The eNotes Blog Celebrate Bloomsday and Learn About JamesJoyce!

Celebrate Bloomsday and Learn About JamesJoyce! Here at , we love the opportunity to celebrate literature and our favorite authors, and it just so happens that one of the most internationally recognized literary holidays is right around the corner!On June 16th, we honor the highly influential James Joyce and his most famous work  Ulysses with a little celebration known as Bloomsday. For those of you unfamiliar with the story,  Ulysses is a 20th century take on Homers  Odyssey, and it follows a day in the life of character Leopold Bloom as he meanders his way around Dublin, encountering individuals with unique life stories whilst he contemplates his own.  Ulysses  is written in a stream of consciousness format, playing with experimental prose so as to better delve into the minds and thoughts of his characters. As Irish scholar  Declan Kiberd  said, Before Joyce, no writer of fiction had so foregrounded the process of thinking. In other words, James Joyce was a talented writer and  Ulysses was very much a display of his literary abilities. The story, published (at first merely serialized in an American newspaper) in 1918, was already gathering a decent amount of buzz only two years later in 1920. As early as 1924, there were records of the first celebrations of Bloomsday, acknowledged by Joyce himself in a letter to Miss Weaver, his longtime patron, where he states, There is a group of people who observe what they call Blooms Day- 16th of June. Since then, the festivities have broadened significantly and are now well-known throughout the globe, with celebrations from Dublin to Australia. These days, typical festivities involve readings of the novel, pub crawls, themed meals, dress-up, and more Guinness than you thought possible. But, to keep things PG, enjoy the following list of facts about James Joyce and his famed novel to get you in the spirit of the season. Joyce  had a couple of intense phobias, including a lifelong fear of dogs, inspired by a canine attack in his youth. His other more pressing fear was a terror of thunderstorms; also in his youth, his grandmother would tell him that thunderstorms were a sign of Gods wrath. Even after he declared his independence from the Catholic Church, it seems the fear stuck with him, and he never quite grew accustomed to the presence of thunder and lightning. Joyces grandson, in addition to being named after a character in  Ulysses, has done much to contribute to his late grandfathers legacy.  It is heavily speculated that Joyces grandson, Stephen, has destroyed a number of his grandfathers letters to protect their contents from prying eyes. Additionally, Stephen has spoken out a number of times and prevented what he deemed inappropriate adaptations of Joyces work. You may wonder why Joyce specifically set  Ulysses  on June 16th  Well, wonder no more! Joyce chose this particular date because it was the anniversary of his first date with Nora Barnacle, the woman he would eventually marry and have two children with. Nora Barnacle The library at University College in Dublin was named after him (The James Joyce Library). As it turns out, Joyce actually attended a number of schools, including Clongowes College and Belvedere College, before  finally graduating from University College in Dublin. Ted Hughes and Sylvia Plath were also Joyce/Ulysses  fans The two authors tied the knot on June 16th, 1956 in honor of Bloomsday- it seems quite the day for romance! He didnt originally aspire to be a writer. Though his father, John Joyce, was deeply invested in literature, the father and son didnt get along too well and its likely that James Joyce went into the study of medicine to distance himself from his fathers legacy. Whilst in Paris studying science and medicine, Joyce was called back to Dublin to see his mother on her deathbed; he did not return to the medical community and instead turned to writing (though he and his wife did return to continental Europe). He wasnt the most sociable. Documents and personal accounts of the time period describe Joyce as aloof or arrogant, and it is likely that these descriptions assisted in the  perception of artists and authors as mysterious and avant-garde. He didnt play nice with other writers either Particularly in the case of William Butler Yeats. Yeats was desperate for the younger author to like him and offered on multiple occasions to read Joyces poetry. Eventually, Joyce replied with rolled eyes and the comment: I do so since you ask me, but I attach no more importance to your opinion than anybody one meets in the streets. Yikes! (Let us point out that Yeats is also a rather spectacular author, respected both in his time and still today). Joyce underwent twenty-five  eye surgeries in his lifetime.*  Even today, with the evolution of modern medicine, we dont often think of people going under the knife more than  maybe a couple of times in their life - except in the case of extremely persistent conditions. Joyce was a sufferer of one of those unfortunate conditions, and it just so happened that it was his eyes that bore the brunt of the misfortune. Famous for his relative blindness, Joyce received his first pair of glasses at just six years old. Only years later did he begin what would be a lifetime of attempts to repair conditions like inflammation of the iris and spontaneous reshaping of the pupil. *Bonus eye fact: On more than one occasion, doctors applied actual  leeches to his  eyeballs to reduce swelling. Think of that any time you have to go to the eye doctor, and thank your lucky stars that medicine has moved beyond leeching A lot of early copies of  Ulysses  were burned. As stated before,  Ulysses  was originally published as  a serial in the U.S. in 1918, but it was not made into an official book until 1934. Somewhere in those sixteen years between the serial and the novel, some hooligans got it in their minds to combine and bind some illicit copies and distribute them via post. Well, when the U.S. Post Office got wind of this plan, they seized the illegal copies and had them all burned.

20 Words for That Certain Something

20 Words for That Certain Something 20 Words for That Certain Something 20 Words for That Certain Something By Mark Nichol Some people have it, and some people don’t. But what, exactly, is it? Here’s a list of words describing a special quality that sets certain people apart from others, and their meanings: 1. Brio: vivaciousness (Italian, â€Å"fire, life,† perhaps from the word for vigor from a form of French) 2. Charisma: charm or personal magnetism (from the Greek word meaning â€Å"favor†) 3. Chutzpah: admirable or excessive self-confidence; this word and ginger are the only ones on this list that have both positive and negative connotations (from Hebrew by way of Yiddish; several other spellings are used, but this one is the most common) 4. Duende: charm (from Spanish dialect, meaning â€Å"ghost†) 5. Élan: enthusiasm (from the French word eslan, meaning â€Å"rush,† with the same Latin root from which lance is derived) 6. Esprit: vivacious wit (French, from the Latin term spiritus, â€Å"spirit†) 7. Flair: style, or talent or tendency (from the French word meaning â€Å"odor† or â€Å"scent,† ultimately from Latin flagrare, an alteration of fragrare, from which fragrance is derived) 8. Ginger: spirit, or temper (from the Latin term zingiberis, for the root used as a spice and a medicine, derived from the Sanskrit word srngaveram) 9. Gumption: initiative (from a Scottish word meaning â€Å"shrewdness,† perhaps from a Germanic term meaning â€Å"attention†) 10. Gusto: enthusiasm (the Italian word for â€Å"taste,† from the Latin term gustus) 11. Je ne sais quoi: a quality not easily described or expressed (a French phrase that means literally â€Å"I know not what†) 12. Knack: intuitive capacity or knowledge (originally meant â€Å"trick†; perhaps from the onomatopoeic word akin to knock) 13. Mettle: vigor, stamina (from an alternate spelling of metal) 14. Moxie: energy, enthusiasm, courage (from the brand name of a soft drink; early on, such beverages were often touted, long before the advent of energy drinks, as providing pep) 15. Panache: flamboyance; originally, a decorative plume of feathers on a helmet (from the Latin term pinnaculum, meaning â€Å"small wing,† by way of Italian and French) 16. Pizzazz: glamour, vitality (unknown etymology) 17. Savoir faire: self-assuredness, talent for knowing how to conduct oneself (from the French term savoir-faire, meaning â€Å"knowing how to do,† from the Latin words sapere, meaning â€Å"know,† and facere, meaning â€Å"do†) 18. Savoir vivre: knowledge of appropriate behavior (from the French word savoir-vivre, â€Å"knowing how to live,† from the Latin terms sapere, meaning â€Å"know,† and vivre, meaning â€Å"live†) 19. Spunk: courage, pluck (from the Gaelic word spong, meaning â€Å"tinder,† ultimately derived from the Latin term spongia, from which sponge is also derived) 20. Verve: vivacity, energy, enthusiasm (ultimately from the Latin term verbum, meaning â€Å"word,† because of the early sense of â€Å"flair for speaking or writing†) Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:The Royal Order of Adjectives Peace of Mind and A Piece of One's MindWhen Is a Question Not a Question?

Retail Market in Thailand Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Retail Market in Thailand - Assignment Example The Thai retail environment has distorted radically in the years since the 1997 financial crisis, which saw lots of Thai shareholders having to sell their shares to foreign-owned multinational retail operators, as well as the Thai government's policy to hold trade liberalisation in its wish to contribute in the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and AFTA (ASEAN Free Trade Area) (David W. Raisbeck, 2003). To struggle the financial crisis, the Thai government followed trade deregulation. Thailand has since welcomed an influx of large-scale multinational hypermarket, supermarket and specialist retailers, which are eager for a share of the Thai retail market. This has raised protests from several Thai academics and traditional retailers, which have raised the "nationalist" alarm bells. Numerous Thai-owned minute and medium-sized retailers have been pushed out of business since they could not fight with the much better multinational discount stores, as some better Thai retailers have been bought out by foreign conglomerates. ... investors possess relative advantages in terms of a noise financial base, superior economies of scale, lower costs of production and superior bargaining power, due to their much larger order volumes (E.G., 2005). Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) "In this increasingly open world, FDI has become an important driving force for economic globalisation". (Xinhua News Agency, 2002) It can be supposed that FDI is fine and essential for the development of Thailand. FDI is regarded as a source of power in the globalisation process that sets apart the modern world economy. The process has reduced the value of territorial boundaries and every area of the world is in single way or another engaged in the process (FAOSTAT, 2005). The region should thus raise its international share of FDI. The supposition is based on the possibly incontrovertible roles that FDI can play in the growth of the region. This justifies the anxiety about the call for and ability of the region to increase its international share of FDI inflows. FDI in Thailand Foreign direct investment has been an significant constituent of Thailand's economic development process. Given the rising meaning of industrial competitiveness in an gradually more spirited global marketplace and the possible of the association linking FDI and technological improvement, this research discover two questions opposite Thai policy makers: (i) what are the most effectual ways in which technology relocate can take place during FDI; and (ii) how can such transfers be accelerated and improved during FDI promotion policies FDI in Emerging Markets It is a reality that Thailand, like several other emerging market of this world, needs a considerable inflow of external resources so as to fill the economy and foreign exchange gaps related

Summarize the IRIS Training Module (2) Coursework

Summarize the IRIS Training Module (2) - Coursework Example This paper will discuss the cultural differences existing regarding the involvement of family in Maria’s case and evaluate how cultural influences affect her development. Cultural influences are evident in how students understand verbal messages, body gestures, physical touch and eye contact because different cultures have different expectations of these modes of communication. For example, Maria is a Mexican student in the US and English is not her first language. Further, apart from learning it in the US, she also needs to have enough command over it to use it to learn academic content in school. According to the U.S. Department of Education (2007), the US is known for its historical emphasis on education, which also explains why majority of American parents have always been concerned and involved in their children’s academic affairs. Further, the present-day American education system does not discriminate against gender, as is traditionally seen among some minority cultures that prioritize the education of the boy child. On the contrary, Maria’s parents have not shown interest in what goes on in her school life apart from the fact th at they enrolled her in school. For instance, they have not been returning her teacher’s calls and have also failed to respond to the notes that have been sent to them for a whole week. This acts as a warning sign to the teacher and generates the initial thoughts that the parents are not supportive of their child’s academic endeavor. From the case study, Maria is also shown to be the typical example of English language learners. This is because although she has the conversational skills to chat with friends during break, she lacks the central academic language and vocabulary to succeed in school. A key cultural influence on Maria’s education is what is typically known of Latin American cultures in which children show

Debt and Equity Essay Example for Free

Debt and Equity Essay Long-term financing requires a meticulous understanding of the various features of debt and equity and their impact an organization. While evaluating debt and equity, an investment banker also has to consider the unique characteristics of the organizations dealings while ensuring that the organizations requirements are met. Debt CapitalDebt capital includes all long-term borrowing incurred by the firm. The cost of debt was found to be less than the cost of other forms of financing. The relative inexpensiveness of debt capital is because the lenders take the least risk of any long-term contributors of capital. Their risk is less than that of other because (1) they have a higher priority of claim against any earnings or assets available for payment (2) they have a far stronger legal pressure against the company to make payment than do preferred or common stockholders, and (3) the tax-deductibility of interest payments lowers the debt cost to the firm substantially. Equity CapitalEquity capital consists of the long-term funds provided by the firms owners, the stockholders. Unlike borrowed funds that must be repaid at a specified future date, equity capital is expected to remain in the firm for an indefinite period. The two basic sources of equity capital are (1) preferred stock and (2) common stock equity, which includes common stock and retained earnings. Common stock is typically the most expensive form of equity, followed by retained earnings and preferred stock, respectively (Pinegar, Wilbricht, 1989). A firms capital structure is determined by the mix of long-term debt and equity it uses in financing its operations. Debt and equity capital differ with respect to voice in management, claims on income and assets, maturity, and tax treatment. Capital structure can be externally assessed using the debt ratio and the debt-equity ratio to measure the firms degree of indebtedness or the times interest earned ratio and the fixed-payment coverage ratio to measure its ability to meet fixed financial payments. Research suggests is an optimal capital structure that balances the firms; benefits and cost of debt financing. The major benefit of debt financing is the tax-deductible interest, and the costs of debt financing include the  probability of bankruptcy, agency costs imposed by lenders in their loan agreements, and asymmetric information costs attributable to managers having more information about the firms prospects than do investors (Modigliani and Miller, 1958). Reference: Modigliani, Franco and Miller, Merton. (1958). The Cost of Capital, CorporationFinance, and the Theory of Investment. American Economic Review. Pinegar, J. Michael and Wilbricht, Liza. (1989). What Managers Think of CapitalStructure Theory.

Michael Kearns on Henry James Washington Square :: Henry James Washington Square

Michael Kearns on Henry James' Washington Square: Much Ado About Nothing It never fails to amaze me how someone can take a theory and expand on the idea so much that it takes twenty pages to defend his or her thesis. Such as the case with Michael Kearns, an English professor at the University of Texas. In Kearns' journal article that appeared in College English, he cites a student's question regarding Chapter 10 of Washington Square: "Why does the narrator tell us that 'this is all that need be recorded of their conversation'? And why does he tell us that if Catherine's aunt had been present for this conversation, she 'would probably have admitted that it was as well it had not taken place beside the fountain in Washington Square'"? (Kearns 766) Had this question been posed in our class discussion of Washington Square, it would be possible that we would discuss it for a short while and then move on. Not Mr. Kearns instead, he goes on for 19 pages about the questions that his student asked. Granted, there were some but only a few arguments about the questions that I thought Kearns presented well. However, most of the article was cumbersome to me, as the reader, and I questioned whether Kearns was just elaborating on nothing in hopes of being published in an academic journal. Kearns writes that the question that his student posed was valuable for several reasons, among them being that "it demonstrated for the class an act of critical reading reading that goes beyond a novel's characters, plot, setting, symbols, motifs, and so forth to look at the rhetoric of intention embodied in all of the choices that comprise a novel" (Kearns 766). This is a very valid opinion that Kearns has. Somehow in academic readings, it seems that the important things gets left behind as we stress heavily on the listing that Kearns chose. Another valid argument that Kearns had is that the student used naà ¯ve realism in her reading, and therefore showed ethical issues that are part of the human condition (Kearns 766). As a result, Kearns feels that this enhances the reading of the characters: "I assume that readers will accept the invitation to respond, not only ethically but also emotionally" (Kearns 769-770). In conclusion, had Kearns left his argument to a simplistic means, I think that this article would have been fascinating to read.

Soccer: the Game of My Life

General purpose: To inform Goal: In my speech I would like to talk to my audience about soccer, which is my hobby. Introduction I. I am sure each of you have a hobby or an activity, which is an escape from the everyday life. II. Such as hobbies or sport activities let’s you relief the stress, and give you the strength to live. III. I also have a hobby, which is soccer. I play soccer since I was a little boy, and it had a big influence on my life. IV. Today, I would like to tell you about how playing soccer shaped my physical and mental strength, allowed me to travel, and meet people and friends.Body I. To begin, let’s talk about health benefits I gained from playing soccer. A. I shaped my overall physical strength and health. 1. Years of playing soccer let me keep my body in good shape. Running, jumping, and stretching, had build up my flexibility, endurance, and physical strength. 2. Continuous training allowed me to stay healthy all the time. Beside occasional colds o r flu I never got sick. B. Pushing my body to hard work influenced my mental strength. 1.The desire to win the game and the endless forcing myself to work hard taught me to never give up, to â€Å"fight to the last whistle†. 2. Soccer allows me to escape from the everyday life. When I play soccer, I forget about all my worries and problems. During the game my stress is relived. Transition: Beside physical and mental health I also received many social benefits from soccer. II. I did travel a lot; I met many people, and made lots of friends. A. Many years of playing soccer allowed me visited many places. 1. Playing in regular season involved travel in a bus around the country.There was always time to stop to see important monuments, explore interesting places or cities. 2. To prepare for the season we often travel to other countries for several days. I have visited many cities in Russia, Ukraine, Slovakia, or Germany. 3. Now, when I am playing for Tarnovia Chicago, I do traveli ng as well. My team is participating in the soccer tournaments hosted in Wisconsin, Michigan, New Jersey, California, and Florida. B. While traveling with the team I met many new friends. 1. Traveling involves spending a lot of time with your teammates.Long bus and train rides, or living in the same room give plenty of time to play, talk, and get to know each other. 2. I also met many people on the field from the opponent teams. With some of those people we have set specific form of friendship, which only exists on the soccer field. We meet once a while at the game and we enjoy playing against each other. Conclusion Summing up my speech, soccer is a team sport, where the personal strengths, trust, and friendships between people are being formed. Those are the things I value the soccer for.