Explorations in Arthurian Legends

Explorations in Arthurian Legends The legends tell us that Arthur was a wise and powerful king, who ruled from a giant and glorious castle and who commanded the loyalty of hundreds of men.First and foremost of these followers were the Knights of the Round Table. That greatest knight in skill of arms, Lancelot, pledged his loyalty to Arthur, is testament to the fact that the king was worthy of such admiration, both as a king and as a warrior.War was a way of life in Arthur's day. Just after he pulled the Sword from the Stone, he hurried to Bedegraine and defeated a rogue band of 11 powerful men who had rebelled against his leadership.He faced constant pressure from the Saxons and the Picts and the Irish and the Romans; in the end, he faced a mortal threat from his own men.He was also the backdrop against which many other adventures took place.English: LancelotBeginning with Chretien de Troyes, writers wrote adventures of Arthur's knights, telling us of their wonderful adventures and of courtly love. The court, of cour se, was Arthur's. In a sense, Arthur was moved above the day-to-day adventures his knights having and put on a pedestal as the symbol of what a knight could hope to achieve.He was also the one whom everyone looked up to and whom everyone trusted to pass judgment if they had a dispute. Important men bowed to his authority and his wisdom. He held court and was the arbiter of justice. He made his own laws and enforced them himself, with the respect of his subjects. He fought in battles and sent his knights out to do battle. As such, he was both king and battle commander.Later, Arthur was said to have conceived a son out of matrimony; Guinevere was said...

Crystal Easter Egg Project

Crystal Easter Egg Project These crystal Easter eggs make great decorations! Basically, you grow crystals around a real egg. You can make a crystal geode, an egg decoration or a hanging ornament for an Easter egg tree. Make pastel eggs or vibrant eggs in any color of the rainbow. This is an easy crystal growing project that yields quick results. Time Required a few hours to overnight, depending what you want Materials You can use pretty much any recipe for growing crystals. Good choices would include sugar, salt, Epsom salts or borax. I chose alum because I wanted large crystals on the egg and quick results. If you want to completely coat your egg with sparkly crystals, borax or sugar would work best. The amount of borax, sugar, salt or Epsom salt is different from the amount of alum. Basically, keep adding material to the boiling water until it stops dissolving. Use this saturated solution to grow the crystals. An egg1 cup boiling hot water4 tablespoons alum (which is the size of a typical container in the grocery store)A pin or needleFood coloring or Easter egg dye (optional)String or a pipecleaner (optional)Cup Prepare the Egg You have a few options here. Crystal Geode EggIf you want to make a geode, carefully crack the egg or cut it in half. Rinse off the shells and allow them to dry before continuing.Crystal EggYou can use a hard-boiled egg to make your crystal egg. This results in a heavy egg that can be used as a tabletop decoration.Egg OrnamentUse a pin, awl or Dremel tool to pierce a hole into each end of the egg. Push the pin or an unbent paper clip into the egg to scramble the yolk. Blow into the hole on one end of the egg to remove the egg. If you have trouble, try enlarging the hole. The crystals will grow over the bottom hole, so it isnt critical to have an inconspicuous hole. Make the Crystal Egg This is how I made the egg in the photograph: Pour 1 cup of boiling water into a glass.Stir in 4 tablespoons of alum. Keep stirring until the alum dissolves.If you want colored crystals, add a few drops of food coloring. The eggshell picks up color easily, so a little dye goes a long way.Put the egg in the glass so that it is completely covered by liquid. If you blew out the egg, youll need to submerge the egg until the air bubbles escape or else your egg will float. If you like, you can suspend a hollowed egg using a pipecleaner or string.Allow a few hours for crystal growth. Once you are pleased with the crystals, remove the egg, hang it or set it on a paper towel, and allow it to dry. This egg has large sparkling crystals that show the shape of the alum crystals. If you want alum crystals all over the egg, seed the egg before putting it in the solution by dipping it in alum powder or painting the shell with a mixture of alum and glue. Crystal Egg Recipes Sugar Crystal EggDissolve 3 cups of sugar in 1 cup of boiling water.Borax Crystal EggDissolve 3 tablespoons of borax into 1 cup of boiling or very hot water.Salt Crystal EggThe solubility of table salt or sodium chloride is highly dependent on temperature. Stir salt into boiling water until it stops dissolving. Sometimes it helps to microwave the solution to a rolling boil to get the salt into solution. Its okay if there is some undissolved salt at the bottom of the container. Let it settle out and then pour off the clear portion to use to grow your crystals.Epsom Salt Crystal EggDissolve 1 cup of Epsom salts (magnesium sulfate) into 1 cup of very hot tap water. More Easter Chemistry Projects Homemade Natural Easter Egg DyesWater Into Wine Chem DemoSugar and String Crystal Easter Egg

Market strategy, Market positioning and Marketing-Mix Assignment

Market strategy, Market positioning and Marketing-Mix - Assignment Example Furthermore, Metrao faces increasing competition from other calorie calculators being sold in the market. Generally, this means that Metrao is obliged to differentiate its products from others in the market by being innovative and unique. In addition to, the calorie calculator market is growing showing that there are likely to be diverse consumer needs and expectations. Consequently, Metrao should utilize strategic marketing tools to get an actual picture of the level of competition in the market and the customers’ needs. A marketing strategy is a process that enables a company to focus its limited resources on the strategic opportunities to attain a sustainable competitive advantage and increase their sales volumes (West, Ford, and Ibrahim 57). A marketing strategy should be based on consumer satisfaction. A marketing strategy is made up of different aspects such as pricing, product development, promotion, distribution and relationship management. Further, it establishes the choice of marketing mix, positioning, target market segments and relationship management. Some of the strategies adopted by the company include the PESTLE and the SWOT analysis. Marketing Mix This primary marketing strategy adopted in the promotion of Metrao. Generally, four aspects in the 4Ps strategy include product, place, price and promotion. The first element of the marketing strategy is product (Schroeder 11). Product refers to the product or service being offered in the market. Metrao is a calorie calculator that enables people keep track of the calorie intake on their daily basis for healthy purposes. This device includes a database approximates the protein, calorie, fat and carbohydrate intake. In addition to, the device offers a recommendation of the appropriate diet for different users. The device is also used o approximate how many calories an individual can cut down on a daily basis. Consumers buy products based on their perceived value of it. For this reason, Metrao en sures product value for its consumers by ensuring consumer satisfaction. Price is the second aspect that greatly influences customers’ decision to buy give product or service. Furthermore, it the only aspect in the Marketing Mix that generates profits. However, the company resolved not to put a selling price on Metrao but opted to get profits from the product’s promotion. In other words, the company is undertakes promotional pricing to generate profits and compete with other players in the market (Robinson 78). However, the company intends to set a reasonable price once the consumers are fully aware of the existence of the product in the market. Promotion is the way in which information about a product is brought to the attention of the consumers. The company has a brand name and intends to raise its awareness using a wide range of advertising campaigns staged on offline and online marketing channels. The company also promotes its products on its website that was recen tly established to target the online market segment. The final aspect of the marketing mix is place and it relates to where a certain product can be purchases and how the buyers can easily access it. The product will be available in the company’s stores, the company’s website and other shops that sell health related products. The product will be sold in the UK and if it performs well, it will be introduced in other parts of the world. SWOT analysis The company

Moving Image- Films Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Moving Image- Films - Research Paper Example The current outflow of talents from Mexico is as diverse as it is compelling. From the likes of actors such as Diego Luna and Gael Garcia Bernal who have received acclaim internationally through the movie â€Å"Y Tu Mama Tambien† (And Your Mother Too) to the breakthrough of directors Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu and Alfonso Cuaron and other prominent talents such as screenwriter and director Guillermo Arriaga. The contribution of Mexico to the world of film is more than notable. Quite possibly one of the most influential directos of all time, Luis Buà ±uel, who although was born in Spain worked for most of his life in France and Mexico. Known for his surrealist take into directing and as evident in his films, Buà ±uel was known for being an inspiration to other well-loved directors of all-time such as Alfred Hitchcock and Devid Cronenberg. His style is often attributed to an uncomplicated and elegant touch oscillating back and forth between its unusual intricacies (Walls, par. 3). Known as the film industry’s founder of the Surrealists, Buà ±uel won an Oscar for Best Foreign Film in 1972 for the movie The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie. He is also known for collaborating with another famous Spaniard Salvador Dali during the 1920’s. Although he scorned his previous works in comparison to the ones he made in France where he was provided with augmented budgets and an almost complete artistic freedom, the grit of his earlier works makes much for his compelling artistry. Later on in his career, his films had such an aura of complacency about them. Maybe this is due to the artist’s warranted comfort and contentment in his career (Walls, par.4-5). The year 1992 marked an enormous hit to the movie industry of Mexico. Seeing the slump of movie making, former president Carlos Salinas removed the limit on the prices of tickets, gave up control on government-owned theaters and completely opened the market to Hollywood films. Deregulation brought forth three adverse

The war at sea Essay Example for Free

The war at sea Essay Despite this fact they were only a side show to the Western Front. Aeroplanes were significant to the war effort as they brought glamour and gave cvillians and soldiers on the Western front hope as well as heros to believe in. This boosted the morale of the nation and helped the war at sea, on the home Front and on the Western Front. The Home Front: The war of 1914-1918 was the first war thathad an impact on everyone. No longer did a war involve sopldiers or men in the armed forces alone. Helpless civilians were also affected. The first world War touched everyone at some point throughout its duration, and people who lived in cities were the victims of bombardments by enemy planes. The First World War was the fist time that blackouts were introduced, this was so German planes would not know when they were opver a city. The alarm would sound and everyone would take cover intheir bomb shelters until a second alarm sounded to say it was safe to come out. When the war started Britain had only a small professional army. The government decided to invest a lot of money into advertsing aspects of the war; fighting for ones country and trying to encourage patriotsm. Posters and leaflets were plastered everywhere to promote and encourage recruitment to the armed forces. Propoganda was vital to ensure men signed up. The British press reinforced the governments recruitment drive with tales of German atrocities such as the murder of babies and nurses and the raping of HELPLESS WOME. One of the most popular stories of the time was that of German factories making soap from boiled corpses. The campaign to enrol men was very succesfull and by 1916 over 2 million had enlisted. In 1916 the government introduced conscription for men between the ages of 16 and 40 for the first time. This was due to many reasons; the number of men volunteering for the war was dropping, the lower classes were conscribing which was crippling the agricultural system whilst the upper classes did not volunteer. The war effort was only attracting certain people and it was felt by most that not all men were playing their part. Conscription meant that everyone, from all walks of life, helped their country. Not everyone agreed with conscription, many members of parliament voted against it. Others did not go to war due to political or religious beliefs. They were called conscientious objectors or conchies. They had to appear in front of a tribunal to prove that they had valid reasons. If not they were often put in prison where they were badly treated. Some chonchies helped at the front as stretcher bearers; these men had a life expectancy of about 3 days. In 1914 the government introduced DORA this stood for the defence of the Realem Act. This gave the government a wide range of powers, some of which included censership of what the publicfopund out about the wa and what enemy countries found out about the allies, thus ensuring no piece of information got into the wrong hands. The government was able to use any building as part of the war effort and to take over various industries including the coal industry, ensuring that business men did not profit from production. In 1915 the munitions crisis occurred due to the stalemate on the Western Front as armament and weapons were running out. Men had to train with wooden sticks as there were insufficient rifles to equip each man. The bombardment of enemy trenches could not continue if there were no shells. Some soldiers were only allowed to use 3 rounds of shot per day. The situation was looking dire for the government at this time. The daily male put the national scandal into circulation and as a result a coalition government was formed so that all parties could work together. Lollyd George was made Minister of Munitions. One of the initial problems of the munitions crisis was that too many skilled young workers had gone to war in search of better pay. The government had to recall many of these men. Another key constituent of Llyod Georges plan was to introduce women to the work force. In 1915 100,000 women enlisted for work however only 5,000 of these got jobs. The unions were worried that when women took the jobs they would dilute the salary of the mens jobs. Llyod George clearly ststed that women would earn the same amount as men and that their jobs would be complete when the war was over. Many women worked in the munitions factories and by 1915 the situation had improved and helped all fronts. It is recognised that without the assistance of the women the war would probably been lost. As men left for war an increasing number of women went into the professions usually dominated by men. Women went into all fields of work including ship, coal , steel, transport and agricultural (land girls) industries. However their made impactwas in the munitions factories. Here the women were in high risk jobs which affected both their skins and their lives. Toxic chemicals turned their skin yellow and they were often labelled canaries as a consequence. Women payed the ulimate price as many of the died of the cancer these toxic chemicals caused. In1917 women aged over 30 were given the right to vote. The war had help[ed the men of the country to realise that women were a part of a functioning Britain and that they to had a voice that needed to be heard. Asquith a former priminister, supported votes for women during the war although he had previously aposed this when in power. The attitude towards women and their role changed as a result of the war. Under DORA the government had the right to secure land and use it for farm production. In 1917 the government had a problem, there was a shortage of food. A quarter of British ships were being sunk by German U-boats in April and there was supposedly only six weeks of wheat left. As supplies ran low prices rose. Shops closed early as they ran out of food. Poorer families starved whilst the rich hoarded all of the food they could get their hands on. The government reacted in a variety of ways. The earnings of industry workers rose and in May 1917 voluntary rationing was introduced. The Royal family led the way by stating that hey were reducing their ingestion of bread and such products by 25%. Posters were designed to encourage economical consumption and in November the nine penny loaf was introduced. None of these measures were affective so in 1918 compulsary rationing was introduced for bread, sugar, meat, butter and beer. Each fam,ily was given a ration which was stamped when anything was bought. There were heavy fines for those whgo tried to break the rules. Rationing was welcomed by most and even improved the health of poorer people by the ne dof the war. The Defence of the Realm Act also controlled the news that flowed in and out of Britain. The british press was heavly censored and even the House of Commons was not always kept informed of the goings on at the Western Front. Journalists were banned from travelling with the troops in case stories were leaked to the British public, thus maintaining morale amongst civilians. In 1916 the british government had to overcome one of its greatest challenges, the filming of the battle of the Sommme. The battle had raged on and many lives had been lost for only a few square miles of land. The film sold out in cinemas all over the country. The footage was unique and showed dying soldiers, and men going over the top. The nation appreciated the tone of the film and although people were shocked they appreciated the films realism. The film was a huge success and saluted as a great piece of cinematography. For the government it achieved its aim by showing the public that despite the absurd and horrendous number of casualties, the war was a worthy cause. Propaganda was used to keep up morale as well as uniting all against the enemy. The Home Front was as important and as vital as the other fronts. It supplied the troops with munitions and the patriotism to convince those at home that their sacrifice was for a deserving cause. This would not have continued without the propoganda and the governments policy of protecting the public from hearing news that would destroy their trust. The Home Front was succesfull due to the efforts of many women who were able to show the men in power that they were as good as them. On a political the Home Front gave women confidence and a certain amount of admiration from the countries men. The war wopuld not have been won without this and was beneficial to the success of the Allies, but it also needed the help of the other three fronts to succeed. Western Front: When the war was first declaired in 1914 it was expected to be over by Christmas. The public thought that it wopuld revolve around gallant young men on horse back charging against the Germans and thus winning a lightning victory. They could not have been more wrong. As sson as war was declared the Germans put the Schlieffen Plan into operation. Their aim was to secure victory over France within six weeks and then turn their attention to Russia in the East. Al;l would have gone according to plan if Belgium had not put up such heroic resistance against Germany and delayed them. The German commander Moltke had also to send a 100,000 troops towards Russia who had mobalised more quickly than anticipated. The Germans were heading towards Paris but were held up quite dramatically by the British troops even though they outnumbered the British. The French launched a direct and grand attack on Germany but were halted by machine gun fire. The Germans gathered their troops and headed towards Paris. However the German troops advance too quickly and ran out of supplies, the German soldiers were also exhausted. The Allied troops desperately tried to save Paris without France, Britains chief Ally, the war would be over. The Germans decided not to advance on Paris and instead chose to go around and attack the French from behind. The French stopped the German advance on the river Marne but were unable to force them to retreat. By the 8th of September each side had dug in to protect themselves, using barbed wire, snipers and machine guns as a means of defence. These were the first signs of stalemate. This stalemate lasted until 1918 with millionsof lives lost and no land gained. The trenches stretched fro the sea in the North too the Alps in the South. The Germans launched several attacks on various Forts in Verdun and both sides resourced the battle. By 1916 700,000 men had been killed and then French were close to collapsing. To help the French the british led by Hague launched their offensive at the Somme, after a week of bombardment the British advanced. There were 57,000 casualties on the first day and by November 1. 5 million men had died. The atrocities of the battles of Verdun and the Somme were something the politicians and the public were unprepared for. Military leadership was criticised and Hague became known as a bad commander; a butcher who knew nothing about modern warfare. Hague was used to the old style of war and was not prepared dor the way things were in the new age of technology. At these battles new technology and tactics, like the introduction of tanks and creeping ambush, set a presedant for future wars. The Battles of Verdun and the Somme have sinced been recognised as a turning point in the war although at the time they were thought of as a complete disaster. In 1917 the Americans joined the war after the Germans declared unrestricted warfare on American ships suspected of carrying armaments for the Allies, although America maintained neutrality. The Germans accused the USA of having double standards. When the Germans tried to ally with mexico it was the last straw and America declared war on Germany on the 1st April 1917. Although this was good news the Americans did not arrive immediately in force and the French continued to struggle. Top make matters worse the Russians had made peace with the Germans in 1917 as a result of the Russian Revolution and the new communist regime. This was bad news for the Allies. It meant that Germany could now mobalise hundreds of thousands of troops from the Eastern to the Western Front. The German force increased as their army was no longer spread across Europe. A final attack was planned under the command of Lundenhoff. However the power of Germanys army had diminished as they were weak and tired. The troops were starved and their whole final offensive failed largely due to the malnurishment of the troops. Although the Germans had ended the stalemat it was the Allies who benefited. The Americans were sending troops at a rate of 50,000 men per month. The troop swere assisted by technologically advanced tanks, aeroplanes and improved artillery. In 1918 the Allied counter attack along the Western Front had reached the Hindenburg line and by October the Germans were in full retreat. When the November Armistice came into effect the Great War was finally over. The Western Front was considered the most important by some. The public views of The Western Front was far from reality. Letters from soldiers fighting on the front were censored and changed so that the image of the heroic battles the Allies were fighting were not destroyed by the truth. It was feared that if the truth were known it would result in havoc amongst the Allied Nations. Civillians new nothing about the terrible conditions of the trenches and propaganda made the war look muchmore glamerous than it really was News papers painted victorious pictures of trench war fare and the public new no better as this was the first technically advanced war ever. The film of The Battle of the Somme, changed that image and people became more aware of the tragedy of loss. Recruitment numbers reduced during the war which was why conscription was introduced. Each of the fronts played an important part in winning the war. The public viewed the Western Front as the only War Front as this was where most of the soldiers were sent, although others were sent to Gallipoli, The Balkans and the middle East. The Western Front had the most casualties which is why it will always be perceived as the most important. The war in the air was vital for surveillance, advancements in aviation and morale boosting. It gave the public something they could understand and belive in. The war at sea proved to be a turning point for the Allies. The Allies starved the Germans into surrendering, thus weakening them and rendering their last offensive unsuccesfull. The war at sea brought the Americans into the picture at a time when the Allies needed reinforcement. The Americans brought with them artillery, equipment and strong healthy men at a time when they were most needed. The war at sea also supplied the troops on various fronts with food and ammunitions so that they were as strong as circumstances would permit. The Home Front was the provider of men for enlistment, was the center for propaganda and made ammunitions and artillery to be used by the troops. DORA was introduced as part of the Home Front offensive to protect civilians and information, and brought women into action replacing the men who were away. The Home Front also provided nurses and kept the nation at Home running smoothly so that the men could return to an organised country at the end of the war. The Western front was where the fighting took place where thousands of men died and where some of the most heroic and dangerous battles ever took place. The men on the Western Front clearly had the hardest task with variable weather conditions and the dreaded over the top manoeuvre. It was also the most traumatic but it would not have succeded without the help and combination of the other three fronts. The Allied victory was due to an imalgamatoion of effort from all the fronts.

Charlie Chaplin Essay -- Essays Papers

Charlie Chaplin Charlie Chaplin Charles Spencer Chaplin was born in Walworth, London on April 16, 1889. His parents, Charles and Hannah Chaplin were music hall performers in England, his father was quite well know in the profession. Charlie had one sibling, a brother named Sydney. At a very early age Charlie was told that someday he would be the most famous person in the world. Charlie first appeared onstage at the age of six as an unscheduled substitute for his mother. When his performance was over the audience was throwing money up onto the stage, they loved him, and he was on his way to being the most famous person in he world. Charlie had a very difficult childhood, by the time he had performed onstage for the first time his father had already left home permently. In June of 1896 C...

A Teenager Today Essay

Advantages you might have with being a teenager is that you get your freedom. When you turn sixteen you get your drivers license which could always mean one thing, MORE FREEDOM! What I like about being a teen is the fact that you start high school and you may be the top dog according to elementary school and middle school kids. When becoming a freshman an already being in high school is that there are many clubs, groups, and sports that the regular and physically fit, student body can be apart of. When in high school you could do dance, cheerleading, baseball, ect., clubs, and maybe even JROTC which involves being physically fit to partake in this course. Also the four academic courses that you get a another chance at becoming a better student in knowledge as well as the fine arts credits that you can choose from in the registration form for high school that you get when becoming a freshman. The disadvantages of becoming a teen is the puberty stage of life. Hitting puberty means your body is changing to make you a better looking and acting teen. the other disadvantages that teens may come in contact with is the wrong group that may lead you into doing things that aren’t right. With being in the wrong group can lead to unwanted casualties that are easier to take on when you are a full adult. Being a teen sometimes leads to peer pressure when you are in a bad situation that can be avoided. Some disadvantages to becoming a teen may be driving without the right precautions in mind. Advice to other teens about becoming a teen are that you find the right group or clique to be with for your teenage years. You need to be careful with what you do because if you have parents that are over protective or just really care about your safety, make sure you don’t do anything that might get you into trouble. You need to make sure that if you are being pressured with anything just walk away or tell an adult about what is going on.Don’t go to parties and drink so much that you end up drinking and driving. If you are driving under the influence make sure that you call your parents to come get you even though you might be scared of the outcome. You also need to keep in mind that you may be pressured into trying things that are illegal, so make sure that you also say no to drugs. Things you should say no to drugs, drinking, drinking and driving, sex, pregnancy, and any other unwanted casualties that teens are not ready to handle, even though you think you might be able to , say no!’