Ethics, Moral dilemmas, and the Law in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 2013 Assignment

Ethics, Moral dilemmas, and the Law in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 2013 - Assignment Example They will always be against the moral ethics of individuals. For instance, a patient suffering from a fatal disease may make a decision to take away his life or fail to disclose his illness to the family with an assumption that it would cause trauma and discomfort (Garber, 2008). It should be noted that, regardless of the current condition of the patient, the nurse still has no right to concede with the patient’s wish to attempt to take his life (Werth, 2013). Siding with the patient will give a clarification that he has accepted the obligation. Instead, the nurse should advice the patient that whatever their condition, it is just temporary and their status will change after some time. Abiding to wrong decisions is considered to be morally wrong. It is considered immoral to accept decisions after knowing that the intended decisions are not right. Morally upright human beings should not be submissive to a thought that goes against human dignity especially if a responsibility is laid in ones hands (Gowans, 1987). It is against the law of the society to accept the concept of an event of what is wrong, like failing to disclose information which is vital to the life of a person. Ethics will, therefore, entail the morals used in identifying what is right and what is wrong. Concerning medical fraternity, the practitioners should have the concept of telling the truth at whatever conditions and

“A Modest Proposal” by Jonathan Swift Essay Example for Free

â€Å"A Modest Proposal† by Jonathan Swift Essay The essay, â€Å"A Modest Proposal† by Jonathan Swift is a satirical piece that discussed, in great detail, the issues surrounding 18th century society as it pushed forward development as society progressed, both technologically and socially. The essay contained a ‘modest,’ albeit radical, proposal from Swift, wherein he tried to provide a rational solution to the problem of increasing population, scarcity, and poverty in his society under the British rule. Among Swift’s ‘modest proposals’ were the imposition of polygamy among humans, wherein â€Å"one Male [sic] will be sufficient to serve four Females,† and the practice of bearing children as Food, which he identified to be â€Å"very proper for Landlords. † These propositions provided a glimpse into the social problems Swift’s society experienced during his time, wherein poor governance, in order to be alleviated, was resolved through what Swift considered to be deviant and inhumane practices. Proposing these deviant and inhumane practices was a demonstration of the increased demoralization among the citizens of Swift’s society, a state which the author deemed to be too outrageous to be true but is actually occurring. Hence, in order to address these outrageous yet unconfronted social problems and issues, Swift’s essay generated the attention it deserved and warranted, therefore making the readers and the essay’s target audience aware of the social state at which their country found itself in. Swift’s essay, in effect, drove home the fact that in the midst of social progress and development, moral demoralization occurred as a consequence, defeating the purpose of development and progress in the society.

Anastasia Essay -- essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Anastasia   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Anastasia, Grand Duchess of Russia, was a very mischievous little girl with a sharp sense of humor (McGuire 18). She was always described as having long fine fingers and baby blue eyes. As she grew older, her personality changed drastically because of her dramatic childhood. Her eyes and fingers remained the same but her wonderful personality had disappeared (Klier and Mingay 193). The daughter of Czar Nicholas II, Anastasia, may have survived the Russian Revolution, but what became of her, baffled historians. Czar Nicholas was the last emperor of Russia and ruled from 1894 until 1917. Throughout his life Nicholas lived within the shadows of his father (Lieven 1). Nicholas took the throne in 1894, he was easily influenced by others and quickly became a poor leader (Pipes 12). Right after Nicholas took the throne he married Princess Alix of Hesse-Darmstadt. Alix became the Grand Duchess of Russia. Her name was changed to Alexandra. Her religion was also changed to Russian Orthodox (King 77). The Czar and Czarina had 5 children. The youngest, Alexis had hemophilia. He was to be the next ruler of Russia, but unfortunately, the day never came (McGuire 31). During the late 1800’s and early 1900’s, Russia’s government began to decline. Czar Nicholas went against his advisor’s advice and led the Russians through the battle (Lieven 3). Nicholas was at war and had no idea what was happening in Russia. People were not getting enough food, and as a result became very violent; Worst of all Russia was losing the war (Pipes 65). Alexandra said, â€Å"This is the first time in my life I have no idea how to act. Until now god has shown me the way. Right now tho’ I cannot hear his instructions.† (Klier and Mingay 5). Alexis’s poor heath drastically increased. As a result, his mother had horrible mood swings and became very depressed (McGuire 31). Rasputin, a peasant healer from Siberia freely gave his advice to the Imperial family. â€Å"He came dressed in his crude country boots and caftan, from the start he was strangely at ease with the royal couple. He greeted them like old country cousins.† (Halliday 69). While Nicholas was away, Alexandra became very attached to Rasputin because he had healed Alexis from hemophilia and mended her broken heart. The Czar felt that Rasputin was an authentic voice of... ... no romantic legend. The two Anastasias represent the two faces of the twentieth century. One is a century that really existed, full of war and the slaughter of the innocents. The second is the century we longed to have, peace and family pleasures, and the dreams of any little girl who would close her eyes and become a princess.† People have been trying to find out what really happened to the Imperial Family for 75 years. The secrets of the family are no longer hidden among the dark trees of the Koptiaki forest outside Ekaterinburg (King 379). Many researchers say the real truth died with Anna Manahan. Historians are still baffled today because the bodies of Anastasia and Alexis were never found (McGuire 90). Many historians are still baffled today, and the bodies of Anastasia and Alexis were never found (McGuire 90). The real truth died with Anna Manahan. Biblography McGuire, Leslie. Anastasia; Czarina or Fake?. Minneapolis: Greenhaven Press, 1989. Pipes, Richard. A Concise History of the Russian Revolution. New York: Knopf, 1995. Lieven, Domnic. â€Å"Czar Nicholas II.† Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia. CD ROM. Washington: Bloomsbury Publishing Place, 1999.

Grapes of Wrath Essay -- essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Joad family is forced to move to California because of the Oklahoma Dust Bowl, which has made it impossible for them to earn a livelihood through farming. Drought and depression has made it impossible for farmers to grow a substantial amount to live on. As inflation rises and wages drop, a gigantic worker migration heads West in search of Jobs. They have seen notices asking for workers in the western part of the United States, and travel thinking that they will find gainful employment. However there is much to learn about the United States in its economic turmoil. During the depression, thousands of people looked for work, and were cheated every step of the way. The Grapes of Wrath, by John Steinbeck, is the story about a family living during the days of the depression and what they did to survive. Many families were hurt by the depression, so Steinbeck wrote of a typical family with detail that makes you understand the pain and suffering people went through in the country’s darkest of times.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Tom Joad, recently released from prison for a homicide, hitchhikes back home to his fathers farm which he hasn’t been to in 4 years. He tells the truck driver who gives him a ride that he got in a fight with a guy at a dance and when he tried to brandish a knife, Tom hit him on the head with a shovel. The truck driver lets him off at his father’s farm but he finds it abandoned. He does meet up with an old friend Jim Casy who used to be a preacher. So Tom and Jim head down to his uncle’s to locate his family. A day later he finds them all about to leave for California. Tom decides to accompany his family to California although it means breaking his parole. Packed tightly into a truck, they begin their journey down Route 66, little realizing that they are part of a huge migration into an unwelcoming region of the US. The Joads encounter friends along the road, but they also wander into adversity. They meet the Wilsons, who drive along with them to Arizona, and various other Oklahoma families.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This Journey is not easy though, there is much suffering to be dealt with. Tom’s grandfather dies of a stroke at the beginning of the trip. And his dogs that he bought along are run over. They constantly have car problems and they face more and more disrespec... ...cannot fight against the system that enslaves them, to desperate for food and shelter to think about their situation to any great extent. Steinbeck focuses on the sacrifices made by people for their children and friends, emphasizing the simplicity of their lives while demonstrating their desire for respect and recognition. They are forced into constant migration by large land-owning companies, and it is these same companies that prevent them from rising above poverty. During the Depression, the entire country was faced with growing poverty and unemployment, and the Joads are only one of many families forced to leave their homes. We look at the depression like it was a hard time for everyone. And at such a time, we should stand together and solve our problems. Systematically, society has performed its usual segregation of scapegoats, in this case the Okies, because they were poor and couldn’t get jobs. The people didn’t realize that there was plenty of opportunity because they were to caught up in their own finances to be able to look past the barriers and start looking for solutions. The depression was a very hard time, but for families like the Joads, it was harder.

Spirit Bound Chapter Two

MY TRIALS WERE A BLUR. You'd think, seeing as they were the most important part of my education at St. Vladimir's, that I'd remember everything in perfect, crystalline detail. Yet my earlier thoughts were kind of realized. How could these measure up to what I'd already faced? How could these mock fights compare to a mob of Strigoi descending on our school? I'd had to stand against overwhelming odds, not knowing if those I loved were alive or dead. And how could I fear a so-called battle with one of the school's instructors after having fought Dimitri? He'd been lethal as a dhampir and worse as a Strigoi. Not that I meant to make light of the trials. They were serious. Novices failed them all the time, and I refused to be one of them. I was attacked on all sides, by guardians who'd been fighting and defending Moroi since before I was born. The arena wasn't flat, which complicated everything. They'd filled it with contraptions and obstacles, beams and steps that tested my balance–including a bridge that painfully reminded me of that last night I'd seen Dimitri. I'd pushed him after plunging a silver stake into his heart–a stake that had fallen out during his plummet to the river below. The arena's bridge was a bit different from the solid wooden one upon which Dimitri and I had fought in Siberia. This one was rickety, a badly constructed path of wooden planks with only rope rails for support. Every step made the entire bridge swing and shake, and holes in the boards showed me where former classmates had (unfortunately for them) discovered weak spots. The test they assigned me on the bridge was probably the worst of all. My goal was to get a â€Å"Moroi† away from a group of â€Å"Strigoi† that were in pursuit. My Moroi was being played by Daniel, a new guardian who had come with others to the school to replace those killed in the attack. I didn't know him very well, but for this exercise, he was playing completely docile and helpless–even a little afraid, just as any Moroi I was guarding might have been. He gave me a little resistance about stepping onto the bridge, and I used my calmest, most coaxing voice to finally get him to walk out ahead of me. Apparently they were testing people skills as well as combat skills. Not far behind us on the course, I knew the guardians acting as Strigoi were approaching. Daniel stepped out, and I shadowed him, still giving him reassurances while all my senses stayed on alert. The bridge swung wildly, telling me with a jolt that our pursuers had joined us. I glanced back and saw three â€Å"Strigoi† coming after us. The guardians playing them were doing a remarkable job–moving with as much dexterity and speed as true Strigoi would. They were going to overtake us if we didn't get a move on. â€Å"You're doing great,† I told Daniel. It was hard to keep the right tone in my voice. Screaming at Moroi might put them into shock. Too much gentleness would make them think it wasn't serious. â€Å"And I know you can move faster. We need to keep ahead of them–they're getting closer. I know you can do this. Come on.† I must have passed that persuasive part of the test because he did indeed pick up his speed–not quite enough to match that of our pursuers, but it was a start. The bridge shifted crazily again. Daniel yelped convincingly and froze, gripping the rope sides tightly. Ahead of him, I saw another guardian-as-Strigoi waiting on the opposite side of the bridge. I believed his name was Randall, another new instructor. I was sandwiched between him and the group at my back. But Randall stayed still, waiting on the first plank of the bridge so that he could shake it and make it harder for us. â€Å"Keep going,† I urged, my mind spinning. â€Å"You can do it.† â€Å"But there's a Strigoi there! We're trapped,† Daniel exclaimed. â€Å"Don't worry. I'll deal with him. Just move.† My voice was fierce this time, and Daniel crept forward, pushed on by my command. The next few moments required perfect timing on my part. I had to watch the â€Å"Strigoi† on both sides of us and keep Daniel in motion, all the while monitoring where we were on the bridge. When we were almost three quarters of the way across, I hissed, â€Å"Drop down on all fours right now! Hurry!† He obeyed, coming to a halt. I immediately knelt, still speaking in an undertone: â€Å"I'm about to shout at you. Ignore it.† In a louder voice, for the benefit of those coming after us, I exclaimed, â€Å"What are you doing? We can't stop!† Daniel didn't budge, and I again spoke softly. â€Å"Good. See where the ropes connect the base to the rails? Grab them. Grab them as tightly as you can, and do not let go, no matter what happens. Wrap them around your hands if you have to. Do it now!† He obeyed. The clock was ticking, and I didn't waste another moment. In one motion, while still crouched, I turned around and hacked at the ropes with a knife I'd been given along with my stake. The blade was sharp, thank God. The guardians running the trial weren't messing around. It didn't instantly slice the ropes, but I cut through them so quickly that the â€Å"Strigoi† on either side of us didn't have time to react. The ropes snapped just as I again reminded Daniel to hold on. The two halves of the bridge swung toward the sides of wooden scaffolding, carried by the weight of the people on them. Well, ours did at least. Daniel and I had been prepared. The three pursuers behind us hadn't been. Two fell. One just barely managed to catch hold of a plank, slipping a bit before securing his grip. The actual drop was six feet, but I'd been told to regard it as fifty–a distance that would kill me and Daniel if we fell. Against all odds, he was still clutching the rope. I was hanging on as well, and once the rope and wood were lying flat against the scaffolding's sides, I began scrambling up it like a ladder. It wasn't easy climbing over Daniel, but I did it, giving me one more chance to tell him to hang on. Randall, who'd been waiting ahead of us, hadn't fallen off. He'd had his feet on the bridge when I cut it, though, and had been surprised enough to lose his balance. Quick to recover, he was now shimmying up the ropes, trying to climb up to the solid surface above. He was much closer to it than me, but I just managed to grab his leg and stop him. I jerked him toward me. He maintained his grip on the bridge, and we struggled. I knew I probably couldn't pull him off, but I was able to keep getting closer. At last, I let go of the knife I'd been holding and managed to get the stake from my belt–something that tested my balance. Randall's ungainly position gave me a shot at his heart, and I t ook it. For the trials, we had blunt-ended stakes, ones that wouldn't pierce skin but which could be used with enough force to convince our opponents that we knew what we were doing. My alignment was perfect, and Randall, conceding it would have been a killing blow, relinquished his hold and dropped off the bridge. That left me the painful task of coaxing Daniel to climb up. It took a long time, but again, his behavior wasn't out of character with how a scared Moroi might behave. I was just grateful he hadn't decided a real Moroi would have lost his grip and fallen. After that challenge came many more, but I fought on, never slowing down or letting exhaustion affect me. I slipped into battle mode, my senses focused on basic instincts: fight, dodge, kill. And while staying tuned to those, I still had to be innovative and not fall into a lull. Otherwise, I wouldn't be able to react to a surprise like the bridge. I managed it all, battling on with no other thoughts beyond accomplishing the tasks before me. I tried not to think of my instructors as people I knew. I treated them like Strigoi. I pulled no punches. When it finally ended, I almost didn't realize it. I was simply standing there in the middle of the field with no more attackers coming at me. I was alone. Slowly, I became more aware of the world's details. Crowds in the stands cheering. A few instructors nodding to each other as they joined in. The pounding of my own heart. It wasn't until a grinning Alberta tugged at my arm that I realized it was over. The test I'd waited for my entire life, finished in what felt like a blink of an eye. â€Å"Come on,† she said, wrapping her arm around my shoulder and guiding me toward the exit. â€Å"You need to get some water and sit down.† Dazed, I let her lead me off the field, around which people were still cheering and crying my name. Behind us, I heard some people saying they had to take a break and fix the bridge. She led me back to the waiting area and gently pushed me onto a bench. Someone else sat beside me and handed me a bottle of water. I looked over and saw my mother. She had an expression on her face that I had never seen before: pure, radiant pride. â€Å"That was it?† I asked at last. She surprised me again with genuinely amused laughter. â€Å"That was it?† she repeated. â€Å"Rose, you were out there for almost an hour. You blew through that test with flying colors–probably one of the best trials this school's ever seen.† â€Å"Really? It just seemed†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Easy wasn't quite the right word. â€Å"It was a haze, that's all.† My mom squeezed my hand. â€Å"You were amazing. I'm so, so proud of you.† The realization of it all truly, truly hit me then, and I felt a smile of my own spreading over my lips. â€Å"Now what happens?† I asked. â€Å"Now you become a guardian.† I'd been tattooed many times, but none of those events came close to the ceremony and fanfare that occurred while getting my promise mark. Before, I'd received molnija marks for kills I'd made in unexpected, tragic circumstances: fighting Strigoi in Spokane, the school attack and rescue–events that were cause for mourning, not celebration. After all those kills, we'd kind of lost count, and while guardian tattoo artists still tried to log every individual kill, they'd finally given me a star-shaped mark that was a fancy way of saying we'd lost count. Tattooing isn't a fast process, even if you're getting a small one, and my entire graduating class had to get them. The ceremony took place in what was usually the Academy's dining room, a room they were able to remarkably transform into something as grand and elaborate as we'd find at the Royal Court. Spectators–friends, family, guardians–packed the room as Alberta called our names one at a time and read our scores as we approached the tattoo artist. The scores were important. They would be made public and, along with our overall school grades, influence our assignments. Moroi could request certain grads for their guardians. Lissa had requested me, of course, but even the best scores in the world might not compensate for all the black behavioral marks on my record. There were no Moroi at this ceremony, though, aside from the handful who had been invited as guests by the new graduates. Everyone else gathered was a dhampir: either one of the established guardians or about-to-become-guardians like me. The guests sat in the back, and the senior guardians sat near the front. My classmates and I stood the whole time, maybe as some sort of last test of endurance. I didn't mind. I'd changed out of my torn and dirty clothes into simple slacks and a sweater, an outfit that seemed dressy while still retaining a solemn feel. It was a good call because the air in the room was thick with tension, all faces a mix of joy at our success but also anxiety about our new and deadly role in the world. I watched with shining eyes as my friends were called up, surprised and impressed at many of the scores. Eddie Castile, a close friend, got a particularly high score in one-on-one Moroi protection. I couldn't help a smile as I watched the tattooist give Eddie his mark. â€Å"I wonder how he got his Moroi over the bridge,† I murmured in an undertone. Eddie was pretty resourceful. Beside me, another friend of mine, Meredith, gave me a puzzled look. â€Å"What are you talking about?† Her voice was equally soft. â€Å"When we were chased onto the bridge with a Moroi. Mine was Daniel.† She still looked confused, and I elaborated. â€Å"And they put Strigoi on each side?† â€Å"I crossed the bridge,† she whispered, â€Å"but it was just me being chased. I took my Moroi through a maze.† A glare from a nearby classmate shut us up, and I hid my frown. Maybe I wasn't the only one who'd gone through the trial in a daze. Meredith had her facts screwed up. When my name was called, I heard a few gasps as Alberta read my scores. I had the highest in the class by far. I was kind of glad she didn't read my academic grades. They would have totally taken away some of the glory of the rest of my performance. I'd always done well in my combat classes, but math and history†¦ well, those were a bit lacking, particularly since I always seemed to be dropping in and out of school. My hair was pulled tightly into a bun, with every stray wisp held with hairpins so that the artist would have nothing to interfere with his work. I leaned forward to give him a good view and heard him grunt in surprise. With the back of my neck covered in marks, he'd have to be tricky. Usually a new guardian provided a blank canvas. This guy was good, though, and managed to delicately place the promise mark in the center of the nape of my neck after all. The promise mark looked like a long, stretched-out S, with curly ends. He fit it in between the molnija marks, letting it wrap around them like an embrace. The process hurt, but I kept my face blank, refusing to flinch. I was shown the final results in a mirror before he covered it up with a bandage so it would heal cleanly. After that, I rejoined my classmates and watched as the rest of them received their tattoos. It meant standing for another two hours, but I didn't mind. My brain was still reeling with everything that had happened today. I was a guardian. A real, honest-to-goodness guardian. And with that thought came questions. What would happen now? Would my scores be good enough to erase my record of bad behavior? Would I be Lissa's guardian? And what about Victor? What about Dimitri? I shifted uneasily as the full impact of the guardian ceremony hit me. This wasn't just about Dimitri and Victor. This was about me–about the rest of my life. School was over. I would no longer have teachers tracking my every move or correcting me when I made mistakes. All decisions would be on me when I was out protecting someone. Moroi and younger dhampirs would look to me as the authority. And I would no longer have the luxury of practicing combat one minute and lounging in my room the next. There were no clear-cut classes anymore. I would be on duty all the time. The thought was daunting, the pressure almost too great. I'd always equated graduation with freedom. Now I wasn't so sure. What new shape was my life going to take? Who would decide? And how could I reach Victor if I was assigned to guard anyone besides Lissa? Across the room, I met Lissa's eyes among the audience. They burned with a pride that matched my mother's, and she grinned when our gazes met. Get that look off your face, she chastised through the bond. You shouldn't look that anxious, not today. You need to celebrate. I knew she was right. I could handle what was to come. My worries, which were many, could wait one more day–particularly since the exuberant mood of my friends and family ensured that I would celebrate. Abe, with that influence he always seemed to wield, had secured a small banquet room and thrown a party for me that seemed more suited to a royal debutante, not some lowly, reckless dhampir. Before the event, I changed yet again. Prettier party clothes now seemed more appropriate than the formal molnija ceremony outfit. I put on a short-sleeved, emerald green wrap dress and hung my nazar around my neck, even though it didn't match. The nazar was a small pendant that looked like an eye, with different shades of blue circling it. In Turkey, where Abe came from, it was believed to offer protection. He'd given it to my mother years ago, and she'd in turn given it to me. By the time I'd put on makeup and brushed out my tangled hair into long, dark waves (because my tattoo bandages didn't go with the dress at all), I hardly looked like someone capable of fighting monsters or even throwing a punch. No–that wasn't quite true, I realized a moment later. Staring into the mirror, I was surprised to see a haunted look in my brown eyes. There was pain there, pain and loss that even the nicest dress and makeup couldn't hide. I ignored it and set off for the party, promptly running into Adrian as soon as I stepped outside my dorm. Without a word, he swept me into his arms and smothered me with a kiss. I was totally caught off guard. It figured. Undead creatures didn't surprise me, but one flippant royal Moroi could. And it was quite the kiss, one that I almost felt guilty about sinking into. I'd had concerns when first dating Adrian, but many of them had disappeared over time. After watching him flirt shamelessly and take nothing seriously for so long, I'd never expected to see such devotion from him in our relationship. I also hadn't expected to find my feelings for him growing–which seemed so contradictory considering I still loved Dimitri and was concocting impossible ways to save him. I laughed when Adrian set me down. Nearby, a few younger Moroi had stopped to watch us. Moroi dating dhampirs wasn't super uncommon at our age, but a notorious dhampir dating the Moroi queen's great-nephew? That was kind of out there–especially since it was widely known how much Queen Tatiana hated me. There had been few witnesses to my last meeting with her, when she'd screamed at me to stay away from Adrian, but word of that kind of thing always gets around. â€Å"Like the show?† I asked our voyeurs. Realizing they'd been busted, the Moroi kids hastily continued on their way. I turned back to Adrian and smiled. â€Å"What was that? It was kind of a big kiss to throw on me in public.† â€Å"That,† he said grandly, â€Å"was your reward for kicking so much ass in those trials.† He paused. â€Å"It was also because you look totally hot in that dress.† I gave him a wry look. â€Å"Reward, huh? Meredith's boyfriend got her diamond earrings.† He caught hold of my hand and gave an unconcerned shrug as we began to walk to the party. â€Å"You want diamonds? I'll give you diamonds. I'll shower you in them. Hell, I'll get you a gown made out of them. But it's going to be skimpy.† â€Å"I think I'll settle for the kiss after all,† I said, imagining Adrian dressing me like a swimsuit model. Or a pole dancer. The jewelry reference also suddenly brought on an unwanted memory. When Dimitri had held me captive in Siberia, lulling me into blissful complacency with his bites, he'd showered me with jewelry too. â€Å"I knew you were a badass,† continued Adrian. A warm summer breeze ruffled the brown hair he so painstakingly styled each day, and with his free hand, he absentmindedly tried to arrange it back into place. â€Å"But I didn't realize just how much until I saw you dropping guardians out there.† â€Å"Does that mean you're going to be nicer to me?† I teased. â€Å"I'm already nice to you,† he said loftily. â€Å"Do you know how badly I want a cigarette right now? But no. I manfully suffer through nicotine withdrawal–all for you. But I think seeing you out there will make me a little more careful around you. That crazy dad of yours is kind of gonna make me cautious too.† I groaned, recalling how Adrian and Abe had been sitting together. â€Å"God. Did you really have to hang out with him?† â€Å"Hey, he's awesome. A little unstable, but awesome. We got along great.† Adrian opened the door to the building we were seeking. â€Å"And he's a badass in his way too. I mean, any other guy who wore scarves like that? He'd be laughed out of this school. Not Abe. He'd beat someone almost as badly as you would. In fact†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Adrian's voice turned nervous. I gave him a surprised look. â€Å"In fact what?† â€Å"Well†¦ Abe said he liked me. But he also made it clear what he'd do to me if I ever hurt you or did anything bad.† Adrian grimaced. â€Å"In fact, he described what he'd do in very graphic detail. Then, just like that, he switched to some random, happy topic. I like the guy, but he's scary.† â€Å"He's out of line!† I came to a halt outside the party's room. Through the door, I heard the buzz of conversation. We were apparently among the last to arrive. I guessed that meant I'd be making a grand entrance fitting for the guest of honor. â€Å"He has no right to threaten my boyfriends. I'm eighteen. An adult. I don't need his help. I can threaten my boyfriends myself.† My indignation amused Adrian, and he gave me a lazy smile. â€Å"I agree with you. But that doesn't mean I'm not going to take his ‘advice' seriously. My face is too pretty to risk.† His face was pretty, but that didn't stop me from shaking my head in exasperation. I reached for the door's handle, but Adrian pulled me back. â€Å"Wait,† he said. He drew me into his arms again, our lips meeting in another hot kiss. My body pressed to his, and I found myself confused by my own feelings and the realization that I was reaching a point where I might want more than just kissing. â€Å"Okay,† said Adrian when we'd finally broken away. â€Å"Now we can go in.† He had that same light tone to his voice, but in his dark green eyes, I saw the kindling of passion. I wasn't the only one considering more than just kissing. So far, we'd avoided discussing sex, and he'd actually been very good about not pressuring me. I think he knew I just wasn't ready after Dimitri, but in moments like these, I could see just how difficult it was for Adrian to hold back. It softened something inside of me, and standing on my tiptoes, I gave him another kiss. â€Å"What was that?† he asked a few moments later. I grinned. â€Å"Your reward.† When we finally made it into the party, everyone in the room greeted me with cheers and proud smiles. A long time ago, I'd thrived on being the center of attention. That desire had faded a little, but now, I put on a confident face and accepted my loved ones' praise with swagger and happiness. I held up my hands triumphantly, earning more clapping and approval. My party was almost as much of a blur as my trials. You never really realize how many people care about you until they all turn out to support you. It made me feel humble and almost a little teary. I kept that to myself, though. I could hardly start crying at my own victory party. Everyone wanted to talk to me, and I was surprised and delighted each time some new person approached me. It wasn't often that I had all the people I loved best in one place, and, uneasily I realized this opportunity might never come again. â€Å"Well, you've finally got a license to kill. It's about time.† I turned and met the amused eyes of Christian Ozera, a onetime annoyance who'd become a good friend. So good, in fact, that in my joyous zeal, I reached out and hugged him–something he clearly didn't expect. I was surprising everyone today. â€Å"Whoa, whoa,† he said backing up, flushing. â€Å"It figures. You're the only girl who'd get all emotional about the thought of killing. I don't even want to think about what goes on when you and Ivashkov are alone.† â€Å"Hey, look who's talking. You're itching to get out there yourself.† Christian shrugged by way of agreement. It was a standard rule in our world: Guardians protected Moroi. Moroi didn't get involved in battles. Yet after recent Strigoi attacks, a lot of Moroi–though hardly a majority–had begun to argue that it was time for Moroi to step up and start helping the guardians. Fire users like Christian were particularly valuable since burning was one of the best ways to kill a Strigoi (along with staking and decapitation). The movement to teach Moroi to fight was currently–and purposely–stalled in the Moroi government, but that hadn't stopped some Moroi from practicing in secret. Christian was one of them. Glancing beside him, I blinked in astonishment. There was someone with him, someone I'd hardly noticed. Jill Mastrano hovered near him like a shadow. A Moroi freshman–well, soon to be a sophomore–Jill had come forward as someone who also wanted to fight. She had sort of become Christian's student. â€Å"Hey Jill,† I said, giving her a warm smile. â€Å"Thanks for coming.† Jill flushed. She was determined to learn to defend herself, but she grew flustered among others–particularly around â€Å"celebrities† like me. Rambling was her nervous reaction. â€Å"I had to,† she said, brushing her long, light brown hair out of her face. Like always, it was a tangle of curls. â€Å"I mean, it's so cool what you did. At the trials. Everyone was amazed. I heard one of the guardians saying that they'd never seen anything like you, so when Christian asked if I wanted to come, of course I had to. Oh!† Her light green eyes went wide. â€Å"I didn't even tell you congratulations. Sorry. Congratulations.† Beside her, Christian struggled to keep a straight face. I made no such attempts and laughingly gave her a hug too. I was in serious danger of turning warm and fuzzy. I'd probably get my tough guardian status revoked if I kept this up. â€Å"Thanks. Are you two ready to take on a Strigoi army yet?† â€Å"Soon,† said Christian. â€Å"But we might need your backup.† He knew as well as I did that Strigoi were way out of their league. His fire magic had helped me a lot, but on his own? That'd be a different story. He and Jill were teaching themselves to use magic offensively, and when I'd had time between classes, I'd taught them a few combat moves. Jill's face fell a little. â€Å"It's going to stop once Christian's gone.† I turned to him. It was no surprise he'd be leaving. We'd all be leaving. â€Å"What are you going to do with yourself?† I asked. He shrugged. â€Å"Go to Court with the rest of you. Aunt Tasha says we're going to have a ‘talk' about my future.† He grimaced. Whatever his plans were, it looked like they weren't the same as Tasha's. Most royal Moroi would head off to elite colleges. I wasn't sure what Christian had in mind. It was standard practice after graduation for new guardians to go to the Moroi Royal Court for orientation and to get their assignments. We were all due to leave in a couple of days. Following Christian's gaze, I saw his aunt across the room, and so help me, she was talking to Abe. Tasha Ozera was in her late twenties, with the same glossy black hair and ice blue eyes that Christian had. Her beautiful face was marred, however, by some terrible scarring on one side–the result of injuries inflicted by Christian's own parents. Dimitri had been turned into a Strigoi against his will, but the Ozeras had purposely chosen to turn for the sake of immortality. It had ironically cost them their lives when the guardians hunted them down. Tasha had raised Christian (when he wasn't at school) and was one of the main leaders in the movement supporting those Moroi who wanted to fight Strigoi. Scar or not, I admired her and still thought she was beautiful. From my wayward father's attitude, it was clear he did too. He poured her a glass of champagne and said something that made her laugh. She leaned forward, like she was telling him a secret, and he laughed in return. My jaw dropped. Even from this far away, it was obvious they were flirting. â€Å"Dear God,† I said with a shudder, hastily turning back to Christian and Jill. Christian seemed torn between smugness at my discomfort and his own unease at watching a woman he regarded as a mother get hit upon by a pirate mobster guy. A moment later, Christian's expression softened as he turned back to Jill and continued our conversation. â€Å"Hey, you don't need me,† he said. â€Å"You'll find others around here. You'll have your own superhero club before you know it.† I found myself smiling again, but my kindly feelings were suddenly shattered by a jolt of jealousy. It wasn't my own, though. It was Lissa's, coming through the bond. Startled, I glanced around and spotted her across the room, giving Christian the look of death as he spoke to Jill. It's worth mentioning that Christian and Lissa used to date. More than date. They'd been deeply in love, and honestly, they kind of still were. Unfortunately, recent events had badly strained their relationship, and Christian had broken up with her. He'd loved her but had lost his trust in her. Lissa had spun out of control when another spirit user named Avery Lazar had sought to control her. We'd eventually stopped Avery, and she was currently locked away in a mental institution, last I'd heard. Christian now knew the reasons for Lissa's horrible behavior, but the damage was done. Lissa had initially been depressed, but her sorrow had now turned to anger. She claimed she wanted nothing to do with him anymore, but the bond gave her away. She was always jealous of any girl he talked to–particularly Jill, whom he'd been spending a lot of time with lately. I knew for a fact there was nothing romantic going on there. Jill idolized him as some wise teacher, nothing more. If she had a crush on anyone, it was Adrian, who always treated her like a kid sister. We all kind of did, really. Christian followed my gaze, and his expression hardened. Realizing she had his attention, Lissa immediately turned away and began talking to the first guy she found, a good-looking dhampir from my class. She turned on the flirtatious charm that came so easily to spirit users, and soon, both of them were laughing and chatting in a way similar to Abe and Tasha. My party had turned into a round of speed dating. Christian turned back to me. â€Å"Well, looks like she's got plenty to keep her busy.† I rolled my eyes. Lissa wasn't the only one who was jealous. Just as she grew angry whenever he hung out with other girls, Christian became prickly when she spoke to other guys. It was infuriating. Rather than admit they still had feelings and just needed to patch things up, those two idiots just kept displaying more and more hostility toward each other. â€Å"Will you stop already and actually try to talk to her like a rational person someday?† I groaned. â€Å"Sure,† he said bitterly. â€Å"The day she starts acting like a rational person.† â€Å"Oh my God. You guys are going to make me rip my hair out.† â€Å"It'd be a waste of nice hair,† said Christian. â€Å"Besides, she's made her attitude perfectly clear.† I started to protest and tell him how stupid he was, but he had no intention of sticking around to hear a lecture I'd already given a dozen times. â€Å"Come on, Jill,† he said. â€Å"Rose needs to mingle more.† He quickly stepped away, and I had half a mind to go beat some sense into him when a new voice spoke. â€Å"When are you going to fix that?† Tasha was standing next to me, shaking her head at Christian's retreat. â€Å"Those two need to be back together.† â€Å"I know that. You know that. But they can't seem to get it through their heads.† â€Å"Well, you'd better get on it,† she said. â€Å"If Christian goes to college across the country, it'll be too late.† There was a dry–and exasperated–note in her voice when she mentioned Christian going to college. Lissa was going to Lehigh, a university near the Court, per an arrangement with Tatiana. Lissa would get to attend a bigger university than Moroi usually went to, in exchange for spending time at the Court and learning the royal trade. â€Å"I know,† I said in exasperation. â€Å"But why am I the one who has to fix it?† Tasha grinned. â€Å"Because you're the only one forceful enough to make them see reason.† I decided to let Tasha's insolence go, mostly because her talking to me meant that she wasn't talking to Abe. Glancing across the room, I suddenly stiffened. He was now talking to my mother. Snatches of their conversation came to me through the noise. â€Å"Janine,† he said winningly, â€Å"you haven't aged a day. You could be Rose's sister. Do you remember that night in Cappadocia?† My mother actually giggled. I had never heard her do that before. I decided I never wanted to again. â€Å"Of course. And I remember how eager you were to help me when my dress strap broke.† â€Å"Dear God,† I said. â€Å"He's unstoppable.† Tasha looked puzzled until she saw what I was talking about. â€Å"Abe? He's actually pretty charming.† I groaned. â€Å"Excuse me.† I headed toward my parents. I accepted that they'd once had a romance–one that led to my conception–but that didn't mean I wanted to watch them relive it. They were recounting some walk on the beach when I reached them. I promptly tugged Abe's arm away. He was standing way too close to her. â€Å"Hey, can I talk to you?† I asked. He looked surprised but shrugged. â€Å"Certainly.† He gave my mother a knowing smile. â€Å"We'll talk more later.† â€Å"Is no woman safe around here?† I demanded as I led him away. â€Å"What are you talking about?† We came to a stop by the punch bowl. â€Å"You're flirting with every woman in this room!† My chastising didn't faze him. â€Å"Well, there are so many lovely women here†¦. Is that what you wanted to talk to me about?† â€Å"No! I wanted to talk to you about threatening my boyfriend. You had no right to do that.† His dark eyebrows shot up. â€Å"What, that? That was nothing. Just a father looking out for his daughter.† â€Å"Most fathers don't threaten to disembowel their daughters' boyfriends.† â€Å"That's not true. And anyway, that's not what I actually said. It was much worse.† I sighed. He seemed to delight in my exasperation. â€Å"Think of it as a graduation gift. I'm proud of you. Everyone knew you'd be good, but no one knew you'd be that good.† He winked. â€Å"They certainly didn't expect you to destroy their property.† â€Å"What property?† â€Å"The bridge.† I frowned. â€Å"I had to. It was the most efficient way. God, that was a bitch of a challenge. What'd the other grads do? They didn't actually fight in the middle of that thing, did they?† Abe shook his head, loving every minute of his superior knowledge. â€Å"No one else was put in that situation.† â€Å"Of course they were. We all face the same tests.† â€Å"Not you. While planning the trials, the guardians decided you needed something†¦ extra. Something special. After all, you'd been out fighting in the real world.† â€Å"What?† The volume of my voice caught the attention of a few others. I lowered it, and Meredith's earlier words came back to me. â€Å"That's not fair!† He didn't seem concerned. â€Å"You're superior to the others. Making you do easy things wouldn't have been fair.† I'd faced a lot of ridiculous things in my life, but this was pretty out there. â€Å"So they had me do that crazy bridge stunt instead? And if they were surprised I cut it, then what the hell else did they expect me to do? How else was I supposed to survive that?† â€Å"Hmm.† He stroked his chin absentmindedly. â€Å"I honestly don't think they knew.† â€Å"Oh, for God's sake. This is unbelievable.† â€Å"Why are you so mad? You passed.† â€Å"Because they put me in a situation they didn't even know how to get out of.† I gave him a suspicious look. â€Å"And how do you even know about this? This is all guardian business.† An expression I didn't like at all came over his face. â€Å"Ah, well, I was with your mother last night and–â€Å" â€Å"Whoa, okay. Just stop,† I interrupted. â€Å"I do not want to hear what you and my mother were doing last night. I think that'd be worse than the bridge.† He grinned. â€Å"Both are in the past, so no need to worry now. Enjoy your success.† â€Å"I'll try. Just don't do me any more favors with Adrian, okay? I mean, I'm glad you came to support me, but that's more than enough.† Abe gave me a canny look, reminding me that underneath that swagger he was indeed a shrewd and dangerous man. â€Å"You were more than happy to have me do you a favor after your return from Russia.† I grimaced. He had a point, seeing as he had managed to get a message into a high-security prison. Even if it hadn't led to anything, he still got points. â€Å"Okay,† I admitted. â€Å"That was pretty amazing. And I'm grateful. I still don't know how you pulled that off.† Suddenly, like a dream you recall a day later, I remembered the thought I'd had just before my trials. I lowered my voice. â€Å"You didn't actually go there, did you?† He snorted. â€Å"Of course not. I wouldn't set foot in that place. I simply worked my network.† â€Å"Where is that place?† I asked, hoping I sounded bland. He wasn't fooled. â€Å"Why do you want to know?† â€Å"Because I'm curious! Convicted criminals always disappear without a trace. I'm a guardian now, and I don't even know anything about our own prison system. Is there just one prison? Are there lots?† Abe didn't answer right away. He was studying me carefully. In his business, he suspected everyone of ulterior motives. As his daughter, I was probably doubly suspect. It was in the genes. He must have underestimated my potential for insanity because he said at last, â€Å"There's more than one. Victor's in one of the worst. It's called Tarasov.† â€Å"Where is it?† â€Å"Right now?† He considered. â€Å"In Alaska, I think.† â€Å"What do you mean, ‘right now'?† â€Å"It moves throughout the year. Right now it's in Alaska. Later, it'll be in Argentina.† He gave me a sly smile, apparently wondering how astute I was. â€Å"Can you guess why?† â€Å"No, I–wait. Sunlight.† It made perfect sense. â€Å"Alaska's got almost nonstop daylight this time of year–but nonstop night in the winter.† I think he was prouder of my realization than of my trials. â€Å"Any prisoners trying to escape would have a hard time.† In full sun, no Moroi fugitive would get very far. â€Å"Not that anyone can escape through that level of security anyway.† I tried to ignore how foreboding that sounded. â€Å"Seems like they'd put it pretty far north in Alaska then,† I said, hoping to worm out the actual location indirectly. â€Å"You get more light that way.† He chuckled. â€Å"Even I can't tell you that. That's information the guardians keep close, buried in their headquarters.† I froze. Headquarters†¦ Abe, despite being usually observant, didn't notice my reaction. His eyes were watching something across the room. â€Å"Is that Renee Szelsky? My, my†¦ she's grown lovely over the years.† I grudgingly waved him away, largely because I wanted to chase this new plan in my mind–and because Renee wasn't anyone I knew very well, which made him hitting on her less appalling. â€Å"Well, don't let me stop you. Go lure more women into your web.† Abe didn't need much prodding. Alone, I let my brain spin, wondering if my developing scheme had any chance of success. His words had sparked a new plan in my mind. It wasn't much crazier than most of my others. Across the room, I met Lissa's jade eyes again. With Christian out of sight, her mood had improved. She was enjoying herself and was excited about the adventures ahead of us, now that we were free and out in the world. My mind flashed back to the anxieties I'd felt earlier in the day. We might be free now, but reality would catch up with us soon. The clock was ticking. Dimitri was waiting, watching. I wondered briefly if I'd still get his weekly letters, now that I'd be leaving the school. I smiled at her, feeling kind of bad that I'd be ruining her mood when I told her we might now have a very real chance of busting out Victor Dashkov.

Unit 1 Discussion Bus102 Example

Unit 1 Discussion Bus102 Example Unit 1 Discussion Bus102 – Coursework Example work: Business Discussion Trader Joes’ Exemplary Service I recently got sorted by Trader Joe’s which is an American specialty as well as privately held grocery chain. Trader Joe’s core business is stocking as well as selling items, with 80% of them bearing one of its own trademark names. They retail in such products as gourmet foods, vegetarian foods, imported foods, unique frozen foods, organic foods, imported and domestic beer and wine as well, as staples such as cereals, bread, eggs, coffee, dairy as well as produce. Trader Joe’s also stocks non-food items such as household cleaners, pet food, flowers, and plants as well as personal hygiene items. The situation was actually a request. My fiancà ©e and I were snowed in camp site during the holidays. Being away from town, we were worried that we were not going to have access to enough food because of the coming storm as well as bad weather in the region. After calling several stores in a desperate effort to look for someone who would deliver to us at our campsite, we finally reached Trader Joe’s†¦they told us that they usually do not deliver†¦generally. However, due to the prevailing circumstance, they told us that they would happily deliver directly to where we were and even made suggestions on other products that would perfectly fit with the kind of weather we were in. After we placed the order, the Customer Care Representative (CSR) told us that we need not worry about the price: they would deliver free of charge and that she hoped we would have a merry Christmas. In less than half an hour the food was at our campsite, paid in full!I interacted directly with customer service over the phone. Actually I never used any of their self services. My expectation was that they would at least send the food over. The CSR actually set my expectations and completely exceeded them. The CSR was quick to offer a solution and demonstrated not only a can-do and caring attitude bu t also we are here for you anytime you need us-kind of attitude. The CSR not only went an extra mile, she also ensured that the food has been safely delivered, at no charge at all! She took charge and ownership of the situation and exceeded our expectations. Trader Joe’s must maintain that kind of service to its customers. That was an awesome service and one that raised the bar for other corporates to follow. The service left me satisfied and made me hold the grocery chain in very high regard. I felt really valued and cared for. If I were a manager, I would ensure there is quick resolution of issues raised by customers, proper training of staff on how to handle customers, as well as trying as much as possible to act on the terms of the customers in an endeavor to enhance our customer care experience.Works citedinc.com/guides/improve-your-companys-customer-service.htmltraderjoes.com/

Beauty and politics Arthur Danto

Beauty and politics Arthur Danto Introduction Does the world deserve beauty? In â€Å"beauty and politics,† Arthur Danto appreciates and demonstrates that, beauty is scarce in the recent art. Danto seeks to explain human beings attitude regarding beauty and how it can be used appropriately.Advertising We will write a custom critical writing sample on â€Å"Beauty and politics† Arthur Danto specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More With reference to Kant, Danto suggests that beauty is a sort of universal phenomena that is part of the human experience especially if presented in a good manner. Danto examines the work of Georg Hegel and concludes that beauty is actually appropriate especially when celebrating the loss of life for it reminds the bereaved of that pain as part of human experience. This paper will focus on summarizing Danto’s question â€Å"does the world deserve beauty† with reference to Georg Hegel’s position and how my motherâ₠¬â„¢s absence in my life can be connected to Danto’s or Hegel’s insights. In this article, Danto observes that in the past people would bathe on a Saturday night so that they could be clean during the Sabbath. On Sunday morning, they would adorn special clothing to symbolize the moral difference existing between the outside and the inside. This action metaphorically gives the difference between the hardship human beings experience during their lifetime and the heavenly kingdom that they await. Danto quotes Adam Verver who does not believe in taking responsibility for the world that has brought him great opulence in his life. He goes on to observe that â€Å"life is a punishment and beauty is for the life to come if we do our duty here on earth† (Danto 116). The argument is that, being philosophical on matters of religion and worldly beauty could be termed as breach on morality.Advertising Looking for critical writing on rhetoric? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More To demonstrate the breach of morality in such situations, Danto goes on to exemplify with sexual discrimination against women and the poor doing nothing about the homeless. Danto concludes that, if philosophy was to be linked with beauty then the argument on â€Å"moral appropriateness of beauty† will be quite clear (Danto 116). Hegel connects philosophy and art terming these two as â€Å"Absolute Spirit.† Hegel talks about the spirit and self-knowledge and artistic beauty as a product of these two. At the same time, Hegel observes that natural beauty does not come from the spirit. Considering the absence of my mother in my life, I can connect with Danto’s assumption that â€Å"it is as though beauty were a kind of catalyst, transforming raw grief into tranquil sadness† (Danto 117). Following Danto’s observation about appropriate beauty, I can confirm that beauty does influence the healing of an individual when they have lost their loved ones. In the political front, beauty is a matter of moral appropriateness and in such a case it is wrong. The reason why beauty influences the healing after the loss of my mother emanates from artwork or rather internal beauty. Beauty is connected to our human nature especially our mood. Losing a loved one affects a human being emotionally and psychologically thus worldly beauty found in artwork can help in the healing process. From this perspective, it is a fact that the world does deserve beauty to help in the healing process.Advertising We will write a custom critical writing sample on â€Å"Beauty and politics† Arthur Danto specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Even though Hegel does recognize the sense of individuality and the love for our loved ones, he does not recognize beauty as part of the healing process when death comes knocking. Hegel agrees with Kant on the issu e that beauty is universal and gives human beings experience if presented in a good way. Beauty is significant as well as vital in our lives and that is why time and resources are put in the preservation of beauty. Some philosophers like Hegel have argued that beauty does not play an important role in the human life terming it as vague. In conclusion, the world does deserve beauty for it soothes and through art a harmonious and beautiful universe is created. Beauty is not useless or unreliable as some people would say. Through beauty, I have learned to celebrate my mother’s life rather than mourn. I concur with Danto’s insights regarding beauty and the conclusion that the world deserves it to keep the human race joyous and alive. Danto, Arthur C. The Abuse of Beauty: Aesthetics and the Concept of Art. Chicago, Ill.u.a.: Open Court, 2003. Print.

Catching Up at a Reunion With English Idioms in Context

Catching Up at a Reunion With English Idioms in Context Here is a dialogue with two friends who meet at their 20th high school reunion. Try reading the dialogue one time to understand the gist without using the idiom definitions. On your second reading, use the definitions to help you understand the text while learning new idioms. Catching Up at a Reunion Doug and Alan are old friends. In fact, they went to high school together twenty years ago. Its been a long time since theyve seen each other. Todays their high school reunion - their twentieth! They meet each other and catch up on what theyve been doing these past twenty years. Doug: ALAN!!!! Its so good to see you again! How long has it been? Twenty years!Alan: Long time no see, buddy. Im so glad I came to the reunion. I had the feeling you would be here. Doug: I wouldnt miss it for the world. Wow, youre dressed to kill.  Alan: Its not every day that we have our twentieth reunion.   Doug: Youve got a point there. Why dont we have a seat and catch up? Im sure youve got plenty of stories.Alan: Im sure you do, too. Lets booze it up a little and exchange stories. Doug: Still drinking, huh?  Alan: Whats thats supposed to mean? Doug: Im just yanking your chain. Of course, were going to drink to celebrate. In fact, I play on having both sheets in the wind by the end of the evening.Alan: Thats my buddy. What are you drinking? Doug: Whisky sour, you?Alan: Im just working on a beer. Doug: So what do you do to bring home the bacon?Alan:   Oh, thats a long story. Its not been so easy, but were getting by. Doug: Really? Im sorry to hear that.Alan: Yeah, well, I, unfortunately, flunked out of college, so I had to take what I could get. Doug: Im sorry to hear that. What happened?  Alan: I just didnt think it was worth the time, so I let my studies slide. Now, I really regret it. Doug: But you look pretty good! Im sure youre doing OK.Alan: Well, I had to find a new goal. I got into sales, and have done quite well. Doug: Im glad to hear everything has worked out for the best.Alan: It hasnt been the best case scenario, but not the worst case scenario either. Doug: Its funny how things go.Alan: Yes, sometimes its best to face the music and make the best of it.   Doug: Yes.Alan: So, enough about me. What about you? Are you among the movers and shakers? Doug: Well, I have to admit, Ive done well.  Alan: Im not surprised. You always had a good head for figures. You went into business, right? Doug: Yes, it was that obvious, wasnt it?Alan: You were kind of a nerd. Doug: Hey, I was not. I was also good in tennis.Alan: I know. Im just pushing your buttons. You were always worried about being called a nerd. Doug: Its been great seeing you again.Alan: You, too Doug. I wish you all the best.   Idioms Used in the Dialogue have a whale of a time to enjoy yourself, have a good timecatch up to see an old friend and discuss lifeboth sheets in the wind very drunkjust what the doctor ordered exactly what someone needs to dodressed to kill wearing very nice clothingbooze it up to drink a lot of alcohol  yank someones chain to joke around with someone, kid someonepush someones buttons to talk about something that you know upsets someonemovers and shakers successful people, the elitebring home the bacon to make money for the familyflunk out to fail classes and have to leave school or collegelong time no see we havent seen each other in a long time!best case scenario the best possible outcome for a situationworst case scenario the worst possible outcome for a situationface the music to accept responsibility for somethinghave a good head for figures to be good at business Its important to learn and use idioms in context. Of course, idioms are not always easy to understand. There are idiom and expression resources that can help with definitions, but reading them in short stories can also provide context that make them come more alive.

Colonial History of the United States Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 5

Colonial History of the United States - Essay Example Each of the groups was very different from each other and came to settle here for a variety of reasons which included both religious and social aspects. They contributed ideas based on government, religion, family, gender and different occupations. Every colony had its own ‘distinct social, religious, political and economic structures’. During the period of Reconquista, both Spain and Portugal gained a lot of experience in conquests and as well as colonization. In addition to this, their skills at ship navigation served as tools to help them colonize the New World. During the 15th century, the leaders who ruled the European nations were the New Monarchs who strived hard to unify their nations. They created a strong and stable centralized government which made way for a burst of economic growth in Europe. This government brought about many good changes which included limiting the power created by the Feudal Aristocracy. Though a charter granted the rights of Englishmen to its subjects, yet they were not allowed to take an active part in their own government. A few years later, Sir Edwin Sandy brought about a radical change in the government by granting the colonists a share in its government which was ‘the first representative body in America’, (See Moreys "Genesis of a Written Constitution," Annals of American Academy, Vol. I p. 529 sq.) called the House of Burgesses. In society, gender differences were maintained. Both men and women worked alongside each other, but in their homes, women had to be subordinate to the authority exercised by their husbands following the patriarchal system of the family. The man was considered as the head of the family and he is the one who took all the major decisions where his family was concerned.  

Different Generations of X-ray CT Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Different Generations of X-ray CT - Essay Example 1st Generation: Parallel projections Had a single X-ray source and detector cell to collect data for just a single slice. It produced pencil beam and worked via the translation and rotation process. 2nd Generation: multiple detectors They had several detectors and the X-ray source emitted radiations in a wide angle. They would obtain multiple scans multiple projections in a single scan. 3rd: Generation: Fan Beam It had a large array of detectors and would scan in about two seconds. The detector and tube array would rotate around the patient. 4th Generation: A rotating X-ray tube and stationary detector ring It reduced complexity by reducing motions. Eliminated the translation and rotation motion, had a large fan beam, and had about 4,800 detectors. 5th Generation: Electron Beam CT It was characterized by a large ring that circled the patient. They would produce electron beams of high energy and capable of scanning in milliseconds. It would produce 17 CT slices every second.

Travel agency website Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Travel agency website - Essay Example Man by nature travels from one place to another. This is evidenced by the annual volume of the inbound and outbound travellers here and abroad. Travellers usually utilize one or a combination the land, marine, and air transportation modes. They may travel on their own without the assistance of a travel agency, if they are already familiar of the place to stay in or visited.Majority of them usually employ the services of travel agencies to book various travel services needed and to get rid of preparing it themselves and end up in a costly, unorganized, and not enjoyed travel.With the advent of e-commerce technology and the use of the internet, people from all walks of life may book their travels in a traditional way or online. Online bookings need to be done interactively using a travel agency's website. The website's user interface design is very crucial in a travel agency for it replaces the traditional way of interacting with the customer. The extent of the services and care that a n agency can give face to face to customers should at least be replicated or surpassed in the online version.In a travel agency website we could think of several scenarios of use. The following types of users are considered in this study, namely: the students, the professionals, the tourists, and the immigrants.Students profile includes local, national, international students.... This group includes the business travellers, delegates, participants, speakers, and convenors of conferences, conventions, trainings, seminars and parallel activities. This may also include government representatives to conduct official business activities in this country as well as in other countries. Tourists profile includes local, national, and international tourists. Their goals and needs are the following: booking their travels in a pre-scheduled basis or open scheduled basis, usually they need additional services like hotel accommodations, local travel services, and other services specifically designed for tourists. This group includes a wide and a very diverse array of travellers. Travellers classified in other groups may in one time or another are also classified or combined here. Immigrants profile includes local, national, and international immigrants. They may be inbound or outbound immigrants granted immigrant status here or in other countries. Their goals and needs are the following: booking their travels in a pre-scheduled or open basis, usually they need additional services like hotel, apartment, and house accommodations, local travel agency assistance, and other services specifically designed for accommodating inbound immigrants and helping outbound immigrants. This group also includes government diplomatic representatives and workers The PACT Components Analysis Matrix To clearly identify, determine and describe the people, activities, context, and technologies involved, the following Table 1. PACT Components Analysis Matrix is utilized in this study. Table 1: PACT Components Analysis Matrix PACT COMPONENTS ANALYSIS MATRIX PEOPLE

Personal Statement on Education Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Personal Statement on Education - Essay Example One of the most important lessons I learned during my educational years is the integration of practical and theoretical knowledge. With this kind of perspective, I managed to intertwine learning and development of my character. As Martin Luther King suggests, the goal of true education is the combination of intelligence and character. Intelligence is our ability to gain knowledge and to learn the theoretical information given through school. Character is our personal attitude, perspective, behavior, especially towards other people. It is the way we interact and communicate with other people, whether face to face or not. I agree with King’s perspective about true education. Education is not merely about the theories or knowledge we gain from studying. The intelligence that we develop through our years in school must be combined with the character we developed through the years, as well. For me, education is not merely about learning the theoretical information offered by our pr ofessors and the books we are reading. It is the foundation of learning and personal development. It is not merely memorizing or stocking information in our minds, rather, it is supposed to be our guide in being able to think intensively, critically and creatively. That is the reason colleges do not spoonfeed information, rather, our mentors find ways to force us to think intensively, such as in essay exams, oral exams or even just the finals. Because of our schooling, our formal education, we become equipped not only with knowledge but also a critical way of thinking, which is more essential in facing the hard reality of life once we leave school. We should always remember that it is not always knowledge that will be the basis of our success, rather it is the way we use this knowledge. And so, I strongly agree with King that the goal of true education is the combination of intelligence and character. What is the use of intelligence when we don’t have the right character or a ttitude in life. Thus, this points to what true education is. It is essentially how we put into practice what we have learned through our formal education. It is to strengthen our character based on what we learned and believe in through everything we have gathered through our formal education. That is what true education should bring, not merely information but intelligence and character into one. I realized this even more when I was put in a place wherein I need to practice critical thinking, which is practically what I have been doing in school. It was a choice of what school to go into. I need to determine the pros and cons of leaving one school for the other. The decision I made was not just because of what I know about the school, rather it was about what I believe in. It was more about how I think the school will help me in developing not only my knowledge about things but also my character.  

Dell Computer Corporation Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Dell Computer Corporation - Assignment Example It is responsible for designing, developing and manufacturing processes of a wide range of products. It also markets, distributes and sells various products that are tailored to fit individual customer necessities that include desktop computers, mobility products, software, servers and storage, services and networking. The company has four large segments that support its operations. These segments include Large Enterprise segment, Public segment, Business and Consumer and Small and Medium segments (Aruvian's R'search , 2008, p. 14). The Large Enterprise segment is responsible for the innovation of products and services by using cloud computing solutions and data center. The Public segment is responsible for services that include simplification of IT, provision of faster provision of Information Technology applications, the expansion of enterprise and services operations and increase of customer relations. The Small and Medium Business segment is specifically deals with small and medi um enterprises through offering open and capable solutions including innovative products and customizable services and solutions. The last segment deals with customer care. This paper will analyzes the Dell, inc. Company in terms of its history, its activities, key financial activities, SWOT analysis, PEST analysis and competitor activities among other details. Investigation methodology In the study and analysis of the Dell, Inc. Company, the information was provided by conducting a research in relevant websites, company profiles, and its financial details that include sales turnover, profit and growth details. Research was also undertaken on books and journal materials that provided information about Dell, Inc. and comparisons made with its competitors. Company outline Dell was established in 1984 in Texas, by Michael Dell who is the owner. The company was named after him. The company was initially known as PCs limited. It employs over 100,000 people around the world in 180 countri es around the world. He founded the company on the basis of a simple concept that through the sale of computer systems to customers, the company could provide for the needs of the customers by ensuring that it provided effective computing solutions to meet the specific needs of customers (Pinegar, March, 13, 2002).1988 was also a significant year for Dell, Inc because it went public giving 3.5 million shares of its company’s stock to the public. Currently, Dell Inc. is the leading retailer of computer systems in the whole world. It controls a global market share of more than 15 percent. Dell deals in several products and services that include for designing, developing and manufacturing processes of a wide range of products. It also markets, distributes and sells various products that are tailored to fit individual customer necessities that include desktop computers, mobility products, software, servers and storage, services and networking (Pinegar, March, 13, 2002). Dell, Inc . has experienced growth in terms of its sales turnover, profit and development. Starting an estimated cost of $1000 dollars, Dell, Inc. has grown with a fiscal of 11 per cent increase from $13.43bn year-over-year. In 2010, through the sale of the cheap PCs, the company increased its percentage of sales. In the quarter that ended in the end of January 2010, Dell had increased its earnings to $334. In 2011, Dell had enterprise

Personal Statement on Education Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Personal Statement on Education - Essay Example One of the most important lessons I learned during my educational years is the integration of practical and theoretical knowledge. With this kind of perspective, I managed to intertwine learning and development of my character. As Martin Luther King suggests, the goal of true education is the combination of intelligence and character. Intelligence is our ability to gain knowledge and to learn the theoretical information given through school. Character is our personal attitude, perspective, behavior, especially towards other people. It is the way we interact and communicate with other people, whether face to face or not. I agree with King’s perspective about true education. Education is not merely about the theories or knowledge we gain from studying. The intelligence that we develop through our years in school must be combined with the character we developed through the years, as well. For me, education is not merely about learning the theoretical information offered by our pr ofessors and the books we are reading. It is the foundation of learning and personal development. It is not merely memorizing or stocking information in our minds, rather, it is supposed to be our guide in being able to think intensively, critically and creatively. That is the reason colleges do not spoonfeed information, rather, our mentors find ways to force us to think intensively, such as in essay exams, oral exams or even just the finals. Because of our schooling, our formal education, we become equipped not only with knowledge but also a critical way of thinking, which is more essential in facing the hard reality of life once we leave school. We should always remember that it is not always knowledge that will be the basis of our success, rather it is the way we use this knowledge. And so, I strongly agree with King that the goal of true education is the combination of intelligence and character. What is the use of intelligence when we don’t have the right character or a ttitude in life. Thus, this points to what true education is. It is essentially how we put into practice what we have learned through our formal education. It is to strengthen our character based on what we learned and believe in through everything we have gathered through our formal education. That is what true education should bring, not merely information but intelligence and character into one. I realized this even more when I was put in a place wherein I need to practice critical thinking, which is practically what I have been doing in school. It was a choice of what school to go into. I need to determine the pros and cons of leaving one school for the other. The decision I made was not just because of what I know about the school, rather it was about what I believe in. It was more about how I think the school will help me in developing not only my knowledge about things but also my character.  

Medical Microbiology - GI Tract, CNS, Urogenital Tract Assignment

Medical Microbiology - GI Tract, CNS, Urogenital Tract - Assignment Example The infections are usually characterized by frequent urge to urinate, painful and general malaise. The UTIs reoccurrence is most common in 40% of the UTI females. The infection occurs with the E.Coli but with a different strain. The key features of Uropathogenic E.Coli are Type I cystitis and Pili pyelonephritits. The use of catheters is the most common health associated infections. Staphylococcus saprophytics: It is considered to be the second most frequent causative agent of acute UTI, particularly in Women. Patients with UTI caused by this agent usually experience symptomatic cystitis. It causes UTIs in sexually active women. Proteus mirabilis: The virulence factor associated with this is proteases, haemolysins, and Biofilm formation. Biofilms are the group of microorganisms growing on the surfaces enclosed as â€Å"slime†. Apart from the UPEC’s, staphylococcus saprophytic, Candida, proteus mirabilis, klebseilla and mycoplasma and urethra plasma organisms are responsible. The diagnosis includes leukocyte esterase test, nitrates test, etc. The juxta position of urinary and genital tracks are more common. Prostatitis and Epididymitis are other related clinical outcomes. Antibiotics are used for the treatment. 1) Although urine contains various salts, and waste products, it usually does not have bacteria in it. However, when________ bacteria gets into the bladder or kidney, it will multiply cause Urinary Tract Infections. 3) Urogenital infections not caused by sexual transmission, namely yeast vaginitis, bacterial vaginosis, and urinary tract infection remain a major medical problem in terms of the number of women afflicted each year. Which of the following microbe is not responsible for the urogenital infections? Sexually transmitted Diseases (STDs) are transmitted by anal and oral routes. The micro organisms are transmitted through the exchange of the body fluids from the infected to susceptible partners. WHO

Demand for Champagne in recent years Essay Example for Free

Demand for Champagne in recent years Essay The rise in demand for champagne recently can be set down to certain factors. The six determinants that will have affected the rise in demand for champagne over the last few years include: Rise in income, rise in the price of substitutes, fall in price of complements, change in tastes (in favour of champagne), increase in population and an increase in price expected. This can be broken down. Firstly, a rise in income means that people in general will have more available spending money, which can then be allocated to champagne (usually a normal good). If it is indeed a normal good, the usual rules will apply where an increase in Y (income) will mean an increase in demand. The second factor to consider is a rise in the price of substitutes. When champagne is considered, substitutes such as wine or perhaps whisky must be taken into account. If wine is not selling well, or perhaps it is a very good year for selling and the prices are allowed to rise, there will be a lower demand for wine. This drop in demand for wine will mean more available income that can possibly be spent on champagne, therefore a rise in demand for it. A fall in the price of substitutes would also increase the demand for champagne. When something is purchased and another product is necessary (or merely a want) to go hand-in-hand with it, income is needed for both. In the case of champagne, glasses are a complement. If the price of glasses falls, the money that would have been spent on the glasses can therefore be used instead for more champagne. A change in tastes can also affect the demand for champagne. If over the past few years people feel that champagne is a very prestigious drink to have with celebrations and more and more people start purchasing it, the demand for it will rise. An increase in population creates quite a simple example: more people, more consumption. The more people there are the more possible consumers to spend money on champagne. Finally, the price expected can create a rise in demand. If, for example, prices were expected to rise over the next few years, consumers in general would usually purchase champagne now as it is a good that keeps for a long time and would be a much more rational thing to do to purchase it at a cheaper price now than for a dearer price later (for the same good. )

The History Of Bossa Nova

The History Of Bossa Nova The Brazilian music style Bossa Nova is a music genre part of Brazilian Popular Music created in 1958 and faded out about 1963, lasting officially only six years. This musical style is probably the most known style from Brazil in the whole world, having achieved significant success in the four parts of the world such as the United States, Western Europe, Japan and most importantly in its country of birth. This important music style shall be investigated and analysed carefully in the hope of obtaining valuable and interesting points about the history of this revolutionary musical phenomenon. To understand the musical style it is essential to first understand the origin of the term Bossa Nova. The term Bossa was widely used in the 1930s as a slang word in the city of Rio de Janeiro. It meant to do something in a different but very original way. The term was basically used to describe something in a cool or trendy way. The Portuguese word Nova in simple English term means new. The translation of the whole term would therefore be something like New Trend. The term basically was created by the youth of that time, as a form of opposing everything they believed to be old, ancient and outdated in Brazilian Music. Bossa Nova was heavily criticised when it first came out to the people, mainly due to its strong influences from American music and especially on post war American culture. Big names such as of pianist Stan Kenton were said to be a major influence on the style, due to his new and innovative methods in his American jazz orchestra. Another influence mentioned by critics is of impressionist composers such as Claude Debussy and Maurice Rave, both playing an important role in the creation of the style. The most obvious and most common style influence however to the human ear comes clearly from American music such as cool jazz and even bebop. This is mainly due to the use of dissonant chords which is very common in jazz music. These musical styles and influences, along with the youths discontent with the music scenario at the time, encouraged the musical revolutionaries to modernise music, thus creating the beautiful style known to all of us as bossa nova. Another definite and positive mus ical influence coming from Brazilian popular music is of local singers Lucio Alves and Dick Farney. Both singers were famous in the 1950s for having soft and peaceful vocals, as opposed to the stereotypical stronger and more powerful voice which was very common at the time. Dick Farneys music is considered nowadays to be the Pre bossa nova phase. All of these factors contributed to the creation of the style and practically differentiated the bossa nova style from all of the other existing acts in the world. During the year of 1957 and onwards, a selective group of middle classed young and aspiring musicians would gather together frequently in order to socialise, but most importantly, to play and make music. These people would get together and share their ideas in apartments or houses, at different spots around the city. The main place however where these people played music was at Nara Leaos apartment in Copacabana, a noble district in the city of Rio de Janeiro. The beautiful Nara Leà £o, at the time was only 15 years old, but nonetheless still participated in those reunions and already at that age showed great taste for music and outstanding vocal abilities. Nara Leao would later become a professional singer, touring with artists such as Sergio Mendes and becoming one of the styles greatest female icon, being referred to as thebossa novas muse and becoming forever immortalized in bossa novas history. In those musical reunions great musicians and singers such as Carlos Lyra and Robert o Menescal played part and were frequent attenders. As time progressed, that group gained more visibility and increased in size. Artists such as Ronaldo Boscoli, Chico Feitosa and the great Joao Gilberto soon made part of that same group which would revolutionize Brazilian music. Bossa nova was above all an emerging urban movement in the country during the developing phase of Juscelino Kubitscheks presidency years. It is believed by many critics that the style happened after the re-encounter of two members from the groups, Tom Jobim and Joao Gilberto in the year of 1957. According to writer Sà ³stenes Pernambuco Pires Barros (2001, my translation) Some researchers believe that from those meetings Bossa Nova was created. Poet Vinicius de Moraes agrees however the theme is very controversial. A massive surprise that was introduced by the style was the fact that the lyrics in the songs contrasted heavily with what was being played at the time. The lyrics from the style generally adopted light and easy going themes, something very different to the original samba songs which were usually sad and depressing. As was mentioned before, the form of singing and the way in which the lyrics were delivered in bossa nova style was completely different to the other more operatic voices in the music business. The style brought a form of different singing, instead of actually singing the words, singers would practically speak in a very colloquial way the words, thus singing in a not so loud way. By doing this, the focus of the song was ultimately the lyrics of the song, the way in which they were narrated to the listeners and most importantly the form that the accompaniment and harmony of the song were directly connected to the singing, as opposed to having weak harmonies and powerful vo ices. In order to revolutionise Brazilian music, composers from the style would use extensively the so called dissonant chords, which later rather ironically as a form of manifesto against the critics, Tom Jobim composed the tune called Desafinado (Out of Tune, my translation). It is important to state that the musical revolutionaries didnt in any way dislike the existing national musical styles, but intead believed that the the old samba tunes were especially melancholic and very depressing. The youth of the nation believed that the music had to be changed sooner or later. They would in the future go ahead and create the style bossa nova. A style that contained different harmonies, simpler lyrics and poetries, happy thoughts and most importantly, new rhythms. The style was however not intended to be better or worse than the other styles, it was meant to be simply different. Different from everything, more refined and with more optimistic views on the future. Brazilian writer who li ved and took part in the whole movement Sà ³stenes Pernambuco Pires Barros (2001, my translation) states that In reality, it cant even be classed as a musical genre. It is the form in which the music is treated, in relation to beats and rhythm. The first Bossa Nova mark officially started in May 1958 when female singer Elizeth Cardosos tracks were released in a LP with various artists. One of her two tracks was called Canà §Ãƒ £o Do Amor Demais (Loveful Tune, my translation). The LP featured the legendary Joao Gilberto playing guitar in her both tracks. These turned out to be the recordings that would characterize the new invented guitar accompaniment made by Joao Gilberto, which in a few years would be one of the styles greatest trademark feature. This feature was in actual fact the syncopated guitar groove, which was syncopated on every weak drum beat. That same LP was produced by label Festa and featured the other track by singer Elizeth Cardoso called Chega de Saudade (Enough of Longing) by the genius musical partners Tom Jobim and poet Vinicius de Morais. The LP when released intended to focus mainly on the partners and especially on Vinicius de Moraiss work, since he wished to record his best poetry and as consequenc e release it to the people. Surprisingly enough, according to a famous local journalist at the time Ruy Castro (1990, p.175, my translation) As opposed to what is believed today, that LP was not a hit when it was released in May 1958. Later on that year the same Joao Gilberto went on to record an LP as a solo artists in which for the first time he would sing and play. The LP featured one of the singers own songs, the tune Bim Bom but most importantly featured the same song from before Chega de Saudade of partners Tom Jobim and Vinicius de Moraes. Joao Gilberto brought his own special touch again to the cover version such as the characteristic guitar accompaniment and beat to the music, and in a sense brought to life once more the important features that would later become strong characteristics of the style. Joao Gilberto in his version also innovated and created the new way of singing to fit the style. He had sung the song using the features of the style mentioned previously above, this is singing with a not very loud voice and in a sense, nearly whispering into the microphone. The singer would later achieve both national and international success with that same song which features over 100 different covers by different artists, from those days until nowadays. According to the original composer of the song Tom Jobim The bossa nova of the song Chega de Saudade is practically concentrated on the harmonies, the altered chords which were not so used by musicians at the time, and in the new guitar hand picking groove executed by Joao Gilberto(2002, http://www.dicionariompb.com.br/verbete.asp?nome=Bossa+Novatabela=T_FORM_C). During the initial years, musicians from the old reunion groups formed in 1957 would play and present some of their music in local universities, in order to introduce their music to the people. Bossa nova music was in fact the first Brazilian musical movement to egress from universities, seeing that all of their initials performances took part in those areas. The musical group as a result gained even more visibility and followers, such as of composer Leny Andrade, famous for his instrumental music and the nowadays famous Sergio Mendes. As time progressed, the style was taken slowly to the other parts of the city of Rio de Janeiro, such as small venues and bars in the district of Copacabana, before achieving worldwide success and become a musical epidemic. After a few performances, musician Tom Jobim started to rise in popularity, as people got to listen more and understand better the new style being played. Tom Jobims music plays an important part in the history of classic bossa nova with tunes such as Desafinado and Samba De Uma Nota Sà ³ (One Note Samba, my translation). Those two songs in actual fact were the first songs chosen from the bossa nova style to enter the competitive American music market in the early 1960s. Together with Vinicius de Moraes, Tom Jobim created the all time bossa nova anthem known as Garota de Ipanema(Girl From Ipanema, my translation). That song in actual fact would later become the second most famous Brazilian song in the whole word, after only Aquarela do Brasil by composer Ary Barroso. Following the great acceptance of the style in American grounds, bossa nova artists were invited to play in what is known to many Brazilian musicians, as a historical concert in 1962 in the Carnegie Hall, New York. Some artists that played part in this event were obviously Tom Jobim and Joao Gilberto, Carlos Lyra, Sergio Mendes and many other famous names at the time. The concert was intended to approximate the bossa nova artists to the American people and the event proved to be a great success, opening new doors and boundaries for that style of music internationally. That concert had such great demands and visibility that it was broadcast to the whole world live. Since then, Tom Jobims song Garota de Ipanema has been featured and played in more than 150 different recordings by different artists. The song was such a successful hit that besides being played by the composer himself in 1963, it was also played shortly after by Sarah Vaughan in 1964, Stan Gets in 1966, Frank Sinatra and Tom Jobim together in 1967 and even the great Ella Fitzgerald in 1971, amongst other great national and international artists. Jazz saxofonist Stan Getz and guitarrist Charlie Byrd in 1962 even recorded a cover instrumental version of the song Desafinado by Tom Jobim, showing once more the great acceptance of bossa nova music on international grounds. The chronological end of the style in 1963 didnt by any means signify that the style would whatsoever become extinct. In fact, the style left a great big legacy of fans and followers and especially admirers of the great style. As was mentioned before, songs were extensively covered by great names of jazz music even after the official end of the Bossa Nova Years as a form of paying back what the Brazilian style did to their music. As Bossa Nova grew in America consequently so did Jazz music. In 1965, thus after the end of the musical movement, poet Vinicius de Moraes and musician Edu Lobo composed a song called Arrastao (Dragging, my translation). That same song was covered by singer Elis Regina. That song marked the end of Bossa Nova but only the start of what was going to be called in the future as MPB(Brazilian Popular Music), a style that would fuse many Brazilian styles and influences until the 1980s. In present time concerts are still put on dedicated to the Bossa Nova style suc h as when the style completed 40 years and other celebratory events. Also, in more recent years the style influenced greatly other generations of artists from a post British punk scene such as bands Style Council, Everything but the Girl and even Jamiroquai. The style can still be frequently heard also in electronic music where djs have used bossa nova influences, creating the style bossa electrica. From all of this it can be finally be concluded that although the style only lasted roughly six years, the great impact that it had on the people at those times and even nowadays is unquestionable. Bossa nova was undoubtedly a revolution in Brazilian music for the important changes it brought such as the developed way of singing and especially the syncopated guitar picking, thus creating the classic bossa nova groove. During the years, it was widely recognised as being an exotic style with songs being covered restlessly by many different artists around the world. The style also brought and made people more aware of great composers such as Tom Jobim and Joao Gilberto, which is considered to be the pope of the style for his creations and creations in Brazilian music. Bossa nova left behind a great legacy in music and with no doubts whatsoever will hopefully continue to do so, bringing happier, harmonic and enjoyable music to its listeners. Word Count: 2498 Reference List Barros, S.P.P. (2001) Histà ³rias da Bossa Nova Available at: http://www.almacarioca.com.br/mpb.htm (Accessed: 17 April 2009) Castro, Ruy. (1990) Chega de Saudade, Sà £o Paulo: Companhia das Letras, 1990 Dicionà ¡rio Cravo Albin da Musica Brasileira, 2002 Available: http://www.dicionariompb.com.br/verbete.asp?nome=Bossa+Novatabela=T_FORM_C (Accessed): 17 April 2009)

Pros and Cons of Facebook Essay -- Social Networking, Social Media

Facebook Dangers Because students often post detailed and specific information on Facebook (including phone numbers, addresses, class schedules, social plans, etc.) you can be more easily stalked by strangers (or even acquaintances). Identity theft can also be a significant risk of social networking. Personal details like your full name, names of your family members, your phone number, birthday, address, and place of employment can all be used by identity thieves. "Passport-style" profile photos also make it easier for identity thieves to replicate your online presence. Catfishing: Coined from the independent film "Catfish," which follows a filmmaker who discovers the truth about the online relationship he has been conducting with a woman whom he has never met, "catfishing" occurs when a user creates a false or highly-exaggerated social media profile for the purposes of conducting a relationship online. Some profiles are created out of boredom or loneliness, while others are created to exact revenge or cause embarrassment to the targeted party. Common signs[1] that you are being catfished can include: Inability to contact the other party "in person" - their cell phone is broken or has been stolen, they will not use Skype or SnapChat, they will not or cannot meet you in public despite the seriousness of your relationship. Their photographs appear to be highly edited, stylized, or otherwise unrealistic. You can search Google by image file in order to determine whether the photos you've received are legitimate. Details of their personal life consistently changing, or they have a life story that seems unbelievable or outlandish. If the relationship becomes too intense, they may develop a life-threatening illness, or... ...ion about you[3]. Using a group photo for your profile picture can also make it more difficult for thieves to replicate your identity online. Be prepared to answer questions about your social networking page or other social account in job interviews. It has become common for interviewers to ask applicants, "Are you on a social networking site?" and "What is on your profile?" Be prepared to either decline the question or answer honestly because employers will most likely look at your social networking account themselves... if they haven't already. [1] "Everything You Need to Know About the Catfishing Epidemic," DigitalTrends.com, Molly McHugh, August 23, 2013 [2] "Tracking Twitter, Raising Red Flags" The New York Times, Pete Thamel, March 30, 2012 [3] "Identity Theft on Social Media: Are You at Risk?" Better Business Bureau, Katie Burgoyne, June 20, 2013