Valentine by carol ann duffy free essay sample

Carol Ann Duffy uses an extended metaphor effectively throughout the poem. She uses an onion as a symbol of love. Right from the beginning Duffy rejects the traditional presents given for Valentine’s Day straight away to show she does not approve of the usual gifts and believes love means more than the superficial presents normally given. â€Å"Not a red rose or a satin heart. † This quotation begins the poem allowing the reader to understand the poem not to be about the usual aspects of love. It gives her honest opinion about the good and the bad. In addition, it begins with a negative word, ‘not’ showing her strength of feeling. The onion is the main subject throughout the poem. Duffy describes it as â€Å"a moon wrapped in brown paper. † This metaphor is symbolic of love. The onion skin is like the wrapping paper of a present and the moon is symbolic as it gives off light, like love. We will write a custom essay sample on Valentine by carol ann duffy or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The white represents good things and has annotations of light, hope and happiness. The quotation â€Å"It will blind you with tears† connects the way onions make you cry with the negative aspects of love. She knows love has its bad points, in a relationship lovers can hurt one another and things can go wrong. Furthermore, during the quotation â€Å"It will make your reflection a wobbling photo of grief†, Duffy uses a transferred epithet here to create the effect of the feeling being in the photo rather than the person. The word ‘wobbling’ represents the action made by tears caused by unstable relationships that may collapse because of negative aspects, this relates back to her thoughts that being in love has it’s down side too. Honesty from the poet is a theme throughout the poem. She uses lines which let the reader know her feelings about love and the way she wants to tell the truth about it. â€Å"I am trying to be truthful† shows she is being honest about how things can go. â€Å"Not a cute card or kissogram†, again Duffy rejects the traditional ideas of love letting the reader know they are not appropriate for what she is trying to say. â€Å"For as long as we are† gives a realistic view that love may not be forever. â€Å"Take it†, Duffy uses a direct statement here, as if she will not take no for an answer. It is almost as though she is forcing her lover to take the onion which she believes represents true love. â€Å"Its platinum loops shrink to a wedding ring,† in this quotation Duffy connects the shape of the rings in an onion to the shape of wedding rings. She tells the reader effectively here that love can last forever if you are committed and faithful. However, she follows with â€Å"if you like† allowing us to realise love can go that far if you want it to, showing there is no pressure there, it is up to you if you try. â€Å"Lethal† is a single word used in the next line. The word lethal can be connected with poison and things that are deadly, also it can connect with the words fatal and death which could connect to the fact love can last until you die. The idea of ‘lethal’ is carried on through to the next line connecting to the scent of an onion. â€Å"Its scent will cling to your fingers† is the use of personification, describing how the strong smell of an onion stays around like the poet hopes love or a partner will. The final line uses repetition of the word â€Å"cling†. â€Å"Cling to your knife†, this quotation is like a desperate hope that if you hold onto love it will never leave you. The use of the word â€Å"knife† in the final line is like the poet telling you that you can get hurt like someone stabbing you in the back, or also that you can even hurt someone in love, you have the power. In conclusion, the use of direct statements and an extended metaphor convey the way Carol Ann Duffy feels about love in â€Å"Valentine†. Throughout the poem she rejects the traditional aspects of love with strong feelings of how she perceives it. Successfully throughout, the reader gets to understand her ideas of the true meanings of love and was memorable for me because of this.

NEW EYE TRACKING TECHNIQUES IMPROVE REALISM OF AIR Essays (484 words)

NEW EYE TRACKING TECHNIQUES IMPROVE REALISM OF AIR Essays (484 words) NEW EYE TRACKING TECHNIQUES IMPROVE REALISM OF AIRCRAFT SIMULATORS A simulated flight environment for pilot training may soon be made more realistic through the use of eye-tracking technology developed by researchers at the University of Toronto's Institute of Biomedical Engineering (IMBE). Many safety and cost benefits are obtained by training aircraft pilots under simulated conditions, but to be effective the simulation must be convicingly realistic. At present, th e training facilities use large domes and gimballed projectors, or an array of video screens, to display computer-generated images. But these installations are very expensive and image resolution is low. Further, it would take an enormous amount of addi to improve image quality significantly throughout the whole viewed scene. However, based on the visual properties of the eye, realism can be obtained by providing a high-resolution 'area of interest' insert within a large, low-resolution field of view. If the image-generating computer 'knows' where the pilot's fixation is, it mage there. The technology to make this possible was developed by a research team headed by Professor Richard Frecker and Professor Moshe Eizenman. The work was carried out in collaboration with CAE Electronics Ltd. of Montreal with financial support from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada. Their eye-tracker can record and analyze accurately up to 500 eye positions per second. The system works by means of capturing and processing the reflections of a low-level beam o f invisible infra-red light shone onto the eye. Multi-element arrays capture the image of the eye and digitize the information, which is then processed in real time by a fast, dedicated signal processing unit. The difference in position between the ligh tre of the pupil reveals the instantaneous direction of gaze. Developments by the IBME team have significantly increased the speed of signal processing in addition to enhancing accuracy of eye position estimates. Eizenman believes that "these improvements make our eye-tracker very effective in monitoring the large G-force environment where the pilot tends to make larger eye movements because of contraints which exist on movements of his head". In a new generation of aircraft simulators, under development by CAE Electronics Ltd. of Montreal, a head tracker which tells the direction of the pilot's head is mounted on top of the helmet. The eye tracker is mounted on the front of the helmet, and is ll exactly where the pilot's eye is fixating. Frecker said that "successful integration of our eye tracker into the novel helmet-mounted CAE flight simulator would result in a new generation of simulators that would likely replace the current large domes and cumbersome video display units." Initial tests of the integrated system will be carried out in collaboration with CAE Electronics at Williams Air Force Base in Arizona later this year.

Short Paper Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Short Paper - Coursework Example It is evident in the commonality in the forms of discrimination manifested in institutions and across countries and even religions. This paper examines a specific institutional setting, where a student who is from a different race is discriminated based on the skin color. It will also outline an example of a student from United Arab Emirates who is studying in the University of Arizona. Racism can be manifested through stereotypes, prejudice or through discrimination. However, while institutional racism is based on stereotypes and prejudice, it is mainly expressed through discrimination. Racism is dominant in the American society through social institutions such as University of Arizona. American institutions are in most cases oriented to white, Anglo-Saxon, Protestant values and its associated lifestyle. The mentioned is the dominant lifestyle and culture that permeates the whole American society. This does not suggest that there is anything wrong in the cultural orientation. What needs to be questioned is the implication that only protestant values and culture can be viewed as exemplary in the American culture. According to Better (41), the greatness of the United States has been utilized to champion people who have been subjugated. The American troops sent to Haiti and Kosovo attests to the nation’s concern for the poor people. As a student from United Ar ab Emirates, one can face segregation since policies, practices and procedures in most American institutions favor the dominant culture. Different practices and policies aimed at addressing differential outcomes for different races continue to fail to address inequalities and perceived discrimination in various institutions. Broad anti-discrimination legislation and diversity cannot sufficiently address the current discriminations in institutional

A World without Television Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

A World without Television - Essay Example On its part, the television touched our lives in more than one way, some good and some bad. The television made our life colorful (even the earlier black and white variety). It presented us with so many live entertainment options: the musicals, the stage plays, the soap operas, the fashion shows, and that too, without having to step out of our homes. It gave us the power to dream, to identify ourselves with the mannerisms of the most glamorous stars and celebrities, projected in larger-than-life roles. It taught us to desire and acquire things of luxury, through scores of advertisements, by creating an image of reality that is not real. By wanting more and more of these goodies, we helped our industries to innovate, produce more, flourish, and, in turn, enrich our lives further. Television became the homemaker, bringing a sense of togetherness in our families, taming our mischievous children with visual treats specially planned for them, discouraging husbands and wives from quarreling, and taking away the loneliness out of the lives of the elderly and infirm. It also helped us to integrate, not only our nation, but the whole world into a global village, by showing the live images of people from distant regions and countries, share their joys and sorrows, problems and achievements, cultures and traditions, during special shows and news programs. We became visual participants in the grim realities of life, through scenes from accident sites, war fronts, natural calamities like floods, earthquakes, and learnt to have compassion for the less fortunate fellow humans. No other medium could have matched the impact of the real-life visual images of television on our collective psyche. Of course there are certain undesirable things too. It has produced a generation of couch-potatoes who depend only on passive entertainment, and has stripped us of the opportunity and inspiration to do things ourselves. We are forced use less and less of our thinking faculty, creative imagination, and physical effort. Books and other elaborate written materials, which require a certain amount of contemplation, are no longer attractive to the younger generation. Unless controlled properly, unhealthy viewing content can also creep in, and spoil the morals of the society. In spite of good and ugly sides to it, the reality is that Television has grown with us as a family member, and it is already a partner in our social evolution. We can no longer allow it to disappear out of our lives. Our World view in absence of Television: Since olden days, people were interested to know about other civilizations across the globe. In those days, the main source of information was from the personal accounts of the voyagers and travelers. This interest was generally limited to the members of the trading communities, explorers or royal expeditions. Later, with the development of printing technology, written matter became easily transportable and transferable, and helped in creating a better and consistent understanding of the outside world. The nineteenth century saw a sudden rise in industrial activity, made possible by a series of inventions in the field of technology. This triggered a growth cycle of such magnitude that the whole society evolved into a large mass of affluence. This affluent mass of people had the time and

Contingency plan for sailing yachts charter Essay - 1

Contingency plan for sailing yachts charter - Essay Example In preparing in advance, we can also build a safety network, plans of action & response, and gather the equipment required to implement our communication needs for rescue. In risk management, we need to prepare for all contingencies, and as a company we have to insure our staff, customers, and organization against any accidents that may occur during operations and liabilities that may arise from operations. For the purpose of this document, â€Å"Contingency† refers to our preparation in advance for safety responses that may arise in course of operations, â€Å"Plan† means the actions we will organize before, during, and after to address the safety problems, and â€Å"Emergency Situation† is any which puts our customers, staff, or others in the water in danger of physical safety, health, or injury. â€Å"Rescue operations† refer to any situation where company staff or third party organizations are required to travel to a site to assist during a safety problem. â€Å"Communications† refers to not only the content but also the means in which we will transmit messages between offices, people, and other groups during an emergency situation. For purposes of contingency, we recognize responsibilities to emergencies and safety problems arising from: air, water, fire, mechanical problems, weather, interpersonal, health, geographical, and geopolitical risks primarily to operations. In each instance of risk, we plan to have prior tactics and responses prepared in advance to address each contingency with the tools, personnel, and social assistance to manage. Because of the nature of maritime events, and the various contingencies that require multiple forms of backup communication, we have decided to develop a three-tiered communication network for emergency management that provides for all contingencies, even when one device may be broken, out of communication, or in possession by a member injured in an accident. For this we identify three types

Relationship Between Clothing and Identity

Relationship Between Clothing and Identity Material culture refers to the corporal, physical object constructed by humans. Ferguson (1977) describes material culture as all of the things people leave behind . All of the things people make from the physical world farm tools, ceramics, houses, furniture, toys, buttons, roads and cities (Ferguson, 1977). Material culture refers to objects that are used, lived in, displayed and experienced. Human beings interact with material culture as a normal part of their daily lives. Because of this interaction, material culture and human living is strongly influenced by each other, and through studying material culture gives us important clues about the way humans live and have lived in the past. Schlereth (1982) outlines the importance of the study of material culture, arguing that through material culture we can learn about the belief systems the values, ideas, attitudes, and assumptions of a particular community of Society, usually across time (Schlereth, 1982). Schlereth continues to state that a study is based upon the obvious idea that the existence of a man-made object is concrete evidence of the presence of a human mind operating at the time of production. The common statement underlying material culture research is that objects made or modified by humans, consciously or unconsciously, directly or indirectly, reflect the belief patters of individuals who made, commissioned, purchased, or used them, and, by extension, the belief patterns of the larger society of which they are a part (Schlereth, 1982). By studying culture as something created and lived through objects, we learn to understand the social structures, human action, emotion and meaning, and through this process we bond together the crucial link between social and economic factors with the individual actor. This is where we can introduce Marxism mode of production, if we consider material culture in terms of consumer societies we will be able to reproduce and challenge social structures. However, according to Marx and Engels (1965, p32) in The German Ideology: This mode of production must not be considered simply as being the reproduction of physical existence of individuals. Rather it is a definite form of activity of these individuals, a definite form of expressing their life, a definite mode of life on their part (Sahlins, 1976). Marx mode of production worked in the following way; people produce commodities and sell them so that they can buy other commodities to satisfy their own needs and wants. For Marx, production is something more than practical logic of material effectiveness, it is a cultural intention. Take for example, if you look around your home, objects are everywhere cups/mugs, computers, clothing. You know what most of these are because they are part of you familiar environment, if you have grown up with these objects they have been a part of your life. Now if a person lived in a different part of the world and from a different century, they would have a difficult time trying to understand our material culture. Each object has a story to tell, a story which has been shaped by human used. If material objects are been analyzed, basic facts will be recorded, a verbal description which might include measurements, material, any distinguishing features, take note of everything which will determine a clearer picture about the object. This key information will provide material about the technology used, the economy, or social relations within the given society and how they have changed or progressed over time. Clothing and in particular designer outfits can mask a persons real persona. The clothing can be worn to impress and make the wearer feel more confident, however this can also be taken to the extreme in that if a persons self worth and morale is low clothes are used to state falsely about the importance of the person. wearing certain clothing may make a person feel empowered by altering their self perception, they can assist in forming or negating interpersonal and group attachments, mediating the formation of self-identity and esteem and integrating and differentiating social groups classes or tribes (Woodward, 2007, p4 ). Alison Lurie states that in her Language of Clothes that clothes introduce individuals subconsciously before they even say a word (Lurie A. , 1992). Clothes are expressions of identity, one of the permanent ways we signal to the social world who and what we are (Twigg, 2007). It is also an expression and fulfilment of human needs: needs of the body and mind. These expressions function within a cultural context with the purpose of passing on distinctive meanings to social forms. Clothes have been used to identify our links, such as what school we attend, what job we have or what group we are a part of. Schools use uniforms to identify their students, although uniforms can be a really useful if the students are out on day trips, the uniform will be easily recognisable to pick out students, these students then represent the school. Occupations have informed the public of their identity and job titles throught the use of clothing, for example: gardai, nurses, surgeon, security guards, fi re fighters the list is endless when you really think about it. In most cultures gender differentiation of clothing is considered appropriate for both men and women. There are many features that differentiate the gender of clothing. The masculine fabric is relatively caorse and stiff, usually heavier whereas feminine fabric is soft and fine. Masculine colours usually tend to be darker, and feminine coloured clothing is usually light or pastel. The cut in mens clothing is square with corners and angles, and womens dress lines emphasize the flow, the curve and the actual style of the dress. These elements convey social meaning (Sahlins, 1976). The sturctural lines in the cut or patterns of clothing make up analogous class of meaningful contrasts (Sahlins, 1976). The importance seems to be related with three characteristics of a line: direction, form and rhythm. Direction refers to direction in relation to the ground. Form refers to its properties as curved or straight. And rhythm refers to the periodicity of the curve or angle (Sahlins, 1976). In western societies, womens clothing usually consists of skirts, dresses and high heels, while a tie is usually seen as mens clothing. Trousers/jeans were seen as mens clothing but nowadays they are worn by both male and female. Female clothing usually tends to be more attractive in comparison to male clothing. Clothing also identifies religious groups. In some cultures, laws regulate what men and women are required to wear. A man wearing a headgear called yarmulke/kippah is most likely to be Jewish, and a woman wearing a hijab is most likely to be Muslim. The yarmulke is for a Jew to announce publicly that he respects God and that God is above human kind. According to the Talmud (Jewish Religious Commentary), wearing the kippah reminds Jews that there is a higher authority, and it reminds us that God is always watching (Silvestri, 2010). A Muslim woman who wears a hijab not only publicly announces her religious identity, but when her face is covered, men cannot judge her by her appearance, they are able to evaluate her by her personality, character, and morals (Hussein). If we look at the catholic culture in Ireland, a man wearing in a black robe or outfit and a roman collar is identified as a priest and is given the title father in the Roman Catholic churches. In Islamic culture, men prid e themselves in wearing turbans because of its significant spiritual symbolism of their cultural faith. Turbans are still worn today by Islamic men as a way of distinguishing themselves, strengthening social ties and giving a sense of group identity. They are considered important in prayer, where the rewards are said to be twenty-five times greater when the headdress is worn. However in saying all of this the turban also has a practical function, it protects the mens head from the heat and dust in Arab countries (Bennett, 2010). Again, we see clothing as the subconscious communicator that announces ones religious identity publicly. According to Sahlins (1976), American clothing amounts to a very complex scheme of cultural categories and the relations between them. The scheme operates a set of rules for declining and combining classes of the clothing which formulate the cultural categories. Each aspect consists of a range of meaningful variation, some will be present and others will be absent (Sahlins, 1976. p179). The outfit as a whole makes a statement, developed out of the particular arrangement of garment parts and by contrasting to other outfits (Sahlins, 1976. P 179). Strictly speaking, clothes is not a part of your body, however, since your body is largely covered in it, your clothing will affect the way you come across. Seeing as your clothing is such a large factor, on the message your giving off, your appearence is important and will effect the view others have on you. The clothes you are wearing make a statement about your identity and your social status, the colour and style of clothes worn tell oth ers about how you are feeling in the world. Clothes have the ability to inform publicly of ones identity, mood, generation, religion, and culture. It is a language that is constantly in communication with people introduced or not introduced. Although the language of clothes speaks, it may not be completely accurate, but it gives one an idea of an individuals identity and personality. The language of clothes is used daily and can be seen every day in the home, at church, out shopping and within the political world. It is a language that everyone uses as an ice-breaker to open up conversation or to have common ground and value. Clothing as a communicator can be seen worldwide and is used universally. Taking all of the above into consideration one can say that material culture can be compared to a language.

The 360-Degree Performance Evaluation is More Effective than the Standa

Performance Evaluations as an Effective Measuring Tool There are several types of evaluations used by public and non-public organizations. Unusually, performance evaluations consist of the employee and the supervisor. However, the 360 Degree Performance requires more than the supervisor’s perspective. It should also include the co-worker’s point of view (by answering a simple set of questions). This evaluation enforces accountability and produces self-worth and a sense of fairness. Many performance evaluations are limited. However, in using the 360 Degree Performance as a measuring tool, it has been found to be a more accurate way to evaluate an employee’s work performance. The issue is whether or not performance evaluations are an effective measuring tool for evaluating an employee’s knowledge and skills within the organization. Better yet, should employers use performance evaluations at all, or should they design personal organizational goals for each employee? This research paper will examine the effectiveness of performance evaluations, from a narrow point of view (standardize evaluation) to a boarder outlook (360 degree performance evaluation), and by enforcing the accountability from management and the staff, in meeting the overall organizational goal. Article 27 (1) http://www.upte.org/tx/contract/art27perfeval.html defines performance evaluation as â€Å"a constructive process to acknowledge the performance of a non-probationary career employee. An employee’s evaluation shall be sufficiently specific to inform and guide the employee in the performance of her/his duties. Performance evaluation is not in and of itself a disciplinary procedure.† This procedure is usually provided by the Human Resource Depa... ...ss. Drucker, Peter F. (1993). Post-Capitalist Society. New York: HarperCollins Fox J. & Klein, C. (1996). The 360-Degree Evaluation: If You Pay for Performance, Get Co-Workers in On Performance Reviews. Public Management,78 (11),p20. Hayward, Charles, Center for Leadership Development, â€Å"Philosophy and Approach†. Web 13 April 2015 http://www.teamcld.com/Philosophy.htm Mason and Hanger-Silas Mason Co., Inc. – Middletown, â€Å"Best Practice: 360 Degree Feedback Performance Appraisal/Merit System, December 17, 1999. Web 13 April 2015 http://www.bmpcoe.org/bestpractices/external/mash/mash_18.html Panoramic Feedback, â€Å"Objectives of Multi-Source Feedback†, 1998-2000. Web 13 April 2015 http://www.panoramicfeedback.com/internal/objective.htm Quinn, S. (1998). Putting the Human Back into Human Resources. Public Management, 80(9),p23.