The Train from Rhodesia Essay Example

The Train from Rhodesia Paper With Close Reference to the Following Short Stories: The Train from Rhodesia by Nadine Gordimer, The Young Couple by Ruth Prawer Jhabvala and A Stench of Kerosene by Amrita Pritam, Show How the Relationship of the Married Couples are Affected by Cultural Experiences. Explore How the Writers Use Language to Convey the Cultural Impact The Train from Rhodesia, by Nadine Gordimer, The Young Couple, by Ruth Prawer Jhabvala and A Stench of Kerosene, by Amrita Pritam, are all short stories, affected by culture. The Train from Rhodesia is a story of guilt and how culture can affect different people, however, The Young Couple is an insight of how culture can affect people differently. A Stench of Kerosene demonstrates how people can be put under pressure by culture. These three stories have many similar qualities and many different perspectives. The Young Couple is a story that starts with the two main characters, Cathy and Naraian, moving to Naraians home country. The story does not reveal much about the couples relationship initially. The story begins after the couple are married and it is obvious how happy they are. In the beginning, the couple seem completely satisfied with each other and with life, Cathy was thrilled to be going back to India with Naraian, her new husband. However, the story concludes with neither being satisfactory. At first the experience is new and exciting, They had many ideas about what Naraian could do for his country once he got back there. We will write a custom essay sample on The Train from Rhodesia specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The Train from Rhodesia specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The Train from Rhodesia specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer It soon becomes repetitive and too different from home, for Cathy, as Naraians family gradually take over their relationship; smothering the couples independence. She felt herself lapped around and drowning in more love than she had ever before This becomes extremely problematic for Cathy and Naraian. They both travelled to India looking for a fresh start together. However, it is soon apparent that Naraian is being less independent; keeping his career in the family business, renting a house from the family. Cathy is still focused on a new beginning but Naraian loses sight if his goals and almost gives in to his family by becoming more reliant on them; which is what they intended. Since Cathys move to India life has probably not changed for Naraian so he fails to see her perspective and because of this Cathy and Naraian do not discuss the situation, which leads to Cathy feeling miserable and Naraian, almost completely oblivious to the situation. This is the first part in the story where we see the couple have a different idea of independence due to their varying backgrounds. Cathy was brought up in a western country where there was encouragement to grow up, get married and have children, however as Naraian lives in an eastern country, where millions of people are dedicated to religion, views are more based on those suggested in the religion, where growing up, getting married and having children is not a guideline; it is tradition. The story ends disappointingly for the reader. The ending corresponds to A Stench of Kerosene and The Train from Rhodesia where the characters lives continue, unhappily, after the ending with no particularly obvious climax, to finish. The Young Couple is similar to the other stories, as they all involve a young couple adjusting to culture and elements of that culture are forcing them apart. The Train from Rhodesia has the simplest plot out of the three stories but it still has the same value when looked at closely. It features a young couple passing through a station, after a holiday, and their experience there. The woman, one of the main characters in the story, is struck by a carving she claims will be too expensive, too much. As a result of this, her partner bargains with the artist to get it for a low price, although the original price was incredibly low, this shows he may be slightly insensitive and unobservant. The woman, however, is really affected by her husbands actions and feels that he has violated the artists work. She has an epiphany, a sudden realization, that makes her disgusted by her husbands behavior and she cant believe his insensitivity, as a result she feels extremely guilty, as if she has to on his behalf. The heat of shame mounted through her legs and body Her partner does not share nor understand her view. In each of these stories there is clear lack of communication between the main characters and ignorance of the local culture. In The Young Couple there is confusion of feelings and misinterpretation of the future; they both have different opinions of what is going to happen and assume the other thinks the same. A Stench of Kerosene features a choice that leads to a lack of communication. Neither understood each others thoughts The Train from Rhodesia is an example of poor communication leading to a misunderstanding which causes the main change in each of the stories.

How to avoid email e-rage - Emphasis

How to avoid email e-rage How to avoid email e-rage It will probably come as no surprise to learn that email regularly offends many UK workers. What may come as more of a shock is the news that it upsets only one in three people, according to a recent survey by email-provider GMX. Our own research shows that approximately 1.2 billion people worldwide now use email, making it officially the most time-consuming activity for information workers. So it’s little wonder that a third of us regularly have to pry open clenched fists to type our replies. But these are also the very reasons why we should all try to do a little better by each other. Under the daily pressures of time, it seems to make sense to dash off a dozen words under a generic subject line. The other person should be on the same page as you, right? But how many times has this supposed time-saver ended up in confused emails batting back and forth like an increasingly aggressive table tennis match? After all, just like you, your recipient will almost certainly be dealing with other problems, clients and projects. Its best to assume they do not have an infallible, photographic memory or infinite time to investigate what you’re getting at. If everyone stuck to these guidelines, the world of email would be much more pleasant and productive for everyone: Use the subject line meaningfully. A title like ‘a question’ or ‘training’ won’t mean much. The more specific you are, the more likely you are to jog their memory and to get a response more quickly. Start off with the main event – the crux of your message – not the winding anecdote that led up to it. In other words, put the ‘what’ before the ‘why’. Then, if they only scan half of it, they should still get the point. Keep it as short as possible. The longer and more densely packed the text, the more it’ll put the reader off. Stick to one subject per email. But do add any little details (dates, times, names etc.) that will help them by saving them a search. Be reader-focused and don’t assume they know everything you do. Read your emails as carefully as your time allows. Weve probably all fired back an impatient demand for more information just before realising the detail we needed was buried in there all along. If the subject matter needs real discussion, are you sure email is the best way to communicate? If in doubt, pick up the phone. You can always send a confirmation email afterwards. And, even in the darkest depths of e-rage, remember: the laws of libel apply to email. So take a few deep breaths (or, better still, sleep on it) before you press ‘send’ on something you can’t take back.

Concentrating Solar Power Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Concentrating Solar Power - Essay Example The Supercritical CO2 Brayton cycle is being investigated on how it produces its energy. The cycle is ideal because it is easy to be transported from one location to another and it can also be effective in reducing costs because it uses very technical turbo machineries. Its ability to achieve efficiency is brought by the manner in which the supercritical CO2 behaves when it is near critical points. The high power density that the supercritical CO2 manages to achieve is the composition of the fluid that it has in the turbo machinery is of high density too, an approximate of 60% the water density at the inlet of the compressor (Ma & Turchi, 2011). Investigations for the supercritical CO2 cycle is being done Sandia and its contractor, Baarber Nicholas Inc. because of the cycle has a high efficiency in temperatures between 400 C and 750 C. the investigation is being done in phases of a development program in the DOE Office of Nuclear Energy and Sandia National Labs. The main objective of the investigation is to realize the technology impact s of the Supercritical CO2 cycle. The first phase which is also called the first loop of the investigation is a compression loop that will be done using motor to run the radial Supercritical CO2 compressor. The objective of this phase of the investigation will be: The type of technology that will be required to bear the weight, technology for sealing, bear gas-foil and how to counter the rotor wind age losses which are required for the cycle to be able to reach its effectiveness and how it reduces the costs which are its main aims. The second phase of the investigation called the second loop that has been designed is a megawatt heater-class closed Superscript CO2 Brayton cycle. This process is called the ‘re-compression’. In this phase the cycle will show how it will be used in sources of

Operations Management Principles and Tools Essay

Operations Management Principles and Tools - Essay Example 5). I think our company would benefit from a systematic enhancement to the communication of policy and procedures, similar to the tools implemented by other organizations, which would save time for managers and ensure compliance with corporate directives. As a good model for operations management ("OM") success, I have looked at several companies and decided to use FedEx as an example of one company that has successfully implemented OM tools. "FedEx provides access to a growingglobal marketplace through a network ofsupply chain, transportation, business and related information services" (FedEx, 2006, p. 1), and is very dependent upon efficiently operating its world-wide services. Located in Memphis, Tennessee, the organization is known as the industry leader in fast package delivery for individuals and businesses. Its management and delivery of information data to its various departmental leaders is a key source of profitability, as it enhances efficiency and policy compliance. My sources for researching this information are included in the References section of this report. I selected Robert Lowson's book on Operations Management to provide me with general information, relied on the FedEx website to give me specific company information, as well as the website of Quadralay's WebWorks product information for specific quotes and insight from Joe Lakey, the Senior Technical Writer for FedEx. The primary OM initiative for FedEx that I consider applicable to my company is their electronic provision of operations manuals and policies. As the WebWorks article, using the corporation's slogan, points out, "to 'absolutely, positively' guarantee the on-time delivery of nearly three million packages...managers rely on the business operations manuals located on their corporate intranet (Quadralay, 2006, p. 1). In this OM initiative, FedEx has determined that their Ground Operations Station Managers need instant access to the manuals that govern corporate procedures and operational directives. The benefits already being reaped by FedEx are numerous. They operate within a fiercely competitive environment, and the backbone of their success lies in two areas; the ability to have efficient operational guidelines to prescribe procedures, and the communication of those instructions to line managers. In this case, the Quadralay article points out that "[t]he documentation supports the highly efficient, high-speed operations of FedEx's largest division and North America's largest provider of overnight package delivery services" (2006, p. 1). For FedEx, the key words are "highly efficient" and "high-speed." This is a company whose business depends on speed, and whose competitive advantage hinges on efficiency. Through the successful implementation of the OM information system, the organization reaps the benefit of both. As Mr. Lakey notes, the managers of the company's stations are very busy people, and they "don't have time to spend digging through information to find what they n eed. So anything we can do to save them time and make their job easier is extremely helpful" (Quadralay, 2006, p. 1). Thus, this single OM initiative of providing operational manuals via the company's intranet is seen as a key part of the organization's

Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 59

Assignment Example In addition, professionalism may face numerous issues during the presentation because of the dressing code. Having attire that makes an individual confident during a presentation is an added advantage as it raises the self-esteem to overcome all stances of incivility. Presentations may pose problems to an individual when he or she lacks the etiquette required. Business etiquette involves numerous issues that may hinder an individual’s presentation especially in instances where the presenter parties with his or her work mates and act irresponsibly. Such a trait may augment undesirable behavior from the work mates thereby making the presentation a hard thing to achieve in such situations. A presenter may face stances of incivility in instances where the presentation is targeted to an unfamiliar audience. Unfamiliar audience may not know the characteristics of the presenter thereby acting in a disrespectful manner. When a face-to-face presentation target a multitude of audience, the presenter may be disrupted in substantial levels thereby hindering his or her presentation. In the grouping, I would group Joe and Ellen as teammates. Both of them are hard workers, and that would enable them to complete on the assignment administered. Since Joe is punctual, he will be able to utilize and work on the assignment given with Ellen who may stay late working. These individuals should not work alone as they have varied traits that require each other’s participation. I would assign this group with the responsibilities of drafting the final document after other tasks have been accomplished. During his task, Joe can write the document after Ellen tests and verifies the document. Such document will enable both members to have a thoroughly scrutinized document that has undergone testing and verification. In the next group, I would group Marsha and Suzanne

Effects of Different Antibiotics on E.coli Growth

Effects of Different Antibiotics on E.coli Growth The effects of antibiotics on the growth of Escherichia coli have been found in several studies and some recent studies have also focused on the tolerance and reduced growth levels in bacteria to examine the molecular changes that allow such as change. E. Coli and anti-microbial agents: In a study by Dixon et al (2004), the antibacterial effects of microcystin, which is, a cyanotoxin produced by Microcystis aeruginosa have been discussed. In the presence of microcystin, the inhibitory values for a range of hydrophobic inhibitors were significantly reduced. Dixon and his colleagues studied the direct effects of appropriate concentrations of microcystin on the integrity of bacterial inner and outer membranes and found that the presence of microcystin affects the permeability levels of entero-bacterial outer membranes. Tolerance to anti-microbial agents in seen in bacteria, which shows a slower growth rate or which no longer, multiplies. This is very common in the E. coli bacteria, which shows a decreased growth rate after being exposed to antibiotics. In clinical infections bacteria tend to multiply slowly and extended periods of anti-microbial chemotherapy are needed to eradicate these organisms and achieve complete cure. Hu and Coates (2005) used transposon mutagenesis to understand the molecular basis of antibiotic tolerance. The authors screened 5000 Escherichia coli mutants to see reductions of kanamycin tolerance in the late stationery phase and found that 4935 mutants were able to grow to the late stationery phase. The mutant KS639 was most sensitive to kanamycin. This variety of mutant showed an increased sensitivity to kanamycin and gentamicin, ciprofloxacin and rifampicin. From the data obtained it was seen that a mutant lacking intergenic regions showed reduced tolerance to kanamycin. T he studies show that interegenic regions in the E coli may be responsible for anti-microbial agents. In a study that tend to examine the effects of ciprofloxacin on E coli growth, Lueng et al studied the effects of the uptake and release of ciprofloxacin from a hydrophilic stent in an antibiotic solution and the effects of a ciprofloxacin loaded stent in inhibiting the growth of E.coli adherence were tested. The authors immersed segments of (hydrophilic stent) HS in 5 ml of ciprofloxacin solutions for 24 hours and ciprofloxacin remained in solution measure determined the uptake by the HS. CHS (ciprofloxacin-loaded stent) was placed in 5 ml of water for 24 hours and the released ciprofloxacin was measured. CHS was placed on culture plates with E coli and incubated and diameters of the inhibited zones were measured. CHS 0.5 cm in length was incubated in separate 5 ml E coli suspensions. This E coli was measured and compared with control HS. The results showed that zonal inhibition to growth of Escherichia coli was, proportional to the concentration of ciprofloxacin. Accordingly the au thors concluded that there was a free exchange (uptake and release) of ciprofloxacin along a concentration gradient between the antibiotic solution and HS. CHS reduced the number of adhered E coli, but the effect was short-livedà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢. Strains of E. coli and Resistance to Antibiotics: Strains of Escherichia coli that are capable of contaminating raw milk can show heightened resistance to anti-microbial drugs. The susceptibility of E. coli that originates in milk and milk products, meat and several antibiotics such as cotrimoxazole, streptomycin, cephalothin, neomycin and chloramphenicol, erythromycin, ampicillin and amikacin. The minimal inhibition concentrations were detected using a standard micro-dilution method. Babak et al (2004) stated the necessity to identify bacterial strains that have acquired potentially transmissible resistance to anti-microbial drugs. The study by Babak and his colleagues differentiated two kinds of E coli strains, one that is susceptible to the adverse effects of antibiotics and another that is resistant to anti-microbial drugs. There is a global expansion of bacterial resistance to anti-microbial agents such as methicillin and vancomycin with the Staphylococcus aureus showing increased resistance to methicillin and decreased sensitivity to vancomycin. The plague bacillus possesses a plasmid that is transferable to E. coli and has multiple antibiotic resistances. Vancomycin resistant enterococci are constantly transmitted to resistant organisms. These resistant strains have been effectively studied by McCormick (1998) to delineate the antimicrobial-resistant bacterial pathogens. Escherichia coli was found in cattle faeces and novobiocin was used in the isolation method when samples of E coli were separated in different occasions. This study by Tutenel et al (2003) effectively links the isolation of E. coli O157 samples using the antibiotic novobiocin suggesting the adverse effects of antibiotics on bacterial growth or survival. In a recent study by Chartone-Souza et al (2005), a tetracycline-platinum complex was synthesized which was found to be as effective as tetracycline itself in inhibiting bacterial growth of E coli and in this particular study two Escherichia coli sensitive bacterial strains. This tetracycline complex is six times more potent that tetracycline against E Coli HB101/pBR322, a bacterial strain that has developed a resistance to tetracycline. According to Chartone-Souza and others their study is extremely important given the fact that emergent resistance strains of E coli have made it difficult to treat bacterial infections with tetracycline. Conclusion: From the studies discussed above, we see two distinct trends of the effects of antibiotics on the growth of E. coli. Antibiotics can develop increasingly resistant mutant strains of bacteria or can inhibit the growth of a particular strain. Whatever the results are, there have been numerous studies that have substantiated the fact that antibiotics have considerable adverse effects of the growth of E. coli and other bacterial strains.

Against Capital Punishment Essay -- essays research papers

â€Å"At 8:00 p.m. it was nearing the end of John Evans’ last day on death row. He had spent most of the day with his minister and family, praying and talking of what was to come. At 8:20 he was walked from his cell down to the long hall to the execution room and strapped in the electric chair. At 8:30 p.m. the first jolt of 1900 volts passed through Mr. Evans’ body. It lasted 30 seconds. Sparks and flames erupted from the electrode tied to Mr. Evans’ leg. His body slammed against the straps holding him in the chair and his fist clenched permanently. The electrode then burst from the strap holding it in place. A large puff of gray smoke and sparks pored out from under the hood that covered his face. An overpowering stench of burnt flesh and clothing began pervading the witness room. Two doctors then examined Mr. Evans and declared that he was not dead. The electrode was then refastened and Mr. Evans was given another 30-second jolt. The stench was nauseating. Again the doctors examined him and found his heart still beating. At this time the prison commissioner, who was talking on the line with Governor George Wallace of Alabama, was asked to cancel the execution on the grounds that Mr. Evans was being subject to cruel and unusual punishment. The request was denied. At 8:40 p.m. the third charge of electricity was passed through Mr. Evans body. At 8:44 p.m. he was pronounced dead. The execution took 14 minutes. Afterward officials were embarrassed by what one observer called the â€Å"barbaric ritual.† The electric chair is supposed to be a very humane way of administering death, if there is one† (Zimring, & Hawkins, 1986, p.1). Every Western Industrial nation has stopped executing criminals, except the United States. Most Western nations have executed criminals in this century, and many were executed after World War II. Then executions suddenly decreased (Clay, 1990, p.9). This is partly because the people in many European countries might have been tired of killing from the war. In most cases the countries and states that stopped capital punishment followed with its formal abolition shortly after (Clay, 1990, p.10). One reason that the United States did not end capital punishment at this time is partly due to the fact that the war was never fought on our soil and US citizens had not all lived through the death and destruction of WWII personally. Some think that ... ...yclists from Los Angeles who were innocent. The jury’s verdict in this case was based on alleged eyewitnesses and a perjured testimony. If it hadn’t been for the investigation of newspaper journalists, and the confession of the real killer, they too would have died innocent men (Bedau, 1999, November 10). Though these two stories have reassuring endings, but the chances of good outcomes happening are small. People are too commonly wrongly accused of crimes. There will always be overzealous prosecution, perjured testimony, faulty police work, coerced confessions, the defendant’s previous criminal record, and inept defense councils. People will be wrongly put to death leaving their families behind wondering who was telling the truth. As long as society chooses to ignore its moral values, and as long as it brings down the value of a human life, capital punishment will remain in use. People must do the research and see for themselves the costs to society, both in dollars and in lives, are far too high. People will always make mistakes, and with the death penalty in use innocent people will die. For these reasons the United States should follow the lead and abolish capital punishment.

Night World : Daughters of Darkness Chapter 2

You see, we're both lonely guys,† Todd said from the back. â€Å"†There aren't any girls our age aroundhere, so we're lonely. And then when we comeacross three nice girls like you-well, we just natu rally want to get to know you better. Understand?† â€Å"So if you girls play along, we can all have fun,† Vic put in. â€Å"Fun-oh, no,† Rowan said, dismayed. Jade knew she had caught part of Vic's thought and was tryingvery hard not to pry further. â€Å"Kestrel and Jade are much too young for anything like that. I'm sorry, butwe have to say no.† â€Å"I won't do it even whenI amold enough,† Jade said. â€Å"But that isn't what these guys mean anyway they mean this.† She projected some of the images she was getting from Vic into Rowan's mind. â€Å"Oh, dear,† Rowan said flatly. â€Å"Jade, you know we agreed not to spy on people like that.† Yeah, but look what they're thinking, Jade said soundlessly, figuring that if she had broken one rule, she might as well break them all. â€Å"Now, look,† Vic said in a tone that showed he knew he was losing control of the situation. He reached out and grabbed Jade's other arm, forcingher to face him. â€Å"We're not here to talk. See?† He gave her a little shake. Jade studied his features a moment, then turned her head to look inquiringly into the backseat. Rowan's face was creamy-pale against her brownhair. Jade could feel that she was sad and disap pointed. Kestrel's hair was dim gold and she was frowning. Well?Kestrel said silently to Rowan. Well?Jade said the same way. She wriggled as Victried to pull her loser. Come on, Rowan, he's pinching me. I guess we don't have any choice,Rowan said. Immediately Jade turned back to Vic. He was still trying to pull her, looking surprised that she didn't seem to be coming. Jade stopped resisting and lethim drag her in close-and then smoothly detached one arm from his grip and slammed her hand upward. The heel of her hand made contact just under his chin. His teeth clicked and his head was knocked backward, exposing his throat. Jade darted in and bit. She was feeling guilty and excited. She wasn't used to doing it like this, to taking down prey that was awake and struggling instead of hypnotized and docile. But she knew her instincts were as good as any hunter who'd grown up stalking humans in alleys. It was part of her genetic programming to evaluate anything she saw in terms of â€Å"Is it food? Can I get it? What are its weaknesses?† The only problem was that she shouldn't been joying this feeding, because it was exactly the opposite of what she and Rowan and Kestrel had come to Briar Creek to do. She was tangentially aware of activity in the backseat. Rowan had lifted the arm Todd had been using to restrain her. On the other side Kestrel had done the same. Todd was fighting, his voice thunderstruck. â€Å"Heyhey what are you-â€Å" Rowan bit. â€Å"What are you doing?† Kestrel bit. â€Å"What the freak are you doing? Who are you? What the freak are you?† He thrashed wildly for a minute or so, and then subsided as Rowan and Kestrel mentally urged him into a trance. It was only another minute or so before Rowan said, â€Å"That's enough.† Jade said, Aw, Rowan †¦ â€Å"That'senough.Tell him not to remember anything about this-and find out if he knows where Burdock Farm is.† Still feeding, Jade reached out with her mind,touching lightly with a tentacle of thought. Then she pulled back, her mouth closing as if in a kiss as it leftVic's skin. Vic was just a big rag doll at this point, and he flopped bonelessly against the steering wheeland the car door when she let him go. â€Å"The farm's back that way-we have to go back tothe fork in the road,† she said. â€Å"It's weird,† she added, puzzled. â€Å"He was thinking that he wouldn't get in trouble for attacking us because-because of something about Aunt Opal. I couldn't get what.† â€Å"Probably that she was crazy,† Kestrel said unemotionally. â€Å"Todd was thinking that he wouldn't get in trouble because his dad's an Elder.† â€Å"They don't have Elders,† Jade said, vaguely smug.†You mean a governor or a police officer or something ? Rowan was frowning, not looking at them. â€Å"All right,† she said. â€Å"This was an emergency; we had to do it. But now we're going back to what we agreed.† â€Å"Until the next emergency,† Kestrel said, smiling out the car window into the night. To forestall Rowan, Jade said, â€Å"You think we should just leave them here?† â€Å"Why not?† Kestrel said carelessly. â€Å"They'll wake up in a few hours.† Jade looked at Vic's neck. The two little wounds where her teeth had pierced him were already almost closed. By tomorrow they would be faint red marks like old bee stings. Five minutes later they were on the road againwith their suitcases. This time, though, Jade was cheerful. The difference was food-she felt as full of blood as a tick, charged with energy and ready to skip up mountains. She swung the cat carrier and her suitcase alternately, and Tiggy growled. It was wonderful being out like this, walking alonein the warm night air, with nobody to frown in disapproval. Wonderful to listen to the deer and rabbits and rats feeding in the meadows around her. Happiness bubbled up inside Jade. She'd never felt so free. â€Å"It is nice, isn't it?† Rowan said softly, lookingaround as they reached the fork in the road. â€Å"It's the real world. And we have as much right to it as anybody else.† â€Å"I think it's the blood,† Kestrel said. â€Å"Free-range humans are so much better than the kept ones. Whydidn't our dear brother ever mention that?† Ash, Jade thought, and felt a cold wind. She glanced behind her, not looking for a car but forsomething much more silent and deadly. She realized suddenly how fragile her bubble of happiness was. â€Å"Are we going to get caught?† she asked Rowan. Reverting, in the space of one second, to a six-yearold turning to her big sister for help. And Rowan, the best big sister in the world, said immediately and positively,†No. â€Å" â€Å"But if Ash figures it out-he's the only one whomight realize-â€Å" â€Å"We are not going to get caught,† Rowan said. â€Å"Nobody will figure out that we're here.† Jade felt better. She put down her suitcase and held out a hand to Rowan, who took it. â€Å"Together forever,† she said. Kestrel, who'd been a few steps ahead, glanced over her shoulder. Then she came back and put her hand on theirs. â€Å"Together forever.† Rowan said it solemnly; Kestrel said it with a quicknarrowing of her yellow eyes. Jade said it with utter determination. As they walked on, Jade felt buoyant and cheerfulagain, enjoying the velvet-dark night. The road was just dirt here, not paved. They passed meadows and stands of Douglas fir. A farmhouse on the left, set back on a long driveway. And finally, dead ahead at the end of the road, another house. â€Å"That's it,† Rowan said. Jade recognized it, too, from the pictures Aunt opal had sent them. It had two stories, a wraparound porch, and a steeplypitched roof with lots of gables. A cupola sprouted out of the rooftop, and there was a weather vane on the barn. A real weather vane, Jade thought, stopping to stare. Her happiness flooded _back full force. â€Å"I love it, she said solemnly. Rowan and Kestrel had stopped, too, but their expressions were far from awed. Rowan looked a hairs breadth away from horrified. â€Å"It's a wreck,† she gasped. â€Å"Look at that barnthe paint's completely gone. The pictures didn't show that.† â€Å"And the porch,† Kestrel said helpfully. â€Å"It's fallingto pieces. Might go any minute.† â€Å"The work,† Rowan whispered. â€Å"The work it would take to fix this place up †¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"And the money,† Kestrel said. Jade gave them a cold look. â€Å"Why fix it? I like it. It's different.† Rigid with superiority, she picked up her luggage and walked to the end of the roadThere was a ramshackle, mostly fallen-down fence around the property, and a dangerous-looking gate. Beyond,on a weed-covered path, was a pile of white pickets as if somebody had been planning to fix the fencebut had never got around to it. Jade put down the suitcase and cat carrier and pulled at the gate. To her surprise, it moved easily. â€Å"See, it may not look good, but it still works-â€Å"She didn't get to finish the sentence properly. The gate fell on her. â€Å"Well, it may not work, but it's still ours,† she said as Rowan and Kestrel pulled it off her. â€Å"No, it's Aunt Opal's,† Kestrel said. Rowan just smoothed her hair back and said, â€Å"Come on.† There was a board missing from the porch steps, and several boards gone from the porch itself. Jade limped around them with dignity. The gate had given her a good whack in the shin, and since it was wood,it still .hurt. In fact, everything seemed to be made of wood here, which gave Jade a pleasantly alarmed feeling. Back home, wood was revered-,and kept outof the way. You have to be awfully careful to live in this kindof world, Jade thought. Or you're going to get hurt. Rowan and Kestrel were knocking on the door,Rowan politely, with her knuckles, Kestrel loudly, with the side of her hand. There wasn't any answer. â€Å"She doesn't seem to be here,† Rowan said. â€Å"She's decided she doesn't want us,† Kestrel said, golden eyes gleaming. â€Å"Maybe she went to the wrong bus station,†Jade said. â€Å"Oh-that's it. I bet that's it,† Rowan said. â€Å"Poorold thing, she's waiting for us somewhere, and she's going to be thinking that we didn't show up.† â€Å"†Sometimes you're not completely stupid,† Kestrel informed Jade. High praise from Kestrel. â€Å"Well, let's go in,† Jade said,to conceal howpleased she was. â€Å"She'll come back here sometime.† â€Å"Human houses have locks,† Rowan began, but this house wasn't locked. The doorknob turned in Jade's hand. The three of them stepped inside. It was dark, even darker than the moonless nightoutside, but Jade's eyes adjusted in a few seconds. â€Å"Hey, it's not bad,† she said. They were in ashabby but handsome living room filled with huge, ponderous furniture. Wood furniture, of course dark and highly polished. The tables were topped with marble. Rowan found a lightswitch, and suddenly the roomwas too bright. Blinking, Jade saw that the walls were pale apple green, with fancy woodwork andmoldings in a darker shade of the same green. It made Jade feel oddly peaceful. And anchored, somehow, as if she belonged here. Maybe it was all the heavy furniture. She looked at Rowan, who was looking around tall graceful body slowly relaxing. Rowan smiled and met her eyes. She noddedonce. â€Å"Yes.† Jade basked for a moment in the glory of having been right twice in five minutes–and then she remembered her suitcase. â€Å"Let's see what the rest of the place is like,† she said hastily. â€Å"I'll take the upstairs; you guys look around here.† â€Å"You just want the best bedroom,† Kestrel said. Jade ignored her, hurrying up a wide, carpeted flight of stairs. There were lots of bedrooms, and each one had lots of room. She didn't want the best, though, just the farthest away. At the very end of the hall was a room painted sea-blue. Jade slammed the door behind her and puther suitcase on the bed. Holding her breath, she opened the suitcase. Oh. Oh, no.Oh, no †¦ Three minutes later she heard the click of the doorbehind her, but didn't care enough to turn. â€Å"What are you doing?†Kestrel's voice said. Jade looked up from her frantic efforts to resuscitate the two kittens she held. â€Å"They'redead!† she wailed. â€Å"Well, what did you expect? They need to breathe, idiot. How did you expect them to make it through two days of traveling?† Jade sniffled. â€Å"Rowan told you that you could take only one.† Jade sniffled harder and glared. â€Å"I know.That's why I put these two in the suitcase.† She hiccuped. â€Å"At least Tiggy's all right.† She dropped to her knees and peered in the cat carrier to make sure he was all right. His ears were laid back, his golden eyes gleaming out of a mass of black fur. He hissed, and Jade sat up. He was fine. â€Å"For five dollars I'll take care of the dead ones,† Kestrel said. â€Å"No!† Jade jumped up and moved protectively in front of them, fingers clawed. â€Å"Not likethat,† Kestrel said, offended. â€Å"I don't eat carrion. Look, if you don't get rid of them somehow,Rowan's going to find out. For God's sake,girl, you're a vampire,† she added as Jade cradled the limp bodies to her chest. â€Å"Act like one.† â€Å"I want to bury them,† Jade said. â€Å"They shouldhave a funeral.† Kestrel rolled her eyes and left. Jade wrapped the small corpses in her jacket and tiptoed out after her. A shovel, she thought. Now, where would that be? Keeping her ears open for Rowan, shesidledaround the first floor. All the rooms looked like the living room: imposing and in a state of genteel decay. The kitchen was huge. It had an open fireplace and a shed off the back door for washing laundry. It also had a door to the cellar. Jade made her way down the steps cautiously. Shecouldn't turn on a light because she needed both hands for the kittens. And, because of the kittens, she couldn't see her feet. She had to feel with her toe for the next step. At the bottom of the stairs her toe found something yielding, slightly resilient. It was blocking herpath. Slowly Jade craned her neck over the bundle of jacket and looked down. It was dim here. She herself was blocking the light that filtered down from the kitchen. But she could make out what looked like a pile of old clothes. A lumpy pile. Jade was getting a very, very bad feeling. She nudged the pile of clothes with one toe. It moved slightly. Jade took a deep breath and nudged it hard. It was all one piece. It rolled over. Jade looked down, breathed quickly for a moment, and screamed. A good, shrill, attention-getting scream. She addeda nonverbal thought, the telepathic equivalent of a siren. Rowan! Kestrel! You guys get down here! Twenty seconds later the cellar light went on andRowan and Kestrel came clattering down the stairs. â€Å"I have told you and toldyou,† Rowan was sayingthrough her teeth. â€Å"We don'tuse our-† She stopped, staring. â€Å"I think it's Aunt Opal,† Jade said.

Humanity Bloomed During the Renaissance

Humanity Bloomed During the Renaissance The Renaissance, a movement that  stressed the ideas of the classical world, ended the medieval era  and heralded the start of Europes modern age. Between the 14th and 17th centuries, art and science flourished as empires expanded and cultures mixed as never before. Although historians still debate some  causes of the Renaissance, they agree on a few basic points. AHunger for Discovery The courts and monasteries of Europe had long been repositories of manuscripts and texts, but a change in how scholars viewed them sparked a massive reappraisal of classical works in the Renaissance. Fourteenth-century writer Petrarch typified this, writing about his lust for discovering texts that  had previously been ignored. As literacy spread and a middle class emerged, seeking out, reading, and spreading classical texts became commonplace. New libraries developed to facilitate access to old books. Ideas once forgotten were now reawakened, as was interest in their authors. Reintroduction of Classical Works During the Dark Ages, many classical European texts were lost or destroyed. Those that survived were hidden in churches and monasteries of the Byzantine Empire or in capitals of the Middle East. During the Renaissance, many of these texts were slowly reintroduced into Europe by merchants and scholars. In 1396 an official academic post for teaching Greek was created in Florence. The man hired, Manuel Chrysoloras, brought with him a copy of Ptolemy’s Geography from the East. A huge number of Greek texts and scholars arrived in Europe with the fall of Constantinople in 1453. The Printing Press The invention of the printing press  in 1440 was the game-changer. Finally, books could be mass produced for far less money and time than by the old handwritten methods. Ideas could be spread through libraries, booksellers, and schools in a way that wasnt possible before. The printed page was more legible than the elaborate script of books written longhand. Printing became a viable industry, creating new jobs and innovations. The spread of books also encouraged the study of literature itself, allowing new ideas to spread as cities and nations began establishing universities and other schools. Humanism Emerges Renaissance humanism  was a new manner of thinking and approaching the world. It has been called the earliest expression of the Renaissance and is described as both a product and a cause of the movement. Humanist thinkers challenged the mindset of the previously dominant school of scholarly thought, Scholasticism, as well as the Catholic Church, allowing the new thinking to develop. Art and Politics The new artists needed wealthy patrons to support them, and Renaissance Italy was especially fertile ground. Political changes in the ruling class shortly before this period had led to the rulers of most major city-states being â€Å"new men† without much political history. They attempted to legitimize themselves with conspicuous investment in and public flaunting of art and architecture. As the Renaissance spread, church and European rulers used their wealth to adopt the new styles to keep pace. The demand from the  elites wasn’t just artistic; they also relied upon ideas developed for their political models. The Prince, Machiavelli’s  guide for rulers, is a work of Renaissance political theory. The developing bureaucracies of Italy and the rest of Europe generated new  demand for highly educated humanists to fill the ranks of governments and bureaucracies. A new political and economic class emerged.   Death and Life In the middle of the 14th  century, the Black Death swept Europe, killing perhaps a third of the population. While devastating, the plague left survivors better off financially and socially, with the same wealth spread among fewer people. This was especially true in Italy, where social mobility was much greater. This new  wealth often was spent lavishly on arts, culture, and artisanal goods.  The merchant classes of regional powers such as Italy  saw a great increase in wealth from their roles in trade. This growing mercantile class sparked a financial industry to manage their wealth, generating additional economic and social growth. War and Peace Periods of peace and war have been credited with allowing the Renaissance to spread. The end of the Hundred Years War between England and France in 1453 allowed Renaissance ideas to penetrate these nations as resources once consumed by war were funneled into the arts and sciences. By contrast, the Great Italian Wars of the early 16th century allowed Renaissance ideas to spread to France as its armies invaded Italy repeatedly over 50 years.

Alessandro Scarlatti essays

Alessandro Scarlatti essays Alessandro Scarlatti was a composer during the Baroque Era. When compared with its music predecessors, Baroque music is said to be have more lavish textures, and more intense. This period of music introduced Operas, Oratorios, and Cantatas. It also brought along orchestral forms, though Operas became very popular. Operas were very popular because Italian intellectuals wanted to recapture the Greek Dramas, in which music played a major role. A distinguishing feature of the Baroque Era was the emphasis on the musics volume, texture, and pace. The previous era, (Late Renaissance) did not focus on these very much. Cannons and Fugues (strict forms of imitative polyphony) were also very popular during the Baroque Era. In this Era, composers were expected to prove their expertise whenever asked. To this, they were expected to improvise complex Fugues on a moments notice. Only the best were able to do this. Alessandro Scarlatti was born in Palermo on May 2nd 1660. Not much is known about his family, other than the fact that he had two sisters, and his parents were Sicilian, and most likely from Artistic families themselves. At the age of twelve, Alessandro and his two sisters were sent to Rome to live with relatives. There were rumors that Alessandro studied with Carissimi while there. Carissimi was an Italian composer who composed hundreds of motets and cantatas in addition to Masses, and other sacred music. When Alessandro was seventeen, he married, and not quite nine months later, their first of six children was born. At the age of eighteen, he composed his first opera, Gli Equivoci nel sembiante, which was a great success. Some may argue that this was actually his second opera. There are rumors that he composed an earlier opera, but it was never performed, and the title is unknown. Sometime between the time he was married, and his first composition, hi...

Cross Cultural Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 3

Cross Cultural Management - Essay Example The first is to present some cultural profiling between two countries, using a range of academic models which should highlight any significant differences that are likely to occur in terms of management behaviour. Secondly, aim to critically evaluate the key communication and negotiation differences that managers should be aware of when dealing with the negotiators when they arrive. Negotiation is generally considered as a means of resolving conflict. It is a process in which problems are solved between two or more parties that attempt to settle some disagreement in a manner that is agreeable to both (Fisher, Ury & Patton 1991, pp. 1-3). Although the main principles of negotiation are easily understood, it can be extremely difficult when placed into practice. Contention between what is right or wrong; opposing views when it comes to what is fair and just; forms of communication and information exchange as well as the procedures carried out for negotiations are only a handful of the challenges that negotiators often encounter (Susskind, McKearnan & Thomas-Larner 1999, pp. 2-57). Furthermore, the process of negotiation is made difficult when different parties are negotiating across conflicting cultures (Gelfand & Brett 2004, pp. 45-47). Culture is one of the most powerful factors that determine and influence people’s way of thinking as well as behaviour an d communication (Salacuse 1993, pp. 199-208). Therefore, culture has a significant effect on the people’s means of negotiation. This essay specifically examines the impact of culture on the process of negotiation. First, it provides cultural profiling between India and Japan, and identifies differences between their culture and management behaviour. Important factors that are involved in cross cultural negotiation such as communication and negotiation differences are also tackled. In addition, the four dimensions of culture identified by Hofstede (1997, pp. 28-37) have been included,

Selfies Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Selfies - Assignment Example However, some older people are trying to use selfies in the quest of associating themselves with the young generation. Selfies are though to have more benefits than disadvantages and have attracted the attention of the older generation which has been trying to use selfies to associate with the youth. Selfies are self taken photographs and with the right photo angle and posture, selfies may result in eye catching portraits, images and photos (Kraus, 2005). Selfies were not known before 2005. As camera mobile phones started to be popular, self portraits started to be appreciated. People started taking their own photos in different places and time. When social media came into being, people felt that it would be a good idea to share their selfies with their friends and family. Argument Block One Some people in the society feel that selfies are not good while others believe that they are good for the young adults and teenagers. Critics of selfies claim that the young especially those who have not gotten to adulthood may not know the limits of taking selfies. True to that, some adolescents may go to the extent of taking inappropriate selfies for example naked images. Though they are self taken and probably in secret, they would not have a good image if they are shared through the social media. Proponents of selfies disregard this claim stating that the self taken portraits are for self expression. As such, they should not matter how they are taken as long as they are expressing an issue or concern (Day, 2013). A teenager may take a selfie of some part of the body like to hear the comments of their friends for example. Teenagers that are vulnerable to relatively inappropriate selfies are those that are weight gain sensitive yet their friends are spread across the country or the globe. They would want to request their friends to comment yet they want instantaneous answers or responses after they are informed they look in a certain way, for instance being told they look fat. Some people can go to the extent of taking a selfie of their entire body to get the right response from their friends. People taking such selfies should use friend specific message media that is specific to their friends. Selfies of such nature should only be sent after requesting their friends accordingly and they approve the suggestion. Argument Block Two Other critics claim that selfies may have negative effects on especially young adolescents and teenagers. Material of all nature is shared through the social media and those who do not have certain knowledge may be curious. As such, they may try experimenting and trying out some things on their own. They are usually afraid to ask their parents. Inappropriate selfies may in fact change the behavior and perception of adolescents towards certain things. Even so, those in support of selfies claim that the content is somehow regulated. Most social media websites cannot be used by those less than thirteen years. By the time someo ne is thirteen years, they know a lot about their bodies. In that case, they would not be adversely affected in case they come across inappropriate images. At the same time, the chances of inappropriate images being posted over the social media is relatively low. In addition, social media sites do not encourage posting of inappropriate selfies. People who are likely to post inappropriate images and content are socialites. It would be extremely hard for adolescents and teenagers having socialites as their friend through social media. However, it cannot be ignored that some teenagers know such celebrities and may search for them on the internet and come across inappropriate content. Argument Block Three Critics argue that selfies are not good and may have a negative