Saturday, July 25, 2020

Buy, Borrow, Bypass Novels about the Voynich Manuscript

Buy, Borrow, Bypass Novels about the Voynich Manuscript I only learned about the Voynich Manuscript a few months ago but I have been obsessed ever since. Sometimes described as the most mysterious book in the world, the Voynich Manuscript could be a 15th century coded book containing all sorts of important secrets about the world. It could also be a complex hoax perpetrated by a rare book dealer. Since its discovery in the early 20th century, scholars and the curious have studied and speculated about this odd, beautiful book. It resembles an herbal text in some places, an alchemy text in others, and a religious text in still others.  A century of scholarship hasnt really resolved any of these questions and nobody has ever deciphered it. There are many novels  that use the Voynich Manuscript as a major plot device. However, before you start in on those novels, youll need to pick up your very own reproduction of the book. Yale University Press published a gorgeous, full-color facsimile of the manuscript last year. Deborah Harkness (!) wrote the introduction to the book and it  includes essays and commentary from noted scholars in a variety of fields. If youre not ready to invest in this version, you can also view the entire manuscript for free online. Once youve got your bearings, or at least have a sense of the manuscripts content, youll be ready for the novels on this list. The Book of Blood and Shadow by  Robin Wasserman is the girl-power, YA-Da Vinici Code  you need in your life. Nora, the slightly awkward but whip smart teen girl at the center of this novel, manages to do the impossible: she    decodes the Voynich Manuscript. Once she does, she unlocks the secrets of an ancient religious order. Her race to avert catastrophe, and clear her boyfriend of a murder charge, takes her from a quaint New England college town to Pragues ancient religious sites. This book has a delicious blend of religion and myth, several languages (Latin, Greek, French, and Czech), secret codes and riddles, secret societies, and brilliant teenagers who know more than they ever should. Verdict: Buy this book if youre ready for a YA-spin on Dan Browns work (and how could you not be?). Datura, or a Delusion We All See by Leena Krohn, translated from the Finnish by    J. Robert Tupasela and Anna Volmari.  I may have identified a little too much with the unnamed narrator of this slim volume. She works as an editor, writer, and fixer for a magazine that features the worlds odd, surreal, and implausible phenomenon. The book follows her slow descent into what?  Not madness, exactly, but something like it. As she starts ingesting Datura seeds and writing an article about the Voynich Manuscript her grip on reality becomes more tenuous. Along the way, she crosses paths with all sorts of odd characters, including a man obsessed with coincidences and another with silent sound. She also begins to question the nature of reality, history, and life itself. Verdict: Borrow  this Kafkaesque  book on the mysteries we all inhabit without always realizing it. Codex by Lev Grossman was inspired by the Voynich Manyscript but doesnt actually discuss it in any detail. I  had really high hopes for Codex when I started it  after all, Grossman wrote the beloved  Magicians Trilogy but was disappointed. The narrator is a sort of smarmy, 25-year old investment banker about to move  London. During a  two week vacation leading up to  the move, he takes on the work of cataloging the private library of a wealthy family. This leads him to a mysterious book that reveals secrets about the familys lineage. Solving the manuscripts mystery requires him to work with a young graduate student in medieval literature, obsessively play an underground video game, and cope with an existential crisis. Although I was generally interested in the plot, this novel just didnt land for me. The narrator comments on the appearance  and sexual availability of every woman he meets, no matter how minor the interaction. It got grating after a while. Verdict: Bypass this dated book that was inspired by, but isnt really about, the Voynich Manuscript.

Friday, May 22, 2020

Analysis Of The Book The Scarlet Letter - 1120 Words

From the very first chapter, the Scarlet Letter guides readers on a journey that explores the darkness of the human heart and redemption from sin. It is in the Massachusetts Bay Colony that we introduced to a trio of characters interconnected by their sins: an adulteress, a minister and a physician. The adulteress is a woman named Hester Prynne who, as punishment for her transgressions, must wear a scarlet A on chest and is shunned by her community. Yet, Hester s eventual acceptance of her sin allows her to embrace her new role in society. The only light in her life, and at times the source of her despair, is her daughter Pearl. Born from the act of adultery, Pearl serves as symbol passion and human nature throughout the Scarlet Letter. Minister Arnold Dimmesdale, a spineless and cowardly man, is seen by the general population as a holy saint. Unbeknownst to the town, Dimmesdale was Hester s lover and Pearl s father. It is only though Hester s encouragement and his imminent death tha t Dimmesdale finally finds the courage to publicly claim his sin. Seething with a desire for revenge, we have the physician and Hester s absent husband known to the reader as Roger Chillingworth. After traveling in search for knowledge, Chillingworth returns to the colony to discover his wife s unfaithfulness. His dream of a family soiled by adultery, Chillingworth s quest for revenge fuels his search for Hester s lover and his deteriorating appearance. As readers progressesShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of The Book The Scarlet Letter 2314 Words   |  10 PagesKatya Flaska American Literature Period 5 10 August 2014 The Scarlet Letter Book Analysis 1. The book is The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorn. The genre of the novel is historical fiction. 2. The preamble describes how the book came to be written. The narrator was a surveyor of the customhouse in Salem, where he discovered documents he used to write the story. He uncovered a manuscript with a scarlet â€Å"A†, which contained the events recorded by a previous surveyor in the 1600s. When the narratorRead MoreAnalysis Of The Book The Scarlet Letter 1141 Words   |  5 PagesBlake Allison P#1 AP NOVEL FORM 1. Title: The Scarlet Letter 2. Author and date of first publication: Nathaniel Hawthorne, 1850 3. List four main characters with a one-sentence description of each. a. Hester Prynne- Hester Prynne, the protagonist and wearer of the scarlet letter, is a very independent, loving, intelligent, and at times depressed woman who is the mother of Pearl. b. Arthur Dimmesdale- Arthur Dimmesdale, the father of Pearl, is a reverend in town who is greatly honored forRead MoreAnalysis Of The Book The Scarlet Letter 1563 Words   |  7 PagesReading The Scarlet Letter again, I imagine Hester Prynne as she steps out of the Boston jail. She carries her out-of-wedlock baby in her arms but does not hide the A she wears on her breast. Her crime, though it will never be named in the book by more than an initial, is placed on exhibition. Yet she has converted the letter into her own statement by fantastic flourishes of gold embroidery. She is a mystery beyond the reach not only of her fellow Bostonians but also of the readerRead MoreAnalysis Of The Book The Scarlet Letter 1628 Words   |  7 PagesThe book, The Scarlet Letter, is about the struggle three people face while trying to live their lives and find happiness. In the early 1640s, Hester has come to the small town of Boston, Massachusetts, while her husband, Chillingworth, w as back in Great Britain. Hester and Arthur Dimmesdale, the town s priest, engage in the act of adultery and have a baby girl named Pearl, though only Hester knows that Dimmesdale is the father. She has promised Dimmesdale not to give up his identity. HesterRead MoreAnalysis Of The Book The Scarlet Letter 1404 Words   |  6 Pageswhere the scarlet letter, A, is an extended metaphor that symbolizes a multitude of things: adultery, sin, charity, righteousness, grace, and the danger of merely thinking symbolically. It also compares and contrasts the current states of Prynne, Arthur Dimmesdale, and Arthur Chillingworth. With this, it has a logical progression to the book’s ultimate conclusion. This section can be done in a bulleted format with brief (2-3 sentences) summaries by chapter if that works for the book. Chapter 1:Read MoreAnalysis Of The Book The Scarlet Letter 1143 Words   |  5 PagesIn the book,The Scarlet Letter, there are many questions that grab the reader’s attention. One of the most intriguing and thought ­provoking question is, â€Å"Is Hester Prynne a good mother and should she be allowed to keep Pearl?† This question does not have a simple yes or no answer, the reader must take into account many things the author mentions in the book. However, after careful consideration, one might find that Hester is not, in fact, a good mother, but should be allowed to keep Pearl. ThereRead MoreAnalysis Of The Book The Scarlet Letter 1184 Words   |  5 PagesAs I began my summer reading assignment I wasn’t too amused at the beginning chapters of the â€Å"Scarlet Letter,† With Hawthorne throwing around words like â€Å"quietude† I wasn’t sure if it was truly the difference in his old English speech, or if he was tossing in obscure words just to send people looking through their dictionaries to find out if he had, in fact, made the word up, or not. But, as I delved deeper into Hawthorn’s work I found a brilliant story with some of the richest charactersRead MoreAnalysis Of The Book The Scarlet Letter Essay1022 Words   |  5 Pagesand women was even more prominent and obvious during the antebellum era. In The Scarlet Letter By Nathanial Hawthorne there was Hester Prynne and in The Two Offers By Frances Ellen Watkins Harper, there was Janette Alston. Both of these women, rose above the rest, through adversity, hardship, and against all odds still came out on top, even during a time period that didn’t appreciate a strong woman. In â€Å"The Scarlet Letter†, Hester Prynne, was thrown in jail and forced to wear a symbol of her sin andRead MoreAnalysis Of The Book The Scarlet Letter 2029 Words   |  9 PagesThe Evolution of the A in The Scarlet Letter â€Å"So, in the course of the novel, the ‘A’ seems to encompass the entire range of human beingness, from the earthly and passionate ‘adulteress’ to the pure and spiritual ‘angel,’ taking into account everything in between,† begins Claudia Durst Johnson (128). Many believe the A in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter possesses only one meaning - adulterer; however, Hawthorne imbues the symbolic letter with diverse definitions. In the novel, HawthorneRead MoreAnalysis Of The Book The Scarlet Letter 1961 Words   |  8 PagesVital to the â€Å"A† The Scarlet Letter is a book complete of secrets and deceptions. The book teaches you about the difference about telling the truth or keeping it a secret. It shows you the challenges of both telling the truth and keeping a secret from everyone. There are many vital scenes throughout the book. With many of the scenes, if they weren’t in the book it would have had a completely different ending. The Scarlet Letter is a book full of eventful scenes that keep the book both exciting and interesting

Friday, May 8, 2020

The Criminal Is Not Solely Responsible for His Crime...

Clarence Darrow in his Address Delivered to the Prisoners in the Chicago County Jail, presents a convincing argument for the complicity of society with the criminal. In essence, Darrow believes that when one man steals from another, the community is as culpable as the criminal, since no man who already had plenty of money in his own pocket (82) would risk his life and liberty to rob or steal from another. According to Darrow, the root of the problem lies in poverty and the hoarding of wealth by a handful of people who become rich by exploiting the poor through cheap labor, or by appealing to their vices. It is interesting to note that during hard times crime increases. Particularly, periods of high inflation, or unusually cold†¦show more content†¦Darrow believes that everyone makes his living along the lines of least resistance (84). For example, he emphasized that kidnapping children is not a crime, it is a profession and that kidnappers do not take children because they want the children or because they are devilish, but because they see a chance to get some money out of it (83). The cure for such ills, according to Darrow, is to give the people a chance to live because if every man, woman and child in the world had a chance to make a decent, fair, honest living, there would be no jails, and no lawyers (83). The apathy, hopelessness and resignation of the poor is clearly described in the following blues song titled Poverty by Bobby Blue Bland. This tune was a popular refrain during the 60’s. Up every morning with the sun/I work all day till the evening comes. Blisters and corns all in my hands/Lord have mercy on a working man. I Guess I’m gonna die just like I’m living - in poverty. My pay goes down and the tax goes up/I drink my tea from a broken cup. Between my woman and Uncle Sam, I can’t figure out whose fool I am. I guess I’m gonna die just like I’m living – in poverty. Oh Lord it’s so hard, but it’s fair/Everybody talks, but nobody really cares. Can’t save a dime, can’t borrow one cent/If I pay my bills I can’t pay my rent. The old lady’s fussing and the kids are crying. They won’t let me join the welfare line. I Guess I’m gonna die just like I’m living -- in poverty.Show MoreRelatedCrime and the Criminal Justice System1111 Words   |  5 PagesCrime and the Criminal Justice System The criminal justice system and the process have molded the laws of the United States to its current existence. The judicial system is designed to punish those who commit crimes against one another and for those who break the laws in other ways. According to Pearson (2012), crime can be defined as conduct in violation of the state, the federal government, or a local jurisdiction for which there is no legally acceptable justification or excuse. Pearson (2012)Read MoreBrain Dysfunction913 Words   |  4 Pages Brain Dysfunction in Criminal Behavior Jose Luis Abreu CRJ308: Psychology of Criminal Behavior (BLG1319A) Instructor: Cheryl Cabero May 27th, 2013 Brain Dysfunction in Criminal Behavior After viewing the ABC video â€Å"The Brain and Violence: Secrets of Your Mind† I do believe that people are predisposed to violence. I do maintain my position that even if the same Neurological and genetic factors that lead to crime are present in a person the lack of a healthy environment is what will causeRead MoreCase Analysis : Proctor V. State850 Words   |  4 Pagesdefendant s motive, the failure to act supports a finding of criminal liability only when the s/he is under a binding legal duty, has the necessary knowledge to behave aptly and carrying out his or her responsibility is possible. Even so, there are instances when the issue of guilt results from a lack thereof. Each element must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt and decided as a matter of law by the court. With regard to any crime, all criminal elements are distinguishable and identifiable for the carefulRead MoreSecrecy in Frankenstein Essay999 Words   |  4 PagesWhen a crime is committed, the blame i s usually placed on the criminal. This is because a crime cannot take place without a criminal. However, a lawbreaker generally has reasons for his misdeed. For a crime to occur, a criminal must have incentive. Consequently, the causes of a wrongdoer’s motivation are also responsible for the offence. In addition, crimes can be avoided if the proper precautionary measures are taken. Therefore, anyone who could have stopped a crime from happening is partiallyRead MoreBook Report on The New Ethnic Mob by William Kleinknecht Essay1470 Words   |  6 Pageshow the current criminals involved in organized crime are no longer just the Italians. He could be Cuban, Chinese, Russian, African-American, Haitian, or Jamaican. These are the new breed of more sophisticated and more brutal organized criminals. In the preface of the book Kleinknecht states not to mistake this work for a case against immigration in the United States. The author does a great job giving background information on how organized crime emerged in the earlyRead MoreInsanity And The Insanity Defense1444 Words   |  6 PagesIn criminal cases where an insanity defense is used, the defense must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant was not responsible for his or her actions during a mental health breakdown. There are two forms of an insanity defense, cognitive and volitional. In order for an individual to meet the requirements for cognitive insanity it must be proven that the defendant had to be so impaired by a mental disease at the time of the act that they did not know the nature of what they were doingRead MoreEssay about Affirmative Defences881 Words   |  4 Pages Affirmative defenses is the answer to which a defendant gives the court in response to the crime they are charged with. There are two main types of affirmative defenses, Justifications and excuses. Justifications and excuses are answers that the defended did do the crime but they can give a wonderfu l and perfectly good reason why they did it and they should not be held responsible for the crime they committed. Because every case is different there is a plethora of justifications and excuses, someRead MoreParents Should Be Held Responsible For Their Childrens Actions1075 Words   |  5 Pagesof my children. As they mature these processes have changed, and it has been fascinating to watch. I have learned a great deal on the limits of self control in the adolescent mind during this time, and I believe that families should be held responsible for crimes committed by their teenagers. I understand that there is a great deal of opposition to this position, and the opposing viewpoint makes some valid arguments. One concern is that society is coddling today’s youth, and that they are not learningRead More Kant Essay example1045 Words   |  5 Pagessentence would protect society by not only preventing a purpertrator from committing the same crime again, it would also deter others by setting an example. Kant would’ve argued the rights of the condemned are being trampled; by using him as an example, we are using him as a means to an end. A rational being, in Kant’s view, is an end in himself, whether criminal or law-abiding citizen. We would thus be violating his humanity. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;In Kant’s view of ethics, actions must be undertakenRead MoreArgument Against The Death Penalty1247 Words   |  5 Pagesabolitionists. There are utilitarian arguments, retributive arguments, and egalitarian arguments. Utilitarian arguments argue against the death penalty, for they look to punish criminals for the benefit and the â€Å"lesson learned† from the punishment. They believe that this is the most effective form of deterrence, because the criminal will learn their lesson and the public will benefit from safety from having the offender incapacitated. In conclusion, utilitarian arguments consider the costs and benefits

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Minority Marketing Free Essays

There are various environmental factors that must be considered in the designing of the marketing strategy.   The microenvironment, as part of the company’s marketing environment, consists of factors that directly impact the company and its ability to serve.   The macroenvironment, on the other hand, includes the larger societal and cultural forces that affect the microenvironment (Multicultural Marketing). We will write a custom essay sample on Minority Marketing or any similar topic only for you Order Now Another name for minority marketing is multicultural marketing, which entails communication with diverse cultures or market segments that belong to diverse backgrounds as well as settings.   Cultures determine how members of society think, feel, and act (Haralambos and Holborn, 1995).   Hence, culture also determines the tastes of people in products that they would actually purchase. As a matter of fact, cultural values of a society are reflected in the members’ views of organizations, products, services, and other environmental entities.   Therefore, it is essential for a company planning to market to minorities to gain an understanding of the culture of the minorities in question.   Only by understanding the culture and values of the minorities may the organization be able to provide its targeted consumers with the products and services they would eventually buy. Through advertising and public relations with segmented media, an organization may come into contact with any diverse group that it wants to target through its marketing strategy.   By placing an ad or article in the language of a minority group, the company may easily get its message across.   Experts indicate that it makes very good business sense to include the people of color, different age groups, genders, in addition to people with disabilities, in advertisements as  well as other marketing materials.   This strategy allows for powerful, nonverbal communication which goes deep into the mind of the consumer (Multicultural Marketing). It is also essential for organizations to take into account the meaning of differing cultural universes (Dr. Michael Hurd).   As an example, the American Motor Corporation named its product, the â€Å"Matador,† only to realize later that to Puerto Ricans, the word means â€Å"killer.†Ã‚   Another example revealing the significance of understanding cultural universes has to do with ethics. In this case, a 30-second advertising spot proved to be an expensive error on the part of Doubletree Hotels Corporation, seeing that it was deemed as offensive to the Arab community, portraying the staff of the hotel wearing Arab-style clothing and bowing to guests.   This ad segment was interpreted as the staff worshipping or imploring visitors.   As the majority of Arabs worship the one true God, the ad was seen to ridicule them (International Business Customs). Organizations cannot assume that all people of the nation would have the same cultural values.   Rather, it is ethical to take into account the societal and religious practices as well as beliefs of the people that the organization targets in its marketing strategy as potential customers.   After all, the marketing mix is meant to satisfy customers.   Therefore, it is of the essence for the organization to analyze the what, where, when, and how of consumer behavior.   The social factor is very important in the consumer’s decision to make a purchase.   This factor is influenced by opinion leaders, the consumer’s family, reference groups, culture and social class. Understanding different cultures helps an organization to produce that which a particular market segment demands.   Given that Chinese Americans have a strong preference for communicating in their native language, a company that wants to target Chinese Americans may  want to write the name of its product on marketing literature in both English and Chinese.   According to research, the Hispanics too have a preference to communicate in their own language.   Sixty eight percent of Hispanics in Houston indicated that they prefer to watch Spanish language television.   Hence, an organization that wants to target Hispanic Americans may want to spend more of its marketing funds on ads that would be run on Spanish language television (Qaddumi, 1999). Back in 1998, research further revealed that given the Chinese emphasis on new technology, at least 72.1% of Chinese American families have access to computes and at least 53% have access to the Internet.   Hence, it is easy to target Chinese American consumers through Internet marketing (Chinese American, 1998).   What is more, a majority of Hispanic Americans indicated that food coupons had a great influence on their purchasing decisions. Once again, marketing research based on minorities as the target consumers of an organization, can work wonders for the organization.   Every minority group has differing needs with relevance to its cultural practices.   An organization that includes ethical considerations with special reference to minority groups, is more likely to satisfy its target consumers with its marketing approach, seeing that this organization is not bound to ridicule its consumers instead of pleasing them. One very successful organization targeting minorities through its media campaigns is Southwest Airlines.   The fourth largest major airline in the United States especially targets African Americans as well as Hispanics.   The result? – Today, Southwest Airlines is a model organization that everybody would like to study in terms of marketing strategy. References â€Å"Chinese American Social Behavior Index.† (1998, Jan 24). Asian Trends. Online. Internet. 26 Jul. 2001. Churchill, Richard. (2001, April 2). â€Å"Southwest Airlines Powering a Sales Liftoff – Southwest Airlines Co. advertising targets African-Americans.† Brandweek. â€Å"Dr. Michael Hurd on Effective Therapy.† Dr. Hurd’s Website. Online. Internet. 25 Jul. 2001. Haralambos, Michael, and Holborn, Martin. (1995). Sociology—Themes and Perspectives. 4th ed. London: Collins Educational. â€Å"International Business Customs† Eglobal Greetings. Online. Internet. 21 Jun. 2001. 6.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   â€Å"Multicultural Marketing.† About the Human Internet. Online. Internet. 25 Jul. 2001. 7.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Qaddumi, Thora. (1999, September 15). â€Å"’Impact’: Houston Hispanic market is ripe for Marketing.† Houston Business Journal. Online. Internet. 25 Jul. 2001. How to cite Minority Marketing, Essay examples

Tuesday, April 28, 2020

Problem Statement and Justification Research Paper Example

Problem Statement and Justification Paper This research is to be conducted in response to the concerns that have been principally motivated by the disturbing racial crime statistics which have revealed relatively high levels of criminality and growing rates of incarcerations among the African and Hispanic American populations. Moreover, approximately 90% of youth gang members who are directly related to juvenile delinquency are non-whites (Schmalleger, 2007). Hence, special attention and emphasis should be given to racial ethnicity in discovering effective intervention strategies in crime prevention in order to employ appropriate strategies for the progress and development of the racial minorities who are often relegated as marginalized sectors of society. Literature Review All research must have a sound basis upon which the key facts and ideas are drawn. To carry out this research, it will be critical that a lot of information regarding the use and general applicability of LIFT programs is researched. This will not only enhance the reliability of the final research findings but will also serve as an indication of the authenticity of those findings so that they can be more acceptable. That aside, a thorough and extensive review of literature on the research topic will enable the research to narrow down its scope and become more specific by adopting specific research question to concentrate on and by enhancing the process of formulating appropriate hypotheses for the research. Youth Violence The level of violence among the young people has been alarming (Irving Darlington, 2001). We will write a custom essay sample on Problem Statement and Justification specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Problem Statement and Justification specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Problem Statement and Justification specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The various child welfare groups have tended to wonder what could be done because it appears that once a child gets to his/her teen years, one starts to exhibit behavior that is totally unacceptable and out of the ordinary. This problem has been very rampant in this information age when many parents seem to care less about what their children are doing, believing that once a child is out to school it is the work of the teachers there to ensure the child is taught in the right manner, including behavioral ethics. On the other side, teachers have concentrated on formal lessons more than teaching morals to children. As a result, the school child is left to learn behavior from the peers with whom one frequently converses. If not, the child learns the behavior of the superstars in the movies one watches (Schneider, 2005). According to the social learning theory, children learn bad behavior from the people who matter to them. Therefore, it is critical that the child is exposed to the right people and programs so that lessons learnt are those that ideal and helpful (Adams, 2005). That is why a lot of emphasis has to be placed on the manner in which a child is brought. Given that the people with whom a child spends the most time in any given day are the parents and/or the teachers, these two hold the key to the future state of being for the child. And since aggressive behavior is learnt in early childhood but becomes manifest in teenage, it is the role of the parents and teachers to ensure that anything that might encourage or lead a child to adapt or develop aggressive behavior is dealt with appropriately (Schmalleger, 2007).

Thursday, March 19, 2020

Todays Driveres Have Dangerous Habits Essays

Todays Driveres Have Dangerous Habits Essays Todays Driveres Have Dangerous Habits Essay Todays Driveres Have Dangerous Habits Essay November. 12, 2013 Todays Drivers Have Dangerous Habits Many of todays drivers have dangerous driving habits. One does not have to travel far to see people driving with risky driving techniques. Bad drivers have dangerous driving habits and they can be observed on highways and in residential streets. In contract, good driving habits. Both affect our lives in different ways. Good drivers always care about the safety rules. Moreover, they follow them. Wearing a safety belts on, Doors locked, headlights on, and make smooth, gradual starts and stops. When driving a motor vehicle there can be many hazards, which all motorists should be ready to respond to in each situation? Some of these hazards include: bad weather, drunk driving, road construction, unaware drivers, car troubles and too many others to mention. A lot of the hazards can be very dangerous to all motorists, but most can be avoided. Dangerous drivers kill people and destroy property every day. Younger drivers can be dangerous drivers simply because they lack experience driving in various environments, such as driving at night, or driving on interstate highways. But there are drivers from all age groups that have dangerous driving habits. Even older drivers are sometimes dangerous because their senses and reflexes are not as good as they were. While driving in town or on the highway, it is rare not to see someone driving while talking on your cell phone. Driving while talking on a cell phone not only takes your concentration away from the road, it also takes your eyes away from the road. Technology has added to dangerous driving habits. Cell phones especially. Theyre now more popular than ever. Im pretty sure half of the wrecks that occur by todays oung people are because of cell phones. Everyone wants to talk and text while driving, not thinking that it could be you or another persons cause of death. Because of this many people have started to use a hands-free device. Hands-free devices will allow you to keep both hands on the wheel. However, it does not change the distractions involved with being on the phone while driving. And it doesnt help at all with text messaging. So to be honest the best way to prevent this situation is to not use the phone while driving at all. Bad drivers Just dont care about time. Theyre acing at incredible speeds tailgating Just to reach the red light. They are always in a hurry to get nowhere. Thus, they create a traffic Jam Just to go to the mall and have a cup of coffee. Most people drive under the influence of alcohol. We hear about kids being killed by drunk driving or eating and driving. There are Just so many that people do while driving that endangers people around them and we might not even realize it until its too late. In Conclusion, there is an old saying Good habits are as hard to break as bad habitslf you have dangerous drinking habits you can change hem by applying good driving skills for a few weeks. After a few weeks, many of these good driving techniques will become your new habits time is very essential for any driver or person intending to drive. Planning it and ensuring that all the required activities of the day are achieved with none at the expense of others is very crucial at all times tnereTore, orlvers must rememoer tnat engaging In otner actlvltles Ilke cell phone, eating, putting make up and having myths on how roads should be used are very dangerous as they end up distracting ones attention hence resulting to accidents.

Tuesday, March 3, 2020

30+ Old Norse Words You Already Know

30+ Old Norse Words You Already Know 30+ Old Norse Words You Already Know 30+ Old Norse Words You Already Know By Michael Probably youve never studied Conversational Viking, let alone claimed to speak it. But the language of the Vikings, Old Norse, has influenced the development of English more than any other language besides French and Latin. The Swedes, Norwegians, Icelanders, and Danes all spoke Old Norse in those days, usually called the Danish tongue. In the 11th century, Old Norse was the most widely spoken European language, ranging west with Leif Ericksons colony of Vinland in modern-day Canada, east with the Viking settlers on the Volga River in modern-day Russia, and south with warriors battling in modern-day Spain, Italy and North Africa. Four centuries after the Anglo-Saxons began emigrating from northern Europe, Danish Vikings began raiding Britain and had begun settling down by the year 876, plowing the land. The 14 shires dominated by Danish law in northern and eastern England were called the Danelaw. In 1016, King Canute the Great became ruler of all England, even before he became king of his native Denmark. Danish kings ruled England almost until William the Conquerer sailed from Normandy, France and became the first Norman king of England in 1066. When he did, more Norse words entered English. What did William the Conquerer have to do with the Vikings? Because Normandy means land of the north men, colonized by people such as Williams ancestor Rollo, whose real name was Hrà ³lfr. See a pattern? Today Old Norse words are most common in the Yorkshire dialect, but the Danelaw included the East Midlands, York, Essex, Cambridge, Suffolk, Norfolk, Northampton, Huntingdon, Bedford, Hertford, Middlesex and Buckingham. Old Norse words used in modern English When it comes to English words for which we are indebted to Old Norse, lets start with they, their and them. Its true. If it werent for the Vikings, we might still be using the Old English words hà ®e, heora and him instead. Or maybe not when him and them mean the same thing in a language, you know its time for a change. In fact, English received many really, really common words from Old Norse, such as give, take, get, and both. And sale, cake, egg, husband, fellow, sister, root, rag, loose, raise, rugged, odd, plough, freckle, call, flat, hale, ugly, and lake. Another Old English word that was quickly replaced was the very short word à ¦, which meant law. Today we use a longer and less ambiguously-spelled Old Norse word: law. Many English words that begin with sk or sc came from Old Norse, such as skin, sky, score, scant, scrub, scathe, and skill. Old Norse words that feature two-letter blends and a high consonant-to-vowel ratio just sound Viking to me, especially if you pronounce both letters as the Vikings originally did: knife, snare, snub, wrong, bread, dwell, bask, dream, steak, stammer, and especially thwart. Old Norse words that meant something slightly different English word, with original Old Norse meaning anger trouble, affliction, which can make a person angry bait snack, food eaten at work. Now means food used to catch fish, wild animals, and susceptible people. bask similar to the Old Norse word meaning â€Å"to bathe† berserk either from bear-shirt (frenzied warriors wearing a bearskin shirt) or bare-shirt (frenzied warriors wearing no shirt) blunder to shut one’s eyes; to stumble about blindly bulk partition; cargo, as in the nautical term bulkhead crawl to claw. Crawling up a steep slope may require clawing. dirt excrement. Appropriately so. gang any group of men, as in modern Danish, not necessarily dangerous gawk to heed, as in paying too much attention gift dowry, a kind of wedding gift. In modern Danish, gift means wedding. haggle to chop. It amuses me to imagine how this word came to mean vigorous bargaining. hap, happy chance, good luck, fate. Apparently the Vikings didnt believe that happiness is a choice. lake to play, which is what many people do at a lake. A famous Danish toy manufacturer is called Lego. litmus from the Old Norse words litr (dye) and mosi (moss), used as a chemical test for acidity and alkalinity. muck cow dung. An English dairy farmer may say he needs to muck out, or clean, his barn. muggy drizzle, mist. Today it means severely humid. rive to scratch, plow, tear. A poet might write about his heart being riven in two. scathe to hurt, injure. Only the opposite word, unscathed, is common. Gang members never say, You come near me, Im gonna scathe you. seem to conform. Think about that for a while. skill distinction. If you are skilled, you might earn distinction. sleuth trail. The sleuth is always on the trail for clues. snub to curse. When youre snubbed or ignored, you might feel cursed. sprint to jump up, one of the keys to winning in a sprint. stain to paint. Not the same thing at your paint store. stammer to hinder; to dam up, as in a flow of words steak to fry. Could the Vikings have introduced chicken fried steak to the American South? No. thrift prosperity. If you have thrift, perhaps prosperity will follow. thwart across, which has kept a similar meaning for sailors window wind-eye or in Old Norse, vindauga. A treasure of a word. Old English words that meant something different before the Vikings bread In Old English, bread meant â€Å"bit, piece, morsel† but in Old Norse, bread meant bread. We get our word loaf from the Old English word for bread which it replaced. die Before the Vikings, die meant starve dream Before the Vikings, dream meant â€Å"joy, mirth, noisy merriment, even music. dwell Before the Vikings, dwell meant both â€Å"go astray and tarry. Im still trying to figure that one out. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:How to Punctuate References to Dates and Times10 Techniques for More Precise WritingHow to Send Tactful Emails from a Technical Support Desk