Metaphor and Translation Essay

Abstract Metaphor has been widely discussed within the discipline of Translation Studies, predominantly with respect to translatability and transfer methods. It has been argued that metaphors can become a translation problem, since transferring them from one language and culture to another one may be hampered by linguistic and cultural differences. A number of translation procedures for dealing with this problem have been suggested, e. g.  , substitution (metaphor into different metaphor), paraphrase (metaphor into sense), or deletion. Such procedures have been commented on both in normative models of translation (how to translate metaphors) and in descriptive models (how metaphors have been dealt with in actual translations). After a short overview of how metaphor has been dealt with in the discipline of Translation Studies, this paper discusses some implications of a cognitive approach to metaphors for translation theory and practice. Illustrations from authentic source and target texts (English and German, political discourse) show how translators handled metaphorical expressions, and what effects this had for the text itself, for text reception by the addressees, and for subsequent discursive developments. # 2004 Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved. Keywords: Conceptual metaphor; English; French; German; Metaphorical expression; Translation Studies 1. Introduction Metaphor, as a typical feature of communication, presents a challenge for translation too, both for the practising translator and for its treatment in the discipline of Translation Studies. In the literature on translation, the two main issues have been, ? rstly, the translatability of metaphors, and secondly, the elaboration of potential translation * Tel. : ? 44-121-359-3611Ãâ€"4224; fax: ? 44-121-359-6153. ? E-mail address: c. schaeffner@aston. ac. uk (C. Schaffner). 0378-2166/$ – see front matter # 2004 Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved. doi:10. 1016/j. pragma. 2003. 10. 012 1254 ? C. Schaffner / Journal of Pragmatics 36 (2004) 1253–1269 procedures. In most cases, the argumentation is based on a traditional understanding of metaphor as a ?  gure of speech, as a linguistic expression which is substituted for another expression (with a literal meaning), and whose main function is the stylistic embellishment of the text. It is only recently that a cognitive approach to metaphor has been applied to Translation Studies. In this article, I want to illustrate on the basis of some examples from the language pair, English and German, what a cognitive approach could offer to the description of metaphors in translation. The discussion proceeds primarily from the perspective of the discipline of Translation Studies. In taking this approach, it is also possible to explore how the cross-linguistic and cross-cultural perspective of translation can contribute to metaphor theory. 2. The treatment of metaphor as a translation problem Translation and interpreting as activities have existed for many centuries, and there is a long tradition of thought and an enormous body of opinion about translation (cf. Delisle and Woodsworth, 1995; Robinson, 1997). But it was not until the second half of this century that Translation Studies developed into a discipline in its own right (cf. Holmes, 1988; Snell-Hornby et al.  , 1992). Although at ? rst conceived as a subdiscipline of applied linguistics, it has taken on concepts and methods of other disciplines, notably text linguistics, communication studies, sociolinguistics, psycholinguistics, pragmatics, comparative literature, and recently, cultural studies. Instead of a uni? ed theory, we have a multiplicity of approaches, each of which focuses on speci? c aspects of translation, looks at the product or the process of translation from a speci? c angle, and uses speci? c ? terminology and research methods (cf. Chesterman, 2000; Gentzler, 1993; Schaffner,  1997b; Stolze, 1994). The phenomenon of metaphor has regularly been of concern to translation scholars who have argued about problems of transferring metaphors from one language and culture to another. The arguments brought forward need to be seen within the context of a heterogeneous discipline, i. e. , with respect to the speci? c model of translation within which the scholars approached their topic. I will therefore begin by giving a brief overview of the most prominent approaches to translation and provide a short account of how metaphor has been dealt with in the discipline of Translation Studies. Linguistics-based approaches de? ne translation as transferring meanings, as substituting source language (SL) signs by equivalent target language (TL) signs (e. g. , Catford, 1965). The source text (ST) is to be reproduced in the TL as closely as possible, both in content and in form. Since the aim of a translation theory has often been seen as determining appropriate translation methods, language systems (as langues) have been studied in order to ? nd the smallest equivalent units (at the lexical and grammatical levels) which can be substituted for each other in an actual text (as parole). Textlinguistic approaches de? ne translation as source text induced target text (TT) production (Neubert, 1985). The text itself is treated as the unit of translation, and it is stressed that a text is always a text in a situation and in a culture. Therefore, consideration needs to be given to situational factors, genre or text-typological conventions, addressees’ knowledge and expectations, and text functions. The central notion of equivalence is now ? C. Schaffner / Journal of Pragmatics 36 (2004) 1253–1269 1255 applied to the textual level, and de? ned as communicative equivalence, i. e., a relationship between the target text and the source text in which TT and ST are of equal value in the respective communicative situations in their cultures. Functionalist approaches de? ne translation as a purposeful activity (cf. Nord, 1997), as ? ? transcultural interaction (Holz-Manttari, 1984), as production of a TT which is appropriate for its speci? ed purpose (its skopos) for target addressees in target circumstances (cf. Vermeer’s ‘skopos theory’, e. g. , Vermeer, 1996). The actual form of the TT, its textual– linguistic make-up, is therefore dependent on its intended purpose, and not (exclusively) on the structure of the ST. The yardstick for assessing the quality of the target text is, thus, its appropriateness for its purpose, and not the equivalence to the source text. More modern linguistic approaches acknowledge that translation is not a simple substitution process, but rather the result of a complex text-processing activity. However, they argue that translations need to be set apart from other kinds of derived texts, and that the label ‘translation’ should only be applied to those cases where an equivalence relation obtains between ST and TT (House, 1997; Koller, 1992). Equivalence is probably the most controversial notion in Translation Studies. Some translation scholars reject this notion outright, arguing that by retaining ‘equivalence’ in the vocabulary, translation scholars sidestep the issue that ‘‘it is difference, not sameness or transparency or equality, which is inscribed in the operations of translation’’ (Hermans, 1998: 61). This view is also expressed in current approaches that are inspired by postmodern theories and Cultural Studies, which argue that texts do not have any intrinsically stable meaning that could be repeated elsewhere (e. g. , Arrojo, 1998; Venuti, 1995). For Venuti, the target text should be ‘‘the site where a different culture emerges, where a reader gets a glimpse of a cultural other’’ (Venuti, 1995: 306). In the course of its development, the focus of Translation Studies has, thus, shifted markedly from linguistic towards contextual and cultural factors which affect translation. Major inspiration for the development of the discipline has also come from research conducted within the framework of Descriptive Translation Studies (DTS), aiming at the description of translating and translations ‘‘as they manifest themselves in the world of our experience’’ (Holmes, 1988: 71). Research here includes studying the socio-historical conditions in which translations are produced and received, identifying regularities in translators’ behaviour and linking such regularities to translation norms which operate both in the social event and the cognitive act of translation (cf. Toury, 1995). DTS and postmodern theories thus de? ne translation as norm-governed behaviour (Toury, 1995) and/or a cultural political practice (Venuti, 1996: 197). The contrast between normative models (what a TT should look like) and descriptive models  (what TTs actually do look like) is also evident in the discussions about metaphor translation. Metaphor has traditionally been described as an individual linguistic phenomenon (a metaphorical expression) which can become a translation problem. Most scholars use the same terms as those applied in semantic theories (cf. Goatly, 1997), i. e. , terms like ‘image’ or ‘vehicle’ for the conventional referent, ‘object’ or ‘topic’ for the actual unconventional referent, and ‘sense’, ‘ground’, or ‘tenor’ for the similarities and/or analogies involved. Newmark (1981) explains these terms on the basis of the example rooting out the faults as follows: the object, that is, the item which is described by the metaphor, is faults. The image, that is, the item in terms of which the object is described, 1256 ? C. Schaffner / Journal of Pragmatics 36 (2004) 1253–1269 is rooting up weeds. The metaphor, that is, the word(s) used in the image, is rooting out, and the sense, which shows in what particular aspects the object and the image are similar, is (a) eliminate; and (b) do so with tremendous personal effort. He argues that in translating this ?  metaphor, a verb such as eliminer in French, or entfernen in German, would not do, ‘‘unless the phrase was of marginal importance in the text’’ (Newmark, 1981: 85). These arguments re? ect the two main concerns in Translation Studies, the translatability of metaphors, and procedures to transfer them from a source language into a target language. In equivalence-based approaches, the underlying assumption is that a metaphor, once identi? ed, should ideally be transferred intact from SL to TL. However, cultural differences between SL and TL have often been mentioned as preventing such an intact transfer. For Dagut (1976: 22), a metaphor is an ‘‘individual ? ash of imaginative insight’’, a creative product of violating the linguistic system, and as such, highly culture speci? c. Its main function is to shock its readers by creating an aesthetic impact. In Dagut’s view, the effect of shock is to be retained in a translation, and if linguistic and cultural factors hinder this effect, then he maintains that the metaphor cannot be translated. For illustration, he uses Hebrew metaphors translated into English, and shows, for example, how Hebrew metaphors are closely connected to Biblical stories and thus culture speci?  c (as in the case of the verb form ne’ekad—‘bound’, i. e. , metaphorically, ‘bound like Isaac for the sacri? ce’). Most authors agree that the image in the ST cannot always be retained in the TT (e. g. , because the image that is attached to the metaphor is unknown in the TL, or the associations triggered by the SL metaphor get lost in the TL), and subsequently several translation procedures have been suggested as alternative solutions to the ideal of reproducing the metaphor intact. For example, van den Broeck (1981: 77) lists the following possibilities. 1. Translation ‘sensu stricto’ (i.e. , transfer of both SL tenor and SL vehicle into TL). 2. Substitution (i. e. , replacement of SL vehicle by a different TL vehicle with more or less the same tenor). 3. Paraphrase (i. e. , rendering a SL metaphor by a non-metaphorical expression in the TL). Van den Broeck provides these modes of metaphor translation as a tentative scheme, i. e. , as theoretical possibilities. By linking them to categories of metaphor (lexicalized, conventional, and private metaphors) and to their use and functions in texts, he presents some hypotheses about translatability. In the tradition of DTS, van den Broeck sees the task of a translation theory not in prescribing how metaphors should be translated, but in describing and explaining identified solutions. He therefore argues that detailed descriptive studies of how metaphors are actually translated would be required to test the suggested modes and his hypotheses. In contrast to van den Broeck’s descriptive framework, Newmark’s translation procedures are presented in a prescriptive way, with the aim of providing principles, restricted rules, and guidelines for translating and translator training. He distinguishes between ? ve ? types of metaphors: dead, cliche, stock, recent, and original. In his discussion of stock metaphors, he proposes seven translation procedures, which have frequently been taken up in the literature. These procedures are arranged in order of preference (Newmark, 1981: ? C. Schaffner / Journal of Pragmatics 36 (2004) 1253–1269 1257 87–91). Newmark’s focus is on the linguistic systems, and his arguments can be linked to the substitution theory of metaphor (cf. Goatly, 1997: 116f). (All examples given here for illustration are Newmark’s own examples). 1. Reproducing the same image in the TL, e. g. , golden hair—goldenes Haar. 2. Replacing the image in the SL with a standard TL image which does not clash with the ? TL culture, e. g. , other fish to fry—d’autres chats a fouetter. ? 3. Translating metaphor by simile, retaining the image, e. g. , Ces zones cryptuaire ou s’ ? ? elabore la beaute. —The crypt-like areas where beauty is manufactured. According to Newmark, this procedure can modify the shock of the metaphor. 4. Translating metaphor (or simile) by simile plus sense (or occasionally a metaphor plus ? sense), e. g.  , tout un vocabulaire molieresque—a whole repertoire of medical quackery ` such as Moliere might have used. Newmark suggests the use of this compromise solution in order to avoid comprehension problems; however, it results in a loss of the intended effect. 5. Converting metaphor to sense, e. g. , sein Brot verdienen—to earn one’s living. This procedure is recommended when the TL image is too broad in sense or not appropriate to the register. However, emotive aspects may get lost. 6. Deletion, if the metaphor is redundant. 7. Using the same metaphor combined with sense, in order to enforce the image. Toury (1995: 81ff) points out that these translation procedures start from the metaphor as identified in the ST, and that the identified metaphor (the metaphorical expression) is treated as a unit of translation. He argues that from the perspective of the TT, two additional cases can be identified: the use of a metaphor in the TT for a non-metaphorical expression in the ST (non-metaphor into metaphor), and the addition of a metaphor in the TT without any linguistic motivation in the ST (zero into metaphor). This view deals with metaphor not as a translation problem (of the ST), but as a translation solution. In his descriptive study of ? the translation of verb metaphors (for the language pair Swedish and German), Kjar (1988) included such an inverse analysis as well, but did not go much beyond a presentation of statistical findings. Kurth’s (1995) findings, too, are derived from a descriptive analysis of actual translations. Based on the interaction theory of metaphor (cf. Goatly, 1997: 117ff) and on scenes and frames semantics as applied to translation (Vannerem and Snell-Hornby, 1986), he illustrates how several metaphors interact in the construction of a macro-scene. In German translations of works by Charles Dickens, he shows which TL frames have been chosen for a SL scene (e. g. , ‘humanizing’ objects by anthropomorphical metaphors) and what the consequences are for the effect of the text (e. g. , weakening of an image). 3. Metaphors from the cognitive linguistics perspective: consequences for Translation Studies The cognitive approach to metaphor, largely initiated by Lakoff and Johnson’s Metaphors We Live By (1980), can contribute new insights into translation as well. This approach, however, is only gradually taking root within Translation Studies (e. g. , Al? Harrasi, 2000; Cristofoli et al. , 1998; Schaffner, 1997a, 1998; Stienstra, 1993). The main 1258 ? C. Schaffner / Journal of Pragmatics 36 (2004) 1253–1269 argument of the cognitive approach is that metaphors are not just decorative elements, but rather, basic resources for thought processes in human society. Metaphors are a means of understanding one domain of experience (a target domain) in terms of another (a source domain). The source domain is mapped onto the target domain, whereby the structural components of the base schema are transferred to the target domain (ontological correspondences), thus also allowing for knowledge-based inferences and entailments (epistemic correspondences). Such models are largely encoded and understood in linguistic terms. In cognitive linguistics, the term ‘metaphor’ is used to refer to this conceptual mapping (e. g. , ANGER IS THE HEAT OF A FLUID IN A CONTAINER),1 and the term ‘metaphorical expression’ is used to refer to an individual linguistic expression that is based on a conceptualization and thus sanctioned by a mapping (e.g. , ‘I gave vent to my anger’). Establishing the conceptualization on which a particular metaphorical expression is based is relevant to translation, too. Such a perspective provides a different answer to the question of the translatability of metaphors. Translatability is no longer a question of the individual metaphorical expression, as identi? ed in the ST, but it becomes linked to the level of conceptual systems in source and target culture. In what follows, some implications of  such a cognitive approach to metaphors for translation theory and practice are illustrated. On the basis of authentic source and target texts, I describe how translators have handled metaphorical expressions. This description is linked to a consideration of the effects of such translation solutions on the text and its reception by the addressees. The examples come from political texts, and the languages involved are primarily English and German. The focus of this paper is the description and explanation of identi? ed translation solutions. It is thus related to DTS, but, in contrast to van den Broeck, for example, I do not pretend to test pre-established translation schemes or hypotheses. My starting point is authentic TT structures for metaphorical expressions in STs. That is, the description is predominantly product-oriented,2 with the explanation being linked to text, discourse, and culture. In my conclusion, I point out some ways in which the discipline of Translation Studies can contribute to metaphor theory. 4. Metaphor and text In the following two examples, we have an identical metaphorical expression in the ? German ST, Brucke (bridge), but it has been handled differently in the TTs (both extracts come from speeches by the former German Chancellor Helmut Kohl): 1 In this metaphor, ontological correspondences are, for instance, ‘the container is the body’, ‘the heat of fluid is the anger’; epistemic correspondences are then, for instance, ‘when the fluid is heated past a certain limit, pressure increases to the point at which the container explodes’ (source) and ‘when anger increases past a ? certain limit, pressure increases to the point at which the person loses control’ (cf. Kovecses, 1986: 17f). 2 A process-oriented analysis, i. e. , an analysis of the actual cognitive processes in the translator’s mind during the translation act, would add valuable insights as well. Moreover, such a perspective would also test the validity of Lakoff and Johnson’s (1980) theory. For example, one could test whether translators, as text receivers and interpreters, actually do access conceptual metaphors when constructing interpretations of metaphorical expressions (cf. Glucksberg, 2001), and how this might influence the decision-making for the TT structure. Research into translation processes (e. g. , most recently Danks et al., 1997; Kussmaul, 2000; Tirkkonen-Condit ? and Jaaskelainen, 2000) has not yet been conducted primarily with metaphors in mind. ? C. Schaffner / Journal of Pragmatics 36 (2004) 1253–1269 1259 ? ? Wir wollen die Brucke uber den Atlantik auf allen Gebieten—Politik und Wirtschaft, Wissenschaft und Kultur—festigen und ausbauen. We aim to strengthen and widen the transatlantic bridge in all spheres, in politics and commerce, science and culture. 3 ? So sind die amerikanischen Soldaten ein wichtiger Teil der Freundschaftsbrucke ? uber den Atlantik geworden. (literally: . . . an important component of the translatlantic bridge). The American forces in Germany are thus an important component of transatlantic friendship. (emphasis are mine) How (if at all) can traditional translation procedures account for these different solutions? Applying Newmark’s translation procedures, we could say that in the ? rst case, the procedure is metaphor for metaphor (i. e. , reproduction of the image), whereas in the second case the metaphor has been deleted. These texts would be examples of what Newmark calls ‘authoritative texts’, and in his guidelines to translators he states that in such texts, metaphors should be preserved. As a second criterion to guide the translator’s decision, Newmark suggests the importance of the metaphor in the text. The ? rst extract comes from Kohl’s speech on receiving the Honorary Freedom of the City of London (18 February 1998), the second one from his speech at the ceremony at Tempelhof Airport to commemorate the Berlin Airlift on the occasion of the visit of President Clinton (14 May ? 1998). The Berlin Airlift is known in German as Luftbrucke (literally: ‘bridge in the air’). In the London speech, the 50th anniversary of the Airlift is shortly mentioned, but it is not the ? actual topic of the speech. In the Tempelhof speech, however, the Luftbrucke is the actual topic, and it is used frequently in the short text, thus contributing to the structure of the text. Based on these considerations, Newmark’s recommendation presumably would be: metaphor into same metaphor in the ? rst case, but metaphor into sense in the second case. If we describe this authentic example on the basis of a cognitive approach, ? metaphorical expressions such as Brucke are considered ‘‘in the light of the metaphorical concept of which they are manifestations, and not as individual idioms to be ?tted into the target text as well as they can’’ (Stienstra, 1993: 217). In this case, one and the same historical event was conceptualized in different ways by different cultures, using different metaphors. The source domain of the English ‘airlift’ is a TRANSPORT domain, focusing on the medium (air), the action, and involving a direction (from–to). In the German ? Luftbrucke, the source domain is an ARCHITECTURAL STRUCTURE, focusing on the ? medium and the structural object. As said above, the anniversary of the Luftbrucke is the actual topic of Kohl’s Tempelhof speech; but is the bridge indeed the dominant metaphor in the text as a whole? In other words: what is the underlying conceptual metaphor by which ? the metaphorical expression Freundschaftsbrucke is sanctioned? A closer analysis of the text above shows that the argumentation is structured around the central idea of American–German friendship. In the ? rst ? ve paragraphs, Kohl gives an ? account of the historical event itself and of its political signi? cance. Luftbrucke occurs six 3 Translators are normally not identified by name in the case of translations being produced for the German government. 1260 ? C. Schaffner / Journal of Pragmatics 36 (2004) 1253–1269 times in these ? rst paragraphs, each time translated as Airlift, since each time it is used as a proper name. Kohl then links the historical aspect to the development of American– German friendship over the last 50 years, both at a personal level and at the governmental ? level. And it is here that he speaks of the Freundschaftsbrucke (exploiting the bridge image as a rhetorical means for the argumentative function of a political speech): [. . . ] in den vergangenen Jahrzehnten haben rund 7 Millionen amerikanische Soldaten bei uns in Deutschland Dienst getan. Gemeinsam mit ihren Familien waren es etwa 15 Millionen Amerikaner, die fernab ihrer Heimat, ihren Beitrag zur ? Erhaltung von Frieden und Freiheit leisteten [. . . ]. Im taglichen Kontakt mit ihren ? ? deutschen Nachbarn haben sie viele personliche Beziehungen geknupft. Diese wurden ? [. . . ] eines der Fundamente der engen Freundschaft zwischen unseren Volkern. Es ? ? ? sind ja nicht zuletzt die alltaglichen Erfahrungen und Eindrucke, die personlichen und menschlichen Begegnungen, die in diesen Jahrzehnten die deutsch-amerikanischen ? Beziehungen mit Leben erfullt haben. So sind die amerikanischen Soldaten ein ? ? wichtiger Teil der Freundschaftsbrucke uber den Atlantik geworden. 4 What we can see from such an analysis is that Kohl’s speech is structured around a metaphorical understanding of friendship: Germany and the USA are friends. Seeing the state metaphorically as a person seeking friendship involves a metaphorical conception of closeness. Thus, all references in Kohl’s speech to Kontakte, Beziehungen, Begegnungen (contacts, a dense network of personal ties, personal encounters) can be described as metaphorical expressions that are sanctioned by the conceptual metaphors A STATE IS A PERSON and INTIMACY IS CLOSENESS (see also Gibbs’ comments on primary metaphors (Gibbs et al., this issue)). One of the means which allows friends who live far apart to experience close personal contact, is a bridge. A bridge links two endpoints, here the USA and Germany (ontological correspondence), thus providing an opportunity for mutual contact (epistemic correspondence). ? From such a conceptual perspective, we can say that rendering Freundschaftsbrucke as transatlantic friendship does not really constitute a case of metaphor deletion. The conceptual metaphors A STATE IS A PERSON and INTIMACY IS CLOSENESS are present in both ST and TT. It is these conceptual metaphors that are relevant for the structure of the text and its overall function as a political speech. At the macro-level, the conceptual metaphors are identical in ST and TT, although at the micro-level a speci? c ? metaphorical expression in the ST (Freundschaftsbrucke) has not been rendered in exactly the same way in the TT. However, transatlantic friendship in the TT can equally be characterized as a metaphorical expression which is justi? ed by the same conceptual metaphors. 4 The authentic English translation of this passage reads as follows: Over the past decades some seven million American servicemen have been stationed in Germany. Together with their families, that makes about 15 million Americans who, in this country far from home, have helped, [. . . ] to safeguard peace and liberty. In their day-to-day contacts with Germans the American community here has built up a dense network of personal ties central to the close friendship between our two nations. It is not least this wealth of personal encounters, these everyday impressions and  experiences which make German–American relations a meaningful part of daily life. The American forces in Germany are thus an important component of transatlantic friendship. ? C. Schaffner / Journal of Pragmatics 36 (2004) 1253–1269 1261 If we take a cognitive approach, a ? rst aspect of metaphors in translation can therefore be described as follows: not all individual manifestations of a conceptual metaphor in a source text are accounted for in the target text by using the same metaphorical expression. This argument is in line with one of Stienstra’s (1993) ? ndings. On the basis of several Bible translations into English and Dutch, she illustrates that the conceptual metaphor YHWH IS THE HUSBAND OF HIS PEOPLE, which is a central metaphor of the Old Testament, was preserved at the macro-level, even if speci? c textual manifestations were changed or not accounted for in each individual case. There is another example in Kohl’s Tempelhof speech which provides insights into strategic uses of metaphors and their treatment in translation. In elaborating on German– American partnership in the world of today and tomorrow, Kohl says: ? Unser Ziel, Herr Prasident, ist es, den Bau des Hauses Europa zu vollenden. Dabei wollen wir, da? unsere amerikanischen Freunde in diesem Haus auf Dauer ihre feste Wohnung haben. (literally: [. . . ] We want our American friends to have a permanent apartment in this house. Our goal is to complete the construction of the European house—with a permanent right of residence for our American friends—and enable the family of European nations to live together side by side in lasting peace. (italics are mine) From a cognitive perspective, we can say that the metaphorical expressions Haus Europa, Haus, and feste Wohnung are all sanctioned by the underlying conceptual metaphor EUROPE IS A HOUSE, which is an example of an ontological metaphor (Lakoff and Johnson, 1980). Whereas in the ST, the structural elements have been lexicalized, the TT has made the entailments of the source domain explicit; that is, an apartment ensures a right of residence, and these are epistemic correspondences. Both ST and TT remain within the conceptual metaphor of a house, while the additional information in the TT  (‘‘and enable the family of European nations to live together side by side in lasting peace’’) can be seen as elaborating on this metaphor, thus also providing a conceptual link to the metaphor INTIMACY IS CLOSENESS which structures Kohl’s speech. Identifying metaphors and describing target text pro? les is a legitimate research aim for a translation scholar. An additional question concerns the causes and effects of particular translations (cf. Chesterman, 1998). I will illustrate this ? rst, by reference to the Haus Europa again, and then by commenting on the effects of a speci? c translation solution (fester Kern—hard core). Such an analysis needs to put the text into its historical context, accounting for its function, its addressees, etc. Metaphor is, thus, no longer a translation phenomenon of one particular text, but becomes an intertextual phenomenon. 5. Metaphor as an intertextual phenomenon The metaphorical expression Haus Europa ? gured prominently in the discourse of Helmut Kohl in the 1990s, speci? cally with reference to issues of European integration. Actually, the metaphor of the common European house was introduced into political discourse in the mid-1980s by the then leader of the Soviet Union Mikhail Gorbachev. As a 1262 ? C. Schaffner / Journal of Pragmatics 36 (2004) 1253–1269 re? ection of the ‘new political thinking’ in the Communist Party under Gorbachev, the conceptual metaphor EUROPE IS A HOUSE was to represent the idea of all European states, East and West of the ‘Iron Curtain’, living and working together in peaceful coexistence. The base schema for Gorbachev’s metaphor was a multi-story apartment block with several entrances, in which several families live, each in their own ? ats (i. e. , the prototypical house in bigger Russian towns). In his own discourse, Gorbachev hardly elaborated on the structural elements of a house, but most frequently stressed the rules and norms for living together in this common house. The rules of the house have to guarantee that every family can live their own lives, without interference from their neighbours, so that the common house is protected and kept in order (cf. Chilton, 1996; ? Schaffner, 1996). The Russian metaphorical expression dom was rendered as house in English5 and as Haus in German political discourse in reporting on Gorbachev’s new political ideas and aims, which were not readily welcomed in Western European countries. But more often than being rejected outright, the metaphor EUROPE IS A HOUSE was taken up and conceptually challenged. In British political discourse (especially in the second half of the 1980s), the structural aspects dominated in the argumentation, determined by features of the prototypical English house. That is, there are references to detached and semi-detached houses, to fences, and to questions such as who is to live in which room or on which ? oor.

Is Thinking Displayed In Al-Qaeda Writings and Statements Primary Religious or Ideological In Form?

An armed Sunni Islamist organization that has the objective and intention to eliminate and eradicate foreign influences from the Muslim countries is Al-Qaeda, which is nowadays is the hot topic in every country and state. Who should be eradicated it depends upon them, whom they deem and consider being infidels. One of the main purposes of this militant organization is to reestablish the caliphate, which is the title given to an Islamic leader in the community of Islam. The philosophy of Al-Qaeda is based on Wahabism, an orthodox conventional Islamic movement started by Muhammad ibn Abd al Wahhab in the 18th century.Salafism is another orthodox Islamic fundamentalist movement and it followers are the prominent members and militants of this armed group. These two movements of Islam are very dominant in Saudi Arabia, the Western Iraq, and Qatar. The group is generally recognized by its leader, Osama bin Laden, whereas, Ayman al-Zawahiri had also influenced the practice and theory of thi s organization. A common cause of it is linking many collaborative and independent working cells, which may exist in more than one country, resulting in its operations to be un-centralized or not at one place.The September 11 attacks on New York’s World Trade Center, and the Pentagon were the result of the planning and execution of this group, who has committed multiple terrorism acts in the name of Islam. In response, various series of legal and military operations were launched against Al-Qaeda by United States, which were supported by many other countries, including the Islamic Republic of Pakistan – only Islamic country that posses declared nuclear weapons.The United States, Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, NATO, and the United Nations, have officially designated this group as harmful and terrorist organization due to its continuous radical acts in the different parts of the world. In late October 2001, al Jazeera, a Middle-east television netwo rk’s journalist, Tayseer Alouni, videotaped Osama bin Laden’s interview, while he was explaining the origin of his group. In his interview, Osama said, â€Å"The name ‘al Qaeda' was established a long time ago by mere chance.The late Abu Ebeida El-Banashiri established the training camps for our mujahedeen against Russia's terrorism. We used to call the training camp al Qaeda [meaning â€Å"the base† in English]. And the name stayed†. In this interview of 2001, he used the world mujahedeen, which is used to describe the Muslims, who are ready to sacrifice their lives in any war or a meaning of struggle, in the name of Allah, often taken in the words, Jihad. In true Islamic context, it is an Islamic term that was derived from an Arabic root, which means to struggle or to strive.In religious terms, an inner effort and struggle for the mobilization of energies, in order to make one, a pious Muslim spiritually is called Jihad. Secondly, it is an attempt to serve the Islamic community and ummah through the capabilities. In extreme circumstances, it is regarded in military terms through the conquest of enemy’s territory or power. After knowing the true definition of Jihad in its Islamic terminology, a nonprofessional person can articulate that the ideology of Islam, which is being presented by these militant groups are fake and ridiculous.Islam is a religion of peace that requires Muslims to submit their wills to the Almighty Allah, one God. Whereas, no Islamic context or Allah’s words have ordered to kill innocent people and frighten them with the bombings and suicide attacks. Historically, if we investigate into the origin of Al-Qaeda, we come to know that it was originally established in the premises where training was given to thousands of mujahedeen, and they were recruited in Russia by the CIA. In January 2001, the U. S.Department of Justice used the term Al-Qaeda for the first time, when four men were accused in the case of the United States embassy bombings in East Africa, during the year 1998. Again, if we analyze the concept of Al-Qaeda for these militant acts, we can take the example of another part of the previously mentioned interview of October 2001. During the interview, the Al-Qaeda leader was asked regarding his economic sources as it was assumed that it was a fight between the United States and them. In reply, Osama bin Laden said, â€Å"This battle is not between al Qaeda and the U.S. This is a battle of Muslims against the global crusaders. In the past when al Qaeda fought with the mujahedeen, we were told, â€Å"Wow, can you defeat the Soviet Union? † The Soviet Union scared the whole world then. NATO used to tremble of fear of the Soviet Union. Where is that power now? We barely remember it. It broke down into many small states and Russia remained. God, who provided us with his support and kept us steadfast until the Soviet Union was defeated, is able to provide us o nce more with his support to defeat America on the same land and with the same people.We believe that the defeat of America is possible, with the help of God, and is even easier for us, God permitting, than the defeat of the Soviet Union was before†. According to this statement of Osama, this war is not with the United States, which is often assumed by the media, but with the global crusaders. Even if we accept this statement of this militant chief, do innocent people of New York or the students of the United Kingdom are regarded as crusaders in their opinions.This would have really made anybody feel ridiculous of the statement, or of the terrorist actions that are happening nowadays in the world. To take things more theoretically, we should try to gather around more facts. According to Diaa Rashwan, a senior researcher at the Al-Ahram Centre for Political and Strategic Studies, in mid 1990s, a merger between the Bin Laden groups and the Zawahiri’s Al-Jihad groups was t he result of a new name of this group, Qa’edat al-Jihad that means a base provided for the Jihad (the struggle).Once again, the word Jihad was taken as the primary objective and purpose of this militant group, which was totally against the teachings of Islam. The young Muslims were brought into Afghanistan for the training purpose were being brainwashed by these militants, also they were turned into new the Afghani Mujahedeens. In August 1988, according to a document of the Defense Department of the United States, the organization was defined as the establishment of an organization for the recruitment of young Muslims, and turning them into the Afghani Mujahedeen as mentioned previously in our discussion.It was also stated in this document that the main objective of this group was instituting the Islamist states throughout the world, while overthrowing the un-Islamic regimes, which were taken as the enemies of the God. The expulsion of the US soldiers from the Gulf was their one of the targets, and in the end, it was their mission to capture the city of Jerusalem as a Muslim city. If we look into the past, wars have been fought in the name of religion. However, no religion and even in the history of Islamic wars, we have never seen a war, in which innocent people, women and children were killed.From the historical facts and the teachings of Islam given by Allah, a last option was given to the Muslims to fight in the name of their religion, if and only if, there was no other option remained in their hands. We can decide through these statements and discussions that it is a wrong thing to call this militant group as an Islamic militant group. The political and social reasons can be behind the establishment of this group. Personal benefits and leisure have been the cause and motive of this organization. However, it would be very ludicrous to relate it with Islam.The statements and writings of these groups may give a perception of a religion that gives the teaching of spreading blood and hatred in the world. However, their statements are very philosophical and illiterate in nature, if properly investigated and studied. In 1998, the Al-Qaeda leader was interviewed and the tape was shown to the whole world. If we analyze his statements during that interview, Allah was praised by him for the help, by which, America’s greatest buildings were destroyed. He was seen thanking God for His blessings on them, and causing humiliation that was tasted by Muslims since more than 80 years.According to him, Muslims children were being killed in Iraq, Israeli tanks were infesting Palestine, and the blood, honor, and sanctuaries of Islam were being abused by the infidels. Even then, nobody was seen moving a single limb against these infidels. In one of his statements, he said, â€Å"These events have divided the whole world into two sides. The side of believers and the side of infidels, may God keep you away from them. Every Muslim has to rush to make his religion victorious. The winds of faith have come. The winds of change have come to eradicate oppression from the island of Muhammad, peace be upon him†.If we look into this statement, according to him, his world was at the peak of division of the believers and the infidels. Secondly, he had asked every Muslim to wake up and rush out for the victory of his religion. Even if we accept it, the injustices caused to the Muslims, and the injuries borne by them, no Islamic teachings guided to response in this manner, even with the enemies. If we go back in the history, Hazrat Muhammad (peace be upon him), the last prophet of Allah (as per Muslims believe), and who spread Islam in the Arabia had also fought many wars during his life.We can see the examples of forgiveness which he used to do with the enemies, and even used to forgive those persons who had abused him on the face. From these examples, it can be analyzed that the militant and terrorist acts of this Al-Qaeda g roup is not more than acts of the political wars. The statements of Al-Qaeda group may be primary religious, but in some parts. More fractions were used to humiliate the enemy and disgrace the religion of Islam – this is the reason that makes the Islamic countries to support the war of terrorism.Injustices were also done during this war of terrorism and innocent people became the victims during this period. However, there is no difference between a person who slaps someone and the person who has just slapped him. Every religion that came in this world taught and guided to speak the truth, help the people, and serve the humanity. Therefore, if a group of extremists that arm themselves and kill innocent people and children of the so-called enemies, and call themselves as the true believers is completely wrong.Only radical and illiterate ideology of a religion is represented by these groups and once again, one may not deem them as the representative of Islam. In order to underst and their philosophy in more detail, we should examine their other statements too. A fatwa (binding religious proclamation) was issued and co-signed by Osama bin Laden, Ayman al-Zawahiri, Sumedh Gawai, and three of the other Islamist leaders on February 23, 1998. This edict was made under the banner of the World Islamic Front for Jihad against the Jews and Crusaders.Once again, it was very wrong step by them to use the world Islamic, as it only disgraced this religion, rather than giving it honor. In this declaration, it was announced that â€Å"[t]he ruling to kill the Americans and their allies civilians and military—is an individual duty for every Muslim, who can do it in any country, in which it is possible to do it, in order to liberate the al-Aqsa Mosque (in Jerusalem) and the holy mosque (in Makka) from their grip, and in order for their armies to move out of all the lands of Islam, defeated and unable to threaten any Muslim.This is in accordance with the words of Alm ighty Allah, ‘and fight the pagans all together as they fight you all together,' and ‘fight them until there is no more tumult or oppression, and there prevail justice and faith in Allah†. In the light of this pronouncement, it was compulsory for every Muslim to come out of his home and start fighting with any Jew that comes in front of him. Isn’t that a preposterous proclamation, or should it be taken as a dangerous edict?The most interesting thing that takes your attention is the traditional Islamic scholarly qualifications were possessed by neither Osama bin Laden or al-Zawahiri. However, the contemporary ulema (true interpretators of Islamic teachings) were rejected by these radical extremists and this responsibility was taken upon them by themselves. The September 11, 2001 attacks at New York’s World Trade Center and the Pentagon was the deadliest and the extreme ones in the American history. Almost 3000 people were killed, which include Christia ns, Jews, and Muslims.This act was an elevated operation of terrorism, and it changed the lives of thousand of Americans. In October 2004, a videotape was released by Al-Jazeera in which Osama bin Laden claimed his responsibility of these attacks and stated his inspiration to be the 1982 Israeli attacks at the high-rises in the Lebanon. Once more, he performed this act of repetition one’s wrong doing reciprocally. Even if Israel had done a devilish act, Islam had taught to forgive and pray for the blessings, even for the enemies. However, what happened was totally different and diverse from the Islamic teachings.In this videotape, Osama bin Laden said, â€Å"As I looked at those demolished towers in Lebanon, it entered my mind that we should punish the oppressor in kind and that we should destroy towers in America in order that they taste some of what we tasted and so that they be deterred from killing our women and children†. It seems from these terrorism acts and the ir statements that this would not stop in the near future, and a war may not be the solution of this issue. Their philosophy, ideology, and psychology are related to their hearts that tends them to react in this state of terrorism.One more example of their statements is the incident of July 13, 2006. In the Srinagar region of Kashmir, a man claimed to be the representative of Al-Qaeda and announced the Kashmiris and the people worldwide of their arrival in this region. The spokesperson also attributed the recent blasts to his group calling them a consequence of the Indian oppression, which was suppressed by the Muslim minorities. These series of different statements showed the image of Muslims and particularly, Islam as a religion of war rather than the peace.These acts can only be the motives of political benefits and advantages as no Islamic teachings guide the Muslims to do the struggle in this manner even against their enemies. Therefore, once again it would be better to declare that these statements and writings can only be a reflection of motives behind personal promotion rather than the religious beliefs and teachings. However, it is still confusing to decide the final decision, because the Al-Qaeda’s nature and extent of its working and operations throughout the world remains a topic of dispute.From the understanding of their statements, we can say that these acts and thoughts are the result of hatred against the United States, Israel, and the other western countries rather than an effort of struggling as per the teachings of Islam. According to their Islamic ideology, these abovementioned countries are taken as the infidels and enemies of Islam. They take it as these countries are trying to abuse the social, economic, cultural, and traditional values of their religion.Many of the Saudi scholars, which were the result of the previously mentioned Wahabism wrote about the United States as the country of corruption, despotism, evil, and aggression. It was considered as a state of spreading abomination and corruption in the world. The resources being used on wines, cigarettes, and sex channels were the cause of their hatred against these western countries. In order to dominate their desire of revenge against these states, they portrayed themselves as the true representatives, scholars, and believers of Islam.Young Muslims were brainwashed and persuaded to sacrifice their lives for the motive of Islam. However, the main objective was to humiliate the enemy rather than to honor the religion. The different proclamations of these extremists, such as, the future conquest of Rome and all of Europe; the state of confrontation with the west; civilians in the infidel states deserve to die; democracy as the religion of the infidels; and seeing the West as God’s enemy are some of the many and various statements given by these extremists.These statements only portray their personal motives behind these acts and not the Islamic ideo logy in any sense. Many experts, writers, investigators and analysts have tried their best to analyze the Al-Qaeda’s position, in the light of their statements and writings, but it is still a topic of argument due to its anonymity. In this discussion, we tried to examine and scrutinize the testimonials of this militant group to decide whether they are playing a role as an Islamic group spreading true religious teachings and beliefs or it is an extremist group that is trying to cope up its problems radically.Conclusively, according to the investigations done by different experts and facts available for the analysis, the Al-Qaeda network does not display or seems to be trying to portray an original picture and ideology, which was given by the Holy Quran and the Messenger of Allah, to the Muslims of the world. References Jason Burke. (2004). Al-Qaeda: a True Story of Radical Islam. I. B. Tauris. Daurius Figueira. (2004). the Al Qaeda Discourse of the Greater Kufr. iUniverse. Bra d K. Berner. (2005). the World According to Al-Qaeda. Booksurge Llc. Olivier Roy. (2004). Globalised Islam: the search for a new Ummah. C. Hurst & Co.Publishers. Robert O. Marlin. (2005). What Does Al Qaeda Want? : Unedited Communiques. North Atlantic Books. Paul J. Murphy. (2004). The Wolves of Islam: Russia and the Faces of Chechen Terror. Brassey's. Dele Ajaja. (2006). The Return of Al-Qaeda: When a Dreaded Terrorist Reaches the Turning Point. iUniverse. David Malone (2005). Bin Laden's Plan: The Project for the New Al Qaeda Century. Trafford Publishing. Phillip Margulies. (2003). Al Qaeda: Osama Bin Laden's Army of Terrorists. The Rosen Publishing Group. Al-Qaeda from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Al-Qaeda Retrieved November 30, 2006

Judith Beveridge’s Poetry Essay

An inherent tension between nature and the material world is revealed in the imagery of Judith Beveridge’s poetry. Discuss the significance by referring to three poems. Judith Beveridge poetry reveals an inherent tension between nature and the material world. She questions human’s ability to understand and be connected to nature, examines human’s destructive power over nature and demonstrates the changing nature of the world from natural to materialistic. This is represented in her poems, Mulla Bulla Beach, Fox in the Tree Stump and Streets of Chippendale. Judith Beveridge’s poetry examines the ability of humans or the materialistic world to be interconnected with nature. In the poem Mulla Bulla Beach she examines a human’s ability to be part of nature, particularly from an outsiders perspective. She states â€Å" A new world to me, but familiar†, demonstrating how she can be related to nature. She also examines an insiders perspective on the beach, in particular the fisherman, stating â€Å" who are born hearing the sea always there† She examines how the fisherman have become part of the natural rhythm demonstrating how humans can be part of nature, and the tension between the material world and nature does not need to exist. She uses many similes to link humans or human objects to nature for example â€Å"Jellyfish clear as surgical gloves† and â€Å" tide winded shells pacing quietly as shore runners†. These similes demonstrate how humans can not only understand but also be part of the natural rhythm. This is also seen in Judith’s poem, The Fox in a Tree Stump. Judith examines how the child feels a connection to the fox and its innocent nature stating, â€Å" Fox hairs of dust sweated in my palms† although, this connection does not overpower the fear of her uncle, so she kills the fox. This demonstrates that although humans may feel connected to nature although this does not prevent them from destroying aspects of nature. Judith Beveridge examines the inherent tension between nature and the material world by examining a human’s ability to understand nature.

Materiality in Auditing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 7

Materiality in Auditing - Essay Example Financial mistakes are not always unintentional instead there is a culture of making misstatements in accounting due many reasons including unexpected errors, mistakes or negligence level of misstatement and/or fraud cases. Pointing out and examining the level of misstatement and its impact on the whole financial performance is one of the major concerns of auditors. Rittenberg, Johnstone, and Grambling (2011) suggested that the point or level of misstatements or materiality in data possess high concerns of auditors’ judgments and experience. The term â€Å"materiality† refers to the acceptable level of misstatement according to the experience and judgments of the auditors that do not affect the decisions of financial statement readers (Financial Accounting Standard Board). It sounds vague that a highly sensitive document and its materiality issues are left only to the judgments and knowledge of the auditors. Unfortunately, it is widely practiced and kept secret by the auditors as stated by Mock, at el (2009). The gaps in the phenomena are vital and should be covered with identifiable measures. It is necessary to develop a level of understanding for establishing accurate measures to address the problem. For the purpose of getting deep insight of the matter of materiality in auditing, the piece of writing is crafted to define and discuss wider aspects of materiality. The importance of materiality is apparent in the making of financial statement. International Accounting Standard board’s conceptual framework for preparing financial statements defined materiality as the data become â€Å"material† if its alteration or omission affects the stakeholders’ decisions (Todea, Joldos, and Cioca, 2013). To elaborate materiality is the cut-off point of accepting material data to the level up to which it does not impact in decision-making via financial statement drivers. Although, IASB

Recruitment & Staffing Proposal Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Recruitment & Staffing Proposal - Assignment Example One of the recruitment approaches that can be used is gamification. Top companies increasingly use this method, and it can help obtain quality and talented individuals into the company. It is the approach involving developing enjoyable, engaging and fun components to test skills by striking into a competitive spirit always like a game (Smith & Mazin, 2011). HSS interest is recruitment of top level employees and through gamification models, the company can benefit since there is a provision to the employer with a preview of how the senior applicant may perform or manage when doing that particular job. This is a positive outcome should the HSS company consider this recruitment approach. There are occasions when the organization hired a candidate only to find once in the job that he wasn’t okay. This approach helps solve such problems. The second approach of recruitment that human resource can adopt to help the company is employee referral programs. Reward can be used to entice w illing employees in assisting the human resource achieve its aim. The final approach that the HSS human resource will apply is mobile recruitments and social networks this is another current trend in recruitment. Human resource at HSS may explore this option. It involves sourcing for suitable applicants from company’s social sites (Smith & Mazin, 2011). The company through the human resource will observe and identify events across your social networks. They will monitor responses, questions, comments and other various interactions. This can provide indications where to focus and channel social media recruitment efforts. The approach also involves engaging top candidate and identifying where your social networks are very active; involve the best applicants with valuable content such as videos, webinars and blog posts There is three recruitment approaches that could be considered by HSS human

Target Corporation Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Target Corporation - Assignment Example The organizational hierarchy as described above indicates that Target has a tall management structure. Companies with tall hierarchies tend to take more time in making decisions. Information flow, be it top-bottom or bottom-top tends to get distorted leading to misinterpretation of the messages sent. Due to this, the organization runs the risk of taking incorrect decisions as they may be based on incorrect information. Tall hierarchies tend to increase management costs as well. Managers are usually paid more than subordinates; therefore each additional level in the hierarchy would contribute to escalating costs. Last, but not the least, employees have the less managerial authority and responsibility which acts as a stumbling block in motivating them. Given the nature and quantum of Target’s business, the company would require a lot of staff. The operational work at the 1750 stores spread across the 49 states is essentially being done by the 3, 55, 000 team members. That translates to a little more than 200 employees per store which is far lower than what the biggest retailer in the world, Wal-Mart has. A clear-cut hierarchy and limited span of control ensure that supervision is effective and the work done is of the highest quality. It is not without reason that the company has won numerous awards. Among others, Target has bagged the 10th spot in the list of â€Å"Top 100 Employers for the Class of 2011† compiled by the Diversity Employers Magazine.

Ghadafi and Libya essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Ghadafi and Libya - Essay Example The Egyptian conflict was the first example where the protestors of the country fought for justice and freedom and forced their leader, Hosni Mubarak to resign. These protests were followed in other countries where the citizens wished to revolutionize their countries and attain liberal governments that would fulfill their demands and recognize the importance of... the citizens of the country. The most prominent amongst these is the Libyan Conflict which began in the month of February in the year 2011. The conflict is still in progress and rebels have taken to the streets to force the step down of their leader Colonel Muammar el-Qaddafi who has been in power since almost 42 years. Qaddafi has not given up and does not intend to give in to the demands of the people and has resorted to severe measures which include oppression and killings of the masses. The conflict has met with criticism from international countries and allies of Libya have also requested Qaddafi to step down and abide by the wants and wishes of the people (Libya — Protests and Revolt 2011). Libya is an Arab nation which is located on the map in North Africa. The country like many other Arab countries contains very high reservoirs of oil. The country has been under the rule of Colonel Muammar el-Qaddafi from the year 1969 who has proved to be a very strict and harsh ruler for the country. Qaddafi has always been a ruler who has followed the policy of dictatorship and has tried to keep all the powers of authority in his hands. Qaddafi is an intelligent man who has used all his powers to keep the country divided so that there could be no united strong appraisal against his oppressions. He did not create any strong national organizations and at the same time, he also did not form a nationalized army so that no revolt to overthrow him could be very strong. He has been criticized on the international level owing to his oppressive acts which have resulted in the expulsion of Libya as a member fr om the United Nations Security Council. There was an internal unrest in the country but the actual conflict resulted due to the wave of revolution that started in the neighboring countries of Egypt and Tunisia and led to the freedom of these countries. It was followed by the Libyans who started their revolt against the government and initiated a mass protest demanding the resignation of their leader (Fahim et al 2011; Libya — Protests and Revolt 2011). The revolt against the government started in the city of Benghazi and spread across the country and rebels were seen to be operating in different cities of Libya against the four decade old rule. It was expected by many that Qaddafi would opt for resignation but these hopes vanished when he chose for fighting against the people of his own country. He used threatening and derogatory remarks against the rebels terming them as â€Å"cockroaches† in his speech and threatened to kill all of them. It seemed that the revolt wou ld not last long and the protesters would be crushed but international intervention and military assistance and strikes from the United States and United Kingdom in the month of March served to increase the revolt and the side of the rebels became stronger again. The NATO forces also came to the assistance of the rebels and assisted them to fight back the forces of Colonel

The French Wars of Religion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The French Wars of Religion - Essay Example The popular and learned, denominational reflection on spiritual matters and the declaration by the Catholic church that it held a powerful position regarding spiritual matters plunged France on the road of conflict. Wars of religion began in 1562 and continued up to the time of Edict Nantes in 1598. It was the warfare that dismantled generation, although fought in desultory and inconclusive manner. These wars occurred in France for many years, rather than the hundred years of fighting, they comprised of series of wars rather one disagreement on the confessional dispute. According to Benedict (2004), these wars consisted mainly of civil wars between the Protestants called Huguenots and the Catholics that resulted in so much bloodshed in France. In addition, the French noble class of the house of Bourbons and house of Guise was involved in the deadly war that lasted for 36 years. Historians have attributed this battle as a proxy between a Protestant, Queen Elizabeth I of England and Ki ng Philip II of Spain, all these people are said to have contributed militarily and financially to this war. At the time the war began, the Huguenots were the minority in that they comprised only of 7% of the French population (Berce, 1990). However, by geographical accident, they found themselves in a suitable position to fight when the war began. This war was much of a political conflict as a religious battle. The main conflict was between the king and the royal families who were Catholics and the protest struggle to be able to worship consciously and freely conflicted with this political conflict. In France, the state and religion were bound together by people’s experience and mind. There was no differentiation between the private and public, civic and personal religion.

Oppose National Identification Cards Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Oppose National Identification Cards - Essay Example Ultimately, the Act was intended to prevent terrorism by creating rigorous and consistent standards with regard to state-issued IDs for all the states to follow. States are commissioned to renovate the drivers’ licenses and non-drivers’ identification cards such that uniform security features could be included in them across the whole country (PFAW Capitol Hill). The law repealed Section 7212 under Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004, a regulation targeting the issue of national standards for drivers’ licenses and personal identification cards where minimum standards were set and certain information were disclosed in the identification cards left to each of the states’ discretion, thus sacrificing the consistency of the categories and criteria on who are eligible to obtain the drivers’ licenses across the whole country. The new law as such reformed this by replacing each of all the states standards with a specific national one ( Hann). Technically, states are not mandated to accept these federal standards. But, refusing to do so would mean that their residents would be refused employment, then denied having social security or disallowed air travel. In a sense, instead of imposing a direct order on the states, the federal government is threatening them into complying underhandedly. Combating terrorism is the primary reason behind all these. But, proponents of these are actually forgetting that the criminals do not care about laws, not so much as to breaking them anyway. A terrorist would not so much bat an eyelash when he is not going to be dutifully able to obtain a federal ID card. People who disregarded the nation’s immigration laws would not care so much if they were to disrespect these ID requirements, especially when any card can be forged and any regulating agency could

The Ethical Code Letter Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Ethical Code Letter - Essay Example I believe that that the core moral values epitomize what is in line with our set goals. However, one may decide to set his or her code of conduct, it should be that which is in line with the Tesco new code of conduct. Dear employees, it is with my due indulgence that I address another critical factor that is the value of diversity in Tesco Company. Having employees from different diverse backgrounds will be able to realize the importance of globalization. The customers and workers will represent the different mix in our company therefore we can compete internationally. Moreover diversity also includes the age factor. Having employees of different age gaps will propel the company through realizing its goals because when an employee retires there will be others left. Furthermore, there will be increased pro ductility in the company because of diverse talents operating together. Moreover, there will be increased innovation and invention. It will be possible when different thoughts are put together towards a common goal. Lastly, with diversity, market sharing, and customer’s satisfaction will be a notch higher. My dear employees, code of ethics offers an opportunity for an accountable business organization. Therefore, it should be upon us to uphold the ethical code of conduct. Furthermore, all the benefits will be of great benefit to all of

To the Betrayed Inhabitants of the City and Colony of New York By Essay

To the Betrayed Inhabitants of the City and Colony of New York By Alexander McDougall - Essay Example McDougall wrote that the people of New York were being tyrannized by evil forces and factions working overtime to see that their vested interests were fulfilled rather than ensuring that the country was insulated from disasters. The message clearly breathed the spirit of reconstruction rather than retribution, and was easily more constructive than destructive. McDougall's message was not only powerful, but as any historian can make out, it was a wakeup call, a call to liberty and freedom, and not a baleful message addressed to the masses, giving them false hope and instigating wanton and unnecessary violence. In his message to the people of New York, McDougall wanted to warn them to beware of "the minions of tyranny and despotism." These words written at the very outset of his message, we can very well appreciate his deepest interest in his fellowmen - the people of New York to whom he had addressed his message. In the message, McDougall praised the efforts of all his fellow merchants, who like himself, had solely sidestepped their personal egos and ambitions in favor of public welfare. The initial bearing of his message is more about the efforts taken by the Massachusetts and South Carolina assemblies towards collecting and dispatching money for the troops: which is an act he felt extremely unreasonable from the very beginning. McDougall's message communicated the words: Our granting money to the troops, is implicitly acknowledging the authority that enacted the revenue acts, and their being obligatory on us, as these acts were enacted for the express purpose of taking money out of our pockets without our consent; and to provide for the defending and support of government in America; which revenue we say by our grant of money, is not sufficient for the purpose aforesaid; therefore we supply the deficiency. These words clearly specify the reason why McDougall felt that the money sent to the troops by the two assemblies testify the fact that colonies still were oppressed by corrupt sources in the assembly, and that they had to break free as soon as they could. The entire message was revolutionary in its truest sense but must not be confused with instigating anti-British and revolutionary feelings among the people. That was the entire beauty of McDougall's broadside message. Upon a close analysis, we will find that his call was to rally the people, make them realize their rights, and look up to the English "friends of liberty," as he addressed them, and to help them stand on their own feet. He also wrote that the sorry state of the New Yorkers could be attributed only to the oppressive and corrupt elements present in the assembly and he fervently pleaded with his countrymen to assert themselves the way they should have. Even as we read the text we can clearly observe McDougall's fantastic expression. Using that persuasive tone, McDougall had touched the most sensitive of topics, and yet made it look as if he was teaching to inspire, and not plotting to revolt. In this context, we can observe the manner in which he wrote about

Stylolites - Greek Essay Example for Free

Stylolites Greek Essay Stylolites are irregular discontinuity or non structural fractures which are found in limestone plus other sedimentary rocks. Stylolites come from compaction and pressure solution during the process of diagenesis and it might be blown up by subsequent groundwater flow. Stylolites most of the time comes into view as uneven discontinuities in the outcrops along with hand samples and they are frequently lined up with clays which are quite impossible to solve, opaque and dim organic matter. The phrase stylolite originated right from the Greek for pillar, ‘stylo’ (Paul 19). A stylolite is not a structural fracture even though they have been described as a structure of anti crack whereby both sides are moving together instead of moving apart. Proof exists in the structure of fossiliferous limestones in which the fossils crosscut by a stylolite and it is said that only one of the half still exists. The other half has already been dissolved away. Stylolites in one way or the other might be an important geologic feature which affects the reservoir quality and most probably the reservoir management in a good number of carbonate reservoirs. Emaciated, discontinuous paved zones which are connected with stylolites take place in the massive, soaring porosity dolomites of the Upper Smackover at Jay/LEC Field and they are actually the source of horizontal baffles to perpendicular flow suspected ever since the early days of production in combination with the corroboration by full field reservoir performance studies. It is important for the thin, perpendicular flow baffles to match historical water flood arrivals in both full field plus a little area simulation modeling that led to the wide spreading re-examination of the core and recognition of these formerly undetected cemented zones connected with stylolites. Field wide conventional coring provides an outstanding foundation database for describing the physical nature, circulation of stylolites and the most related cements. In the ontong Java Plateau chalk sediments mechanical compaction actually causes a porosity decline from let us say 70% to 50% in the topmost 600 m. mudstones together with wackestones they tend to have comparable porosity for the reason that the wall cavity of the microfossils add up in the same way to pore-space and to the solid phase. The original pore filling cementation might be interconnected to the occurrence of the primary stylolites at approximately 830 m together with a decrease in massive sediment. Temperature is in the region of 20%C and valuable burial stress 6 MPa (Paris 79). Stylolites might derive in primary diffuse green bands which are enriched in smectite chlorite, most probably those of volcanic origin. The bands are replaced approximately below 490 m by supplementary distinct flaser structures that are enriched in smectite. The commencement of pressure dissolution consequently corresponds to an interval of diminishing mechanical compaction. Below 790 m the chalk consists of biogenic opal-A, nevertheless the opal-CT increasingly it takes over 790 m and most probably below 1130 m quartz becomes the only silica phase. This process coincides with the cementation frontage, beneath which depth pore-filling calcite cementation makes porosity to go down. Silica-Ca complexes in the pore water might not become stable when the high temperature and age cause quartz to turn out to be the most established silica phase. The pore filing cementation tends to load microfossils completely with the intention that textual differences are at the present clearly visible on the porosity log. The stylolite bears a chalk of the Gorm field, the Central North Sea, porosity is 20%-40%, lower than OJP chalk however it is higher than OJP limestone. The variation is reflecting cementation of microfossils while the matrix porosity is comparable to the OJP chalk. The variation between OJP and it is not possible to explain Gorm field chalk alone by the early introduction of hydrocarbons, which does not exactly give an explanation of the cementation of microfossils. Nevertheless, another cause might be the excessive pressure in the chalk of the Central North Sea whereby the percentage amongst the temperature and effective burial stress far above the ground. Silica most probably has the equilibrated to quartz before stylolites exhibited so that calcite cementation was not held back at all by the silica diagenesis (Bradbury 197). Stylolites were observed during the Hampovica-6 well and they have been shaped in a stress field which tends to act homogeneously in excess of a long period of time without reactivating older, pre-existing fracture systems. Alongside the strike, they tend to cut off all the planes of different discontinuities, bedding together with fractures from the axial plane. Through the aforementioned statement, it shows that the stylolites were created after the final tectonic configuration of the structure which was presently in the well. That is to say, the two sets of dissimilar deformations point towards the two events of the similar compression that is confined to a small area in the part of limestone of the aforementioned well only. The reality is that in the other rock samples which are examined from this well they originate from more shallow and deeper parts than this interval, neither the stylolitization nor the significant structural deformations have been clearly observed. Slight thoughtfulness is given to the interior structure of the stone. They have written very few about the influence of stylolites, a most important parameter, as a way which is used to choose an appropriate stone, to forecast its outcome on applications plus their performance thereafter, not to talk about using stylolites as a analytic tool already during prospecting for stone deposits. This disrespect resulted in defaults more especially within limestone slabs and strips with pre-existing discontinuities into the stone just similar to stylolites. Very similar it applies to installation defaults for instance the proper attachment and prevention of slabs breaking for the duration of processing, installation, or even after placing. In point of fact, litigations and complaints within the stone sector concern floor coverings which contains problematic stylolites associated with cutting with-the bed, tripping, slipping and tentative accidents. In some sense the industry can be held responsible for this state of affairs, from the lack of geotechnical awareness to stylolites during mining and prospection at the quarries. Attention taken to possible defaults gives the quarry owner or stone supplier knowledge with a good understanding of the deposit and eventually it ensures satisfaction to customers (Bradbury 213). As a matter of fact, stylolites are mainly found in so many rock types together with sandstones, to slighter extent igneous rocks plus other deposits metamorphosed to a variety of degrees. On the other hand, limestones and dolomites are used in building and construction which forms the major group affected by the presence of stylolites more especially the stones that are having higher pure calcareous content. The stylolitic limestones are important in ornamental and decorative uses, marketed as marble. At present the nation is using stylolitic limestone for business purposes. They are used for making ornaments. The behaviors of stone materials are traced to conditions throughout the origin of the rock and to the tectonic appearance of the rock mass. The quarry investigations and laboratory capacity have then to be associated with the limestone applications in building frontages or pavements. Even though the general mechanical properties might be accepted, the very natural properties which are foot printed during genesis or those that are caused by the historical tectonic discontinuities might at times let people down during or after the stone application. The earliest examination of the stone material for possible disorders actually prevents default. It needs the understanding of the stylolites, a structural examination of the quarry beds to search for discontinuities, to prevent excessive tectonic stylolites to smoothen the progress of commercial block extraction. It applies to figuring out cutting direction to decrease the stratigraphic stylolites rate (Dean 117). Conclusion Inconclusive negotiations about the origin and the formation of stylolites have always been and they are still going on for more than a century at present. It does not sound academic but an extensive literature is readily available on stylolites whereby petite attempt has been made in which data is applied to the dimension stone industry. Apart from the significance of stylolites for descriptive purposes, the compulsory petrograhic examination standards, vertical and stylolites might be used to show the quality of the stone, when the subject to dynamic loading is on floors or pavements. Finally, at present people notice the presence of stylolites in areas subjected to tectonic actions and observed facts must be accepted as fundamentally right. Works Cited Bradbury, H. Fluid flow in the crust: an example from a Pyrenean thrust ramp. American Journal of Science (288):1988, 197-235. Dean, S. Structural chronology. West Virginia: southeastern printers, 1988. Paris, B. Stylolites: Their Nature and Origin: Their Nature and Origin. India: Indiana University, 1921. Paul, D. Microdynamics Simulation. Georgia: Springer Publishers, 2008.

Small Dog Hotel In Guangzhou China Tourism Essay

Small Dog Hotel In Guangzhou China Tourism Essay Guangzhou is the largest city in south China. The wealth gap in the city is significant. Therefore, there is inexpensive labour available while high-end customers are willing to pay a profitable price for the services offered. The pet industry is booming. The dog population in the city has increased by 15% each year  [1]  . This makes dog boarding one of the most lucrative industries in the city Financially, it takes three months to reach positive net cash flow, and ROCE is negative in the first year, since the profit is negative, however, in the second year, the company will have substantial increase in profits, the profit will reach  ¥183,100. Description of Business Services Provided Dog Overnight Boarding: Providing overnight stay to dogs along with a complimentary dinner in the evening. Dog Day Play Group: Dogs are cared for during the day with play sessions in the morning and afternoon. Dog Taxi Service: Drivers pick-up dogs at 7 a.m., and brings them home in the evenings. This saves pet owners from the inconvenience of the hectic rush hour traffic. Special taxi booking is available at an additional fee. In-house shop offers dog products for long-term boarders. Owners can order dog treats over the phone using prepaid cards. Dogs will follow a structured daily schedule. Following each dogs stay, a complimentary report of the dog is provided to owners. Business Ownership The business will be a Limited Liability Company, as this can reduce tax liability in the long term. Company location Guangzhou city is in one of the wealthiest cities in south China. There is a increasing number of middle-class residents, and it is also close to the manufacturing towns where kennel equipment can be manufactured at a low cost. Woof Hotel is located in the northwest suburb of Guangzhou, near G105 motorway with good transport links. G105 is also linked to tourist resorts in the province where people take their pets on holiday. So, the company can advertise along the motorway to attract potential customers. The northwest suburb is a mountainous region away from residential areas, as this minimises noise from dogs barking. This particular location is surrounded by farmlands and allows for future expansion. The approximate commute time is 40 minutes from the city centre. Facilities and Staffing The maximum capacity is 100 dogs; each kennel measures 2 x 4m. There is a large fenced, grassed outdoor exercise area. There is a small kitchen for preparing dog foods. There reception area sells dog products, and there is also a customer lounge. Staff to dog ratio is 1:10. There are 24 hour surveillance cameras operating on-site to ensure the safety of dogs and staff. A burglar alarm will be installed to prevent dog thefts. Expansion Plan 2nd Year Increase kennel capacity by 50; Purchase agility equipment, a paddling pool and a sand pit for dogs to play in. 3rd Year Differentiate the kennels by building luxury suites as well as offer budget stays. Provide dog grooming service. 5th Year Introduce dog training and socialisation classes. Franchise opportunities become available. Build more Woof Hotels in other areas of the province. Marketing Market Needs The number of dogs in the city is growing by 15% each year; however, the pet service industry cannot keep up with the growth. People are unable to find satisfactory pet boarding kennels at reasonable rates. More professionals have pets. However, most people dont have time to adequately care for their dogs for 365 days a year. Finally, dogs arent allowed on any public transport anywhere in China, which makes it difficult for people to travel with their pets. SWOT Analysis Strength Weakness Management team has expertise in starting a small business Director has seen many successful pet boarding business overseas Being the first dog kennel can make the company the industry leader The idea of boarding kennel has not been tried and tested in the country Team leaders have no previous experience in pet industry Lack of skilled workers Opportunities Threats The pet industry is booming There is increasing demand for boarding kennel The satisfaction rate for the service offered by competitors is low Competitors may enter this lucrative market in a few years, this may decrease the market share of the company Competition At the moment, there are very few direct competitors boarding kennels. The indirect competitors are: Private Veterinary Surgery: These surgeries are small and the housing is in poor condition. As sick dogs are coming in to see the vet and boarders are placed in a cage along with sick dogs. The vet is not responsible if a healthy dog boarder falls ill. The risk being the cost for treatment in case the pet contracts a virus is extremely high. The vet charges a high rate for boarding fees. Home boarding: There are currently a small number of people offering home boarding. However, they are not regulated; Customers do not know their backgrounds therefore difficult to establish reliability. It is predicted there will be an increase in the number of both domestic and overseas competitors in the future which will invest in this lucrative market. Differential advantage Woof house is aimed toward middle class dog owners, since positioning the company in the middle class makes it easier to move up or down the market. The industry is new; demand from each segment of the consumer market is unknown. In the expansion plan, the company will introduce luxury and budget stays to accommodate customers needs. Promotional Plan A lot will be invested in advertising during the first year, including: Sign posts along the motorways G105. Leaflet distribution: either by hiring commissioned people wearing company tee-shirts to distribute the leaflets in streets, Discounts offered during low seasons Advertising in partnerships with pet shops, with free taster boarding vouchers available The van transporting dogs with the company logo on will be self-marketing when driving in the city Market Research The director has conducted desk research on www.goumin.com , a popular networking site for dog owners. The main issues facing them include lack of boarding kennel in the city; no transport which allows pets on hence restricts their movement, and expensive vet fees. The demand for boarding kennel is very high, yet there isnt any available at the moment. Since response rate on forums is high. The director has posted a survey on the website (see appendix), in order to find out the monthly spending by dog owners and decide the pricing structure of Woof Hotel. Also, Woof Hotel will also use questionnaire to get feedbacks from owners after their dogs have stayed in the hotel, in return they are given discount towards their next stay. Customers and Pricing Woof Hotel is targeted toward middle income people; the rate is set to be low at  ¥50 per stay in the first year in order to attract customers. However, the vets charge the same rate  ¥50 at a monopolized price with poor service standards dogs in cages all day with no exercises at all. The consumer is predicted to be price insensitive, they can accept price increase if it matches the service provided. Moreover Woof Hotels rates are at a reasonable level. Service Operations Premises and Vehicles The cost of purchasing land is high, and some land isnt available for purchase by the government. Therefore, Woof Hotel will rent the site. Since the company is located in the suburbs and rural areas, the cost of renting land for agricultural purposes is low; the rent per m2 is estimated to be 95% less than in the city centre. IT The Woof Hotels personalised webpage needs to be set-up; there is a cost to purchase the domain. The Internet is increasingly popular today. It also serves as an advertisement of Woof Hotel. The receptionist will be trained to answer all the queries regarding to staying in Woof hotel. Insurance Currently, there is few insurance providers for pets in China. The insurance cover for business start-up is expensive; Therefore, Woof Hotel will not purchase any insurance during its first two years. However it may decide to do so in the future, depending on the circumstances. Local Regulations Currently there are no laws aimed specifically at dogs. Although a compulsory Dog ID tag was introduced in 2009  [2]  , many dogs still remain unregistered. Some unregistered dogs dont have vaccination certificate even they have been vaccinated. This is the main issue facing Woof Hotel, there is a risk of other dogs contracting the virus, however these owners represent a large proportion of potential clients. Management and organisation Team Leaders Lin Zhang Financial Director A Mathematics graduate at University of Warwick, also pursuing a MSc in Finance A life- long dog lover, having raised puppies and have first-hand experience with caring for dogs, good knowledge on basic dog care Very business- minded and passionate about starting a pet care business Multilingual, able to travel abroad to visit and study from other partner boarding establishments. David Zhang Managing Director Experienced as the facility manager at a multinational company for over 10 years Several years of experience starting and running small businesses Have excellent local knowledge and business networks in the area. Team Members Staff A Receptionist Customer Service: answering customers enquiries Staff B and C Dog Carer Responsible for looking after dogs and supervising their plays Staff D Driver Responsible for transporting dogs to and from Woof Hotel Responsible for transporting dog foods and other necessities for Woof Hotel Staff E Gardener and Cleaner Maintaining the landscape and garden of the Woof hotel Clean dog kennels daily Remuneration In the beginning, Woof Hotel will hire low cost labour workers. The market price for an unskilled worker is approximately  ¥2000 per month. In the future, Woof Hotel may recruit skilled workers such as graduates from the local veterinary college. The wage cost will increase to approximately  ¥3000 per month, but Woof Hotel hope to retain these skilled workers to increase customer satisfaction. Recruitment The recruitment will be advertised. As there are many migrant workers in the city, unskilled labours are easy to recruit. Unfortunately, there is a loophole in Chinas laws. People with a history of animal abuse do not have criminal records. There is a risk that staff recruited may abuse animals. In such cases, the person will be dismissed immediately. The presence of surveillance cameras ensures the welfare of all our dogs. Financial Reports PROFIT AND LOSS ACCOUNT for Woof Hotel Unit:  ¥ ( ¥1 =  £0.1 ) Year 1 Price per Dog per day 50 Average No. of Dogs 35 Gross Sales Daily 1750 Gross Sales Annually (365 Days) 638,750 Sales Tax (6%) 38325 Gross Profit 600,425 OVERHEADS Wages 200,000 Rents 60,000 Utility Bills 70,000 Insurances 0 Dog food 150,000 Staff Vaccination and expenses 1,500 Telephone 2,400 Professional fees and recruitment 24,000 Transport 60,000 Advertising 200,000 Gardening and Cleaning 25,000 Sundries 50,000 TOTAL OVERHEADS 842,900 Net Profit(Loss) Before Tax -242,475 Corporation Tax (20%) 0 Profit for the year -242,475 PASTE CASH FLOW STATEMENT HERE BALANCE SHEET Unit:  ¥ ( ¥1 =  £0.1 ) Year 1 ASSETS Fixed Assets Property-kennels and exercise area 100,000 Property- office staff accommodation 80,000 EM 50,000 Equipment 50,000 Vehicle 120,000 TOTAL FIXED ASSETS 400,000 Current Assets Cash 843,100 Debtors 0 TOTAL CURRENT ASSETS 843,100 TOTAL ASSETS 1,243,100 LIABILITIES Loans 0 Current Liabilities 0 Tax Payable 0 Overdraft 0 Creditors 0 TOTAL LIABILITIES 0 CAPITAL ACCOUNT Capital 1,485,575 Reserves (PL from Yr 1) -242,475 TOTAL CAPITAL 1,243,100 Analysis Gross Profit Margin = Gross Profit / Revenue x100 Year 1: 600,425/638,750 = 94.4% Year 2: 1,441,020/1,533,000 = 94% Break Even Units = Total Overheads / (Price of Product Direct Cost of Product) Year 1:  ¥842,900 / 50 = 16,858 units Year 2:  ¥1,212,000 / 60 = 20,200 units Break Even Sales = Total Overheads /Gross Profit Margin x 100 Year 1:  ¥842,900/94.5 =  ¥891,957 Year 2:  ¥ 1,212,000/94 =  ¥12,893 ROCE = Profit before tax/(Capital Reserve+ long term loans) x 100 Year 1: -242,475/1,243,100 = -19.5% Year 2: 183,216/ 6,700,037= 2.7% Assumptions The utility bill and rents are paid every month There is no depreciation in the first two years Dog pays on arrival; the company has no borrowings. Therefore no debtors or creditors. Utility bill: air-conditioner is used in summer; no heater is needed in winter Commentary The number of holidays each month is likely to coincide with the income (see appendix for more details). Since this industry is relative new, the financial reports cannot give a reliable estimate, how people will respond to the business is uncertain, the actual number of dogs may vary. This will affect many figures in the financial reports. It takes approximately three weeks to reach positive cash flow. There is no gearing ratio since the company doesnt have any loans. ROCE is negative in the first year since the company is making a loss; however, the company has substantial increase in profit in the second year. Appendices Currency In the business plan, the local currency Chinese Yuan is used, its exchange rate to British Pound is  [3]  :  ¥1 =  £0.096 or  £1 =  ¥10.4 Proposed location of Woof Hotel on Google map Indicated by the arrow is the proposed location of Woof Hotel, it is close to motorways G105; The label A is the city centre., Woof Hotel has good transport links, the driving time is 30 minutes to city centre. Dog ownership Statistics in Guangzhou City The number of pet dogs in Guangzhou has increased rapidly since 1995 by official statistics  [4]  ; it is going to increase by 15% each year, which coincides with the economy boom, as peoples income increases, they are more willing to invest in their pets. Monthly Spending by Dog owners A survey was conducted on http://bbs.goumin.com/forum-24-1.html, 32 people have responded, their average spending is calculated to be:  ¥1,159; with a standard deviation of  ¥ 563. However, this sample is biased; also the spending is likely to double or even triple if the animal needs to veterinary attention, which has not been taken into account. Statistics of Holidays in China  [5]   The chart shows the statistics of the number of bank holidays per month in China, which is likely to coincide with the profitability of Woof Hotel, however, school holidays in February, July and September which are also high seasons have not been included when families are most likely to travel. Thus the high season will be from January to February and from May to August. The low seasons will be March, April and from September to December. What the paper says Extract from financial express http://www.financialexpress.com/news/pet-industry-has-never-had-it-so-good-in-china/201045/, titled pet industry has never had it so good in China: In some parts of the country, ownership is seen as a must-have accessory for the well-off The country has 100 million dogs in 2007 and is expected to reach 150 million by 2010. The market potential is expected to reach $5 billion by 2010. The recent pet-boom has given birth to a new economics sector in its own right the pet economy sector. In pet food industry alone, the compounded growth rate is averaging 30% per year.

Veracity Problem: A Review of Various PageRanking Algorithms

Veracity Problem: A Review of Various PageRanking Algorithms Abstract Enormous availability of web pages containing information leaves user in confusion of which webpage to trust and which link provides the right information. This paper provides a survey of the most relevant studies carried out in regard of ranking web pages. First, it introduces the problem of â€Å"Veracity† , conformity to truth. It then goes on to list the most common algorithms that have been used to resolve the problem of conformity to truth. Finally, this analysis provides a way to guide future research in this field. Keywords: Trustworthiness, ranking Introduction The world wide web has become the most important information source. Everyone uses WWW for searching any information about any particular thing or keyword. It is very common that the results we obtain provide a lot of useless pages. Different websites generally provide conflicting information about same object. It becomes quite difficult to decide about the correctness of information we get from search engines. In most cases, users believe that the topmost links provided by any search engine provide trustworthy results without regard to exceptions. But there is no surity for the accuracy of information present on the internet. Moreover, various websites generally provide inconsistent and conflicting information for same object, like different specifications for same product. For instance a user is interested in knowing the height of Mount Everest and queries the search engine with â€Å"The height of Mount Everest is?† Among the top results, user will find the following facts: some websites say 29,055 feet, other websites say 29,028 feet, another one says 29,002 feet, and rest say 29,027 feet. It becomes difficult to decide which answer is correct and which fact should user trust?[1] . The question is how to decide the right information and how to decide the trustworthiness of any website. The problem is known as ‘Veracity’. It becomes quite difficult for the user to decide which website to trust for the correctness of information. The resultant pages of any search engine must be ranked according to decreasing level of trustworthiness. To resolve this problem, different algorithms have been developed. The existing algorithm Page Rank which is used by Google, uses link structure of the web page[2]. Another algorithm exists known as Weighted PageRank(WPR) Algorithm. It assigns larger rank values to more popular webpages rather than dividing the rank value of a webpage evenly among its outlink pages[3]. Each outlink page gets a value corresponding to its popularity (count of inlinks and outlinks). Voting is another approach to rank web pages which uses the count of votes from one webpage to another and ranks webpages with respect to the count results. Authority-Hub analysis is also used for ranking webpages. It works on the idea of high authorities and popularity of websites. These approaches identify important web pages as per user’s interest but popularity of webpages does not guarantee accuracy of information. A less popular website may provide more useful and accurate information as compared to more popular websites. All of them use iterative approaches, in which same trustworthiness value is given to all data sources, and iteratively evaluate the confidence of every fact and then propagate back to the data sources. Tagrank, Distancerank, Timerank, Relation based algorithm, Weighted link rank. This paper surveys the most relevant algorithms proposed in this field as solution to the problem of ranking the web pages. The rest of this paper is organized as follows. Section 1 discusses different techniques for ranking web pages. Section 2 presents the analysis and section 3 contains a brief conclusion. Techniques for Ranking Web Pages: 2.1 PageRank: PageRank is a method of measuring a pages â€Å"significance†[2]. PageRank is based on the idea that good pages always reference good pages. PageRank’s theory says that if Page A links to Page B, then that link is counted as one vote for page B. If any link pointing to a page is important then it is counted as a strong vote. If links pointing to a page are important then the outlinks of that page also become important. Fig1 : A and B are backlinks of C In this figure, A and B are backlinks of C and C is the backlink of D and E. Assume A, B, C and D are four webpages. Self links or multiple links from one page to another page, are ignored. Initially same PageRank value is assigned to all pages. Originally in PageRank, the total number of webpages was the sum of PageRank over all pages. However, advanced versions of PageRank use a  probability distribution between 0 and 1. Hence the initial value for each page mentioned above is 0.25. In the next iteration the PageRank is transferred from a given page to its outbound links is equally divided among them. If in the system links were from pagesB,C, andDtoA then each link would transfer probability distribution of 0.25 PageRank toAon next iteration, for a total of 0.75. PR(A) = PR(B)+PR(C)+PR(D) = + + In general case, for any page u the PageRank value can be stated as: L(v) number of outlinks of pagev. Bu set containing all pages that links to pageu. The PageRank value for a pageuis dependent on the PageRank values for each pagevcontained in the setBu, divided by the numberL(v) of outlinks of pagev. 2.2 Weighted Pagerank: WPR algorithm is an extension to the ordinary PageRank algorithm. Limitation of existing algorithms HITS and PageRank is that both algorithms deal all links uniformly when distributing rank scores[3]. WPR considers the significance of both inlinks and outlinks of the webpages and on the basis of popularity of pages, the rank scores are distributed. PageRank algorithm divides the rank values of any page evenly amongst its outlink pages, while WPR assigns higher rank values to more popular webpages. Considering the significance of webpages, the original PageRank equation is modified as [3]: [4] 2.3 Distancerank: Distancerank is an intelligent ranking algorithm proposed by Ali Mohammad Zareh Bidoki and Nasser Yazdani[11]. This algorithm is based on reinforcement learning such that the distance between pages is considered as a punishment factor. The distance is defined as the number of ‘‘average clicks’’ between two pages. The distance dj of page j is computed as : +ÃŽ ±*mini(log(O(i))+di)[11] where i is a member of pages that point to j and O(i) shows out degree of i and a is the learning rate of the user[1]. 2.4 Hyperlink Induced Topic Search (HITS): The HITS algorithm is also known as â€Å"hubs and authorities† is a link analysis algorithm. HITS divides the sites of a query between â€Å"hubs† and â€Å"authorities† for ranking webpages. Links to authorities are contained in hubs, while hubs point to authorities [6]. Hubs Authorities HITS assigns two values to a webpage: a hub weight and an authority weight. These weights are defined recursively. A high authority weight occurs if webpages with high hub weights are pointing it. Similarly, a higher hub weight occurs if the webpage points to large webpages with high authority weights. Thus, itidentifies good authorities and hubs for any query. HITS works on the concept that if the creator of webpage p has a link to webpage q then p has some authority on q[6]. 2.5 TimeRank: Time Rank algorithm proposed by H Jiang et al improves the rank score of web pages by using the visit time of web pages. This algorithm is supposed to be a combination of link structure and content[9]. Pr (T(i)|q) = Pr (T(i)) + Pr (q|T(i)) Ti à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ® means topic i of each page. Pr (T (i)) means the section of pages belonging to topic i in the whole page set. Pr (Ti | q) means the probability of query q related to topic i. 2.6 Web Page Ranking using link attributes: Weighted Links Rank (WLRank) assigns the value R(i), known as Ranking value, to page i with the following equations[12]: Where, given a link from page j to page i we have: L(j; i) 1 if the link exists, 0 otherwise, c a constant that gives a base weight to every link, T(j; i) a value which depends on the tag where the link is put in, AL(j; i) the anchor text length of the link divided by a constant d, and RP(j; i) the relative position of the link in the page weighted by a constant b. Analysis: Different algorithms for ranking webpages have been studied and the analysis is presented in the following table: References: [1] X. Yin, J. Han, and P. S. Yu, â€Å"Truth Discovery with Multiple Conflicting Information Providers on the Web†, IEEE Transactions On Knowledge And Data Engineering, Vol. 20, No. 6, June 2008. [2] C. Ridings and M. Shishigin, â€Å"Pagerank Uncovered†, Technical Report, 2002. [3]Wenpu Xing and Ali Ghorbani, â€Å"Weighted PageRank Algorithm†, In proceedings of the 2rd Annual Conference on Communication Networks Services Research, PP. 305-314, 2004. [4]Wenpu Xing and Ali Ghorbani, â€Å"Weighted PageRank Algorithm†, In proceedings of the 2rd Annual Conference on Communication Networks Services Research, PP. 305-314, 2004. [5] Geeta R. Bharamagoudar , Shashikumar G.Totad and Prasad Reddy PVGD, â€Å" Literature Survey on Web Mining† IOSR Journal of Computer Engineering ,Issue 4 (Sep-Oct. 2012). [6] Jon Kleinberg, â€Å"Authoritative Sources in a Hyperlinked Environment†, In proceedings of the ACM-SIAM Symposium on Discrete Algorithms, 1998. [7] Lin-Tao Lv, Li-Ping Chen, Hong-Fang Zhou, An improved topic relevance algorithm for vertical search engines, ICWAPR 08, Hong Kong, pp. 753-757, Aug 2008. [8] H Jiang et al., TIMERANK: A Method of Improving Ranking Scores by Visited Time, In proceedings of the Seventh International  Conference on Machine Learning and Cybernetics, Kunming, 12-15 July 2008. [9] S. Chakrabarti, B. Dom, D. Gibson, J. Kleinberg, R. Kumar, P.Raghavan, S. Rajagopalan, A. Tomkins, â€Å"Mining the Link Structure of the World Wide Web†, IEEE Computer Society Press, Vol 32, Issue 8 pp. 60 – 67, 1999. [10] Fabrizio Lamberti, Andrea Sanna and Claudio Demartini , â€Å"A Relation-Based Page Rank Algorithm for. Semantic Web Search Engines†, In IEEE Transaction of KDE, Vol. 21, No. 1, Jan 2009. [11] Ali Mohammad Zareh Bidoki and Nasser Yazdani, â€Å"DistanceRank: An Iintelligent Ranking Algorithm for Web Pages†, Information Processing and Management, 2007. [12] Ricardo Baeza-Yates and Emilio Davis ,Web page ranking using link attributes , In proceedings of the 13th international World Wide Web conference on Alternate track papers posters, PP.328-329, 2004. [13] Milan Vojnovic et al., â€Å"Ranking and Suggesting Popular Items†, In IEEE Transaction of KDE, Vol. 21, No. 8, Aug 2009. [14] Fang Liu, Clement Yu, Weiyi Meng, â€Å"Personalized Web Search for Improving Retrieval Effectiveness†, IEEE transactions on knowledge and data engineering, 16 (1) January 2004. [15] Gr ´egoire Burel, Amparo E. Cano, Matthew Rowe, and Alfonso Sosa â€Å"Representing, Proving and Sharing Trustworthiness of Web Resources Using Veracity† Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2010.