Mercedes Zuniga Essays - Education, Knowledge Sharing, Learning

Mercedes Zuniga Professor Norton English 1C 23 February 2017 Life Lessons School Taught Me In school one is expected to familiarize oneself with math, science, history and the English language. But s tudents are taught more than just lessons from a textbook. The life lessons learned at school are crucial , and are just as important as the required content one must learn in a classroom. School has been full of great experiences which has and conti nues to prepare me for future obstacles I will encounter throughout adulthood. The truth is, I have forgotten the Quadratic Formula, the number of bones in the body, and the date the Constitution was written but, I will never forget the lessons that have prepared me for life. Speaking the truth, making a difference, and moving ahead all contribute to the aspects of my everyday living. I know these teachings will make a large impact on me as I continue to mature and fo r that I am eternally grateful with all school has amounted to. Even though it goes unnoticed, teachers teach valuable life skills along with all the reading and doing sums in the classroom. A big lesson would be honesty because if one is honest one will be trusted. I learned that lies lead to consequence and a person's lies can make people question the truth of their statement s . For instance, I remember a time when I lied to my teacher about a dumb 9-1-1 call that had been made through the classroom's telephone while we were on recess. I lied and told my teacher I did not know who had placed the call when in reality I did, it was my best friend and I did not want to snitch on her. Because of this action of lying we were sent to the principal's office but since we were known as good students we were sent home that day with a warning. We insisted we would be good but the rest of the year our teacher had doubts about us. When one is a child, one simply just acts with out thinking of the end result but now as an adult, if I were to do that it would lead to serious consequences. Another good example of such would be the end of a marriage and/or the loss of a job. H onesty has a vast impact on oneself because it creates peace of mind and encourages relationships of trust. It is obvious that simply being honest makes life a lot easier. Another life lesson school taught me is the great significance of making a difference. For a long time, I was confused as to what I saw myself doing for the rest of my life after grade school. With the help and guidance of my teachers, I feel as though I have been called to teach. All teachers have directed me one way or another to a good path and have even taught me to become a better person, not only for myself, but also for others. My teachers have permanently prepared me for the future through impacting my views and understandings . T eachers promote creativity, develop character, and provide students with the skills they need to reach their potential and lead productive lives. I do not want to only work for a paycheck, I want to shape the lives of children and make a real impact on the youth. At the end of the day, what matters most is that teachers create a supportive classroom atmosphere in which they can inspire their students to become more confident , motivated, and effective lifelong learners while teaching the subject matter. My favorite elementary school teacher did all this with me, it is thanks to her that I have learned I want to make a difference just as she did with me and my classmates . She instilled values in me that will stay with me forever and have helped me make me who I am today. Since then I have been truly and completely dedicated to something, and that is to someday teach the young ones of tomorrow. To me, nothing seems quite as rewarding as knowing

A Guide to In-Line Lists

A Guide to In-Line Lists A Guide to In-Line Lists A Guide to In-Line Lists By Mark Nichol This post describes how to organize in-line lists, those that occur within a sentence, as compared to vertical lists, those organized by setting the items on the list apart from each other, distinguished by numbers, letters, or other symbols, on consecutive lines. (Vertical lists will be described in a separate post.) An in-line list may consist of a set of words, phrases, or clauses, or a combination of the three. The simplest in-line list is one that consists of one-word items: â€Å"The colors of the American flag are red, white, and blue.† (Style guides differ on whether the comma preceding and, called a serial comma- or, sometimes, an Oxford comma- is necessary, but consistent use helps writers avoid creating ambiguously organized sentences.) More complex lists invite errors. For example, in the following sentence, the syntax of the list items is not consistent: â€Å"Children raised in a traditional two-parent household tend to be physically and emotionally healthier, less likely to use drugs and alcohol, engage in crime, or become pregnant outside of marriage.† One can analyze the sentence by converting it into an introductory phrase followed by a vertical list. Note how the items are not parallel in structure: Children raised in a traditional two-parent household tend to be physically and emotionally healthier less likely to use drugs and alcohol engage in crime become pregnant outside of marriage. A technically correct revision follows: Children raised in a traditional two-parent household tend to be physically and emotionally healthier less likely to use drugs and alcohol less likely to engage in crime less likely to become pregnant outside of marriage. However, the repetition of the phrase â€Å"less likely to† is distracting and is redundant to â€Å"tend to be,† and further revision of this vertical list is recommended if it is to be converted back to an in-line list. Because the four elements in this sentence are not consistently supported by verbs or verb phrases, it is best to separate the first item from the rest of the items, resulting in a sentence consisting of two elements that include examples- the first example standing on its own, and the other three retained as a three-item list: â€Å"Children raised in a traditional two-parent household tend to be physically and emotionally healthier and are less likely to use drugs and alcohol, engage in crime, or become pregnant outside of marriage.† If one or more elements in an in-line list include a comma, a stronger punctuation mark, the semicolon, must be employed to clarify the organization of the sentence. This is true when at least one element includes a single comma that sets off, for example, the name of a city and the name of a state, as in this example: Unusual names of cities and towns include Cut and Shoot, Texas; Truth or Consequences, New Mexico; and Rough and Ready, California. Semicolons are also called for when one or more items in an in-line list are themselves lists, as shown here: Unusual names of cities and towns include Cut and Shoot, Truth or Consequences, and Rough and Ready; Embarrass, Uncertain, and Waterproof; and Accident, Hazard, and Protection. Note that although some writers use semicolons to separate items in a list when the items are long and complex, doing so is unnecessary. Thus, the intervening punctuation marks in the following example are safely converted to commas: â€Å"Uncertainties include the volatility in oil and gas prices; concerns about the impact of economic sanctions in Russia to U.S. and European markets; questions about slowdowns in China; and the effects on U.S. economic policy resulting from the shift in power in the U.S. Senate in January 2015.† This is especially true if an additional clause follows the last list item, creating the implication that the clause applies only to the final item. Here, it is necessary to convert the semicolons after function and shareholders to commas: â€Å"If the chief executive officer is not willing to pay attention to the warning signs posted by the risk management function; the reward system is not sufficiently balanced with the long-term interests of shareholders; or the board is not asking tough questions about the assumptions and risks underlying the strategy, it is not likely risk management will have an impact at the crucial moment when a contrarian voice is needed.† Otherwise, the phrase beginning â€Å"it is not likely risk management . . .† would have appeared (at least when first read) to pertain only to the phrase beginning â€Å"the board is not asking tough questions . . . .† Also, semicolons are not necessary when separating only two sets of list items, rather than three or more. In the following example, or is sufficient to distinguish the two lists, and the semicolon should be omitted: â€Å"This strategy may span several departments- for example, legal, procurement, and finance; or  marketing, sales, and customer service.† Also, to aid in distinguishing items in a list, the items are sometimes preceded by sequential numbers (or, occasionally, lowercase letters) followed by a close parenthesis rather than a period, as in this example: â€Å"The three forms of rock are 1) igneous, 2) metamorphic, and 3) sedimentary.† This method of organization can be useful for enumerating and setting off complex list items (or, in the case of letters, offering options), but it is usually unnecessary, or a vertical list (without numbers or letters) may be a better option. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Common Mistakes category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:20 Great Similes from Literature to Inspire You7 Patterns of Sentence StructureEpidemic vs. Pandemic vs. Endemic

Critical Discourse in Design - Intention versus Perception Assignment

Critical Discourse in Design - Intention versus Perception - Assignment Example To achieve this, the company has a team of professionals, including the most creative minds and the best directors in the country. Some of the recent campaigns by the company include (included are the links to the commercials).   Movistar is one of the top clients for this subsidiary and they did the campaign for its networks. The title of this campaign was ‘gravity’ and one of these videos was directed by two of the most known directors in the industry, Jorge Soto and Charlie Valderrama. The commercial was in the form of a video, this makes it easy to capture the attention of the target audience. People are more likely to watch moving images than any other form of media (Art Directors Club, 2011). The content of the commercial is also limited as it only involves one character. This gives the commercial a sense of mystery as we try to understand how this central character will relate to their environment. In the commercial, the central character is seated and manages to defy gravity. The end result is that the character floats throughout the commercial. The context of this commercial is that everything is possible for the users of this network as the commercial ends with the name of the brand, Movistar. The directors used in this commercial have a history of coming up with such commercials. Their work usually involves very few characters and it is these that are used to convey the message about the product to the consumer. The intention of this commercial is to portray a scenario which is impossible to achieve, in this case, floating above the ground. This makes the viewers’ wonder how this is possible. At the end of this phase, the name of the brand appears on the screen. This creates a link between the brand and the floating character. It shows that the product has limitless capabilities and it can enable them to do a wide range of things that were previously not possible (Plunkett, 2008). All these things can be made possible due to the Movistar 4G networks.  Ã‚  

Underwater Communication Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Underwater Communication - Essay Example Underwater Communication The paper is aimed to present the different methods and forms of underwater communication.To communicate with the surface, the diver uses tools such as MK 12 SSDS, the MK 21 MOD 1, or the MK 20 MOD 0, both voice communications and line-pull signals. The voice communication is the primary means and the line-pull signals are used secondary tools of communication. For diver-to-diver communication, topside intercom, diver-to-diver hand signals, and slate boards are used (Dietrich, 1999, 6-19). The diver intercommunication systems are composed of diver’s earphones, microphone, the communication cable for each diver, the surface control unit, and the tender’s speaker and microphone. These systems allow the communication from the control station to a maximum of three divers. With voice correction circuitry feature, the system is the primary choice for tasks and activities that involve the need to communicate underwater. Another way of communication used by the divers is the li ne-pull signalling which is commonly a distinct pull or a series of sharp pulls on the line from the top to the diver. The said form of communication is based on the needs of the group and the objective of the activity, thus, most signals are established prior to the implementation (Dietrich, 1999, 6-19). Another type of underwater communication is the underwater acoustic communication. The technology works through underwater acoustic channels and is classified on the basis of the methods for compensating effects of multipath and phase variations. The underwater acoustic communication systems are divided into incoherent and coherent detection systems. The example of incoherent systems is the DATS or digital acoustic telemetry. Coherent digital receiver systems make use of specifically localized components to be able to achieve high data rates in the presence of ISI or intersymbol interference which usually affect the quality of communication. This is achieved through the use of special signal processing techniques to compensate other factors such as ISI. There are numerous methods employed and combined for application on goal-specific needs for underwater activities that require the acoustic communication techniques (Klemm, 2004, p.832). The application of underwater acoustic communic ation includes diving, underwater navigation in different types of vehicles and vessels, and even marine animals such as mammals. The underwater communication in mammals is similar to any other technology in underwater communication since there is a sender and a receiver of information. There are two types of underwater communication methods in mammals, one is that of a single sender and multiple receivers who reacts to the message and another is a complex exchange of information among different individuals. Common examples of the animals that utilize the method of underwater acoustic communication are dolphins and certain kinds of seals that use sonar for communication, navigation and hunting food (McGregor, 2005, 390). This method is also used by underwater vessels for navigation and exploration specifically in the deep waters. Sonar is a common means of communication in vessels. In the advent of technology though, other forms communication networks are established and used (Dietr ich, 1999). These forms of communication are included in the next classification. Wireless Underwater Communication Systems Wireless underwater commun

Personal Statement for Transferring to University of California

For Transferring to University of California - Personal Statement Example My belief in accomplishing lofty goals has been developed over the years through national level basketball competitions. I grew up in Guangzhou, China. My uncle was a professional basketball player in China. He began to teach me how to play basketball at a very early age. His workouts were grueling. I would run, jump and sprint for hours before I even touched a basketball. He had a very strict methodology he followed when training me. I can remember wondering, while I ran through all sorts of weather in Guangzhou Province, why I was doing all of this training. Was it worth it? I could see as I entered High School that I was worth it. We were a very successful team. We won the Guangzhou Province High School league championship. This was an amazing accomplishment considering the competition is fierce and we were not a very tall team. Our tallest player was only 6’5† and our average height was only 6’2†. Every team we played was taller than us. The difference w as no team we played was better prepared than we were. We practiced for three hours every school day and for five hours every weekend and holiday break. We were better conditioned and had developed better skills than our opponents. After winning the High School championship, I also participated in two three-on-three basketball tournaments featuring international players. Kentucky Fried Chicken sponsored one and Gatorade sponsored the other. We came in first in the tournament sponsored by Kentucky Fried Chicken and second in the one sponsored by Gatorade. As I grew older, I realized that lessons my uncle and coaches were teaching me were great for my basketball skills, but were even more important for my life. If I had not seen that hard work and superior skills bring success, I would never have developed the confidence to apply for an institution like the University of California. I am sure that I will experience challenges after I transfer colleges, but I am confident that I can ri se to meet these challenges. I am equally dedicated to realizing my academic goals as I am to by educational goals. In addition to learning from my uncle and coaches, my family has been a great inspiration to me. My parents are very wonderful role models. My father works for the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade. He is very hard working and intelligent. He has the ability to look at any situation and analyze it deeply and succinctly. He is well regarded by his colleagues. He has taught me many things about life and about working with other people over the years. He is probably the smartest man I know and I have a great desire to make him proud of me. My mother is the manager of a cabin crew for South Chins Airlines. She loves me very much and has always treated me well. She has taken me on trips every summer and winter break since middle school. As a result, we have been able to see many places in China and several European countries as well. Transferring to the University of California to become an Economics major will require me to use all of these good habits I have developed over the years so I could be a successful basketball player and a good son. Economics is a challenging course of study that will require me to think about things in a way that is new. Understanding global economic systems will require the same dedication that is required in learning to sink a three-point

Effects of advertising in hospitals

Effects of advertising in hospitals Hospitals are basically perceived to be organisations that provide essential medical services to people from various social segments. They are associated with medical ethics, which traditionally prohibit doctors from advertising their services.  [1]  Whilst hospital advertising is a common feature of modern society, it is perceived favourably only when it attempts to provide important information and not when it plainly engages in attracting clients for commercial purposes.  [2]   Hospital advertising should thus be carefully conducted to ensure that the public feel that such advertising provides needed information and is not meant to entice people to come to the hospital in order to improve its revenues and profits. People in the UAE will appreciate hospitals that provide useful information about their services and other medical issues. 2. Hospital Ads increase Costs Whilst advertising is an essential part of modern day commercial activity, it is mainly perceived to be an expensive tool that is associated with glamour and used to attract new customers by business organisations.  [3]  Whilst hospitals also operate commercially and do need to be profitable to expand their operations and meet stakeholder needs, they are expected to fulfil the medical needs of different social segments and people by and large expect medical services to be provided at economic and affordable rates.  [4]  Extensive advertising by hospitals can thus easily create an impression of such an institution being more interested in commercial benefits than in providing important medical services to people in need. Such advertising should thus be done carefully in order to ensure that wrong or negative perceptions are not created in the minds of the public.  [5]   With the majority of people in the UK being expatriates, they are likely to be tolerant of hospital advertising, even as some of them may feel such advertising to be unnecessary expenditure. 3. I donà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢t trust Hospitals that Advertise Such emotions essentially arise from people who think all medical and associated activities to be service oriented and noble in nature.  [6]  They look down upon medical professionals and institutions that appear to be using their skills and their professional capacities and abilities for personal or organisational financial benefit.  [7]  Whilst healthcare and its associated activities continue to be concerned with the provisioning of services that benefit humans, the altruistic offering of such services is an anachronism in modern neoliberal society.  [8]  Although the majority of healthcare institutions and indeed many of healthcare customers associate medical services with profitable professional or organisational activity, some conservative and traditional individuals think poorly of healthcare associations that are associated, directly or indirectly, with the soliciting of customers. Such people are likely to distrust hospitals that advertise their products and serv ices.  [9]   Whilst the expatriates in the UAE may well adopt a tolerant and even appreciative view of hospital advertising, traditional members of UAEà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢s conservative society may react with distrust to hospital advertising. 4. Ads are useful in Choosing Hospitals Much of contemporary hospital advertising is conducted by expert advertising people who understand social sensibilities and perceptions about medical services and take care to ensure that hospital advertising provides important information and messages without appearing to be commercial in nature.  [10]  Hospital advertising often deals with services provided by such institutions in different areas and particularly in their areas of specialisation like maternity care, cardiac health or oncology.  [11]  Such advertising plays an extremely useful role and helps prospective users with useful and relevant information.  [12]   With education and literacy rates increasing steadily in the UAE and the region having a significant proportion of expatriates, information about hospital services will be welcome and is likely to be greatly appreciated. 5. Hospital Ads often exploit peopleà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢s anxieties Hospital advertising by and large is informative and encourages people otherwise to engage in timely checkups for diseases like cancer and diabetics as well as to check for hypertension and other conditions associated with cardiac health.  [13]  Exploitation of anxieties is far more associated with the life and medical insurance sectors rather than with hospitals. Very few people in the UAE will be disturbed on account of hospital advertising exploiting their anxieties. 6. Hospital Ads make people aware of health related issues The overwhelming majority of hospital advertising, directly or indirectly, informs people about different health related issues.  [14]  Even direct advertising about the services provided by healthcare organisations is essentially concerned with health and provides information about it and associated issues.  [15]  A large portion of hospital advertising, irrespective of use of media channels, essentially concerns information about health.  [16]  The provisioning of such information is one of the biggest benefits of healthcare and hospital advertising. People in the UAE will surely appreciate such information and use it for their personal medical and health associated benefits. Section 2 Advertising for healthcare in the U.A.E Healthcare is an important activity in the UAE, particularly in the urban concentrations of Dubai and Abu Dhabi. The quality of healthcare is also high and is accepted to generally be equal to that available in Western Europe and the USA, except for highly specialised medical and surgical services. With Dubaià ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢s population being small and being serviced by numerous medical facilities in the public and private sector, advertising is routine and common, especially so for organisations in the private sector.  [17]   Such advertising is carried out through various media channels like billboards, print advertising, digital signage and flyers.  [18]  Healthcare advertising targets specific market segments and communicates the unique selling points of various institutions in the sector to consumers.  [19]  Apart from advertising through regular channels, healthcare organisations in the UAE make significant use of PR that works towards developing workable and sustainable communication solutions for individual organisations.  [20]   The UAE also has a number of healthcare publications that provide information on different aspects of health and provide a forum for healthcare advertising.  [21]  Many healthcare organisations in the UAE have well developed online presence and informative websites, even though online commerce is not commonly used by these organisations.  [22]   Recent months have witnessed a growing concern in the region about protecting citizens and residents from unethical advertising by healthcare organisations.  [23]  Authorities are clamping down on advertisements that are targeted at vulnerable customers. Guides on advertising have also been released outlining practices that are considered to be unacceptable and could attract sanctions for breach of code.  [24]   Section 3 Exit and Entry Barriers All business sectors are characterised by entry and exit barriers. The barriers to entry represent hurdles or obstacles that prevent or create difficulties for business organisations to enter a particular sector or area of activity.  [25]  Barriers to exit on the other hand comprise of the numerous difficulties that organisations may face in withdrawing from a business sector or in closing down a business.  [26]  The healthcare sector in the UAE is likely to have numerous barriers to entry as well as to exit. Five such potential entry and exit barriers are detailed below. One of the most important barriers to entry to the sector is likely to be the cost of establishing a new healthcare establishment. The UAE is one of the richest areas in the world and is experiencing inflation. The cost of a new healthcare institution is likely to be expensive and beyond the reach of many organisations. Most healthcare institutions require sophisticated and modern equipment. With medical equipment not being manufactured in the Emirates, all such equipment will have to be ordered and purchased from organisations in different countries. With such equipment being manufactured by a range of organisations in the advanced countries, efficient procurement is likely to be a challenging task. New healthcare organisations can also be expected to face difficulties in obtaining specialists for provisioning of healthcare services to customers. The majority of such specialists will have to be attracted from different countries, mainly from the west and from the Indian subcontinent. Apart from scarcity of medical specialists, the UAE also has a shortage of local paramedical staff like physiotherapists and nurses. Arranging for proper individuals to handle these functions can also prove to be a challenging task. Last but not least the issue of arranging for proper housing of healthcare facilities is also likely to be difficult. With the UAE being one of the most expensive real estate markets in the world, obtaining appropriate land and buildings for the healthcare facility could be a difficult task. The preceding paragraph lists five barriers to entry for healthcare organisations. Healthcare institutions that wish to close down their operations and exit from the market could also face different types of exit barriers. Some organisations may be popular for the quality of their services and their loyal clientele. Such customers could become very disturbed on hearing the news of closure and make efforts to persuade the organisational management to desist from taking such actions. Healthcare organisations that have taken loans from financial institutions and are in debt may face objections from their financiers in closing down operations. Other healthcare organisations who want to sell their operations could again face difficulties in locating appropriate buyers who are willing to offer suitable prices. The organisational staff of healthcare institutions could resist closure because of the threat to their jobs and livelihood. Finally healthcare organisations might face resistance from governmental and political authorities, who may think that such a closure could affect the lives and wellbeing of people. Section 4 Application of BCG Matrix The BCG matrix is a strategic tool that helps organisations in classifying their business units by virtue of their potential to add to organisational wellbeing and competitive advantage.  [27]   Business units are, with the BCG matrix, segregated into four cells, namely cash cows, stars, dogs and others.  [28]  Cash cows represent businesses that have good market share but low growth potential. Such products are the mainstays of corporations and are likely to be profitable and should thus be maintained. Surgery can be considered to be a member of this category. Stars are products or services that have high growth potential, high market share and need to be supported with reinvestment. An imaging centre can be considered to be a star. Dogs are businesses that are distinguished by low growth potential and market share. Businesses are usually started to be stars but some of them turn out to be unsuccessful and fall into the category of dogs. Such businesses need to be closed as soon as possible. An expensive CAT scan facility that has now become obsolete and is not drawing customers can be considered to be a dog. Business units of indeterminate potential and low market share are generally placed in the category of others. The potential for an ambulatory-surgery service could be very strong even though it may not be providing good returns. Such a service can turn either into a star or into a dog with time. The application of the BG matrix to a healthcare institution is provided below: High Low High Stars Others Low Cash Cow Dogs Application of GE Matrix The GE matrix was developed to overcome the problems commonly associated with the BCG Matrix like lack of plausible business information and its focus on commodities.  [29]  The GE screen has a 3X3 matrix that includes a medium category, uses industry attractiveness rather than market growth and substitutes the market share element of the BCG matrix with competitive position.  [30]  Book on strategic marketing The GE Matrix for a healthcare institution is provided below. Market attractiveness is on the vertical axis and competitive position is on the horizontal axis. Strong Average Weak High Oncology Surgery Radiology Med Cardiac Care Orthopaedics Pathology Low Dental care X Ray Medical Stores Nine functions of a healthcare institution have been graded with the use of the GE matrix in terms of market attractiveness on the vertical scale and competitiveness on the horizontal scale. A certain amount of approximation and estimation has been applied because of the compulsion of putting only one unit in a box. The organisation has special skills, including the services of high quality specialists in oncology, cardiac care, and surgery and should reinforce these functions with appropriate investments in equipment, staffing and resources. The three squares on the right hand bottom of the matrix represent functions that are commonly available and do not tangibly add to the competitive position or the market attractiveness of the organisation. These functions are however required and should be carefully consolidated. The three other functions, namely dental care, orthopaedics and radiology have strengths either market attraction or in competitiveness and should be selectively and c arefully strengthened.

The Treatment of Women in Bram Stokers Dracula Essay -- Dracula E

The Treatment of Women in Bram Stoker's Dracula  Ã‚   In reading Bram Stoker's Dracula, I find the treatment of the two main female characters-- Lucy Westenra and Mina Harker-- especially intriguing. These two women are two opposite archetypes created by a society of threatened men trying to protect themselves. Lucy is the Medusa archetype. She is physically attractive, and wins the heart of any man who comes near her (e.g. Arthur, Quincey, Jack, and Van Helsing). Her chief quality is sensual beauty, but her sexual desire is repressed and not allowed to communicate. And yet both the spiritual side and the sexual side are in her, and when the long repressed sexuality finds a vent, it explodes and takes over completely. In other words, she is transformed into the completely voluptuous female vampire precisely because her sexual side of personality had been completely buried by her Victorian education. Her repressed self needs such expression that when Dracula came along, she went out to greet him, and then invited him into the house (by opening her window to the bat). He is her vent for sexual expression. When Lucy becomes a vampire herself, John Seward describes her as follows: She seemed like a nightmare of Lucy as she lay there; the pointed teeth, the bloodstained, voluptuous mouth -- which made one shudder to see -- the whole carnal and unspiritual appearance, seeming like a devilish mockery of Lucy's sweet purity (252; ch.16). And for this voluptuous Lucy he has no pity: "the remnant of my love passed into hate and loathing; had she then to be killed, I could have done it with savage delight" (249; ch.16). But why this attitude? I believe it is the aggressive sexuality that the vampire Lucy displays that ... ...in excluding her from their undertakings, and include her again. However, now that she is infected with vampire blood and is capable of reading Dracula's mind, the men both fear and need her. They are forced to accept her in the public realm, but the quest is to eventually rid her of evil influence and restore her purity again, that is, to turn her back into the virtuous woman who will stay in the dominion of the home and not pose a threat to men. The end of this novel is the restoration of a world as the Victorians know it: the vampire destroyed, the women rid of their evil sexual desires and kept out of the dangerous world outside their homes, and the men safe and free in a male-dominated world, playing their exclusive gallant, intelligent, and adventurous roles.    Text Cited Stoker, Bram. Dracula. Ed. Glennis Byron. Peterborough: Broadview, 1998.

An Unforgettable Day

I will never forget the day I passed my written driver exam and got my permit. The instructor just informed me that I passed and he was reviewing the junior driver restrictions with me as I was full of smiles. Meanwhile, I looked over at my dad and he was staring at his phone with a strange look. The instructor and I just ignored him and went on with our own business. â€Å"Excuse me sir, but I must take this call†¦Ã¢â‚¬  my father rudely interrupted. I was so embarrassed because there were signs all over the DMV office that read, cell phones must be turned off. He opened his phone and said, â€Å"Hello? The look on his face was unforgettable as he turned as white as a ghost. My dad didn’t need to say one word in order for me to know something was wrong, his face said it for him. My first thought was that someone was in the hospital or had died. Although no one had died, little did I know that phone call was going to change my life forever. The call was from the North Middleton Fire Department and they informed my father that he needed to get to the house as soon as possible. My dad was about to shut his phone when suddenly I heard my sister on the phone. All I could hear was her crying hysterically and screaming â€Å"Fire†! I had one thought going through my head at that moment, and it was my niece, Myleeah. Did my sister get her out of the house in time? She was only six months old and I adored her more than anything in the entire world. We ran out of the DMV office both in complete shock. Needless to say, my dad was driving like Jeff Gordon at Daytona. At this point I didn’t even know how to prepare myself. The thought of my house burning to the ground didn’t seem to be real. I kept telling my dad it probably wasn’t even that bad and to stop driving like a crazy man. The drive from the DMV office to my house is only a fifteen minute drive, but it felt like forever. Finally after running red lights and driving off the side of the road, we were half a mile away from the house. All we could see was black smoke filling the sky and floating ashes. This is when reality hit me and I thought not only did I lose my home, but also my baby niece. I began to break down in tears and pray that everyone was safe. We finally pulled into my neighborhood which was full of fire trucks, police cars, and black ash. Since all the roads were blocked off, we jumped out of the running car and started running to the house. The police tried to stop my dad, but he zoomed right by them. I attempted to follow him but the police officer grabbed my arm. â€Å"Let go, that’s my house! † I screamed at the top of my lungs. I then eventually caught up with my dad in front of the raging fire and we stood there in surprise. It was a hot, dry, windy August day and there was nothing the fire fighters could do, but watch it burn. I finally found my sister sitting in our neighbor’s yard with black ash all over her. As I began to approach her, I didn’t see her baby, Myleeah. I froze about three feet in front of her and felt my legs go numb. Myleeah? † I said under my breath with sorrowfulness. I was thinking that she was in the house burning to death, and someone had to do something. When I got enough courage to walk up to my sister and ask where Myleeah was, she informed me that she was safe in our neighbor’s house. Hearing that she was safe was the happiest moment of my life. I was full of joy and relief. At that point I didn’t care about all my clothes, jewelry, shoes, and purses; I was just delighted to hear my family was safe! My father walked over and sat in between us and put his arms around my sister and me. We sat there in silence as all the ashes of our belongings gently landed on us like snowflakes. Having my sister and father next to me, I realized all I cared about and all I needed was my family. People always talk about life changing events and now I know exactly what that means. I always thought that nothing traumatic would ever happen in my life, but I was obviously completely wrong. Now when I hear about or see someone else facing a hardship, I see the same pain that I once felt. My house burning to the ground changed my life and taught me many life lessons that I will carry within myself forever. First it taught me that life is not about materialistic things and you never realize what you have until it is completely gone. The most important thing in life is having your family members by your side and I was extraordinarily grateful to be able to see my father, sister and niece that next day. A big part of life is about making it better and taking anything that crosses someone’s path as a learning experience. I also now understand many challenges will come my way, but how I handle these challenges is what will make me a better person.

Terrorism In V For Vendetta Essay

Terrorism In V For Vendetta Essay Terrorism In V For Vendetta Essay Terrorism in V for Vendetta Modern-day terrorism presents a global threat to peace. With the terrorist attacks in 2001 and various attacks in Europe, a clear stereotype of what a terrorist is has emerged. When I think of terrorists, I imagine Muslim extremists with homemade bombs. The graphic novel V for Vendetta examines terrorism and what is traditionally referenced when one thinks of terrorism. V for Vendetta brings up some questions about what is the definition of a terrorist and how does the definition change based on people's different perspectives. From the perspective of the people, the Norsefire government is considered a terrorist group but because the people elected the government they are terrorists by association. When identifying a terrorist certain variables should be considered, such as the points of view of the labeler and the sources of the definition of the word 'terrorist.' In labeling a group or person as terrorist, one’s definition of terrorism should be considered. Often times it is the government's job to set the definition of terrorism because governments are often targeted by terrorist groups. Another aspect to consider is the perspective of the labeler. When the people are actively involved in government, the government's perspective on who is a terrorist will be similar with the people's perspective. In the graphic novel V for Vendetta the people could not be less involved in their government. Therefore, later in the novel the government and the people have different perspectives about who is a terrorist. For instance, Norsefire considers the individual codenamed â€Å"V† a terrorist for various bombings and killings. Through the government’s influence by defining V’s acts as terrorism, the people also considered V a terrorist at first. Later in the novel, the people regard their government as a terrorist organization for the Larkhill experiments where they experimented on the minorities and homosexuals until death. The general mistreatment of the people is another factor that lead to such a distaste for Norsefire. In the novel V for Vendetta the controlling government, Norsefire, takes away the public’s freedoms and has them constantly under surveillance. Because of these injustices against the people, one could consider Norsefire to be a terrorist organization. Through claims of betterment the government takes away freedoms, such as privacy, without the people ever questioning or realizing the loss of these rights. For example, there are cameras that claim to be for protection. A camera cannot protect anyone but it can take away the right to privacy. â€Å"†¦the Brixton and Streatham areas are quarantine zones as of today. It is suggested that these areas be avoided for reasons of health and safety.†(p.9). This is another example of loss of rights without question. With a g overnment as controlling as Norsefire, it is not hard to believe that a government could be a terrorist group. With Norsefire being a people elected government, the people are to blame for their government’s actions. The people in V for Vendetta are terrorists to themselves or at the very least accomplices to terrorists. By becoming content

Existentialism - Essay Topics

Existentialism - Essay Topics If you are studying existentialism and have an exam coming up, the best way to prepare for it is to write lots of practice essays.   Doing this helps you to recall the texts and the ideas you have studied; it helps you to organize your knowledge of these; and it often triggers original or critical insights of your own.   Here are a set of essay questions you can use.   They relate to the following classic existentialist texts:    Tolstoy, My Confession Tolstoy, The Death of Ivan Ilyich Dostoyevsky, Notes from Underground Dostoyevsky, The Grand Inquisitor Nietzsche, The Gay Science Beckett, Waiting for Godot Sartre, The Wall Sartre, Nausea Sartre, Existentialism as a Humanism Sartre, â€Å"Portrait of an Anti-Semite† Kafka, A Message from the Emperor, A Little Fable, Couriers, Before the Law Camus, The Myth of Sisyphus Camus The Stranger    Tolstoy and Dostoyevsky Both Tolstoys Confession and Dostoyevskys Notes from Underground seem to reject science and rationalistic philosophy.   Why?   Explain and evaluate the reasons for the critical attitudes toward science in these two texts.    Both Tolstoy’s Ivan Ilyich (at least once he falls sick) and Dostoyevsky’s   Underground Man feel estranged from the people around them.   Why?   In what ways is the kind of isolation they experience similar, and in what ways is it different?    The underground man says that ‘to be too conscious is an illness.’   What does he mean?   What are his reasons?   In what ways does the underground man suffer from excessive consciousness?   Do you see this as the root cause of his sufferings or are there deeper problems that give rise to it?   Does Ivan Ilyich also suffer from excessive consciousness, or is his problem something different?    Both The Death of Ivan Ilyich and Notes From Underground portray individuals who feel separated from their society.   Is the isolation they experience avoidable, or is it primarily caused by the sort of society they belong to.    In the Authors Note at the beginning of Notes from Underground, the author describes the underground man as representative of a new type of person that must inevitably appear in modern society.   What aspects of the character are representative of this new type of modern individual?   Does he remain representative today in 21st century America, or has his type more or less disappeared?    Contrast what Dostoyevsky’s Grand Inquisitor says about freedom with what the Underground Man says about it.   Whose views do you most agree with?    Nietzsche, The Gay Science Tolstoy (in Confession), Dostoyevsky’s Underground Man, and Nietzsche in The Gay Science, are all critical of those who think the main goal in life should be the pursuit of pleasure and the avoidance of pain.   Why?      When Nietzsche read Notes from Underground he immediately hailed Dostoyevsky as a ’kindred spirit’.   Why?    In The Gay Science, Nietzsche says: â€Å"Life- that is: being cruel and inexorable against everything about us that is growing old and weak†¦.being without reverence for those who are dying, who are wretched, who are ancient.   Ã‚  Explain, giving illustrative examples, what you think he means and why he says this.   Do you agree with him?    At the beginning of Book IV of The Gay Science, Nietzsche says all in all and on the whole: some day I wish only to be a Yes-sayer.   Explain what he means- and what he is opposing himself toby reference to issues he discusses elsewhere in the work.   How successful is he in maintaining this life-affirming stance?    Morality is herd instinct in the individual.   What does Nietzsche mean by this?   How does this statement fit in with the way he views conventional morality and his own   alternative values?    Explain in detail Nietzsche’s view of Christianity.   What aspects of Western civilization, both positive and negative, does he see as largely due to its influence?    In The Gay Science Nietzsche says: â€Å"The strongest and most evil spirits have so far done the most to advance humanity.†Ã‚   Explain, giving examples, what you think he means and why he says this.   Do you agree with him?    In The Gay Science Nietzsche seems to both criticize moralists who distrust the passions and instincts and also himself be a great advocate of self-control.   Can these two aspects of his thinking be reconciled?   If so, how?    What is Nietzsche’s attitude in The Gay Science towards the quest for truth and knowledge? Is it something heroic and admirable, or should it be viewed with suspicion as a hangover from traditional morality and religion?    Sartre Sartre famously observed that man is condemned to be free.  Ã‚   He also wrote that man is a futile passion.   Explain what these statements mean and the reasoning that lies behind them.   Would you describe the conception of humanity that emerges as optimistic or pessimistic?    Sartre’s existentialism was labeled by one critic â€Å"the philosophy of the graveyard,† and existentialism strikes many as dominated by depressing ideas and outlooks.   Why would someone think this?   And why might others disagree?   In Sartre’s thinking which tendencies do you see as depressing and which uplifting or inspiring?    In his Portrait of the anti-Semite, Sartre says the anti-Semite feels the nostalgia of impermeability.   What does this mean?   How does it help us understand anti-Semitism?   Where else in Sartres writings is this tendency examined?    The climax of Sartres novel Nausea is Roquentins revelation in the park when he contemplates.  Ã‚   What is the nature of this revelation?   Should it be described as a form of enlightenment?    Explain and discuss either Anny’s ideas about ‘perfect moments’ or Roquentin’s ideas about ‘adventures (or both).   How do these notions relate to the major themes explored in Nausea?    It has been said that Nausea presents the world as it appears to one who experiences at a deep level what Nietzsche described as the death of God.   What supports this interpretation?   Do you agree with it?    Explain what Sartre means when he says that we make our decisions and perform our actions in anguish, abandonment and despair.   Do you find his reasons for viewing human action in this way convincing?   [In answering this question, make sure you consider Sartrean texts beyond just his lecture Existentialism and Humanism]    At one point in Nausea, Roquentin says, â€Å"Beware of literature!†Ã‚   What does he mean? Why does he say this?    Kafka, Camus, Beckett Kafkas stories and parables have often praised for capturing certain aspects of the human condition in the modern age.   With reference to the parables we discussed in class, explain which features of modernity Kafka illuminates and what insights, if any, he has to offer.    At the end of ‘The Myth of Sisyphus’ Camus says that ‘one must imagine Sisyphus happy’?   Why does he say this?   Wherein lies Sisyphus’ happiness?   Does Camus’ conclusion follow logically from the rest of the essay?   How plausible do you find this conclusion?    Is Meursault. the protagonist of The Stranger,  an example of what Camus calls in ‘The Myth of Sisyphus’ an ‘absurd hero’?   Justify your answer with close reference to both the novel and the essay.    Beckett’s play Waiting for Godot, is- obviously- about waiting.   But Vladimir and Estragon wait in different way and with different attitudes.   How do their ways of waiting express different possible responses to their situation and, by implication, to what Beckett sees as the human condition?    Existentialism in general ‘The important thing is not to be cured but to live with one’s ailments’ (Camus, The Myth of Sisyphus).   Discuss this statement with reference to at least three of the following works:     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Myth of Sisyphus   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Gay Science   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Notes from Underground   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Nausea   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Waiting for Godot Do the works in question illustrate, support, or criticize the outlook expressed in Camus statement?      From Tolstoys account of his suicidal despair in his Confession to Becketts  Waiting for Godot, there is much in existentialist writing that seems to offer a bleak view of the human condition.   On the basis of the texts you have studied, would you say that existentialism is indeed, a bleak philosophy, excessively concerned with mortality and meaninglessness?   Or does it have a positive aspect also?    According to William Barrett existentialism belongs to a longstanding tradition of intense, passionate reflection on life and the human condition, yet it is also in some ways an essentially modern phenomenon.   What is it about the modern world that has given rise to existentialism?   And what aspects of existentialism are particularly modern?    Related links Life of Jean Paul Sartre Sartre - Quotations Sartres terminology Sartres concept of bad faith

Critique of British Prime Ministers attack on the free market Essay

Critique of British Prime Ministers attack on the free market - Essay Example The free market theory postulates that there should be numerous participants within the same market engaged in the buying and selling of numerous and varied products. All such producers have the opportunity to take part in production activities Furthermore, it argues that the ultimate gain is to consumers who enjoy the benefits of increased product diversity as well as competitive and affordable pricing on the same; in that the prevailing prices are a consequence of a â€Å"push and pull† forces of demand versus supply respectively. These ideal conditions of the free market form the basis and support for an economic practice that has become synonymous modern day trade under the banner of capitalism. For perfectly competitive markets, the ideal economics of a â€Å"free market† exist. This was the prevailing economic theory of the period of 1960-80. However, the current trends in economics suggest that big markets hardly operate under perfect competitive conditions since primarily; households are conscious about the markets; producers curve out their market shares therein effectively seeking profit and shutting out other competitors. Most markets in both the UK and the US are not â€Å"free markets† but oligopolies where a few firms control a large portion of the market (Hoetzlein).It is however unfortunate that the ideals of the free market are increasingly been used by politicians and technocrats alike as a rallying cry for free healthcare, reduced taxes, unregulated interest rates and deregulation of the aggregate economy. This has led to the erosion of the very fundamentals designed to optimize welfare to the consuming public of which they claim to be pursuant. The basic argument for the proponents of free market policies is in opposition to governmental interference in business operations and instead in favor of a natural restoration of balance within the economy. The ability and willingness to freely engage in exchange of commodities w ould therefore suffice in creating a natural order within the market that favors all parties involved. It is based on such an understanding that the British Prime Minister, David Cameron faults the previous regimes over their apparent apathy in regard to the exercise of free market policies. The prime minister argues that previous regime’s turbo-capitalism policies have turned a blind eye on corporate excesses plunging the economy into anarchy and violating the fundamental purposes for which it (the government) was formulated. Most apparent under his attacks on previous regimes policy of â€Å"letting capitalism rip† is the impact on oligopolies of necessity goods such as healthcare, utilities and housing. Such are the goods that are most pertinent to the civilian population as they are needed to survive; items with which households are unable to exert price elasticity. He condemns the previous regimes for denying the citizenry the enjoyment of these basic amenities at the expense of corporate greed and profit making. The recent global financial crisis has served to further the underlying weaknesses in the free market theory (Kwak). The world financial crisis is viewed as a banking crisis arising from the uncontrolled and misinformed deregulation of the United States’ financial market. This is because the world’s reserves are largely in the US currency (Roberts). Nowhere else than in the developed countries in Western Europe were the effects of the crisis mostly evidenced. However, most unfortunate is the fact that the role of most hard core free market theorists in this collapse seems to have evoked little or no interest. This further evokes questions to mind as to whether the crisis is over and if the supposed recovery is truly on course? Although many point to

EBay expands around the globe Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

EBay expands around the globe - Essay Example This growth has mainly come in the past 8 years. While expanding globally, eBay has exercised a variety and combination of options that it had available in the first place (Thompson, 2003). The following section discusses various options for businesses while expanding. For moving in the international markets, a business has a number of options that can be considered. The consideration is based on various analyses of cost versus benefit being the major highlight (Davis, 2000). Some of the main options that a business may consider while going international are: Franchising is when a foreign business (parent company) deals with a local business to be their representative in the local markets, with the parent company's name, rules, policies and procedures being followed. The local company operates under the name of the parent company, precisely as per their inherent instructions, and earns the parent company earns the royalty from this set up (Shull, 2000). Examples of such an arrangement are often witnessed in the fast food chain set up or even in gas stations. Mergers occur when two or more businesses decide on merging their set of services to compete in a much enhanced form in the industry. In such a form, the businesses unite and the separate existence and identity seizes (Price, 2003). Glaxo Smith Klime (GSK) is the most renowned merger of recent times, with Sony Ericsson being another one. Acquisitions takes place when one firm is taken over by another and the acquiree seizes to exist as the acquirer takes over the operations and assets under its own books. In such a scenario, the acquirer yields various advantages. The extent of the advantages increases further when the acquirer is a foreign entity, acquiring a local entity to enter into the local markets (Carr, 2004). For example, as Royal Bank of (Scotland RBS) took over ABN AMRO, it instantaneously got access to the countries where it had no existence earlier. Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) takes place when a business having no existence in a certain region or country decides to enter into the local market for purpose of expanding its operations and taking advantage of an existing opportunity. For the industry in which eBay operates, the two most viable options for expanding are either acquisition or FDI. However, on majority of the occasions, eBay has seemed to preferred acquisition over FDI. The following section discusses the pros and cons of this selection and preference in detail. eBay's Policy: Acquisition Vs FDI eBay while expanding globally has chosen the option of acquisition rather than any other mode of expanding. There have been several critiques on the issue because with the likes of funding available at eBay, the firm could have easily gone in with any mode of expansion. The aim of essay is to critically analyze the pros and cons of acquisition vs. FDI. Following are the main advantages for eBay to choose acquisition over FDI as its preferred strategy to enter into the markets (David, 2002): 1) Existing Infrastructure: The major advantage of