goldman had promised. The deterioration in the sales figure was as a result of lack of competitive marketing strategy and difference in operation effectiveness. This was in spite of the company being given the green light about their customers respect for their brands of products. Analysis In the mid 1990s the company was worth about $1.5 billion. In the period 1995 to 1998 the sales of the firm was falling at a rate between 10 and 15% per annum. This in effect demonstrates the ability of the company to generate high profits. During the late 1990s onwards the firm did not efficiently output. The consistent drop in the sales figure was a testimony to this. In spite of all the changes and various measures the firm was taking, it was still not able to generate the projected profit margins. Despite the fact that the consumers have greatly respected their brand of products it was not able to capitalize on this factor to turn into huge profits. Strengths Consumers for its high quality of products very well recognize global households brands. This in addition to the mature nature of the household cleaning products industry is a plus for the company. The company is also much leveraged in the industry. The company also has a superior marketing V.P with such attributes as unique talents and is also very experienced as well as brilliant strategies. This is in addition to the talented R and D director it has on its board. All these factors will aid the management in turning around the fortunes of the firm. With all these talent and experience at their disposal the company would be starting from a vantage position in its path to recovery. The industry also seems to be very mature meaning the future of the company with its continued operations is bright. Weaknesses The firm has not effectively and in most cases deliberately not considered heavily investing in advertising and marketing to compete with her competition. The new operations manager also seems to be having a bad inter personal relationship with other employees within the firm. Global sales department has not met its past targets. Opportunity Trends The general trend within the industry seems to be in favor of household cleaning products. The overview of the general industry seems to suggest that it is leveraged and that household cleaning products industry is mature. This presents the company with the chance to exploit and increase its revenue. The maturity of the company shows that if it can invest largely without so many risks involved as uncertainty. Competitive Analysis Such companies like Clorox, S.C Johnson among others seem to be the greatest competition for the firm. They have heavily invested in their marketing strategies and in the end endeared themselves to their customers. Strategic options Global households, has been constantly pioneering various ranges of products over the past years. Before the entry of the big marketers it was the seen as the pioneer of household cleaning products. In addition to this, it has produced quality products. In fact, a recent survey suggests that most customers acknowledge the high quality of their products. The strategy of quitting and finding a new brand of products has been its main stay and now that it has run out of options and its very existence is threatened it must consider other options (Michael E, 1998). Since global households brand has come to the acknowledgment that it has to alter its business strategy so as to keep alive in the industry, it has few options left. First, it can adopt the differentiation strategy. This would require global household brand to build customer loyalty. In order to accomplish this, it has to position its products as well as services in unique ways that would appeal to the customers. In other words, the products will seek to be better than those of its competitors. The second option that the business may explore is that of focus strategy. This alternative takes into account the heterogeneity of many markets and industries. As such, there exist a lot of various customer segments with varying needs, wants as well as characteristics. The basic principle under this strategy is to put emphasis on selecting one segment(s), identify customers with special needs, interests and wants among other things and approach them. Global households brand could also employ the third option of horizontal integration. Under this strategy will be selling its products in various markets. In order to acquire the market coverage, it will have small subsidiary firms created. This would enable it compete with compete with its competitors effectively. Recommendations Within the last few years, global household brand has undergone a number of drastic changes. It has been forced to sell part of its brands, and almost the banks are about to call the loans given to it. One of the primary reasons global households has failed to meet its sales target is its inability to effectively market and appeal to the market. This is what her competition have done and thereby edged her out. Since the competitors have done the marketing really well, GHB has to effectively market itself or just face the possibilities of winding up. The second problem facing the company has been that of management. The manager has to learn to develop interpersonal relationship with his juniors. Alternatively, the New CEO or management team should meet people who worked at the Block drug before and find out what really problem was. This would enable them to have a better understanding of the firm’s woes as well as its triumphs. The management should also approach the financing Bank, and talk them out of calling the loans on the investors. Finally the $5million should be reduced with picked interest       References: Michael E. Porter, on competition, 1998, Harvard Business School Press Tony Proctor, 2000, Strategic Marketing: An introduction, Rout ledge. Alfred D. Chindler, Peter Haqstom, Orjan Solvell, 1999, the Dynamic Firm. The role of technology, strategy, organization, and regions, Oxford University Press.

Importance of Intermodal transportation for the Global supply Chain

Importance of Intermodal transportation for the Global supply Chain Free Online Research Papers Intermodal transportation for the global supply chain is extremely important in this current economy and for the current political hot button issues such as the environment. Bottom line driver for intermodal transportation is price and flexibility. In times of skyrocketing fuel prices, LTL’ only advantage is speed of delivery. Un-stable and fluctuating cost can turn a supplier’s books from black to red in very short time. Intermodal transportation is a cheaper way to transport and the prices rarely fluctuate. Intermodal transportation has recently been hyped by many politicians because the volume of goods that can be moved via rail or sea helps reduce the carbon emissions that multiple trucking shipments produce which some scientist say is one of the leading causes of the greenhouse effect in the atmosphere. Levans states that eighty percent of all greenhouse gas emissions attributable to transportation come from trucks and passenger cars; whereas railroads contribute only 2.2 percent. Given that one intermodal train is equivalent to 300 trucks, the positive contribution of intermodal transportation on the environment is both obvious and immediate. International VS Domestic Supply Chains Supply chain management is more complex internationally than domestically or intra-state domestic. Different destination countries each have their own unique rules and requirements, depending on the specific commodity and value of freight being shipped. There are also a variety of export compliance issues that need to be addressed when it comes to international freight shipping. International supply chains have some of the following government regulations that impact import and export of shipping good and service such as the FTR, EAR, and the ITARs, which are regulations, that doesn’t cause any domestic constraints. The FTR – Foreign Trade Regulations, which is primarily concerned with the reporting of an export shipment. It is within these regulations that the exporter will find the details about the Automated Export System (AES) reporting requirements and exemptions. The FTR defines valuation; export powers of attorney and record keeping requirements. They also address the ever-vexing questions about the responsibilities of parties when the foreign buyer routes the cargo and selects the international transportation. The EAR – Export Administration Regulations. While the FTR deals with statistical reporting of the shipment, the EAR addresses U.S. export control policy. The EAR controls the export of so-called dual use goods and goods that are not controlled by other regulations. Dual use refers to the idea that the product has a commercial function but it also may be used in applications or destinations the U.S. would prefer it not be used. Most commercial shipments are subject to the EAR. The ITARs -International Traffic in Arms Regulations. The U.S. State Department’s Directorate of Defense Trade Controls (DDTC) regulates the export of defense articles under the Arms Export Control Act (AECA.) The details of this act are found primarily within the ITARs. Goods regulated by the ITARs are detailed within the munitions list and are subject to an export licensing requirement by the State Department. Logically this list includes weaponry and military equipment. A brief review of the munitions list would imply that it is a simple matter to determine if exports are subject to ITARs. For companies supplying components to the defense industry, however, it may not be as clear. Companies engaged at any level within the defense industry are cautioned about outsourcing production to other countries or exporting any of their goods before reviewing the ITARs. The previous were a few of government-controlled issues that boggle down the supply chain not included was tariffs and other cost associated with shipping internationally. North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) has eased some of the regulations and tariffs for the US border countries of Canada and Mexico and has made the supply chain easier to maintain when trading between NAFTA countries. Reference: 1. Levans, M. 2008 Intermodal Roundtable: Ready to get on board? Logistics Management Website, Mar 2008. logisticsmgmt.com/article/337331-2008_Intermodal_Roundtable_Ready_to_get_on_board_.php 2. Mentzer, J. T., W. DeWitt, et al. A Unified Definition of Supply Chain Management. Working paper. University of Tennessee, Knoxville, 1999. 3. Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (e-CFR http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov/cgi/t/text/text-idx?c=ecfrtpl=/ecfrbrowse/Title15/15cfr30_main_02.tpl 4. Border activities get a boost since NAFTA?Logistics Management (2002); Highland Ranch; Nov 2002; William Atkinson. 5. The 21st century freight yard: BNSFs Logistics Park near Chicago Trains; Milwaukee; Jan 2003; Michael W Blaszak Research Papers on Importance of Intermodal transportation for the Global supply ChainDefinition of Export QuotasThe Project Managment Office SystemPETSTEL analysis of IndiaBionic Assembly System: A New Concept of SelfLifes What IfsOpen Architechture a white paperUnreasonable Searches and SeizuresGenetic EngineeringTwilight of the UAWArguments for Physician-Assisted Suicide (PAS)

Why Diversity in the Comic Book World Matters To Me

Why Diversity in the Comic Book World Matters To Me Why Diversity in the Comic Book World Matters To Me Latravious Calloway is a self-taught artist and writer with a passion for graphic novels and anime. In this article, he talks about how a driving force behind his graphic novel, Evian Rising, was to feature underrepresented heroes of the comic book world: women of color.  Representation of successful women of color in mainstream literature; leading female characters in science fiction; cultural minority protagonists in graphic novels. These are all market gaps that are part of a larger diversity issue in mainstream media. I noticed these gaps, and I couldn’t help but think: what effect does an ongoing lack of representation have on readers? What effect does an ongoing lack of representation have on readers? Join the discussion. I am a strong believer that if you feel there are overlooked people and narratives in literature, you should create those stories yourself! In comics in particular, women of color are more likely to play the role of teammates or sidekicks, rather than a leader - and it’s rare for them to feature in their own comic series. This is why I recently published Evian Rising: a graphic novel with a strong, female protagonist of color on a quest to avenge her adopted father’s people.Developing EvianFemale characters of color are often painted with a standard set of clichà ©s - such as having abrasive attitudes for no reason. So for me, it was important that my main character, Evian, deviate from this default mode and be a dynamic, complex character in her own right. I wanted her power to come from her voice, and I wanted that power to fuel her role in bringing stability to the chaotic universe depicted in my novel. The other female characters also have attributes often reserv ed for male characters in action stories: leadership, intelligence, influence, rank, etc. If you feel there are overlooked people literature, you should write their stories yourself! Diversity in literature is important to me as a parentGrowing up, I noticed missing perspectives in my father’s childhood comics. Apart from Black Panther, Storm, and Luke Cage, none of the comics featured a person of color as the leader or central character - in other words, a hero that looked like me.Now, as a parent, it’s important that my daughters have access to strong characters of color to look up to as role models. I know how a lack of diversity can hinder the ambitions and aspirations of the underrepresented while they are still young and impressionable. I don’t want my daughters to grow up under the heavy burden of low self-esteem: I want them to see that excellence can look like them, too!Even something as seemingly small as a similar hairstyle can reaffirm the way people see themselves - and encourage them to value their uniqueness. Creating Evian was my own way of passing on these lessons to my daughters. After all, who are they more likely to list en to - a comic book hero, or their dad? I think we all know the answer to that. "Books can shape a reader’s perspective while their guard is down."  @EvianRising A novel can be a very powerful medium: it gives you the opportunity to shape a reader’s perspective while their guard is down. People are more receptive to nontraditional messages when you package it as â€Å"science fiction† or â€Å"fantasy,† giving authors the chance to bypass cultural filters and prejudices. For me, it was a no-brainer to use graphic novels as a way to achieve a larger representation of diverse heroes.In addition, I believed it would be especially powerful to have a female protagonist of color in a graphic novel due to its visual nature. It can be hard to conceptualize something you haven’t seen or experienced. When you are looking at the plethora of graphic novels dominated by a cultural majority, it subconsciously programs who you view as a â€Å"true hero.†Because this was such an important project to me, I knew I needed to make sure the vehicle for Evian and all that she represents was given the greatest amount of care possi ble. And that’s why I decided to hire a professional proofreader for my graphic novel.Working with an editorIt didn’t take long working with Chersti Nieveen to see that she is an authority on polishing manuscripts. After I sent her my manuscript, I realized I didn’t know the English language the way I thought I did. Ha! Seeing all her notes and markup reaffirmed to me the absolute importance of quality editing. Chersti’s feedback made abundantly clear the parts of my writing that required further work, and every question I had for her was answered in no more than one business day. We're talking about diversity in the comic book world and why it matters. Join the convo here! Furthermore, Chersti had an extremely competitive quote and provided a detailed contract that clearly defined the scope of the project. I was able to put my mind to rest while working with Chersti, and to feel secure that the themes of my graphic novel would shine through without errors or typos blocking the way. Chersti overwhelmingly exceeded my expectations and I will be using her again for my second book. It was truly a pleasure.Create content that reflects your own diversityThere are indie authors of color out there closing some of the content diversity gaps. So if you’re having trouble seeing your own identity reflected in literature, I would encourage you to support these creators.Or why not take a shot at creating that content yourself? There’s no one better to paint the world through your eyes than yourself. Connecting with people who are searching for new and relatable content is so fulfilling, and to be able to offer them something you made with your own hand s is out of this world. But it’s not easy to create something new: you have to be willing to stand up for what you write and have the passion to keep going from beginning to end. "There’s no one better to paint the world through your eyes than yourself."  @EvianRising Whether you’re writing a graphic novel about a female warrior goddess with melanin, based on the love of your life - or about another kind of character you feel is missing from what you see on bookshelves - create the content that YOU want, and that represents you.Evian Rising is available on Amazon Kindle.Please share your thoughts, experiences, or any questions for Latravious Calloway in the comments below!

Summary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 137

Summary - Essay Example It is argued that probability can be used in the game by always betting on the same color.This, according to the author, increases winning chances. When one looses, the article argues that the next bet should be doubled until the next win (Thomson, 2009). The second idea is card counting in casino games where it is argued that keeping track of discarded cards to know what is left increases winning chances. The article goes ahead to discuss the use of probability in lottery and bookie games. In lottery it is claimed that chances of winning and increased by choosing unpopular numbers. Spreading bets between two bookies is also argued to increase chances of success (Thomson, 2009). I do not agree with the author’s idea of spreading bets between bookies in order to increase the chances of winning. According to the author this strategy works because the bets of the two bookies are normally not equal and they try to make the other not to win. I don not agree with this because of the fact that this defensive tactic is rarely used. In as much as players try to prevent the other from not winning, the majority focus on maximizing their success the same way the one who places his or her bet between the bookies does. This therefore means that if the third party plays safe, he has an equal chance of losing and winning and therefore the argument that he has higher winning chances seems invalid in my