J.R.R. Tolkien Essay -- Biography Biographies J.R.R. Tolkien

J.R.R. Tolkien J.R.R. Tolkien (1892-1973) gained a reputation during the 1960’s and 1970’s as a cult figure among youths disillusioned with war and the technological age. His continuing popularity evidences his ability to evoke the oppressive realities of modern life while drawing audiences into a fantasy world. John Ronald Reuel was born on the third of January, 1892, at Bloemfontein, South Africa, where his father, Arthur, had taken a position with the Bank of Africa. In 1895 Tolkien’s mother, Mabel Suffield, moved back to England with her children, because Tolkien‘s health was affected by the climate. Arthur Tolkien hoped to return to England soon, but he contracted rheumatic fever the following autumn and died early in 1896. After a few months of living with her parents, Mabel Tolkien rented a cottage on the edge of Birmingham, and from then until her death in 1904, she and here two sons lived in rented houses on the edges of the city. After her death, Mabel Tolkien’s parish priest, Father Francis Morgan, took responsibility for the upbringing and education of her sons. Tolkien’s only means of escape from a lower-middle-class commercial life was winning an academic scholarship, which, with some difficulty, he did in 1910, gaining entrance to Exeter College, Oxford. In 1908 Tolkien fell in love with Edith Bratt, an orphan like himself. In 1910 Father Morgan forbade him to communicate with her until he was of age, to which Tolkien obeyed. At Oxford he began studying classics but soon concentrated on English language and literature, being awarded first-class honors in his final examination in 1915. He revisited Edith Bratt five days after his twenty-first birthday, and they were formally betrothed in 1914 when, at Tol... ...t hot desert, to England, rolling grassy hills, seemed to open his mind. One of the main reasons he wrote was to entertain his children. He told them about his world. And only a small majority of his stories got published(Kroeber 521). J.R.R. Tolkien (1892-1973) gained a reputation during the 1960’s and 1970’s as a cult figure among youths disillusioned with war and the technological age. His continuing popularity evidences his ability to evoke the oppressive realities of modern life while drawing audiences into a fantasy world. Works Cited Byers, Paula K. Ed. â€Å"J.R.R. Tolkien†. Encyclopedia of World Biography. Detroit: Gake Research, 1998. 259-260 Grotta, Daniel. J.R.R. Tolkien: Architect of Middle Earth. Philadelphia: Courage Books, 1992. 123-135. Kroeber, Karl. â€Å"J.R.R. Tolkien†. British Writers. Ed. George Stade, New York: Gale Research, 1980. 519-521

Career Investigation Essay

My ideal career is in accounting. I have determined that this field is best suited for me through career assessment tests, learning styles assessments and by actually working in this field for several years. I have been interested in accounting since taking my first accounting class in high school. It was then that I found that not only was I good at bookkeeping but also enjoyed it. From my Learning Style Graph (Toft, 2006) I discovered that I equally reflect two learning styles: â€Å"Why? mode† and â€Å"What if? mode.† My knack for understanding people and ability to recognize problems are strengths I posses in the â€Å"Why? mode.† On the other side of the graph my drive to get things done and my leadership capabilities are both examples of the â€Å"What if mode.† This coincides with the results of my VAK assessment (Chislett & Chapman, 2006) that shows I prefer to learn by actually doing rather than by seeing. Both learning styles are advantageous in the accounting field because problem solving is fundamental to balancing spreadsheets. I ascertained from the Jung Type Personality Test (Human Metrics, , 2005) that my personality type was ENFP. This test confirms that I am apt at multitasking and have abundant people skills. This again is very useful in all aspects of an accounting career. While my past experience as a waitress and other food service positions may not be directly related to accounting, it taught me many transferable skills. Some of these are multitasking, listening and prioritizing. I also developed other transferable skills necessary in the accounting field while working as a night auditor. Not only did I learn actual hands-on accounting, but also cultivated my problem-solving skills. It was my responsibility to find any accounting mistakes and correct them each night. I enjoyed this part of my job so much, on slow nights I would hope that someone on a previous shift made a mistake just so I could find and correct it. Eventually, my manager began coming to me to troubleshoot errors for her. I feel a job as a Certified Public Accountant would be a perfect career choice for me because it would utilize many of my transferable skills. I could also draw on experience already gained as a bookkeeper, retail office manager, and presently as an accounting assistant. My work ethic of staying until the job is done along with my enjoyment in troubleshooting would be a tremendous asset as a CPA as well. Career Profile The jobs available to me at my current level of education and experience are limited to the data entry and bookkeeping aspects of accounting. My experience to date has taken me about as far as I can get in this field of accounting. Now, I must earn a degree to advance any further. However, once I earn my bachelor’s degree in accounting and obtain my required Certified Public Accountant license, many more job opportunities will be available to me. Some of these jobs would include Internal Auditor, Controller, and Management Accountant or, with enough experience, even a Vice President of Finance. A lot is depending on the size of the company I work for and the area of accounting I choose. At this point my goal is to work for a larger public accounting firm to acquire experience in many aspects of public accounting. I am particularly interested in forensic accounting and internal auditing. While working for a public accounting firm as a CPA I could earn from $34,000 to $95,000 per year according to the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2008). But, considering my education level and my experience I would probably earn more in the mid range of $43,500 upwards to $72,000. My duties would be dependent on the actual position I hold but could include tax preparation, consulting, auditing, verification of client company’s records and even preparing financial statements for clients. In an entry level position at a public accounting firm the skill set I have already acquired will be very useful. My experience in bookkeeping as an accounting assistant at present will help prepare me for the data entry assignments usually associated with entry level positions. As my position progresses within the firm, I will be relying more on the knowledge I learn while earning my degree. One of the advantages to being a CPA within a large firm is that you have the opportunity to work in many areas of accounting for many varied company clients. This will give me a multifaceted experience level not easily obtained while working independently or for a smaller firm. I hope to have the opportunity to do some forensic accounting work where I would prove suspected embezzlement within a client’s company (S. Westfield, personal interview, August 1, 2008). Some of the most prevalent disadvantages to an occupation in this field are the hours necessary. As a CPA with a large accounting firm I would expect a typical work week of 40 to 50 hours. But, during the tax season, January through April, it could be as many as 70 hours per week (S. Westfield, personal interview, August 1, 2008). Since I have already been employed within the accounting industry for some time now, my family and I are used to the long hours and fluctuation during busy times. I am considering seeking employment opportunities at several local companies. One such company is based in Ionia, Michigan with a satellite office in Ada, Michigan. Both of these offices are within ten miles of my home. This is a smaller firm but I have worked for one of their clients in the past and have had the opportunity to get to know and work with several members of their staff. Another potential employer is Plante Moran. This is a much larger firm with offices in Western Michigan as well. â€Å"Plante Moran was named to Fortune Magazine’s list of ‘100 Best companies to work for’ for the tenth consecutive year† (Plante Moran, 2008). Finally, I am considering advancement within the company I am currently working for, The Hanover Group. They have offices all over the country with major focus in Howell, Michigan as well as my current location in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Education Plan Courses Required I plan to take only two courses per semester for the following year because of personal circumstances. I think this is the best course of action to balance my education with other aspects of my life at this time. If the opportunity arises where it is not absolutely necessary for me to work full time, I would like to take on more of a course load. Until that happens, I am content to take my time so as to ensure a happy balance with my family, career and studies. The courses I think will be more difficult and less inspiring for me are the mathematics and composition classes. It may seem funny that a person so interested in accounting would shy away from math classes, but I have never had the opportunity to study algebra. I know that if I have trouble with my math courses there is free tutoring available through the Library Information Commons on campus. I am also anxious about the composition courses for much of the same reasons. I have never had to do a term paper. I have always had trouble getting the first draft down on paper, but do well at proof reading and editing. I think I have started to overcome this hang-up by composing on the computer. I can type and correct much faster than I can write. I am now able to get my thoughts down on paper before they flutter away. Plus, editing is now a breeze. Davenport DUES All of the Davenport University DUES skills are important to all careers. In the accounting fields, in particular, honesty and integrity are essential. If you are advising a client on financial matters, you must be above reproach. You must also be able to think globally because seldom are financial matters just a local concern. Teamwork is also another important skill for an accountant, even if self-employed. Your client and you make up a team and if you can not work together with your client, you will not be able to keep that client. In this growing technological world, the accounting industry is keeping pace. Today most accounting is done through computers and being knowledgeable of the current accounting software is imperative. Educational Goals beyond College After obtaining my Associates degree in Accounting, I plan to work on my bachelor’s degree and then become a licensed CPA. I have found that to become a licensed CPA in Michigan I will need to successfully complete a four part Accountants examination administered by the National Association of State Board of Accountancy (CPA exam dates, 2008) as well as meet certain licensing requirements. The requirements to apply for the CPA examination are just part of what is required to obtain a CPA license. I will also need work experience of at least one year in a â€Å"responsible audit position† for a â€Å"CPA firm or a governmental agency under direction of a licensed CPA,† (Michigan Department of Economic Growth, 2008, para 3). Conclusion I have learned many things during this project, most of which came from the research I did on the various career choices available in accounting. After speaking with a professional in this field, (S Westfield, personal communication, July, 2008), I have now decided that I aspire to be a Certified Public Accountant. While researching the requirements to be licensed as a CPA in Michigan, I found that they are more involved and time consuming than I had first imagined. This career goal will require more time than originally anticipated but, has the potential to be even more financially rewarding that I first thought. I look forward to seeing this career dream become a reality. I also learned from the required career and learning assessments that I have, in fact, chosen the correct career path for me. My identified transferable skills, some of which are problem solving and organizing, will be very useful in my chosen career goal of becoming a CPA. This project has also helped me see some of the areas I need to improve such as in note taking and developing enhanced memory skills. Mission Statement My mission is to fully utilize my many transferable skills, previous work experiences as well as my current and future education to become a self-employed Certified Public Accountant. Through achieving my short-term goal of earning my bachelor’s degree in accounting, I will have accomplished the first half of the requirements necessary. My mid-range goal is to become licensed as a CPA. Finally, with the experience attained while becoming licensed, I will establish my own small CPA firm. I know that by applying myself and staying focused I will be able to reach this goal before I retire.

Outline for Speech on Sex Education

The question we want to answer today is should sex education be offered in school? In my opinion, yes it should. If we offer it, less pregnancys would happen. Less sexually transmitted diseases would be passed in. Less emotional/physical pain would occur. This type of education can leave a footprint on your brain. According to seventeen magazine 750,000 girls get pregnant each year. This number could be cut in half and divided by three if we enforce that it's not right until marriage.In the 7th and 8th grade when the hope center came to the middle school and taught us about all these diseases, infatuation, love, gave us situations and talked about how to prevent it. If we had this prgram 3-4 times a year we would not see 5 prgnant girls walking down the hall way ashamed of themselves. Nobody knows what its like to be in ther shoes, so why even label them. I bet your doing the same except your doing it more carefully. It only takes one moment to ruin your life, but if we have sex educ ation, those moments could happen alot less. People don't know how much of an eye opener sex-ed is until they someone enforcing everything.No one wants your future to be ruined by something that could have been prevented by one class. Now you might think this has to be taught at home well that's true, parents have more say than teachers. Some parents dont give a crap though. They turn their kid loose like there is no tomorrow. Now if we have this at school maybe they will have a new view on sex and what the after causes will/might be. Everyone needs to pause before they play. Sex-ed would teach us all that. I like sex-ed, it's actually a good course from all the people that taught me.You also might say not everyone is mature enough for the topic. Well lets see how mature you are wgen you have a baby on the way, no money, no diploma, no nothing. I'm pretty sure high schoolers sexually active should not take this class lightly becaus it could happen to any of them. Sex-ed would change their ways. Show that sex isn't everything; its just something that should only be done while bein married or when you are at the right age to handle the responsibility. So yes Sex education should be offered. You shouldn't live your life risking everything in your future.

Adhesive Bonding essays

Adhesive Bonding essays Adhesive bounding of aluminum components in the aircraft and automotive industry are rapidly replacing many conventional methods of joining two parts togheter. Adhesives bonding is a process where a monomer compound is applied in between joints and is chemically allowed to transform into complex long chained polymers which interlock the mating parts by inter-atomic bounding and diffusion of the adhesive into the adherents. In most common uses, bonds are permanent, such as the thermosetting adhesives, and require machining in order to separate the mating parts. In other cases, the adhesive bond might be directly related to the operating temperature, as in thermoplastic adhesives, or may contain natural resins and form an elastic bond such as elastomeric adhesives. Adhesives are mostly limited to shear stress applications due to their relatively low peel and creep capabilities and require far more surface area to form a joint then conventional methods, however, their benefits in weight reduction and enhancing ergonomics, as well as their still fairly inexpensive and ability to function in a wide range of environments, are attractive traits which may influence a designer to select such a process. Adhesives have been long known as the oldest means of joining two parts togheter. In fact, archeological evidences has been found showing the use of natural resins by early man to fasten arrows and spear heads to shafts (3, 170). They also found there first structural use well over three thousand years ago in the construction of the Tower of Babel ( 9, 3). However, it wasn't until the second World War where great advances where made in structural adhesive bonding which applied to metal to metal structures. Redux, an adhesive conceived in England, was the first ever adhesive used in considerable proportion on the lightest fighter plane of that time, the Mosquito. Following in it's allied foot steps, the Americans also adopted this proces...

ASU Admissions - ACT Scores, Financial Aid More

ASU Admissions - ACT Scores, Financial Aid More Over half of all students to Alabama State University receive rejection letters; in 2016, the acceptance rate was 46 percent. That said, the admissions bar isnt overly high. Many admitted students have SAT and ACT scores that are below average, and a GPA of C or higher is often adequate (most successful applicants are up in the A an B range). The university uses an index of GPA and test scores for admission eligibility, so students with higher grades can have lower test scores and vise versa. Be sure to visit the ASU admissions website for more information. Will You Get In? Calculate Your Chances of Getting In  with this free tool from Cappex Admissions Data (2016): Alabama State University Acceptance Rate: 46 percentGPA, ACT and SAT graph for Alabama StateTest Scores 25th / 75th PercentileSAT Critical Reading: 370 / 460SAT Math: 360 / 460What these SAT numbers meanCompare Alabama SAT scoresACT Composite: 15  / 19ACT English: 14 / 19ACT Math: 15  / 17What these ACT numbers meanCompare Alabama ACT scores Alabama State University Description: Alabama State University is a public, historically black university located on a 135-acre campus in Montgomery, a city with a rich civil rights history. Founded in 1867, the schools long history has evolved with the citys. Today, students come from 42 states and 7 countries, and they can choose from roughly 50 degree programs at the undergraduate and graduate level. Biology, business, criminal justice, and social work are particularly popular. The curriculum is supported by a 17 to 1  student / faculty ratio. Student life is active at the university and includes numerous fraternities and sororities. In athletics, the Alabama State Hornets, compete in the NCAA Division I Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC). The university fields seven mens and nine womens Division I sports. Enrollment (2016): Total Enrollment: 5,318  (4,727  undergraduates)Gender Breakdown: 38 percent male / 62 percent female92 percent full-time Costs (2016 - 17): Tuition and Fees: $9,220  (in-state); $16,156  (out-of-state)Books: $1,600 (why so much?)Room and Board: $5,422Other Expenses: $3,392Total Cost: $19,634  (in-state); $26,570 (out-of-state) Alabama State University Financial Aid (2015- 16): Percentage of New Students Receiving Aid: 97 percentPercentage of New Students Receiving Types of AidGrants: 90 percentLoans: 83 percentAverage Amount of AidGrants: $6,831Loans: $6,634 Academic Programs: Most Popular Majors:  Accounting, Biology, Business Administration, Communications, Criminal Justice, Elementary Education, Physical Education, Psychology, Social WorkWhat major is right for you?  Sign up to take the free My Careers and Majors Quiz at Cappex. Transfer, Retention and Graduation Rates: First Year Student Retention (full-time students): 63 percent4-Year Graduation Rate: 7 percent6-Year Graduation Rate: 22 percent Intercollegiate Athletic Programs: Mens Sports:  Football, Baseball, Basketball, Golf, Tennis, Track and Field, Cross CountryWomens Sports:  Soccer, Tennis, Volleyball, Softball, Basketball, Bowling, Track and Field Data Source: National Center for Educational Statistics

What are the defining characteristics of far right wing politics What Essay

What are the defining characteristics of far right wing politics What does the sociological study of far right wing politics have to tell us about the nature o - Essay Example (Weinberg, 2003) Fascism is also characterized by social stratification along these crucial variables, especially in the UK where it is identified by the establishment it gained over the last 50 years following by the growing influence of less education, those holding negative views of the EU and, indirectly, among rural dwellers which are increasingly becoming determined of Right Wing by perceived vision of race, culture, ethnicity and religion. The most common examples of Radical right-wing parties success can be seen where they have managed to combine a strong appeal to anti-establishment ressentiments with an equally strong claim to democratic reform or renewal. The most prominent case is the FPO, which has consistently promoted itself as ‘the driving force behind the political renewal of Austria’, seeking to bring about an ‘Austrian cultural revolution with democratic means’ which would lead to the overthrow of the ruling class and the intellectual caste. (Turner, 1975) Italian Fascism and German National Socialism are characterized by sharing the common aspects of totalitarianism; followed by supremacy of a leader, an exclusive ideology, a single mass party, a monopoly of communications media and education, and a secret police and terror apparatus. The fascist movements and parties that arose in Italy and Germany developed into regular totalitarian dictatorial regimes in the early nineteenth c entury. But fascism also appeared in various western and eastern European countries without achieving major political power. Fascism resulted as a devastating impact of World War I, emerging from economic and demographic devastation and moral exhaustion that took close to ten million human lives, broke up empires, and undermined the political credibility of monarchs and democrats alike. The ideals of the Enlightenment and the French Revolution rationalism,

Human relationship and responsibility to the natural world Essay

Human relationship and responsibility to the natural world - Essay Example The natural world is the world where aspects of life interact in ways that create eco-systems in order to create spaces of survival. As human beings, the natural world should be a responsibility in which nature is preserved and protected. The way in which human beings have behaved, however, is to create the concept of the world as a resource rather than a responsibility to be protected. As stewards of the Earth, human beings should have tended to nature rather than stripping and using up resources many of which cannot easily be replenished. Just like locusts come and strip plant life down to that which is no longer usable, human beings have created a planet that is suffering because of the uses to which it has endured. As stewards of the planet, it is the job of human beings to begin to nourish and enrich the natural world so that much of it can be put back to its natural state. Rather than destroying species and allowing them to disappear for the Earth, the natural environment shoul d be cared for so that it can once again evolve into a beautiful and rich space in which nature thrives and flourishes. Resources for this paper will be works from A Sand County almanac: With essays on conservation by Aldo Leopold, as well as a variety of sources which describes the current human condition. The following paper will discuss the concept of stewardship in order to answer the question about the relationship of human kind as it has a responsibility to the natural world.... In order to discuss this topic, the first question that must be examined is how the human cultures have continued to evolve away from the natural environment and use it as a place to strip natural resources. Modernity means taking what is natural and using it as a resource rather than living within it as a part of its ecosystem. When human beings involve themselves with nature, it comes in the form of ‘going’ to it. The terms ‘going fishing’ or ‘going skiing’ suggest that a human is going to a place where they can begin to enjoy the abundance of nature. Modern human beings are not involved in nature in the way that a fox or a rabbit would be involved. They are not hunted, nor do they hunt for their food. They live in packaged environments that deny nature as they sit in their air-conditioned offices and shop in the chilled regions of the frozen food aisle. Industrialization was the capstone of the divorce from nature as needs became packaged so that inconvenience and direct work was supplanted for making money to pay for the industrialized nature of survival. Buying an apple takes more than plucking it from a tree just as making a bed is no longer about finding the right leaves and branches in which to lay. It could be said humans have grown lazy because they are no longer required to run from tigers or chase down buffalo. It is the convenience of modern life that has taken us from lean, strong fighters to artificial leanness when it is chosen to be manufactured or soft bellied beings that wait for the doorbell to ring in order to eat pizza. Modern humanity is about packaging what nature would otherwise provide