What Is The Last Book You Read That You Thought “this Is Going To Become A Classic”?

The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane: A Buried Treasure and Hidden “Classic”

I recently read a book that was timeless; “The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane” by Kate DiCamillo. The book tells the story of a china toy rabbit who is separated from his girl, to his annoyance, and finds himself caught up on a journey where he is moved from home to home while he is broken and lost in despair until he finds his girl again. Though a book for children to enjoy, it also underpins the age-old lesson of being grateful for what you have. This book won a literature children’s award decades ago, but I never would have learned of it if I hadn’t been looking for an ideal book for my daughter. So, it begs the question, what makes a book a “Classic”? Continue reading →

What Is Flawed In The Groupon Model?

Introduction

The business world is great in dimensions. There are different types of businesses where the owners do varying strategies to promote it and gain popularity. One of these strategies or programs is the so-called Groupon Model.

Traditionally, local merchants have tried to reach consumers and generate sales through a variety of methods, including the yellow pages, direct mail, newspaper, radio, television and online advertisements (“What is Groupon Business Model?”).). Groupon connects and forms partnerships with businesses to offer vouchers, coupons and discounts for products and services to help attract more customers (Hamilton). By bringing the brick and mortar world of local commerce onto the internet, Groupon is creating a new way for local merchants to attract customers and sell goods and services. Each day they emails they’re subscribers with discounted offers for goods and services that are targeted by location and personal preferences. Continue reading →

Which Was Morally Worse, Hitler’s Germany Or Stalin’s Soviet Union?

Early to mid-20th century was marked by the rise of many ruthless dictators who have brought much violence and terror to both their own citizens and many people abroad. The most notorious of these dictators, are surely, Adolf Hitler of Nazi Germany and Joseph Stalin of Soviet Russia. These dictators’ reigns resulted in one of the most outstanding human rights abuses in the modern history. The Holocaust campaign, initiated by the Nazis, cost the lives of more than 13 million people (The Holocaust Death Toll). On the other hand, millions have perished under Stalin’s ruthless gulags. It is often asked, whether Stalin’s Soviet Union or Hitler’s Germany was morally worse. In this essay, I will argue that while Stalin’s atrocities were of course cannot ever be justified, Hitler’s actions were morally worse, because Adolf Hitler was an ideologue, unlike Joseph Stalin. Continue reading →

Why Do Some People Claim That The Islamic Golden Age Never Occurred And Muslims Stole Their Achievements?

The Golden Age, a time when a country, region, culture, or even an art form can stand in the spotlight for centuries. This is a time where people, places, things, or ideas gain documentation of historical relevance, and those involved in intellectual breakthroughs are praised for their contributions to the vast knowledge of the world, and often, humanity as a whole will lead more fulfilling lives because of it. This defining era throughout history has provided the world with groundbreaking knowledge that makes progression possible. It sounds poetic; almost like a fairytale. However, like all things golden, upon closer examination, a tarnish can be found. So why is it that the Islamic Golden Age is met with so much controversy? Continue reading →

Why Didn’t Women Perform On The Stage In Shakespeare’s Time?

The spread of Christianity did not improve the social condition of women, and theatre was condemned by notable Church Fathers such as Augustine and Tertullian, the latter of which did not even mention the presence of women performers, stating that “what then must be his (God’s) judgment on the pantomime, who is trained up to play the woman!”(Milling, p. 19-20) The subsequent stagnation and rejuvenation of the art from the monastic confines resulted in non-cycle dramas with secular themes (Milling, p.68). The rising popularity, however, did not ameliorate the unenviable position of women and their lack of introduction onto the stage. Continue reading →

Why Didn’t China Colonise the World Like the Europeans?

China, though it exerted great influence over the nations on its borders, made no real attempt at colonization for three main reasons: in the years of European imperialism – lack of a consistently strong central government, a modern industrial economy and navy, the lack of a religious base that demanded proselytizing, and a world-view that demanded foreigners come to it, rather than journey forth itself. Continue reading →