Biography of Anna Comnena, the First Female Historian

Biography of Anna Comnena, the First Female Historian Byzantine Princess Anna Comnena (Dec. 1 or 2, 1083–1153) was the first woman known to personally record historical events as a historian.  She also was a political figure who attempted to influence royal succession in the Byzantine Empire. In addition to The Alexiad, her 15-volume history on her fathers reign and related events, she wrote on medicine and ran a hospital and is sometimes identified as a physician. Fast Facts: Anna Comnena Known For: First female historianAlso Known As: Anna Komnene, Anna Komnena, Anna of ByzantiumBorn: Dec. 1 or 2, 1083 in Constantinople, Byzantine EmpireParents: Emperor Alexius I Comnenus, Irene DucasDied: 1153 in Constantinople, Byzantine EmpirePublished Work: The AlexiadSpouse: Nicephorus Bryennius Early Life and Education Anna Comnena was born on Dec. 1 or 2, 1083, in Constantinople, which was then the capital city of the Byzantine Empire and later of the Latin and Ottoman empires and finally of Turkey. It has been called Istanbul since the early 20th century. Her mother was Irene Ducas and her father was the Emperor Alexius I Comnenus, who ruled from 1081 to 1118. She was the eldest of her fathers children, born in Constantinople just a few years after he took over the throne as emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire by seizing it from Nicephorus III. Anna seems to have been a favorite of her father. She was betrothed at a young age to Constantine Ducas, a cousin on her mothers side and a son of Michael VII, the predecessor to Nicephorus III, and Maria Alania. She was then placed under Maria Alanias care, a common practice of the time. The young Constantine was named a co-emperor and was expected to be heir to Alexius I, who at that time had no sons. When Annas brother John was born, Constantine no longer had a claim on the throne. He died before the marriage could take place. As with some other medieval Byzantine royal women, Comnena was well-educated. She studied the classics, philosophy, music, science, and mathematics. Her studies included astronomy and medicine, topics about which she wrote later in her life.  As a royal daughter, she also studied military strategy, history, and geography. Although she credits her parents with being supportive of her education, her contemporary, Georgias Tornikes, said at her funeral that shed had to study ancient poetry- including The Odyssey- surreptitiously, as her parents disapproved of her reading about polytheism. Marriage In 1097 at the age of 14, Comnena married Nicephorus Bryennius, who was also a historian.  They had four children together in their 40 years of marriage. Bryennius had some claim to the throne as a statesman and general, and Comnena joined her mother, the Empress Irene, in a vain attempt to persuade her father to disinherit her brother, John, and replace him in the line of succession with Bryennius. Alexius appointed Comnena to head a 10,000-bed hospital and orphanage in Constantinople. She taught medicine there and at other hospitals and developed expertise on gout, an illness from which her father suffered. Later, when her father was dying, Comnena used her medical knowledge to choose from among the possible treatments for him. He died despite her efforts in 1118, and her brother John became emperor, John II Comnenus. Succession Plots After her brother was on the throne, Comnena and her mother plotted to overthrow him and to replace him with Annas husband, but Bryennius apparently refused to take part in the plot. Their plans were discovered and thwarted, Anna and her husband had to leave the court, and Anna lost her estates. When Comnenas husband died in 1137, she and her mother were sent to live in the convent of Kecharitomene, which Irene had founded.  The convent was devoted to learning, and there, at age 55, Comnena began serious work on the book for which she will long be remembered. The Alexiad A historical account of her fathers life and reign that her late husband had begun, The Alexiad totaled 15 volumes when it was completed and was written in Greek rather than in Latin, the spoken language of her place and time. In addition to recounting her fathers accomplishments, the book became a valuable source to later historians as a pro-Byzantine account of the early Crusades. While the book was written to praise Alexius accomplishments, Annas place at court for most of the period it covered made it more than that. She had been privy to details that were unusually accurate for histories of the time period. She wrote about the military, religious, and political aspects of history and was skeptical of the value of the Latin churchs First Crusade, which occurred during her fathers reign. She also wrote of her isolation at the convent and of her disgust with her husbands unwillingness to carry through with the plot that would have put him on the throne, noting that perhaps their genders should have been reversed. Legacy In addition to recounting her fathers reign, the book describes religious and intellectual activities within the empire and reflects the Byzantine  concept  of the imperial office. It also is a valuable account of the early Crusades, including character sketches of the First Crusades leaders and of others with whom Anna had direct contact. Comnena also wrote in The Alexiad about medicine and astronomy, demonstrating her considerable knowledge of science. She included references to the accomplishments of a number of women, including her influential grandmother Anna Dalassena. The Alexiad  was first translated into English in 1928 by another pioneering woman, Elizabeth Dawes, a  British classical scholar and the first woman to receive a doctorate in literature from the University of London. Sources Anna Comnena: Byzantine Princess. Encyclopedia Britannica.Anna Comnena: Byzantine Historian of the First Crusade. Women in World History Curriculum.

Nutrition project 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Nutrition project 2 - Essay Example Write a brief (one-page) summary of your interview. Pay a visit to your favorite fast food restaurant. Ask an employee to provide you with nutritional data on the meal you most commonly order there. Most national fast-food chains make this information available to customers. If it is not available in person, use your Internet access and look online. Some fast food restaurants make this information available on their websites (for example, McDonald’s or Burger King). If it is not available, ask at the restaurant for precise ingredients and serving sizes, and use Appendix A in your textbook to figure out the nutrient profiles yourself. What is the serving size for each item? How many calories in each? How much total fat is in your favorite meal? How much saturated fat is in each item? trans fat? Assume that you consume an average of 2,000 kcal a day. What percentage of your recommended daily fat intake is provided by this single meal? What percentage of your total energy? Go to your local grocery store or health food store and check out the labels of three different brands of â€Å"protein bars.† Try to find similar flavors for each brand (e.g., chocolate, lemon, etc.). For each item, document: Make a chart comparing your findings. Based on your data, rate the bars from most to least nutritious, and provide the rationale for your rating. Finally, calculate the average price of a protein bar. How much protein are you getting for your money? How does this compare with the cost of other â€Å"portable† sources of protein, such as yogurt, prepackaged cheese and crackers, or a peanut butter sandwich? I interviewed a middle-aged lady friend who suffers from Type II Diabetes. She was first diagnosed with the condition three years ago. She found out about her condition after visiting her family doctor following recurrent bouts of feeling sickly. During her check-ups, the doctor tested her blood sugar levels that were high. At first, the diagnosis was

Tax Planning Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Tax Planning - Essay Example Tax avoidance is the process of planning business transactions in a manner that legally minimizes the amount of taxes due. The four maxims of tax planning are built around the premises of helping businesses work around tax liabilities. 1) Businesses turn over profits to entities that fall within lower tax rates. Reducing tax liabilities can be accomplished through both shifting income to lower-tax rate entities and shifting deductions to higher-tax rate entities. 2) Shift taxable income to a later time period as, in present value terms, tax costs decrease and cash flows increase when the liability is deferred to a later taxable year. This should be done taking into consideration the opportunity costs involved due to shifting income to another year as well as the possibility of tax rate changes in the following year. 3) Due to the differences in state and country laws, it is possible to gain tax advantage by shifting income to a lower-rate tax jurisdiction. This opens up planning oppo rtunities of tax planning for companies which have global presence. 4) By shifting income from business activities to more tax-favored instruments like government bonds, companies can take advantage of preferential tax rates. Businesses, therefore, arrange transactions in such a way that income is shifted to heads which are subject to preferential tax rates. Tax planning thus requires the researcher to consider all fields of income generation and the entity, jurisdiction, time and character of income. An important aspect of tax planning is tax research. Tax research is required to determine the tax consequences of a transaction, either before or after the transaction is done. In case of a closed-fact transaction, the facts surrounding the transaction are recorded and hence, can no longer be subject to the client's control. Conversely, an open-fact transaction is one which the business is proposing to undertake and hence is subject to the client's control. In such cases, a tax adviser can help create facts to support the transaction that will help them influence the tax consequences of that transaction. The role of the tax researcher is to determine the optimal business decisions that its client firm should make, as they relate to tax. When the tax consequences for a firm differ among decision alternatives, tax researchers help to identify the most optimal course of action for management to make in order to maximize their after-tax income. Tax research is a six step process that encompasses all activities required by a researcher to understand the transaction and gather data to support it. The first step involves a thorough understanding of the business transaction and the facts surrounding it. It is important for a tax researcher to acquaint himself with the non-tax features of the transaction before moving onto the tax implications. Once the researcher is done analyzing the non-tax features of the transaction; he moves onto the second step, which is identifying the tax issues suggested by the transaction. The identification of issues lead to formulation of tax research questions. The third step involves the most important component of tax research, which is locating the relevant authority to

Travels by Joseph Zere Essay Example for Free

Travels by Joseph Zere Essay My first example of satire is in Lilliput when Gulliver was invited to a entertainment feast. But when Gulliver arrives at the feast, he gradually discovers that its not only an entertainment feast, but it is an job applicants who will dance on the tight rope. Who ever dance the highest on the tight rope will get a very good job. This is absurd because to get a good pay job, you need to have qualifications, familiarity and the experience to do the job. I know of all this, because in page 32 it says when a great office is vacant by either dead or disgrace, 5 or 6 candidates petition the emperor to entertain his majesty and the court with a dance on the rope, and whoever jumps the highest without falling succeeds in the office. This is not fair, because you need to be educated, not be a good dancer. So Jonathan Swift is translating it based to London, he is trying to put out that you dont need merit to get a well-paid job; you could get it for daft reasons. Like if you had friends in power, through favouritism, so getting a job wasnt based on merit, it was based on silly, childish ways. In fact people at the time (18th century) were incompetent people and didnt know how to their jobs, especially in politics. Jobs were allocated on the ground of tradition and family. Luckily and rightfully civil exams came in, and it was a big change, but at the time Swift wrote this book, there was nothing stopping a mental man getting a well-paid job. The issue that Swift is satirising is the ineptitude of a ruling class who value dancing more greatly than education. He is also attacking the class structure of Britain. Swift suggests the solution would be to create a society were people rose on merit. To modern readers the satire may seem rather indirect. We might feel that he is not confronting the issue. However we should remember that there was a very strong royalist feeling and class prejudice at the time Swift wrote. There was also active censorship. In order to get his message across at all, Swift had to be tortuous. He had to make his meaning a little indistinguishable. This satire is as effective as it could be if we consider the time Swift wrote. At first the story honestly struck me as rather silly like a childs fairytale. However I quickly started thinking about the message. That it is still very important today. If we consider how money buys education in Britain we might think that it is still wealthy people who dance prettily. Who get to the top. Swifts satire was of great magnitude in the 18th century. That is why he has to make his meaning a little unclear. Yet what he said is still important today. My second example of satire was when Gulliver was invited to an entertainment feast yet again. However Gulliver arrives at the feast, he realises that it is a reward scheme, for the emperor to give rewards to people ( blue, red, green). To get rewards you had to jump over a stick, which the emperor held out for you. This is absolute madness, a reward should be given out who worked hard and deserved it, not jump over a wooden stick. I know of this case it quotes the emperor lays on the table three fine silken threads of six inches long. One is blue, the other red and the third green. To receive this it says the emperor holds a stick in his hands, both ends parallel to the horizon, while the candidates, advancing one by one, sometime leap over the stick, sometimes creep under it backwards and forward several times, according as the stick is advanced or depressed. Swift is satirising that people in Britain got their jobs by creeping. This satire is aimed at the kings court. The first satire concerned jobs. This one concerns influential positions at court- and you see a few great persons about this court who are not adorned with one of these girdles. In the 18th century many people like Swift felt that the kings court was too important and too corrupt. They felt that people rose through the court on how well they crept to the king. The positions at court were also very important. Many of the people who governed the country and who ran the army and the navy were appointed by the king. Swift and others felt that such important positions should be given out according to merit. They also felt that the government of the country should come from elected MPs rather than creeps at the kings court. The satire works in many ways. One way is the gap between the ridiculous things being described and the very formal and technical language that Swift uses to describe them. The candidates are to undergo a trial of dexterity very different from the former. The use of formal words like a trial of dexterity is amusing when it is applied to something so stupid. This gap between ridiculous action and a very high tone is something that humorous and satirical writers use a lot. Another similar technique, which I find very effective, is the way Swift includes lots of detail about actions that are meaningless. One example would be the detail, the emperor lays on the table three fine silken threads of six inches long. One is blue, the other red and the third green. Readers are used to hearing this kind of technical detail applied to serious things like engineering, so they find it amusing when these phrases are used to describe madness. The best satirists such as Swift have the imagination to came up with crazy situations and they have the control if language and tone to put this into kind if language people would expect to hear speaking about serious things. The solution that Swift seems to suggest is that the King should not be in charge of appointing people to important positions. He also suggests that in England the Prime Minister is to close to the king and is also corrupt. It is noticeable the emperor and the first minister share the holding of the stick. Swift suggests that Prime Minister should be separate from the king and that important jobs should be given out elected people in parliament.

Aristophanes and Homoeroticism: Admiration or Scorn? :: Aristophanes Homoeroticism Papers

In reading the comedies of Aristophanes, modern readers are able to catch a rich glimpse of the gender norms and expectations of his time. Visions of power-hungry, crafty women and bumbling, foolish men pervade his plays and reveal ancient Greek views and stereotypes regarding male and female roles. One of the more complicated concepts to grasp, however, is Aristophanes’ true sentiment regarding homosexual love and practice. The aim of this paper is to compare Aristophanes’ presentation of homoeroticism in The Women at the Thesmophoria to that of his speech in Plato’s Symposium and attempt to clarify the playwright’s stance on the matter. In these two works, Aristophanes offers a mix of mocking and approving sentiments oh homosexual men and the practice of homosexuality itself. As he is a comedian, Aristophanes immerses his characters in satire in order to gain laughs from the audience; by looking carefully at the texts, we can see he does not actually see homoeroticism as an institution to be derided and ridiculed. To begin, an examination of The Women at the Thesmophoria can provide valuable insights into the prevailing culture’s notion of homosexual relations. Just before Euripides and the Kinsman reached Agathon’s house, they discussed the poet briefly: Euripides: There is an Agathon †¦ Kinsman: You mean the suntanned one, strong guy? Euripides: No, a different one. You’ve never seen him? Kinsman: The one with the full beard? Euripides: You’ve never seen him? Kinsman: By Zeus, never, as far as I can recall. Euripides: Well, you must have fucked him, though you might not know it (38-45). This exchange, which foreshadowed the entrance of Agathon, provides us with a clear idea of how a man ought to look: tan, strong, and bearded. The joke here is that Agathon was by no means a masculine man, as proven by Euripides’ last comment, which solidifies Agathon’s effeminacy by stating he prefers a passive sexual position. While the statement may apparently show disdain for homosexual acts in general, it actually emphasizes the lack of manliness only in taking the passive homosexual position. Aristophanes and Homoeroticism: Admiration or Scorn? :: Aristophanes Homoeroticism Papers In reading the comedies of Aristophanes, modern readers are able to catch a rich glimpse of the gender norms and expectations of his time. Visions of power-hungry, crafty women and bumbling, foolish men pervade his plays and reveal ancient Greek views and stereotypes regarding male and female roles. One of the more complicated concepts to grasp, however, is Aristophanes’ true sentiment regarding homosexual love and practice. The aim of this paper is to compare Aristophanes’ presentation of homoeroticism in The Women at the Thesmophoria to that of his speech in Plato’s Symposium and attempt to clarify the playwright’s stance on the matter. In these two works, Aristophanes offers a mix of mocking and approving sentiments oh homosexual men and the practice of homosexuality itself. As he is a comedian, Aristophanes immerses his characters in satire in order to gain laughs from the audience; by looking carefully at the texts, we can see he does not actually see homoeroticism as an institution to be derided and ridiculed. To begin, an examination of The Women at the Thesmophoria can provide valuable insights into the prevailing culture’s notion of homosexual relations. Just before Euripides and the Kinsman reached Agathon’s house, they discussed the poet briefly: Euripides: There is an Agathon †¦ Kinsman: You mean the suntanned one, strong guy? Euripides: No, a different one. You’ve never seen him? Kinsman: The one with the full beard? Euripides: You’ve never seen him? Kinsman: By Zeus, never, as far as I can recall. Euripides: Well, you must have fucked him, though you might not know it (38-45). This exchange, which foreshadowed the entrance of Agathon, provides us with a clear idea of how a man ought to look: tan, strong, and bearded. The joke here is that Agathon was by no means a masculine man, as proven by Euripides’ last comment, which solidifies Agathon’s effeminacy by stating he prefers a passive sexual position. While the statement may apparently show disdain for homosexual acts in general, it actually emphasizes the lack of manliness only in taking the passive homosexual position.

English Rhetoric Essay

I find it really rewarding to be in the medical practice. Choosing to care for patients, for people who are unable to take care of themselves or lack the knowledge on how to get over their own sickness is something that nurses can be proud of. To care for someone you don’t even know is a profession that is suppose to encourage people to join in medical profession. To ease the pain of cancer patients should serve as an incentive for nurses to help them combat such disease. However, in the 1report released by the America’s AIDS Commission, nursing shortfall points to the state’s funding failure. The report is trying to point out that there has been financial deficiency in nursing education which is the reason why the state is somehow hard up in combating the AIDS epidemic. The report which says’ â€Å"federal funding for nursing education has remained constant instead of increasing†, and â€Å"financial aid for nursing education is a patchwork for scholarships†¦Ã¢â‚¬  seem to be less reliable. There were no data to support the statement. There were no survey results, no research and study figures to prove that the state’s funding failure is the main reason for the continuing decline of the supply of nurses. The report failed to look into the other reasons for the shortfall-cultural and social issues could be reasons. It could be that the younger generation of America is more interested in careers related to finance and marketing. It could be that the entertainment and tourism industry has better advertising technique in encouraging students to be part of the profession. Yes, financial concerns could have been a factor but to prove it right, there should be figures to support the argument.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   With regards to the nurses’ knowledge and skills on the care for AIDS patients, the same article, â€Å"AIDS Update†, points to the need of nurses of 2â€Å"continued updating about the disease.† The report made its point-adequate information and continued education about AIDS. It is just that the recommendations seem to be redundant to get to the main point. The first recommendation says â€Å"the health care community mount a coordinated effort to ensure that all its members are adequately informed about AIDS†. The other recommendations call for the health care providers, professional organizations, hospitals and other health care facilities and nursing organizations. If the reader has to analyze the statements, they could be sum up into the first recommendation, thus seemingly made one recommendation. If the author is trying to point out there are many ways as solutions to what they call â€Å"knowledge gap†, I found only one base on my analysis on the article.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In the article entitled â€Å"Patient Teaching: Food Safety Tips†, a July issue of the Nursing Journal, I found a simple yet practical food safety tips for AIDS Patients. The tips are presented on the nurses’ perspective but point to the do-it-yourself instructions for patients. Instructional materials must as clear and concise as this one. The patients themselves can understand and follow the instructions with the nurse’ minimal supervision. This way, the AIDS patients are encouraged to care for themselves. Their morale and self-esteem could at least be lifted because they will realize that they can do something to fight against their disease. They could at least prove that they are not that of much burden to their nurses since there are things that they can do for themselves. What was so striking in this article is that the author has paid attention to the anticipated questions of the reader. The use of the if–and-then sentences has been used to answer such anticipated questions. The use of the word â€Å"should† on every instruction was so important to denote that such action is required. It also means that the instructions offer no alternatives to it. Also, that it must be followed to the least detail, no more no less.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   AIDS patients and HIV positive individuals deserve care not only by their nurses and doctors but also from the community. In fact, they need extra care because of their special conditions. They are prone to emotional distress, frustrations and self-pity. They are more likely to be loners and hesitate to associate themselves with others. These are the reasons why they need support from the people around them. This is the only way they can have the courage to go on with their lives. It helps when someone in the group of these patients go out into the world to campaign for support and to disseminate information about the disease. It matters to people that facts would come from someone who have experienced or is experiencing the same disease. If a well-known or respected individual speaks of AIDS, he could somehow catch attention and his testimony could somehow be credible to people. When Earvin Johnson decided to be part of this campaign, there arouse certain level of energy from the victims. Solomon Herbert said, 3â€Å"Johnson opted to retire from basketball†¦and decided to use this opportunity to help others rather than maintain a low profile about his condition.† Whether we like it or not, it is not common to person to strive for something without inspiration. It is but common to look up to somebody for role model, for inspiration. Johnson has won the hearts of many, not only the AIDS victims but also the possible victims-the younger generation. â€Å"I decided to do the book because education-especially for young people is our best weapon in the battle against AIDS† (Johnson). Helping is a matter of giving time and inspiration for the victims. Money doesn’t matter much, rather emotional investment is of much importance the way Johnson and the other did. Caring for AIDS victim doesn’t have to be in way that someone should not be in a way that they will feel that you pity them. Caring, like Johnson did, has to focus more on time. Like Johnson, investment has to be on emotional aspect, not on financial. Like Johnson who has shared his talents, his energy and love for others, AIDS victims and non-victims must have the spirit of sharing. It pays to invest more on love for others rather than for material investments for yourself because it investing on love is more profitable. Like Johnson, people have loved him not merely because of basketball but because of the heart he has for the young ones and the people, who like him is an AIDS victim. REFERENCES Herbert, Solomon J., Magic Johnson: He’s Got Heart, Black Collegian Sep/Oct92 Vol.23 Issue 1, page84, 5p, 2c A.I.D.S Update, More Nurses Needed, Says the President’s A.I.D.S. Commission, Nursing88, May Issue, pages 30-31 A.I.D.S. Update, Patient Teaching: Food Safety Tips, Nursing93, July issue, page 22

The Director Of Human Resources Of Lehigh Hanson - 1525 Words

I am the Director of Human Resources of Lehigh Hanson. In order to ensure the organization remains successful we have to make sure we hire the right people for the organization. In this review we will outline a job interview process and document the methods that we must use to select the right person for the available positions. We will determine at least two employment laws that we must consider in the process questions and examine the key ramifications of the organization’s lack of enforcement of said laws. The organization must predict three issues that we may encounter in building relationships with each type of worker. Also, management will examine two laws that must follow during the relationship process, and specify the manner in which each law would help in the relationship building process. Finally, we will evaluate the effectiveness of the organization’s HR policies and processes that are designed to promote a diverse workforce, we will outline a strategy for the organization that recognizes affirmative action, and the HR team will include in our plan to migrate both the glass ceiling effect and reverse discrimination within our organization. Hanson is outlining the position of a Customer Service Representative. As an employer, making a good hire depends on of having a positive interview experience with a preferred candidate. Employers must not underestimate the impact of a well-planned interview or interview process. When hiring for a particular positionShow MoreRelatedMarketing Mistakes and Successes175322 Words   |  702 PagesCleveland State University JOHN WILEY SONS, INC. VICE PRESIDENT PUBLISHER EXECUTIVE EDITOR ASSISTANT EDITOR PRODUCTION MANAGER PRODUCTION ASSISTANT EXECUTIVE MARKETING MANAGER ASSISTANT MARKETING MANAGER MARKETING ASSISTANT DESIGN DIRECTOR SENIOR DESIGNER SENIOR MEDIA EDITOR George Hoffman Lise Johnson Carissa Doshi Dorothy Sinclair Matt Winslow Amy Scholz Carly DeCandia Alana Filipovich Jeof Vita Arthur Medina Allison Morris This book was set in 10/12 New Caledonia