Le Morte Darthur essays

Le Morte Darthur essays "Le Morte Darthur" is a classic epic prose work from the 15th century, chronicling the life and legend of King Arthur, his round table, and his brave knights. Originally written in French, Sir Thomas Malory translated and edited it and his version is the most renowned. Arthur and his knights are the main focus of the book, but the romance between Guenivere and Lancelot cannot be ignored, and these passionate characters reach their peak in the last two books of the story. These last two books focus on Arthur, Guenivere, Lancelot, and Gawain and their personal issues. This creates a far different environment from the first Tales of the book, which were far less concerned with the personal lives of the characters, and far more concerned with the larger themes of the work, including honor, obedience, and revenge. Relationships come to a head here, and both Arthur and Lancelot must question their relationship with each other and their relationship with Queen Guenivere. Knight is pitted against knight as jealousy and passion override common sense and obedience, and Guenivere finds herself forever in the middle of the two men that love her most, as Lancelot attempts to warn her. He says, "And madam, wit you well I dread them more for your sake than for any fear I have of them myself, for I may happen to escape and rid myself in a great need, where, madam, ye must abide all that will be said unto you" (Malory 404). Finally, Arthur finds that his love for his knights and his kingdom is stronger than his love for Guenivere, but he cannot give her up to Lancelot, he would sentence her to death, first. Thus, in these final two books, the importance of the relationships is resolved, the men understand their true natures, and their Romance is the key to these last two books, but another important key is the fate of the characters, who all must pay for their transgressions in ...

Five Tips for Getting a Tax Refund Quickly

Five Tips for Getting a Tax Refund Quickly Here are answers to some of the questions people ask most often about how to get tax refunds from the IRS quickly, accurately, and easily . Tax Return Tips File electronicallyCheck your return carefully for errors and sign it before submitting it to the IRSHave your refund directly deposited into your bank accountCheck the status of your return with the IRS’ â€Å"Where’s My Refund?† online tool When Will You Get Your Refund? How quickly you receive your tax refund depends on how you filed your return, and whether you completed it accurately. If you filed a paper tax return, in most cases it could tax the IRS up to 21 days from the date it receives your paperwork to issue your tax return. If you want your tax refund more quickly, file your return electronically. The IRS typically issues tax refunds to electronic filers within three weeks. The sooner you file your return, the sooner you’ll get your refund. Filing early also reduces the risk of having your refund stolen. Tax refund theft is a growing problem that occurs when someone steals your personal information and uses it to file a fake return under your name and Social Security number and pocket the refund. If you are one of the millions of Americans who had or may have had their information stolen in any of the recent data breaches, be sure to file as soon as possible. While the IRS will work to straighten out refund theft, it can delay your refund by months. How Can You Check the Status of Your Tax Refund? The fastest and easiest way to track your tax refund is to use the IRS Wheres My Refund? tool on the IRS.gov home page. To check the status of your tax refund online you will need your Social Security number, filing status, and the exact whole dollar amount of your refund shown on your return. You can also check the status of your tax refund by calling the IRS Refund Hotline at (800) 829-1954. You will need to provide your Social Security number, your filing status, and the exact whole dollar amount of the refund shown on your return. What Options Do You Have to Receive Your Tax Return? The quickest way to get your tax refund into your bank account is to have it direct-deposited. But the IRS will also issue a paper check or, if you choose, U.S. Savings Bonds. You can use your refund to buy up to $5,000 in U.S. Series I savings bonds in multiples of $50. What If You Dont Get a Tax Refund or the Amount Is Wrong? If you get a tax refund that you either werent expecting or is larger that you expected, do not immediately cash the check. The IRS recommends taxpayers wait for a notice explaining the difference, and then follow the instructions on that notice. If your tax refund isnt a big as you thought it should have been, go ahead and cash the check. The IRS may determine later that you are owed more and send a separate check. If you want to contest the amount of your tax refund, wait two weeks after receiving the refund, then call (800) 829-1040. If you didnt get a tax refund or lost or accidentally destroyed it, you can file an online claim at Wheres My Refund for a replacement check if its been more than 28 days from the date that your refund was mailed. What Else Can You Do to Make Sure You Get Your Tax Refund Quickly? Make sure to check your return before sending it. Errors can stall the delivery or your tax refund. The most common tax return errors, according to the IRS, are writing incorrect Social Security numbers or forgetting to enter them altogether; miscalculating the tax owed based on taxable income and marital status; entering data on the wrong lines of the form; and basic math mistakes.

Investigating Sustainable Tourism Research Paper

Investigating Sustainable Tourism - Research Paper Example Suriname is located in the northeast of South America, with influences from a variety of cultures, from African and Amerindian to Asian, Dutch, and Jewish (Turquoise.net 2010). Suriname is not dominated by many beach areas that can compare to surrounding areas of the Caribbean, but it is lined with rivers that create a great web of travel into the beauty of the interior jungles. This makes the area a great spot for eco-tourists to see the natural wonders of the rainforests and jungle areas that house an enormous array of wildlife. Since there is little in the way of tourism infrastructure, the resources of the country can be exploited to attract the growing number of eco-tourists that are wanting to explore the natural world on their vacations and holidays. The concept of eco-tourism is based on the idea that the adventure that is available from the beauty of nature is captured in a single experience or group of experiences designed for a period of time within a vacation. According to Ziffer (1989), ecotourism is an adventure that is designed around an indigenous culture, takes place in a relatively underdeveloped area, attempts to leave the area having left no mark upon the eco-system that has been visited while contributing to the local economy, an opportunity to gain an appreciation for the natural resources of the visited area, and represents a dedication by the host region to preserve the natural beauty they hold through funding provided by the ecotourism market (p. 6). One of the prime purposes of the availability of the adventure is to help preserve the natural environments that the tour has exploited so that urban development will not spoil the land. There are some problems with developing a sustainable tourist trade through the ecotourism travel tours.

Applications paper Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Applications paper - Movie Review Example As Guy planned revenge, a twist in the ending showed Buddy confessing having had same bullied treatment before he became the manager, and this is his way of motivating Guy to succeed. Plot 2. Smoking Room is a movie about discrimination and culture.(The world of business in movies, 2009). It is about a middle level executive (Ramirez), who got enraged when his U.S. based office ban smoking in the office premises. If anyone wants to smoke, he has to go out of at least 20 ft. from the office premises, sometimes exposed to freezing cold or burning heat of temperatures. Ramirez who claims to have a Spanish descent, believes this rule is discriminating and disregards the acceptability of the Spanish smoking culture. He was alone in his campaign after his colleagues left him in his fight due to office politics, agenda and convenience.(The World of Business in Movies, 2009). Let us first identify the fundamental concepts of organizational behavior. These are individual differences, perception, whole person, motivation, desire for involvement, and human dignity. These concepts are transformed in the four models of organization that are described in the movie. Study looks at the concept of human dignity in â€Å"Swimming with Sharks† and Individual differences thru diversity in â€Å"Smoking Room†. â€Å"Swimming with Sharks† is a movie that reflects an organizational concept of boss-employee relationship that is defined in an autocratic manner. It is a movie shown in 1994 but continues to share its relevance in organizational behavior studies today. Although the movie is done in a comical way, the characters played perfectly the roles in a conflict situation in an organization; one that tries autocratic authority to compel obedience, and an employee-employer relationship based on fear. The movie gives credit to the saying â€Å"the end justifies the means†, wherein the finale of the movie shows the assistant elevated to a higher

Samuel :: Short Stories War Violence Essays

Samuel He looked into her eyes and proceeded to tell her how beautiful she was to him. He had to her many times before, and every time she would smile and look away. Sometimes he wasn’t really sure how things came to be. No-matter how bad things had become, he always found strength in her. Now there was a baby on the way, his whole life was turning around. The child was born in a place where war and hardship had become a commonality. He was given the name Samuel by his mother. Before Samuel was even born, his father was killed while fighting on the outskirts of town, and in his mother’s heart there was left a hole that was kept from consuming her only by the hope and anticipation of her son that would soon be born. Still, she could not imagine bringing a boy up in such a war ravaged place, and without a father. However, she loved her son enough to keep them both alive, and for twelve years they held strong against the harsh cold, bullets, and starvation. Like Samuel’s father, death and war would soon claim Samuel‘s mother. The inevitable occurred when Samuel’s mother was hit by gunfire in the market place. Now he was alone. His mother, the only person who loved him, had gone. He ran to her that day and held her head and prayed for her life. She was gone before she even touched the ground. Still the boy held her. He felt sick and cold on the icy asphalt but he could not move. However, he did not cry. Maybe he could not cry. He was strong, and naturally he would stay strong through the tough times, but this was different. He felt something he had never felt before. He quickly learned the ways of war and learned to fight. He could no longer find forgiveness or wholeness in his heart. For the next part of his life he was driven only by his vengeance and passion for his dead mother. Nothing anyone could say or do could mend his broken heart. He was too consumed by the void in his life that the kind words of friends and cousins had become little more than echoes in an endless gray space.

Adam Smith the Father of Modern Economics Essay

The article, Adam Smith and the Invisible Hand by Helen Joyce, proved to be interesting reading. Although it was written about three years ago and the man himself lived more than 300 years ago, the man and his theories live on through the 21st century. Before I read the article, I had never heard of Adam Smith, but it appears his ideas have penetrated time. I started doing more research into the man and his theories. In order to understand his theories and how he thought about processes, one must understand his beginnings. Adam Smith was born in Scotland. He attended Glasgow University then Oxford University. It was his experience in this stay at Oxford that was the basis for the vital observations about universities found in The Wealth of Nations. He was selected as the Professor of Logic at Glasgow and later, Professor of Moral Philosophy. He lectured on spirituality, moral principles and political economy. His first book The Theory of Moral Sentiments established his status. He sought to understand what it was that led us to care about the welfare of others. With that book complete, he gave less attention to his theories of morals and more to political economy. Later, he made the decision to give up his university post by becoming a tutor to the Duke of Buccleuch. They traveled mainly in France, where Smith came to know many of the intellectual leaders of the country. He began a dissertation on economics. It was published as The Wealth of Nations, and on this work rests the ongoing acknowledgement of him as the father of economics. He had very provocative ideas in the book. It was a work that altered the world of economics. Many say it reformed the world itself. He asserts that wealth is steadily created by rising labor output through two key factors (1) the division of labor, encouraged by trade the â€Å"natural propensity to truck, barter and exchange† and also (2) the growth of capital, made possible by the natural inclination of people toward thriftiness. For example, Smith alleged that a system of natural liberty allowed the self-interest of the person to be attached for the good of society, through what he called the â€Å"division of labor and the accumulation of capital. He argued that the free market is an clever device which regulates itself through supply and demand. His purpose was pretty clear: not to advance the interests of any class, but to push the wealth of the entire country. Whatever a nation consumes must be either produced from its labor or purchased in trade. There is no other basis for spending or a standard of living. He assumed that, in fiscal life, the main inspiring force central to man’s actions was self-interest. He argued that, with the right institutional frame, men following their own self -interest would serve the general good. This framework did not call for wide government law. The best plan is to leave the fiscal method alone. This has come to be known as free enterprise. Largely through his book, these principles helped to guide the then rapidly increasing economic activity. And wealth, as he saw it, consisted of goods which all people could consume. This was a democratic; and for that time, radical principle that he adhered to with notable stability. He produced a document that he expected to be used in the conduct of governments. The book presents a persuasive argument for a new approach to economic policy. Smith offered future economists with the makeup of the discipline of economics. His vision of a competitive market balance following a path of growth to wealth and abundance defined the problems that economists have wrestled with ever since†¦ His purely scientific contribution has been vast, and in its basic structure his framework still remains the heart of modern economics. On one level, it is an attack on the opinions of his people written for its own time and directed against the existing policies of government. On another level, it is an optimistic thesis that deals with basic troubles of order in human society†¦ It is an enthralling mix of ideas. In the most radical age of Western culture, when the uproar of social and intellectual upheaval puzzled lesser men, Adam Smith gave the world order. He did not invent the market or economics. He taught the world about them. For nearly 75 years, his writings supplied most of what economists knew. If there are more people per the amount of GDP, the standard of living is lower. If there are fewer people, it is higher. The GDP per capita the measure of the wealth of the nation is the product of the amount of labor productivity of that nation. The available land or other natural resources is not a decisive factor. He provided the root details of what causes labor productivity to be high or low in a nation. The theme of the book is explaining how labor productivity is resolute by the extent of the division of labor the dividing of work into a much greater number of parts. When the market is very small, when the population density is sparse, it is impossible to achieve much in the way of a division of labor. The more people that could crowd into a place, the greater the amount of specialization among occupations and the greater the marginal productivity, rather than the lesser. There is still controversy about Adam Smith and his account on â€Å"the invisible hand. † Simply put the invisible hand is a notion based on the law of chance. Every person intends only his or her own gain, but though a set of policies that he referred to as the â€Å"system of natural liberty† the good of the nation would be the accidental result. His â€Å"invisible hand† is the new method of social life. He described â€Å"the invisible hand† in this way: Individuals naturally intend only their own gain, but unintentionally promote the general interest. He also suggests that ethics is based on â€Å"sentiment,† feelings of empathy between us and other people. He wrote consider how others would fairly judge their behavior before acting on matters that would involve conscience or moral judgment. The best course toward â€Å"wealth† and away from poverty and want is for a nation’s political rulers to allow for the unplanned result of self-interest, of private property rights, and of self-regulating rivalry under rules of free trade. As the economy globalizes, corporations flourish, and as societies agonize over which issues to settle according to the principles of right and wrong and which to settle according to economic principles. We see the tension between choosing to adhere to the ancient values of tradition, honor and command, or to the modern values of the business firm and the marketplace. The future global economy will tell if the invisible hand is a principle to rely on now and in the future. Though he passed away in 1790 his ideas have surely helped shape the way economists around the globe think, globally.

Book Recommendations for Graduate School in Economics

Q:Â  If I want to achieve a Ph.D. in economics what steps would you advise me to take and what books and courses would I need to study to gain the knowledge that is absolutely needed to be able to do and understand the research that is needed for a Ph.D. A:Â  Thank you for your question. Its a question that Im frequently asked, so its about time that I created a page that I could point people toward. Its really difficult to give you a general answer, because a lot of it depends on where youd like to get your Ph.D. from. Ph.D programs in economics vary widely in both quality and scope of what is taught. The approach taken by European schools tends to be different than that of Canadian and American schools. The advice in this article will mainly apply to those who are interested in entering a Ph.D. program in the United States or Canada, but much of the advice should also apply to European programs as well. There are four key subject areas that youll need to be very familiar with to succeed in a Ph.D. program in economics. 1. Microeconomics / Economic Theory Even if you plan to study a subject which is closer to Macroeconomics or Econometrics, it is important to have a good grounding in Microeconomic Theory. A lot of work in subjects such as Political Economy and Public Finance are rooted in micro foundations so youll help yourself immensely in these courses if youre already familiar with high level microeconomics. Most schools also require you to take at least two courses in microeconomics, and often these courses are the most difficult youll encounter as a graduate student. Microeconomics Material You Must Know as a Bare Minimum I would recommend reviewing the book Intermediate Microeconomics: A Modern Approach by Hal R. Varian. The newest edition is the sixth one, bu if you can find an older used edition costing less you may want to do that. Advanced Microeconomics Material that Would be Helpful to Know Hal Varian has a more advanced book called simply Microeconomic Analysis. Most economics students are familiar with both books and refer to this book as simply Varian and the Intermediate book as Baby Varian. A lot of the material in here is stuff you wouldnt be expected to know entering a program as its often taught for the first time in Masters and Ph.D. programs. The more you can learn before you enter the Ph.D. program, the better you will do. What Microeconomics Book Youll Use When You Get There From what I can tell, Microeconomic Theory by Mas-Colell, Whinston, and Green is standard in many Ph.D. programs. Its what I used when I took Ph.D. courses in Microeconomics at both Queens University at Kingston and the University of Rochester. Its an absolutely massive book, with hundreds and hundreds of practice questions. The book is quite difficult in parts so youll want to have a good background in microeconomic theory before you tackle this one. 2. Macroeconomics Giving advice on Macroeconomics books is a lot more difficult because Macroeconomics is taught so differently from school to school. Your best bet is to see what books are used in the school that you would like to attend. The books will be completely different depending on whether your school teaches more Keynesian style Macroeconomics or Freshwater Macro which is taught at places like The Five Good Guys which includes the University of Chicago, the University of Minnesota, Northwestern University, University of Rochester, and University of Pennsylvania. The advice Im going to give is for students who are going to a school that teaches more of a Chicago style approach. Macroeconomics Material You Must Know as a Bare Minimum I would recommend reviewing the book Advanced Macroeconomics by David Romer. Although it does have the word Advanced in the title, its more suited for high level undergraduate study. It does have some Keynesian material as well. If you understand the material in this book, you should do well as a graduate student in Macroeconomics. Advanced Macroeconomics Material that would be Helpful to Know Instead of learning more Macroeconomics, it would be more helpful to learn more on dynamic optimization. See my section on Math Economics books for more detail. What Macroeconomics Book Youll Use When You Get There When I took Ph.D courses in Macroeconomics a few years ago we didnt really use any textbooks, instead we discussed journal articles. This is the case in most courses at the Ph.D. level. I was fortunate enough to have macroeconomics courses taught by Per Krusell and Jeremy Greenwood and you could spend an entire course or two just studying their work. One book that is used quite often is Recursive Methods in Economic Dynamics by Nancy L. Stokey and Robert E. Lucas Jr. Although the book is almost 15 years old, its still quite useful for understanding the methodology behind many macroeconomics articles. Ive also found Numerical Methods in Economics by Kenneth L. Judd to be quite helpful when youre trying to obtain estimates from a model which does not have a closed-form solution. 3. Econometrics Material You Must Know as a Bare Minimum Theres quite a few good undergraduate texts on Econometrics out there. When I taught tutorials in undergraduate Econometrics last year, we used Essentials of Econometrics by Damodar N. Gujarati. Its as useful as any other undergraduate text Ive seen on Econometrics. You can usually pick up a good Econometrics text for very little money at a large second-hand book shop. A lot of undergraduate students cant seem to wait to discard their old econometrics materials. Advanced Econometrics Material that would be Helpful to Know Ive found two books rather useful: Econometrics Analysis by William H. Greene and A Course in Econometrics by Arthur S. Goldberger. As in the Microeconomics section, these books cover a lot of material which is introduced for the first time at the graduate level. The more you know going in, though, the better chance youll have of succeeding. What Econometrics Book Youll Use When You Get There Chances are youll encounter the king of all Econometrics books Estimation and Inference in Econometrics by Russell Davidson and James G. MacKinnon. This is a terrific text, because it explains why things work like they do, and does not treat the matter as a black box like many econometrics books do. The book is quite advanced, though the material can be picked up fairly quickly if you have a basic knowledge of geometry. 4. Mathematics Having a good understanding of mathematics is crucial to success in economics. Most undergraduate students, particularly those coming from North America, are often shocked by how mathematical graduate programs in economics are. The math goes beyond basic algebra and calculus, as it tends to be more proofs, such as Let (x_n) be a Cauchy sequence. Show that if (X_n) has a convergent subsequence then the sequence is itself convergent. Ive found that the most successful students in the first year of a Ph.D. program tend to be ones with mathematics backgrounds, not economics ones. That being said, theres no reason why someone with an economics background can not succeed. Mathematical Economics Material You Must Know as a Bare Minimum Youll certainly want to read a good undergraduate Mathematics for Economists type book. The best one that Ive seen happens to be called Mathematics for Economists written by Carl P. Simon and Lawrence Blume. It has a quite diverse set of topics, all of which are useful tools for economic analysis. If youre rusty on basic calculus, make sure you pick up a 1st year undergraduate calculus book. There are hundreds and hundreds of different ones available, so Id suggest looking for one in a second hand shop. You may also want to review a good higher level calculus book such as Multivariable Calculus by James Stewart. You should have at least a basic knowledge of differential equations, but you do not have to be an expert in them by any means. Reviewing the first few chapters of a book such as Elementary Differential Equations and Boundary Value Problems by William E. Boyce and Richard C. DiPrima would be quite useful. You do not need to have any knowledge of partial differential equations before entering graduate school, as they are generally only used in very specialized models. If youre uncomfortable with proofs, you may want to pick up The Art and Craft of Problem Solving by Paul Zeitz. The material in the book has almost nothing to do with economics, but it will help you greatly when working on proofs. As an added bonus a lot of the problems in the book are surprisingly fun. The more knowledge you have of pure mathematics subjects such as Real Analysis and Topology, the better. I would recommend working on as much of Introduction to Analysis by Maxwell Rosenlicht as you possibly can. The book costs less than $10 US but it is worth its weight in gold. There are other analysis books that are slightly better, but you cannot beat the price. You may also want to look at the Schaums Outlines - Topology and Schaums Outlines - Real Analysis. Theyre also quite inexpensive and have hundreds of useful problems. Complex analysis, while quite an interesting subject, will be of little use to a graduate student in economics, so you need not worry about it. Advanced Mathematical Economics that would be Helpful to Know The more real analysis you know, the better you will do. You may want to see one of the more canonical texts such as The Elements of Real Analysis by Robert G. Bartle. You may also want to look at the book I recommend in the next paragraph. What Advanced Mathematical Economics Book Youll Use When You Get There At the University of Rochester we used a book called A First Course in Optimization Theory by Rangarajan K. Sundaram, though I dont know how widely this is used. If you have a good understanding of real analysis, you will have no trouble with this book, and youll do quite well in the obligatory Mathematical Economics course they have in most Ph.D. programs. You do not need to study up on more esoteric topics such as Game Theory or International Trade before you enter a Ph.D. program, although it never hurts to do so. You are not usually required to have a background in those subject areas when you take a Ph.D. course in them. I will recommend a couple of books I greatly enjoy, as they may convince you to study these subjects. If youre at all interested in Public Choice Theory or Virginia style Political Economy, first you should read my article The Logic of Collective Action. After doing so, you may want to read the book Public Choice II by Dennis C. Mueller. It is very academic in nature, but it is probably the book that has influenced me most as an economist. If the movie A Beautiful Mind didnt make you frightened of the work of John Nash you may be interested in A Course in Game Theory by Martin Osborne and Ariel Rubinstein. It is an absolutely fabulous resource and, unlike most books in economics, its well written. If I havent scared you off completely from studying economics, theres one last thing youll want to look into. Most schools require you to take one or two tests as part of your application requirements. Heres a few resources on those tests: Get familiar with the GRE General and GRE Economics Tests The Graduate Record Examination or GRE General test is one of the application requirements at most North American schools. The GRE General test covers three areas: Verbal, Analytical, and Math. Ive created a page called Test aids for the GRE and GRE Economics that has quite a few useful links on the GRE General Test. The Graduate School Guide also has some useful links on the GRE. I would suggest buying one of the books on taking the GRE. I cant really recommend any one of them as they all seem equally good. It is absolutely vital that you score at least 750 (out of 800) on the math section of the GRE in order to get into a quality Ph.D. program. The analytical section is important as well, but the verbal not as much. A great GRE score will also help you get into schools if you have only a modest academic record. There are a lot fewer online resources for the GRE Economics test. There are a couple of books that have practice questions that you may want to look at. I thought the book The Best Test Preparation for the GRE Economics was quite useful, but its gotten absolutely horrid reviews. You may want to see if you can borrow it before committing to buying it. There is also a book called Practicing to Take the GRE Economics Test but Ive never used it so Im not sure how good it is. It is important to study for the test, as it may cover some material that you did not study as an undergraduate. The test is very heavily Keynesian, so if you did your undergraduate work at a school heavily influenced by the University of Chicago such as the University of Western Ontario, there will be quite a bit of new macroeconomics youll need to learn. Conclusion Economics can be a great field in which to do your Ph.D., but you need to be properly prepared before you enter into a graduate program. I havent even discussed all the great books available in subjects such as Public Finance and Industrial Organization.