Reflections in Westminster Abbey, by Joseph Addison

William Thackeray said of Joseph Addison that he â€Å"deserved as much love and esteem as can be justly claimed by any of our infirm and erring race. † Thomas Macaulay described Addison's periodical essays as â€Å"perhaps the finest . . . in the English language. † And Samuel Johnson characterized Addison's prose as â€Å"the model of the middle style; on grave subjects not formal, on light occasions not groveling. † Keep Johnson's observation in mind as you read â€Å"Reflections in Westminster Abbey,† which originally appeared in issue 26 of The Spectator, March 30, 1711. Addison died on June 17, 1719.He was buried in the north aisle of the Henry VII Chapel in Westminster Abbey. A century later a statue was erected in his honor in â€Å"the poetical quarter†Ã¢â‚¬â€œnow known as Poet's Corner. Reflections in Westminster Abbey by Joseph Addison When I am in a serious humor, I very often walk by myself in Westminster Abbey; where the gloominess of the place and the use to which it is applied, with the solemnity of the building and the condition of the people who lie in it, are apt to fill the mind with a kind of melancholy, or rather thoughtfulness, that is not disagreeable.I yesterday passed a whole afternoon in the churchyard, the cloisters, and the church, amusing myself with the tombstones and inscriptions that I met with in those several regions of the dead. Most of them recorded nothing else of the buried person but that he was born upon one day and died upon another; the whole history of his life being comprehended in those two circumstances that are common to all mankind.I could not but look upon these registers of existence, whether of brass or marble, as a kind of satire upon the departed persons who had left no other memorial of them but that they were born and that they died. They put me in mind of several persons mentioned in the battles of heroic poems, who have sounding names given them for no other reason but that they may be killed, and are celebrated for nothing but being knocked on the head. The life of these men is finely described in Holy Writ by â€Å"the Path of an Arrow,† which is immediately closed up and lost.

Hero: Explaining why Napoleon Bonaparte Essay

Napoleon Bonaparte must be considered a hero in French history. Through his liberal ways of coming to power and controlling France, Napoleon was able to create unity and stability, both political and economic, in one of the most powerful nations in Europe at the time. Napoleon was not only an excellent leader, but also a dominant war strategist. He was able to conquer enemies of France and expand Frances territory. By giving people rights and freedoms, forming a respectable educational system and creating religious tolerance, along with dominating the enemies of France with his excellent skills in militarism, Napoleon became one of the greatest French leaders and heroes of all time. Napoleon claimed â€Å"Equality must be the first element in education. This was the basis of the educating system Napoleon strived for. The Education reforms which Napoleon introduced in 1802 called the lycees allowed this equality to occur and enhanced the way of learning for all of the citizens. By giving all citizens the right to an education, Napoleon was showing that he would guarantee prosperous future for France. Napoleon also created a document referred to as the Code Napoleon, yet another very liberal action, which stated the rules and laws of the state along with stating and guarding the rights and freedoms Napoleon wanted all Frenchmen to have. Napoleon also worked heavily to stabilize the French economy. He developed the Bank of France and helped propel the Francs value higher and higher until eventually it was the highest valued currency in Europe. Not only did Napoleon solve economic problems, but he also worked to solve social and religious differences as well. Previously the church was an enemy of and was against the rule of Napoleon, however this issue was resolved when The Concordat was introduced by Napoleon himself. Mending the rift between the Church and State allowed freedom of religion and rejuvenated the beliefs within the people of France. The Concordat which was signed stated that Catholicism would be recognized as the religion of the majority and allowed the church to resume processions and reopen the seminaries. Though Catholicism was now viewed as the religion of the majority, it still was not the official religion of the state, crating a more religiously tolerant society in France. This move once again supports the more liberal demeanor  of Napoleon as previously few would have dared to challenge the authority of the church in this way. As a military genius, Napoleon won many battles to expand France and was always welcomed back to France as a hero. By instituting the Levee en Masse, Napoleon was able to ensure he would have the man power needed to operate his great war machine. His use of strategic warfare throughout many battles allowed him to be seen as a hero not only in France but all of Europe. Although his army was outnumbered by the Russians and Austrians in December 2, 1805, Napoleon’s brilliant strategies resulted in a defeat of the opposing armies in the Battle of Austerlitz. In many other battles that were fought and won by Napoleon, he would use his military experience and tactics to anticipate his opponent’s attacks and defeat them no matter the odds. After winning many battles he expanded France by signing treaties with the other countries which he had occupied. The fact that Napoleon won so many battles gave the French people something to be proud of. It was victories such as these which brought great pride and a feeling of unity to the people of France. Napoleon was seen as a great heroic from his successes on the battlefield as he expanded his now vast empire. Napoleon Bonaparte must be seen as not only a hero of France, but perhaps the greatest French hero of all time. Through his liberal ideas and actions, Napoleon was able to grab hold of a nation and bring it under his control. Through such acts as the Code Napoleon and The Concordant he was able to give the French people the rights and freedoms they so desired. Napoleon created the bank of France and contributed greatly to the strengthening of the Franc. Lastly Napoleon, through and his army dominated the rest of Europe expanding France into vast empire. Napoleon was a great hero, who, through liberal action, revolutionized France. bibliography: www.europeanhistory.comNapoleon: Life and Times, Janet Locke, published 1983

How do humans interfere with biogeochemical cycles Essay

How do humans interfere with biogeochemical cycles - Essay Example This nitrogen then travels to animals and humans when the plants are eaten, and is excreted as urine, which contains ammonia. Ammonia is poisonous, but autotrophic or nitrifying bacteria have the ability to oxidize it into nitrites and nitrates, which is the form of nitrogen that is most usable for plant metabolism.(CSuros, 1999:61). Similarly denitrifying bacteria have the ability to reduce nitrates to nitrous oxide and nitrogen, which can then be released back into the atmosphere. All of the above activities disturb the natural balance of nitrogen in the atmosphere and present within the soil. Human beings have interfered with the natural progress of the nitrogen cycle by dumping large amounts of untreated sewage into water bodies, which when coupled with the urban runoff has produced an overload of nitrogen in aquatic systems. The net result of this excessive nitrogen in water is eutrophication, or the excessive growth of algae that in turn draw out all the oxygen in the water, so that other forms of marine life, such as fish, are unable to survive. (www.library.thinkquest.org). This also upsets the delicate, natural ecological balance of nitrogen that is maintained through the nitrogen cycle, which generally ensures the amount of nitrogen in the atmosphere at about 79%. When eutrophication persists, then it produces a phenomenon referred to as the red tide, wherein the lack of oxygen in the water ca stifle and kill off any forms of life in the water. Atmospheric nitrogen is used by plants and the nitrogen excreted through the urine of plants and animals is fixed back into nitrates and nitrites using the nitrifying bacteria. But when excessive nitrogen is released through the dumping of too much sewage, it complicates issues by reducing the oxygen levels and thereby disturbing the balance of atmospheric gases as well. Since oxygen is necessary for living beings to survive and the percentage of atmospheric oxygen needs to be maintained in order to

The Idiosyncratic Volatility Anomaly Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Idiosyncratic Volatility Anomaly - Essay Example Investors look to these corporate-level indicators when determining the most viable security purchase that will facilitate effective returns and minimize risk of volatility. The IVOL comes into play when a specific security does not conform to known economic models that illustrate either inverse relationships to tangible corporate level characteristics or direct relationships to known securities in a comparable category. Various factor-model equations have been developed to establish the expected rate of return of a security, utilising complex variables such as known excess stock returns, known sensitivities to volatility risk, and certain conditional market means (averages). Consider the complexity of one such factor-model calculation to determine expected security return: Exhibit 1: Factor-Model Calculation to Determine Expected Aggregate Returns Source: Ang, et al. (2006). The cross-section of volatility and expected returns. The interchangeable variables within similar equation m odelling dictate no elongated explanation of the complexity of this scientific approach to aggregate security returns. However, such models that determine not only future stock returns, but also volatility risk with a specific security or basket of securities in comparable industries, are designed to facilitate more effective and profitable security investment. The idiosyncratic volatility anomaly is an acknowledgement that not all common stock securities will produce returns that follow a logical model of analysis and computation based on known historical patterns of return and volatility. Various models for determining aggregate returns, based on corporate-level dynamics or market risks (among other criteria), should produce consistent stock returns that are in-line with mathematical expectations. The tangible market returns of a security will, at times, illustrate a direct relationship with such modelling that serves to justify these scientific methods of analyses. During other m arket conditions, such returns conflict these models designed to facilitate a more shrewd investment with no legitimate explanation as to why low returns occurred with the security. These are the dynamics of the idiosyncratic volatility anomaly: predictable corporate level characteristics and valuations of a firm, the known statistical significance of the model used to identify expected aggregate returns, and linear examination of historical stock trends should all serve to justify the long-term return of a security. What actually occurs in the stock market is a confliction of these predictive models, often with no concrete explanation for why the security became exposed to higher volatility, price shock, or variable returns. The IVOL is highly pervasive in domestic and global stock markets with many researchers seeking solutions for the recurring prevalence of this anomaly in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Eurasian nations (Chen, et al. 2012; Savickas and Zhao, 2012; Be rrada and Hugonnier, 2009; Jiang, et al. 2007). Berrada and Hugonnier (2009) identify this routine irregularity citing disparities between the idiosyncratic volatility factor with a direct relationship to stock returns in the U.S., and Ang, et.al (2006) confirming this factor tends to hold true in other nations. The dynamics of what genuinely causes the IVOL prevalence is uncertain, as no singular method of determining its catalysts has yet been determined. However, there is speculation that it can be related to

Research Article Summary Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Article Summary - Research Paper Example There exist short and long term side effects of induced abortions which adversely affect teenagers reproductive health (Wang, Hertog, Meier, Lou, & Gao, 2005). Contraceptive measure is the most effective way to tackle the issue of teenage pregnancy, however very little is known about the attitudes, behavior, and knowledge related to contraception among pregnant teenagers in China. Previous studies have indicated that youths in China had sub optimal level of knowledge regarding sexual matters specifically with regard to the issue of contraception (Wang et al., 2007; Wu, Xiong, & Significance to nursing: The results of this study could be useful for improving health services for teenagers in China. Moreover, the findings will help clinicians to understand the attitude of teenagers towards contraception and thus in designing new pregnancy preventive measures. Moreover, the data collected in this study will act as secondary information for future nursing research on teenage pregnancy. Teenage pregnancy: It is defined as the pregnancy of young woman who is expecting child birth before the age of 20 irrespective of whether the woman is married or not. It is often associated with health risks to mother and baby such as high blood pressure and premature birth. This is a quantitative research in which investigator has designed questionnaire to survey 53 pregnant teenagers in China about their knowledge, attitudes, and behavior regarding contraceptives use. The representative sample was from four women and children health care hospitals in Beijing, China. The inclusion criteria were that teenagers age should be between 10 to 19 years. The survey was conducted in April 2007 to June 2007. The purpose of the study and its design was explained to selected teenagers when they reached hospitals for induced abortions. They were asked to fill the questionnaire on their consent. Two questionnaires were used in this study- The Demographic

References Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

References - Research Paper Example To mitigate the risk of lacking industry personnel and laborers, robots have been created with the ability to perform duties of people in manufacturing plants and factories. The robot has revolutionized industries. Tough activities are carried out by robots in that they never get tired. All they require is enough power to complete the tasks assigned. â€Å"They also do not require salaries and reduce the cost of paying staff in production plants.† (Richardson, 2007). These robots have been used in production lines to build cars, sort materials and work in hazardous regions that cannot be accessed by human beings without risking their health or life. Richardson (2007) notes that there is a risky trend in the population of people that could jeopardize the employment sector. â€Å"The number of people aged over 65 years old in the US will be more than 20 percent of the country’s entire population.† These statistics mean that there will be a reduced labor force. As s uch, it might be necessary to have robots that are smart and intelligent enough to take over some duties performed by human beings. Having seen the fact that people are aging and not leaving behind a young generation that can fully replace them, it is important to also look at the fact that old people get sick quite easily. These illnesses include stroke, hypertension and diabetes, among others. With such kinds of illnesses, old people cannot work well, let alone take care of themselves. Thus, engineers have created robots that can emulate doctors and nurses so as to take care of the sick people. These robots include automatic wheel chairs that are intelligent enough to take one to the place they would like to go without any physical effort from the patient. Others communicate with patients and even give them their regular medicines according to the prescribed dosage. Cristina (2004), in her analysis of the attitudes towards the use of social robots in

Costco Wholesale Corporation Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Costco Wholesale Corporation - Case Study Example Though less readily measurable, it is apparently accompanied by a shrinking of activities for the few remaining general merchandising wholesalers and a loss of sales for small stores carrying women's and children's apparel, particularly in low and medium-quality lines. Costco is a closed-door store which allows only "members" access to the store through membership eligibility as defined by rather broad classifications of government employees, teachers, union members, or employees of government contractors (see Appendix 4). The chain carries a wide range of soft goods and apparel, but also gives major attention to furniture, appliances, food, and automotive supplies. Several of the closed door operations have recently opened their doors to the general public. "Examples of Costco's incredible annual sales volumes included 96,000 carats of diamonds (2006), 1.5 million televisions, $300 million worth of digital cameras, 28 million rotisserie chickens (over 500,000 weekly), 40 percent of the Tuscan olive oil bought in the United States, $16 million worth of pumpkin pies during the fall holiday season, $3 billion worth of gasoline, 21 million prescriptions, and 52 million $1.50 hot dog/soda pop combinations" (Thompson p. 2008, p. C5). Low operating margins achieved through volume sales and limited service expenditures for clerks, delivery, credit, and so on have allowed prices which average about 15% below those of the department stores and specialty shops with which discount stores compete in the sale of soft goods. Full-size food supermarkets are being established within many of the new large discount stores. Because of consumers' long experience in comparing food values between stores and because of the frequency of food store visits by the average family, these food departments are attractive to the soft-goods stores as traffic builders, and are frequently operated with planned narrow margins (or even planned losses) to maximize their drawing power (Costco Home P age 2008). Chief Elements of the Costco's strategy The uniqueness of Costco strategy is that it proposes advantages and benefits to its members only, except gasoline and beverage products. The closed-door stores depend primarily on word of mouth and on mail promotion to their members to publicize the attractive values offered. Costco does not make extensive use of advertising media to give publicity to the low prices and special values which they offer. Major retail innovations involve an "invention" of new means of performing the retailing function. They are dependent on concomitant developments in products, in physical handling technology, and in organization at the wholesale supply level; but, most important of all, they are dependent on changes in the income, location, and style of life of consumers (Drejer 2002). In contrast to other retailers, Costco proposes wide product rage: "Whereas typical supermarkets stocked about 40,000 items and a Wal-Mart Supercenter or a SuperTarget might have as many as 150,000 items for shoppers to choose from, Costco's merchandising strategy was to