Thursday, November 14, 2019

Norman Bridwell Essay --

"Sometimes you'll do something that you really like and no one else does,† said Norman Bridwell. Norman Bridwell has proved that if you like something you just go with what you want. He proved it when he was in high school; he liked to write but the teachers didn’t appreciate it. After taking a look at the life and work of Norman Bridwell, it is apparent that this writer deserves recognition as a profound American author. Norman Bridwell was born on February 15, 1928 in Kokomo, Indiana (TEACHERS). He always dreamed of going to college to study to be an instructor but he never had enough confidence to do it (About the Clifford). It took him a long time to get his confidence back; once he got his confidence back he went to college and studied what he wanted. He was not good at any sports, he was a nerdy kid in highschool so he was bullied a lot. One day his gym teacher gave him a pencil and a notebook so when he had gym he would draw or write stories (TEACHERS). Norman always had time to write and draw and if he didn’t have time he would make time. Norman had a lot of things that infl... Norman Bridwell Essay -- "Sometimes you'll do something that you really like and no one else does,† said Norman Bridwell. Norman Bridwell has proved that if you like something you just go with what you want. He proved it when he was in high school; he liked to write but the teachers didn’t appreciate it. After taking a look at the life and work of Norman Bridwell, it is apparent that this writer deserves recognition as a profound American author. Norman Bridwell was born on February 15, 1928 in Kokomo, Indiana (TEACHERS). He always dreamed of going to college to study to be an instructor but he never had enough confidence to do it (About the Clifford). It took him a long time to get his confidence back; once he got his confidence back he went to college and studied what he wanted. He was not good at any sports, he was a nerdy kid in highschool so he was bullied a lot. One day his gym teacher gave him a pencil and a notebook so when he had gym he would draw or write stories (TEACHERS). Norman always had time to write and draw and if he didn’t have time he would make time. Norman had a lot of things that infl...

Monday, November 11, 2019

Work Measurement

The purpose of work measurement is to determine the time it ought to take to do a job. The problem is in the definition of â€Å"ought to. † Work measurement analyst define this as the time it should take an experienced and well-trained operator to perform the job in a specific and well-defined method at a speed that can be maintained all day, day after day, without undue fatigue. This time, called standard time, can be divided into several parts: the actual elements used to perform the job; the rating factor used to determine the â€Å"normal† pace of these elements (the method used to determine the â€Å"ought to† time); and an allowance for personal time, unavoidable delays, and slowing due to fatigue. There are four main systems of work measurement. First, and most used, is time study, specifically, stop-watch time study. Motion picture and video cameras, computers, and various production timing devices can also be used in the place of, and in conjunction with, the stop watch. The second system, work sampling, is a statistical procedure for measuring work and requires an understanding of the techniques of statistics and probability. The third system, predetermined time systems (PDT), uses sets of tables of basic motions that have already been â€Å"normalized† by experts. Thus, PDT systems do not require the analyst to â€Å"rate† or â€Å"level† the measurement. Finally, there is the standard data system of work measurement which, strictly speaking, is not a measurement technique at all. Here similar elements made up of similar groups of motions from the other measurement systems are tabled and then reused as needed for subsequent products and standards. USES OF WORK MEASUREMENT Work measurement is used to determine standards against which comparisons can be made for a variety of purposes. 1. Wage incentives. If workers are to be paid in accordance with the amount of work accomplished rather than the amount of time expended (hourly), some means of determining an acceptable, or fair, amount of work is needed. The payment for work accomplished could be based on sales price and profits, but a fairer method is to establish a standard and pay in accordance to that standard. 2. Schedules. In order to schedule work effectively and keep things running smoothly and orderly, a knowledge of expected working times is an absolute necessity. Budgets. Budgets provide needed control over funds. One of their more important inputs is operating costs. Standards provide the expected operating times from which these costs are computed. 4. Labor cost control. Labor cost is usually a very significant percentage of the total manufacturing cost (normally from 10 to 40 percent). To control these costs, the actual costs must be compared to a standard and any deviation corrected, especially if the actual is greater than the standard. . Downtime studies. Properly developed standards include reasonable allowances (extra time) for personal time, unavoidable delays, and fatigue. Both time study and work sampling can be used to determine these allowances. They can also be used on a continuing basis (daily or weekly) to measure actual downtime and personal time when definitive production records are not kept and standards are not used.

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Consider the writers’ intentions in writing their Gothic stories

What is horror? Horror is a way of coming to terms with anxieties in each person and in a society as a whole. But horror also plays a role of intensifying the imagination and gives people the adrenaline rush that comes, with being scared. Several factors contribute to the creation of different emotions and feelings. Stevenson uses a multitude of ways to give the overall effect of mystery and horror rather than a sudden, obvious indication. This reveals how Stevenson differs from previous gothic writers. Although Stevenson may have differed from previous gothic writers he still managed to include both traditional and more modern gothic conventions. By including full moons and by exploiting the excessiveness of science Stevenson maintains the more traditional and stereotypical gothic conventions. But by conveying two different characters that are the same Stevenson is including more modern conventions by revealing that terror was created by humans and can only be ended by humans. By using both traditional and modern conventions Stevenson is able to break boundaries by drawing on science rather than superstition but also by emphasizing that the horror experienced is in us, now. This is one of the things that need to be observed when concluding the effectiveness. Another thing to observe is when the novel was written. This greatly influences the way the novel has been written and the impact that it made on people of that time. Stevenson's Jekyll and Hyde novel may not seem too terrifying now with films such as the Exorcist coming out. The Exorcist was both original and modern in terms of convention. The Exorcist built on an idea that demons could possess individuals just like in Jekyll and Hyde where in the end Hyde possesses Jekyll permanently. This illustrates how even the most modern films copy certain aspects of Stevenson's gothic novels to emphasize the fear being experienced. But for the people and era of that time Jekyll and Hyde was a novel to be reckoned with and was definitely a bookmark to how gothic stories should be written. The way in which it revolutionized the way that gothic novels are, in that the setting and atmosphere were different then previous gothic novels â€Å"deadly smell†. With previous novels the only thing they needed to include was that it was dark, foggy, gloomy, isolated area that most likely contained a castle and was set in some unfamiliar part of the world like Transylvania. Jekyll and Hyde being a gothic novel included some of these but also managed to be effective in different areas. Jekyll and Hyde set their scene in a very familiar place (London), with the idea to emphasize the fear that the audience felt when reading about this tale, the way in which this was accomplished was by drawing on the frighteningly familiar rather than the absurd.. This was just one of the ways that Stevenson changed gothic books and made them into effective horror stories. However this was not the only thing which made Jekyll and Hyde an effective and daring gothic book. The anxieties that it dealt with showed people that either they were justified to feel this way or that things such as homosexuality are nothing to be feared of. The anxieties that it mentions are to do with science going too far, atheism growing and homosexuality. These all contribute to the effect of a horror novel. As Stevenson is trying to explore new ground with Jekyll and Hyde. The first thing to notice is that the characters are described completely different from each other, as one is a Doctor in a very high place where as Hyde can be described as having â€Å"ape like fury†. By showing the immediate contrast of the two characters Stevenson creates a sense of mystery which all gothic books should have. By creating ambiguity he is trying to lead the audience of that time to the wrong conclusion so as to make sure that the his book is shocking and intelligent. These qualities both contribute to the effectiveness of horror. However for that time the novel was nothing but a groundbreaking barrier-smashing novel at that time. Compared to some of the previous gothic novels you can tell how the genre of gothic has evolved from previous books which give everything away too easily and involve the most obvious give away (such as castles). Although this may be true for the late 1800's the same can not be said about today. With the fame that comes along with Jekyll and Hyde the majority of people already know the story, meaning that when they read the actual novel they could be disappointed by it, due to the fact that it's that old. Not only this but the number of films which take the story on usually let it down meaning that the audience does not have the same respect for the novel as the people of 120 years ago did. But whether or not people respect is not the case but whether they appreciate it is. One aspect that they could have appreciated from all the gothic writers was that they all identified themselves philosophically as romantics. Stevenson among others all had interests in the wild and untamed aspects of nature and they all believed in the power of human imagination. These thoughts lead to them becoming outsiders. These outsiders would have been appreciated because of their views were not expressed by the wider society. These views consequently were revealed in their novels. Just like another writer of the time Stroker (Dracula), they tried to perceive the main character as having an addiction to a certain drug. Whether it is blood or a concoction. Both writers attempted to give the reader a certain side of a character that had previously never been seen by audiences of the 1880's. Where as Stroker pointed out quite clearly who the evil demon was, Stevenson had a more suspenseful and unique style of only giving away the odd small ounce of information. I think that for his time Stevenson was quite ahead of the game with his piece Jekyll and Hyde. His attention to detail, whether it being about the atmosphere or how a man died was very unique for that time causing him to be famous for writing a novel like Jekyll and Hyde. Both the stories of Jekyll and Hyde and Dracula have certain similarities between them. Both writers pioneered in bending and breaking the rules of classic gothic horror stories. The more traditional of these two stories is Stoker's Dracula. Set in a dark unfamiliar setting of Transylvania, where like most gothic stories there happens to be darkness, fog, isolation and the super natural. Although both are very famous stories they differ in many ways. The story of Jekyll and Hyde is more to do with expressing different ways of really intensifying the readers, or viewers' imagination. Where as Dracula is more to do with the traditional way of scaring people through super natural occurrences that happens in the story, but unlike Jekyll and Hyde, Dracula brings in more emotions. These emotions of lust and love are not present in Jekyll and Hyde, where as they are a key aspect in Dracula. Another key difference that appeared in Dracula was a motive. The motive of falling in love made this man wild and crazy. Where as it can be argued that Jekyll's motive is more to do with scientific experiments rather then emotion. But others can say that Jekyll and Hyde really has no motive to cause all of this death and suffering in the world, except for the fact that being in a high position could mean that you are suppressing your anger. This suppression is due to the fact that Jekyll's reputation as a doctor depends vastly on the actions that he has committed. So when his suppressed anger is let out it takes the form of Hyde. Although count Dracula is also in the same high position, his anger is not suppressed meaning that his anger is let out in arguably healthy ways. This reveals that there must be some kind of compromise between Jekyll's lack of anger and Dracula's excess of anger. Although in this case the writers seem to have different opinions on how to make the audience perceive their monsters, they both tried to deal with the same issues. The main similarity between Dracula and Jekyll and Hyde is that they try and reveal the anxieties of society at that time. They both tried to illustrate science going to far, in both of their novels. The ways in which both writers accomplish this are different but effective. The reasons for revealing anxieties, was not only to make the audience feel adrenaline but also to show them that such things were ridiculous to be afraid of. These two writers were not the only ones that tried to both revolutionize and be effective. As the signalmen was wrote. In the novel the Signalman Dickens describes the environment as having an â€Å"earthy, deadly smell†. This reveals us how like Stevenson's book that there is a super natural aspect to the plot of the story and that this brings in a mysterious presence into the story. Which leads the audience to ask what the super natural thing is. The product of this super naturalism is ambiguity. The effectiveness of ambiguity can be seen with in all three novels, as ambiguity is made to make the reader think and try to some sort of conclusion before the plot is revealed and all is clear. Another similarity between the characters in the play is that they are both conceived as short and hairy. This is to get the audience to imagine them having similarities to certain animals â€Å"ape like fury†. This may also illustrate another anxiety felt by society regarding people that were short, abnormal or hairy. Again this adds to the effectiveness and impact of each of the novels. Showing us how a combination of characters, plot, ambiguity and anxiety leads to the effectiveness and appeal to the audience of that era and era's to come. Although anxiety's and ambiguity maybe one of the many techniques for effect. The one, which is predominant, is tension. The writers' intentions are to use many different aspects of gothicness and expand on them, this is done so as to make audiences more vulnerable to the things around them† it was as if one had left the natural world†. All horror stories include tension so as to be affirmative that they can terrify and astound the audience in different and more realistic ways. All three novels have an essence of tension in them or else audiences may not of found them entertaining. The writers' all include a sense of ambiguity, so to create the tension as much as possible. On top of this they all present characters, unlike any other previously experienced, all of which have mysteriousness about them. An example of this is the Signalman. Within the Signalman the main character behaves in many paranormal ways. This suggests to the audience that he maybe suffering from either a problem regarding his eye or a problem that causes him to hallucinate the appearance of specters. Also the characteristics that I character holds also adds to both the originality and effectiveness of that character in the novels. In the Signalman the main character is portrayed as a wasted youth, student of natural philosophy . The effect of bringing new and previously unheard of characters, both astonishes the audience as well as adds to the originality of the horror story on the whole. A crucial aspect of every gothic novel is the questions left at the end. In the case of the Signalman a quote from Colridge revealed that it was â€Å"unclear what to conclude†. I think that the unanswered questions add to the thought process that the audience must go through. This reveals how having unclear endings leads to the audience being more assertive in what to rule out and what not to. Overall the fact that the audience has to actively think adds to the creation of tension through ambiguity. To conclude I think that the writers were all trying to adjust people's perception of what is scary and what is not. By making the plot and features of the novels vary they have accomplished in changing people's views and expectation, both in society and from gothic novels. Not only managing this they have also managed to ensure that a combination of features present in novels can lead to a book becoming effective. Whether from the characters or from the tension being built up via ambiguity and other devices used to build up tension. The effect of all of these is that it takes people to a place, which they rarely visit, that place being their fears. The purpose of such novels is to make people face up to their fears, which they previously haven't experienced or haven't encountered. This reveals what the writers intention were to take people out of their mundane lives and surprise and shock them with their horror novels.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow an American Writing Icon Essays

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow an American Writing Icon Essays Henry Wadsworth Longfellow an American Writing Icon Paper Henry Wadsworth Longfellow an American Writing Icon Paper Essay Topic: Henry Wadsworth Longfellow Poems Henry Wadsworth Longfellow an American Writing Icon Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was a powerful figure in nineteenth century America. He is considered to be one of the most influential writers of this time. There are many reasons for the popularity and significance of Longfellows poetry. The most evident is the manner in which he uses the gift of effortless rhyme. He writes poetry with a natural grace, read or heard once, his rhyme and meters cling to the mind long after the initial sense may be forgotten. No other American poet has so penetrated the general consciousness of the entire English speaking world as is apparent through the way that he uses common themes which appeal to all kinds of people. To first understand the unique genius of Longfellow and the way he created his writings one must learn a little about his life. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was born in Portland Maine; he grew up of modest means and was exposed to the conditions of everyday life. His first major achievement in his litaray career was his accepentce to Bowidian College at the age of 14; he stayed there for a few years and graduated in 1825. After his graduation he went to further his study in Europe and then came back to America and accepted a position at Bowidian College teaching as a professor of modern language. After teaching for five years he once again returned to Europe to study and stayed for a year but once he returned he accepted a position at Harvard University and taught there for eighteen years. Many people who have been aquatints with Longfellow agree that he was â€Å"such a thoroughbred gentleman, in his everyday life that even the most timid were at ease in his company† (Moulton 386). While Longfellow was at college he became good friends with a man named Nathaniel Hawthorne. Longfellow was not only a gentleman in his social life but was a devoted husband to his two wives, both which ended in tragedy due to their untimely deaths. Longfellow grew up as your average child of the early nineteenth century with nature surrounding him. He saw the things that happened in everyday life people working and the changing of the seasons. His boyhood was spent mostly in his native town, which he never ceased to love, and whose beautiful surroundings quaint and pure, found its way into some of the main theme of his poems. Even though they varied a little they had the same overtone one of simplicity that any individual that picked up his writings could connect with and understand them. Many of his poems were derived from nature some of them consisted of â€Å"The Tide Rises, the Tide Falls†, â€Å"A Gleam of Sunshine† and â€Å"Autumn†. The next major influence in his poems was the integration of American history, including Indians, the ride of Paul Revere and the life of slaves. The last selection was that of everyday life the lessons, like â€Å"Something Left Undone† and â€Å"The Reaper and the Flowers†. The idea to incorporate common themes, of nature, American history and everyday life was a first and truly appealed to the readers. The subjects of Longfellow’s poetry are, for the most part, aspects of nature as influencing human feeling, either directly or through historical association, the tender or pathetic sides and incidents of life, or heroic deeds preserved in legend or history. He had a special fondness for records of human devotion and self-sacrifice, whether they were monkish legends, Indian tales or bits of American History. The reason for his choice of such familiar topics was to reach the general public and connect with them. All of the topics which he chose were easy to understand and were common occurrences in people’s lives at this time. The choice of topics such as waves in the ocean, a man working and the life of a slave were topics that the people related to and up until this time most poets wrote about European ideas, things that had no relation ship with the people who lived in America. He brought about the topics of Native Americans and their way of life, in the many poems of â€Å"Hiawatha†. The concept of these poems was to take the reader back into early America and show them what the life of an Indian was like, this captured the reader â€Å"With the Song of Hiawatha Mr. Longfellow has broken the silence compelled us to listen once again restored the legends by giving them zest† (Harris 447). When Longfellow used the topics of Nature in his poems, he connected with the reader and held on to him. He talked about the waves crashing on a beach and the sun shining through the sky in the poem â€Å"Milton†, when he wrote of these topics he knew that the people would connect for numerous reasons, the most evident are the commonness of the poems and the fact that many people in the world have already seen these events take place, sequentially the readers can relate. Readers response to his new way of writing were astonishing and it made him one of the most revolutionary poets of his time, some called him the father of modern day poetry. By writing poems that soothed and encouraged readers, Longfellow became the first American to reach such a wide range and create an interest in poetry. Many people agree that â€Å"The same gentle spirit which characterized his writings showed itself also in the manners of man† (Moulton 384). Longfellow on many accounts can be credited with the advance of poetry through commonality. The central thing that set Longfellow apart with his poems was that they â€Å"appeal to the sympathies, and falls within the comprehension of every reader† (Harris 479). The impact from his first poem collection â€Å"Voices of the Night†, achieved him almost immediate popularity among American and soon the whole English speaking world. With poems like â€Å"A Psalm of Life† and â€Å"The Light of Stars† he connected with the reader and they could not wait for more. â€Å"So when storms of wild emotion/ Strike the ocean† (Longfellow 1). The vivid picture that this sentence embodies shows the manner of which Longfellow would write his poems. He wanted the reader to see and feel the poems not just sit and listen. Throughout his poems Longfellow’s use of imagery is always evident weather talking about the Native Americans or describing nature. â€Å"The poetry or Mr. Longfellow is marked by a very vivid imagination, great susceptibility to the impressions of natural scenery†¦. and the feelings of the human heart† (Harris 471). This use of imagery allows him to connect with the reader and show him the world. The setting for his poems were simple, they were of a common place like a work place a house or a forest. This idea for a common place to set his poetry was so that all his readers could relate to the poems. Even though his choice of setting was not extravagant his poems still captivated the world through his vivid description. In the poem â€Å"Milton† Longfellow describes the scene of him walking on the beach â€Å"I pace the sounding sea-beach and behold / How the voluminous billows roll and run / Upheaving and subsiding, while the sun / Shines through their sheeted emerald far unrolled† (Longfellow 1). With this description most of the people were able to relate and for this reason, his poems became started a sensation. The subjects in his poems have a deep connection with the story; through this the reader feels an attachment to the story. His way of writing makes it feel as if the story is taking place right in front of your eyes. â€Å"In his lodge beside a river, / Close beside a frozen river, / Sat an old man, sad and lonely. /White his hair was as a snow-drift; /Dull and low his fire was burning, / And the old man shook and trembled† (Longfellow 1). Through way Longfellow describes a scene makes it life like and in turn captures the reader. Longfellow uses many key literary elements in his poems to evoke the reader’s response it is said that â€Å"He had a knack for expressing commonplace thoughts very memorably† (Derbyshire 3). The most obvious tool that he used was his natural, masterful gift of rhyme; his poems flowed with ease and made a lasting impression on the reader. One of his most famous poems to use this gift was â€Å"The Song and the Arrow† â€Å"Long, long afterward, in an oak/I found the arrow, still unbroke; / And the song, from beginning to end, /I found again in the heart of a friend† (Longfellow 1). This use of rhyme so simply captivates the reader and makes him read on. The second most evident implement that Longfellow uses is meter. Longfellow was famous for using meters that had never, or hardly ever, been used in English poetry before. In the introduction to The Song of Hiawatha is one of his most famous examples, using the same metre,Should you ask me,/ whence these stories (Longfellow 1) for many lines, and all going to prove that there is a reason for this to capture an audience through a new way of writing. Through Longfellow’s unique approach to writing that captured the whole English speaking world, it is said that he is one of the most influential writers of the nineteenth century. He was the first to use native topics about our heritage and things that people of the time can relate to. Not only did his writings captivate the reader’s when they first came out, they still do to this day Through the themes which his poems imbed that evokes the feelings of the many readers of his poems it is evident that, no other American poet has so penetrated the general consciousness of the entire English speaking world as apparent through the way he uses common themes which appeal to all kinds of people. Derbyshire, John. â€Å"In the Bivouac of Life: Longfellow and the Fate of Poetry† Literary Criticism by John Derbyshire. December 2000. ; olimu. com/journ alism/Texts/Criticism/Longfellow. htm ; Harris, Laurie Lazen . (1982). â€Å"Henry Wadsworth Longfellow†. Nineteenth- Century Literary Criticism Vol. 2. (468-492) Moulton, Charles Wells. â€Å"Henry Wadsworth Longfellow†. Moultons Library of Literary Criticism of English and American Authors through the Beginning of the Twentieth Century Vol. IV. Abridged, revised and with editions by Tucker, Martin. New York, F. Ungar Pub. Co. 1966 4 v. (27-45) Moulton, Charles Wells. â€Å"Henry Wadsworth Longfellow†. The Library of Literary Criticism of English and American Authors Vol. VII. Buffalo New York, The Moulton Publishing Company. Longfellow, Henry. All poems of the poet: Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Poem Hunter 4/23/2007. poemhunter. com/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/.

Monday, November 4, 2019

Global warming Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Global warming - Article Example Most of the remaining 70% is absorbed by the land and ocean and the atmosphere absorbs the remainder. Radiation takes place when the rocks, the seas, and the air get warm, thus forming energy that travels into the atmosphere and water vapor and gases like carbon dioxide and methane absorb most of the energy. Additionally, the absorption and radiation of heat by the atmosphere is important for life on earth as it provides a comfortable atmosphere as compared to the chilly atmosphere that would be caused by lack of green houses. Scientists argue that over the past 250 years, humans have increased significantly the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. This is mostly through burning fuels and cutting down forests that absorb carbon. Today, the atmosphere is filled with greenhouse gas molecules and the atmosphere absorbs the energy emitted. Lastly, due to the increase in the concentration of greenhouse gases, the earth’s atmosphere is becoming an efficient

Saturday, November 2, 2019

Law case Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Law case - Essay Example Beth's profits fell alarmingly. Beth advised Morris that financially she could no longer continue with the agreement and would have to close the business. Further, she accused Morris of knowing that the competitor was about to open up and therefore she was commencing legal action to rescind the contract based on fraudulent misrepresentation. Morris contacted Beth and made the following comments: "I absolutely deny your accusation. By my reckoning you still owe me $55,000. However, if you continue with the agreement I'll reduce that amount to $35,000." Beth accepted the deal. Six (6) months later Beth landed a huge contract laminating all the posters for a chain of tourist attractions along the north coast of New South Wales. Beth's profits have soared. Morris is now demanding that the original contract price be complied with (i.e. Beth pays the remaining $55,000). This discussion is going to specifically deal with what a valid contract contains, because if these elements are essential to determining a valid contract. This is done from a sale of goods perspective; however the basics are the same whatever the type of contract. Finally this discussion will stress the importance of these elements and the necessity for all three, i.e. agreement, consideration and intention, to be present or the contract is void or voidable. The first element that will be dealt with is the notion of agreement between the seller and the buyer. This element contains the ingredients of offer and acceptance. The notion of a valid offer has to be distinguished from a mere invitation to treat, for example goods in a store on display is a mere invitation to treat and an offer happens until the buyer takes the goods to the sales person and it is the discretion of the sales person to accept the individual's offer to buy. The sale of goods concerns a bilateral agreement whic h consists of an exchange of promises, i.e. Item on sale for 10.00 (Invitation to Treat); Item taken to till which equates to - I will buy this item for 10 pounds (Offer); 10 pounds asked for by sales person (Acceptance); hence important with the sales of goods, when it comes to the standing of an advertisement or goods display or the communication of acceptance because there has to be an exchange of promises as opposed to the offeror alone making a promise and the acceptance is the act that the offeror has promised to pay for (unilateral agreement), i.e. rewards for lost items returned to the offeror. Therefore the sale of goods concerns a bilateral agreement, where two promises are exchanged as the offer and acceptance. An offer is a clear promise to be bound, as long as terms are accepted. A valid offer must be clearly communicated by writing, mouth or act in order to allow the other person or group of persons1 to decline or accept. In relation to sales of goods there is no requi rement for the agreement and offer to be in writing, as with the sale of property; however the offer has to be certain in its terminology and must be clearly distinguishable from an invitation to treat. In respect to certainty of terms both parties must make their intentions clear, as the courts will not enforce a vague agreement2 or an incomplete agreement3; in addition it has to be more than a wish to enter negotiations, which the individual does not want to be bound (invitation to treat)4. Therefore the elements of a valid