Wednesday, December 25, 2019
Heather Ale by Robert Louis Stevenson
The poem Heather Ale by Robert Louis Stevenson is a ballad about the legendary Pict precursors to modern era Scots. In mythology, they may also be identified with pech, who were pixie-like creatures. They brewed heather ale and battled the Scots. Certainly, it would be convenient to be able to turn the abundant heather into an alcoholic beverage. Among the curiosities of human nature, this legend claims a high place. The historical Picts were a confederation of tribes in eastern and northern Scotland in the late Iron Age through the early medieval periods. The Picts were never exterminated. Today, they form a large proportion of the folk of Scotland: occupying the eastern and the central parts, from the Firth of Forth, or perhaps the Lammermoors, upon the south, to the Ord of Caithness on the north. Archaeological studies dont find the Picts to be much shorter than current-day Scots.  It may be a case of the victors writing the history. The last nominal king of Picts reigned in the early 900s AD. In fiction and motion pictures they are often depicted as tattooed, blue-painted woodland warriors. Did the elements of this legend stem from some ancestors who were small of stature, black of hue, dwelling underground and possibly also the distillers of some forgotten spirit? See Joseph Campbell’s Tales of the West Highlands. Heather Ale: A Galloway LegendRobert Louis Stevenson (1890) From the bonny bells of heather   They brewed a drink long-syne,Was sweeter far than honey,   Was stronger far than wine.They brewed it and they drank it,   And lay in a blessed swoundFor days and days together   In their dwellings underground.There rose a king in Scotland,   A fell man to his foes,He smote the Picts in battle,   He hunted them like roes.Over miles of the red mountain   He hunted as they fled,And strewed the dwarfish bodies   Of the dying and the dead.Summer came in the country,   Red was the heather bell;But the manner of the brewing   Was none alive to tell.In graves that were like children’s   On many a mountain head,The Brewsters of the Heather   Lay numbered with the dead.The king in the red moorland   Rode on a summer’s day;And the bees hummed, and the curlews   Cried beside the way.The king rode, and was angry,   Black was his brow and pale,To rule in a land of heather   And lack the Heather Ale.It fortuned that his vassals,   Riding free on the heath,Came on a stone that was fallen   And vermin hid beneath.br/>Rudely plucked from their hiding,   Never a word they spoke:A son and his aged fatherâ€â€Ã‚   Last of the dwarfish folk.The king sat high on his charger,   He looked on the little men;And the dwarfish and swarthy couple   Looked at the king again.Down by the shore he had them;   And there on the giddy brinkâ€â€Ã¢â‚¬Å"I will give you life, ye vermin,   For the secret of the drink.†There stood the son and father   And they looked high and low;The heather was red around them,   The sea rumbled below.And up and spoke the father,   Shrill was his voice to hear:â€Å"I have a word in private,   A word for the royal ear.â€Å"Life is dear to the aged,   And honour a little thing;I would gladly sell the secret,†   Quoth the Pict to the King.His voice was small as a sparrow’s,   And shrill and wonderful clear:â€Å"I would gladly sell my secret,   Only my son I fear.â€Å"For life is a little matter,   And death is nought to the young;And I dare not sell my honour   Under the eye of my son.Take him, O king, and bind him,   And cast him far in the deep;And it’s I will tell the secret   That I have sworn to keep.†They took the son and bound him,   Neck and heels in a thong,And a lad took him and swung him,   And flung him far and strong,And the sea swallowed his body,   Like that of a child of ten;â€â€And there on the cliff stood the father,   Last of the dwarfish men.br/>â€Å"True was the word I told you:   Only my son I feared;For I doubt the sapling courage   That goes without the bea rd.But now in vain is the torture,   Fire shall never avail:Here dies in my bosom   The secret of Heather Ale.â€
Tuesday, December 17, 2019
The Vengeful Heart That Ignites The Hysteria Of The Salem...
Alexa Graham AP English/5thPeriod Mrs. Garner December 17, 2014 The Vengeful Heart That Ignites the Hysteria of the Salem Witch Trials The ability to live one’s life to the fullest is a God-given right that no one should have to suppress. In the rigid structure of Puritan settlements, there was minimal room to explore life, especially if you were a young Puritan woman. Women were required to sit silently and obey their husbands, take care of the children and the house, and attend church like good Christian wives. However, as in all human beings, these women had temptations and sinful natures. In The Crucible, Arthur Miller illustrates the relationship between Abigail Williams and John Proctor to portray the themes of pride and lust, and the part they played during the Salem Witch Trials. John Proctor struggles against his lethal attraction to Abigail, fighting with his own moral qualities. When Proctor and Abigail are alone in Betty’s room in Act 1, he reveals that he is still attracted to her rebellious nature when he smiles at her mischief. â€Å"Ah, you’re wicked yet, aren’t y’!†(Miller 23). However, as she advances towards him temptingly, thinking he still feels the same as her, he remembers himself and tries to back track, feeling sympathy for her, but knowing it is the right thing to do. â€Å"Child-††¦ â€Å"But I will cut off my hand before I reach for you again†(Miller 23). Proctor’s desire for Abigail centered on the fact that she was so willing to disregard the Puritan
Monday, December 9, 2019
The strange situation free essay sample
The research was looking at investigating the differences shown in attachments between infants and their primary caregivers (parents/ guardians etc. ). How was the experiment carried out? Who was involved? The experiment involved using a toddler, the childs guardian and a stranger to see the childs reaction to the different situations using the following stages: Results from experiment: Three different attachment styles were discovered by Ainsworth: secure, insecure, voidant and insecure ambivalent. The attachment style that the child developed was dependant on how the child and mother interacted in the early stages of the childs life: Conclusion: It was concluded from these results that the classification of the child depends on the treatment trom the guardian/ parent: Secure attachment: It is likely that it t child has secure attachment the primary care was responsive and sensitive to the childs needs. Insecure ambivalent attachment: If the child has insecure ambivalent ttachment the guardian/ parent was most probably inconsistent in attending to the childs needs; sometimes the child was attended to and sometimes ignored. We will write a custom essay sample on The strange situation or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Avoidant attachment: A child with avoidant attachment behaviour would usually be a product of unresponsive care so the child becomes wise to the fact that communication is futile as there will be no response to meet their needs. Evaluation: Mary Ainsworths strange situation classification was deemed to have good reliability, becoming the accepted worldwide methodology for measuring attachment; and roved to have good consistency when a study in Germany showed that 78% of the children tested aged 1 years then again at 6 years were placed under the same classification. However, the classification has been questioned about the fact that the classification only identifies the attachment to the mother, whereas the child may have different type of attachment with father, grandmother etc. This is criticised as it is only measuring a specific attachment to the Mother, rather than a general attachment style. The study has also been thought to be unethical, breaking the ethical guideline protection of participants, as the study can be distressing for the child considering that the child experiences separation from mother as well as stranger anxiety. In addition, the study has been thought to have low ecological validity as the child is in an unusual situation and an artificial environment. Seeing as the procedure of the mother and stranger in a scripted situation, this may somehow change the outcome of the childs behaviour.
Sunday, December 1, 2019
Case Study Air Asia Essay Example
Case Study: Air Asia Essay Problem Statement AirAsias attempts to expend its service offering into long-haul flights and gaining additional recognition and market share is consistent with owner Tony Fernades company goal; however, the strategy changes required to be a successful long-haul airline significantly differ from and conflict with its current resource base (i. e. aircraft types, hubs, employee skills) and core competencies and capabilities (i. e. cost and efficiency optimization/utilization) as a low-cost carrier (LCC) airline. Analysis The airline industry as a whole is quite competitive with multiple players and arious elements effecting the industry environment. AirAsia has developed a specific set of resources and core competencies that it has exploited in order to become the leading short-haul LCC in South East Asia. AirAsias strategy employs cost and efficiency optimization by utilizing its key resources; thus, possessing capabilities necessary for success. AirAsias tangible resources, including its fleet and hubs, enhance the companys low cost capabilities. Due to AirAsias selectivity in the type/model of aircrafts it purchases, both cost and efficiency can be capitalized. By limiting the variability in ircrafts, AirAsia is able to obtain economies in purchasing, its pool for spare parts is narrowed, thus reducing costs; mechanics and pilots specialized knowledge of the planes increases allowing for greater efficiency and reduced cost in maintenance, repairs, and flying. Although this strategy is ideal for AirAsia as a short-haul LLC, it is not transferrable to long-haul flights. We will write a custom essay sample on Case Study: Air Asia specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Case Study: Air Asia specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Case Study: Air Asia specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer By expanding into the long-haul market, AirAsia is required to increase its resource base adding newer, larger aircraft models in turn requiring expansion of spare parts, loss of purchasing economies (until sufficient rowth has been achieved), additional training and loss of specific specialized knowledge possessed by pilots and mechanics resulting in increased costs and reduced efficiencies. AirAsias expansion and growth has resulted in adding hubs in densely populated South East Aisan cities. However, as a cost savings measure AirAsia utilizes secondary airports resulting in a competitive advantage. This strategy is transferrable to long-haul flights; however, it is reasonable to presume (based on AirAisas proposed expansion plan on page 628) AirAisas long-haul flights will be equired to fly into larger international airports and lease terminals in order to accommodate customers needs, thus increasing costs. Additionally, further risk revolves around the fact that expansion into long-haul flights would result in a significant increase in competition with reputable and established global airlines. Furthermore, such expansion places AirAsia in direct competition with government backed Malaysian Airlines (pg. 27). Although the idea of expansion into long-haul international flights is appealing, the risks involved with intense industry competition s well as the unsustainable low cost strategies should be a deterrent to AirAsias long-haul expansion. Additional conflicts exist between LCC strategies and long-haul success factors. AirAisa has thrived as an LLC based on the reduction of extrenious costs, thus an elimination of frills or amenities. The no frills strategy is very sustainable for short-haul flights (under 3. 5 hours) because customers needs are service to the mix flyers leave very satisfied. However, on longer flights, lack of frills, amenities and comforts may result in flyers negative perception of the airline. Although a flyer may initially believe a low cost, long flight with no amenities is palatable, it is likely the flyer will end up dissatisfied with lack of options while in the air; again a low cost strategy that is unlikely to remain sustainable in the long-haul market. With AirAsias implementation of point-to-point flights, streamlined and simple operations, as well as its unprecedented turnaround time, in the regional market, aircraft utilization is at a high while costs remain low. However, AirAsia will not be able to utilize its point-to-point cost reduction and aircraft utilization strategy. Long-haul flights will require more time in the sky with flyer layovers and a less streamlined flight schedule. Short regional flights allow AirAsia to serve a greater number of flyers over a shorter period of time at a lesser cost (example: 2 or 3 short- haul flights in the time it takes a single long flight). Lastly, due to the highly competitive nature and over saturation of international airlines, AirAsia may not realize the same aircraft utilization in long-haul flights as it does with short flights. Regionally, South East Asia is densely populated with a large market segment onsisting of budget leisure and business travelers that had been under served prior to AirAsia (pg. 628). By implementing low cost strategies, AirAsia was able to capture and capitalize on the underutilized segment. Unfortunately, due to industry saturation in international long haul flights, AirAsia would have to fght to obtain a strong customer base from established airlines by providing actual or perceived value while trying to maintain cost and utilization optimization. Another issue AirAsia may face should it overly focus on airline expansion is the fact that barriers to entry n South East Asia are relatively low. The main barrier to entry is the capital investment required to acquire aircrafts. South East Asia has experienced government deregulation of airlines which aided AirAsias growth and may attract new entrants. Additionally, the LCC airline model is easily replicable; several reputable regional LCC airlines exist (i. e. , the USs Southwest and Europes Ryanair) in which AirAisa adopted and adapted strategies for its growth and success. Due to the ease of strategy replication, new entrants may emerge in the South East Asian short- haul market. Should new LCC airlines being to emerge in this region, AirAisa may experience a reduction in market share (reduced number of passengers) and fierce price competition where AirAisa cuts ticket prices resulting in reduced profit margin. Therefore, company growth based solely on expansion as a LLC airline may not be sustainable. Alternatives Due to AirAsias significant growth and excellent reputation as a result of branding strategies, several alternatives are available for AirAsia to consider. ) With Tony Fernandes experience in purchasing and revamping struggling airlines and the stablished capabilities the company possesses, AirAsia could expand itself by acquiring struggling regional airlines and restructuring them to meet the AirAsia standard of customer service, low costs, and high utilization. 2) Because of its location and access to smaller planes as well as its ability to work well with other companies, AirAsia could Joint venture with an international airline, such as Delta. This Joint venture could be along the lines of providing flights into and out of smaller AirAsia additional branding opportunities through allignment with such a prominent airline. It could also provide AirAsia with an additional customer base that it did not previously have. 3) AirAsias low costs and high aircraft utilization capabilities make it a good option for air cargo shipping. With its growth, AirAsia could expand its resources and enter into the air shipping market where it would likely turn a profit by exploiting its strong capabilities. ) AirAsia current provides inexpensive flights based on a no frills scheme. Should this scheme not interest flyers due to their need and expectation for amenities, AirAisa could consider partnering with large product ompanies such as Coke, Nestle, or Sony to provide food, beverage, or entertainment amenities to passengers. By partnering with large companies, AirAsia could use its planes as advertisements and the company could in turn provid e some of its products to AirAsia at a reduced cost. Recommendation Based on the analysis of AirAsias resources and capabilities with respect to its environment, I recommend the following: 1) AirAisa should discontinue further expansion into long-haul flights due to nontransferable resources and unsustainable low cost and high utilization capabilities. ) AirAsia should further exploit the dense population of budget travelers in South East Asia by expanding its low cost and high utilization capabilities into hotels, shuttles, rental cars, and excursion activities. Since the market AirAsia is catering to is mainly budget leisure travelers; it would be in AirAsias best interest to expand on its offering of services. Because customers perceive additional value in the whole package, hotels, shuttles rental cars and excursions are all compliments to flying. By expanding offerings while implementing ts capabilities and incorporating resources such as its technology system for booking trips and utilizing its partnerships, AirAsia is able to attract more flyers, travelers, and gain additional brand recognition. Based on this, for the next 5 years AirAsia should invest 5% of its yearly profits in service expansion by investing in budget, no frills hotels, rental cars/shuttles, and working deals with partners to provide local activity offerings (in 2012 AirAsias net profit was $562 US million. Should net profit stay the same, 5% over the course of 5 years would total $140. US million). 3) Also, as South East Asia becomes more developed and prosperous AirAsia should focus on providing additional value to business travelers and those budget travelers who desire a few extra accommodations. In order to grow and meet the demands of the customers, AirAsia should invest in some fleet upgrades to provide additional customer value. Over the next 10 years the company should invest 10% of its yearly profits (approx. $56 US million per year) in adding premium sections to the planes with seats at the front of the craft, providing USB ports in the arm rests, as well as roviding internet services; seat size and leg room will remain the same in order to accommodate the same number of passengers per flight. The cost of a premium seat will be only slightly higher for those individuals who choose to purchase the upgrade. Unlike long-haul strategies, the goal is not to significantly increase price to subsidize economy class tickets. The key in providing upgraded seats is to ensure customers feel as though they are receiving an extra value and to help retain customer base and market share as regional economics improve.
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