The Human Paradox Essays - Psychiatric Diagnosis, Mood Disorders

The Human Paradox Essays - Psychiatric Diagnosis, Mood Disorders The Human Paradox Human Inconsistency: Dostoevsky's Notes From Underground Prof. Qasim Ghazanfar ENG215-OBC Gillorie Myrthil Thesis: Dostoevsky's manic and depressive episodes aided in his ability to properly illustrate the workings of the human mind, through his writing. Outline: I. Introduction II. What is Manic Depression and Depression? III. Other Writers with Mental Illnesses IV. Dostoevsky's Life V. Analysis of Notes VI. Conclusion Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky, author of several acclaimed books-including Notes From Underground-a semi-autobiographical story, introduced a new form of writing, stream-of-consciousness, to Russia and Europe. Soon, this form of writing that would become the mark of the Existentialist, spread to the America's. Interestingly enough, the stream-of-consciousness that manifested itself in his writing was actually the product of a mood disorder, which can be characterized by intensely emotional thoughts. Caught in a rift of contrasting thoughts, the Manic-Depressive-commonly endowed with superior artistic abilities, can be very insightful to the ways of man. Manic-depression can clinically be defined as a mood disorder with two contrasting states: mania and depression. There must be an occurrence of one or more Manic or Mixed episodes and often, the individual has also had one or more Major Depressive episodes in the past. In Manic-Depressive disorder, also known as Bipolar disorder, the manic and depressive episodes recur in varying degrees of intensity. The DSM-IV describes Manic and Depressive episodes as: The essential feature is a distinct period when the predominant mood is either elevated, expansive or irritable, and when there are associated symptoms of the manic syndrome. These symptoms include hyperactivity, pressure of speech, flight of ideas, inflated self-esteem, decreased need for sleep, distractibility, and excessive involvement in activities that have a high potential for painful consequences, which are not recognized. The manual describes depressive episodes as: The essential feature is either a dysphoric mood, usually depression, or loss of interest or pleasure in most usual activities and pass-times. This disturbance is prominent, relatively persistent, and associated with other symptoms of the depressive syndrome. These symptoms include appetite disturbance, change in weight, sleep disturbance, psychomotor agitation or retardation, decreased energy, feelings of worthlessness or guilt, difficulty concentrating or thinking, and thoughts of death or suicide, or suicidal attempts. Manic Depression is also due to a biochemical imbalance in the brain. These biochemical reactions include the increasing and decreasing of intra- and extracellular sodium, chloride, and potassium (Beck 65). The inclining and declining of these functions support the contrasting manic and depressive moods. The spirit of genius no free-floating, absolute power, but is strictly bound to the laws of biochemistry and the endocrine glands. This again credits the idea that manic-depression can stimulate artistry. Though it is difficult to prove Manic-Depressive disorder among those who have passed away, the occurrence of this behavior and has been traced through letters written to friends and family, and personal accounts. Creative people, such as Keats, Woolf, and Dostoevsky, have been named among those who had this illness. Keats's notes and letters were evidence of his violent mood swings; his surgery lecture notes, embellished with many impromptu sketches in the margins were evidence of his wide-ranging interests, and also of his mercurial nature. Woolf became violent and delusional in her manic episodes, and when she was in a depressive state, she barely spoke or ate, and attempted suicide. Born in the hospital for the poor, Dostoevsky was the second of seven children. He led a happy and peaceful childhood where he held particular warm feelings towards his family. It is not abnormal for one with the Manic-depressive syndrome to live a life of normalcy that is, of course, until an element of unpleasantry enters his life (Ostow 82). His father, murdered by his own serfs, had a hot tempered and irritable state of mind. His mother, described as tender and sensitive with a literary and musical talent, died when Fyodor was fifteen-years-old. After graduating from St. Petersburg's Academy of Military Engineers as lieutenant, he was assigned to a military department. Dostoevsky worked there for one year before he realized that working in a department gave him no satisfaction, and that he wanted to write and work as an author. Later, he became acquainted with the utopian socialist group, for which he seemed to have become strongman. This association got him four years in Siberian prison. After a four-year stay at the

College Essay on Rosa Parks

College Essay on Rosa Parks College Essay on Rosa Parks There are people whose role in the history of the mankind cannot be underestimated. There are people to whom we are grateful for the way the world we live in looks like. One of those people is Rosa Parks. She is notable for an action which led to the racial equality nowadays. This action seems ordinary nowadays, but at that time, in 1955, it was an act of disobedience to the laws of that time, that were unfair from her point of view. It all happened on December 1, 1955 in Montgomery, Alabama. At that time, the first four seats were reserved for white people, and when they were all occupied, a black person from the seats behind the first four had to give up their seat to a white passenger. What Rosa Parks did was to refuse to give up her seat to a white man saying she thought she was not obliged to do that. As a result, she was arrested afterwards. Actually, this was not the first incident of this kind. But this was the first one that received much publicity. Rosa Parks was soon bailed out of prison, but she convinced herself that this was the last time she would be humiliated in the public transport. Her friend Edgar Nixon, the president of Montgomery chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, decided to use this situation to start a bus boycott in Montgomery. The aim was to abolish segregation laws at least in the public transport in Montgomery. The boycott lasted for 381 days, and in 1956 the Supreme Court deemed that the segregation on the public transport was unconstitutional. Rosa Parks is regarded to be the â€Å"Mother of Civil Rights Movement.† However she feels a little bit modest about it: â€Å"Four decades later I am still uncomfortable with the credit given to me for starting the bus boycott. I would like (people) to know I was not the only person involved. I was just one of many who fought for freedom.† (History Learning Site) A lot of people were fighting for equal rights in the USA at that time. However it was Rosa Parks who had become a popular figure, the one who inspired the following actions that are now called the Civil Rights Movement. Actually, Martin Luther King was a baptist pastor at that time, but after he found out about Rosas brave action, he became one of the leaders of Montgomery Bus Boycott. Now we know Martin Luther King for his contribution to the establishing of the race equality in the USA, as well as throughout the world, his famous speech titled â€Å"I have a dream† is cited as one of the best speeches that call for racial equality. We dont want to underestimate the role of people like Martin Luther King or Ella Baker. But it was actually Rosa Parks who was courageous enough to be the first one to rise in rebellion against inequality. Rosa Parks. HistoryLearningSite.co.uk. 2014. Web. At custom writing company you can buy a college paper  online. Our professional writers will prepare a great-quality college essay  for you.

Main Causes for Greek Dark Ages Annotated Bibliography

Main Causes for Greek Dark Ages - Annotated Bibliography Example The Greek Economic and Agriculture System: The inefficiencies of the political system to manage the Greek agricultural system resulted in the migration of Greek-speaking population when the phenomenon of overpopulation struck Greece. Underpopulation and the Dark Ages. The analysis will contest that War ravaged Greece ended up being underpopulated. The colonization had already stretched the Greek population till the Far East and the Mediterranean. Thus due to underpopulation, the Greek populations got smaller and Isolated. Communication among Greeks was lost and culture stopped to flourish. The Dorian Factor: The migration of Dorian population and its invasion onto Mycenaean Greeks did play a role in the advent of Dark Ages but was it only the external invasions or the weaknesses in Mycenaean power Hierarchy and mythical beliefs that led to the fall of Greeks. Conclusion: The Greek dark ages lasted from 1100 BC until 800 BC. Life was undoubtedly harsh for the Greeks of the Dark ages. Despite all the presented reasons there still remains a doubt in historians regarding the exact reasons that introduced Dark Ages in Greek history. Among many reasons, there is also evidence of the collapse of Bronze Age due to natural catastrophes such as volcanic eruption. Historians cite a volcano eruption around 1570 BC as well. Data on changing climatic conditions based on pollen and wood samples suggests that maybe there was an ecological decline e.g. a series of drought or famine. The book approaches the era in chronological order and by geographical areas. Among many other things the book essentially outlines the combat readiness of Greeks in the Mycenaean era, yet another clue that may explain the lukewarm resistance of Greeks to the Dorian migration.  

Experince and learning Outline Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Experince and learning - Outline Example The second part will focus on a detailed narration of my experiences in Standard Packprints by highlighting on its main product, intended market, and major operations. The last part will integrate the most important insights that I have gleaned from my experience into my theoretical understanding of operations management. Operations can be considered the heart of business as it handles the development of the product that is to be offered to the market. Product development, in this regard, involves numerous factors that are critically considered in order to attain the strategic objectives of the business. With this, it can be claimed that operations is usually comprised of three facets. The first facet is the procurement of raw materials and equipment that are needed for the development of the product. The second facet is the production of the product that is hinged on: (1) operational systems and processes; (2) manpower assigned; and (3) sets of machineries and other equipment used. The last facet is the proper sorting and storage of finished products in the designated warehouses. In all of these facets, it can be stated that operations as a business function needs appropriate planning and management in order to ensure that all processes and end products conform to strategic objectives that are anchored on cost-effiectiveness and operational excellence. For example, timely check up on the productivity of employees is vital in lessening some problems on manufacturing effectiveness. Formally set up in 1987 in GOA state of India, Standard Packprints Pvt. Ltd offers highly stable and durable corrugrated boxes that are used in storing and transporting various types of goods. Its primary market is composed of companies that produce cloths, electronic materials, glass wares, pharmaceutical products, and children’s toys. Some of their top clients include Blossom Pharmaceutical Ltd,Centaur Pharmaceutical Ltd,Second Centaur Pharmaceutical Ltd, Dsouza

The way in which the theme of prejudice is presented Essay Example for Free

The way in which the theme of prejudice is presented Essay From your reading of the novel so far, (up to and including chapter four), comment on the way in which the theme of prejudice is presented. The subject of prejudice is one of the major themes throughout the novel Of Mice and Men. There are three main characters that suffer prejudice from others, although this isnt always intentional. Crooks, Candy and Curleys wife are all examples of characters that are discriminated against, whether because of race, sex, age or appearance. Lennie receives some prejudice, however not nearly as much as the others. Candy is the oldest of all the ranch workers, and has lost his hand (presumably in a working accident), so therefore is resigned to be the swamper, as he cant do anything more. Because of this, he is isolated from the other workers in the bunkhouse due to his age and disability, and has become incredibly lonely. Candy is one of the three pairings in the novel, a relationship that is quickly destroyed. At the start of the novel, he is not as lonely as his old sheepdog provides company for him so his seclusion does not affect him hugely. However, in chapter 3, the other members of the group pressure him into allowing Carlson to shoot his dog, on the basis that he Dont know nothing that stinks so bad as an old dog. Although Candy loves his dog and doesnt want it dead, he eventually gives up and allows Carlson to take away his dog and shoot it. This shows how desperate he is for the other workers to like him more: that he would allow his only real friend on the ranch to be killed just to please the others in the bunkhouse. This also shows the amount of prejudice Candy suffers: it was inevitable that his dog was going to be killed, and if it had come to it he probably would have had no say in the matter. The event is foreshadowing of the fact that Candy is also old, and he too will die sooner than any of the other men. Further prejudice is seen as Slim offers him another dog from his new litter of puppies. The other ranch workers cannot see his misery, and treat him more like an animal by simply offering to replace what has been lost. Another of the victims of prejudice is Curleys wife, who is never given a name during the novel, to show that she has become one of Curleys possessions in the eyes of the workers, and, like all women, could never be treated as an equal. She is treated very harshly, suffering much verbal violence, for example being referred to as a bitch, tramp, poison, jailbait and a looloo. Most of these names are said in a cruel way, however some are merely how the workers refer to all women in general. Because of the neglect that she is given by everyone on the ranch, she dresses flamboyantly in order to gain some of the attention that she craves. She is said to have full, rouged lips and wide-spaced eyes, heavily made up. She wears a lot of red, which is a symbol of danger and also is a vibrant colour that may get her noticed. Also, it is very similar to a description of Mae West a film star at the time. When Curleys wife first meets George and Lennie she put her hands behind her back and leaned against the door frame so that her body was thrown forward. This is done only so that people will notice her for her good looks and therefore (she hopes) will pay her some attention. Instead they are all rude to her behind her back as their only real experience with women is at the local brothel, where women are treated more as objects, and so because of this, the workers associate her with prostitution and treat her with no respect. Like most women, she is considered to have hidden dangers; one of the ranchers describes how Andys in San Quentin now on account of a tart. Lennie, although he receives a small amount of prejudice, still holds some respect, as the other workers fear his strength, especially after he crushes Curleys hand. However, behind his back, references are often made about the fact that George and him travel together, implying that he wouldnt be able to do anything on his own and George himself says many times how childlike and dependant he is. A character that receives a large amount of discrimination is Crooks, simply because he is black. Much of this is not intentional, names such as nigger are common language to use amount the ranch workers, and they use it without considering the affect it has on Crooks feelings. He is treated terribly in the novel and is forced to live in a small shed with the animals. He has become a proud, aloof man and is rude to everyone as they are rude to him. He is clearly very lonely, and for good reason- the only time that he is allowed into the bunkhouse with the others is at Christmas so that they can beat him up, and get pleasure out of watching him behave like an animal. The only people in the book who dont instantly discriminate him because he is a nigger are Candy and Lennie, Lennie only because he doesnt know how. Crooks is still bitter and rude to them though, because he is afraid of being friendly to people because he no longer trusts anyone to return the friendliness. When Lennie comes into Crooks makeshift home, Crooks is instantly very rude to him. However, when Candy also wants to talk to him, Crooks found it hard to conceal his pleasure with anger, showing that Crooks actually enjoyed the company. He starts to come out of his shell and even asks to be part of Lennies dream, but then Curleys wife enters and is met with nothing but rude comments. This causes her to become defensive and she is very scornful to Crooks, causing him to retire into the terrible protective dignity of the negro. He is put in his place, and refuses to be part of the dream, because, as he says, I wouldn want to go no place like that.

American History X :: Movies Film

In the opening scene, we see Danny Vinyard, a young white supremacist, sitting in the principal's office, waiting to be summoned. As we move into the office, we hear and see Danny's history teacher (Elliot Gould) explaining to the principal, Dr. Sweeney (Avery Brooks), that Danny wrote a book report on Adolf Hitler's Mein Kampf. The teacher tells Dr. Sweeney that he is offended by Danny's gesture and he wants to see him punished, declaring that Danny was pressured into writing the paper by his older brother Derek, although Sweeney assures him that Derek was not involved. Instead, Sweeney asks the teacher to leave and asks Danny to step in.Danny then puts an American flag toothpick in mouth, Danny steps into the office and sits down. Dr. Sweeney begins yelling at Danny, telling him that writing what he did is offensive. Sweeney tells him that he is now his new history teacher. The class is called American History X and the next assignment is due tomorrow morning; a paper on his brothe r, Derek (Edward Norton), analyzing all the events leading up to Derek's incarceration and the subsequent impact on Danny's life. After this, Danny walks out. The next scene opens with three black boys beating up a white boy in the men's bathroom for telling the teacher that one of them cheated. Suddenly, Danny appears out of one of the stalls and blows the smoke from his cigarette into one of the boys' face. As the black boys leave angry, Danny helps the white kid from the ground and tells him that he needs to learn to stand up for himself. Soon we see Danny walking home from school through a park where some black boys are playing basketball. One of the players is the boy from earlier in the bathroom. Danny's voice begins to narrate the scene. Danny says, "Before Derek went to jail, the white kids didn't have to be afraid of the black kids. Derek made it safe." [1] The next scenes are flashbacks explaining Derek's journey from a suburban white teenager to a vengeance-seeking white supremacist. Derek had already been influenced by his father's critical views on African American culture and affirmative action (which his father refers to it as "affirmative black-tion"), and also how he doesn't trust two African-Americans on his squad who scored lower on a hiring test than two whites. He believes they were hired as a result of affirmative action in order to meet racial quotas.

The Return: Nightfall Chapter 35

Aprison, with filthy rushes on the floor and bars between her and the sleeping Stefan. Between her andStefan! It was really him. Elena didn't know how she could know. Undoubtedly they could twist and change your perceptions here. But just now, perhaps because nobody had been expecting her to drop into a dungeon, no one was prepared with anything to make her doubt her senses. Itwas Stefan. He was thinner than before, and his cheekbones stuck out. He was beautiful. And his mind felt just right, just the right mixture of honor and love and darkness and light and hope and grim understanding of the world he lived in. â€Å"Stefan! Oh,hold me! â€Å" He woke and half sat up. â€Å"At least leave me my sleep. And meanwhile go away and put on another face, bitch!† â€Å"Stefan! Language!† She saw muscles in Stefan's shoulders freeze. â€Å"What†¦did you†¦say?† â€Å"Stefan†¦it's really me.I don't blame you for cursing. I curse this whole place and the two who put you here†¦.† â€Å"Three,† he said wearily, and bent his head. â€Å"You'd know that if you were real. Go and let them teach you about my traitor brother and his friends who sneak up on people with kekkai crowns†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Elena couldn't wait to debate about Damon now. â€Å"Won't youlook at me, at least?† She saw him turn slowly, look slowly, then saw him leap up from a pallet made of sickly-looking hay, and saw him stare at her as if she were an angel dropped down from the sky. Then he turned his back on her and put his hands over his ears. â€Å"No bargains,† he said flatly. â€Å"Don't even mention them to me. Go away. You've gotten better but you're still a dream.† â€Å"Stefan!† â€Å"I said, go away!† Time was wasting. And this was too cruel, after what she had been through just to speak to him. â€Å"You first saw me just outside the principal's office the day you brought your papers into school and influenced the secretary. You didn't need to look at me to know what I looked like. Once I told you that I felt like a murderer because I said, ;;Daddy, look' and pointed to – something outside – just before the car accident that killed my parents. I've never been able to remember what the something was. The first word I learned when I came back from the afterlife wasStefan . Once, you looked at me in the rearview mirror of the car and said that I was your soul†¦.† â€Å"Can't you stop torturing me for one hour? Elena – the real Elena – would be too smart to risk her life by coming here.† â€Å"Where's ;;here'?† Elena said sharply, frightened. â€Å"I need to know if I'm supposed to get you out.† Slowly Stefan uncovered his ears. Even more slowly he turned around again. â€Å"Elena?† he said, like a dying boy who has seen a gentle ghost in his bed. â€Å"You're not real. You can't be here.† â€Å"I don't think I am. Shinichi made a magic house and it takes you wherever you want if you name it and open the door with this key. I said,  ¡Ã‚ ®Somewhere I can hear and see and touch Stefan.' But† – she looked down – â€Å"you say Ican't be here. Maybe it's all an illusion anyway.† â€Å"Hush.† Now Stefan was clenching the bars on his side of the cell. â€Å"Is this where you've been? Is this theShi no Shi ?† He gave a little laugh – not a real one. â€Å"Not exactly what either of us expected, is it? And yet, they didn't lie in anything they said, Elena. Elena! I said ;;Elena.' Elena, you're really here!† Elena couldn't bear to waste any time. She took the few steps through damp, crackly straw and scampering creatures to the bars that separated her from Stefan. Then she tilted up her face, clutching bars in either hand, and shut her eyes. I will touch him. I will, I will. I'm real, he's real – I'll touch him! Stefan leaned down – to humor her, she thought – and then warm lips touched hers. She put her arms through the bars because they were both weak at the knees: Stefan in astonishment that she could touch him, and Elena in relief and sobbing joy. But – there was no time. â€Å"Stefan, take my bloodnow – take it!† She looked desperately for something to cut herself with. Stefan might need her strength, and no matter what Damon had taken from her, she would always have enough for Stefan. If it killed her, she would have enough. She was glad, now, that in the tomb, Damon had persuaded her to take his. â€Å"Easy. Easy, little love. If you mean it, I can bite your wrist, but†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Do itnow !† Elena Gilbert, the princess of Fell's Church, ordered. She had even gotten the strength to pull herself off her knees. Stefan gave her half a guilty glance. â€Å"NOW!†Elena insisted. Stefan bit her wrist. It was an odd sensation. It hurt a little more than when he pierced the side of her neck as usual. But there were good veins down there, she knew; she trusted Stefan to find the largest so that this would take the least amount of time. Her urgency had become his. But when he tried to pull back, she clutched a handful of his wavy dark hair and said, â€Å"More, Stefan. You need it – oh, I can tell, and we don't have time to argue.† The voice of command. Meredith had told her once that she had it, that she could lead armies. Well, she might need to lead armies to get into this place to save him. I'll get an army somewhere, she thought fuzzily. The starving bloodfever that Stefan had been in – they obviously hadn't fed him since she had last seen him – was dying into the more normal blood-taking that she knew. His mind melted into hers.When you say you'll get an army, I believe you. But it's impossible. No one's ever come back. Well, you will. I'm bringing you back. Elena, Elena†¦ Drink,she said, feeling like an Italian mother.As much as you can without being sick. But how did – no, you told me how you got here. That was the truth? The truth. I always tell you the truth. But Stefan, how do I getyouout? Shinichi and Misao – you know them? Enough. They each have half a ring. Together it makes a key. Each half is shaped like a running fox. But who knows where they may have hidden the pieces? And as I said, just to get into this place, it takes an army†¦. I'll find the pieces of the fox ring. I'll put them together. I'll get an army. I'll get you out. Elena, I can't keep drinking. You'll collapse. I'm good at not collapsing. Please go on. I can hardly believe it's you – â€Å"No kissing! Take my blood!† Ma'am! But Elena, truly, I'm full now. Overfull. And tomorrow? â€Å"I'll still be overfull.† Stefan pulled away, a thumb on the places where he had pierced veins. â€Å"Truly, I can't , love.† â€Å"And the next day?† â€Å"I'll manage.† â€Å"You will – because I broughtthis . Hold me, Stefan,† she said, several decibels softer. â€Å"Hold me through the bars.† He did, looking bewildered, and she hissed in his ear, â€Å"Act like you love me. Stroke my hair. Say nice things.† â€Å"Elena, lovely little love†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He was still close enough mentally to say telepathically: Actlike I love you? But while his hands were stroking and squeezing and tangling in her hair, Elena's own hands were busy. She was transferring from under her clothes to under his a flask full of Black Magic wine. â€Å"But where did you get it?† Stefan whispered, seeming thunderstruck. â€Å"The magic house has everything. I've been waiting for my chance to give it to you if you needed it.† â€Å"Elena – â€Å" â€Å"What?† Stefan seemed to be struggling with something. At last, eyes on the ground, he whispered, â€Å"It's no good. I can't risk you getting killed for the sake of an impossibility. Forget me.† â€Å"Put your face to the bars.† He looked at her but didn't ask any questions, obeying. She slapped him across the face. It wasn't a very hard slap†¦although Elena's hand hurt from colliding with the iron on either side. â€Å"Now,be ashamed !† she said. And before he could say anything else,†Listen!† It was the baying of hounds – far away, but getting closer. â€Å"It'syou they're after,† Stefan said, suddenly frantic. â€Å"You have to go!† She just looked at him steadily. â€Å"I love you, Stefan.† â€Å"I love you, Elena. Forever.† â€Å"I – oh, I'msorry .† Shecouldn't go; that was the thing. Like Caroline talking and talking and never leaving Stefan's apartment, she could stand here and speak about it, but she couldn't do it. â€Å"Elena! Youhave to. I don't want you to see what they do – â€Å" â€Å"I'll kill them!† â€Å"You're no killer. You're not a fighter, Elena – and you shouldn't see this. Please? Remember once you asked me if I'd like to see how many times you could make me say  ¡Ã‚ ®please?' Well, each counts for a thousand now. Please? For me? Will you go?† â€Å"One more kiss†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Her heart was beating like a frantic bird inside her. â€Å"Please!† Blind with tears, Elena turned around and grasped hold of the cell door. â€Å"Anywhere outside the ceremony where no one will see me!† she gasped and wrenched the door to the corridor open and stepped through. At least she'd seen Stefan, but for how long that would last to keep her heart from shattering again – – oh, my God, I'mfalling – – she didn't know. Elena realized that shewas outside the boardinghouse somewhere – at least some eighty feet high – and plummeting rapidly. Her first, panicked conclusion was that she was going to die, and then instinct kicked in and she reached out with arms and hands and kicked in with legs and feet and managed to arrest her fall after twenty agonizing feet. I've lost my flying wings forever, haven't I? she thought, concentrating on a single spot between her shoulder blades. She knew just where they should be – and nothing happened. Then, carefully, she inched her way closer to the trunk, pausing only to move to a higher twig a caterpillar that was sharing the branch with her. And she managed to find a sort of place where she could sit by sidling and then pushing backward. It was far too high a branch for her personal taste. As it was, she found that she could look down and see the widow's walk quite clearly, and that the longer she looked at any particular thing the clearer her vision got. Vampire vision plus, she thought. It showed her that she was Changing. Or else – yes, somehow here the sky was getting lighter. What it showed her was a dark and empty boardinghouse, which was disturbing because of what Caroline's father had said about â€Å"the meeting† and what she had learned telepathically from Damon about Shinichi's plans for this Moonspire night. Could this be not the real boardinghouse at all, but another trap? â€Å"We made it!† Bonnie cried as they approached the house. She knew her voice was shrill, was over-shrill, but somehow the sight of that brightly lit boardinghouse, like a Christmas tree with a star on top, comforted her, even if she knew that it was all wrong. She felt she could cry in relief. â€Å"Yes, we did,† Dr. Alpert's deep voice said. â€Å"All of us. Isobel's the one who needs the most treatment, the fastest. Theophilia, get your nostrums ready, and somebody else take Isobel and run her a bath.† â€Å"I'll do it,† Bonnie quavered, after a brief hesitation. â€Å"She's going to stay tranquilized like she is now, right? Right?† â€Å"I'llgo with Isobel,† Matt said. â€Å"Bonnie, you go with Mrs. Flowers and help her. And before we go inside, I want to make one thing clear: nobody goes anywhere alone. We all travel in twos or threes.† There was the ring of authority in his voice. â€Å"Makes sense,† Meredith said crisply and took up a place by the doctor. â€Å"You'd better be careful, Matt; Isobel is the most dangerous.† That was when the high, thin voices began outside the house. It sounded like two or three little girls singing. â€Å"Isa-chan, Isa-chan, Drank her tea and ate her gran.† â€Å"Tami? Tami Bryce?† Meredith demanded, opening the door as the tune began again. She darted forward, then she grabbed the doctor by the hand, and dragged her along beside her as she darted forward again. And, yes, Bonnie saw, there were three little figures, one in pajamas and two in nightgowns, and they were Tami Bryce and Kristin Dunstan and Ava Zarinski. Ava was only about eleven, Bonnie thought, and she didn't live near either Tami or Kristin. The three of them all giggled shrilly. Then they started singing again and Matt went after Kristin. â€Å"Help me!† Bonnie cried. She was suddenly hanging on to a bucking, kicking bronco that lashed out in every direction. Isobel seemed to have gone crazy, and she went crazier every time that tune was repeated. â€Å"I've got her,† Matt said, closing in on her with a bear hug, but even the two of them couldn't hold Isobel still. â€Å"I'm getting her another sedative,† Dr. Alpert said, and Bonnie saw the glances between Matt and Meredith – glances of suspicion. â€Å"No – no, let Mrs. Flowers make her something,† Bonnie said desperately, but the hypodermic needle was already almost at Isobel's arm. â€Å"You're not giving her anything,† Meredith said flatly, dropping the charade, and with one chorus-girl kick, she sent the hypodermic flying. â€Å"Meredith! What's wrong with you?† the doctor cried, wringing her wrist. â€Å"It's what's wrong withyou that's the matter. Who are you? Where are we? This can't be the real boardinghouse.† â€Å"Obaasan! Mrs. Flowers! Can't you help us?† Bonnie gasped, still trying to hold on to Isobel. â€Å"I'll try,† Mrs. Flowers said determinedly, heading toward her. â€Å"No, I meant with Dr. Alpert – and maybe Jim. Don't you – know any spells – to make people take on their true forms?† â€Å"Oh!† Obaasan said. â€Å"I can help with that. Just let me down, Jim dear. We'll have everyone in their true forms in no time.† Jayneela was a sophomore with large, dreamy, dark eyes that were generally lost in a book. But now, as it neared midnight and Gramma still hadn't called, she shut her book and looked at Ty. Tyrone seemed big and fierce and mean on the playing field, but off it he was the nicest, kindest, gentlest big brother a girl could want. â€Å"You think Gramma's okay?† â€Å"Hm?† Tyrone had his nose in a book, too, but it was one of those help-you-get-into-the-college-of-your-dreams books. As a senior-to-be, he was having to make some serious decisions. â€Å"Of course she is.† â€Å"Well, I'm going to check on the little girl, at least.† â€Å"You know what, Jay?† He poked her teasingly with one toe. â€Å"You worry too much.† In moments he was lost again in Chapter Six, â€Å"How to Make the Most of Your Community Service.† But then the screams started coming from above him. Long, loud, high screams – his sister's voice. He dropped the book and ran. â€Å"Obaasan?† Bonnie said. â€Å"Just a moment, dear,† Grandma Saitou said. Jim had put her down and now she was facing him squarely: she looking up, and he looking down. And there was something†¦very wrong about it. Bonnie felt a wave of pure terror. Could Jim have done something evil to Obaasan as he carried her? Of course he could. Why hadn't she thought of that? And there was the doctor with her syringe, ready to tranquilize anyone who got too â€Å"hysterical.† Bonnie looked at Meredith, but Meredith was trying to deal with two squirming little girls, and could only glance helplessly back. All right, then, Bonnie thought. I'll kick him where it hurts most and get the old lady away from him. She turned back to Obaasan and felt herself freeze. â€Å"Just one thing I have to do†¦,† Obaasan had said. And she was doing it. Jim was bent at the waist, folded in half toward Obaasan, who was on her tiptoes. They were locked in a deep, intimate kiss. Oh, God! They had met four people in a wood – and assumed that two were sane and two insane. How could they tell which were the insane ones? Well, if two of them see things that aren't there†¦ But the housewas there; Bonnie could see it, too. Wasshe insane? â€Å"Meredith, come on!† she screamed. Her nerve breaking completely, she began to run away from the house toward the forest. Something from the skies plucked her up as easily as an owl picks up a mouse and held her in an unrelenting iron grip. â€Å"Going somewhere?† Damon's voice asked from above her as he glided in the last few yards to a stop, with her neatly tucked under one steely arm. â€Å"Damon!† Damon's eyes were slightly narrowed, as though at a joke only he could see. â€Å"Yes, the evil one himself. Tell me something, my fiery little fury.† Bonnie had already exhausted herself trying to make him let go. She hadn't even succeeded in tearing his clothes. â€Å"What?† she snapped. Possessed or not, Damon had last seen her when she had Called him to save her from Caroline's insanity. But according to Matt's reports, he had done something awful to Elena. â€Å"Why do girls love to convert a sinner? Why can you feed them almost any line if they feel that they've reformed you?† Bonnie didn't know what he was talking about, but she could guess. â€Å"What did you do with Elena?† she said ferociously. â€Å"Gave her what she wanted, that's all,† Damon said, his black eyes twinkling. â€Å"Is there anything so awful about that?† Bonnie, frightened by that twinkle, didn't even try to run again. She knew it was no use. He was faster and stronger, and he could fly. Anyway, she had seen it in his face: a sort of distant remorselessness. They were not just Damon and Bonnie here together. They were natural predator and natural prey. And now here she was back with Jim and Obaasan – no, with a boy and girl she'd never seen before. Bonnie was in time to watch the transformation. She saw Jim's body shrink and his hair turn black, but that wasn't the striking thing about it. The striking thing was that all around the edges, his hair was not black but crimson. It was as if flames were licking up from the tips into darkness. His eyes were golden and smiling. She saw Obaasan's doll-like old body grow younger and stronger and taller. This girl was a beauty; Bonnie had to admit it. She had gorgeous sloe-black eyes and silky hair that fell almost to her waist. And her hair was just like her brother's – only the red was even brighter, scarlet instead of crimson. She was wearing a barely-there laced black halter that showed how delicately built she was on top. And, of course, low-rise black leather pants to show the same thing on the bottom. She was wearing expensive-looking black high-heeled sandals, and her toenails were enameled the same brilliant red as the tips of her hair. At her belt, in a sinuous circle, was a curled-up whip with a scaly black handle. Dr. Alpert said slowly, â€Å"My grandchildren†¦?† â€Å"They don't have anything to do with this,† the boy with the strange hair said charmingly, smiling. â€Å"As long as they mind their own business, you don't have to worry about them a bit.† â€Å"It's suicide or an attempted suicide – or something,† Tyrone told the police dispatcher, almost weeping. â€Å"I think it was a guy named Jim who went to my high school last year. No, this is nothing to do with any drugs – I came here to watch my little sister Jayneela. She was baby-sitting – look, just come over, will you? This guy's chewed off most of his fingers, and as I came in, he said,  ¡Ã‚ ®I'll always love you, Elena,' and he took a pencil and – no, I can't tell if he's alive or dead. But there's an old lady upstairs and I'm sureshe's dead. Because she's not breathing.† â€Å"Who the hell are you?† Matt was saying, eyeing the strange boy belligerently. â€Å"I'm the – â€Å" † – and what the hell are you doing here?† â€Å"I'm the hell Shinichi,† the boy said in a much louder voice, looking annoyed to be interrupted. When Matt just stared at him, he added in an annoyed voice, â€Å"I'm the kitsune – the were-fox, you could say – who's been messing with your town, idiot. I came halfway around the world to do it, and I'd think you'd at least have heard of me by now. And this is my lovely sister, Misao. We're twins.† â€Å"I don't care if you're triplets. Elena said somebody besides Damon was behind this. And so did Stefan before he – hey, what did you do to Stefan?What did you do to Elena? â€Å" While the two strange males were bristling at each other – quite literally in Shinichi's case, since his hair was almost standing on end – Meredith was picking out Bonnie, Dr. Alpert, and Mrs. Flowers by eye. Then she glanced at Matt and touched herself lightly on the chest. She was the only one strong enough to womanhandle him, although Dr. Alpert gave a quick nod that said she would be helping. And then, while the boys were working up to shouting volume, Misao was giggling at the ground, and Damon was leaning against a door with his eyes shut, they moved. With no signal at all to unite them, they were running, instinctively, as one group. Meredith and Dr. Alpert grabbed Matt from either side and simply lifted him off his feet, just as Isobel quite unexpectedly jumped on Shinichi with a guttural scream. They hadn't expected anything from her, but it was certainly convenient, Bonnie thought as she hurtled over obstacles without even seeing them. Matt was still shouting and trying to run the other way and take out some primitive frustration on Shinichi, but he couldn't quite manage to get free to do it. Bonnie could scarcely believe it when they made it into the Wood again. Even Mrs. Flowers had kept up and most of them still had their flashlights. It was a miracle. They had even escaped Damon. The thing now was to be very quiet and to try to get through the Old Wood without disturbing anything. Maybe they could find their way back to the real boardinghouse, they decided. Then they could figure out how to save Elena from Damon and his two friends. Even Matt finally had to admit that it was unlikely that they would be able to overcome the three supernatural creatures by force. Bonnie just wished they'd been able to take Isobel with them. â€Å"Well, we have to go to the real boardinghouse anyway,† Damon said, as Misao finally got Isobel subdued and semi-conscious. â€Å"That's where Caroline will be.† Misao stopped glaring at Isobel and seemed to start slightly. â€Å"Caroline? Why do we want Caroline?† â€Å"It's all part of the fun, isn't it?† Damon said in his most charming, flirtatious voice. Shinichi immediately stopped looking martyred and smiled. â€Å"That girl – she's the one you've been using as a carrier, right?† He looked mischievously at his sister, whose smile seemed slightly strained. â€Å"Yes, but – â€Å" â€Å"The more the merrier,† Damon said, more cheerful with every minute. He didn't seem to notice Shinichi smirking at Misao behind his back. â€Å"Don't sulk, darling,† he said to her, tickling her under the chin while his golden eyes gleamed. â€Å"I've never set eyes on the girl. But of course, if Damon says it'll be fun, itwill be.† The smirk became a full-fledged gloating smile. â€Å"And there's no chance of any of them actually getting away at all?† Damon said, almost absently, staring into the darkness of the Old Wood. â€Å"Give me a little credit, please,† the kitsune snapped. â€Å"You're a damned – a vampire, aren't you?You're not supposed to hang out in the woods at all.† â€Å"It's my territory, along with the cemetery – † Damon was beginning mildly, but Shinichi was determined to finish first this time. â€Å"Ilive in the woods,† he said. â€Å"I control the bushes, the trees – and I've brought a few of my own little experiments along with me. You'll all see them soon enough. So, to answer your question, no, not one of them is going to escape.† â€Å"That was all I asked,† Damon said, still mildly, but locking gazes with the golden eyes for another long moment. Then he shrugged and turned away, eyeing the moon that could be seen between swirling clouds on the horizon. â€Å"We've got hours before the ceremony yet,† Shinichi said, behind him. â€Å"We're hardly going to be late.† â€Å"We'd better not,† Damon murmured. â€Å"Caroline can do an awfully good impression of that pierced girl in hysterics when people are late.† As a matter of fact, the moon was riding high in the sky as Caroline drove her mother's car to the porch of the boardinghouse. She was wearing an evening dress that looked as if it had been painted on her, in her favorite colors of bronze and green. Shinichi looked at Misao, who giggled with one hand covering her mouth and looked down. Damon walked Caroline up the porch steps to the front door and said, â€Å"This way to the good seats.† There was some bewilderment as people got themselves sorted out. Damon spoke cheerfully to Kristin and Tami and Ava: â€Å"The peanut gallery for you three, I'm afraid. That means you sit on the ground. But if you're good, I'll let you come sit up with us the next time.† The others followed him with more or less exclamation, but it was Caroline who looked annoyed, saying, â€Å"Why do we want to goinside ? I thought they were supposed to beoutside .† â€Å"Closest seats not in danger,† Damon said briefly. â€Å"We can get the best view from up there. Royal box seats, come on, now.† The fox twins and the human girl followed him, switching on lights in the darkened house all the way up to the widow's walk on the roof. â€Å"And now where are they?† Caroline said, peering down. â€Å"They'll be here any minute,† Shinichi said, with a glance that was both puzzled and reproving. It said: Who does this girl think she is? He didn't spout any poetry. â€Å"And Elena? She'll be here, too?† Shinichi didn't answer that at all, and Misao just giggled. But Damon put his lips close to Caroline's ear and whispered. After that, Caroline's eyes shone green as a cat's. And the smile on her lips was the one of a cat who has just put its paw on the canary.

The Purpose of Architecture

The purpose of architecture is to create useful spaces that people want to be in. It’s not enough to make the space useful if people hate being in it. And it’s not enough to make people want to be in it if they can’t use it for its intended purpose. But being attractive without being useful is probably better than being useful without being attractive. If people like a space, they’ll find a way to make it work. If people don’t like a space, they’ll stay away, even if it   seems to meet all their practical needs.Architecture creates more than one kind of space. Interior spaces are the ones we usually think about. But architecture creates exterior spaces as well. A new building on a street makes it a different kind of street. Is it a street where people want to be, or is it a street they hurry through? The architect is as much responsible for the street his building sits on as he is for the space inside the building. If a new construction cre ates a long, blank wall that people instinctively avoid, the architect has effectively destroyed the street.Businesses on the other side of it will wither, and the street will exist only as a passage from one more desirable place to another. Style is less important than scale in creating spaces people like. Architecture on a human scale is inherently more friendly than architecture on a titanic scale. Monumental architecture needs smaller subdivisions to make itself relatable: the arches in a Roman basilica, or the stilts in a Mies van der Rohe office building.Great slabs of concrete or stone put us off instead of welcoming us; remembering the human scale is the thing that makes architecture work. These are all obvious ideas, but the enthusiasm of an all-encompassing theory of architecture can make an architect forget them. An architect needs to look at his plans and ask, â€Å"Will people want to be here? † Perhaps he should point to different spots on the blueprint at rando m: Will people want to be  here,  or  here,  or  here? If he can always answer yes to that question, he’s done his job well.

Under Armour (Case 26) Essays

Under Armour (Case 26) Essays Under Armour (Case 26) Essay Under Armour (Case 26) Essay Student 9/23/13 Under Armour (Case 26) Technological Hot and sweaty t-shirts are a thing of the past. New and innovative material for making clothing has changed the game for sports apparel. Now, high-tech fibers are woven into shorts, shirts, Jackets and more that can adapt to and regulate the bodys temperature. This advancement is huge for athletes of all kinds, allowing increased performance and endurance. New water-resistant material and fibers that prevent ultraviolet and infrared rays are among the long list of technological advancements taking place in the sports apparel industry. Demographics Performance sports apparel has not always been so widespread. It started off as being primarily utilized by major sports teams, but over the recent years the market has extended to accommodate nearly all sporting activities. Not only are all of the major sports teams using some sort of performance apparel but also active lifestyle consumers and youths. Research has shown that nearly 80% of activewear is worn for non-sports activities. Another study determined that more than 85% of athletic footwear is being used for a different sport other than what they were made for. Only sports teams and sporting activities used sporting apparel until recently. Now sporting apparel extends to men, women and children of all shapes, sizes and walks of life. Economics The sports apparel industry has grown exponentially in the past few years mainly due to heavy marketing and advertising, technological advancements and a vast catalog of new items in new product categories. The ever-prolific sporting world has seen consist Political/Legal Large companies in this industry must stay up to date with the most modern clothing ine and accessories in order to be competitive. With new products and materials come legalities to maintain dominance over specific innovations. Outsourcing production and manufacturing also plays a huge role in legal policys and political conflicts. Sociocultural and Global Climate has a big effect on when, where and how often you can exercise or train. With innovative clothing lines that can repel water, prevent harmful rays from the sun and moderate body temperature, come new possibilities to train anywhere, anytime and for longer periods of time. And sports apparel is available to all who seek increased pertormance. Porters Five Forces Model†Apparel Supplier Power (High) Businesses in the performance apparel industry establish credibility with their suppliers. The suppliers use new and technologically advanced materials and create highly differentiated products; thus, giving them more power over their buyers. Barriers to Entry (High) A few very large sports apparel companies, i. e. Under Armour, Nike, Adidas, Columbia, that have been well established for many years dominate the market. Over he years, the larger companies have been able to establish themselves through brand recognition, advertising and various distribution channels. Thus, a company trying to start off in this industry would struggle initially but could profit in the long run due to fewer competitors. Competitive Rivalry (Moderate) The large companies are constantly inventing or reinventing their product lines depending on the consumer market and modern design. Due to a large degree of differentiation in performance and quality, there is less rivalry among performance apparel businesses. Threat of Substitutes (Moderate) There are a few substitutes when it comes to performance apparel. Only a few have been at the cutting edge of technological advancement and quality enhancement by which they have established themselves as being among the top leaders for quality and performance. However, there is still a major threat of substitution for cheaper alternatives if the economy were to weaken. Buyer Power (High) Customer buying power for apparel is strong due in part to the availability to switch to other products at little, if any, cost, but mostly due to the percent of revenue that he large companies sell from their individual product segments. If a company has a large percentage in a single product category, they are more vulnerable than a company that has a well-diversified combination of products. Competitive Analysis Under Armour has several large competitors; the largest being Nike, Adidas and Columbia Sportswear. These companies are similar in that they all stress product innovation, advertising and sponsorships. Adidas is broadly focused in all sporting categories but fails to stand out. Columbia is known almost solely by its winter gear, imiting its growth potential and creating strong seasonality trends. Nike strives to be the best in every segment while Under Armours goal is to be a leader in each process of its product development, concentrating on quality over quantity. An advantage for Under Armour is that it is focused more on improving its brand and unique products, licensing o ther items and accessories manufacturers. Internal Analysis through independent Under Armour is continually improving their apparel line and broadening there market. The company has been growing at a substantial rate, 30. annually over a 5-year period, largely due to the ambition of Kevin Plank, founder, and also to heavy marketing and promotions. Plank attributes the success of the company to brand recognition and the ability to market to all consumers. Under Armour makes head- to-toe apparel for anyone during any season. It has pushed its image into as many stores as it can, reaching college universities and numerous distribution channels. Suggestions to the Firm Over 80% of Under Armours revenue comes from the sale of its apparel line. While it eans that it has been very successful in this segment, there needs to be more diversity to increase competitiveness and decrease supplier power. While creating a footwear line will aid in Under Armours aim to create a full apparel product line and increase the pressure on competitors, many challenges will need to be overcome in order to penetrate this product market. Under Armour will need to reinvent and reengineer its footwear line. Alternative Strategies Expanding the product line to diversify its product portfolio may dilute Under Armours image and label thus causing consumers to deviate from premium-priced products. Alternatively, Under Armour could focus more primarily on the development of its footwear product and increase those sales. This option will be very costly and challenging due to the huge market players that already have dominance in footwear, i. e. Nike and Adidas. I suggest Under Armour pursue other product opportunities as well as the footwear to put more pressure on its competitors and to keep the focus on quality and performance rather than quantity.

Definition and Examples of a Written Summary of Text

Definition and Examples of a Written Summary of Text A summary, also known as an abstract, precis, or synopsis, is a shortened version of a text that highlights its key points. The word summary comes from the Latin, sum. Examples of Summaries A Summary of the Short Story Miss Brill by Katherine MansfieldMiss Brill is the story of an old woman told brilliantly and realistically, balancing thoughts and emotions that sustain her late solitary life amidst all the bustle of modern life. Miss Brill is a regular visitor on Sundays to the Jardins Publiques (the Public Gardens) of a small French suburb where she sits and watches all sorts of people come and go. She listens to the band playing, loves to watch people and guess what keeps them going and enjoys contemplating the world as a great stage upon which actors perform. She finds herself to be another actor among the so many she sees, or at least herself as part of the performance after all....One Sunday Miss Brill puts on her fur and goes to the Public Gardens as usual. The evening ends with her sudden realization that she is old and lonely, a realization brought to her by a conversation she overhears between a boy and a girl presumably lovers, who comment on her unwelcome pr esence in their vicinity. Miss Brill is sad and depressed as she returns home, not stopping by as usual to buy her Sunday delicacy, a slice of honey-cake. She retires to her dark room, puts the fur back into the box and imagines that she has heard something cry. -K. Narayana Chandran. A Summary of Shakespeares HamletOne way of discovering the overall pattern of a piece of writing is to summarize it in your own words. The act of summarizing is much like stating the  plot of a play. For instance, if you were asked to summarize the story of Shakespeares Hamlet, you might say: Its the story of a young prince of Denmark who discovers that his uncle and his mother have killed his father, the former king. He plots to get revenge, but in his obsession with revenge he drives his sweetheart to madness and suicide, kills her innocent father, and in the final scene poisons and is poisoned by her brother in a duel, causes his mothers death, and kills the guilty king, his uncle. This summary contains a number of dramatic elements: a cast of characters (the prince; his uncle, mother, and father; his sweetheart; her father, and so on), a scene (Elsinore Castle in Denmark), instruments (poisons, swords), and actions (discovery, dueling, killing). -Richard E. Young, Alton L. Becker, and Kenneth L. Pike. Steps in Composing a Summary The primary purpose of a summary is to give an accurate, objective representation of what the  work  says. As a general rule, you should not include your own ideas or interpretations. Paul Clee and Violeta Clee Summarizing condenses in your own words the main points in a passage: Reread the passage, jotting down a few keywords.State the main point in your own words and be objective: Dont mix your reactions with the summary.Check your summary against the original, making sure that you use  quotation marks  around any exact phrases that you borrow. -Randall VanderMey, et al. Here...is a general procedure you can use [for composing a summary]: Step 1: Read the text for its main points.Step 2: Reread carefully and make a descriptive outline.Step 3: Write out the texts thesis or main point. . . .Step 4: Identify the texts major divisions or chunks. Each division develops one of the stages needed to make the whole main point. . . .Step 5: Try summarizing each part in one or two sentences.Step 6: Now combine your summaries of the parts into a coherent whole, creating a condensed version of the texts main ideas in your own words. -(John C. Bean, Virginia Chappell, and Alice M. Gillam, Reading Rhetorically. Pearson Education, 2004) Characteristics of a Summary The purpose of a  summary is to give a reader a condensed and objective account of the main ideas and features of a text. Usually, a summary has between one and three paragraphs or one hundred to three hundred words, depending on the length and complexity of the original essay and the intended audience and purpose. Typically, a summary will do the following: Cite the author and title of the text. In some cases, the place of publication or the context for the essay may also be included.Indicate the main ideas of the text. Accurately representing the main ideas (while omitting the less important details) is the major goal of the summary.Use direct quotations of keywords, phrases, or sentences. Quote the text directly for a few key ideas; paraphrase the other important ideas (that is, express the ideas in your own words.)Include author tags. (According to Ehrenreich or as Ehrenreich explains) to remind the reader that you are summarizing the author and the text, not giving your own ideas. . . .Avoid summarizing specific examples or data unless they help illustrate the thesis or main idea of the text.Report the main ideas as objectively as possible...Do not include your reactions; save them for your response. -(Stephen Reid,  The Prentice Hall Guide for Writers, 2003) A Checklist for Evaluating Summaries Good summaries must be fair, balanced, accurate, and complete. This checklist of questions will help you evaluate drafts of a summary: Is the summary economical and precise?Is the summary neutral in its representation of the original authors ideas, omitting the writers own opinions?Does the summary reflect the proportionate coverage given various points in the original text?Are the original authors ideas expressed in the summary writers own words?Does the summary use attributive tags (such as Weston argues) to remind readers whose ideas are being presented?Does the summary quote sparingly (usually only key ideas or phrases that cannot be said precisely except in the original authors own words)?Will the summary stand alone as a unified and coherent piece of writing?Is the original source cited so that readers can locate it? -John C. Bean On the Summary App  Summly Upon hearing, in March of [2013], reports that a 17-year-old schoolboy had sold a piece of software to Yahoo! for $30 million, you might well have entertained a few preconceived notions about what sort of child this must be...The app [that then 15-year-old Nick] DAloisio designed, Summly, compresses long pieces of text into a few representative sentences. When he released an early iteration, tech observers realized that an app that could deliver brief, accurate summaries would be hugely valuable in a world where we read everything - from news stories to corporate reports - on our phones, on the go...There are two ways of doing natural language processing: statistical or semantic, DAloisio explains. A semantic system attempts to figure out the actual meaning of a text and translate it succinctly. A statistical system - the type DAloisio used for Summly - doesnt bother with that; it keeps phrases and sentences intact and figures out how to pick a few that best encapsulate the entir e work. It ranks and classifies each sentence, or phrase, as a candidate for inclusion in the summary. Its very mathematical. It looks at frequencies and distributions, but not at what the words mean. -Seth Stevenson. The Lighter Side of Summaries Here are some...famous works of literature that could easily have been summarized in a few words: Moby-Dick: Dont mess around with large whales, because they symbolize nature and will kill you.A Tale of Two Cities: French people are crazy.Every poem ever written: Poets are extremely sensitive. Think of all the valuable hours we would save if authors got right to the point this way. Wed all have more time for more important activities, such as reading newspaper columns. -Dave Barry. To summarize: it is a well-known fact that those people who must want to rule people are, ipso facto, those least suited to do it. To summarize the summary: anyone who is capable of getting themselves made President should on no account be allowed to do the job. To summarize the summary of the summary: people are a problem. -Douglas Adams. Sources K. Narayana Chandran,  Texts and Their Worlds II. Foundation Books, 2005)Richard E. Young, Alton L. Becker, and Kenneth L. Pike,  Rhetoric: Discovery and Change. Harcourt, 1970Paul Clee and Violeta Clee,  American Dreams, 1999.Randall VanderMey, et al.,  The College Writer, Houghton, 2007Stephen Reid,  The Prentice Hall Guide for Writers, 2003John C. Bean, Virginia Chappell, and Alice M. Gillam  Reading Rhetorically. Pearson Education, 2004Seth Stevenson, How Teen Nick DAloisio Has Changed the Way We Read.  Wall Street Journal Magazine, November 6, 2013Dave Barry,  Bad Habits: A 100% Fact-Free Book. Doubleday, 1985Douglas Adams,  The Restaurant at the End of the Universe. Pan Books, 1980

Fr Trd or Fir Trd Wht's th diffrnc Issus surrounding th WTO r mny nd Essay

Fr Trd or Fir Trd Wht's th diffrnc Issus surrounding th WTO r mny nd complx - Essay Example Undr CFT, mor thn 80% of U.S. consumr nd industril xports nd ovr hlf of U.S. frm xports to Cntrl mric would bcom duty-fr immditly. To ddrss unvn dvlopmnt nd trnsition issus, CFT spcifis ruls for lngthy triff phs-out schduls s wll s trnsitionl sfgurds nd triff rt quots (TRQs) for snsitiv goods. lthough mny goods would ttin immdit duty-fr trtmnt, othrs would hv triffs phsd out incrmntlly so tht duty-fr trtmnt is rchd in 5, 10, 15, or 20 yrs from th tim th grmnt tks ffct. Duty-fr trtmnt would b dlyd for th mor snsitiv products, nd in som css, th triff rductions would not bgin until 7 or 12 yrs into th grmnt. CFT is controvrsil nd fcs politicl uncrtinty. Supportrs hop tht CFT cn b prt of policy foundtion supportiv of both improvd intrrgionl trd nd long-trm socil, politicl, nd conomic dvlopmnt. Concrns rmin, howvr, ovr th ngtiv ffcts on crtin sctors nd mploys of th U.S. conomy, nd tht blncd outcom my b difficult to chiv if th FT fils to ccommodt sufficintly th djustmnt costs lso fcing crtin Cntrl mricn workrs, smll frmrs, nd othr groups. Th history som CFT countris hv of poor lbor rights nforcmnt riss qustions ovr whthr th lbor provisions will dqutly promot socil dvlopmnt. For ll CFT countris, th constntly incrsing US forign dirct invstmnt nd ccss to US tchnology combind with th incrsd duty fr ccss to th US mrkt rprsnt significnt bnfits. Morovr, th psychologicl ffct of th grmnt will ncourg mor ntrprnurship nd grtr job crtion in Cntrl mric nd th Dominicn Rpublic, which r ssntil to crting sustinbl dvlopmnt. Nvrthlss, CFT firms will fc strongr comptition from US firms undr th grmnt. Opponnts of CFT rgu tht only th wlthy lits of Cntrl mric nd th Dominicn Rpublic will bnfit from th grmnt, nd tht it will hv n unfvorbl impct on workrs, smll businsss, frmrs nd th nvironmnt. Thy furthr disdvntg of CFT tht th nt rsult of CFT will b n vn widr gp btwn th rich nd poor in ths dvloping countris. This disprity in conomic powr nd th rsulting conomic injustic hs bn th root cus of th politicl instbility tht hs inundtd ths countris historiclly. dding up ll trd bnfits, th Bush dministrtion rgud to Congrss tht CFT would offr support for strngthning dmocrcy in countris tht hv continuously struggld with stringnt intrnl politicl conflicts nd rgionl conflicts in th rcnt pst. To tk full dvntg of ths bnfits, nw World Bnk rport dviss countris to commnc complmntry invstmnts nd rforms to nhnc th grmnt's growth impct nd gurnt bnfits for ll. "Grtr trd opportunitis r ssntil to improving living stndrds in dvloping countris," sid World Bnk Prsidnt Pul Wolfowitz. Th grtr trd lvls will ris from th rmovl of virtully ll triff nd quot brrirs, consolidting th privilgd mrkt ccss Cntrl mric lrdy hs in U.S. mrkts through th Cribbn Bsin Inititiv. CFT should lso intnsify rgionl intgrtion mong th Cntrl mricn ntions thmslvs nd ncourg grtr lvls of forign invstmnt. It's importnt to rcogniz tht conomic growth is rsult of production, not consumption. Thus th logic of th "trd s forign id" rgumnt dictts tht CFT is intndd to promot th importtion of goods from Cntrl mric, rthr thn th xport of U.S. goods to th rgion. Th qustion wthr th Unitd Sttd of mric will bnfit from this multiltrl grmnt stys opn, but thr r som nsws tht cn bring you closr to undrstnding wht popl nticipt from this grmnt. Mny popl in th Unitd Stts r suspicious of fr trd grmnts. Thy r concrnd bout losing thir jobs bcus of imports

Effective Communication in Advising Workgroups on Contract Essay

Effective Communication in Advising Workgroups on Contract Negotiations - Essay Example LITERATURE REVIEW †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦5 4. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦..10 OBSERVATION†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦11 INTERVIEW†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦..11 SURVEY†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦12 5. BIBLIOGRAPHY†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..â⠂¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.......................13 APPENDICES Verification of NIH Tutorial Completion IRB Form B Abstract This portfolio supports the most effective process of communicating when advising workgroups of contract negotiations to maintain a positive workplace environment through an observational study and a literature review. This association helps workers to negotiate their grievances in a way that will maintain their good performance in the work environment. The observational study reflects a system through which the Association of flight attendants communicates to their members on maintaining professional conduct and safe services to the airlines clients while negotiating their contracts. The literature review examines various unions and workgroups communication to particular member problem with a methodological discussion to help employee to maintain a positive workplace environment despite their grievan ces. Effective Communication in Advising Workgroups on Contract Negotiations Conflict Story Contract negotiations by the Association of flight attendants, its flight attendants members and the airlines itself has experienced an ongoing conflict for a long period of time. Workers union has the mandate of communicating effectively to the employees of a particular workgroup the means of negotiating contract agreements in a way that positive workplace environment is maintained. This is unlike the case where most unions threaten employers with strikes and go slow activities to force solutions to employee grievances. It is important for the workers to use an effective means of communication that will prevent development of unhealthy behavior among the workforce. I have observed that undesirable communications to employees have a significantly negative impact on the work environment since it may encourage negative attitudes towards work and the management. The most effective process that u nion representatives can use to communicate to its member’s the issues regarding to their grievances when advising them is face to face. The process of face to face communication is the most effective way that will achieve negotiation result while a positive workplace environment is maintained. Face to face communications involves a situation where a joint meeting that involves all parties holding a discussion of issues that relates to each party. The discussions help workers to maintain a positive work environment as they negotiate their grievances with employers. The employee grievances range from issues of job security for both continuing and new employees to compensation and work benefits package incase of termination of employment. The union acts as a mediator between the employer and the employees with regards to contract negotiation issue. Literature Review The Association of Flight Attendants has undertaken to come up with a means of communicating effectively to their members to ensure that a professional workforce is maintained