Movie Analysis Do The Right - 1304 Words

The cinema is one of the most unique forms of media because it has the ability to make a fictional story socially powerful. The simplest of elements in a film are able to change how the audience interprets a scene and give it a deeper meaning. In Spike Lee’s 1989 film, Do the Right Thing, many small elements come together to impact individual scenes as a whole. This controversial film illustrates a single day of rising events in a black neighborhood. It shows the frustration of the African-American population in how they are treated and how it triggers their own reactions. The story line comments on other racial stereotypes as well, including Hispanics, Koreans, Italians, and Caucasians. A powerful scene in the film is one involving the character Radio Raheem, a mysteriously quiet black character known in the film to use a more hostile approach for equality. In this scene, he tells the main character Mookie a tale of the personified relationship of love and hate. There are many components of the Love and Hate scene in Do the Right Thing that are important when analyzing the sequence as a whole. One of the most prominent aspects is the camera angle and cinematography. The scene itself is one long take— meaning there are no cuts in the scene which is over a minute and a half. This in itself is significant because it forces the viewer’s attention with no breaks. It shows that Radio Raheem’s story is forward and needs to be listened to without hesitation. His story personifiesShow MoreRelatedDo The Right Thing : Movie Analysis967 Words   |  4 PagesThroughout the film Do the Right Thing, we continuously observe racial conflict that builds up to such an extreme point that it leads to a fight for power. This movie portrays the struggles and realities of a neighborhood with white and black African American people. This can be seen in many instances for example when Buggin Out, Radio Raheem, and Smiley march into Sal s and de mand that Sal change the Wall of Fame. Another vital instance shows the height of power struggle. It is when the hugeRead MoreDo The Right Thing - Movie Analysis1689 Words   |  7 PagesSpike Lee’s movie â€Å"Do the Right Thing† portrays a time in American history when the post-civil rights movement was still fresh in everyone’s mind. It is 1989, and Martin Luther King Jr and Malcolm X have placed their stamp on the country. While MLK preached for peace, Malcom X wanted the people to fight back in self-defense. This movie portrays these two views side by side through several different scenes. The movie is set in the black community of Bedford-Stuyevesant on the hottest day of theRead MoreMovie Analysis : Do The Right Thing 976 Words   |  4 PagesHancong Jiang Identification in the Cinema Draft 4 04.15.2015 Racial identification in Do the Right Thing Do the Right Things begins with the Rosie Perez dancing scene with the music â€Å"fight the power†. The four minutes scene shadows the later plot of the film, in which the continuously changing of the outfits and the intensified movement of the dancer may imply how the tension between different racial identification increases. Both the color and the movements of the dancer have strong visual impactRead MoreAnalysis Of The Movie Do The Right Thing Essay1329 Words   |  6 Pages Do the Right Thing Cameron Hughes Expository Writing 9/30/2016 Introduction In Spike Lee s Do the Right Thing, the story takes places in 1989, another year in the long struggle for equality for African-Americans. The film portrays the racial tensions between locals of the neighborhood and an Italian-American family in the majority Black and Hispanic neighborhood of Bedford-Stuyvesant (Bed-Stuy) in Brooklyn, New York. Spike Lee shows us what a day in the life of the Brooklyn neighborhoodRead More Analysis of the Spike Lees Movie Do the Right Thing Essay533 Words   |  3 Pages Analysis of the Spike Lees Movie Do the Right Thing For my shot analysis I chose a shot from the Spike Lee Movie Do the Right Thing. This is the second shot following the climactic riot scene. It features Da’ Mayor and Mother Sister reacting to the hellacious events of the previous night. The block was just devastated by a melee that broke out because the police killed Radio Raheem after he and Sal got in an altercation that was triggered by the volume of Radio Raheem’s boom box. Though at aRead MoreArundel Partners Case Analysis Essay1441 Words   |  6 Pagesspootyhead Apr 17, 2007 Arundel Partners Case Analysis ----------------------------------- Arundel Partners Case Analysis Executive Summary: A group of investors (Arundel group) is looking into the idea of purchasing the sequel rights associated with films produced by one or more major movie studios. Movie rights are to be purchased prior to films being made. Arundel wants to come up with a decision to either purchase all the sequel rights for a studios entire production during a specifiedRead MoreArundel Partners Case Analysis Essay1499 Words   |  6 PagesArundel Partners Case Analysis Executive Summary: A group of investors (Arundel group) is looking into the idea of purchasing the sequel rights associated with films produced by one or more major movie studios. Movie rights are to be purchased prior to films being made. Arundel wants to come up with a decision to either purchase all the sequel rights for a studios entire production during a specified period of time or purchase a specified number of major films. Arundels profitabilityRead MoreSolutions to Arundel Partners Case1450 Words   |  6 Pagesthe idea of purchasing the sequel rights associated with films produced by one or more major movie studios. Movie rights are to be purchased prior to films being made. Arundel wants to come up with a decision to either purchase all the sequel rights for a studios entire production during a specified period of time or purchase a specified number of major films. Arundels profitability is dependent upon the price it pays for a portfolio of sequel rights. Our analysis of Arundels propos al includes aRead MoreAnalysis Of The Movie Arundel Partners 779 Words   |  4 PagesArundel Partners wants to buy the rights to produce the sequels in advance rather than negotiating on a film-by-film basis because otherwise, the studios will have an informational advantage. Later on in the production process, studios will have a greater idea of the quality of the film, making them less likely to sell the rights to more profitable sequels. Advanced rights to the entire portfolio of films mitigates this informational asymmetry and creates an options-pricing model for Arundel. ThereRead MoreAnalysis Of Divergent The Movie 1197 Words   |  5 PagesAnalysis of Divergent The movie Divergent can be interpreted and looked into deeply to discover the missing and hidden features within the film. Throughout the movie, there are many twists and turns. It takes the viewers on a journey. The movie is easy to understand with what is going on, but at times the plot is about mystery. When viewers go to the theater to watch the film, they tend to miss the hidden features of the movie. They only tend to focus on certain points, and by paying greater attention

Implications Of Improper Protein Folding - 1595 Words

Implications of Improper Protein Folding in Alzheimer ’s Disease Stephen Sewell Schreiner University Dr. McGinnis Biochemistry Fall 2012 Abstract This paper is a brief review of the understanding of Alzheimer’s as it is generally seen today in the medical field, by scientists, physicians, and other healthcare providers alike. It examines the main hypothesis for the pathogenesis of the disease and the physical changes that the disease causes to the brain. The paper will then detail some of the treatments that are given to the patient. These include the drug related and non-drug related treatment options that are available, and discusses at what stage of the disease that they are used. Introduction Alzheimer’s disease is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the loss of memory and other cognitive abilities essential for the function of a healthy human being. Neuropathologically, the disease is characterized by the presence of neurofibrillary tangles and senile plaques, impaired synaptic function and cell loss.1 There is a major loss of cholinergic, noradrenergic, and dopaminergic neurons while at the same time there is an accumulation of free radicals and oxidative stress, leading to lipid peroxidation and neuronal degeneration in the tissues of the brain. Not only are there major physiological changes in patients with Alzheimer’s disease, but with these changes come cognitive symptoms as well. These include disruptions in memory, language, thinking,Show MoreRelatedSources of Ethics20199 Words   |  81 PagesETHICS: 32 Introduction: 32 HumGen: 37 Nuffield Council on Bioethics: 39 The European Union’s: 43 2.22- GENETICAL BEHAVIOR: 44 2.23- ETHICS OF BEHAVIOR HAS A BIOLOGICAL BASIS? 47 Behavioural Ethics And Genetics Study: 48 Implications of Behavioural Genetics Research In Society: 50 How the genes influence behaviour and ethics: 52 2.3- PHILOSOPHICAL: 55 2.31- Contribution Of In Ethics By The Source Of Philosophical Systems: 55 2.32- Contribution of Aristotle: 57 Read MoreAn Evaluation of an on-Farm Food Safety Program for Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Producers; a Global Blueprint for Fruit and Vegetable Producers51659 Words   |  207 Pagesgetting pretty serious at this point. Dani has been extremely supportive and caring through this project, even on those frustrating not-so-productive days. Not once did she complain about my lack helping out around the house: skirting the laundry folding, dinner preparation and dish washing; all of which I blamed on this document. And she was always there when I needed her the most. I recently wrote in an op-ed for the International Association for Food Protection s student group that thereRead MoreDeveloping Management Skills404131 Words   |  1617 Pagesminor, it would not be likely to offend you or evoke a strong defensive reaction. That is, it would probably not require that you reexamine and change your self-concept. On the other hand, the more discrepant the information or the more serious its implications for your selfconcept, the closer it would approach your sensitive line, and you would feel a need to defend yourself against it. For example, having a coworker judge you incompetent as a manager may cross your sensitive line if you think you

A DollS House Essay On Gender Example For Students

A DollS House Essay On Gender The prominent theme in A Dolls House is that of male supremacy and the subsequent suppression of womens participation in society, particular to the nineteenth century and early twentieth century. In conveying the prevalence of Noras constraints and the restrictions placed upon her, Ibsen uses subtle visual nuances of space within the setting to compliment and emphasise the idea of imprisonment and limitation. One of the most evident of these being the idea of the set on stage acting as a realist representation of a house, symbolic of the dolls house that Nora, the metaphorical doll, inhabits. This structural division of space into the interior and the exterior of the house carries with it social and cultural implications. Gender roles are spatially defined in relation to the inside and the outside of the house. Traditionally it is the woman who makes the house into a home, her home, while the world of commerce, war, travel, the world outside, is a mans world. Seeing the within and the without in terms of the outdoors and the indoors immediately transforms the theatrical space into a gender-charged environment, naturally fitted for acting out the drama of man and woman, Nora and Torvald. Similarly, in developing the plot of the play Ibsen crafts certain scenes to reflect their relevance and importance through highlighting the location of a dialogue and the movements of characters within a given area. For example with Krogstads visit to the house while Nora is in preparation for the Tarentella, their intensely suspicious and secretive discourse regarding the loan takes place in the kitchen, the room furthest away from Torvalds study, with Krogstad having entered through the back door of the house. The atmosphere created is one of concealment and deviousness with an intensity of fear and anxiety on Noras part. The play is immediately introduced in a realist setting of the Helmers house describing the layout of where all the events unfold. Throughout the play Nora remains inside this setting and only leaves to attend the fancy dress party upstairs inside the building, never venturing out into the world of men as it were. She is confined within the house and therefore visually we can see the physical restrictions imposed upon her. This is extended to incorporate Torvalds study as well since it is an area offstage in a sense because the audience are never invited to survey this area of the house due to the connotations it has as a male stronghold where women are prohibited entry; a possible synecdoche for the institutions of a society in which men are superior and the predominant ruling class. A further indication of the powerless isolation that Nora endures is that she is only ever socialised through the outside interventions of others. It is only with the daily visits from Dr Rank it seems and the surprise visit of Kristine that she is able to express herself to a greater degree of freedom than with Torvald and therefore maintain a somewhat subconscious pretence of happiness when under such restrictions, for we see that it is Torvald who forbids her to talk of her childhood friends and wants her exclusively to himself. The happenings of the play evolve predominantly around Nora as the central heroin figure and therefore the attention of the audience is focused upon the doll and those who interact with her, from the outside such as Kristine and Dr Rank and even her own children who enter from outside of the house, only to be likewise imprisoned due to the somewhat different reasons of Noras insecurity and anxieties about her own morality; this remains consistent with the idea that the children too are dolls within the house, since they are confined to an extent and act as objects almost for Nora to play with just as she says she was Torvalds doll-wife and her Daddys doll child. .u87d6b3fff7faff65610eecde5b5923ee , .u87d6b3fff7faff65610eecde5b5923ee .postImageUrl , .u87d6b3fff7faff65610eecde5b5923ee .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u87d6b3fff7faff65610eecde5b5923ee , .u87d6b3fff7faff65610eecde5b5923ee:hover , .u87d6b3fff7faff65610eecde5b5923ee:visited , .u87d6b3fff7faff65610eecde5b5923ee:active { border:0!important; } .u87d6b3fff7faff65610eecde5b5923ee .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u87d6b3fff7faff65610eecde5b5923ee { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u87d6b3fff7faff65610eecde5b5923ee:active , .u87d6b3fff7faff65610eecde5b5923ee:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u87d6b3fff7faff65610eecde5b5923ee .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u87d6b3fff7faff65610eecde5b5923ee .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u87d6b3fff7faff65610eecde5b5923ee .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u87d6b3fff7faff65610eecde5b5923ee .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u87d6b3fff7faff65610eecde5b5923ee:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u87d6b3fff7faff65610eecde5b5923ee .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u87d6b3fff7faff65610eecde5b5923ee .u87d6b3fff7faff65610eecde5b5923ee-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u87d6b3fff7faff65610eecde5b5923ee:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Dave: A Scandal In The White House EssayIn developing the qualities of Torvald during the play, Ibsen demonstrates his superciliousness through precise instances of superficial pettiness such as his irritation at Krogstads tactless behaviour, with hisTorvald this and Torvald that, and his ability to return to normality having physically burnt the IOU despite the emotional and long-lasting consequences of this revelation in his relationship with Nora. However more evocative in terms of theatrical space is the idea that Torvald cant stand the sight of mending lying about, and therefore Kristine is forced into the other room with the children and maid, Anne Marie, once Torvald arrives back. This also highlights Noras attitude towards pleasing her husband and complying with his conformities. However, in contrast to Noras obedience there is her ability to subtly manipulate Torvald through her physical actions and seductively playful manner in moving about the stage and around Torvald. Traditionally, the house has been associated with a womans social place, but it can also be seen to stand for her body and her sexuality and therefore become the location where she is most vulnerable. In the theatre, the contrast between interior and exterior space, between house and outside, could be eroticised, as in some productions1 of A Dolls House, and the idea of Krogstad gaining access into the house, already threatening and devious due to the brooding question as to the loan, takes on almost explicit sexual overtones of penetration and violation. While the male characters are often intent upon entering space designated as a womans sphere of influence, Nora is faced with trying to avoid being trapped, contained and restricted by the conformities embodied in Torvald. Having fixed her anxieties on the loan and Krogstads letter, Nora, towards the end of Act III recognises her imposed limitations and so aims to escape the restrictive space of her house. Therefore her anger and disappointment finds its theatrical expression in the actual, physical act of leaving the house, her children and her husband and venturing into the outside world in order to explore both the outside of her world and the inside of her being.

The Glass Menagerie Essay Example

The Glass Menagerie Paper ‘The Glass Menagerie’ by Tennessee Williams incorporates a numerous amount of themes throughout the play. As it is known to somewhat reflect on the playwright’s own life, some of these themes are notably profound and evocative, allowing the audience to maintain an ample grasp on the messages put forward by Williams. Primarily, the idea of memory is established in Scene One. The play inaugurates with lengthy description as to the setting and stagecraft, followed by the entrance of the narrator, Tom Wingfield, who soon states that ‘the play is memory’ and makes it clear that we are viewing events through the lens of his memories, intensifying emotions and extracting significances in the way that memories do. When the scene progresses, we as an audience also have an insight to recollections within recollections, such as those of Amanda as she recounts her days as a girl and her inept attempts to relive this time of her life. This complex theme is an imaginative device which Williams uses effectively to express truth, and one of the methods he uses to establish this is through the stagecraft. To begin with, the lighting is key in the portrayal of memory, because it displays the interior as ‘dim and poetic’. This not only helps us to distinguish the contrast between the past and the present, but reflects how the memories which the character of Tom will be showing us are coated with unhappiness and pain, and creates the effect of a thoughtful, slightly morose mood. We will write a custom essay sample on The Glass Menagerie specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The Glass Menagerie specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The Glass Menagerie specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Furthermore, Williams’ precise and detailed descriptions of the stage setting, such as ‘murky canyons of tangled clotheslines, garbage cans, and the sinister latticework of neighboring fire escapes’ allow him to achieve a dreamlike atmosphere, as opposed to straightforward realism. Tom himself tells us that the play is ‘sentimental’ and ‘not realistic’ and Williams draws attention to the ruse of the theatre by introducing lowered and raised gauze scrims during the play and shifting walls, whilst representing the mysterious attribute that memory brings. When he asks us to peer through the gauze, Williams reminds us that we are being taken back in time and made to observe things from a particular point of view. The theme of memory is also depicted through the use of music in Scene One. Just before Tom begins to explain how it is ‘a memory play’, the stage directions indicate for music to be played, and this aids the emphasis on this theme by again showing the difference between the past and present. It is clear that the playwright is trying to connect music with the theme as Tom even tells us, ‘In memory everything seems to happen to music’. In relation to the setting, lighting and music, the screen device is used a significant amount. The legends which appear recurrently on screen, such as ‘Ou sont les neiges d’antan? ’ draw attention to the way in which memory works by directly forcing the audience to think about how circumstances in the play are so different now to how they used to be in the characters’ lives, and create a wistful effect. Additionally, another theme established in Scene One is that of dreams and illusions. The characters in ‘The Glass Menagerie’ are constrained by their fantasies of financial security, solidarity and escape. The ever conventional Amanda Wingfield harbours ambitions of reaching a time when neither her children nor herself need be concerned about their circumstances economically, and in order to obtain this dream, she believes she must find her daughter a suitor. On the other hand, Tom and Laura are not such worldly characters, and whilst the latter wishes only to be permitted to coast through life without any demands, the former, although also having no desire to connect with others, has a slightly clearer vision of an aim in life, and values seclusion as a way of being able to continue with his creative work as a poet. As a playwright, Tennessee Williams portrays this theme through many different techniques. Firstly, the setting is used by showing the family home as ‘dim’ with ‘old-fashioned’ features; a place from which the characters would evidently love to escape, Tom in particular. Therein hangs ‘a blown-up photograph’ of Amanda’s ex-husband and Tom and Laura’s father, which is a constant reminder to Amanda of the life she once had and emphasizes not only the dreams she has of finding Laura a ‘gentleman caller’ and attaining financial security, but also how she would possibly like to return to the days when she was young and had considerable male interest. A further theme established by Williams in Scene One which links in with dreams and illusions is entrapment. In spite of the near impossibility of each character’s dreams being accomplished, Williams is adamant that entrapment must be resisted despite the suffering it entails, and this is primarily introduced through the character portrayal of Tom. As the audience, we learn that the only way to evade everlasting entrapment is through acting without pity. If Tom is to one day become his own man, he is forced to step away from his mother’s constant persistence and pursue freedom. He does not have a real desire to behave harshly towards his family, as when Amanda begins to tell the story of ‘one Sunday afternoon in Blue Mountain’ yet again, he begins grumblings of ‘I know what’s coming! ’ and ‘Again? ’ but does submit, however as the scene progresses he incorporates more frequents digs, such as ‘Isn’t this the first you’ve mentioned that still survives? ’ to show a disregard of the men Amanda is so proud of when she describes the fates of them all. He knows that this life is in no way one that he wishes to be a part of forever, and the only method he knows to escape is by behaving with no pity. Tennessee Williams also establishes the theme of entrapment through stagecraft, as the fire escape on which Tom stands at the beginning of the scene is a visually prominent part of the set which symbolizes the incarceration which Tom feels, and the prospect of release. By using stage directions, Williams characteristically fills the fire escape with symbolic weight, stating that the buildings are burning with the ‘slow and implacable fires of human desperation’, and by positioning Tom there to address the audience it underlines how he stands alone between the world outside and the confinement of the apartment and highlights the anguished choice he makes to leave his family further on in the play. This creates an emotional effect on the audience, who feels a sense of compassion towards him for the duties he has had to take on in the past in place of the father who so carelessly abandoned him and his family. In addition, the theme of endurance is established in Scene One. We start to see the Wingfields struggle against emotional and physical confinement, such as the previously mentioned difficulties Tom faces in wishing to leave the house, and also how Laura doesn’t feel the same way as her mother in regards to ‘gentleman callers’ due to her disability and lack of self-confidence. However, Williams does not provide the characters with solutions to these troubles but instead indicates that they possess positive characteristics which encourages them to carry on. For example, Scene One shows Amanda constantly wittering on with pride about how ‘one Sunday afternoon in Blue Mountain’ she received ‘seventeen! ’ gentleman callers, to the slight irritation of Tom, who, accustomed to this, has predicted it, but Laura is aware of how the family need to stick together and respond to each other needs, and advises Tom to ‘let her tell it’. Therefore, through the portrayal of each character, Williams shows that endurance is an important theme in ‘The Glass Menagerie’, to the effect that we as an audience appreciate each of them individually for their qualities as well as the times when they err. Thus, we can see that Scene One of ‘The Glass Menagerie’ by Tennessee Williams encompasses a number of themes in a variety of different ways, all to meaningful and dramatic effects. We learn that some of these methods include character portrayal, setting and stagecraft, but all are equally significant and allow us to grasp the key messages portrayed by the playwright.

Narrative Essay Example

Narrative Essay Example What Is a Narrative Essay? A narrative essay is a type of essay written about a personal experience. If you are looking for narrative essay examples here is a great one below. Narrative Essay Example about Barack Obama Barack Obama, the 44th president of the United States of America, is far from a perfect president. But all politicians are immensely flawed individuals – or why else would they try to run for public office? That is another story altogether. Obama is often seen as the first black president of America, though in reality, he is the first biracial president, born to a white American mother and a black African father. It is unfortunate that the color of his skin is even an issue worth talking about. But to be completely honest here, this problem can easily be interpreted that a great deal of the backlash he, and his administration, receives from the white-majority Republican party derives from their own deeply rooted racism: they don’t want a black man in office. But they’d never say that. People, mostly white, ignorant, elitist Republicans, like to pretend Obama is the Anti-Christ, trying to ruin the United States and take over the world. At the root of this is fear and racism: Growing up, when they thought of what the President of the United States looked like, that person probably, most likely, looked like 2012 Republican Presidential Candidate Mitt Romney: a gray-haired white man who walked, talked and thought like a wealthy, powerful white person. Even if Obama haters never ever tell the truth of why they hate him, they know deep down it is because he is not white. Aside from race, President Obama seems like a relatively good person who means well for his country and countrymen. Yes, he is a millionaire, but he is a low-end millionaire, his money accumulated and earned from a modest president’s salary of $400,000, as well as sales and royalties from his book sales. But unlike multi-billionaires like Russia’s Vladimir Putin, Obama cannot be seen as a power-hungry politician. Conservatives always seem to overlook the fact that he can truly identify with the common man – unlike most republicans who just want to exploit the common man. In the future, once Obama’s presidency has come to a close, he will probably write another book – he has written three – this time about his eight years in office. Readers can imagine he will speak on the agendas of the Right, and how he only wanted to improve the lives of everyday Americans, to improve the country and the world. His book will expose a lot of the conspiracy theories implanted by the Republicans to cast him in a very negative light, claims that are absolutely absurd. It may one day be one of the most enlightening pieces of literature ever written by any president in United States history. To conclude much can be said about Barack Obama the man – both good and bad. He came from humble beginnings and has become (arguably) one of the most powerful men in the world. But mostly the conservatives, who try to make him out to be an enemy of the state, a communist and social, have rarely treated him like a decent human being. They want to believe – or at least have the public believe – he is an evil traitor, a ruthless Putin-like leader, and not America’s great leader. Nonetheless, he has taken all the adversity quite gracefully, in turn demonstrating why he was elected in the first place. He is a man of class, education, intelligence, diplomacy, ideas, wisdom, and character, and he deserves to be given a chance by the Right. He will still go down in history as a truly great president, a great modern-day world leader. The American people, as a whole, did vote for him – and still, so many people will find any and all faults in him so as to dis parage him and his administration. It’s a sad reality that has been tearing this country apart for much too long. Narrative Essay Example Narrative Essay Example Narrative Essay Narrative Essay Operation Fiery Vigil Growing up in the military, I was no stranger to picking up and moving from one place to another. By the age of 6, I had already flown across the Pacific Ocean four times! I was born on Clark Air Base in the Philippines, a large group of tropical islands located in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. After my sister was born, we were relocated to Carousel Air Force Base near Ft. Worth, Texas, which is where I spent the first two years of elementary school. From there, the military moved us back to the Philippines. Our last move, however, was both unexpected and definitely the most eventful. The year was 1991. School was almost out for the summer and our tightly knit military community was still reeling over the 7. 8 magnitude earthquake that shook our world several months ago. As a third grader at MacArthur Elementary School, I remember having to practice what the school called earthquake drills where a loud screeching siren (similar to a tornado siren or other siren indicating a natural disaster) would sound off and our teacher would yell, Drop! Cover! Hold on! We would all then have to drop and crawl underneath our desks and remain there until told otherwise. This was a normal occurrence; the earthquake drills were Just as request and regular as fire drills. One balmy April day, during the normal morning announcements, our principal revealed something that we had never heard before. We would be learning a new emergency drill: a volcanic eruption drill. Met. Punctuation was a dormant volcano with a 5,700 foot summit located on the Philippine island of Luzon. Clark Air Base was Just 9 miles to the east of the volcanos summit. The large 7. Magnitude earthquake that happened the year prior was a precursor of what was going to happen next. The next couple of months proved to be very mundane. We went to school, we played outside, and then we went home. We were even provided gas masks to wear because of the sulfur that was deposited in the air by the volcano. I remember walking to school and smelling the distinct odor of the sulfur in the air, like day old boiled eggs. The news of a possible volcanic eruption was like old news. We continued to perform the eruption drills and they became a normal routine, like the Pledge of Allegiance. At the beginning of June, 1991, my dad sat my sisters and me down for a talk. He told us that we were going to be going away for a while and to gather three things that we could not live without. The volcano had begun to erupt and we were being evacuated. We were told that we would be returning in a few days, so we would only need to pack enough clothes to last for a few days. The next few days leading to the evacuation were anything but ordinary. School was cancelled. I was not allowed to play outside, because of the amount of the sulfur dioxide in the air. I struggled with what three things to bring, which of my favorite shirts to pack. And then the day came: evacuation day. Evacuation day was June 10, 1991. It was still dark when my sisters and I were woken up. My mom got us girls dressed and ready while my dad loaded up our old nearly corpora. It was 6 am when our Journey Degas, Ana I remember looking Deck in the direction of the volcano and seeing the giant mushroom cloud in the sky. The first leg of the evacuation was a 55 mile drive to Cubic Bay Naval Station in Along City, where we were initially told that we would only remain for several days. Then, approximately 48 hours after our evacuation, almost as sudden as the move itself, we encountered the first full eruption of Met. Punctuation. Along with the arrival of Typhoon Yuan and 7 inches of monsoon showers , we faced frequent earth tremors and the effects of total darkness on June 15, 1991. This event was known as Black Saturday. The suspension of the debris in the atmosphere had caused all sunlight to be blocked, turning day into pitch black night. We were confined to our quarters, which was a three bedroom house in military housing that we shared with two other families. Oh, and there was no furniture. There were frequent power outages and a shortage of drinkable water. The ground was covered in a thick blanket of white, dusty ash. We were finally able to leave Cubic Bay for the second leg of the evacuation, now known as Operation Fiery Vigil. Our dad was among the many servicemen and omen who stayed behind to assist with the cleanup of the base. I remember the tearful goodbyes as we waved to him from the bus that took us to the processing station and the naval base. Over 3,500 fellow evacuees boarded the largest aircraft carrier in the world, the ever so spacious US Abraham Lincoln. Our 33 hour voyage to another naval base, Zebu, was a long one, but far from tedious. We were provided absolute kindness by the crew and were given full access to the crews living quarters. There were so many families with small children, as well as family pets on that carrier. I later learned that the more than 5,000 crew members doubled up on sleeping quarters to allow room for all of us evacuees. They provided entertainment, as well as delicious food on the main deck. When we arrived at Zebu, we were shuttled by helicopter to McCann Air Base where we boarded massive C-141 Starlets to Andersen Air Force Base at Guam. The flight was deafening and cold. Once we landed we were able to obtain more clothes that were donated from the Red Cross, since we were only allowed to bring a few pairs for each family member. The flight from Guam to Hickman Air Force Base in Hawaii marked the last leg of the evacuation. From there, some families traveled onward to their next duty station on the mainland USA while others were already at their new homes in a new paradise. When I look back at all that we went through and all that we encountered, being shuffled from processing center to processing center, I can say that I am very proud to have been a part of something so historic and life changing. Needless to say, I am also very relieved to be able to have a hometown. As much as I miss the childhood memories I have of Clark, the long Journey we made to get here makes me appreciate it that much more.

Congressional Checks On Presidential Authority - Smart Custom Writing Samples

Congressional Checks On Presidential Authority - Smart Custom Writing Letter From The Future YouDear Mark the Past, The people around me and the fans have consistently asked me on how I have managed to be so successful in being an author. Today’s Mark is the celebrity of the day when it comes to writing. I am now very different from the Mark you were since I have managed to publish various books and series in the last twenty years. Lately, a fan, that is, our fan asked me the key reasons for our success. I have reflected on this for some time and I have found it vital to analyze success from the time I first wrote ‘The Phoenix Factor’. Well, for all that effort, it got very little attention both in the media and in the readers. That, however, did not serve to break my dreams as an author. After a deep self-assessment, I have identified various reasons that kept me going. When I wrote ‘The Phoenix Factor’, the legend in the fiction book, Long John Carraghan, was a character that I now feel was not clearly brought out. Back then, I felt that it was my best effort and that it would be a bestseller. It never did. That strong faith, the urge to better the unbreakable endurance and myself are just some of the key factors that kept me going. The Review, a Massachusetts journal, commented that I was emotionally detached not only from this leading character but also from other key figures. I decided that I had to fight rather than quit. I resolved to write on issues that I deeply cared about. That, I believe, as an author, was my first lesson in the world of writing. Lesson two was all about taking risks. The Mark Doughty known today is for his slightly larger than life characters in the fiction series ‘The Lighthouse’. It is funny how the idea all began. Old Mark, do you still remember it? Sue, this lady I have proclaimed my love for and spent my life with since the 70’s, and I, were exiting from the cinema where the Second Chance series was screening at the height of its fame. At that time, I had almost a non-existent fan-base. At the exit, a young high school kid with a girl at his elbow roughly pushed me aside. Instantly, my temper flared and I demanded an apology from the lad. Before the kid apologized, the girl was excitedly bubbling on how she loved The Phoenix and whether there would be a follow-up on it. I was dumb-founded and mumbled about expecting a lot more to come. Needless to say, I hurriedly left, Sue in hand. All night long, I thought about it and I could not help but think that I had to take a leap of faith a nd start on my new series. Well Mark, you know that was the onset of the success story. You took the risk and you in turn became me. I cannot ignore the fact that J.K. Rowling spent 5 years planning the entire Harry Potter series before putting pen on paper in order to write this famous series. Planning, Mark, was something you never ignored. You did not spend five years but rather three, but that was in the spirit of The Lighthouse. When you finally wrote it down, the ideas were so fluent and the image so clear that success was almost guaranteed. Planning was something you instilled in me and is a weapon that I have learnt to use in the upcoming series ‘The Love Nest’, a series I intend to finally turn into a movie. I do not plan to end the success story any time soon; you worked too hard for this old Mark: The long nights sketching and visualizing on the Series. There was minimal success to show for it at all and it almost broke our marriage. Planning, old Mark was the key. Those early sacrifices are what turned you into me. Finally, I cannot afford to ignore the virtues of hard work and persistence. My experiences have taught me as much. Key role models such as Joyce Carol Oates who said, â€Å"I would write, even when her soul felt as thin as a playing card† have taught me that determination and pure persistence have been vital in shaping me as a celebrity and a success legend. I have had my manuscripts rejected repeatedly, work that I wrote down in over a year, but I never said enough was enough until success came my way. Mark, we made it; let us live the dream! Yours sincerely,

Chlamydia Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Chlamydia - Research Paper Example Further, this essay will zone in on ways to which the onset of this infection may delay and how to promote substantive productive health. According to numerous researches, Chlamydia is a relatively inactive infection with minimal visible alarming signs and symptoms. Despite this, some signs of the infection may include a burning sensation in women especially when excreting urine and to some extremes pain during sexual intercourse. In addition, women may experience the discharging of a heavy and abnormal discharge that may be scentless. On the other hand, a heavy whitish discharge may be visible in men and pain during the passing of urine is also a symptom that characterizes the infection. According to Kacian (2012), the prevalence of Chlamydia and other sexually related infections are high between the ages of sixteen and twenty. Further, it is a health threat especially to those with multiple sex partners within this age bracket. Additionally, pregnant women also serve as potential victims of the infection. Remarkably, Chlamydia is the most reported sexually related infection across the United States. In addition, sexually active women within this age bracket should also subject themselves to annual screening in order to increase the chances of early detection and treatment. Subsequently, the infection may lead to infertility especially in women if no medical intervention occurs. Further, if untreated the mother may pass on the infection to her unborn child which may in turn affect their ability to see (Kacian, 2011). Moreover, having Chlamydia also makes one susceptible to HIV once one exposes themselves to it (Baby Center, 2013). However, the infection is preventab le through the consistent use of condoms and also through abstinence, which is more effective. Therefore, screening of pregnant mothers is vital in the prevention of blindness in newborns as result of this infection (Healthy People, 2012) Mostly, the prevention of contracting this

Banks Deal with Document not with Goods, Services or Performance to Essay

Banks Deal with Document not with Goods, Services or Performance to Which the Documents May Relate - Essay Example Bank regulations are just examples of the commercial laws that have received a considerable amount of attention in recent times (Grath, 2012, P. 124). These regulations are often established to ensure transparency between banks and individual clients and among the banks themselves. That is, banking regulations subject banks and their clients to certain guidelines and restrictions in the manner in which they conduct their businesses. The necessity of banking regulation, control and standardisation is emphasized by the interconnection the banking industry has with the other sectors of the economy. Banking regulations thus serve to lower or alleviate the risks that banks are exposed to and any disruptions and interruptions emanating from adverse economic and banking conditions (Grath, 2012, p. 45). Additionally, bank regulation reduces the criminal risks to which banks are exposed besides promoting and ensuring the confidentiality of banks (Miller & Gaylord, 2010, P. 46). This paper exp lores the statement that banks deal with document not with goods, services or performance to which the documents may relate, as stated in Article 5 of the UCP 600. This statement is explored in regard to the Letters of credit principles of autonomy, compliance principle and fraud, citing several case laws. The Letter of Credit and the UCP The importance of the letter of credit to the current commercial society is evidenced by the numerous rules established to regulate and control its use. Among these rules that regulate transactions involving the letter of credit is the UCP 600 (The 2007 Revision of Uniform Customs and Practice for Documentary Credits), prepared by International Chamber of Commerce’s (ICC) Commission on Banking Technique and Practice. The UCP 600 was approved by the ICC Commission on Banking Technique and Practice on October 25, 2006 but the rules became effective on July 1, 2007. The two unique articles included in the UCP 600 are Article 2 on â€Å"Definit ions† and Article 3 on â€Å"Interpretations†, both aiming at improved clarity and precision in the rules. Prior to the 2007 version of the UCP, earlier versions appeared in 1933, 1951, 1962, 1974, 1983 and 1993. The prominence of UCP is evidenced in the current commercial environment by the many credit letters that are subjected to the latest version of UCP, UCP 600. Therefore, the credit letter is one of the many documents which banks deal with, instead of focusing on the use or performances with which the documents relate (Gutteridge & Megrah, 1985, P. 25). That a bank should deal with documents and not the use or performance to which these documents relate is statement contained in the Uniform Customs and Practices for Documentary Credits (the UCP), a set of rules targeting documentary credits in circumstance in which a credit is specifically indicated to be subject to the rules (Baker & Dolan, 2008, P. 93). The current version of the UCP rules, in use since July 20 07, is referred to as UCP 600. The basic principle of documentary credit that outstands in Article 5 of the UCP is that ‘banks deal with documents and not with goods, services or performance to which the documents may relate, a statement reinforced by Article 14(h), which states that in situations in which a credit is attached to conditions that do not stipulate the documents for compliance to the condition, banks have the latitude to consider

Food Nation Essay Example for Free

Food Nation Essay Food connotes more than just an intake to be able to sustain life. It is a reflection of a myriad of culture existing in a society. Looking at food, one can see its various fusions of cultural identities prepared to satisfy one’s appetite. Food is a perfect example of a world that enters into the process of globalization where nations embrace the flow of cultural exchange. Countries such as the United States and Italy are known for having diverse demographics. The diversity of its population brought influences into their food as well. However, although both countries may have fused each other’s culture into their food, there are still differences which make them distinct from each other such as how they handle and view food. The United States is one of the largest countries when it comes to its size and population. It has a wide variety of immigrants which flowed starting from the nineteenth century and as its population continues to grow, its culture has been as dynamic as its food (Counihan, 2002, p. 26). Large part of these immigrants later joined the American workforce as every parent became employed. The absence of either the mother or the father at home veered the majority of the population away from home-cooked meals. Eating out became an alternative for families to have their meals together and eating out means buying food from a restaurant (Schlosser, 2001, p. 4). From this concept of eating outside the confines of a home, the fast food world was born. The term â€Å"fast-food† refers to a speedy availability of food, further described as a â€Å"provision of limited, standard menu with quick service† (Royle Towers, 2002, p. 190). Fast food became not just a way to fill skipped meals at home but it turned out to be a lifestyle. The United States initially became known for its fast food because of the rise of popular food chains such as McDonald’s and Burger King. Its convenience of having ready-made food suits the lifestyle of people especially those who go to work early and go home late. Since there are a large number of working people in the United States, they flock to these restaurants to eat. Foods are being prepared in bulks to anticipate the huge numbers of customers. Most ingredients provided are delivered frozen. Cooking methods involved one or a couple of processes to guarantee its speed. Assembling ingredients in a line system like burger patties will be able to cook a dozen of it at the same time (Schlosser, 2001, p. 69). Some of the food ingredients only require adding hot water and it’s ready for preparation. Fast foods are usually packed in paper wraps, foil, and cartons. The materials of these wrappings are disposable which suites the people on-the-go to eat the food wherever they are. Despite the convenience brought about by fast food, healthier ingredients are being given up. As previously mentioned, ingredients are frozen which indicates that these are not fresh and devoid of its natural healthy components with much more added fats. Since Americans are busy with work with no time to prepare food for them, fast food becomes the next available fast option. Italians, on the other hand, became the center of what should be a counterpart of fast food. A country rich in culture, its food gained renowned identity throughout the world. Just like in the United States, Italian food is a lifestyle. It is a lifestyle which extends to close interaction with families and friends in a laid-back environment dining and drinking wine (Parasecoli, 2004, p. xii). The relaxed atmosphere among most Italian household can be seen as a break from the political and social unrest that reign the Italian state during history. Italian food is famous for the cheese, the wine, and the pasta. Made from a wide array of sea foods, vegetables, and meat; Italian food is prepared picking up the fresh ingredients and served as a craft of art. Ricotta, for example, is bought by locals straight from a shepherd on the day it is made (Harrison, 1989, p. 17). Italians regard their food not just as an energy provider but as a â€Å"medicine for the soul, one of life’s abiding pleasures† (Harrison, 1989, p. 17). Most of the Italian foods are cooked in accordance with traditions and the food preparation varies from the different regions of Milan and Florence (Harrison, 1989, p. 143). Taking this traditional view of Italian cuisine, a movement was established to retain not just the traditional cooking of the Italians but also all traditional cuisines of the world. The Slow Food movement is originally established as a counterpart of fast food. The idea of this movement is to make food from â€Å"scratch in your own kitchen† (Kummer, Cushner, Schlosser, 2002, p. 10) rather than the processed artificial food at fast food chains. Just like Italian food, the movement aims to take food as a pleasurable experience offered by life in contrary to fast foods (Pollan, 2008, p. 194). The Slow Movement suggests making food out of ingredients that are ideally grown in the backyard or farms, harvested, and cooked with other natural recipes. The people who eat the foods are not only consumers but co-producers as well. Just like the Italian food, this movement also promotes the pleasure of food eaten and shared communally (Pollan, 2006, p. 259). Though this movement proved to be promising, some may say that in contrast with fast-food, the Slow Food Movement is more expensive to obtain and to do. Since fast-food is more accessible and cheaper, the movement has been tagged as elitist and cannot be afforded by ordinary people (Kummer, et al. , p. 10). By its term of â€Å"slow-food,† this may not suit the lifestyle of most people coming from the working class due to the lack of time for food preparation. United States and Italy vary from the way they live their life with food. Though nowadays, some of their own cuisines have been inspired from one another. Their views of food have a huge gap as the two nations came from different backgrounds and developed cultures that set them apart from each other. Their cuisine style and food preparation became significant in the world today and though different in principles, people enjoy it nonetheless. References Counihan, C. (2002). Food in the USA: A Reader. New York: Routledge. Harrison, B. G. (1989). Italian Days.New York: Atlantic Monthly Press. Kummer, C. , Cusner, S. , Schlosser, E. (2002). The Pleasures of Slow Food: Celebrating Authentic Traditions, Flavors, and Recipes. USA: Chronicles Books. Parasecoli, F. (2004). Food Culture in Italy. Connecticut: Greenwood Publishing Group, Inc. Pollan, M. (2008). In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto. New York: The Penguin Press. Royle, T. Towers, B. (2002). Labour Relations in the Global Fast-Food Industry. New York: Routledge. Schlosser, E. (2001). Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal. New York: Houghton Mifflin Books.

Protecting Yourself Online :: essays research papers

Protecting Yourself Online In this paper we will discuss some basic steps to better secure your system. We will discuss the following four (4) areas: v  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Email v  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Internet v  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Chat Programs v  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Virus Protection 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Email:  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Do not open any email attachment that you receive from anyone without checking first - not even from your closest friends.  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  If someone has to send you a doc file ask them to convert it into *.rtf or *.txt format and then send.  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  If you must open any doc extension files, you can first use one of those doc file readers available free on the net.  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Alternatively, you could convert the extension of the file (doc) to text (txt) and then open it with your text editor and see what the file is all about.  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   If you do decide to open it as a doc file in MS Word ensure that the macro security setting is set to HIGH  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In your email client turn off the 'receiving HTML mails' option. 2. Internet v  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Set Explorer to show file extensions. For this go to Windows Explorer/ My Computers > Tools > Folder Options > View (tab) > and uncheck the ‘Hide File Extension For Known File Type’ box. This will help you to avoid clicking on hoaxes. v  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Do not give out your information on the net. While surfing the web you will see that there are sites that will ask for your personal information. Do not give information about yourself and hide out information about yourself as long as you can. v  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Disable JAVA and Active X. To do this under MS IE, move your default-browsing zone to High security in Tools-Internet Options. This switches off 90% of MSIE exploits. You don't have to enter the sites that don't let you enter without Java and Active X enabled. Know how to read cookies and take a close look at them. Use software like cookie crusher and every time you log online crush all your previously received cookies. If you use IE then make sure that you run Windows Update at least once a week. v  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Use personal firewall software. Zone Alarm (ZA) is a good one but others are available and new ones are coming up everyday. Use at least one Intrusion Detection System; Visual Zone is a good one that is compatible with ZA. 3. Chat Programs Ø  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Beware when using chat programs like IRC, ICQ, Yahoo, etc. When using these programs, your IP address is exposed leaving room for the other person to scan your computer looking for ways to break in.

Political Science Critique Essay

Why is it to be changed? For as a citizen of the Philippines experiencing simple life can see this problem in our country. It is said in the sections that â€Å"official language is the prescribed medium of communication in the government, courts and schools. It may not be the national language†. Including with this, the official language of the Philippines are Filipino and English. And that is the error of this part of the 1987 Philippine Constitution. We should not include ENGLISH as an official language of our country. First, is it implication that Americans are still in our culture especially in our Constitution. Second, we must have only one official language for us Filipinos will not be confused. It is acceptable that if we will use ENGLISH language in the school because it is a place of learning. But in the government and courts we should not use ENGLISH language. By this act we insult other FILIPINOS. Why? Let us accept the fact that some of the FILIPINOS are trying hard understanding or speaking in ENGLISH and some of the FILIPINOS are what we call â€Å"mangmang†. How can the â€Å"maralitang mga-tiga lungsod† understand these things? We should consider their or should I say our capabilities. For some instance, In having a hearing in the congress by speaking in ENGLISH we think that the whole Philippines got it? NO!, considering that some of the topics are not understandable because we can’t relate because they use such highfaluting words. It is said that Filipinos are the master of the country but how can that be if they can’t understand what we’re trying to implement in their land also how can we get their opinions if they can’t understand it. Second instance, In having trials, mostly fair and poor persons are always convicted due to poverty. If I am in their situation having a trial that I can’t understand, It is a big insult. To sum this up, In Philippines we should consider first our own before anything else. And solving problems should start in little problems like these because we can fixed thing starting in little not in big ones. And some little things like these is the mode and kind of communication in our country. NEW PROVISION: The national and official language of the Philippines is Filipino. As it evolves, it shall be further developed and enriched on the basis of existing  Philippine and other languages. Filipino and English languages as a medium of official communication of instruction in educational system but In Government and Courts the medium of communication shall be our national language.

Succubus Shadows Chapter 1

I was drunk. I wasn't entirely sure when it had happened, but I suspected it had occurred around the time my friend Doug had bet me I couldn't take down three vodka gimlets faster than he could. He'd promised to take my weekend shift at work if I won, and I was going to do his stock duty for a week if he won. When we'd finished, it looked like I wasn't going to be working next weekend. â€Å"How did you out-drink him?† my friend Hugh wanted to know. â€Å"He's twice your size.† Through the crowd of people crammed into my condo, I peered at the closed bathroom door, behind which Doug had disappeared. â€Å"He had stomach flu this week. I'm guessing that doesn't go so well with vodka.† Hugh raised an eyebrow. â€Å"Why the fuck would anyone take a bet like that after having the flu?† I shrugged. â€Å"Because he's Doug.† Hoping Doug would be okay, I scanned the rest of my party with the pleased air of a queen sizing up her kingdom. I'd moved into this place back in July and had been long overdue for a housewarming party. When Halloween had finally rolled around, combining the two events had seemed like a pretty reasonable solution. Consequently, my guests tonight were clad in an array of costumes, everything from elaborate Renaissance fair quality garb to the slackers who'd simply thrown on a witch's hat. Me, I was dressed as Little Bo Peep – well, that is, I was dressed the way Little Bo Peep would if she was a stripper and/or a shameless strumpet. My frilly blue skirt stopped just above the halfway point on my thighs, and my puff-sleeved white blouse was so low-cut that I had to be careful when leaning over. The crowning achievement – literally – was my curly mane of flaxen blond hair, neatly arranged into two pigtails tied with little blue bows. It looked perfect, absolutely indistinguishable from the real thing because†¦well, it was real. Shape-shifting always came in handy as a succubus, but for Halloween, it was golden. I always had the best costumes because I really could turn into anything I wanted. Of course, I had to keep it within reason. Too much of a change would raise the suspicions of the humans around me. But for a hair change? Yeah. Shape-shifting was pretty convenient. Someone touched my elbow. I turned, and my smug enthusiasm dimmed a little when I saw who it was: Roman, my sociopathic roommate. â€Å"I think someone's getting sick in the bathroom,† he told me. Roman was a nephilim, half-angel and half-human, with soft black hair and sea-green eyes. If not for the fact he occasionally went on immortal killing sprees and had me on his hit list, he would have been a pretty good catch. â€Å"Yeah,† I said. â€Å"It's Doug. He lost a vodka challenge.† Roman grimaced. He wore devil horns and a red cape. The irony wasn't lost on me. â€Å"Hope he's got good aim. I don't want to clean that up.† â€Å"What, you don't do housework either?† asked Hugh. He'd recently learned Roman wasn't paying me rent because he was â€Å"between jobs.† â€Å"Seems like you should pull your weight around here somehow.† Roman gave Hugh a warning look. â€Å"Stay out of this, Spiro Agnew.† â€Å"I'm Calvin Coolidge!† exclaimed Hugh, highly offended. â€Å"This is the same suit he wore at his inauguration.† I sighed. â€Å"Hugh, nobody here remembers that.† That was one of the downsides of being immortal. Our memories became obsolete as more time passed. Hugh, an imp who bought souls for Hell, was much younger than Roman and me, but he had a lot more years than any human here. Slipping away from Roman and Hugh's argument, I headed across the room to mingle with my guests. Some of my coworkers from the bookstore Doug and I worked at were huddled around the punch bowl, and I stopped to chat. Immediately, I was bombarded with compliments. â€Å"Your hair is amazing!† â€Å"Did you dye it?† â€Å"It doesn't even look like a wig!† I assured them it was a very good wig and dealt out praise for them in return. One person, however, earned a rueful head-shake from me. â€Å"You have more creativity than all of us put together, and that's the best you could do?† I asked. Best-selling author Seth Mortensen turned to look at me with one of his trademark, slightly scattered smiles. Even when I was dizzy with vodka, that smile never failed to make my heart speed up. Seth and I had dated for a while, plunging me into the depths of a love I'd never imagined possible. Part of being a succubus was an eternity of seducing men and stealing the energy of their souls – a real relationship had seemed out of the question. And in the end, it had been. Seth and I had broken up – twice – and while I usually accepted that he had moved on, I knew that I would love him forever. For me, forever was a serious matter. â€Å"I can't waste it on a costume,† he said. His amber-brown eyes regarded me fondly. I no longer knew if he loved me too; I only knew for sure that he still cared about me as a friend. I kept trying to portray the same image. â€Å"Gotta save it for the next book.† â€Å"Lame excuse,† I said. His shirt depicted Freddy Krueger, which might have been acceptable if not for the fact I suspected he had owned it long before Halloween. Seth shook his head. â€Å"Nobody cares what guys wear at Halloween anyway. It's all about the women. Look around.† I did and saw that he was right. All the elaborate, sexy costumes were on my female guests. With a few exceptions, the men's dulled by comparison. â€Å"Peter's dressed up,† I pointed out. Seth followed my gaze to another of my immortal friends. Peter was a vampire, a very fastidious and obsessive-compulsive one. He was clad in pre-Revolutionary French garb, complete with brocade coat and a powdered wig over what was normally thin brown hair. â€Å"Peter doesn't count,† said Seth. Recalling how Peter had painstakingly stenciled swans around his bathroom's baseboards last week, I couldn't help but agree. â€Å"Fair point.† â€Å"What's Hugh supposed to be? Jimmy Carter?† â€Å"Calvin Coolidge.† â€Å"How can you tell?† I was saved from answering when Seth's fianc? ¦e – and one of my best friends – Maddie Sato appeared. She was dressed as a fairy, complete with wings and a gauzy dress nowhere near as slutty as mine. Fake flowers wreathed black hair that had been pulled into a bun. Her being with Seth was something else I'd more or less come to accept, though I suspected the sting of it would never leave. Maddie didn't know Seth and I had dated and had no clue about the discomfiture I felt over their whole relationship. I expected her to slip her arm around Seth, but it was me she grabbed hold of and jerked away. I stumbled a bit. Five-inch heels weren't normally a problem for me, but the vodka complicated things a bit. â€Å"Georgina,† she exclaimed, once we were far enough away from Seth. â€Å"I need your help.† Reaching into her purse, she pulled out two pages torn from magazines. â€Å"With wha – oh.† My stomach twisted uncomfortably, and I hoped I wouldn't be joining Doug in the bathroom. The pages showed photos of wedding dresses. â€Å"I've almost narrowed it down,† she explained. â€Å"What do you think?† Grudgingly accepting the man I loved was going to marry one of my best friends was one thing. Helping them plan their wedding was an entirely different matter. I swallowed. â€Å"Oh, gee, Maddie. I'm not very good at this stuff.† Her dark eyes widened. â€Å"Are you kidding? You're the one who taught me how to dress right in the first place.† She apparently hadn't taken the lessons to heart. The dresses, while beautiful on the anorexic models wearing them, would look terrible on Maddie. â€Å"I don't know,† I said lamely, dragging my eyes away. The dresses were conjuring mental images of Maddie and Seth walking down the aisle together. â€Å"Come on,† she entreated. â€Å"I know you have an opinion.† I did. A bad one. And honestly, if I were a good servant of Hell, I would have told her they both looked great. Or I would have endorsed the worst one. What she wore was no concern of mine, and maybe if she showed up at her wedding looking subpar, Seth would realize what he'd lost when we broke up. And yet†¦I couldn't. Even after everything that had happened, I just couldn't let Maddie do it. She'd been a good friend, never suspecting what had occurred between Seth and me before and during their relationship. And as much as that petty, selfish part of me wanted it, I couldn't let her go forward in a bad dress. â€Å"Neither are good,† I said at last. â€Å"The full skirt on that one will make you look short. The flowers on top of that one will make you look fat.† She was taken aback. â€Å"Really? I never†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She studied the pictures, face falling. â€Å"Damn. I thought I had this stuff down now.† I can only assume my next words came from the liquor. â€Å"If you want, I'll go with you to some places this week. You can try some stuff on, and I'll tell you what works.† Maddie lit up. She wasn't gorgeous in the popular, magazine sort of way, but when she smiled, she was beautiful. â€Å"Really? Oh, thank you. And you can look for your dress too.† â€Å"My what?† â€Å"Well†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Her smile turned sly. â€Å"You're going to be a bridesmaid, aren't you?† At that moment, I reconsidered my earlier thoughts about nothing being more painful than helping plan her wedding. Being her bridesmaid pretty much blew that out of the water. Those who believed we made our own hells on earth must have had something like this in mind. â€Å"Oh, well, I don't know†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"You have to! There's no one else I'd rather have.† â€Å"I'm not really the bridesmaid type.† â€Å"Of course you are.† Maddie's eyes suddenly looked at something beyond me. â€Å"Oh, hey. Doug's back. I'm going to go check on him. We'll talk about this later. You'll give in.† Maddie scurried off to her brother, leaving me numb and speechless. I decided then it was worth risking illness to go get another drink. This party had taken a definite U-turn. Yet, when I turned around, it wasn't toward the bar. It was toward my patio. One of the best features of this condo was its expansive balcony, one that looked out over Puget Sound and the Seattle skyline beyond. As I stood there, though, it wasn't the view that captivated me. It was†¦something else. Something I couldn't explain. But it was warm and wonderful and spoke to all my senses. I imagined I could see colored light on my balcony, kind of like the waves of an aurora. I could also hear a type of music that defied all human words and had nothing to do with the Pink Floyd blasting from my stereo. The party faded into the background as I slowly moved toward the balcony. The door was open to air out the hot room, and my two cats, Aubrey and Godiva, lay near it to look outside. I stepped past them, drawn toward that which had no explanation or description. Warm autumn air engulfed me as I groped for what called me. It was all around me and yet out of my reach. It was summoning me, drawing me toward something right on the balcony's edge. I almost considered climbing on the ledge in my heels and looking over. I had to reach that beauty. â€Å"Hey, Georgina.† Peter's voice jerked me out of the trance. I stared around, startled. There was no music, no color, no beckoning embrace. Only the night and the view and the patio furniture on my balcony. I turned around, meeting his eyes. â€Å"We have a problem,† he said. â€Å"We have a lot of problems,† I said, thinking of Maddie's wedding dress and the fact that I'd nearly walked off my own balcony. I shivered. I definitely was not going back for that next drink. Sick was one thing. Hallucinations were another. â€Å"What's wrong?† Peter led me inside and pointed. â€Å"Cody's in love.† I looked over at our friend Cody, another vampire and Peter's apprentice. Cody was a young immortal, optimistic and endearing. He was dressed as an alien, with green antennae sticking out of his shaggy blond hair. The perfection of his silvery space suit made me think Peter had played a role. Right now, Cody was staring across the room, mouth open as he gazed at someone. He looked like I had felt just moments ago. Her name was Gabrielle, and she'd just started working at the bookstore. She was tiny, almost pixie like, and wore black fishnets and a ripped black dress. Her spiky hair was also black, as was her lipstick. Easy coordination. Cody was staring at her like she was the most beautiful creature on earth. â€Å"Huh,† I said. Hugh dated all the time, but I'd never really thought of the vampires – particularly Peter – having any sort of romantic interactions. â€Å"I think he likes that she's dressed as a vampire,† said Peter. I shook my head. â€Å"Actually, that's how she always dresses.† We walked over to Cody, and it took him several moments to notice us. He seemed excited to see me. â€Å"What's her name?† he breathed. I tried to hide my smile. Cody being smitten was one of the cutest things I'd ever seen and a welcome distraction from the other drama tonight. â€Å"Gabrielle. She works at the store.† â€Å"Is she single?† I looked back at her as she laughed at something Maddie had said. â€Å"I don't know. Want me to find out?† Cody blushed – in as much as a pale vampire could. â€Å"No! I mean†¦unless you think it wouldn't be too obvious? I don't want you to go to any trouble.† â€Å"No trouble for me,† I said, just as Doug walked by. â€Å"Hey.† I caught hold of his sleeve. â€Å"Do me a favor, and I'll take my shift back.† Doug, whose Japanese-American skin was normally golden tan, could have also currently passed for an alien with his green hue. â€Å"I'd rather have my stomach back, Kincaid.† â€Å"Go investigate Gabrielle's romantic status. Cody's interested.† â€Å"Georgina!† exclaimed Cody, mortified. Sick or not, Doug couldn't resist a little intrigue. â€Å"Sure thing.† He headed off across the room and pulled Gabrielle to him, leaning down so she could hear. At one point, he glanced over toward us, and Gabrielle looked as well. Cody nearly died. â€Å"Oh God.† Doug returned five minutes later and shook his head. â€Å"Sorry, kid. She's single, but she doesn't think you're her type. She's into the Goth and vampire scene. You're too mainstream for her.† I was sipping a glass of water and nearly choked on it. â€Å"That,† said Peter, as soon as Doug was gone, â€Å"is what we call irony.† â€Å"How is that possible?† exclaimed Cody. â€Å"I am a vampire. I should be exactly what she wants.† â€Å"Yeah, but you don't look like one,† I said. If Gabrielle had been a Trekkie, he might have had a shot tonight. â€Å"I look exactly like a vampire because I am one! What should I dress up as? Count Chocula?† The party continued in force for another couple hours, and finally, people began trickling out. Roman and I, playing good hosts, smiled and bade each of them farewell. By the time everyone left, I was weary and more than happy for it all to be over. I'd refused to drink after the balcony incident and now had a headache as a pleasant reminder of my indulgences. Roman looked as exhausted as me as he scanned the messy condo. â€Å"Funny, huh? You throw a housewarming party to show the place off, and then people trash it.† â€Å"It'll clean up fast,† I said, studying all the bottles and paper plates with remnants of food. Aubrey was licking frosting off a half-eaten cupcake, and I hastily took it away from her. â€Å"But not tonight. Help me take care of the perishables, and we'll do the rest tomorrow.† â€Å"There's no ‘we' in ‘clean,'† Roman said. â€Å"That doesn't even make sense,† I said, covering up some salsa. â€Å"And Peter's right, you know. You really should do more around here.† â€Å"I provide good company. Besides, how can you get rid of me?† â€Å"I'll get Jerome to,† I warned, referring to his demon father, who also happened to be my boss. â€Å"Sure. Run off and tell on me.† Roman stifled a yawn, demonstrating just how worried he was about his father's wrath. The annoying part was, he had a point. I couldn't get rid of him on my own, and I doubted Jerome would really help. Still, I could hardly believe it when Roman did wander off to bed and leave me alone with the cleanup. I hadn't thought he'd go that far. â€Å"Asshole!† I yelled after him, getting only a slammed door in response. He really wasn't that bad of a roommate, but our troubled past often made him want to annoy me. It worked. Fuming, I finished the necessary tidying and dropped into bed a half-hour later. Aubrey and Godiva followed me, lying side by side at the end of the bed. They were a contrast in colors, like some piece of modern art. Aubrey was white with black specks on her head; Godiva was a riot of orange, brown, and black patches. All three of us drifted off to sleep immediately. Sometime later, I woke to the sound of singing†¦or, well, that was the closest I could come to describing it. It was the same thing I'd felt earlier, an alluring, haunting pull that spoke to every part of me. Warm and bright and beautiful. It was everywhere and everything, and I longed to have more of it, to walk toward the light that shone with indescribable colors. It felt so, so good – like something I could melt into, if only I could reach it. I had the impression of an entrance, a door I simply had to push open and step through and – Rough hands gripped my shoulders and jerked me around. â€Å"Wake up!† Like before, the sensory overload vanished. I was left alone in a quiet, empty world. No more siren song. Roman stood in front of me, hands shaking me as his face stared down at me with worry. I looked around. We were in the kitchen. I had no memory of getting there. â€Å"How – what happened?† I stammered. The face that had taunted me earlier was now filled with concern, something that troubled a small part of me. Why should someone who wanted to kill me be worried about me? â€Å"You tell me,† he said, releasing his grip. I rubbed my eyes, willing myself to recall what had happened. â€Å"I†¦I don't know. I must have sleepwalked†¦.† His face was still drawn and anxious. â€Å"No†¦there was something here†¦.† I shook my head. â€Å"No, it was a dream. Or a hallucination. I had it happen earlier†¦. I just drank too much.† â€Å"Didn't you just hear me?† There it was again, fear for me underneath the anger. â€Å"There was something here, some†¦force. I felt it. It woke me up. Don't you remember anything at all?† I stared off, trying to summon up the light and haunting melody. I couldn't. â€Å"It was†¦it was exquisite. I wanted†¦I wanted to go to it†¦to be part of it†¦Ã¢â‚¬  There was a dreamy, wistful note in my voice. Roman's expression grew dark. As a succubus, I was a lesser immortal, one who had once been human. Greater immortals, like angels and demons, had been created at the universe's beginning. Nephilim were born and fell somewhere in the middle. As such, their powers and senses were greater than mine. Roman could detect things I couldn't. â€Å"Don't,† he said. â€Å"You feel it again, you pull away. Don't let it draw you in. Under no circumstances should you go to it.† I looked back at him with a frown. â€Å"Why? Do you know what it is?† â€Å"No,† he said grimly. â€Å"And that's the problem.†

Richard The Lion Hearted Essays - Religion, Mythology, Free Essays

Richard The Lion Hearted Essays - Religion, Mythology, Free Essays Richard The Lion Hearted Greek Mythology played a very key role in the lives of the Greeks. Through the many legends about the gods, the Greeks were able to find reasons for all the laws of nature in a supernatural form. These legends were passed down from generation to generation until the spread of Christianity. On top of giving the Greeks reasons for natures action, their religion also gave them a faith that thing were going to be okay, which is something that all humans crave. The Greeks had 13 major gods. They often used these gods in their myths and prayed to them for particular needs. The head of the gods was Zeus who was also the god of the sky. Whenever Zeus spoke, he was listened to and his word was always final. Zeus had two brothers, Poseidon and Hades. The three brothers drew straws to decide who would control the skies, who would control the seas, and who would control the underworld. Zeus gained control over the skies and became king of the gods. Zeus used his mighty thunderbolts to punish all those who disobeyed him. Zeus married Hera, making her the queen of the gods. The sky god was extremely unfaithful to his wife and slept with women from queens all the way down to peasants. Since Zeus was king of the gods Hera could rarely force Zeus to do any penance, so she took out her wrath on the women Zeus slept with. Zeuss symbols were thunderbolts and eagles. When the three brothers drew straws to determine what area they would control Poseidon got the sea. His wife was Amphritrite who was a Nereid. Like Zeus, Poseidon was not very faithful to his spouse and had many affairs with the nymphs. Poseidon fathered several children who were extremely cruel and wild. Among his children were Orion the giant and the Polyphemus Cyclops. In art, Poseidon is generally featured holding a trident and accompanied by a dolphin. Also, Poseidon was said to have created many animals. He accidentally created such animals as the zebras while perfecting the horse. Hades was the god of the dead. When he and his three brothers divided up the universe, he ended up with the underworld. Hades rarely came out of the underworld to Mount Olympus, the place where the gods resided, because he was not welcome there. Persephone, whom Hades had abducted in order to get her to the underworld, was Hades queen. Hades was a pitiless god who never paid attention to prayer or sacrifice. But Hades was not an evil god. He was often referred to as the Lord of the riches because his kingdom was believed to be the reason for precious metals and crops. Hades wore a helmet and a cape that made him invisible. Hera was the queen of the gods. She was both the wife and sister of Zeus. Hera was a jealous goddess who never forgot an injury and always remembered to retaliate at the source of the injury with vengeance. She was the mother of Ares, Hebe, and Hephaestus. Hera was extremely displeased at the way that Zeus often treated children. Hera was the protector of marriage, married women, and children. Many people think that Hera was an ugly god that had no life outside of harassing here husband about his other relationships, because she was always after Zeuss mortal partners, but this is not true for she was thought to be one of the most beautiful gods, and many god were attracted to her. Demeter was the goddess of harvest. When her daughter, Persephone, was abducted to the underworld, Demeter became depressed. As a result Demeter produced no harvest and caused a famine. Zeus had to step in to correct the situation. Zeus ordered Hades to allow Persephone to be released. Hades obeyed his brother but before he let Persephone go, he forced her to eat pomegranate seeds that would cause her to come back to him for four months each year. So during the months Demeter was with her daughter she produced great crops; during the months Hades was with Persephone there was only death among the crops. Hestia was the goddess

The Art Of Writing News

The Art Of Writing News The Art Of Writing News The Art Of Writing News By Sharon News writing is a key skill for journalists, but it helps with other types of writing as well. Thats because news writing is about telling a story quickly and concisely. Anyone can learn to do this, with a bit of help. Heres how you can write the news and get your story across. The technique also works well for writing press releases. News Writing Structure News writing has its own structure. Its called the inverted pyramid. This upside down triangle serves as a guide for how you include information in the story. Using the inverted pyramid means starting with the most important information, then putting the next most important info and so on. It can also serve as a guide for writing each paragraph in the story. Start with the most important point, then the next most important and so on. The inverted pyramid has an interesting history. Before digital printing and desktop publishing, news was laid out manually. If a late breaking story came in and the editor needed to make room, then the editor would order another story to be cut. Having the most important information at the top meant that readers always got the essential parts of the story. Writing The Facts Another way to think of the inverted pyramid is that you start with the facts and then add the background. So, how do you know what background to add? Its easy. You can use the 6Ws. Strictly speaking, there arent six Ws, there are actually 5Ws and 1H, but the formula seems to work. That mnemonic reminds us to include the who, where, what, why, when and how of a story. Why is this? Think about how you tell a story to your friends. You might say: Youll never believe WHO I just saw! Then you might go on to tell the story of where the person was, what they were doing, and why its scandalous. We all want to hear about people – and thats what news is about? Look at any news story and you will see that all of this information is in the first two paragraphs. Anything after that is background to the story. Let me give another example. If I were writing about a car crash, I would say who was involved, when and where it happened, why it happened and how it happened. Those would be the main points and my story might look something like this: Two people sustained serious injuries in a car crash at Hill Road at 6am today. The collision happened when Mr. Smith swerved into the opposite lane to avoid a dog in the road. Ms Jones, who was in that lane, was unable to stop in time. Both Mr. Smith and Ms Jones have been taken to the local hospital. This is not a perfect example, but you get the idea – and now you can write the news too. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Freelance Writing category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Program vs. ProgrammeBroadcast vs Broadcasted as Past FormWhat Is the Meaning of "Hack?"

Knowledge Management and Business Intelligence Assignment

Knowledge Management and Business Intelligence - Assignment Example As a function of these carryovers, the stakeholders within the firm, both leadership and line employees, find it difficult to exercise the full potential that the brand could integrate with the end consumer. Moreover, the loss of efficiency has effects on the net level of profitability and the level of competition the firm can integrate within the market. 2.1 Challenges (need review) Currently, Solent Sport suffers from a range of issues; the majority of these problems can be fixed by the proper use and application of BI. Firstly and most importantly, the firm must seek to perform a thorough review of what is currently working and what needs improvement. In this way, the following discussion will centre upon the way that the can maximize its potential by the correct application of BI within its component parts. As such, a cursory review of the firm lends the analyst to understand the technological systems that manage business interaction are both antiquated and serving to constrain t he level of analytical inferences that could be drawn from more updated packages that are currently on the market. Moreover, a business level analysis of the firm lends the researcher to understand that the technological shortcomings are only one small part of what hampers the business prospects. (6)Communication issue - A far greater issue lies in the fact that the means of communication have been cut between employees, middle management, and upper level management. As a function of this, the means by which informed decisions can be made have been greatly reduced. As the analysis of the key determinants has shown, BI can greatly facilitate the business process and create a synergy that would otherwise...   Currently, Solent Sport suffers from a range of issues; the majority of these problems can be fixed by the proper use and application of BI.   Firstly and most importantly, the firm must seek to perform a thorough review of what is currently working and what needs improvement. In this way, the following discussion will centre upon the way that the can maximize its potential by the correct application of BI within its component parts.  As such, a cursory review of the firm lends the analyst to understand the technological systems that manage business interaction are both antiquated and serving to constrain the level of analytical inferences that could be drawn from more updated packages that are currently on the market.  Moreover, a business level analysis of the firm lends the researcher to understand that the technological shortcomings are only one small part of what hampers the business prospects.(6)Communication issue - A far greater issue lies in the fact that the means of communication have been cut between employees, middle management, and upper level management.   As a function of this, the means by which informed decisions can be made have been greatly reduced. As the analysis of the key determinants has shown, BI can greatly facilitate the business process and create a synergy that would otherwise not be realized.Moreover, seeking to perform shock changes to such a system without speaking to these needs first will most certainly result in only a nominal or partial degree of overall success.  

Quantitative Analysis of Charitable Donations Essay

Quantitative Analysis of Charitable Donations - Essay Example In addition, they provide a platform for supporters to contribute or raise funds in secure and ethical ways. Generally, collection methods are important mechanisms for exchange of information amongst the donors and the fundraising organizations. There are various methods of collection. These methods include street collections, house-to-house or door-to-door and static (mall) collections. Door-to-door and street collections can be categorized as face-to-face collections or fundraising as they involve physical meetings of donors and charity organizations (American Law Institute-American Bar Association Committee on Continuing Professional Education, 2011). These are the most popular collection methods because they result to profitable returns; donors are asked to donate regularly. Securing donations enable charities to plan for future campaigns since money is guaranteed. Furthermore, face-to-face collection methods tend to raise awareness of small organizations and improve the status of larger ones (Government of Western Australia, 2012). On the other hand, Static collection is a common practice by charity organizations that uses static boxes to collect funds in malls or business centers. Thus, this paper is meant to discuss various collection methods and apply quantitative analysis to identify the most appropriate method of charitable collection. This method can also be referred to as house-to-house collection method. Fundraisers who apply this method call at homes of donors in order to solicit contributions for different charities. In most cases, it is deemed as a regular way of donating but some donors prefer one-off donation. Fundraisers work as a team or in teams in order to approach donors in various homes. Moreover, some charity organizations or agencies may not be able to schedule appointments for next collections from donors. This makes the donors to oblige to support the charities. Fundraisers who work on

Understanding four pillars of sustainability Essay

Understanding four pillars of sustainability - Essay Example The concern of sustainability in art and design has been on the key trends in recent past. This has called to question the role of designers and artists in sustainability. The article "Sustainability" Has Become a Growing Focus of Artists' (and Art Schools') Attention† by Daniel Grant in general addresses such concern and the new paradigms in integrating the four pillar of sustainability (environment, cultural, financial, social) to enhance better artistic practices. Likewise stresses the effort to institutionalized sustainability into an elective concentration in many schools which is a positive step. Through critically analyzing the article, by acknowledging the prominence and importance of the pillars of sustainability reinforces the need for an integrated various approach to all of the themes in art which is increasingly dynamic. In this regard, the article underscores the fact that the foundational and challenges of sustainability in may be complex in nature, when we take a holistic approach and engaging all the pillars of sustainability these challenges becomes solvable. According to the article, art that focuses on sustainability issues lacks a given look, but reflects a series of ideologies about the significance of art as in the environment and society at large. There are various strategies that are seen to be workable in positive sustainability reinforcement in art. However, institutionalizing issues of sustainability into an elective concentration in many colleges is a surest way to promote this positive trend.

The Effects Of Climate Change In North America Politics Essay

The Effects Of Climate Change In North America Politics Essay Climate change is one of the biggest issues of discussion in the world today and is already affecting societies around the globe. North America, being one of the most influential areas of the planet, has the added pressure of setting the proper example in preparing its society to adjust for the possible changes to be made in regards to climate change. Given the economic power that North America holds over various countries worldwide, the decisions and actions that are taken are going to have a direct impact on the other nations as well. The US is put in a place of control when it comes to the matter of climate change, and as a result, if the US continues to deny the changes that are occurring in the world of today, other countries will continue to suffer and will not be able to take the necessary actions in order to prevent the downfall of their own societies. Actions are starting to be taken by both the government and non-governmental organizations, who are trying to inform the gene ral public on what the current situation is with climate change and the possible outcomes. There is a clear effort being made to help slow down, or even prevent climate change from making a large impact on society, but if there is a major impact, unfortunately society will not be able to cope accordingly. The programs to prepare society for the worst to come exist, but there is not enough focus on these programs to get the message across. If this information is not distributed around the world, and if this subject is not taken seriously, human civilization could very well already be on its way to downfall. North America is taking steps in order to prepare its population for change in order to deal with climate change and make sure that society is affected as little as possible. In order for the world to be able to tackle the subject of climate change, all nations will have to come together and educate their own people on the dangers and potential problematic outcomes of this ongoing shift in the worlds climate, starting with the United States. The governments of North America have programs which are made to inform the general public about the current situation of climate change; however, there is not enough emphasis put on these programs to convey this message to societies. It is a known fact that climate change is one of the main issues of discussion in the world today, and that it is going to take a global effort in order to get results. North America is one of the leading polluters of today, and therefore it is extremely important for the US to be aware of what is happening in terms of climate change. The United States government has programs that are specifically designed to inform the general public about what is going on with climate change and what can be done to prevent it, cope with it, and prepare for the worst. This is despite the fact that the reports of several governmental agencies in the United States and around the world cite human activity as one of, if not the primary driver of global climate change, (Nag el et al, 2008). The programs exist, the government is aware of what needs to be done, but there is simply not enough focus on these programs. For example, on June 16th, 2009, the White House helped launch the Global Climate Change Impacts on the United States report, which is a representation of thirteen agencies that, in the course of a year and a half, focused on potential climate change impacts on the United States. Yet, a large group of the United States public is completely unaware of the fact that this report was written. Sadly, the government knows this and even takes it into account, as stated in the document Responses to climate change impacts in the United States will almost certainly evolve over timeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Implementing these response strategies will require careful planning and continual feedback on the impacts of policies for government, industry, and society, (Waple, 2009). Non-governmental organizations are the ones at the front lines, informing the general p ublic one person at a time, letting people know what steps need to be taken in order to cope with, or even prevent climate change. Even though these organizations are putting in the hours of effort to inform the public, the majority of people shy away from the NGOs and choose to not take them seriously and not regard this as a real problem that will eventually have an impact on the world. In order for the human race to respond appropriately to the results that climate change will have on society, people have to be made aware of the expected outcomes. As stated by the National Assessment Synthesis Team in Washington, D.C. Climate change will affect different segments of society differently because of their varying exposures and adaptive capacities (NAST, 2000). There are many different environmental issues that the world is being faced with. Some are local, where others will have an impact on a global scale. Environmental issues are comprised of social interactions and natural phenomena, in this sense, they are hybrid issues of society and the environment, (Giddens, 2009). Due to the amplification of social awareness dealing with environmental problems in the 1970s, sociology has focused part of its reasearch on global climate change, known as environmental sociology. Environmental sociologists study the complex and versatile relationship between human beings and their natural environments, which also covers the question of why social systems have a tendency to exceed their ecological carrying capability. The report done on understanding climate change suggests that there are certain areas of research that scientists must take as a priority. These areas include 1) human activities that alter the earths environment; 2) forces that drive these activities; 3) consequences of environmental changes for societies and economies; and 4) how humans respond to these changes, (Nagel et al, 2008).The main issues that the world has to deal with are pollution and waste, resource depletion, genetic modification of food, and global warming. Air pollution clearly has a global influence, and is mainly caused by outdoor pollution, produced mainly by industrial pollutants, and indoor pollution, causes by burning fuels at home such as heating. Human societies depend on natural resources from the planet wood, water, plant life, animals. These are mainly classified as renewable resources, however, if there is no balance between consumption and reproduction, there is a risk that there will be no more left. Rapid population and economic growth in the arid and semi-arid regions of Southern California, the central valley of California, and the front range of the Rocky Mountains has radically increased exposure to water shortages (NAST, 2000). Along with consumption rates, population shifts and development choices are making more Americans vulnerable to the expected impacts of climate change, (NAST, 2000). North America being one of the more heavily populated areas in the world also raises the vulnerability of the specific regions that are densly populated. The four most populous states in 2000 California, Texas, Florida, and New York accounted for 38 percent of the total growth in U.S. population during that time, and share significant vulnerability to coastal storms, severe drought, sea-level rise, air pollution, and urban heat island effectsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Over 80 percent of the U.S. population resides in urban areas, which are among the most rapidly changing environments on Earth, (N AST, 2000). In some cases the negative outcomes of climate change do not directly affect North America, but the nations that supply North America with their export. Which in turn also has a negative affect on North America. The main component of climate change, which is global warming, has the most noticeable impact on societies, scientists have recently estimated that global warming kills about 160,000 people every year (Giddens, 2009). In general, the groups of people that are going to be affected the most are the youth, the elderly, and the economically disadvantaged (NAST, 2000). This is due to the fact that people who are at a disadvantage, socially and monetarily, are unable to acquire the resources necessary in order to cope with these changes. The rise in global temperatures during the summer and the fall of temperatures during the winter are at an all time high and low, respectively, and human beings are not prepared to the best of their abilities, and consequently human beings are the ones who are losing the battle against the shift in climate. Another problem area that is beginning to arise is that of health and the mutation of pre-existing disease and viruses, public health researchers have begun to note variations in seasonal diseases, like the flu, and the geographic spread of malaria and diarrheal diseases resulting from ill-equipped sanitation services and a lack of access to clean, fresh water, (Nagel et al, 2008).Yet, with these facts, there is still no drastic change or effort being made to prevent this from happening; and there is further research that must be done before scientists will be able to estimate how much these changes will result in negative societial outcomes. Other areas of the world are also making an effort to inform the general public about climate change and the potential changes that will have to be made in order to prevent negative outcomes. The Kyoto Protocol was created in 1997, in Kyoto, Japan and was put into action in February 2005, and since then 187 states have signed the protocol. The Kyoto protocol is a convention that was created in an attempt to fight global warming and lower greenhouse gas emissions by restricting countries gas emission percentages. Ironically enough, the United States is the only nation that has not signed and has no intention to ratify the protocol. The Kyoto Protocol was created when George W. Bush was still president of the US, and he was of the firm opinion that climate change not only was not a problem, but did not even exist as an important global issue. As a result, the US has been put far behind the rest of the world in terms of acknowledging and acting on this matter. This is a set-back to the global effort in fighting climate change and will continue to create problems, in the long run, if there is no agreement reached on this subject shortly. If information about climate change does not reach the majority part of the planets population or the subject is not kept in mind with the main events that are yet to come, human civilization may as well accept the steady downfall of our planets wellbeing. With North America continuing to play its role in the world regarding the issues of climate change, noticeable actions need to be taken for the prevention of climate change, from a societal perspective. The reactions to the impacts of climate change in North America will transform over time as people learn more about what they are dealing with, and the extent to which it will affect the population. In addition, there have to be more comparative studies of the political dynamics of climate change across multiple nations. Evidently, this is not left up to the hand full of people in a position of power in the world to do; there are other factors that can also contribute to this evolution. Cultural habits, religion, and personal norms and values are able to influence the majority, if not, everything from population growth to beliefs about the environment as a whole. There has to be a better understanding of how and where these social groups stand, in terms of the global movement, towards a better environment, and how the general public, political powers, and non-governmental organizations can work together to effectively improve it. North America has huge potential to deal with these issues, compared to other countries in the world, however their methods of informing the population and the advice that they give to their people as a means of being able to improve their situations is not yet at its best. Although North America has considerable adaptive capacity, actual practices have not always protected people and property from adverse impacts of climate variability and extreme weather events, (Parry et al, 2007). There is still much that must be shared between people of power and people who belong to those societies. Climate change is a real issue that will eventually affect the entire world, and measures must soon be taken, on a serious level, if societies worldwide are to try and overcome this new life threatening obstacle.