Journeys End R C Sherriff Essay Essays

Journeys End R C Sherriff Essay Essays Journeys End R C Sherriff Essay Essay Journeys End R C Sherriff Essay Essay Essay Topic: Literature In Journeys End R C Sherriff skilfully orchestrates a complex pattern of tensions. Trace the development of these at key moments showing how they are dramatically effective. Journeys End was written by R C Sherriff, and is set in a trench during the First World War. The way Sherriff structures this piece of work, is very unusual as it does not stick to one kind of atmosphere, he switches between pathos, humour and many different types of tension. It is a clever the way he manages to write so many tensions into his work, as the background to the story is The War. The plays main characters create these tensions by the way they act around each other, they are; Stanhope, the Companies commander in chief, but still despite this ranking he is still nothing better and a tall, slimly built boy with broad shoulders, he is never without a high percentage of alcohol in his bloodstream and is hiding something from the others, below the surface of his skin, as we are told by Osborne when he speaks something happened, I am unsure of what it was, a silly little argument, when suddenly he jumped to his feet and knocked the table over, the glasses spilled. He lost all control over himself and then suddenly he came round and cried real tears. Osborne, Uncle to the company members was second in command, just as capable and a lot older than Stanhope. Although he does not like to admit the fact that he is just as capable, it is out of pure loyalty to Stanhope and the amount of lovingness that he holds for Stanhope as we see, when he defends Stanhope in a discussion, He is called a drunkard, just because he has stuck it out until his nerves have been battered to bits. The new member of the company is Stanhopes fianci s little brother and an old school chum of Stanhopes. Upon entering the play Raleigh is seen to be extremely nervous, as he does what is asked instantly and says very little. We also have Hardy; an extremely selfish man, who refuses to care about the companys men, Hibbert; shown to be very scared of war and is faking an injury just so he can leave the battlefields, and of course Trotter; Stanhopes second lieutenant, can eat like a horse, short, fat and middle aged, who seems to care not about the war where people are dieing but the war that is raging within his stomach. There is no real tension in the plays opening few pages, but with the introduction of Raleigh; the new boy in the company comes the first area of real tension, upon his first encounter with Stanhope. Raleigh is anticipating their first meeting with great expectations, but this is not what he receives. Stanhope introduces himself with a special glee in his voice, but when Raleigh removes himself from the shadows, there is a slight pause and the glee that Stanhope once spoke with quickly vanished and his voice changed, for the worse. But even before he has noticed that his new under study is Raleigh he demands a bottle of whiskey, much to the misfortune of Raleigh as he begins to see what the war has turned Stanhope into. From the moment they met in the trench until the moment they become deceased Stanhope has a major cloud over his head, in the fact that when Raleigh decides to write home, he may tell his sister about the new Stanhope. The fact that Stanhope used to be unable to drink any form of alcohol only crops up later on in the play, when he has a drunken conversation with Osborne. Upon Raleighs decision to write home and inform his family how he is coping with life on the front line, is where Sherriff brings in his next area of a tension filled play. It is impossible to predict what he will or would have written as it is not revealed until later on in the play, Sherriff leaves a number of avenues of thought open for his audience but gives no hint as which one to take. The only hint given as to which way to go, is when Sherriff takes the tension to another level, Raleigh enquires what he is to do about writing home, Stanhope informs him of what to do and then adds a new rule which was the fact that all letters were to be read by the companies commander in chief. Raleigh stutters and tells Stanhope that it no longer matters, he will not be writing home. Of course Raleighs refusal to write home, even though the letter was clutched in his fist, for everybody to see, sends Stanhope and Sherriffs audience down the road that he has written all the bad things he has seen in Stanhope since his arrival in the trench. That was the last straw for an already tipsy Stanhope, as he rises to his feet and screams at Raleigh to hand the letter over to him, even though Raleigh claimed there was nothing written in the letter about Stanhope. The letter is taken from Raleigh by Stanhope and given orders to leave the room, in the description given by Sherriff, the audience is left with no doubt that Raleigh is gravely disappointed with the man he once saw as his hero. When the letter is torn open by Stanhope, he breaks down and says he is unable to read the words that may have been spoken, so Osborne offers to read it to him. Both Stanhope and the tension are relieved when Osborne informs him, that there is nothing but his good side written about, how he is said to be the finest officer in the battalion, by far the hardest worker and how proud he is to be known as one of Stanhopes best friends. After the completion of the passage, the lowered heads can only point to one ting and that is pure and utter shame upon Stanhope and he begins to look at himself in a different light from that point onwards. The next feeling of real tension only involves Stanhope and the want away officer Hibbert. Hibbert claims to be suffering from an in diagnosable disease called Neuralgia. The play makes you think that Hibbert is making it up about him having contracted the disease, as he has spoken of his discontent of not being allowed sick leave. When Hibbert moans about his sickness to Stanhope, he dismisses it without thought and says it nothing. Hibbert thinks that he has a good chance of getting away from the war as one officer has been sent home with the same disease, but no matter how hard he pressed he was still told No. The subject of Hibbert and his disease is dropped and only returned to when the big attack is nearing its date. Stanhope and Hibbert are left alone and Hibbert re-opens the subject and begins to get into hysterics, and also begins to lose his temper with Stanhope. But the tension has yet to reach its peak and only does so when Stanhope shows him that he is willing to shoot him, but instead he gives him half a minute to decide whether to stay and fight, with his dignity in tact or desert and die and Hibbert becomes so angry ad frustrated that he lashes out at Stanhope and hits him across the face. Stanhope then threatens to have a Court Marshall put in place but does Hibbert a deal, he says if you stay and fight I will not bring in a Court Marshall, your half a second is up. What will it be? There is no need for the answer to be written in words for the play, the choice is made and Hibbert stays. The tension is only eased once Hibbert breaks down in Stanhopes arms. Although we have reached the highest level we reach in words of tension, Sherriff still manages to find more room in this play for, yet again more tension. This is of course, the raid of a German trench. Raleigh and Osborne lead the attack with ten other officers from their battalion. We come across a conversation between the Colonel and Stanhope, but the Colonel seems less than interested in the mens safety as he sees the raid as just a game. After the conversation is over, we have a real moment of huge pressure and of course the tension, this is the last few minutes before that big event in a persons life that they are really fired up and burning inside to do. Raleigh asks Osborne for the time and it is time to go. They stage directions say as they walk up and into the trenches, with the pale evening sun leaving just a silhouette of their bodies. There is no description of the raid, which is a very vital moment in the play, and is done to keep the audience on the edge of their seats and guessing as to what will happen next. Six men and Uncle died in the raid but this is only found out once the Colonel has remembered the regiments name and how many were in the raiding party. The tension ends instantly and with no hesitation the celebrations began. Celebrations fill the immediate aftermath, but without doubt the tension rises when Raleigh refuses to eat or drink any sort of substance. The reason for this is because Osborne has just died in the raid and he feels like nobody around him cares. Another factor in his decision is the fact that he is very inexperienced and young at heart, and nothing like this has ever happened before to him. Raleigh is order to leave by Stanhope, after and argument in which Stanhope without realising begins to shout at Raleigh for not enjoying himself, but Raleigh then begins to accuse Stanhope of not caring about the fact that one of his closest friends has just died, and he has not been happy with Raleigh being there from the very beginning, Stanhope struggles to find his breath and the order is blared at Raleigh with no hesitation, which cancels out the tension that was in the room. The big attack is upon the battalion and Hibbert once again is resenting the fact that he has to go up into the trench and fight. He has a very pale and unwell complexion at this point, but tries to remove the fact of the attack by drinking glasses of water. He is one of the last men to reach the trench front as the sound of shells get increasingly louder and closer, but during the talk between Stanhope and himself, he comes round to the idea and walks up the stairs into the trench for the last time with a petit smile upon his brightening face. The title Journeys end only leads to one conclusion, the end of lifes journey. The tension never really left the play, and we are always reminded of it through the fact that there is a war on during the whole play. There is only one set for the whole play and that is the dugout where all of the acts and scenes take place. The tension embedded itself into the play and never leaves the story, but it only bubbles to the surface every so often. It is an excellently written play, as Sherriff manages to stitch tension, pathos and also the odd bit of humour into the play without, it ever getting to complex to understand.

Using Compound Prepositions in Spanish Sample Sentences

Using Compound Prepositions in Spanish Sample Sentences As explained with our list of compound prepositions, it is common in Spanish for a phrase to function in much the same way as a simple preposition, showing the relationship between a noun (or a related type of word, such as a pronoun or an infinitive acting as a noun) and another part of a sentence. Here are some examples of these types of phrases in action; the prepositional phrases and their English translations (other translations are often possible) are in boldface:  ¿Matarà ­as a cambio de mucho dinero? Would you kill in exchange for a lot of money? El actor fallecià ³ a los 90 aà ±os a causa de una paro cardiaco. The actor died at 90 years of age because of a heart stoppage. Tenemos muchas cuestiones acerca de las tecnologà ­as nuevas. We have many questions about the new technologies. Los valores humanos y à ©ticos son sacrificados a fin de ganar votos. Human values and ethics are sacrificed in order to win votes. Esto no significa que antes de los noventas no existiera este formato de negocios. This doesnt mean that before the 90s this way of doing business didnt exist. A pesar de todo voy a dormirme con una inmensa sonrisa. Despite everything, Im going to fall asleep with a huge smile. Llega al mercado un teclado a prueba de agua. A waterproof keyboard arrives on the market. Un hombre de 50 aà ±os est a punto de ser desahuciado de su vivienda. A 50-year-old man is on the verge of being evicted from his dwelling. Cerca de mi casa aparecià ³ un buho. An owl showed up near my home. Arabia Saudita derribar aviones israelà ­pes con rumbo a Irn. Saudi Arabia will shoot down Israeli airplanes en route to Iran. Lesotho es el à ºnico paà ­s africano que est dentro de otro. Lesotho is the only African country that is inside of another. Infà ³rmate sobre la preparacià ³n en caso de desastres y emergencias. Get informed about preparation in case of disasters and emergencies. No pongas los pies encima de la mesa. Dont put your feet on top of the table. Hay muchas cosas que puedes hacer en vez de estudiar. There are many things you can do instead of studying. Creo que es la primera vez que alguien fuera de mi familia me ha dicho esto. I think it is the first time anyone outside of my family has told me this. El hotel est mal ubicado lejos de la playa en medio de nada. The hotel is poorly situated far from the beach in the middle of nothing.

Leadership & Communication in Health Care Service Organizations Essay

Leadership & Communication in Health Care Service Organizations - Essay Example Without communication, an organization will not be able to function well. Eventually, this will lead to underachievement of organizational goals considering that the success of an organization is highly influenced by the entire communication process involved. It is in line with this that this paper includes the discussion about leadership, motivation and communication in an organization. The proponent tries to apply the information in line with leadership functions and activities of managers and their influence on the successful performance particularly in health services organizations. Thus, some theories, concepts and terms related with leadership are included based on their association with a successful performance and goal attainment of the health care service organizations. Leadership There are many existing theories about leadership and these primarily include great man, trait, contingency, situational, behavioral, participative, management, and relationship (Cherry par. 1-8). All of these theories have important contribution in understanding the success of health care service organizations. ... Thus, they usually end up differentiating their services and product offerings. However, the implementation of this specific approach is not going to be easy. In fact, this highly involves specific leadership approach depending on the type of strategies at hand. Great man theories assume that leadership is innate and that every great leader is born not made and that they will rise above others if it is necessary, while trait theories state that leadership traits are innate among leaders (Cherry par. 1-2). These theories are believed to be very applicable in an organization before but today the fierce competition existing between health service organizations would require competent leaders based on experience and other relevant qualifications. Thus, it is in this reason that in order to have effective leadership activity, a certain health service organization must necessarily understand other modern leadership concepts. Today’s leadership activity requires basic understanding o f both external and internal business environment. Thus, the remaining leadership theories are making sense on how exactly organizations are performing when it comes to their ability to apply the leadership concept. Contingency theories of leadership state that leader’s response to leadership is affected by factors in the environment such as leadership style, followers and situational aspects (Cherry par. 3). Thus, there are some health service organizations today that try to give more emphasis on enhancing leadership style and character development of their staffs. Situational theories state that leaders choose the best course of action in situations that requires decision making (Cherry par.4).

Film Composition Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Film Composition - Essay Example It also brings a feeling of warmth, inspiration from the inner and outer lives of the people. â€Å"Little Miss Sunshine† focuses on lives of a family called the Hoovers. They are on a road trip to outlying California where their little daughter, Olive plans to participate in a contest named â€Å"Little Miss Sunshine Contest†. They face with numerous hurdles that compel them to cooperate. Their union in such times is of essence in their success. The main aim of examining this film is to bring forth other insights besides the comedy. This is through inspection of the themes present in the movie. Generally, they are the two aspects that make this movie exceptional. Thematic concerns The film creates insights into the lives of the cast. There are compelling issues in their lives that are worth attention and concern. The themes of winning and losing come out as the major issues in the lives of the characters. Richard Hoover, the father to Olive and the most prominent in th is movie is fanatical to his plan to success. He labels the plan â€Å"Nine Steps to success†. He believes that it is going to guarantee success in any way provided strict adherence to it be maintained. Consequently, the notion that achievement of success at all cost lingers in his mind. He questions the desires of others to achieve success. This shows up by expression of judgment towards Frank after he attempted suicide. Richard has considerable information on what winners do and do not do. For instance, he believes that any feeling of self-doubt or fear is associated with a loser. He also acknowledges that giving up on oneself (as Frank had done) is detrimental and against the core principles of winners. He dismisses luck as a contributing factor towards being a winner. He sees it as a tool used by losers to justify their shortcomings. Richard stresses that one has to want to win and all will be okay. This is evidenced by the talk with his daughter where she expresses her d esire to win. He goes ahead to assure her daughter of victory in the dancing competition. According to (Dickmeyer, 22), it is not the mere impression of what success is but the energy put towards success. The other family members have differentiated views on winning. They particularly do not like the way Richard handles the talk with his seven-year-old daughter. They believe that Richard is more into beliefs than the hard reality. Beliefs relating to success cannot solely guarantee one to be a winner. (Dickmeyer, 18) They concede that success is not as simple as the way Richard views it. They believe that the infliction of those â€Å"mere winner beliefs† and attitude can result to severe frustration and downheartedness for their daughter if all is not well in the competition. Family efforts help Olive to deal with her failure to win the contest. Upon realization that life is full of unpredictable situations, she becomes equipped to deal with frustrations and failures. The fa mily contribution serves, largely, in helping the young girl to deal with the situation. By taking to the stage at the end of the show, family cohesion is on display. They ultimately show that they have triumphed even when the situation does not exactly mean the same. The component of losing at the initial stages and then winning in the long last arises from Dwayne. Dwayne is Richards’s son. Richard expresses pleasure with his son for his unshaken focus on gaining entry to a flight school and become a pilot. According to Richard, Dwayne fulfills some

Clean Edge Razor Splitting Hairs in Product Positioning Essay Example for Free

Clean Edge Razor Splitting Hairs in Product Positioning Essay Paramount’s newest non-disposable razor, Clean Edge, has brought a new hope for the company whose other products are either on the mature stage of product life cycle or on the declining stage. Clean Edge’s improved design provides superior performance and hence the top management is extremely excited. They need to come up with a marketing strategy including product positioning, brand name marketing budget allocation for the upcoming launch. Another area of concern is how to deal with the cannibalization effect on the other range of non-disposable razors sold by Paramount. It is very important to come up with a suitable strategy to make the product successful in the market. Through a proper economic analysis considering the razor market and the facts available, we have come up with a conclusion that Paramount should position Clean Edge in the Niche Segment. Statement of the Problems Paramount needs to come up with a marketing strategy to effectively position its new line of technologically advanced non-disposable razors. Over the last five year years the industry has seen major advancements in the male grooming industry with the entry of new formidable players turning on the heat for the existing market leaders. Some of the major highlights include * Male specific grooming products seem to have outpaced the growth in women’s beauty market and have become more mainstream * In the male grooming product category, the replacement cycle of razors and cartridges have shortened * Advertising expenditures in the category have been rising faster than retail market sales * The demand has had a cumulative effect on technology as newer advanced products have hit the market resulting in approximately 5% growth per year from 2007 to 2010 * Super-premium segment has experienced significant growth with numerous product innovations By 2009, Paramount had already established itself as a global consumer products giant having expertise in Health, Cleaning, Beauty and Grooming. This helped the company to quickly position itself as a trusted brand in the non-disposable razor market. Capitalising on its reputation it offered its products By 2009, the replacement cycle of non-disposable razor cartridges had shortened due to consumers trying out new products. The challenge with Paramount was that two of its mainstream products – Paramount Pro and Paramount Avail had not introduced any significant technology innovations since 2005. However, its competitors, especially Radiance is on the verge of launching Naiv razor which promises a better shaving experience.

A Proposal to Reverse Obesity Rates :: Obesity in America

Obesity is a rising problem in the United States. With obesity rates on the rise something must be done to prevent this massive issue. There are ways to help including educating at young ages, improving nutrition facts at restaurants, and providing more space for citizens to get physically active. Studies have linked obesity to many things from ear infections, to pollution, to air-conditioning, to socializing with obese people. The reason Americans are obese is because of the increasing luxury available to them. Obesity is a rising problem in the United States, and with all the privileges given to its citizens, the country has become increasingly lazy. With portion sizes rising and physical activity decreasing, it is easy to see how obesity rates have skyrocketed. Obesity is a huge problem that needs to be resolved because it affects all people, unlike most issues. People of every gender, every age, and every race are at risk of being obese. Obesity rates in America have nearly doubled within the last twenty years. Something must be done not only to prevent obesity rates continuous rising, but also to dramatically increase the percentage of obese people in America altogether. The best way to begin a revolution in health in America is to start with the youth. The United States has the largest percentile of overweight children in the world. Approximately one-quarter of all four to five year olds and one-third of ten to eleven year olds are considered overweight. The obese children will more than likely become overweight parents. A child with an obese parent is ten percent more likely to raise obese children and thus the cycle continues (McBride, 2010). The more years that go on the higher the obesity rate climbs because the children are eating more and more and becoming less and less active. Many would argue that children should not focus on their weight because children should lead a youth with little worries, yet obesity affects a child much more than people with that argument think. Being overweight can cause increased risks for several serious diseases and even can result in decreased mental health on account of low self-esteem and social discrimination. Children who are overweight also are at least twice as likely to have heart disease, diabetes, and orthopedic problems (Internicola, 2009). Sadly, children are being pressured into unhealthy lifestyles even more so than adults are.

BCOM 275 Article Rebuttal Essay

Smoking bans, specifically in public places, has been a topic of debate for several years now. This debate has been originated primarily from medical or health-related origins. Many have felt strongly against the ban of smoking in public places. Although, almost an equal amount of people support the smoking ban. This paper will acknowledge the pros to proceeding with the smoking ban to rebuttal the argument presented in the article titled, â€Å"The case against smoking bans† by Thomas A. Lambert and analyze the reliability, credibility, and validity of the data used to support his argument. According to Lambert (2012), â€Å"Government-imposed smoking bans are unwise†. â€Å"Risk based argument are insufficient because the slight risks associated with ETS cannot justify the substantial privacy intrusion occasioned by sweeping smoking bans† (p 34). The author’s support against the smoking ban is based on the fact that the statements regarding the need for the ban due to the increase of health care costs for the smoker and those effected by the second-hand smoke. Lambert supports his argument based on the findings of a comprehensive study in the New England Journal of Medicine in 1997. The study states, â€Å"†¦smoking probably has the effect of reducing overall healthcare costs because smokers die earlier than nonsmokers. The study’s authors concluded that in a population in which no one smoked, health care costs would be 7 percent higher among men and 4 percent higher among women than the costs in the current mixed population of smokers and nonsmokers† (Government-imposed smoking bans are unwise, 2012, p 36). Although, this data is credible based on its source, this information cannot wholly be deemed valid based on no stated facts to compare healthcare costs of the nonsmokers. â€Å"Logical fallacie s are errors in reasoning† (Cheesebro, T.,  O’Connor, L., & Rios, F., 2010). There are four types of common logical fallacies, which are: faulty causation, hasty generalization, either/or thinking, slippery slope and faulty comparison. The justification based on the other data is an example of a hasty generalization and faulty comparison. A hasty generalization occurs when â€Å"†¦a few examples are selected to represent the whole of the conclusion† (Cheesebro, T., O’Connor, L., & Rios, F., 2010). By committing to these generalizations, your conclusions may be incorrect because you are only acknowledging the data that will solely support your argument. The author’s argument is also a faulty comparison because he treats the unique situations the same. He strongly believes that there is no significant difference in the costs of health care in comparison to those who do not smoke. But the author fails to mention the health effects of second hand smoke and why it should be banned in public places In contrast, smoking bans in public places should be implemented because there are many studies that reveal that there is a real problem regarding exposure to second hand smoke. According to the CDC (2012), â€Å"Since 1964, 2.5 million nonsmokers have died from exposure to secondhand smoke†. That statement alone, which is evidence based, is a valid argument why smoking in public places should be banned. Non-smokers should not have to be victims caused by careless smokers who are more interested in feeding their addiction and pleasures. It is intrusion of someone’s privacy if they do not want to be exposed to secondhand smoke. Public places refers to as restaurants, parks, multiunit housing and casinos etc. For children, secondhand smoke exposure can contribute to respiratory and ear infections and higher risk of sudden infant death syndrome. For adults, it can cause lung cancer and cardiovascular diseases. With that being said, if we choose not to smoke due to the health effects and increased risk of death, why should we forced to go down with the smokers? We have a choice and it should be respected. If these health conditions can be caused by secondhand smoke alone, consider what effects smoking has on a smoker’s body. As mentioned earlier, those who do smoke die earlier. So how can the statement regarding no difference in health care costs between a smoker and non-smoker be valid? In conclusion, due to the evidence-based bad health effects of secondhand smoke, smoking in public places should be banned. There is no justification for someone who chooses to live a healthy lifestyle in order to live longer,  to have a smoker determine how long they should live or what quality of life they should have. References Cheesebro, T., O’Connor, L., & Rios, F. (2010). Communicating in the workplace. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. Lambert, T. A. (2007). The case against smoking bans. Regulation, 29(4), 34-40. Retrieved on March 7, 2014 from, http://search.proquest.com/docview/210517192?accountid=458 Smoking and Tobacco. (2012). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved on March 6, 2014 from, http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/fact_sheets/secondhand_smoke/healt h_effects/index.htm

Explain Erich Fromm’s twofold meaning of human freedom Essay

Erich Fromm is a German psychologist explored human freedom. He wrote about the two folds of human freedom, which are, the freedom â€Å"from† traditional authorities such as the state and (2) the freedom â€Å"for† actualizing one’s individual destiny. In his work about the Freedom in History, Fromm argues that the people came to understand the real meaning of freedom in the 20th century. They thus fight to defend it. This is because it brings a lot of joy to the people, therefore prompting them to devise ways of maintaining it. Through his work, he tries to explain the main cause leading to the fall of the previous social order. In addition, it has led to the rise of a new generation of independent beings who are fighting for direct high-quality future. This development makes them to have a feeling of not just fulfilling their socioeconomic role in the society, but also contemplating their future Secondly, Fromm tries to explain the way the people are Escaping freedom through his suggestions that people are successively attempting to lessen negative effects although expanded thoughts and behaviors provide them with security. He explains three forms of escaping freedom whereby he suggests that the dictatorial personality contains a sad and masochist element which gains control over the other people. Such control imposes order in the world. The ambiguity of human freedom is especially evident when making important life choices, for example, who we want to be and how we want to live our lives. Fromm holds that although people in advanced societies have been freed from the bonds of preindividualistic society, which gave them both security and limitations, they have not gained freedom in the positive sense of realizing their individual selves. That is, they have not found an outlet for the optimal expression of their intellectual, emotional, and social potential. We have freedom to direct our lives—from the details of daily life to the more crucial choices such as our careers. Karen Grover Duffy and Eastwood Atwater (2008). Psychology For Living: Adjustment, Growth, and Behavior Today (9 ed. ). Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson/Prentice Hall.

Why Crocodiles Havent Changed Much in 200 Million Years

Why Crocodiles Haven't Changed Much in 200 Million Years Of all the reptiles alive today, crocodiles may be the least changed from their prehistoric forebears of the late Cretaceous period, over 65 million years ago- although the even earlier crocodiles of the Triassic and Jurassic periods sported some distinctly un-crocodile-like features, such as bipedal postures and vegetarian diets. Along with pterosaurs and dinosaurs, crocodiles were an offshoot of the archosaurs, the ruling lizards of the early to middle Triassic period; needless to say, the earliest dinosaurs and the earliest crocodiles resembled one another a lot more than either resembled the first pterosaurs, which also evolved from archosaurs. What distinguished the first crocodiles from the first dinosaurs was the shape and musculature of their jaws, which tended to be much more deadly, as well as their relatively splayed limbs- as opposed to the straight, locked in legs of theropod dinosaurs. It was only well into the Mesozoic Era that crocodiles evolved the three main traits with which theyre associated today: stubby legs, sleek, armored  bodies, and marine lifestyles. First Crocodiles of the Triassic Period Before the first true crocodiles emerged on the prehistoric scene, there were the phytosaurs (plant lizards): archosaurs that looked very much like crocodiles, except that their nostrils were positioned on the tops of their heads rather than the tips of their snouts. You might guess from their name that phytosaurs were vegetarians, but in fact, these reptiles subsisted on fish and marine organisms in freshwater lakes and rivers worldwide. Among the most noteworthy phytosaurs were Rutiodon and Mystriosuchus. Oddly enough, except for the characteristic  location of their nostrils, phytosaurs looked more like modern crocodiles than the first true crocodiles did. The earliest crocodiles were small, terrestrial, two-legged sprinters, and some of them were even vegetarians (presumably because their dinosaur cousins were better adapted to hunting for live prey). Erpetosuchus and Doswellia are two leading candidates for the honorific of first crocodile, though the exact evolutionary relationships of these early archosaurs are still uncertain. Another likely choice is the reclassified Xilousuchus, from early Triassic Asia, a sailed archosaur with some distinct crocodilian characteristics. Whatever the case, its important to understand just how confusing the facts on the ground were during the middle to late Triassic period. The portion of the supercontinent Pangea corresponding to modern-day South America was crawling with dinosaur-like crocodiles, crocodile-like dinosaurs, and (presumably) early pterosaurs that looked like both crocodiles and dinosaurs. It wasnt until the start of the Jurassic period  that dinosaurs began to evolve along a distinctive path from their crocodile cousins and slowly established their worldwide dominance. If you went back in time 220 million years ago and were swallowed whole, you probably couldnt tag your nemesis as a crocodile or a dinosaur. Crocodiles of the Mesozoic and Cenozoic Eras By the start of the Jurassic period (about 200 million years ago), crocodiles had mostly abandoned their terrestrial lifestyles, probably as a response to the terrestrial dominance achieved by dinosaurs. This is when we begin to see the marine adaptations that characterize modern crocodiles and alligators: long bodies, splayed limbs, and narrow, flat, tooth-studded snouts with powerful jaws (a necessary innovation, since crocodiles feasted on dinosaurs and other animals that ventured too close to the water). There was still room for innovation, though. For example, paleontologists believe that Stomatosuchus subsisted on plankton and krill, like a modern gray whale. About 100 million years ago, toward the middle of the Cretaceous period, some South American crocodiles had begun to imitate their dinosaur cousins by evolving to enormous sizes. The king of the Cretaceous crocodiles was the enormous Sarcosuchus, dubbed SuperCroc by the media, which measured about 40 feet long from head to tail and weighed in the neighborhood of 10 tons. And lets not forget the slightly smaller Deinosuchus, the deino in its name connoting the same concept as the dino in dinosaurs: terrible or fearsome. These giant crocodiles probably subsisted on equally giant snakes and turtles- the South American ecosystem, on the whole, bearing an uncanny resemblance to Skull Island from the film, King Kong. One way in which prehistoric crocodiles were indeed more impressive than their terrestrial relatives was their ability, as a group, to survive the K-T extinction event that wiped the dinosaurs off the face of the earth 65 million years ago. Why this is so, remains a mystery, though it may be an important clue that no plus-sized crocodiles survived the meteor impact. Todays crocodiles are little changed from their prehistoric ancestors, a telling clue that these reptiles were, and remain, extremely well adapted to their environment.

Soviets Change the Calendar

Soviets Change the Calendar When the Soviets took over Russia during the October Revolution of 1917, their goal was to drastically change society. One way they attempted to do this was by changing the calendar. In 1929, they created the Soviet Eternal Calendar, which changed the structure of the week, month, and the year. Learn more about the history of the calendar and how the Soviets changed it. History of the Calendar For thousands of years, people have been working to create an accurate calendar. One of the first types of calendars was based on lunar months. However, while lunar months were easy to calculate because the moons phases were clearly visible to all, they have no correlation with the solar year. This posed a problem for both hunters and gatherers - and even more so for farmers - who needed an accurate way to predict seasons. Ancient Egyptians, although not necessarily known for their skills in mathematics, were the first to calculate a solar year. Perhaps they were the first because of their dependence on the natural rhythm of the Nile, whose rising and flooding was closely tied to seasons. As early as 4241 BCE, the Egyptians had created a calendar made up of 12 months of 30 days, plus five extra days at the end of the year. This 365-day calendar was amazingly accurate for a people who still did not know the Earth revolved around the sun. Of course, since the actual solar year is 365.2424 days long, this ancient Egyptian calendar was not perfect. Over time, seasons would gradually shift through all twelve months, making it through the entire year in 1,460 years. Caesar Makes Reforms In 46 BCE, Julius Caesar, aided by Alexandrian astronomer Sosigenes, revamped the calendar. In what is now known as the Julian calendar, Caesar created a yearly calendar of 365 days, divided into 12 months. Realizing that a solar year was closer to 365 1/4 days rather than just 365, Caesar added one extra day to the calendar every four years. Although the Julian calendar was much more accurate than the Egyptian calendar, it was longer than the actual solar year by 11 minutes and 14 seconds. That may not seem like much, but over several centuries, the miscalculation became noticeable. Catholic Change to the Calendar In 1582 CE, Pope Gregory XIII ordered a small reform to the Julian calendar. He established that every centennial year (such as 1800, 1900, etc.) would not be a leap year (like it otherwise would have been in the Julian calendar), except if the centennial year could be divided by 400. (This is why the year 2000 was a leap year.) Included in the new calendar was a one-time readjustment of the date. Pope Gregory XIII ordered that in 1582, October 4 would be followed by October 15 to fix the missing time created by the Julian calendar. However, since this new calendar reform was created by a Catholic pope, not every country jumped to make the change. While England and the American colonies finally switched over to what became known as the Gregorian calendar in 1752, Japan didnt accept it until 1873, Egypt until 1875, and China in 1912. Lenins Changes Although there had been discussion and petitions in Russia to switch to the new calendar, the tsar never approved its adoption.  After the Soviets successfully took over Russia in 1917, V.I. Lenin agreed that the Soviet Union should join the rest of the world in using the Gregorian calendar. In addition, to fix the date, the Soviets ordered that February 1, 1918 would actually become February 14, 1918. (This change of date still causes some confusion; for example, the Soviet takeover of Russia, known as the October Revolution, took place in November in the new calendar.) The Soviet Eternal Calendar This was not the last time the Soviets were to change their calendar. Analyzing every aspect of society, the Soviets looked closely at the calendar. Although each day is based on daylight and nighttime, each month could be correlated to the lunar cycle, and each year is based on the time the Earth takes to circumnavigate the sun, the idea of a week was a purely arbitrary amount of time. The seven-day week has a long history, which the Soviets identified with religion since the Bible states that God worked for six days and then took the seventh day to rest. In 1929, the Soviets created a new calendar, known as the Soviet Eternal Calendar. Although keeping the 365-day year, the Soviets created a five-day week, with every six weeks equaling a month. To account for the missing five days (or six in a leap year), there were five (or six) holidays placed throughout the year.   A Five-Day Week The five-day week consisted of four days of work and one day off. However, the day off was not the same for everyone. Intending to keep factories running continuously, workers would take staggered days off. Each individual was assigned a color (yellow, pink, red, purple, or green), which corresponded with which of the five days of the week they would take off. Unfortunately, this did not increase productivity. In part because it ruined family life since many family members would have different days off from work. Also, the machines could not handle constant use and would often break down. It Didnt Work In December 1931, the Soviets switched to a six-day week in which everyone received the same day off. Although this helped rid the country of the religious Sunday concept and allowed families to spend time together on their day off, it did not increase efficiency. In 1940, the Soviets restored the seven-day week.

Managing time as an adult learner Research Paper

Managing time as an adult learner - Research Paper Example Adult learners are nowhere placed as target audience/reader/listener. Research journals on time management are also found to target mainly the managers. In this paper I attempt to identify the area observable for research on time management among adult learning community. Understanding the adult learning methods in vogue becomes mandatory to evolve feasible time managing techniques for adult learners. Review of literature throws light on the basic qualities of adult learners. Time management knacks are not new to them. However, inability to adhere to the techniques of time management by adult learners is found to have been caused not merely by their situational factors but also by the training modalities. Further researches are extensively required especially by the psychologists and teaching community in this regard. Literature on time management and literature on adult learning focus their targets in two different but parallel trajectories. While academic journals on time managemen t are very less in number, literature on adult learning too is meagre. (Dorothy MacKeracher, 2004) The efforts being carried out by NIACE (National Institute of Adult Continuing Education) is note worthy. However, the institute focuses its attention purely on developing Adult Education on macro level to sustain the growth and overall development of Great Britain. Adult learners, unlike youngsters who have specific goals, always have specific and ready-to-fire goals that are tangible such as qualification for current job/up skilling for promotion/ career change .1. To locate the research-deserving area with regard to time management by adult learners, the following research questions are framed: a)While time management is a universally acceptable tool for success, is it specifically adaptable to adult learning community as a whole? b)What are the causes that restrain adult learning community from adhering to time managing techniques? Understanding the course of time management as wel l as that of adult learning becomes prerequisite. Time management nuances are contained in broad classification of focussing, planning, organising, acting and learning (Dodd and Sundheim, 2008). Adult learning, as formulated by androgogy specialists is classified in to the following steps namely planning, applying and understanding(Trivette C.M et al, 2009). 1)While time management is a universally acceptable tool for success, is it specifically adaptable to adult learning community as a whole? 1.1 Interactive training: Adult learning theorists have much focussed on the teaching community enabling them to give out fruitful training to adult learners. Most of the literatures on adult learning are in the type of a trainers training module. Review of those literatures reveals that nuances of time management for adult learners are embedded here and there. By selecting a training session designed interactively, which contains application opportunities, a learner can actively take part in the learning process. Through interactive application methods one can score more learning outcomes. In contrast, content oriented sessions that render didactic sermons consume quite a long time to bring to achieve learning objectives. (Foley, 2004, p.91) 1.2 Devising ones own learning objective: Having clear cut and tangible goals in hand they (the goals) can