Identification Discussion Essay Example for Free

Identification Discussion Essay Through his 1946 Politics and the English Language article, author George Orwell discusses some of the challenges facing the English language. For example, the author descries the phenomenon whereby writers in English are increasingly using many and complicated words that effectively blurs their real meanings. In addition, Orwell laments that many writers are using regurgitated words and phrases rather than devise and employ their own fresh phrases. Orwell observes that the existing bad language is deteriorating the thoughts of the populace. In turn, he explains that such usage of bad language corrupts people’s thoughts. Further, the author holds that unclear language is indispensable to politics because it helps in hiding fallacies and atrocious phenomena. Language thus makes unacceptable things to appear tolerable besides concealing the details of certain issues (Orwell, 1946). All in all, Orwell’s pitch is that bad language contributes to poor politics; the complaint is that he is decrying the decadence of the English language, while the moment is that the author requires his audience to demonstrate caution when using the English language. For example, Orwell states that bad language and poor politics are intertwined because unclear expressions are useful political tools. In effect, poor language is employed to glorify war, as well as to cunningly conceal atrocities. The author thus views the English language as having undergone a dangerous transformation of adopting rigid orthodoxy and rejecting innovativeness. Readers are thus cautioned against blindly adhering to such lethargic English language conventions. In conclusion, through the Politics and the English Language treatise, Orwell criticizes the general decadence in the English language that has resulted from orthodoxy and general indolence. He thus observes that such language contributes to bad politics and cautions readers against being ensnared by such lethargic orthodoxy.

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee :: essays research papers

To Kill a Mockingbird was written by Harper Lee. To Kill a Mockingbird takes place in Maycomb Alabama, in the late 1930's early 1940's. In this story a lot of characters were introduced to the reader. Jem Finch played a big role in this book.any worms he found to one side. He were many other vital characters in this book, they were; Calpurnia was the Finch's maid, she was a great help raising Jem and Scout. Aunt Alexandra was Atticus' sister, she came to help raise Jem and Scout, but the Jem and Scout didn't really like her because she was very strict. Miss Maudie was Scout's favourite person to talk to, she always made cakes for Jem and Scout. Arthur (Boo) Radley was a man who lived in a big old house down the street from the Finch's, Jem, Scout and Dill always wondered who Boo Radley was because he never came out of his house. Dill was a close friend of Jem's and Scout's, he always spent the summer with his Aunt across the street. Tom Robinson was a black man convicted of raping Mayella Ewell. Mayella Ewell lived out in the country, didn't go to school, and just worked for her family. Miss Stephanie Crawford lived across the street and always gave advice to Jem and Scout. Reverend Sykes was the priest at the black church outside of town. Judge Taylor was the judge during the trial of Tom Robinson. Bob Ewell was Mayella's father, he was an enemy of the Finch's. Mrs. Dubose was a mean old lady who always put down Jem, Scout, and Atticus. Miss Rachel lived across the street and always told Jem and Scout anything they needed to know. Mr. Heck Tate was the sheriff in town. In the story To Kill a Mockingbird there was lots of struggles and hardships that the Finch's and the town of Maycomb had to go through. Atticus was a lawyer and he was defending Tom Robinson, who was convicted of raping Mayella Ewell. There was a big court battle after many witnesses and questions Tom Robinson was found guilty on very little evidence. Tom Robinson was then shot later trying to escape from jail. Jem, Scout and Dill always wanted to know what Boo Radley looks like. They always tried to lure him out of his own house. They tried to send messages to him by a fishing pole, but they could never figure out why he doesn't come out. Mrs. Dubose lived down the street from the Finch's and when ever

Internal communication Essay

It has recently come to my attention that several reports are circulating in the media regarding proposed layoffs at Yahoo and this has become a matter of concern to some of our employees. As with any reports that do not come directly from the Yahoo corporate offices, some of the information being presented could be considered factual while other information is clearly not. It is important to remember that Yahoo has no hidden agenda and employees will be informed as soon as possible when decisions are made which may affect their work status. The truth of the matter is that profit projections for the fiscal year 2007 initially do not appear to be meeting goals. Yahoo stock prices are also valued below projections. It is important that the company make up for these losses by finding methods which will increase profits and decrease costs in the upcoming year. In order to do so, there are many options available for review by Yahoo’s executives, most of them pertaining to an increase in sales of our more popular products, pricing restructure, partnering with other companies, marketing to reach new users, outsourcing, increasing productivity, and reducing those components of the operation which have proven to be unprofitable. Our CEO, Jerry Yang, will be making an educated, well-researched decision regarding these options. Mr. Yang will make an announcement as to which measures will be instituted by Yahoo to increase profits and stock prices on February 1st. Please rest assured that our employees will be apprised of this information before the media reports on the announcement. Until Mr. Yang makes his official announcement regarding profit increases and cost-cutting measures, please bear in mind that Yahoo is making every attempt to resolve its financial problems in a fair and equitable manner which will ensure Yahoo’s future growth and top placement in the market. Since Yahoo is a publicly traded company, it is often the target of media scrutiny and while at times we welcome this scrutiny for its promotional value, at other times it is based purely on hearsay with gaps filled in by a lack of factual information or supposed reports from â€Å"insiders† who no longer work at the company. At Yahoo, our very talented and hard working employees are the backbone of the company and we truly appreciate the time and effort spent at your jobs. The last thing Yahoo wishes to do is lose its most valuable assets – you. If anyone has any questions or concerns that have not been answered by this communication, please see your immediate supervisor, who can direct those concerns to the proper person. Best Regards, John Doe Internal Communications Coordinator Works Cited Helft, Miguel (January 22, 2008). â€Å"Hundreds of Layoffs Expect at Yahoo†. New York Times.

Profile of Huehueteotl-Xiuhtecuhtli, Aztec God of Fire

Among the Aztec/Mexica the fire god was associated with another ancient deity, the old god. For this reason, these figures are often considered different aspects of the same deity: Huehuetà ©otl-Xiuhtecuhtli (Pronounced: Way-ue-TEE-ottle, and Shee-u-teh-COO-tleh). As with many polytheist cultures, ancient Mesoamerican people worshiped many gods who represented the different forces and manifestations of nature. Among these elements, fire was one of the first to be deified. The names under which we know these gods are Nahuatl terms, which is the language spoken by the Aztec/Mexica, so we don’t know  how earlier cultures knew these deities. Huehuetà ©otl is the â€Å"Old God†, from huehue, old, and teotl, god, whereas Xiuhtecuhtli means â€Å"The lord of Turquoise†, from the suffix xiuh, turquoise, or precious, and tecuhtli, lord, and he was considered the progenitor of all gods, as well as the patron of fire and the year. Origins Huehueteotl-Xiuhtecuhtli was an extremely important god beginning in very early times in Central Mexico. In the Formative (Preclassic) site of Cuicuilco, south of Mexico City, statues portraying an old man sitting and holding a brazier on his head or his back, have been interpreted as images of the old god and the fire god. At Teotihuacan, the most important metropolis of the Classic period, Huehuetà ©otl-Xiuhtecuhtli is one of the most often represented deities. Again, his images portray an old man, with wrinkles on his face and no teeth, sitting with his legs crossed, holding a brazier on his head. The brazier is often decorated with rhomboid figures and cross-like signs symbolizing the four world directions with the god sitting in the middle. The period for which we have more information about this god is the Postclassic period, thanks to the importance that this god had among the Aztec/Mexica. Attributes According to the Aztec religion, Huehuetà ©otl-Xiuhtecuhtli was associated with ideas of purification, transformation, and regeneration of the world through fire. As the  god of the year, he was associated with the cycle of the seasons and nature which regenerate the earth. He was also considered one of the founding deities of the world  since he was responsible for the creation of the sun. According to colonial sources, the fire god had his temple in the sacred precinct of Tenochtitlan, in a place called Tzonmolco. Huehuetà ©otl-Xiuhtecuhtli is also related to the ceremony of the New Fire, one of the most important Aztec ceremonies, which took place at the end of each cycle of 52 years  and represented the regeneration of the cosmos through the lighting of a new fire. Festivities Two major festivities were dedicated to Huehuetà ©otl-Xiuhtecuhtli: the Xocotl Huetzi ceremony, in August, associated to the underworld, the night, and the dead, and a second one which took place in the month of Izcalli, at the beginning of February, related to light, warmness and the dry season. Xocotl Huetzi: This ceremony was related to the collection of the fruits of the earth and the ritual death of plants. It involved cutting a tree and placing an image of the god on the top. Copal and food were then offered to the tree. Young men were encouraged to climb the tree to get the image and gain a reward. Four captives were sacrificed by being thrown into a fire and by having their hearts extracted.Izcalli: This second festival was dedicated to regrowth and regeneration, and the beginning of the new year. All lights were shut down at night, except for one light placed in front of the gods image, including a turquoise mask. People brought game, such as birds, lizards, and snakes, to cook and eat. Every four years, the ceremony included the sacrifice of four slaves or captives, who were dressed like the god and whose bodies were painted in white, yellow, red and green, the colors associated with the worlds directions. Images Since early times, Huehuetà ©otl-Hiuhtecuhtli was portrayed, mainly in statues, as an old man, with his legs crossed, his arms resting on his legs, and holding a lit brazier on his head or back. His face shows the signs of age, quite wrinkled and without teeth. This type of sculpture is the most widespread and recognizable image of the god and has been found in many offerings in sites such as Cuicuilco, ​Capilco, Teotihuacan, Cerro de las Mesas, and the Templo Mayor of Mexico City. However, as Xiuhtecuhtli, the god is often represented in pre-Hispanic as well as Colonial codices without these characteristics. In these cases, his body is yellow, and his face has black stripes, a red circle surrounds his mouth, and he has blue earplugs hanging from his ears. He often has arrows emerging from his headdress and holds sticks used to light fire. Sources: Limà ³n Silvia, 2001, El Dios del fuego y la regeneracià ³n del mundo, en Estudios de Cultura Nà ¡huatl, N. 32, UNAM, Mexico, pp. 51-68.Matos Moctezuma, Eduardo, 2002, Huehuetà ©otl-Xiuhtecuhtli en el Centro de Mà ©xico, Arqueologà ­a Mexicana Vol. 10, N. 56, pp 58-63.Sahagà ºn, Bernardino de, Historia General de las Cosas de Nueva Espaà ±a, Alfredo Là ³pez Austin y Josefina Garcà ­a Quintana (eds.), Consejo Nacional para las Culturas y las Artes, Mexico 2000.