Case Study problems (4) Chapter 15 Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Problems (4) Chapter 15 - Case Study Example Additionally, through Dutch auction IPO, there is no audited financial report requirement thus the external auditors fees are avoided. Based on the low costs of holding the IPO using Dutch auction as compared to traditional IPO, S&S Air should go public through Dutch auction IPO. In calculating the optimal size of IPO, the company should compare its financial and operational performance with that of few public-owned firms within the Air industry. The firm in collaboration with the underwriter should base their prices after analyzing the market price ratios, making the appropriate adjustments based on the companies-specific differences (Benninga and Sarig 411). In this way, they determine the maximum and minimum share price. This is followed by gathering recent IPO market information and lastly setting a final offer price. The major advantage of increasing the size of S&S Air IPO to $80 is that the company will raise more funds that are needed to support its current growth and future expansion. However, the major disadvantage is that it is costly for a firm leading to low profitability. S&S Air underwriter fees amount to $4,200,000 calculated as (.07*60,000,000). Adding the to all the other IPO direct costs, the total costs amounts to $6,358,500. As a percentage of the funds received, the IPO will cost the company $6,358,500/60,000,000*100=10.60% (Benninga and Sarig 411). During the initial public offering, the company through the corroboration with its investment bank has the duty of setting the price of its shares. In this regard, the employees should render their shares to be sold during the IPO since in the secondary offering, the shares prices will significantly be determined by the market forces. Additionally, the demand for shares in the secondary market will be low since most of the external investors will be watching

Determination in the Movie Apollo 13 Essay Example for Free

Determination in the Movie Apollo 13 Essay â€Å"Hello, Houston. This is Odyssey. Its good to see you again.† These were the words Jim Lovell said as he splashed down into the Pacific Ocean after spending 8 days in a freezing hell. Stuck in the confined quarters of the Apollo 13, those words were the embodiment of achieving your goals through determination. During the flight there were more displays of determination than I could possibly cover, so I am going to write about the three that stuck out to me the most. Jack Swigert was the one docking and flying the shuttle and didnt want to leave any room for error in his skills. Ken Mattingly, spent hours upon hours getting the boot sequence for the computer right so they could correct the shuttle path. Last but certainly not least the engineers building a CO2 filter out of spare parts without any proper tools. Jack Swigert was moved up from back up crew to main crew after Ken Mattingly got the measles. He was just as trained as the other guys but they werent a team. Everyone was a little sceptical about his skills because they had never flown with him and had had Mattingly as a pilot for a very long time. Swigert was doing a routine docking simulation when the people running it threw some engine failures at him without giving him a warning light, but he recuperated quickly and pulled off the manoeuvre flawlessly. Coming off of this success and being accepted by your new crew mates most people would be on top of the world and not feel the need to practice that move again, but not Swigert, he noticed that he used a bit to much fuel and although that’s not a horrible thing considering the situation, he insisted on practising again until he could do the manoeuvre with out any mistakes, no matter the problems. This kind of determination is only comparable to feats committed by his fellow astronauts like Ken Mattingly. Ken Mattingly was kicked off of the original Apollo 13 mission because he had contracted the measles virus. After this he went home, disconnected his phone, turned off his t.v. and went to bed. John Young Goes to Mattinglys house to wake him up because they need him to come to NASA to create a boot sequence that can be used in the emergency on the shuttle. So Ken Mattingly, after being kicked off of the job of a lifetime because of measles that he didnt actually get, being hungover, and not getting much sleep, goes to NASA and spends hours upon hours on his back in a cramped simulator kept cold and dark to emulate the situation in the actual shuttle looking for the right sequence. After many many failed attempts they finally find an ingenious solution, completely breaking the mold for all regular operations. Ken Mattingly got the boot sequence under 12 amperes, just the right amount to safely get the crew home. Mattingly wasnt on the space shuttle and yet he was one of the most important people in getting the crew home, this is because a shuttle launch only happens because of the determination of hundreds of people. Some people often overlooked in space exploration are the people who designed the ships in the first place. Not the people who built it, or the people who flew it but the ladies and gentlemen who came up with the schematics first, the engineers. At one point in the movie the CO2 levels in the craft became so dangerously high that the crew could begin experiencing blackouts and brain damage. They needed a second air filter and didnt have a spare that would fit. The engineers back on earth were told to â€Å"invent a way to put a square peg in a round hole. Rapidly.†. They were given only the parts that would have been available on the shuttle; tape, plastic bags, a space suit, hosing, things like that, no real tools, no actual spare parts, but they did it. They made that filter fit and saved the lives of three men and the reputations of many others. These engineers are one of the primary reasons everyone survived that mission. These men were given an impossible situation and told it had to be done, everyone of them not only stepped up to the plate but they hit the ball out of the park. Jack Swigert, Ken Mattingly, and the NASA engineers, they showed that sheer determination can lead to the achievement of any goals you have set for yourself. Without their determination the mission could easily have ended in three horrific and tragic deaths, but that was not the case and everyone involved will be forever grateful. Ron Howard, using the actions of these men, showed us the true meaning of determination, how anything can be done if you keep trying. Howard painted a beautiful picture of people simply doing what had to be done no matter how impossible the task. We should all look up to people like this.

The Nature of the Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease Essay -- Exploratory Essay

The Nature of the Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease Dementia is traditionally considered to be one of the possible results of aging. Its effects are heartbreaking and tremendously exhausting for the patient as well as their family and friends. There are many factors to consider. What would be the best treatment plan for my loved one? Who would care for them? These are all very difficult decisions that impact the patient and family for years to come. But what if you only had a few months to make these decisions? What if all your loved one had was a few very short months before they were gone? In Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD), the situation is just that. With no known cause or cure, CJD takes the patient and family completely by surprise. Time is precious when you see new changes arising day after day in areas such as movement, speech and cognition. How could you make them as comfortable as posssible? What could have caused these sudden changes? What treatment options do you have in such a short period of tim e? Most importantly will my loved one be able to express their needs to me? Creutzfeldt-Jakob is considered to be a transmissible dementia or transmissible spongiform encephalopathy, which means that the spread of the disease is similar to that of viruses. Further studies have shown that instead of a virus, Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease or CJD, is considered to be caused by a proteinaceous infection agent or "prion" (Asher et al, 2000) that attacks nerve cells causing vacuolization, the formation of holes in the cell, and eventually cell death. To date there are no effective screenin... ...ore to be learned. The important factor during the course of CJD is the patient. We as Speech Pathologists must ask ourselves a few questions. Was the best interests of the patient met for as long as they could have been? Was the family aware of any and all support and community groups available to them during this difficult time? If we as SLP's can answer these questions with a yes, then we have done our jobs indeed. To those who involoved with CJD, thank you. Because of the researchers, therapists, and families of CJD patients, we have the knowledge we have today. This knowledge will continue to grow, providing tests, screening measures and maybe some day a cure. To live with the hope that one day another person will not have to endure what sorrows you have can be a great motivation.

Movie Analysis: “Goodfellas” and “A Clockwork Orange”

Goodfellas: a film on Juvenile Delinquency. The film â€Å"Goodfellas† by Martin Scorcese showcases the day-to-day life of a Mafia family. As compared to other mafia movies that focus on an individual character, Goodfellas showcased the mafia account as a whole, general point of view. The movie’s main character is Henry Hill, whose transition from a street scum to a mafia became the main plot of the story. All the other events were more in-depth analysis of the formation of a mafia family, its management, its initiation, and its ups and downs (Cannon, 1997). Henry Hill dreamt of a mafia life. He spends time on the streets, looking at working-class people, thinking about their clothes, cars, and basically every luxury that he could dream about. For him, mafia is the only way to achieve a luxurious life. He started running errands for small time gangsters, until one time, Paul Cicero took him under his wing as his apprentice. He became Pauli’s sort of a right hand. As an apprentice, he has adopted some of the mafia ways, and came into liking it, getting accustomed with it. Young Henry’s ways were never a good sight for his parents. They didn’t like him getting along with his gang that’s why they always fill him with arguments, telling him to get away from them. But he never listened to what they say. He liked the gangster life: he easily gained a following, using these people to scare others, thus gaining â€Å"respect† from many people. You are respected by a lot of people if they fear you, and that’s what Henry Hill wanted to earn. Henry failed his schooling, something that his parents never found out, since he put on some frighteners on the postman to make sure that the letters from the school never reaches his parents. There came a time when Henry was arrested by the local police. He was investigated, asked who was with him, but he chose to put a tight lid in his lips. He never squirmed, even with the threats and the physical pains that they gave him. Unknowingly for Henry’s part, he has just completed the final part of the initiation; he is now officially a â€Å"goodfella.† He has been tested by the top leaders of the mafia family, including Pauli, James Conway, and Tommy DeVito. The following years were the â€Å"good times† for Henry. Money was flowing like water for him. The respect he was looking for back then is easily given to him at these good times; even the cops fear him and give him respect. At a certain point in his career, he met a fine young woman, Karen. This Jewish girl becomes his wife and bore of his kids after a few years. Meanwhile, Henry hasn’t given up on a life of a women and wine, wherein he has mistresses and keeps on going into nightclubs. Well, they can have anything they want in these â€Å"good times.† The glory days came to an end when another member, Tommy, killed an important mafia member. Pauli and Henry wind up in jail, but their lives were merely affected: they’re respected even in prison. But his family suffered. Karen was deserted by the people she trusted because there is no more Henry to earn them respect. While in prison, Henry became addicted to drugs. This broke him to half the man he was before. It was then became his problem when he was finally released. A Clockwork Orange. This is set in the future England, 30 years from the actual time that it was made. It revolves around the character of Alex de Large, age fifteen; a leader of a small group of gangsters, which calls themselves as â€Å"droogs.† His activities revolve around deriving pleasures from classical music, to raping various women, and ultraviolence – a random act of unjustified, extreme violence (Dirks, 1996). Alex’ character is basically full of negative aspects, wherein he is used to abusing other people just for the fun of it. He is sent to school by his parents but chose to skip and not attend at all. He has an eccentric character which is justified by his terrarium and a pet boa named Basil. He also has an expensive audio system: a stereo sound deck that plays most of his classical recordings collection. The reign of the evil Alex after an arrest: this was set-up by his droogs. He learns that the person they robbed died, leaving him as the only suspect for the crime, as a murderer, not just a robber. He was sent to prison with 14 years in his head. After two years, he was given a chance to be set free by means of a parole. This is through a deal: he will be a test subject of a certain Ludovico technique, wherein it was said to solve societal crimes. Because of that, he became incapable of violence, and also not able to touch naked women, and not being able to stand Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony. When he was released, he has nowhere to go. His parents did not welcome him in their own house. While wandering in the streets of London, he encountered previous acquaintances. These people were oppressed by the evil Alex. Apparently, they have returned the favor and all attempted to kill him. They were assaulting him, and Alex is left with nothing to do but run. The Ludovico left him as a violence-free man, wherein he can’t fight back, even in self defense. He came into the woods and came into a house of a writer. The writer discovered that it was Alex who has raped his wife and has beat him to a pulp. He then drugged Alex and planned to drive him insane by making Alex hear the Ninth Symphony in full blast. Alex decided to kill himself by jumping out of the window, but he did not succeed in killing himself. The movie came to an end with Alex returning to his old self, and a narration, telling that he was cured. Characteristics of Juvenile Delinquents. Looking closely at how the movies portrayed these delinquents, it could be generalized that these delinquents exhibit certain characteristics different from their peers. These characteristics can be classified as either fundamental personality factors, mode of social interaction, or some background traits. It could then be seen as that this traits could be significant indicators of delinquent activity in a person. This is essential in finding out the sources or causes of certain delinquencies, thus making it easier or better to understand these people (Mason, 2004). Fundamental personality factors are often seen as the major trait of a certain delinquent. They exhibit these traits in front of the people, unknowingly or knowingly, since it is their innate trait in them. These traits include hyperactivity, alcoholic tendency, and psychosis. They are often small in stature and of poor health conditions. These are more on the males than the occurrence in females. Their outlook towards the society, or their social interactions could also be a proof of their delinquency. This is associated with bad temper or short temperedness, which is commonly found on most of the delinquents. The traits that are indicators of their social interactions can be unpopularity among peers, disruptive behavior is school, a difficult childhood as perceived by parents, violence towards others, and poor performance in school works and activities. Theories of delinquency. The theory that could be applied in the movie â€Å"Goodfellas† was the Strain Theory. This is theory states that the conditions of a society which could be detrimental to the success or social status of a person could cause him to become a delinquent. In the movie, the young Henry Hill was transformed to become a juvenile delinquent because of his dream of becoming a mafia, because he wants to alleviate his position in life. He is living a poor life, that is why he was somewhat driven to live a life of a gangster. This is a solid manifestation of juvenile delinquency under Strain Theory (â€Å"Strain Theory†, 2001). The theory that could be associated with the movie â€Å"Clockwork Orange† is the Self –Control Theory of Delinquency, proposed by Gottfredson (Welch, 1998). In this theory, it is stated that self control is the main theme in which crimes originates. It is not deterministic; hence the people who engage on these crimes seek a sort of gratification, a certain pleasure that is why they engage on various analogous behaviors. These behaviors that provide this short time pleasure or gratification are smoking, drinking, gambling, irresponsible sex and much more. These are commonly manifested by criminals, who are looking for that instant achievement of pleasure or gratification. Causes of delinquency. In the movie â€Å"The Goodfellas,† as well as the â€Å"Clockwork Orange,† the main cause of his delinquency was his motivation to alleviate his social status from poor to a well-off person, and he views that the only way he can achieve it is through becoming a gangster. With this, he opened himself on becoming a juvenile delinquent. He didn’t attend school, he was involved in fights and other illegal activities, and he adapted the ways of the gangsters who was with him. Analyzing this carefully, we could see that a cause for his delinquency was his social status: he was poor, and he didn’t want to stay that way. Another is the environmental factors that play on a person’s life. This is accounted by his frequent rendezvous with these gangsters, which is also the reason why he adapted a delinquent kind of lifestyle. Juvenile Justice. Juvenile justice is a law in the justice system that deals with persons which are found to have committed crimes below the legal age which is 18 years old. This juvenile justice system is aimed towards rehabilitating these young criminals, since they are not yet of the right age, and assumed to be not in the right frame of mind. But they could relinquish their hold on these criminals depending on the weight of the crime, or the court waives to do so (Burns, 1994). There is legislation for the protection, care, and custody of these children under their jurisdiction, since they are the ones that manage these legal concerns. People often deal with this delinquency problem by looking at the root of the problem: society and its components The society shouldn’t rely on the authorities alone. They have a lot of other concerns that they may have little time to deal with juvenile delinquencies. The people should start with their own homes and see whether they have proper communication with their children. Another is making sure that the environment is safe, free from other factors that could elicit delinquency. If it still couldn’t be managed, then that’s the time we need professional help. The authorities are more than willing to help, especially if the people are cooperating with them. There should be partnership with the authorities and the locals in order to solve the problem of juvenile delinquency. References: Burns, K. S. (1994). Juvenile Justice System. from http://www.karisable.com/crpunyouth.htm Cannon, D. (1997). GoodFellas (1990).  Ã‚   Retrieved April 8, 2007, from http://www.film.u-net.com/Movies/Reviews/GoodFellas.html Dirks, T. (1996). A Clockwork Orange (1971) Retrieved April 8, 2007, from http://www.filmsite.org/cloc.html Mason, T. (2004). The characteristics of delinquents. from http://www.timothyjpmason.com/WebPages/Deviance/Deviance4.htm Strain Theory. (2001).  Ã‚   Retrieved April 8, 2007, from http://www.skidmore.edu/academics/english/courses/en205d/student7/anomie.html Welch, K. (1998). Two Major Theories of Travis Hirschi.  Ã‚   Retrieved April 8, 2007, from http://www.criminology.fsu.edu/crimtheory/hirschi.htm      

Decisions about turns Essay

Overlapping talk is Ð ° difficult dilemma for interpreters. Whether the talk is simply of Ð ° back-channel nature or will become an attempt to take Ð ° turn does not deny its potential meaningfulness in conversational activity. As overlapping talk begins, any prediction as to its eventual length is Ð ° fifty-fifty probability. In interpreted conversation, the only participant who can begin to comprehend the import of overlapping talk is the interpreter (who may also be the first to realize that overlapping talk is occurring). Acting on these communicative â€Å"problems,† and acting on them quickly, is what interpreter’s do. On what basis do interpreters make decisions about strategies such as stopping speakers, ignoring talk, and offering turns? Predicting how conversational activity will proceed is difficult, particularly when the participants are relatively unknown to the interpreter. The Interpreter in this study explained that most of the time he judges the purpose of Ð ° new utterance by simultaneously considering what has been said, who has said it, and what the topic is or by waiting until the first parts of an utterance are produced to see if he can predict its import or direction. During this meeting the Interpreter consistently stopped the Student and never stopped the Professor, the Interpreter did not interpret the Student’s contributions to the conversation four times. Many interpreters who are concerned, and rightly so, about the rights and equal treatment of minority speakers, might argue that the Interpreter did not act appropriately or was acting in Ð ° way that oppressed the Student. However, conversations with the Professor and Student suggest that issues of equality and rights were not among their priorities. The Student chose this Interpreter because of his fluency in ASL and his attitude. As І discussed previously, the Student had come to the Professor for advice and assistance and was glad that the Interpreter had stopped him. He wanted to hear (see) what the Professor had to say. The Professor was concerned about evaluating the narrative, discussing the idea from class, and getting copies of the narrative to other students. Under the constraint of time and the knowledge that other students were waiting to see her, she did not want Ð ° prolonged meeting. During the playback interview, І asked the Interpreter about his decisions when overlapping talk occurs. First, he mentioned that if the two primary speakers begin at the same time, he interprets what he hears, literally He said, â€Å"І think І am more inclined to go with the voice than І am with signs, І have to be honest. So if they both start at once, І will start signing [interpret what І hear in English] The Deaf person stops and І continue. † When asked if there could be any other reason other than hearing English, he replied, â€Å"Is it Ð ° matter of equality? This is her office, her territory. So he [the Student] is the outsider coming in so І think that takes Ð ° lot of rein, too† The Interpreter â€Å"knows† many things. He knows that this is the Professor’s territory; he knows that her conversational style includes persistence on topics; he knows that teachers have more status, if not authority, than students; and he knows that the Student has come to get information from the Professor. As the Interpreter assimilates and acts on these different bits of knowledge, it appears that many of the Interpreter’s decisions were acceptable and also appropriate and successful. Decisions that allow the Professor to talk actually favor the Student; it benefits him for the Interpreter to stop him so that the Professor can say what she wants. Undoubtedly, all these factors and more play Ð ° role in interpreter decisions about turns with overlapping talk. To what degree roles, prestige, status, authority, language prestige, culture, and other factors contribute to an interpreter’s decisions remains Ð ° subject for future study.

Free Essays on Art

The Arts play a large role in the expression of inner thoughts and beauty in my life. From dance and music to abstract art our concept of life is shown through the various ways in which we interpret it. We use the Arts as a means of touching that part of us that we cannot reach with Physical Science, Social Science, or any of the Humanities. The arts allow us to be as specific or as abstract as we please. It helps us become closer to ourselves and to others around us. Though there has been a lot of confusion as to what the true definition of â€Å"good art† is, how we show others what is going on in our minds and inner souls cannot be judged, graded, criticized or revised by anyone other than ourselves. The arts play a valued role in creating cultures and developing and documenting civilizations. The arts teach us how to communicate through creative expression. Show us how to understand human experiences, past and present. Prepare us to adapt to and respect the ways others think, work, and express themselves. Music, singing, dancing, poetry, and sketching are just a few of the different forms of art that I use to express myself in a way that I enjoy. Because each art discipline appeals to different senses and expresses itself through different media, each adds a special richness to the learning environment. Arts help people Learn to identify, appreciate, and participate in the traditional and non-traditional art forms of their own communities and the communities of others. Art teaches us how to be imaginative, creative, and reflective. Different art forms help us develop the verbal and nonverbal abilities necessary for lifelong learning. The intellectual demands of the arts help us develop problem-solving abilities and such powerful thinking skills as analyzing and evaluating. Numerous studies point toward a consistent and positive comparison between concrete education in the arts and student achievement in other subjects. A progr... Free Essays on Art Free Essays on Art Sexual correctness is a dogma that permits no dissent. Gender feminists have no scruples about silencing and dismissing the voices of women who disagree. Thusthough individualist feminism is a rich tradition with deep roots in American historyit is virtually ignored. This bibliographic essay is a pioneering step toward reclaiming an aspect of feminist history that the orthodoxy would rather remain in the dustbin. Today, the majority of American women feel alienated from forms of feminism that do not address their daily needs. One can understand their disillusionment. American feminism has forgotten its roots and has taken a disastrous turn away from the true interests of women. It is time to rediscover the rich and distinctly American tradition of individualist feminism: a tradition based on the principles of self-ownership and equal treatment under just laws. Although the American tradition draws heavily upon British classical liberalismespecially the work of British feminist Mary WollstonecraftAmerican women organized around issues that were uniquely their own, such as Puritanism, the American Revolution and slavery. As an organized and self-conscious movement, American feminism arose during the 1830's. Prior to this, women who made a stand for their own conscience against authority did so as individuals. Anne Marbury Hutchinson (1591-1643) led the first organized attack on the Puritan orthodoxy of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, thus evoking the sexual equality practiced by some European Protestant sects. The Antinomian Controvery 1636-1638: A Documentary History (1968; Durham: Duke University Press, 1990), edited by David D. Hall is an excellent collection of contemporaneous documents surrounding Hutchinson's trial and banishment. Selma R. Williams' Divine Rebel: The Life of Anne Marbury Hutchinson (N.Y.: Holt, Rinehart & Wilson, 1981) provides good biographical background. Abigail Adams (1744-1818), wife of John Adams,... Free Essays on Art The Arts play a large role in the expression of inner thoughts and beauty in my life. From dance and music to abstract art our concept of life is shown through the various ways in which we interpret it. We use the Arts as a means of touching that part of us that we cannot reach with Physical Science, Social Science, or any of the Humanities. The arts allow us to be as specific or as abstract as we please. It helps us become closer to ourselves and to others around us. Though there has been a lot of confusion as to what the true definition of â€Å"good art† is, how we show others what is going on in our minds and inner souls cannot be judged, graded, criticized or revised by anyone other than ourselves. The arts play a valued role in creating cultures and developing and documenting civilizations. The arts teach us how to communicate through creative expression. Show us how to understand human experiences, past and present. Prepare us to adapt to and respect the ways others think, work, and express themselves. Music, singing, dancing, poetry, and sketching are just a few of the different forms of art that I use to express myself in a way that I enjoy. Because each art discipline appeals to different senses and expresses itself through different media, each adds a special richness to the learning environment. Arts help people Learn to identify, appreciate, and participate in the traditional and non-traditional art forms of their own communities and the communities of others. Art teaches us how to be imaginative, creative, and reflective. Different art forms help us develop the verbal and nonverbal abilities necessary for lifelong learning. The intellectual demands of the arts help us develop problem-solving abilities and such powerful thinking skills as analyzing and evaluating. Numerous studies point toward a consistent and positive comparison between concrete education in the arts and student achievement in other subjects. A progr... Free Essays on Art The Arts play a large role in the expression of inner thoughts and beauty in my life. From dance and music to abstract art our concept of life is shown through the various ways in which we interpret it. We use the Arts as a means of touching that part of us that we cannot reach with Physical Science, Social Science, or any of the Humanities. The arts allow us to be as specific or as abstract as we please. It helps us become closer to ourselves and to others around us. Though there has been a lot of confusion as to what the true definition of â€Å"good art† is, how we show others what is going on in our minds and inner souls cannot be judged, graded, criticized or revised by anyone other than ourselves. The arts play a valued role in creating cultures and developing and documenting civilizations. The arts teach us how to communicate through creative expression. Show us how to understand human experiences, past and present. Prepare us to adapt to and respect the ways others think, work, and express themselves. Music, singing, dancing, poetry, and sketching are just a few of the different forms of art that I use to express myself in a way that I enjoy. Because each art discipline appeals to different senses and expresses itself through different media, each adds a special richness to the learning environment. Arts help people Learn to identify, appreciate, and participate in the traditional and non-traditional art forms of their own communities and the communities of others. Art teaches us how to be imaginative, creative, and reflective. Different art forms help us develop the verbal and nonverbal abilities necessary for lifelong learning. The intellectual demands of the arts help us develop problem-solving abilities and such powerful thinking skills as analyzing and evaluating. Numerous studies point toward a consistent and positive comparison between concrete education in the arts and student achievement in other subjects. A progr... Free Essays on Art Art The Arts play a large role in the expression of inner thoughts and beauty in my life. From dance and music to abstract art our concept of life is shown through the various ways in which we interpret it. We use the Arts as a means of touching that part of us that we cannot reach with Physical Science, Social Science, or any of the Humanities. The arts allow us to be as specific or as abstract as we please. It helps us become closer to ourselves and to others around us. Though there has been a lot of confusion as to what the true definition of â€Å"good art† is, how we show others what is going on in our minds and inner souls cannot be judged, graded, criticized or revised by anyone other than ourselves. The arts play a valued role in creating cultures and developing and documenting civilizations. The arts teach us how to communicate through creative expression. Show us how to understand human experiences, past and present. Prepare us to adapt to and respect the ways others think, work, and express themselves. Music, singing, dancing, poetry, and sketching are just a few of the different forms of art that I use to express myself in a way that I enjoy. Because each art discipline appeals to different senses and expresses itself through different media, each adds a special richness to the learning environment. Arts help people Learn to identify, appreciate, and participate in the traditional and non-traditional art forms of their own communities and the communities of others. Art teaches us how to be imaginative, creative, and reflective. Different art forms help us develop the verbal and nonverbal abilities necessary for lifelong learning. The intellectual demands of the arts help us develop problem-solving abilities and such powerful thinking skills as analyzing and evaluating. Numerous studies point toward a consistent and positive comparison between concrete education in the arts and student achievement in other subjects.... Free Essays on Art Since I was young I have had the pleasure of going to many different art rich environments. I have been able to experience different cuisines, theatre, movies, and art. For this I have my parents to thank, if not for them then I would not understand the world as I do now. It pleases me to know that I have seen things that many have not, or did not get to see. Among the many places, I have had the chance to visit The Walker Art Center, Art Institute, and the Uptown Art Fair. My stepfather also used to own a store called Glass Spectacle in downtown Stillwater where he sold many different types of blown glass and stained glass windows. He also made some of the stained glass windows, and used to be a wedding photographer. I have had a wonderful art full life so far, but not until my visit to Boston this August did I have a chance to take all the art experience and things I have learned in art classes, and use them when looking at art. That trip to Boston was the most amazing art experience to date in my life. This is because it was not just the museums and the art within them, but throughout the city with sculptures and architecture. I went to a few museums while visiting my brother and have to say they were breathtaking, I felt this sense of aw while walking through them. I do want to talk about two of the museums I went to, but I might not get to the second one and other miscellaneous things I saw while walking around the city. The museum and exhibit I want to focus on brings me back to art with glass. The last museum I had the chance of visiting while on my journey was the Harvard Museum of Natural History. Now this obviously is not like your typical art museum, but there happens to be a most breathtaking and exhibit work that I have ever seen. The exhibit is the Ware collection of Blaschka Glass Models of Plants. I had no idea what to expect going into the gallery, but I knew what I was going to see, flowers blown out of glass. Wh... Free Essays on Art David does a great job at directing the viewer’s eyes where he wants. Upon first looking at Gerard David’s lamentation (or as stated in the syllabus his deposition) the viewers eyes are directed towards St. John then to Christ himself. The main emphasis of the painting is the lamentation of Christ. The lamentation is emphasized by placing the characters in the fore ground in the center of the painting. The composition of the painting allows the viewer to see the whole painting while focusing on Christ’s lamentation. David made the painting so the viewer will see the background and the foreground as one then drawing the viewer’s attention to the foreground where St. John, Mary and Christ are. There are a few objects that are fascinating or attractive. One of the objects is the white lily in the foreground with a yellow flower. Another thing that attracts the eyes is the circular object to the left of the lamentation, which looks like the thorny crown Christ wore. There are also the nails that held Christ to the cross and the tools used to pull out the nails. Some objects are puzzling like the city in the background most likely Jerusalem or the heavenly Jerusalem. This is a huge beautiful city coming out of the hills behind St. John. Another is Joseph of Arimathea wearing a turban and exotic clothing. Joseph of Arimathea clothing is the only clothing of that style in the painting. There are many first responses to David’s painting discussed in the first paragraph. How David promotes these responses is shown throw the space, placement of the viewer, light, color, line and shape, and the composition. For example, David provides much depth in his painting. He illustrates an illusionistic 3-D boundless space. He does this by having objects (like the cross) leave the picture plane. He has characters touching, with some in front of others and some behind others. He places the city of Jerusalem behind the main sce... Free Essays on Art Gothic Sculpture In the Gothic period, remarkable sculpture was produced in France, Germany, and Italy. As in Romanesque times, much of it was made in conjunction with church architecture, although sculptured figures are also found on tombs, pulpits, and other church furnishings. France The great cathedral at Chartres exemplifies the stylistic evolution of the Gothic, which can be traced in viewing its portals. Its west entrance, the earliest, built in the mid-12th century, displays rigid, columnar figures with schematic drapery and similar, almost undifferentiated facial expressions; the later portals, on the north and south transepts, show greater differentiation of personality and costume, and even convey movement by means of a Gothic S-curve given to the axis of the body. Chartres Cathedral's sculpture, in addition, is a virtual encyclopedia of medieval knowledge; beyond the biblical narratives and depictions of various saints, one finds astrology, the labors of the months, the l iberal arts, and the virtues and vices portrayed. Many French Gothic cathedrals have similar sculptural programs, and, as at Chartres, the sculptors' names are unknown. By contrast, the name of a Flemish sculptor who worked in Dijon for the duke of Burgundy is known: Claus Sluter. Among his works the polychromed stone Well of Moses (1395-1403, Chartreuse de Champmol, Dijon, France), showing Moses and several other prophets, is unique for its capture of realistic details of anatomy, clothing textures, and distinct personalities. Also known is the name of one of the first women sculptors to be encountered in the history of Western art-Sabina von Steinbach-who assisted her father, the builder of Strasbourg Cathedral. She was responsible for the statues personifying the Church and the Synagogue (both 13th cent.), which are located near the south portals of the cathedral. Germany In Germany, Gothic sculpture frequently shows an emotional intensity and characteris... Free Essays on Art Abstract Art Abstract Expressionism is a form of art (mainly painting) that developed after one of the most difficult periods in human history. This period began during the great depression in the 1930's and ended with the end of World War II in 1945. When the war ended, Germany, Italy and Japan had been defeated and much of Europe and Japan were in ruins. The human loss in the Nazi concentration camps had been exposed in all of its horror and the United States had dropped atomic bombs on two Japanese cities, unleashing destructive power of an unprecedented nature. All of this, of course brought about a worldwide examination of basic human values and ethics and a period of dramatic change in art. Although both the Great Depression and World War II were great disasters, these events were important in forcing a number of the European avant-garde artists to flee Europe for the safety of the United States, where they influenced many younger American artists. It is difficult to know exactly how much this migration affected American art, but part of its impact was that for the first time, American artists became internationally recognized for their new vision and a new artistic vocabulary, all of which soon became known as Abstract Expressionism. These artists, like others earlier in the century, began to express their feelings and thoughts in abstract form. However, the difference here was that they expressed these abstract ideas and feelings with an energy that had never been seen before as they tried to find a means of putting their excitement, inner feelings and even torment into a concrete form. They also took artistic license to an extreme that had never been seen before; and in doing so, they redefined what could be considered art and artistic process.... Free Essays on Art The Arts play a large role in the expression of inner thoughts and beauty in my life. From dance and music to abstract art our concept of life is shown through the various ways in which we interpret it. We use the Arts as a means of touching that part of us that we cannot reach with Physical Science, Social Science, or any of the Humanities. The arts allow us to be as specific or as abstract as we please. It helps us become closer to ourselves and to others around us. Though there has been a lot of confusion as to what the true definition of â€Å"good art† is, how we show others what is going on in our minds and inner souls cannot be judged, graded, criticized or revised by anyone other than ourselves. The arts play a valued role in creating cultures and developing and documenting civilizations. The arts teach us how to communicate through creative expression. Show us how to understand human experiences, past and present. Prepare us to adapt to and respect the ways others thi nk, work, and express themselves. Music, singing, dancing, poetry, and sketching are just a few of the different forms of art that I use to express myself in a way that I enjoy. Because each art discipline appeals to different senses and expresses itself through different media, each adds a special richness to the learning environment. Arts help people Learn to identify, appreciate, and participate in the traditional and non-traditional art forms of their own communities and the communities of others. Art teaches us how to be imaginative, creative, and reflective. Different art forms help us develop the verbal and nonverbal abilities necessary for lifelong learning. The intellectual demands of the arts help us develop problem-solving abilities and such powerful thinking skills as analyzing and evaluating. Numerous studies point toward a consistent and positive comparison between concrete education in the arts and student achievement in other subjects. A program in a... Free Essays on Art â€Å"From music and dance to painting and sculpting, the arts allow us to explore new worlds and to view life from another perspective†(Bush) Visiting The Schneider Museum of Art of Southern Oregon University is a very valuable activity for SOU students. â€Å"Art exhibitions are made to inspire, challenge, provide enjoyment and deepen the understanding of human emotion.†( Faulkner) The Schneider Museum of Art with its many exhibits allow the students and community of Ashland and surrounding areas a way to experience something that they do not get to see on a daily bases. The arts play a valued role in education. They allow us to create, develop and documenting feelings and events. The arts teach us how to communicate through creative expression. Art shows us how to understand human experiences, past and present. Prepare us to adapt to and respect the ways others think, work, and express them. Art plays a large role in the expression of intimate thoughts. From music to abstract art our concept of life is shown through the various ways in which we interpret things. The arts are used as a means of touching the part of us that we cannot reach with science. The arts allow us to be as specific or as abstract as we please. It helps us become closer to ourselves and to others around us. Though there has been a lot of confusion as to what the true definition of â€Å"good art† is, for example â€Å"Good Art is when the viewer leaves the exhibition that they have some kind of feeling or emotion about the art that they just have seen.† (Faulkner) or â€Å"Art appeals to human emotions. It can arouse aesthetic or moral feelings, and can be understood as a way of communicating these feelings. †¦. Art both explores human emotions and ways to arouse them - the good art brings something new and original in either of these two respects â€Å"(Wikipedia) Because each art discipline appeals to different senses and expresses itself through differ... Free Essays on Art Imagine standing on a stage, overlooking 70 tiered rows in what is possibly the most beautiful amphitheater in the world. As Dave Matthews and his fellow band mates walk on stage, the crowd cheers wildly. You are at Red Rocks and the scene is set for the Dave Matthews Band. Red Rocks Amphitheater is located in Morrison, Colorado, 15 miles west of Denver. It provides seating for 9600, and has some of the best acoustics found anywhere on Earth. Since 1941 it has been home to many concerts and performers and is the perfect backdrop for a live performance. Recorded on August 15, 1995, "Live At Red Rocks 8.15.95" was created at the height of the band’s musical talent and at the bottom step of their climb to fame. It was shows like this that left fans mesmerized by the funky, jazz-infused riffs that the band played. It is this kind of energetic and intimate live music that keeps the fans coming back. The members of the Dave Matthews Band (or DMB for short) are each very unique, espe cially in the instruments that they play. This is what makes the band and its music really work. Dave Matthews provides lead vocals and acoustic guitar, Boyd Tinsley plays the violin, Stefan Lessard is on bass guitar, Leroi Moore blows the woodwinds, and Carter Beauford plays the drums. Matthews is a very talented musician. He provides very unique singing styles and an abstract, awkward ability to play the guitar. Tinsley plays the violin like no other. It is odd to find a band with a violin, but his talent forces it to work. Lessard, who joined the band when he was only 16, provides funky bass lines that fill in the empty spots. Leroi Moore plays flute, saxophone, and clarinet which mixed with modern instruments, create an odd combination of sounds, finally Carter Beauford, known for his excellent improvisational skills and perfect fill-in’s, lights up the drums with a talent that few have. These five musicians joined together on the night of August 15, 1995, ...

Free Essays on Sand And Blue Skies

that I want to say and say them just the right way. As my fingers grasp her hand tighter †¦ â€Å"Mellissa, I love you more than anything in this world. I would’ve hoped that you knew this and didn’t worry about anything like that. I have already applied ... Free Essays on Sand And Blue Skies Free Essays on Sand And Blue Skies Chapter One â€Å"I used to dream about places like this. Back when I was in second grade. Sometimes during school, while Mrs. Perkins was trying to teach us how to divide math problems and do fractions. And sometimes when I didn’t want to take a bath and my mother was scolding me for it.† I look at her face as I say this. My beautiful Melissa. Irish-European. Coal-black-hair and baby blue eyes. And she is all mine. I wonder how she feels right about now, as we stand in the tall grassy fields of Oklahoma. The wind is breathing slowly down our necks, brushing our cheeks in a slow silent greeting of hello. The sun is about to set in the east, purple violet and pinkish orange clouds billow away with the wind. And here we stand just the two of us. In mutual silence. Sometimes I find it amazing how easy it is for us to be in each other’s company. No frantic kissing, nothing like that. We just sit there and hold hands. As long as we can. As I look at her I see her in a whole different perspective. Around others she seems so aloof with who she is, untouchable. She seems to stay by herself. She seems to wait for the time that we spend together silently. I do to. And I cherish it with all my heart. I do. â€Å"Dorian, what are we going to do after we finish high school? I mean, you still want to be with me right. My father says that you will just leave just like Steve and Ricky did. Left their girls all alone. I don’t want that to happen to me. Alone without you to talk to. We could go to the same college couldn’t we?† As she looks at me with tears sliding slowly down her face I wish that I could do anything in the world to stop this. And I can. I think about the words that I want to say and say them just the right way. As my fingers grasp her hand tighter †¦ â€Å"Mellissa, I love you more than anything in this world. I would’ve hoped that you knew this and didn’t worry about anything like that. I have already applied ...

10 Ways to Render Sentences More Concise

10 Ways to Render Sentences More Concise 10 Ways to Render Sentences More Concise 10 Ways to Render Sentences More Concise By Mark Nichol This post details various strategies for reducing and simplifying sentences. 1. Sentence Combination Avoid consecutive sentences that end and begin, respectively, with the same word or phrase as occurs here: A common way to track the current state of systems is monitoring performance metrics. Performance metrics show how assets are performing at the transaction level. In such cases, replace the period between them with a comma and delete the second iteration of the word or phrase with which: â€Å"A common way to track the current state of systems is monitoring performance metrics, which show how assets are performing at the transaction level.† 2. Condensing by Subordination When a sentence includes two consecutive verb phrases, consider converting one to a subordinate clause. For example, note how the subject of this sentence is followed by two statements of fact: The renowned tea is a symbol of the city’s gracious hospitality and is often served in a glass to display its jade-green color. The first statement can easily be subsumed into the main clause as a parenthetical phrase: â€Å"The renowned tea, a symbol of the city’s gracious hospitality, is often served in a glass to display its jade-green color.† 3. Integration of Clauses Here, an introductory subordinate clause sets up an unnecessarily wordy sentence: For health care entities with similar classes of customers, they may be able to reduce the overall evaluation effort by applying the portfolio approach. The clause is easily integrated into the main clause by omitting for and treating â€Å"health care entities,† rather than they, as the sentence’s subject: â€Å"Health care entities with similar classes of customers may be able to reduce the overall evaluation effort by applying the portfolio approach.† 4. Denominalization Nominalization is the complication of prose by using nouns when employing the verb form of that noun, or revising the sentence to eliminate the need for a noun, produces more clear, concise prose; nouns, of course, are integral to prose but, especially in the case of formal nouns with such elements as -ation, they can be abused in the service of conveying authority. This sentence is not overly formal, but it is wordier than necessary: Furthermore, companies are taking backups of the production applications and storing them for indefinite periods. Denominalization- literally, â€Å"unnaming†- is simply a fancy way of saying â€Å"rephrasing to eliminate nouns.† Note that in this sentence, the noun backups can be converted to a verb, rendering the verb taking superfluous, and the final phrase can be condensed by transforming the adjective indefinite into an adverb, which enables deletion of the noun periods: â€Å"Furthermore, companies are backing up the production applications and storing them indefinitely.† The following sentence is an example of a statement with a double-decker nominalization: Management may find it beneficial to engage in a dialogue on a periodic basis regarding the organization’s policy. As in the previous example, one word easily replaces a phrase- â€Å"on a periodic basis† can be reduced to periodically: â€Å"Management may find it beneficial to periodically engage in a dialogue regarding the organization’s policy.† But further reduction is achieved by replacing the phrase â€Å"engage in a dialogue† with a synonymous word: â€Å"Management may find it beneficial to periodically discuss the organization’s policy.† 5. Employing Terms Rather Than Definitions One strategy to achieve conciseness is to avoid describing something by defining it; note the explanation in the following sentence: He was prone to making embarrassing mistakes in public. Here, the persons behavior can be described with a term that embodies the definition: â€Å"He was prone to committing faux pas.† 6. Deletion of Expletives The expletives â€Å"there is† and â€Å"there are† are poor substitutes for a strong subject; note how the following sentence gets off to a weak start: There are few, if any, finance and accounting departments that are not experiencing some form of extreme change. Expletives need not be excised in every case, but minimize their use by deleting such phrases in favor of the definite noun or noun phrase that follows (and delete the associated that that appears later in the sentence): â€Å"Few, if any, finance and accounting departments are not experiencing some form of extreme change.† 7. Avoiding Tautology Tautology is redundancy or repetition, such as shown here: Could you repeat that again? To repeat is to do something again, so this sentence is equivalent to â€Å"Could you say that again again?† Indicate the action one way or another: â€Å"Could you say that again?† or, more concisely, â€Å"Could you repeat that?† 8. Using Brief Modifiers When modifying a noun to provide more information about it, use a preceding adjective or phrasal adjective rather than an extended phrase following the noun. The following sentence demonstrates use of a verbose modifying phrase: She offered an explanation that was brief and to the point. This sentence can be tightened up by locating the description of the explanation before the noun: â€Å"She offered a brief, to-the-point explanation.† 9. Excising Single Words Sometimes, reducing a sentence by just one word improves it, as shown in the following examples: Rather than assessing all of the contracts, select a representative sample to assess. In the phrase â€Å"all of,† of is generally superfluous: â€Å"Rather than assessing all the contracts, select a representative sample to assess.† How is technology helping to change the way elderly people are cared for? In the phrase â€Å"helping to,† to is extraneous: How is technology helping change the way elderly people are cared for? That is the most annoying error I have ever seen, and also the most prevalent. Also, when it immediately follows and, is redundant: That is the most annoying error I have ever seen, and the most prevalent. 10. Avoiding Prolixity Refrain from florid, verbose descriptions. The following sentence is an extreme example of self-indulgent wordiness, but unless one is deliberately prolix in the service of humor, be vigilant about reining in excessively ornate prose: One might with the utmost confidence essay to prevail in a debate in which one asserts that possessing one’s own means of vehicular conveyance offers one greater flexibility than public transportation provides in the matter of travel to one’s place of learning or employment or to social occasions. Pare such overly complicated composition: â€Å"It’s easy to win an argument that having one’s own car makes it easier to get to school or work or to meet friends than if one uses public transportation.† 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 Grammar category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:The Royal Order of Adjectives Disappointed + PrepositionCareful with Words Used as Noun and Verb

Chapter 11 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 3

Chapter 11 - Essay Example There was a thin line between the author’s reasons and my reasons because the women rarely indulge in the physical activities because they might fear the risks that may come with the consequences of the act, there is also the barriers of costs to be incurred which is similar to one of the reasons of the authors and equally the chances of experiencing the risks. There were the theories that were chosen as the basis for the program which include; HBM meaning health belief model, SE (self-efficacy), and the SLT theory which means social learning theory. According to HBM, a person’s health related behavior depends on several factors like: the severity of the illness, the person’s susceptibility to the illness and the importance and the barriers to taking precautionary actions. The HBM theory was preferred by many researchers because it emphasizes on knowledge and perception which seemed appropriate to a population to which the health outcome of a preventive behavior. The SE theory is based on the misconceptions among Hispanics about the relationship between certain risk behaviors and the diseases given that mistaken belief can give a false discernment of the need for change. The SLT theory manifests the human behavior as interactive way between environmental, behavioral and personal factors (Slattery, pg.38). In the SLT theory, reinforcement, observational learning, self-control, behavioral capability and emotional coping responses together with SE are principal constructs in SLT. There are also other constructs like environmental factors which affect behavior. The factors can be particularly important for enhancing physical activities among Hispanic women for various reasons because the term environment refers to the social environment which is inclusive friends, family members and peers which is part of the Hispanic culture. This affects the

Point of Sale System Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Point of Sale System - Research Paper Example The United States and other countries which have a lot of international activities thus receive many visitors from the world over have the highest number of sale transactions. As a result of the increased usage of point of sale system in almost every retail store, fraudsters have come up with technologies to skim customer cards, produce replica cards and defraud users of their money. This has forced major car producing and regulating companies Visa and MasterCard to move from magnetic strip cards to EM which is more secure as it requires the use of a pin code and has a chip. Compared to other countries such as the Netherlands, Canada, Australia, the UK and other parts of the world card fraud in USA has been significantly low. But as this other markets migrate to EMV their fraud rates have seen tremendous reduction while the United States’ have been going upwards due delays in migration from magnetic strip. The American card market heavily relies on the magnetic strip cards and this could behind the rising fraud rates; fraud has risen by 70% since the year 2004 with 2010 representing the first year in time when fraud rates on cards issued in the United States was higher compared to cards issued in the UK (King, 2012). In conclusion therefore the use of point of sale systems has become popular the America and the whole world. Fraud has evolved and targeted plastic money necessitating the change of technology to EMV. The United States has been slow in moving to EMV due to high presence of signature verification cards and mag strips. Migrating from magnetic strip cards will therefore be a huge milestone in curbing card counterfeiting in

Surveillance and intelligence Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Surveillance and intelligence - Term Paper Example Festinger in his analysis of the cognitive dissonance theory gave the analogy of a fearful person, who could not find commensurate cause for his fear. The person’s knowledge that he is fearful is incompatible with his knowledge that there is nothing to fear. (Wicklund and Brehm1). Cognition or elements of knowledge refer to knowledge one has concerning the environment or himself (Wicklund and Brehm 3). Critical thinkers need to understand the cognitive dissonance and how it impacts on our response to domestic and international developments. According to Festinger, it is this uncertainty in knowledge that culminates in a psychological state known as cognitive dissonance. Cognition also varies in extent to which it has resistance to knowledge. For example, a person’s knowledge of the greenness of grass is immensely resistant to change; a person with normal vision would find it difficult to visualize grass as being any other color than green. Generally, there are two disti nct sources of resistance to change. The first source of resistance to change is difficulty in altering events cognized. What is commonly referred to as facts, for example, the grass is green, those worldly aspects that give us firm and clear cognitions. On the other hand, highly ambiguous events, for example, what will be the quality of life on earth a century from now?, is not clear. The second source of resistance to change is the clarity of reality presented by cognition. Cognitions concerning historical events are immensely resistant to change. On the other hand, contemporaneous events and cognitions related to them are easier to change. For example, if one finds that the air conditioner is too noisy, he or she can simply decide to turn it off. The original statement of Festinger’s cognitive dissonance theory thus notably proposed resistance to change of cognitions and proportion of cognitions that are dissonant. Inclusion of the latter proposition distinguishes cognitiv e dissonance theory from other theories of cognitive balance, and makes it a fertile source of research. Cognitive dissonance theory however overlooks some aspects that characterize it from other theories of cognitive balance (Wicklund and Brehm 3). 2. Go into either â€Å"Factcheck.org† or â€Å"Politifact.com† and checkout one of the â€Å"Pants on fire† presentations. Write a short note why the original claim cannot be substantiated (30 points). The United States of America Congress financial services committee chairman in a house of congress floor speech commented that â€Å"members of Congress†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦are going to be the only people in America to get subsidies in the Obamacare exchanges† (â€Å"GOP rep. Jeb Hensarling Assails,† politifact.com). Obama and his allies created a system in which most Americans who have insurance remain on their existing health insurance plans. The marketplaces were created for Americans who lacked insurance en tirely. Subsidies in Obamacare were rolled out in October 1st, 2013; the same day the shutdown began. Any American with a specified income range and who purchases insurance on the Obamacare market place will be eligible for subsidies in the form of tax credits. Staffers and legislators do not qualify for the stipulated subsidies or tax credits, since their income is very high. Instead they qualify for employer-cost sharing; that is, employer sponsored health insurance plans that long preceded the Obama care health system. Obamacare is

Literature Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 4

Literature - Essay Example The five natures or characteristics found in literature are subdivided into smaller segments to show the complex variety and types of works which have been produced by writers but the central points remain the same. These include: Knowing and understand these aspects allows an individual to apply the same to any work which is presented as literature and permits the examination of how that particular piece is constructed (Culler, 2000). Considering the longer of the two works, the Tell-Tale Heart is a fine example of gothic short story writing for which Poe is rightly famous. The story places an unnamed narrator with an old man who has a defect in one of his eyes which give it a cloudy appearance. The narrator is very distressed by the eye for some reason to the extent that he wishes to kill the old man. He stands night after night looking upon the old man as he sleeps but doesn’t kill him because the urge to kill settles down while the eye is closed. One night the old man wakes up and upon seeing the cloudy eye the narrator loses control and kills the old man. He chops up the body and buries it under the floor boards (Poe, 1843). When the police come to investigate, he remains calm and shows them around the house to clarify that there was no murder or accident. However, during the visit he starts hearing the heartbeat of the man he buried and becomes very agitated as it grows louder. The police do not hear anything but narrator himself is driven into frenzy and starts tearing out the floorboards to reveal the dead man’s body and his own guilt (Poe, 1843). If we apply the five characteristics, then all seem to fit very well into place with the story in question. First of all, the story and the events described therein are completely fictional although understandably scary and exciting. The language used is very suitable for

The Disease of Alcoholism Speech or Presentation

The Disease of Alcoholism - Speech or Presentation Example The present paper has identified that alcohol is a poison which can damage the body. Either as a con ­ sequence of its direct toxic effects or because of the dietary and vitamin  deficiencies which often  accompany heavy drinking, alcohol can harm the body. It can damage the brain with, at worst, dementia the result. The nerve supply to the limbs can be impaired with numbing and pain (peripheral neuritis). The liver can be the prime site of alcohol poisoning, with cirrhosis the outcome. The pancreas can become inflamed, with painful and potentially lethal consequences. The limb muscles can be weakened (Goodlett et al 1999). Only imagine that about 200,000 deaths each year are directly related to alcohol abuse (Death Statistics 2007). The major adverse effects associated with alcohol abuse are related to liver damage because of the accumulation fats and protein in the liver. Long-term heavy drinking is associated with the development of esophagitis, gastritis, achlorhydria and g astric ulcers. Heavy alcohol intake may interfere in the normal process of food digestion and absorption (Goodlett et al 1999). It also inhibits the capacity of the intestines to absorb various nutrients including vitamins and amino acids. This can result to vitamin deficiencies. Alcohol has been shown to affect the heart by increasing the resting cardiac output, heart rate and myocardial oxygen consumption. A person with alcohol intoxication may also be predisposed to infections secondary to the suppression of the immune system. Alcoholism ruins personality and males a person dependant on alcohol. â€Å"Rich or poor, tall or short, fat or thin, male or female, all fall into the alcoholic spectrum in an orderly and predictable pattern--each being equal to the other†. Form the chemical and biological point of view alcohol has potent effects on areas of the brainstem called the locus coeruleus and the raphe nuclei (Goodlett et al 1999). These play an important role in both moto r coordination and alertness, which unsurprisingly are two of the functions most impaired by having a drink or three. Alcohol abuse is so dangerous because it negatively inferences the mental and psychological development of a person. Alcoholism has the potential to disrupt every brain function. The well-known fact is that alcohol may appear to be a stimulant, but it is mostly a central nervous system depressant. Although initially there may be a feeling of happiness and well-being, alcohol produces loss of emotional control, violent behavior, inability to coordinate movement, nausea, confusion, and coma. Less known facts are that alcoholic coma is not a minor problem - it results in death in about 1 in 20 cases. Once people who use alcohol heavily are habituated to this drug after five or so years; they will experience blackouts, nightmares, and hallucinations. It is a known fact that citizens can drink alcohol life long in moderate quantities without significant risk to health or social well-being. Unfortunately, too many people who take alcohol regularly are unable to resist the temptation and increase the quantity of alcohol that leads to alcoholism. It is important to remember that withdrawal also produces uncontrolled trembling of the limbs, delirium and epileptic attacks that do not always respond to anti-epileptic drugs (Goodlett et al 1999).  

Literature Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 4

Literature - Essay Example The five natures or characteristics found in literature are subdivided into smaller segments to show the complex variety and types of works which have been produced by writers but the central points remain the same. These include: Knowing and understand these aspects allows an individual to apply the same to any work which is presented as literature and permits the examination of how that particular piece is constructed (Culler, 2000). Considering the longer of the two works, the Tell-Tale Heart is a fine example of gothic short story writing for which Poe is rightly famous. The story places an unnamed narrator with an old man who has a defect in one of his eyes which give it a cloudy appearance. The narrator is very distressed by the eye for some reason to the extent that he wishes to kill the old man. He stands night after night looking upon the old man as he sleeps but doesn’t kill him because the urge to kill settles down while the eye is closed. One night the old man wakes up and upon seeing the cloudy eye the narrator loses control and kills the old man. He chops up the body and buries it under the floor boards (Poe, 1843). When the police come to investigate, he remains calm and shows them around the house to clarify that there was no murder or accident. However, during the visit he starts hearing the heartbeat of the man he buried and becomes very agitated as it grows louder. The police do not hear anything but narrator himself is driven into frenzy and starts tearing out the floorboards to reveal the dead man’s body and his own guilt (Poe, 1843). If we apply the five characteristics, then all seem to fit very well into place with the story in question. First of all, the story and the events described therein are completely fictional although understandably scary and exciting. The language used is very suitable for

How Transgenics has helped to shed light on a disease model Diabetes Essay

How Transgenics has helped to shed light on a disease model Diabetes - Essay Example The technique helps in the betterment of human and animal genes, while helping r educe diseased conditions and accentuating positive features. It improves nutritional value in plants and advances the yield of crops. It also helps in the treatment of genetic disorders and in the study of DNA fingerprinting, which can help the forensic department in punishing or acquitting an individual. The Recombinant DNA technique was engineered by Stanley Norman Cohen and Herbert Boyer in 1973. They published their findings in a 1974 paper entitled "Construction of Biologically Functional Bacterial Plasmids in vitro", which described a technique to isolate and amplify genes or DNA segments and insert them into another cell with precision, creating a transgenic bacterium. [www.wikipedia.com] This technology has helped in the creation of genetically healthy animals, who are devoid of any flaw characteristics. The genetic errors and flaws have been replaced and altered using this technology of artificial DNA and has paved way for flawless genes in animals. These transgenic animals have indeed become a landmark in biological studies. They are useful in carrying forward the species, without any threat of becoming extinct.

Malham Field UK Essay Example for Free

Malham Field UK Essay Malham field is very vast piece of land situated the northern eastern of the England. It lies within the Yorkshire part of England. The region has wide variations of geographical features which contribute to the attractiveness of the region as centre of tourism attraction. The region has therefore been a region of great importance in the development of geographical learning and other linked course such as agricultures, tourism as well as fishing. (Raistrick, 1972) The geology The Malham field is a region famous of geological activities. One of the most famous geological activities in the sites lies with the presence of limestone features of their own uniqueness. The place is well known because of the wide variety of features, however, the site has is deeply significant in geological work through the understanding of limestone. Generally, Malham is speculated to be a region of useful limestone minerals. The region has been of unique shape which is attributed to the endowment of limestone. The presence of the limestone of the nature of KARST in this portion of land has led to the spectacular landscape. (O’Connor 1964): Due to the nature of limestone present, the region experiences underground drainage more often rather than surface drainage and run offs. Therefore, like in many other areas where KARST occurs, the underground drainage forms a main feature in the region. The presence of limestone in region makes it possible in the formation of different geographical feature. These physical geographical features formed in the region depend on the chemical properties of calcium carbonate. The rocks are readily dissolved by rainwater. As result of this kind of rock the cover the land, the reactions of the rock with rainwater leads to the formation of sinkholes. Usually, sinkholes which are salient features in the regions occur with surface water disappearing underground hence leaving behind dry valleys and stream less. The nature of the rock in the area also prevents ease formation of the soils. The rock has very high rate of dissolving which renders the processes of soils formation quite impossible. While soils are not easily formed on soluble rocks, then the place has vast lands with bare rocks. In addition to bare rocks, other common salient features in the regions includes crags and pavements Figure 1 The figure above shows the presence of several feature found in the region. Bare rock s and other features are clearly indicated. Scree slopes and crags are shown in the figure with varying ways. This figure was retrieve from http://www. malhamdale. com/geology. htm on 21 February, 2009 Landforms and soils The part of Malham has several features which are formed through different activities. There are two major activities which are involved in the formation of the various landforms in the region. Perhaps, there are three most distinct ways in which these features are attained. One of these is the glaciations process which is believed to have taken place during the era of ice ages. The place of Malham is said to have been covered with glaciers at about 15000 years ago. The sheet of ice that covered Malham glaciated leading to scoured and modified KARST landscape. This made the place to come to be referred to as GLACIOKARST landscape. The process led to the formation of limestone pavement with exposed rocks to the element of the environment. (Burek et al,1998) The figure 2 below shows an example of limestone pavement. Retrieved from http://www. malhamdale. com/cove. htm on 21 February, 2009 The figure above shows a Malham cove which is said to be an inspiration to numerous art and literature work. The Malham cove is a huge shaped cliff formed of limestone rock. The top of the cove is covered by classical limestone pavement. The high of the vertical face of the cliff is 260 feet. The cove is deeply eroded at the top. (Muir 1991) The other kind of features and landscapes can result through erosion and solution processes. Generally, these processes are likely to create feature of tourism attraction such as the Gordale Scar. This is a huge gorge that existed since the ice ages in which water melted forming a cavern that gradually collapsed resulting to waterfall and a gorge (Sweeting, 1972) Vegetation and drainage The Malham part has mostly underground drainage system. This is because the rock allows the formation of such systems more easily than any other drainage systems. Most of the rivers in this region remain as dry river bed due to percolation of the surface water from the surface. Most rivers become surface drainage systems only with heavy rainfall. Despite that the region has several underground water systems; the Malham tarn is salient feature within the region. While most of the drainage systems are naturally salty, the Malham Tarn system has been very significant in the provision of freshwater. The Malham tarn lake draws off its contents to the small stream of Malham water. This system of the Malham water enters to the limestone where it disappears at water sinks. The system continues with its course by adopting the common way of underground channel before it reappears at the Airehead Springs in the southern part of Malham. (Smith and Atkinson, 1977) Figure 3 Malham Tarn lake drainage system This is the famous largest freshwater lake in the United Kingdom Climate The region of Malham experiences four climatic seasons in a year. However, there has been some change in the recent times which is not only being experienced in this region but is a matter that is causing an alarm allover the world. The Malham region is being affected by the global warming process which is taking place in whole world. The winter season is portrayed to have the extreme of temperature increase, implying that there is the least frost and ground air at such a time. During the summer period, the amount of rainfall is more or less that received during the winter time. However, there has a tendency of drier summers and wetter winters in the past few decades. (Manley, 1979)

Ethnicity and Genocide in Rwanda

Ethnicity and Genocide in Rwanda Tracing the origins of a genocide is a treacherous undertaking. If simply recording the facts can be difficult, due to the chaotic and brutal disregard of human existence and culture, then tracing the social, cultural and political origins/causes is highly problematic. If the interpreter chooses to trace these origins to the distant past, by considering peculiar cultural developments and tensions then he/she can be accused of absolving those who were actively involved in the genocide of the responsibility that should be attributed to them. If on the other hand, the interpreter chooses merely to concentrate on the motivations of those involved then this can be at the expense of a broader understanding of the circumstances that enabled such motivations to flourish. This dilemma certainly confronts efforts to explain the most notorious genocide in human history, in Germany during the second world war. Hannah Arendt for example, asked us, disturbingly, to think of Eichman as just a burea ucrat trying to do the best for his career and family as a creation of the dark side of modernity. In attempting to explain a more recent, equally brutal, genocide in Rwanda in 1994 we are once again confronted by the interpretive dilemma described above. In the case of Rwanda the issue for those attempting to explain why almost 1 million people were murdered in the space of just a few months, has been the extent to which ethnicity was the decisive factor. Was it ethnic tension and rivalry that erupted, horrifically, into the mass killing of a minority ethnic group by another majority ethnic group? If so then how did such viscous ethnic tension emerge? Was it an artificial creation of colonial rule, that was very likely to eventually end in violent conflict? Or were ethnic tensions between the Hutu and Tutsi the deliberate construction of power groups bent on the annihilation of their enemies, their competitors for power. And to what extent were these tensions class based rather than ethnic? In the following essay I shall show how there is more at stake in assessing the contributi on of ethnicity to the genocide in Rwanda than the degree to which ethnicity was a factor. Moreover, it is very clear that ethnicity played a part but the key issue is when, who, how and for what purpose was ‘ethnic’ division created? Our answers to these questions will lead us to the very meaning of the ethnicities themselves. Ethnicity and Genocide Before we can begin to address the particular case of Rwanda however we should clarify what will be meant by both ethnicity and genocide. The term ethnicity is usually employed to refer to the identity of a group of people who share a particular geography, language, history, religion, habits and customs that can be distinguished from other such groups. Whether this identity is ‘imaginary or real’, as Obi Zgwanda notes, is irrelevant. What matters is that there is a perception of ethnic differences and that this perception guides the actions and interactions of those who hold to them. It is important also to note here that ethnicity is a social identity that is not necessarily confined by, or the product of, precise geographical boundaries. Indeed Africa is a good example of a region that consists of many ethnicities that pre-date the establishment of geographical boundaries. Moreover, just because a certain social identity is not geographically demarcated against another social identity, it’s other, does not mean that the social identity in question is any less describable as ethnic (Igwara, 1995: 7) The term genocide requires a much more formal definition. This is because there often seems to be some confusion between killing that is motivated by ethnic hatred and the deliberate, planned attempt to eliminate a certain ethnic group which is what we shall understand to be genocide. The distinction is important because it is much easier to understand the socio-historical causes of violence between ethnic groups than it is to trace the socio-historical legacy that led to genocide. In other words, there may exist ethnic tensions or competing ethnicities but it is a big step to then understand them as the key contributing factor in genocide. And once we recognise that genocide is planned and deliberate then we also have to take into account the motivations of the planners of the genocide. In other words, we need to consider the extent to which ethnicity was manipulated by actors bent on the paranoid accumulation of power and wealth. Hutu and Tutsi as ethnicities? Hutu and Tutsi are the two main ethnic groupings in Rwanda. But are they really distinct ethnic groupings. After all, they share the same language and customs and are not divided by religion either. Indeed, they also share the same geography. The Hutu, who are the majority group, have been historically distinguished, most significantly, merely by their occupation as farmers of the land whereas Tutsi are mainly cattle farmers. To be sure this is an important difference, in that ownership of cattle has traditionally been thought of as the chief measure of status. There are some who believe that Tutsi and Hutu can be distinguished also by appearance but then there are others still who believe that this is mythical, a social imagination of former Tutsi rule which explains why they are thought to be taller. In any case, the pre-twentieth century history of Tutsi and Hutu suggest that the two groups were different not as ethnicities as such but as two layers of a caste system. This would perhaps explain why prior to the twentieth century the Hutu and Tutsi coexisted relatively peacefully; certainly if the cultural and economic hierarchy between Tutsi and Hutu was internalised as a natural order within the social identities of the two groupings. Indeed, to describe the Hutu and Tutsi as ethnicities may indeed be a Eurocentric way of classifying the differences between the two groups that wants to divide up the world into distinct ethnicities, much in the way that nations are divided up. To put the point differently, it is rather like understanding the middle and working classes in Britain as separate ethnicities. To conclude this section, if the genocide carried out by Hutu against Tutsi is to be understood in terms of ethnicity then the ethnicity we are referring to must surely be a recent creation and therefore, perhaps less decisive as a factor? Colonialism and the construction of ethnicity It is now widely recognised that colonial rule of Africa, and other parts of the world, created tensions that otherwise might not have existed. There are two key reasons for this effect. Firstly, the dividing up of Africa by European powers in the 19th and early 20th century created artificial boundaries which subsequently became states, and which would later become the subject of dispute and violent conflict. Secondly, and more significantly in the case of Rwanda colonialism imposed what is called the settler/native dialectic. The settler/native dialectic did not just impose a hierarchy it established an altered consciousness in which social identities were relative to the superiority of the colonist (Mamdani, 2001). Moreover, consent to colonial rule was imposed not just through force but through a kind of cultural assimilation in which the native was encouraged to aspire to the cultural and economic superiority of the settler. This surely had the effect of heightening tensions bet ween groups that were privileged or marginalised within this dialectic thus feeding a key ingredient of ethnicity, namely otherness (Mamdani, 2001) German control of Rwanda up until the first world war certainly followed the logic of colonialism described above. Throughout German occupation the dominance of the Tutsi was further institutionalised through administrative and economic structures. And the enforcement of a tax regime meant that the Tutsi were both partly responsible for and beneficiaries of the collection and allocation of revenue. However, it was Belgian colonialism that had the most significant impact on relations between Hutu and Tutsi, and the social construction of ethnic identity in Rwanda. There are several key factors here. Firstly, after taking control of the colony after world war one, the Belgian authorities introduced formal ethnic identification. Every Rwandan was forced to carry identity cards stating their ethnic identity, i.e Hutu or Tutsi. Placed alongside the continued support for the Tutsi elite and the explicit belief that the Tutsi were superior to the Hutu, physically and culturally, this surely had the effect of polarising the ‘ethnic’ contrast between the two groups (Igwara, 1995: 46) Worse still, the Belgian authorities attempted to make Rwanda into a profitable colony and thus enforced a much harsher regime than under the Germans. Since much of the administration of this regime was carried out by the Tutsi an actual dynamic of tension was set in place that was to unfold throughout the twentieth century. The Belgian colonisers certainly helped to ensure, albeit unintentionally, that this dynamic became conflictual and violent. In the 1950’s signs of unrest amongst the Hutu population in reaction to their oppressed condition led the Belgian authorities to introduce a greater measure of equality between the Hutu and Tutsi. Moreover the growing confidence and deepened collective consciousness of the Hutu eventually resulted in a bloody overthrow by the Hutu of the Tutsi regime in 1959. From 1962 onwards the Hutu reversed the Tutsi dominance, often just as brutally as the regime that it replaced. By the 1990’s the Hutu and Tutsi were divided, at least, by divergent collective memories of the past, or in other words by conflicting ethnic identities. By way of conclusion to our summary of the effects of colonialism, we can say that the colonial control of Rwanda clearly established tensions that might not otherwise have existed, which had the effect of strengthening the ethnic self-consciousness of the Hutu and Tutsi (Mamdani, 2001). Though we have not yet established the degree to which ethnicity contributed to the genocide in Rwanda, it is clear that the tensions that were present in the early 1990’s were ethnic ones, even if they were only recently created. By this time the perceived cultural differences between the Hutu and Tutsi were not mere economic. The Genocide It is one thing to establish that the genocide occurred against a background of decades of ethnic strife, but quite another to claim this strife was the decisive factor in the genocide. To claim that ethnicity was the decisive factor in the genocide is perhaps to suppose that the genocide was spontaneous, that it was the rising to the surface of ethnic injustice and hatred whose will was carried out by the militia who slaughtered so many Tutsi, in such a short space of time. But perhaps this is what the perpetrators of the genocide would like us to believe. Perhaps it would be more accurate to claim, following the definition of Genocide outlined above, that the genocide was deliberate and planned and that the ethnic hatred, and thus the particular ethnicity that played a part was also deliberately cultivated for the purpose of carrying out genocide. There are several key factors here. Firstly whilst its scale was unprecedented in Rwanda, the genocide arguably began sometime before 1994. During the late 1980’s and early 1990’s a series of progroms were carried out. These were smaller scale brutal killing expeditions by Hutu militia, coordinated by the Hutu government, most probably in preparation for genocide on a much greater scale (Freeman, 1998). The Hutu government appeared to have arrived at the conclusion that the surest way to permanently secure its power base was the elimination of the Tutsi. The rhetoric of the regime during this period certainly seems to confirm this. But the Hutu suppression of the Tutsi during this period, under the leadership of Habyarimana, was not simply motivated by the desire to ethnically cleanse. Even though viscous ethnocentric rhetoric was employed the Hutu government were perhaps more fearful of the consequences of the pressure that was being brought on them by external powers for democratic reform and thus the i nclusion of the Tutsi. The progroms then, and the eventual genocide may be seen as an attempt to eliminate any threat to its power base before it was required to relent to pressure for democratic reform. Indeed, the introduction of democratic reform during the early 1990’s only further strengthened the Hutu governments cause. More press freedom and the establishment of new political parties only led to more pro-Hutu and more anti-Tutsi rhetoric. This rhetoric was also more specifically targeted against the Arusha accords which were supposed to establish a power-sharing arrangement with the Tutsi. To be sure, the chances for the success of the accords was diminished also by the invasions between 1990-93 of the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) a Tutsi led militia force based in Uganda. However the fear amongst the Hutu elite that if the accords were realised they would lose their cultural and political positions was more decisively a factor in their racialisation of Rwanda politic s during the period before the genocide. The extent to which the Rwandan genocide was planned and thus the result of a power struggle rather, merely, than ethnicity, is evidenced by the events that led up to the genocide in the months before. On April 6th 1994 a plane carrying the president was shot down by a missile, killing everyone on board. But in the same day of the attack, Hutu militia were out on patrol checking the identities of all passers by if they were Tutsi they were brutally murdered with machete’s (Freeman, 1998: 49). The killing that ensued then was immediate and on a mass scale during a period of just 3 months. Estimates of the number of Tutsi killed ranged between 700,000 and 1 million. The apparent suddenness of the genocide as well as the inaction of the international community should not however, disguise the significant and not well concealed evidence that the genocide was planned even predictable. Indeed the attack on the presidents aeroplane is still shrouded in mystery. It is unclear who ca rried out the attack and some suspect that it may have been Hutu extremists concerned that the Hutu government would relinquish some of its power base to the Tutsi. And it should also be noted that the genocide was not just targeted at Tutsi but Hutu moderates. The relative absence of ethnicity as a factor in the summary above leaves out an important question however. How is it, if the genocide was a planned attempt by the Hutu elite to eliminate any potential threat to its power-base, that so many people participated in the genocide. However, only 10% of the Hutu population participated in the killings. The image that is often portrayed of the people killing their neighbours often obscures this statistic. It is true that Tutsi and Hutu lived in the same communities and spoke the same language and even married each other but one cannot make the further step that the genocide was the spontaneous eruption of ethnic hatred. Clearly, the events and origins of the genocide in Rwanda are highly contested. Indeed, it is important to include here the interpretation of the events offered by western governments and the western media. There is much evidence to suggest that both the U.S and France had the operational military capability to intervene ra pidly and decisively to halt the genocide. Furthermore the shooting down of the presidents plane has never properly been investigated, either by the U.N, American or Belgian authorities. Moreover Rwanda represents a massive failure on a number of fronts. The most blatant failure was clearly that of the United Nations for pathetically sending in peacekeeping troops that were merely able to stand by and watch the slaughter. Then there is the failure, and apparent inconsistency of the ‘American empire’ to decisively intervene despite its interventions elsewhere. And there is also the failure to prevent the genocide, to do anything about the preparations for genocide. Indeed, Rwanda was actually viewed as a model of development of an example of the success of international development aid. This is despite the substantial use of international aid for the funding Hutu militia and the luxurious lifestyles of the Hutu elite. From the perspective of these failed actors, or non-actors, it is certainly much more convenient either to understand what happened in Rwanda as ‘civil war’ or to understand it as a sudden eruption of ethnic tensions that defy easy explanation. Curiously, by laying the blame for the genocide at the door of colonialism the cultural studies, post-colonial explanation for the genocide in Rwanda actually ends up allying itself with the former colonial powers who apparently ‘powerless’ to intervene. Conclusion Whilst ethnicity is clearly a factor in the genocide in Rwanda, we need to be careful the way in which and the degree to which attribute this factor. Firstly, historically the Tutsi and Hutu have been divided along class rather than ethnic lines. Their differences do not take the form of ethnic differences in the European sense of the term. Secondly, whilst the colonial intensification of tensions between the Hutu and Tutsi created a consciousness of ethnicity that might not otherwise have existed we should be careful when attempting to trace the specific and brutal act of genocide to the legacy of colonialism. Thirdly, the years, months, days and hours that proceded the genocide suggest that it was planned and thus not a sudden eruption of ethnic tension and hostilities as is sometimes implied. Bibliography John A. Berry and Carol Pott Berry (eds.), Genocide in Rwanda:  A Collective Memory. Washington, DC: Howard University  Press, 1999. Charles Freeman, Crisis in Central Africa Hove: Wagland, 1998 Mahmood Mamdani, When Victims Become  Killers: Colonialism, Nativism, and the Genocide in Rwanda. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 2001. Obi Igwara, Ethnic Hatred: genocide in Rwanda London: ASEAN, 1995

The Longest Journey :: Personal Narrative Africa Traveling Essays

The Longest Journey Have you ever wanted to do something so bad, you can’t wait and it actually seems the days and hours are getting longer as you get close? I hadn’t seen my father for three years and I wanted to see him so bad, I also wanted to the United States of America which had been my dream since I was a little child. My dad had left for the United States when his business failed and he had to find a job which was better than his business and after a few years he decided to move his family as well. I was exited and couldn’t wait until the last week I had to spend in Africa because then I realized what I was about to live behind, all my relatives and friends, my home, it was going to very hard for me to live the place I called home for fifteen years. It was very early in the morning when I got up, the sky cloud less, it had never looked so beautiful, the grass and bushes still filled with the early morning due. I got in my moms truck and we drove to my grandparents to say the final goodbye. It was about fifty kilometers from where I lived, deep in the African jungle where molt of the land in untouched by man. I kept my head outside the window most of the time enjoying the breeze and thinking about what I was about to live behind. I got to my grand parents palace which we used to call â€Å"the village† and as usual, my grand parents were so happy to see us. It is a very pretty cite, my grand ma singing very joyfully, my cousins rushing from the garden with fruits. I remember that day e had jackfruit, pineapples, mangoes, and lots of homey that my grandfather used to extract himself. After lunch which I didn’t eat because I had too much fruit, we headed home where I was very anxious to see my girlfriend who had skipp ed school to say goodbye but the ride took longer than I anticipated so by the time we got home, it was time to head off to the airport, the longest yet shortest journey have ever had to travel. It was like my heart was being ripped in half and also being mended at the same time because I was I had to live my home but I also wanted to see my dad who I hadn’t seen for a while, my mom was driving, me, my little brother and sister who I was to travel with sat in the back of the truck with a few of our cousins.