Language Notes on the Use of Aint in English

Only one rule of English usage has ever made its way into a childrens jump-rope rhyme: Dont say aint or your mother will faint,Your father will fall in a bucket of paint,Your sister will cry, your brother will die,Your cat and dog will call the FBI. Though frequently heard in casual speech, aint has been described as the most stigmatized word in English. Dictionaries usually label it dialectal or nonstandard, while some purists even deny its right to exist, insisting that aint isnt a word. What is it about this simple negative contraction that agitates language mavens and spreads fear on the playground? As these notes demonstrate, the answer is surprisingly complex. Quotes About Aint Gerald J. Alred, Charles T. Brusaw, and Walter E. Oliu: [The] two meanings of grammar--how the language functions and how it ought to function--are easily confused. To clarify the distinction, consider the expression aint. Unless used intentionally to add colloquial flavor, aint is unacceptable because its use is considered nonstandard. Yet taken strictly as a part of speech, the term functions perfectly well as a verb. Whether it appears in a declarative sentence (I aint going) or an interrogative sentence (Aint I going?), it conforms to the normal pattern for all verbs in the English language. Although readers may not approve of its use, they cannot argue that it is ungrammatical in such sentences. David Crystal: Aint has had an unusual history. Its a shortened form of several words--am not, are not, is not, has not and have not. It appears in written English in the 18th century in various plays and novels, first as ant and then as aint. During the 19th century, it was widely used in representations of regional dialect, especially Cockney speech in the UK, and became a distinctive feature of colloquial American English. But when we look at who is using the form in 19th-century novels, such as those by Dickens and Trollope, we find that the characters are often professional and upper-class. Thats unusual: to find a form simultaneously used at both ends of the social spectrum. Even as recently as 1907, in a commentary on society called The Social Fetich, Lady Agnes Grove was defending aint I as respectable upper-class colloquial speech--and condemning arent I!She was in a rapidly diminishing minority. Prescriptive grammarians had taken against aint, and it would soon become unive rsally condemned as a leading marker of uneducated usage. Kristin Denham and Anne Lobeck: In Present-Day English, aint is stigmatized even though linguistically it is formed by the same rule speakers use to form arent and other nonstigmatized contracted auxiliary verbs. . . . [T]here is nothing linguistically wrong with it; in fact, aint is used by many speakers in certain fixed expressions and to convey a certain rhetorical effect: It aint over yet! You aint seen nothing yet! If it aint broke, dont fix it. Norman Lewis: As linguistic scholars have frequently pointed out, it is unfortunate that aint I? is unpopular in educated speech, for the phrase fills a long-felt need. Am I not? is too prissy for down-to-earth people; amnt I? is ridiculous; and arent I?, though popular in England, has never really caught on in America. With a sentence like the one under discussion [Im your best friend, aint I?] you are practically in a linguistic trap--there is no way out unless you are willing to choose between appearing illiterate, sounding prissy, or feeling ridiculous. Traute Ewers: A correlation exists between the use of aint and social class, i.e. it is more frequent in lower-class speech. In upper-class speech it is indicative of a personal relationship and an informal situation . . . and is employed when the other person knows that the speaker is using aint for stylistic effect, rather than from ignorance or lack of education (Feagin 1979: 217). Since the form is such a strong school-induced shibboleth, informants tend to suppress it in (more formal) interview situations. Dennis E. Baron: There is still in the American popular mind a notion that aint, for all its faults, is masculine, while arent is not simply feminine, but effeminate. In Thomas Bergers novel The Feud (1983), Tony, a high school student, finds that good grammar must take a back seat to his public sexual identity. Tony defends his use of the masculine aint against his girlfriend Evas objection that it is a sign of ignorance: I dont like to talk like a girl. Somebody might think I was a pansy.

Rwandan Genocide Behind The Media s Eyes - 1088 Words

Rwandan Genocide: Behind the Media’s Eyes Could the Rwandan Genocide have been prevented? Absolutely. If Rwanda hadn’t been under Belgian rule, and if western countries would have sent troops in to help, the genocide could ve been avoided. There was no light shed on the genocide by the western media. The media twisted and contorted the reality of the genocide. While Western media claimed that Tutsis were victims of genocide, they failed to identify the true victim of the genocide. Hutus and Tutsis were able to live peacefully until they were under Belgian Control. In 1916 Belgium colonized in Africa. They considered the Tutsis a majority, because they resembled the Europeans more closely (Shah, 2006). They began replacing Hutu chiefs with Tutsi leaders, and eventually put the Tutsis in control of the country. In 1926 Belgian leaders issued identification cards, they required everyone to carry them and identified whether a person was Hutu or Tutsi. Tutsi remained in power for the next twenty years. (Green, 2015) The Tutsi began to get sick of Belgium interfering, and wanted to be independent from them. The Belgians put the â€Å"minority† Hutu in power in 1959. Hutus began killing Tutsis. This caused the Tutsi to flee the country into Uganda and Burundi. Rwanda received its independence from Belgium in 1961-62. In 1959 Hutus started uprisings and riots, want power over Rwanda and killed 20,000 Tutsi in 1963-73. A man named Paul Kagame, who is now the leader of Rwanda,Show MoreRelatedCanadians Are Blame For The Rwandan Genocide2346 Words   |  10 PagesCanadians are Partly to blame for the Rwandan Genocide In 1994, over the course of 100 days, a genocide in Rwanda took the lives of 800,000 innocent men, women, and children and displaced 2 million more. The genocide was a result of tension that had been building since the Belgium colonization of Rwanda in 1916 between two ethnic group, the Hutus and the Tutsis. When Belgium colonized Rwanda, power was given to the Tutsis (an ethnic group in Rwanda that was 15% of the population) who became theRead MoreMedia Portrayal Of The Media Essay2318 Words   |  10 PagesThe media portrays Africa in many different lights. How the media publishes these events cause indirect consequences that affect many nations that reside in Africa . The media s attention can be short and forgotten, or have gripped the entire world watching a moment in history. We see news on a daily basis today more so now with globalization and the speed of information across the world with the power of the internet. Before that, we had to rely on books, television networks, r adio, and credibleRead MoreSimplifying the Kosovo Conflict through Media Correspondents Essay example6476 Words   |  26 Pagesbegan to arise from Europe. This time, however, it was not from Bosnia or Russia, but Yugoslavia. In Yugoslavia, President Slobodan Milosevic was leading an all-out attack on the ethnic Albanians of the country. Rumors of ethnic cleansing and genocide began to grow as the Serbians sought to drive all Albanians out of their country. By 1998, a full-scale war had erupted between the Albanians and the Serbians as both fought for autonomy of one tiny piece of land: Kosovo. When NATO finally intervenedRead MoreThe World Wars Of The 20th Century Essay2152 Words   |  9 Pagesworld wars, regional wars, and civil wars. The 20th century was the most murderous in recorded history. The total number of deaths caused by or associated with its wars has been estimated at 187 million, the equivalent of more than 10% of the world s population in 1913. Taken as having begun in 1914, it was a century of almost unbroken war, with few and brief periods without organized armed conflict somewhere. It was dominated by world wars: that is to say, by wars between territorial states or alliancesRead MoreOne Significant Change That Has Occurred in the World Between 1900 and 2005. Explain the Impact This Change Has Made on Our Lives and Why It Is an Important Change.163893 Words   |  656 Pagesnew agricultural lands, particularly within European Russia, where Czarist and Soviet censuses showed significant movement.33 But the bulk of these moves were to more urban, commercialized, or industrial regions than the ones the migrants left behind. Ten million Italians crossed the Alps—a number slightly higher than those who crossed the Atlantic—and 2 million more moved north from the peninsula’s Mezzogiorno to the industrial Piedmont and Lombardy. Two million Irish moved to England, and

Organisational Knowledge Creativity and Innovation

Question: Discuss about the Organisational Knowledge Creativity and Innovation. Answer: Introduction The report essentially focuses on evaluating potential problems faced by a technology company, Apple Inc. regarding development of its technology products. The report would initially focus on highlighting and discussing the academic concept regarding Innovation Life Cycle. It would then tend to analyse the different types of problems faced by Apple Inc. concerning the innovative landscape. Finally, the paper would focus on the different types of strategies that can be undertaken by Apple Inc.s management for addressing the problems faced by Apple in its innovation paradigm. Overview of Innovation Life Cycle The Innovation Life Cycle of business institutions is depicted as the S-Curve. The S-Curves are designed to reflect the fashion in which a product, service, business processes or the technology used by a business institution tends to evolve over a specific period. The S-Curves are also used to ideally map the evolutionary process of products in an institution. The S-Curves are increasingly linked to the market adoption curves of the product or service. The Innovation Life Cycle curve is effectively reflected in the following illustration. The Innovation Life Cycle curve essentially reflects four different stages like Early Market, Mass Market Adoption, Mature Market and finally the Late Adopters. It reflects the market and consumer adoption of new products, services or technological processes introduced in the market. The bell curve initially starts from the Early Market stage consisting of customers that focus on testing new products and services(Blank, 2010). The Mass Market Adoption stage essentially reflects on specific needs and demands generated by customers. The identification of consumer needs and wants by the manufacturers and marketers of products and services contribute in generating tailor made product and service offerings. The same contributes in generating customised and standardised product and service solutions for the greater market. The above features contribute in generating needed maturity to the product or service market. Finally, the late adopters come into scene that essentially focuses on usin g the tested products and services. These late adopters are identified to be risk adverse customers that procure tested products and services on account of reduced risk(Kaplan, n.d.). Overview of Apple Inc Apple Inc. based in United States focuses on the designing, manufacturing and also the marketing of different types of gadgets serving mobile communication and also the development of personal computers and laptops. It also contributes in the development of other types of sophisticated media players along with the development of digital solutions for music lovers. The development of iPhones, iTabs and iPods by Apple Inc. has contributed in considerably revolutionising the digital industry. iPods contributes in helping the consumers store large number of songs and thereby play them based on their needs. Apple Inc. has expanded its base to different geographical markets like Europe and other Asian countries like China and Japan. Apple Inc. also has its markets in other emerging countries like India, Middle East countries and also Africa. Apple Inc. was founded by three entrepreneurs Steve Jobs, Ronald Wayne and also Stephen Wozniak during 1976. It has its headquarters based in Cupertin o in California(CNN Money , 2016). Problems Faced by Innovation Projects in Apple Inc The first greater challenge that Apple faces relating to its innovation activities is associated with the lack of security pertaining to the different types of digital gadgets and systems generated by it. The lack of security relating to the innovations rendered by Apple Inc. makes it amenable to be copied by other companies in the market. The copying of designs and technological solutions from Apple by other companies makes the former suffer from increased threat relating to brand liquidation. The second essential challenge faced by Apple relates to the growing expectations of the consumers regarding the degree of innovation and novelty regarding the digital products generated by Apple. People are always interested in earning new products and devices from Apple. Thus, the amount of delay reflected nowadays regarding the generation of new and innovative products from the previous periods amounts to affect and offset the interest of the customers(Lundy, 2013). The consumers are observ ed to regard the iPhone 5 generated by Apple as having lost its novelty and thus are in search for newer products. This, challenge requires Apple Inc. to continually focus on innovating newer technological products and solutions to entice their customers in a sustained fashion. Any shortfall in the above respect tends to affect the expectation levels of customers regarding Apples product and services(Lundy, 2013). Apple Inc. in the current period or after the era of Steve Jobs is also observed to suffer from the problem concerning its narrowed focus concerning the development of product ranges and also a reduced brand focus(Shaughnessy, 2013). The problems concerning Apples innovation aspects can be effectively dealt with regarding the generation of Apple Watch. The battery life of Apple Watch is observed to be quite limited owing to the existence of a colour screen with an effective processor and also the need of the Apple Watch to both transmit and gain data from the Apple iPhone. The above features thereby require the Apple Watch to be charged quite frequently and also happen to reduce the longevity of the battery life in the long run. Further, the requirement of Apple Watch to be frequently plugged in to a charger happens to reduce and affect the interest of the consumers for procuring the same. The Smartwatch developed by Apple is also observed to have gained larger number of competitors on a global scale like Samsung, Motorola, LG and Google. The companies are observed to copy the designs and technology used by Apple Watch in marketing their products and thereby tends to enhance the level of competition for Apple in the Smartwatch market(Safford, 2014). Apple Watch is also observed to suffer from problems concerning the design of the products. The Apple Watches introduced into three styles is taken to face increasing competition from the other Smartwatch products generated by its competitors. Thus, design wise also Apple Smartwatch tends to suffer from increased threat from its global competitors. Apples Smartwatches are also observed to be highly priced at $349. Though, the Smartwatches generated by Samsung tend to command a higher price yet the higher price is debated by the company based on the existence of an effective Smartphone inbuilt within the Smartwatch. Apples Smartwatches however require the users to carry a Smartphone separately with them such that the same can be effectively integrated with the Smartwatch device for making them operational. The above factors thus tend to reduce the requirements for Apples Smartwatches to be priced in a higher fashion(Safford, 2014). The decision undertaken by the current CEO of Apple Inc. Tim Cook regarding dismissing the innovation wing of the company and in requiring the internal staffs pertaining to various departments to undertake innovative processes and work designs happens to reduce the level of competitiveness of Apple. Different companies like Google and Microsoft are observed to have an effective wing that contributes in generation of innovative products and thereby in enhancing the level of competitive advantage of the technology firms. Strategies undertaken by Apple Inc. for Overcoming Problems Apple Inc. is required to change its innovation outlook and essentially focus on three essential standpoints. In the first case, Apple Inc. is required to focus on enhancing its platform for generating innovation in a sustained fashion for a longer period. Development of a sustained climate for innovation is made possible by the institution through the readying of cash and investment flow and also must develop needed hedging capacity for a longer time scale. Apple Inc. is also required to focus on incorporating changes in the organisational structure and process such that the same contributes in fostering a greater degree of innovation. The transformational process is required to be developed for the technology institution through the identification of change leadership models. Generation of needed changes in the organisational landscape would contribute in making the organisation receptive to changes in consumer demand and thereby can react accordingly to generate the right kind of product and service solutions. The study of the lifestyles of the growing urban middle class consumers would a lso help Apple understand the current needs regarding technological and digitalised products. It would thus help in designing and manufacturing products accordingly to meet the emerging needs of the customers(Satell, 2013). Secondly, Apple is required to incorporate effective software like SaaS that would help in analysing the changing needs of the customers and thereby in guiding the manufacturing activities of the company in effectively addressing the consumer aspirations and needs. The incorporation of Just-in-Time and Lean Manufacturing concepts together with the study of consumer viewpoints along the social media platforms like Facebook would contribute in meeting such ends. Finally, Apple Inc. is required to essentially focus on innovating the existing processes through development of a service oriented enterprise structure. The development of a service oriented organisational structure coupled with existing technological components and resources would help Apple in addressing the consumer expectations and needs in an effective fashion(Shaughnessy, 2013). Apple Inc. is required to generate a long term vision that would effectively trigger the company in generating effective product and service solutions for the problems and technology gaps observed by the customers(Shaughnessy, 2013). Apples management apart from generating an effective strategic vision is also required to focus on developing an effective collaborative relationship with other companies and technology experts. Collaboration on the technological platform would tend to be increasingly effective through the creation of an open and cooperative internal culture within the technology firm(Satell, 2013). Conclusions The analysis carried out in the report effectively reflects the potential problems faced by Apple Inc. relating to innovation projects carried out by it. It firstly reflects the concept of innovation life cycle and subsequently analyses the different types of problems concerning the generation of innovative products by Apple Inc. The analysis reflects that Apple Inc. faces potential problems associated with the development of Apple Watch. Apple Inc. not only gains potential competition from other competitors that have generated similar products like it but also other types of technical problems concerning the reduced battery life and also the use of high price points. Apple Watches are also observed to counter from potential problems for its increased dependency on the existence of Smartphones at the hands of users in contrast to Smartwatches developed by Samsung that does not require the existence of Smartphones for its operation. Further, the different types of strategies required to be undertaken by Apples management are observed like redesigning the strategic mission and vision objectives with also development of a collaborative and open culture within the firm. The development of an open culture within the firm would help Apples staffs to effectively collaborate with external partners like technical and design experts for the generation of effective devices and gadgets. The same would enhance the level of competitive advantage for the company in long run. Further, the CEO of Apple Inc, Tim Cook is also required to design an effective innovation wing or team within the firm such that the same would help in designing innovative products with needed designs and potentials. Apple is also required to incorporate effective software like SaaS and study customers reviews and interests generated along the different social networking platforms like Facebook and Twitter. The same would help Apple in understanding and anticipating consumer needs and interests and thereby design products for addressing such in an effective fashion. References Blank, S., 2010. Does your company suck at. [Online] Available at: https://www.businessinsider.com/the-life-cycle-of-innovation-in-business-2010-6?IR=T [Accessed 4 December 2016]. CNN Money , 2016. Apple Inc. [Online] Available at: https://money.cnn.com/quote/profile/profile.html?symb=AAPL [Accessed 4 December 2016]. Kaplan, S., n.d. Innovation Lifecycles. [Online] Available at: https://www.innovation-point.com/Innovation_Lifecycles.pdf [Accessed 4 December 2016]. Lundy, J., 2013. Founder Departures: Apple and Microsoft face similar Innovation Challenges. [Online] Available at: https://aragonresearch.com/founder-departures-apple-and-microsoft-face-similar-innovation-challenges/ [Accessed 4 December 2016]. Safford, M., 2014. The 5 Biggest Challenges to the Success of the Apple Watch. [Online] Available at: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/5-biggest-challenges-success-apple-watch-180952672/ [Accessed 4 December 2016]. Satell, G., 2013. Apples Innovation Problem. [Online] Available at: https://www.digitaltonto.com/2013/apples-innovation-problem/ [Accessed 4 December 2016]. Shaughnessy, H., 2013. Solving Apple's Innovation Problem. [Online] Available at: https://www.forbes.com/sites/haydnshaughnessy/2013/02/08/solving-apples-innovation-problem/#9b8b6f330b94 [Accessed 12 December 2016]. Shaughnessy, H., 2013. The 3 Ways Innovation Is Changing (And How To Adapt Fast). [Online] Available at: https://www.forbes.com/sites/haydnshaughnessy/2013/02/07/the-3-ways-innovation-is-changing-and-how-to-adapt-fast/#60df3156223b [Accessed 4 December 2016].

The Olmec Were Mesoamericas First Civilization. They Were Essays

The Olmec were Mesoamerica's first civilization. They were located in Laguna de los Cerros, tres Zapotes, San Lorenzo, La Venta, and the Tuxtla Mountains, in Mexico. The purpose of this report is to show how the Olmec lived, their beliefs, and their spectacular art. The Olmec were a mother culture to later civilizations. The culture of the Olmec started in Mexico's Gulf Coast between 1200 and 1400 B.C , approximately between the Trojan war, and the golden age of Athens, and ended about 3000 years ago. The Olmec were among the first Americans to design ritual centres and raise earthen pyramids. On the pyramids there were statues which were strategically placed as a shrine. As the Olmec culture gradually developed some Olmec villages grew strong and powerful, while others were less fortunate. The villages shared their resources, such as rubber and basalt. The Olmec had different social ranks, from workers such as fishers, farmers, traders and specialists such as artisans and sculptors, to rulers. Rulers were individuals who had the power to float basalt down the river and to commission colossal statues and other public work. The Olmec farmed and ate corn. They also ate shellfish, fish, turtles, beans, deer, and dog. Perhaps the most spectacular trait of the Olmec were that they used hieroglyphs. They used hieroglyphs to record dates, events, and to tell stories. Although the Olmec were hard workers they still had time for a ceremonial ball game. The Olmec had many beliefs. Among these beliefs were chaneques which were dwarf trixters who lived in water falls. They also had their own beliefs in cosmology. The Olmec had natural shrines devoted to the hill on which the shrine was located and the water. The Olmec were believed to have a corn god. Jaguars were also worshipped religiously, perhaps because the jaguar was the most powerful predator. The Olmec believed that the jaguar brought rain. The men would sacrifice blood to the jaguar, wear masks, dance, and crack whips to imitate the sound of thunder. This ritual was done in May. The Olmec also made offerings of jade figures to the jaguar. The Olmec had early achievements in art. Perhaps the most incredible findings from the Olmec culture are the sculptures. The Olmec used wood, basalt and jade to make the statues. The wooden artifacts are said to be the oldest in Mesoamerica. The Olmec used basalt to make colossal heads. The size of these heads ranged from 5 feet to 11 feet tall. Some say the heads represent sacrificial offering. Others think they portray the elite Olmec ancestors. These heads have also been interpreted as being warriors or ball players. Basalt was also used to carve thrones. The Olmec used art to glorify rulers by making them monuments of super natural creatures to portray them such as part human, part beast. The beast was usually the jaguar. It is believed that these monuments were annihilated after the death of the leader. The figurines made of jade were small and sexless. Some of the more elaborate statues wore extensive headdress with a long train, and rectangular chest plates, sat cross-legged, leaned forward and looked straight ahead. In conclusion the Olmec, Mesoamerica's first civilization were a mother culture to other civilizations. They had many beliefs, and had early achievements in elaborate art. The article, "New light on the Olmec," was an interesting article but it was very repetitive. It is scarcely recommended.

Biography of Ramses II

Biography of Ramses II Ramses II (ca 1303 BC – 1213 BC) was one of the most powerful and influential Egyptian pharaohs in history. He led expeditions and focused on building up the New Kingdom, and most likely reigned longer than any other pharaoh. Fast Facts: Ramses II Full Name:  Ramses II (alternative spelling Ramesses II)Also Known As: Usermaatre  SetepenreOccupation: Pharaoh of ancient EgyptBorn: circa 1303 BCDied: 1213 BCKnown For: The longest-reigning pharaoh in history, Ramses IIs reign defined the New Kingdom era of Egypt as one of conquest, expansion, building, and culture.Prominent Spouses: Nefertari (died circa 1255 BC), IsetnofretChildren: Amun-her-khepsef, Ramses, Meritamen, Bintanath, Pareherwenemef, Merneptah (future Pharaoh), and others Early Life and Reign Little is known about Ramses’ early life. His exact year of birth is not confirmed but is widely believed to be 1303 BC. His father was Seti I, the second pharaoh of the 19th Dynasty, founded by Ramses I, the grandfather of Ramses II. Most likely, Ramses II came to the throne in 1279 BC, when he was approximately 24 years old. At some point prior to this, he married his future queen consort, Nefertari. Over the course of their marriage, they had at least four sons and two daughters, and possibly more, although historians have uncertain evidence of children beyond the six who are clearly mentioned in documents and on carvings. A statue of Ramses II stands in the Temple of Karnak in Luxor, Egypt. David Callan / Getty Images In the first few years of his reign, Ramses foreshadowed his later power with battles against sea pirates and the beginning of major building projects. His earliest known major victory came in the second year of his reign, probably 1277 BC, when he defeated the Sherden pirates. The Sherden, who most likely originated from Ionia or Sardinia, were a fleet of pirates who kept attacking cargo ships en route to Egypt, damaging or outright crippling Egyptian sea trade. Ramses also began his major building projects within the first three years of his reign. On his orders, the ancient temples in Thebes were completely renovated, specifically to honor Ramses and his power, revered as nearly divine. The stone carving methods used by past pharaohs resulted in shallow carvings which could easily be remade by their successors. In place of this, Ramses ordered much deeper carvings that would be harder to undo or alter in the future. Military Campaigns By the fourth year of his reign, approximately 1275 BC, Ramses was making major military moves to regain and expand Egypt’s territory. He began with war against the nearby Canaan, the region to the northeast of Egypt where the countries of the Middle East such as Israel now are located. One story from this era involves Ramses personally fighting a wounded Canaanite prince and, upon victory, taking the Canaanite prince to Egypt as prisoners. His military campaigns extended into areas previously held by the Hittites and, eventually, Syria. Wall carvings of Ramsess army defeating the Hittites.   skaman306 / Getty Images The Syrian campaign was one of the key points of Ramses’ early reign. Around 1274 BC, Ramses fought in Syria against the Hittites with two goals in mind: expanding Egypt’s borders, and replicating his father’s triumph at Kadesh about ten years earlier. Although Egyptian forces were outnumbered, he was able to counterattack and force the Hittites back into the city. However, Ramses realized his army wasn’t able to sustain the kind of siege required to take down the city, so he returned to Egypt, where he was building a new capital city, Pi-Ramesses. A few years later, however, Ramses was able to return to Hittite-held Syria and eventually pushed further north than any pharaoh in over a century. Unfortunately, his northern victories did not last long, and a small bit of land kept going back and forth between Egyptian and Hittite control. In addition to his campaigns in Syria against the Hittites, Ramses led military attempts in other regions. He spent some time, alongside his sons, on military action in Nubia, which had been conquered and colonized by Egypt a few centuries prior but continued to be a thorn in its side. In a surprising turn of events, Egypt actually became a place of refuge for a deposed Hittite king, Mursili III. When his uncle, the new king á ¸ ªattuÃ… ¡ili III demanded Mursili’s extradition, Ramses denied all knowledge of Mursili’s presence in Egypt. As a result, the two countries remained on the brink of war for several years. In 1258 BC, however, they chose to formally end the conflict, resulting in one of the earliest known peace treaties in human history (and the oldest with surviving documentation). In addition, Nefertari kept up a correspondence with Queen Puduhepa, á ¸ ªattuÃ… ¡ili’s wife. Buildings and Monuments Even more than his military expeditions, the reign of Ramses was defined by his obsession with building. His new capital city, Pi-Ramesses, featured multiple huge temples and a sprawling palatial complex. Over the course of his reign, he did more building than any of his predecessors. Aside from the new capital city, Ramses’ most enduring legacy was an enormous temple complex, dubbed the Ramesseum by the Egyptologist Jean-Franà §ois Champollion in 1829. It included large courtyards, enormous statues of Ramses, and scenes representing his army’s greatest victories and Ramses himself in the company of several deities. Today, 39 of the 48 original columns are still standing, but much of the rest of the temple and its statues have long since disappeared. The Great Temple at Abu Simbel is generally considered the greatest of the temples built during the reign of Ramses II. Tom Schwabel / Getty Images When Nefertari died, approximately 24 years into Ramses’ reign, she was buried in a tomb fit for a queen. The wall paintings inside the structure, depicting the heavens, the deities, and Nefertari’s presentation to the gods, are considered some of the most exquisite achievements in art in ancient Egypt. Nefertari was not Ramses’ only wife, but she was honored as the most important. Her son, the crown prince Amun-her-khepeshef, died a year later. Later Reign and Popular Legacy After reigning for 30 years, Ramses II celebrated the traditional jubilee held for the longest-ruling pharaohs, called a Sed festival. By this point in his reign, Ramses had already achieved most of the accomplishments he would be known for: expanding and maintaining the kingdom’s territory, improving the infrastructure, and building new monuments. Sed festivals were held every three (or, sometimes, two) years after the first one; Ramses ended up celebrating 13 or 14 of them, more than any other pharaoh before him. After reigning for 66 years, Ramses’ health deteriorated, as he suffered from arthritis and problems with his arteries and teeth. He died at the age of 90 and was succeeded by his son (the oldest son to outlive Ramses), Merneptah. He was first buried in the Valley of the Kings, but his body was moved to deter looters. In the 20th century, his mummy was taken to France for examination (which revealed that the pharaoh was most likely a fair-skinned redhead) and preservation. Today, it resides at the Museum of Cairo. One of the statues of Ramses II at the Temple of Luxor in Egypt. inigoarza  / Getty Images Ramses II was called the â€Å"Great Ancestor† by his own civilization, and several subsequent pharaohs took the regnal name Ramses in his honor. He’s often depicted in popular culture, and is one of the candidates for the pharaoh described in the Book of Exodus, although historians have never been able to determine conclusively who that pharaoh was. Ramses remains one of the best-known pharaohs and one who exemplifies what we know of the ancient Egyptian rulers. Sources Clayton, Peter. Chronology of the Pharaohs. London: Thames Hudson, 1994.Kitchen, Kenneth. Pharaoh Triumphant: The Life and Times of Ramesses II, King of Egypt. London: Aris Phillips, 1983.Rattini, Kristin Baird. â€Å"Who Was Ramses II?† National Geographic, 13 May 2019, https://www.nationalgeographic.com/culture/people/reference/ramses-ii/.

A Homegrown Writing Retreat

A Homegrown Writing Retreat Ah, the writers retreat! A four-star hotel with room service, or maybe just an idyllic cabin in the woods, with meals delivered on tippy-toe so as not to disturb the Muse. What you couldnt get done in such an environment – provided you can afford the fees and travel costs, and make it past the waiting list. If you cant, dont despair. For the last six years my writers group has held three or four retreats a year: spring, summer, fall and sometimes also winter. Its simple, inexpensive, and very, very effective. Most of us who attend the retreats write daily, and professionally. The retreats allow us to kick-start a new project or make major progress on an existing one. Heres what you need for your own retreat: ==At least three writers committed to showing up all three days. Four, five or six reduces the work per person. More than that would probably be unwieldy. ==A space big enough for everyone to write in, with facilities for meals. Ours is the living room in the home of two of our writers. You might also be able to use a church hall or some other community space that has a kitchen. ==A meal plan. Ours is done a week ahead so everyone knows what meals theyll be responsible for. Meals are scheduled: breakfast 8 a.m., lunch 1 p.m., supper 6 p.m. Theyre also simple, and as much as possible, made ahead. The person responsible for the next meal cleans up from the last one, which means you know where you put the cheese grater or the big spoon. We try to keep breakfast and lunch self-serve, and gather for conversation and readings at dinner. ==A project, and whatever research materials, notes or so on you require, plus your writing tools of choice. We list food sensitivities and dislikes on the meal plan. We also ban television, movies, radio, phone calls and music except with headphones. Visitors are discouraged, and any conversation has to be away from the writing area. Alcohol comes out only in moderation with dinner, where we read aloud from the days work and cheer each other on. Three of us are hard-core and attend every day of every retreat. Three or four others regularly show up for a day or two (with a meal and cleanup). The work is minimal – at worst, one meal and one cleanup per day. Its not unusual to have a day on which youre not responsible for any kitchen work. As for cost, I live fifteen miles from the retreat location and usually do two meals and provide some snacks (fruit, nuts or biscotti, plus dark chocolate). My total costs for the weekend are $60-$80 in gas and food. If my friends guest room is available, its less than that. Results? They can be amazing. I regularly get two weeks worth of writing done in three days. Ive polished a manuscript for publication, written 80 percent of a non-fiction book and ploughed through more pages than I can remember. My colleagues have had similar results. While its my daily writing practice that keeps me productive and sharp, the retreats help me remember that there are others out there sharing this creative life. I come out of a retreat refreshed and re- committed. The camaraderie eases the usual loneliness of the writers work, the feedback warms the heart. And the production doesnt hurt, either.

Letter to the dean Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Letter to the dean - Essay Example The class as illustrated above has had the problem of non-participatory tendencies for quite some time now and it is good that the issue has been highlighted by Ms. Karan. To this extent the students have showed no positive change of this behavior and with this we have seen as teachers that appropriate measures need to be taken to avert this sooner rather than later. These situations of having a lazy class usually results in the teachers too to have low morale in teaching the respective students. This goes a long way in dictating their performance and competence in the areas taught. It is a common scenario to have this but when it persists then the issue needs to be forwarded to the relevant authorities for appropriate corrective measures to be taken. I hereby write this confirmation letter to assert that what Ms. Karan has said about the class is the sheer truth and it is a mutually shared sentiment by all the teachers teaching these students. The laziness has in many ways affected the mode of teaching and learning in that class. As is usually the case with the profession, a teacher is supposed to seek audience from the students and that the same students need to reciprocate by participating in the class activities like asking and answering questions, developing ideas stated by others and the teacher, bringing in new ideas and the general attention required. This I am afraid is lacking quite a great deal in this particular class and teaching has therefore been made rather difficult by this situation. After meeting these students with Mr. Kamal we have come to a conclusion that there needs to be a solution to this problem within the shortest time possible. These students should first say what their issues are with the learning system and thereafter necessary measures taken. This not withstanding, it is important for us, the teachers, to sit down and think of what the root cause of this is