What to Do if Youre in Love With a Fictional Character

What to Do if You're in Love With a Fictional Character We love to read, and when were immersed in literature, the characters come to life for us! We know them- all their most secret and intimate details. Sometimes, we become too involved in a characters life (and situation). We know what they want, who they are, and sometimes, we may even imagine ourselves into the world of the novel. What do you do if youre in love with a fictional character? Step Back   Ask yourself: Why do I love the character? Perhaps one of the things you love the most about him/her is the fact that the character is without substance (he/she is not real, at least not in a corporeal, sit-down-and-have-a-conversation-with-you kind of way). How does the character (and the episodes in the novel that compelled you to love the character) compare with your real life experiences? Pros vs. Cons Consider the characters other qualities... For every perfect character trait, the author likely included a few undesirable personality characteristics. Make a list of the pros and cons (what you love about the character in one column, and what you dislike about the hero/heroine in the other column). At the top of the con list, you can write: _____ is not real. Hes a figment of my (and every other readers) imagination! Familiarity How many times have you read the book? Have you memorized all the characters main lines? If you have memorized all the scenes, and youve imagined yourself sitting beside your fictional love, it may be time to read other books. Get critical! Use your intense fascination with the book to conduct a full study of all works by the author, as well as an exhaustive study of the novel itself. (Beyond a simple reading and re-reading, track the characters, look at the critical reception, and learn more about the historical context of the work. Think of it as your way to get to know more about the character you love. Book vs. Movie? Ask yourself: Am I really in love with the actor who plays the character in the   film version? Im not suggesting that you suddenly become a stalker, or fall violently in unrequited love with all the actors as a  stand in for literary characters. But, its a bit easier to have a crush on an actor than it is to be in love with a character in a novel. Fan-dom vs. Real Love Sometimes its easy to confuse the feelings of real love with the enthusiasm you feel when you are an ultimate fan. That giddy-obsessive feeling that you get when you find a character that represents so many romantic qualities can be can sometimes be confused with the enigmatic (often confusing) feeling of love. Support Group or Book Club After talking with a great many readers over the years, Im convinced that there are many more of you who are in love with their favorite characters than you would imagine. Of course, part of the problem is that being in love with a character from a book is sometimes not accepted by our society. But, if you are really in love with a character, I urge you to seek out others to share your passion. Start a support group. You can even start a   book club- to share the favorite books with others who love their hero/heroine just as much as you do!   Read more about Fictional Heroes We Love... In The Secret Life of Prince Charming, Deb Caletti writes: It starts so young, and Im angry about that. The garbage were taught. About love, about whats romantic. Look at so many of the so-called romantic figures in books and movies. Do we ever stop and think how many of them would cause serious and drastic unhappiness after The End? Why are sick and dangerous personality types so often shown a passionate and tragic and something to be longed for when those are the very ones you should run for your life from? Think about it. Heathcliff. Romeo. Don Juan. Jay Gatsby. Rochester. Mr. Darcy. From the rigid control freak in The Sound of Music to all the bad boys some woman goes running to the airport to catch in the last minute of every romantic comedy. She should let him leave. Your time is so valuable  and look at these guysdepressive and moody and violent and immature and self-centered. And what about the big daddy of them all, Prince Charmi ng? What was his secret life? We dont know anything about him, other then he looks good and comes to the rescue.

These skills are vital for administrative assistants -The JobNetwork

These skills are vital for administrative assistants -The JobNetwork Administrative assistants are some of the most versatile professionals out there. From handling personalities to keeping everything organized to running office operations, it’s a job that requires a lot of different skills at any given time. If you’re thinking about becoming an administrative assistant for the next phase of your career, let’s look at some of the most important skills you’ll need to succeed.Hard SkillsFirst and foremost, you should make sure that your hard skills are in order for a job as an administrative assistant. What are hard skills? They’re the skills that require technical or specific ability. These are easy to list because you can use very specific points. For example:Expert in Microsoft ExcelHTML coding expertiseTyping 100 words per minuteHard skills are the skills you can quantify and show easily (as opposed to â€Å"soft† skills, which are often more subjective and need more specific examples or clarification). Ther e’s no additional context necessary to show that you can use a particular type of accounting software; merely listing the software or app conveys your skill to the reader. And the good news is that hard skills are easier to build, if you want to bulk up your resume. You can take online courses in how to do complex Excel spreadsheet magic, or find tutorials on HTML and other coding languages. Whatever you want to learn, theres surely an opportunity out there to bulk up your resume.Technology SkillsAdministrative assistants need to be pretty tech savvy in today’s world. It’s not enough to be familiar with using computers in general. Your boss may depend on you to be a technical ninja in areas he or she is not. An administrative assistant should have a good grasp on software or apps in these areas:Email. Microsoft Outlook is the most common, but many companies are turning to Gmail and Slack to manage interoffice email.Maintaining a calendar. Again, Outlook’s calendar is the gold standard, but you should be able to schedule meetings, create invitations, and manage calendars. And with a growing focus in the workplace on connecting people remotely via technology, programs like WebEx or GoToMeeting help you set up videoconferences.Word processing. Microsoft Word and Google Docs are most typical, but you should be skilled in using document creation programs to create different kinds of formatted documents (like correspondence or reports).Presentations. Whether you’ll be making presentations or the people you support will be making them, chances are you’ll be expected to either organize information into presentations or create them from scratch. Programs like Microsoft PowerPoint have built-in tools and templates for creating down-and-dirty presentations, but if you want to bump your skills to the next level, you can also learn shortcuts and design elements to create ones that stand out more.Digital databases/filing systems. Pa rt of just about every administrative assistant’s job is maintaining orderly files, whether those are old-fashioned hard copies or digital records.Digital editing. Many administrative assistants are tasked with creating or editing manuals, newsletters, invitations, marketing materials, or other materials for public consumption or within the company. Having expertise in programs like Adobe Acrobat or Photoshop can make you even more valuable and add some designer cred to your resume.Productivity/project management. From project management systems like JIRA to personal organizational tools like Asana, experience using productivity software can be essential to planning, executing, and organizing projects.Administrative Support SkillsAdministrative support skills are also hard skills that help an admin support his or her team. These can include:Answering multi-line phones and routing callsFaxing documentsProcessing timesheetsTranscribing contentAccounting or billing (using progra ms like QuickBooks)Typing with speed and accuracySoft SkillsSoft skills are the skills that aren’t so easily quantified. If you want to show that you’re good at data analysis, you can list specific Excel skills. If you want to show that you’re organized or a good problem solver, it’s a little tougher. Here are the most essential soft skills you’ll need as an admin.Communication SkillsCommunicating well in person and in writing is a key element of the administrative assistant’s job. It’s a service role, which means that you need to be able to talk, email, or otherwise communicate on behalf and/or your boss. Coordination is a huge part of the job, so that means not only getting along with everyone (or fake it if you can’t quite muster genuine â€Å"like† or enthusiasm in dealing with someone), but also making sure everyone has the information they need. Clear and efficient communication, complete with good grammar, is esse ntial.Examples of communication skills:Drafting, editing, and sending correspondenceFielding phone calls and taking messagesResponding clearly and efficiently to emailsTaking notes and sending follow-up requests/summaries as neededAnswering questions or explaining processesPublic speaking or presentingWriting clean, grammatically correct (and always business-appropriate!) emailsPeople SkillsSupporting a boss (or a team of bosses) can be challenging. It often means negotiating different personalities and ensuring that everyone has what they need. As an admin, you may be interacting with all kinds of different people- other employees, executives, the public- so a calm, friendly demeanor is a helpful asset. And if your job includes handling sensitive or confidential information, you’ll need to be sensitive about how to communicate that information.Examples of people skills:Customer serviceManaging client relationshipsWriting email or other correspondence with the whole audience in mindTime Management SkillsAs an admin, you’re likely going to be responsible for other people’s time as much as your own, so being able to coordinate schedules, set reminders, and make sure things are staying on task is a crucial part of the job.Examples of time management skills:Setting deadlinesMeeting deadlinesManaging calendars (potentially multiple ones)Coordinating meeting times among large groupsSending reminders to stakeholders to keep projects or tasks on scheduleOrganizational SkillsAdministrative assistants are usually responsible for not only keeping themselves organized, but also those around them. The admin’s desk should be a calm oasis of order even when everything else is chaotic. These skills are essential, but they can be developed as well, with care and attention to both the tasks at hand and the bigger picture of what needs to be done.Examples of organizational skills:Attention to detailBilling/bookkeepingManaging calendars and appointment sPreparing for meetings, including making room, technology, or logistics arrangementsFilingTaking inventoryMultitaskingMaking travel arrangementsCoordinating and planning eventsPrioritizing tasks and projectsProblem Solving SkillsAdmins are also fixers. That may mean helping your boss troubleshoot issues or helping to solve problems around the office to make sure things are running smoothly. Being able to think calmly and critically about how to approach a situation (even when things are overwhelmingly busy or going wrong) is a skill set highly valued by just about every employer, no matter what industry.Examples of problem solving skills:Training and supervising othersManaging employee relationsProviding technical helpServing as a point person for questions or guidanceOrganizing the necessary people and resources to resolve an issue, and helping to coordinate follow-up actionsComing up with an action plan to resolve issuesAs you can see, administrative assistants need a pretty broa d range of skills in their day-to-day work. If you focus on building your skills in these key areas (or emphasizing the skills you already have), you’ll be in great shape for your career as an admin.

Self evaluation Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Self evaluation - Personal Statement Example bout their favorite sport is a good enough time pass, plus there are people who indulge in sports simply to keep themselves physically as well as mentally fit and then there is the most common reason, which is to win the game. The outline will be evaluated to see that the contents used are strong enough to have an impact on the audience, positively or are the contents just providing people with the general knowledge, which more or less, everybody knows about and is the speaker has a way and techniques to ensnare and engage the audience or not. Hence, this evaluation will be done on delivery of speech, content of speech and goal. The outline gives an idea that the delivery on the speech will be good as the speaker has highlighted the main essence of the topic and even surge forward with the concept of nutrition and bodily health of sports person. However, if the speaker will include a real life incident of an ordinary person or quotation of a sports person and how sports has kept the particular athlete/person physical and mentally stable, then it will give delivery an appealing sound and will instantly attract the audience. Furthermore, another good aspect of the outline is that it illustrates that the writer have not only stick with the sports playing point of view, but also give an angle on the opinion of the spectators, who are not active participant of a sport. This spectator part can play crucial role as the audience who listened to the speech can somehow connect with the information. Moving to the content of the outline, on a basic level the primary requirements are fulfilled that is the inclusion of introduction, body and conclusion, however on closely looking at it the use of Monroe’s motivated sequence is not very clear and vaguely used. For instance, the first criteria for Monroe’s Motivated Sequence is attention getter, this step usually involves quoting a real life incident, sharing something humorous telling a dramatic tory or posing a question so

Politics of Equality Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Politics of Equality - Essay Example "Democratic societies are those in which the authority of those who govern is derived from the will of the people (typically determined by some form of vote). These societies are liberal to the extent that they are organized to guarantee basic liberties (such as freedom of expression, and religious practice) as well as various protections (for example, against discrimination, coercion, and abuse) to all society members in pursuit of a good life." (Shweder, Minow, and Markus 2004 P. 2). The differences among the liberal democracies in the modern world have been the primary cause for different experiences for the minority groups. The 'culturalist' ethos of 'multiculturalism has been a relevant issue in the Politics of Migration and Ethnicity, though 'culturalism' cannot be regarded as equivalent to 'culture'. One of the most essential consequences of the hiatus of the discussions on the changing configurations of the power relations of economic, political, and cultural elements has bee n the need for meaningful discussions about 'cultural difference' in relation to the politics of equality and justice. ... tural differences, one of the essential questions for the Politics of Migration and Ethnicity to consider is whether it is enviable for us now to abandon the politics of equality in favour of cultural differences. To answer to this essential question, this profound analysis of the topic presumes that it is extremely desirable for the Politics of Migration and Ethnicity now to abandon the politics of equality in favour of cultural differences. The essential question whether it is enviable for us now to abandon the politics of equality in favour of cultural differences engages one in an examination of the challenges on multiculturalism in contemporary liberal democracies. Cultural diversity is the crude reality of modern era which is the product of various processes such as globalisation and growing migration across borders. In this rapidly globalising world, the mounting number of people migrating to better destinations, due mainly to labour market opportunities abroad and political turmoil back home, has resulted in an important global situation of 'one nation and many cultures'. These realities of the modern multicultural environment also raise central questions concerning politics of equality and cultural differences. "Given global economic developments and emerging cultural and political trends, liberal democracies face not only burgeoning numbers of immigrants, but also their own hidden assumptions about the scope and limits of tolerance for cultural diversity. The particular history (or lack of history) of prior struggles over racial and religious diversity within each nation sets the legal and political framework for responses to current immigrants." (Shweder, Minow, and Markus 2004 P. 4). Therefore, the central issues of the cultural differences in the

Summarizing and Paraphrasing a Source Activity Essay Example for Free

Summarizing and Paraphrasing a Source Activity Essay Part 1: Summarizing Review the following passage and summarize it in the box as though you were including this information in a research paper. Use the reference to create an appropriate APA-formatted in-text citation. Aggressive driving is characterized by the tendency to view driving as a competition rather than as a means of getting from one place to another. Although most drivers are content to move along with the flow of traffic, aggressive drivers weave from lane to lane, seeking any advantage that will place them ahead of others. Aggressive drivers are also more likely to tailgate and honk the horn in an effort to intimidate other drivers or simply to move them along faster. When confronted with heavy traffic, aggressive drivers often engage in dangerous behavior such as passing on the right, using utility or turn lanes as driving lanes, and ignoring traffic signals. Paradoxically, aggressive drivers often pride themselves on their skill. They see other, more cautious drivers as the problem, not themselves. Reference Arlov, P. (2007). Wordsmith: A guide to college writing (3rd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NY: Prentice Hall. The driver is often prone to aggressive competition and prides themselves for being faster than other drivers. These drivers are aggressive and have a bad record traffic and some many have their license revoked by the bad practices they do. When these drivers are in vehicular congestion almost always use the right carrier to avoid congestion. Sometimes these drivers use bad words express his discomfort and projects to others. P. (2007). Wordsmith, A guide to college writing (3rd.ed.) Upper Saddle River, NY: The driver is often prone to aggressive competition and prides themselves for being faster than other drivers. These drivers are aggressive and have a bad record traffic and some many have their license revoked by the bad practices they do. When these drivers are in vehicular congestion almost always use the right carrier to avoid congestion. Sometimes these drivers use bad words express his discomfort and projects to others. P. (2007). Wordsmith, A guide to college writing (3rd.ed.) Upper Saddle River, NY: Summary Part 2: Paraphrasing and Quoting Review the following passage and paraphrase it in the following box. Use the reference to create an appropriate APA-formatted in-text citation. Additionally, include one direct quotation. One of the most valuable skills a student can develop is focus. Focus is the ability to concentrate on one thing for an extended period of time, shutting out everything else. The person who is focused has no trouble with homework; her mind is on the task until it is finished. The focused person has no trouble concentrating during a test. She does not even notice the voice of the lecturer in an adjacent classroom, the tapping pencil of the student two rows over, or her instructors squeaking chair. People differ widely in their ability to concentrate. Some seem capable of laser like focus on any job until it is completed. Others are easily distracted, jumping up from homework to do a hundred small, but suddenly urgent, tasks as the homework gets pushed further into the background. Like any other skill, the ability to focus can be learned and reinforced through practice. To improve your ability to concentrate, start by establishing a set time and place to study. If possible, study at the same time and in the same place every day. Establishing a routine gives study the importance it deserves and helps make studying a habit. Then, to keep yourself on task, set a small timer as you begin studying. Start by setting the timer to go off after 15 minutes. Until the timer goes off, give studying your full attention. If your mind wanders—and it will—pull it back to the task. Then reward yourself with something small: 5 minutes of solitaire on your computer or a trip to the refrigerator for a glass of iced tea. Time your reward, too—about 5 minutes should be sufficient. Then set the timer for another 15 minutes. As concentration becomes a habit, that habit will spill over into the classroom, too. You will be better able to focus on your instructors words or on the test you are taking. If extraneous noises during a test still distract you, invest in a pair of earplugs to shut out noise as you take your test. The ability to concentrate is a necessary skill. Fortunately, it is a skill that can be improved with effort. Reference Arlov, P. (2007). Wordsmith: A guide to college writing (3rd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NY: Prentice Hall. Paraphrase and Quotation The best skill for a student is the focus or concentration. The focus is the ability to focus more time on something, people who have this ability can complete their tasks without any problem. Some of these people are be able to concentrate their mind in such a way that avoids noise. Some are distracted others complete their tasks without any problem. This ability is learned and reinforced in practice. Some of this is to establish a study routine 5, 15.30 and 1 hour daily in the same place it helps you can concentrate more. Each time you finish studying eat ice cream, so you motivated more and more you can focus and concentrate the mind is like a muscle we must exercise it and feed it to make this healthy. The ability to focus is not for sale Is learned win so you can spend more time concentrating in class and your grades improve. P. (2007). Wordsmith: A guide to a college writing (3rd ed.) Upper saddle River, NY Prentice Hall The best skill for a student is the focus or concentration. The focus is the ability to focus more time on something, people who have this ability can complete their tasks without any problem. Some of these people are be able to concentrate their mind in such a way that avoids noise. Some are distracted others complete their tasks without any problem. This ability is learned and reinforced in practice. Some of this is to establish a study routine 5, 15.30 and 1 hour daily in the same place it helps you can concentrate more. Each time you finish studying eat ice cream, so you motivated more and more you can focus and concentrate the mind is like a muscle we must exercise it and feed it to make this healthy. The ability to focus is not for sale Is learned win so you can spend more time concentrating in class and your grades improve. P. (2007). Wordsmith: A guide to a college writing (3rd ed.) Upper saddle River, NY Prentice Hall

Time Cat by Lloyd Alexander Essay -- Time Cat Lloyd Alexander Outline

Time Cat by Lloyd Alexander Type of story: Fictional Setting: 1.Time: Historical period: the story jumps from different times. While traveling though they go from 2700b.c. to 55b.c. to 998b.c. to 411b.c. to 998a.d. to 1468 to 1555 to 1588 to 1600 to 1775. 2. Place: Geographical location: This story as well as switching from time to time it also switches from place to place. While traveling they go the places of Egypt, Rome and Britain, Ireland, Japan, Italy, Peru, The Isle of Man, and finally to America. Scenes: The story starts out in Jason’s room and from there it goes to Egypt where Gareth and Jason go down the Nile river and to a the pharaoh’s palace. From there they Rome and Britain where the spend there time out in forest along seas, in king’s castles, in tribal areas. Main Characters: 1.Name: Jason Physical Features: Jason is tall and skinny; he has short brown hair and deep blue eyes. 2. Personality description: In the beginning of the story Jason is laying in bed and crying because of what a bad day he has been having so that probably shows that he is a sensitive boy. He has a large imagination, this he shows because he does believe his cat (Gareth would talk to him if he wanted to. He is rough and is easily bugged but other than that Jason is sweet and cares dearly for the ones he loves. How does this character change through out the story?: Jason has no change to him, he stills believes in what he believed in before, his attitude is the same; he doesn’t grow kinder but also not meaner. Jason is the same boy he was in the beginning. Character #2 Name: Gareth Physical Description: Gareth is a black cat with orange eyes, Sometimes, when he hunched his shoulders and put down his ears, he looked like an owl. When he stretched, he looked like a trickle of oil or a pair of black silk pajamas. When he sat on a window ledge, his eyes half-shut and his tail curled around him, he looked like a secret. Personality Description: Gareth is a smart, loving cat. He seems to be a problem solver or conflict solver. He has a sly personality to him or like, if you were to just meet him then you’d be very cautious around him because of the way he seems to be. The Problem of the Story: There are a few conflicts to this story, every time Jason and Gareth go to a new place ... ...lly the conflict of this story is the people believe Gareth is a witches slave. Mistress Ursulina’s problem: Miss Ursulina’s problem was that the people of the village believed that she was a witch and right when she was caught she should burned to death. 9.America in the year of 1775: NO CONFLICT. The Plot: 1. Jason is sitting in his bed frustrated because of the horrible day he has and then out of nowhere his cat, Gareth, begins to talk to him. 2. Jason and Gareth travel to Egypt where the meet the pharaoh, Neter-Khet, who they give a valuable lesson to. 3. Jason and Gareth travel to Ireland where they meet the beautiful Diahan who introduces them to Sucat (the herdsman), the magician, and her father, the king. 4. Jason tries proving to the king that his cat is much more useful than the magician in keeping the mice away and does not have to use magic and will not have to be paid. 5. Jason and Gareth have to go home and they have to say good-bye because Gareth tells Jason that he will never be able to speak to him again. 6. Jason wakes to realize that all had happened with Gareth and traveling was a dream. THE END!!!

American Beauty (movie)

The movie American Beauty bears the name of the most popular in the USA brand of roses. The roses are present in the picture everywhere. They are like a scarlet ribbon running through the canvas of the narration, each time concentrating audience’s attention upon themselves as upon the stereotype of American beauty. This is not a story about empty cellophane bag flying in the wind. This is not a saga about a masturbating wimp American man. And even not about that that life is a shit and women are you know who. This is rather the story of stereotypization of mass conscience that reached global proportion.This is a story about that that our life as any reality is a mosaic with different patterns – sometimes even ugly and detestable. Some of us see the life lines interlacing as a stifling web and others see it as roads running away beyond the skyline. Overall, American Beauty is a film about the life of an average American family, and problems experienced by each member of this family. And in this case it does not matter is the family American, English, French or any other as it was already mentioned the stereotypical conscience became global.Movie plot is simple enough and, to certain extent, hackneyed. To tell the truth the beginning of the picture evokes feelings of boredom as you expect a typical tearful story of jerk husband, stinker wife, their daughter suffering from loneliness and lack of understanding and their neighbors – a bit screwed guy, trading drugs and practicing voyeurisme with his video camera, his father, colonel retired, who hates homosexuals being himself a latent homosexual. However, the way all this story is presented makes this movie different and distinguished.American Beauty is impressive for the fact that there are no right or guilty characters in the story. For example, Lester (Kevin Spacey) is not a dull, horny jerk, he is rather an average man who could not achieve in this life anything or even establish a normal f amily, where al least someone would understand and support him. His wife Carolyn (Annette Bening) is not a stinker or a whore; she is a simply unhappy woman, which tries hard to bluster way out of difficult life â€Å"I will sell this house today, I will sell this house today†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Carolyn), but fails.And their daughter Jane (Thora Birch) is not a wicked child dreaming of killing her parents but rather a poor little girl, who feels awfully lonely and seeks for someone to understand her. The central event of the film is the moment when Lester is trying to free himself from the chains of commonness and dullness of the life surrounding him. He quits his well-paid position and starts working in McDonald’s and going in for sport. But the outward manifestation is not the point; the point is that Lester got free inward.He ceased being afraid of his wife, he has got that job which does not give you satisfaction and where you have to lick the boots of your boss is worthless. These changes made Lester feel free and happy! â€Å"I feel like I've been in a coma for about twenty years. And I'm just now waking up. † (Lester) But this is the moment when an inevitable end had to come. Lester is killed. Any person from his surrounding could have done it. Daughter Jane, who could not stand his lusty stare at her classmate: â€Å"I need a father who's a role model, not some horny geek-boy who's gonna spray his shorts every time I bring a girlfriend home from school.†(Jane); wife Carolyn, who hates him as she regards him as a sluggard and loser; Jane’s friend, Ricky (Wes Bentley), whom Jane asked to kill her father; Ricky’s father, crazy about patriotism and fascism colonel, who believes his son to have an affair with Lester; and even Lester who feels good and likes his new life. Why not to die at such a moment? To leave this world with pleasant emotions†¦ I guess I could be pretty pissed off about what happened to me †¦ but it's hard to stay mad when there's so much beauty in the world.Sometimes I feel like I'm seeing it all at once, and it's too much. My heart fills up like a balloon that's about to burst †¦ (Lester) The movie is masterfully shot in all respects. Young film director Sam Mendes has demonstrated fairly good sense of humor and style. Take for example red rose-petals emerging as soon as Lester gets absorbed in his erotic fantasies. Red petals serve as unambiguous, though delicate euphemism of orgasmic feelings of the main character. This cross-cutting image looks very nice though till the end of film it becomes exuberant and starts irritating.And finally the empty bag fluttering in the wind is like a key symbol of the film. It is noticed by Ricky through his camera lens, who looks at the world only in this way, through his camera, as it makes reality to be accepted easier. â€Å"Video's a poor excuse, I know. But it helps me remember†¦ and I need to remember†¦ Sometimes th ere's so much beauty in the world I feel like I can't take it, like my heart's going to cave in† (Ricky) Ricky, as a real artist, sees beauty in the things which are seen by others as ugly.This is, as a matter of fact, the notion of â€Å"American beauty†, the world, which you see beyond U. S. model through this or that stimulating means. American beauty is a McDonald’s, but not as a place where you come to gorge fast, sooner as a place of inner freedom. This is a bright scarlet car, of which you dreamt all your life but had not bought because there were more â€Å"useful† things you had to buy. In the long run, American beauty is your inner freedom, freedom in mind and not under the canopy of Star & Stripes flag. Bibliography American Beauty. Dir. Sam Mendes. 1999. DVD, 2002.

Isak Dinesen’s “The Blue Jar” Essay

Blue Roller coasters are the best rides at amusement parks. On the way up your head is filed with mixed emotions and your body tingles with anticipation. On the way down your mind no longer thinks but reacts to the track ahead and your body is filled with excitement. Then, it is over. The ride was short and ended as quickly as it begun. Isak Dinesen’s â€Å"The Blue Jar† is like a roller coaster. Its plot follows the track of exposition, rising action, climax, falling action and conclusion not once, but twice. Also, it isn’t only up and down but many twist and turns are discovered during the course of the plot as well. The effect of this unusual double plot exposes Helena’s character and her changes. The opening two paragraphs is the mini plot. The exposition introduces us to the main character, Lady Helena and her father, an old rich Englishman. They sail around the world to such places as Persia, Japan and China collecting blue china. The rising action is brief and consists of two words, â€Å"It happened.† Then the climax happens rapidly. The boat they are traveling on catches on fire and Helena is forgotten. Luckily, a young English sailor rescues her and carries her to a waiting lifeboat. The Falling action in the mini plot is their nine-day ordeal of floating for nine days before they are recovered. The conclusion of the concise plot is the Dutch merchantmen ship, Helena’s return to England, her reunion with her father and finally, the father paying and sending the young sailor who rescued her to the other hemisphere. The mini plot effects Helena in many ways. It shows the bond that Helena and her father have because they travel the world together. The old Englishman loves his daughter very much, â€Å"The old lord had believed his daughter to be dead. He now wept with joy, and at once took her off to a fashionable watering-place so that she might recover from the hard ships she has gone through.† The father loves her so much, he believes that it is unpleasant for Helena to think that she was rescued by someone from a lower class, â€Å"For what, would be the good of that.† The ending of the mini plot also arises questions about Helena. Is she going to recover? What is she going to do now? The mini plot also has grabbed the readers’ attention, drawn them into the story and changed the focus of the story to Helena. The major plot of the story has now taken over. The exposition is lady Helena’s recovery and her new apathetic view on life. The rising action entails that lady Helena has become obsessed with the perfect blue color. Even her father cannot distract her from her goal when he suggests that it might not exist. Helena’s reply, â€Å"Surely there must be some of it left from the time when all the world was blue.† The climax has Lady Helena ultimately finding her perfect blue jar she was in search of for so long. Her father has already passed away but Helena’s life is complete, â€Å"I have found it at last. This is the true blue.† The falling action takes over and her life’s meaning has ended, † now I can die. And when I am dead you will cut out my heart and lay it in the blue jar. For then everything will be as it was then. All shall be blue around me, and in the midst of the blue world my heart will be innocent and free, and will beat gently, like the wake that sings, like the drops that fall from an oar blade.† The conclusion is short; she dies shortly after her discovery. This major plot answers the question left by the mini plot. Yes, Helena recovers and she decided to look for a blue jar like her father use to collect blue china. This brings together the importance of the blue jar as it relates back to the mini plot exposure of Helena and her fathers bond. Her whole life she was surrounded by blue. When her and her father were sailing, she had the blue skies and the blue water. When she was at home with her father she had all the blue china. Blue meant safety and love to her and now her dead heart was engulfed in that same blue she had been looking for. The effect of this unusual double plot is that it exposes Helens true character. It also reveilles the love and bond Helena and her father share. Lastly, this unusual double plot makes the story interesting.

The Effect of Acids and Bases Essays

The Effect of Acids and Bases Essays The Effect of Acids and Bases Paper The Effect of Acids and Bases Paper enzymatic browning, the rate was measured under the influence of a known concentrations of acid(0. 1 HCl) and base (NaOH). The resultant effect of these concentrations was then measured over an experimentally determined duration. The results observed were noted down and conclusions drawn with reference to the level of inactivation of the enzymatic reactions. Phenyphenol oxidase is the main causative agent of enzymatic browning. It is usually catalyzed by phenolic compounds and quinones. Consequently non enzymatic browning processes involve polymerization reactions that lead to the formation of melanins; determinants of fruit color. In this experimental set up fresh apple fruits were evaluated for the rates of browning when subjected to acidic or basic medium at physiologically standard room temperature. The rates of browning was found to posses a direct correlation with the polyphenol oxidase activity. Generally fruits that were subjected to a basic medium underwent the process of browning under the shortest duration as compared to the acidic medium that was demonstrated to considerably slow down the process of enzymatic browning. Analysis Control of phenol oxidase activity by subjecting the fruit to different pH values was done by subjecting the fruit to an acidic solution(HCl) and a basic solution(NaOH), The temperature and time of exposure to these physiological conditions was also taken into consideration. HCl considerably caused inhibition of the enzyme hence reducing its rate of activity. This translated to a longer duration for enzymatic browning . Extrapolation of the resultant effects of different concentrations of HCl acid means that as the concentration of the acid increases, enzymatic activity is considerably lowered at optimum temperature. Further increase in the concentration of the acid will lead to complete inactivation of enzymatic activity . However, this would negatively impact on the taste of the fruit. Inhibition of PPO is possible because acidic compounds have the capacity to complex with copper, an cation on the enzyme active site. Base on the other hand, create a physiological condition were the pH moves towards the optimal pH for polyphenol oxidase activity(5-7) hence speeding up the process of enzymatic browning as observed in the experimental set up. Discussion The four fundamental attributes of appearance, flavor, texture and nutritional value are the core elements that guide consumer choice of food. Appearance; the most externally discernible attribute is significantly impacted by the color of the fruit and it remains the first element used in consumer evaluation of quality. Naturally fruit color is determined by pigments such as carotenoids, chlorophyll and athocyanins or color can also be determined by enzymatic and non enzymatic reactions. In fruits enzymatic browning is the most predominant factor and it is catalyzed by polyphenol oxidase chemically referred as 1,2 benzediol; oxygen oxidoreductase. In some literature polyphenol oxidase is also referred to as monophenol oxidase, phenylase, diphenol oxidase, tyrosinase, phenoloxidase or phenolase(Maurice R. Marshall et al, 2000) However the analysis of the mechanisms of browning have for along time leaned towards the detrimental effect of browning as opposed to some of the beneficial effects of this enzymatic mechanism. As fruits ripen their susceptibility to disease and pest and insect infestation usually decrease due to the biochemical decline of phenolic content. Phenoloxidase enzymes are endogenous constituents in fruits. They play a primary role in the catalysis of quinolone production from phenolic constituents. Once quinolones are formed, they undergo polymerization reactions that lead to the production of melanins. Melanins exhibit antibacterial and antifungal activity hence keeping the fruit physiologically wholesome. Economic loses caused due to browning of fruits have elicited a new wave of research targeting enzymatic browning and proposing mechanisms of controlling these enzymatic reactions particularly the phenyl oxidase enzyme. The control of browning is therefore very critical to ensure that throughout the production and handling of agricultural products the appearance, flavor and nutritional value is maintained. Enzymatic browning severely limits the shelf life of minimally processed agricultural products such as apricots, apples, pears, peaches, bananas and grapes. In the determination of the rate of enzymatic discoloration, the concentrations polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and other phenolic compounds present. The pH, temperature and the availability of oxygen have also been proven to be determinants of the rate of enzymatic browning. Additionally, the oxygen availability and the pH also influence non enzymatic browning. Physiologically,the optimum pH of polyphenol oxidase activity is between 5-7. In the processing of apples, this pH is usually adjusted to 4 by the use of citric acid, malic acid or fumaric acid. However, this is only applicable so long as the resultant acidity can be effectively tolerated taste wise. When this pH is reduced further to levels below 4, the tight binding of copper onto the active sites of enzymes are loosened hence chelators such as citric acid can be used to remove copper from the binding sites(Murat Ozdemir, 1997). On the other hand, non enzymatic browning results from reactions of carbonyl groups such as reducing sugars, ketones, aldehydes, lipid oxidation products with amino acid compounds. Caramelilisation of the carbohydrate in food due to the use of heat in the treatment if the heat used is above the melting point of sugar in physiological alkaline or acidic conditions. Another mechanism is through the spontaneous thermal decomposition process of ascorbic acid under aerobic or anaerobic conditions in the presence or absence of amino compounds. Lipid browning can be caused by oxidation of unsaturated glyceride components. This is followed by polymerization accelerated through the presence of amines, ammonia or proteins. In fruits non enzymatic browning is inhibited through refrigeration, reduction of reducing sugar content, control water activity or glucose oxidase treatment. The severity of browning is more pronounced at peeled surfaces. This is because damage to surface tissues during the peeling or cutting procedures causes the cell wall or its cellular membranes to lose integrity. Exposure to oxygen accelerates PPO activity hence the duration of browning. Conclusion It was successfully proven that hydrochloric acid has an inhibitory effect on the enzymatic activity of polyphenol oxidase enzyme and hence a resultant effect on the biochemical rate of enzymatic browning. This is supported by the fact that the reduction of pH (increase in acidity) generally lowers the resultant enzymatic activity because the physiologically optimum Ph for PPO activity is between the pH of 5 and 7. Sodium hydrochloride on the other hand reduces acidity hence increasing the activity of PPO activity. New approaches to help people understand the process of enzymatic browning are currently under intense study. Successful initiatives aimed at biochemically controlling the rate of fruit browning should be evaluated on the basis of cost, effectiveness and regulatory status. Inhibitors chosen should not have adverse effects on the flavor, texture or color of the agricultural product. References Maurice R. Marshall, Jeongmok Kim and Cheng-I Wei (2000)Enzymatic Browning in Fruits, Vegetables and Seafoods. Food Science and Human Nutrition Department University of Florida Murat. Ozdemir. (1997) Food Browning and its Control. www. okyanusbilgiambari. com

Language in the Byzantine Empire

Language in the Byzantine Empire Constantinople, the new capital that Emperor Constantine developed in the East in the early fourth century CE, lay in a largely Greek-speaking area of the Roman Empire. That doesnt mean that before the Fall of Rome the emperors headquartered and the people living there were native Greek speakers or, even if they were, incompetent Latin speakers. Both languages, Greek and Latin, were part of the repertoire of the educated. Until recently, those who considered themselves educated might be native English speakers but could piece out a short passage of Latin in their literary reading and get by speaking French. Peter and Catherine the Great ushered in an era where the politically important, the nobility of Russia, knew the French language and literature as well as Russian. It was similar in the ancient world. Greek Culture Greek literature and themes dominated Roman writing until the mid-third century B.C., which is about a century after Alexander the Great had started the spread of Hellenism including the Greek Koine language throughout the vast areas that he had conquered. Greek was the language Roman aristocrats demonstrated to show their culture. They imported Greek pedagogues to teach their young. The important rhetorician of the first century BCE, Quintilian, advocated education in Greek  since Roman children would naturally learn Latin on their own. (Inst. Oratoria i.12-14) From the second century CE, it became common for the wealthy to send their already Greek-speaking, but native-Latin-speaking Roman sons to Athens, Greece for higher education. Latin Gaining in Popularity Before the division of the Empire first into the four parts known as the Tetrarchy under Diocletian in 293 CE and then into two (simply an Eastern and a Western section), the second century CE Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius wrote his meditations in Greek, following the affectations popular with philosophers. By this time, however, in the West, Latin had gained a certain cachet. A bit later, a contemporary of Constantine, Ammianus Marcellinus (c. 330-395 CE), from Antioch, Syria, but living in Rome, wrote his history not in his familiar Greek, but in Latin. The first century CE Greek biographer Plutarch went to Rome to learn the language better. (p. 85 Ostler, citing Plutarch Demosthenes 2) The distribution was such that Latin was the language of the people to the west and north of a dividing line beyond Thrace, Macedonia, and Epirus down to northern Africa west of western Cyrenaica. In rural areas, the uneducated would not have been expected to know Greek, and if their native language were something other than Latin it might be Aramaic, Syriac, Coptic, or some other ancient tongue they might not even have known Latin well. Likewise on the other side of the dividing line, but with Greek and Latin reversed In the East, they probably knew Greek in rural areas, to the exclusion of Latin, but in urban areas, like Constantinople, Nicomedia, Smyrna, Antioch, Berytus, and Alexandria, most people needed to have some command of both Greek and Latin. Latin helped one advance in the imperial and military service, but otherwise, it was more a formality than a useful tongue, beginning at the start of the fifth century. Last of the Romans The so-called Last of the Romans, Constantinople-based Emperor Justinian (r. 527-565), who was an Illyrian by birth, was a native Latin speaker. Living about a century after the Edward Gibbon-driven date of 476 for the Fall of Rome, Justinian made efforts to regain sections of the West lost to European barbarians. (Barbarian was a term the Greeks had used to mean non-Greek speakers and which the Romans adapted to mean those who spoke neither Greek nor Latin.) Justinian may have been trying to retake the Western Empire, but he had challenges closer to home  since neither Constantinople nor the provinces of the Eastern Empire were secure. There were also the famous Nika riots and a plague (see Lives of the Caesars). By his time, Greek had become the official language of the surviving section of the Empire, the Eastern (or later, Byzantine) Empire. Justinian had to publish his famous law code, the Corpus Iuris Civile in both Greek and Latin. Greeks vs Romans This sometimes confuses people who think the use of the Greek language in Constantinople means the inhabitants thought of themselves as Greeks, rather than as Romans. Particularly when arguing for a post-5th-century date for the Fall of Rome, some counter that by the time the Eastern Empire stopped legally requiring Latin, the inhabitants thought of themselves as Greeks, not Romans. Ostler asserts that the Byzantines referred to their language as romaika (Romanish) and that this term was in use until the 19th century. In addition, the people were known as Rumi a term obviously much closer to Roman than Greek. We in the West might think of them as non-Romans, but that is another story. By the time of Justinian, Latin was not the common tongue of Constantinople, although it was still an official language. The Roman people of the city spoke a form of Greek, a Koine. Sources Chapter 8 Greek in the Byzantine Empire: The Major Issues Greek: A History of the Language and its Speakers, Second Edition, by Geoffrey Horrocks; Wiley:  © 2010.The Latin Language, by L. R. Palmer; University of Oklahoma Press: 1987.Ad Infinitum: A Biography of Latin, by Nicholas Ostler; Walker: 2007.

Discuss the Collapse of the Barings Bank. The solution that led after Research Paper

Discuss the Collapse of the Barings Bank. The solution that led after the collapse - Research Paper Example His superiors had approved his purchases on the Singapore markets, and immediate sales on the Japanese markets, whereby he could secure a small profit. On the contrary, he bought from the Singapore markets and held on to the stocks as a gamble on the future treads in the Japanese markets. Based on the existing literature (Bair 2015), it is apparent that Barings bank was bought by the Dutch bank called ING, at a total of  £1 and assumed all of the bank’s liabilities (Bair 2015). As a result, a subsidiary ING Barings, was formed. Huon’s (2015) study further revealed that ING sold its operations based in the USA to ABN Amro for $275 million. The rest of ING Barings, was integrated with its European banking division. By the year 2001, Barings Bank had only been left with Asset Management after selling operations stated above, and the rest being absorbed by ING Barings. ING went a step to split BAM and sold it to Mass Mutual and Northern Trust. Mass Mutual acquired BAM’s investment management activities, as well as the patent rights to use the Baring Asset Management name, whereas Northern Trust acquired BAMs financial services group. In response to the conflicting question on whether they managed to fix the financial problem or not, recent research (Anon 2015) proved that Barings bank never regained its stability as a complete investment corporation. However, Barings name still lives on as the Mass Mutual Subsidiary; Barings Asset Management. Further results (Glyn 2015) showed that the Bank’s private equity international, which included investment teams in India, Asia, and Latin America, was acquired by its respective management teams. These teams in the present days are Baring Vostock Capital Partners in Russia, GP investments in Brazil,Baring private equity in Asia and Baring Private Equity Partners in India. In regard to Leeson; the man

Legal issues in criminal procedure Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Legal issues in criminal procedure - Essay Example The fourth amendment defines a search as a substantive breach of personal right of privacy. Further, application of technology to advance police activities with respect to search have been considered as searches. This was held in the case of Kyllo v United States. Use of police dog for detection is also considered as a search unless the dog sniffs from a far distance. The use of a police dog can, therefore, be considered as a technological act to constitute a search.The general rule is that searches are supposed to be made after a warrant has been issued by a court. There are, however, exemptions to this rule and the police can legally search a personal vehicle without a warrant. Such exemptions include â€Å"searches with consent, special need beyond law, exigent circumstances, stop and frisk and motor vehicle† searches. All these exemptions allow the police to make a legal search on Tom’s vehicle. There was, for example, an initial consent, by the suspects, for the se arch. Further, the actual detection of a suspicious material in the car trunk was an instant event. The police can also argue that it was a stop and frisk exercise since the car driver behaved suspiciously in a deserted area. The law also allows the police to make searches on vehicles on transit. Based on these arguments, the court is likely to uphold the search as legal. Under this principle, the law provides that a suspect’s immediate environment can be searched to prevent the suspect from obtaining and possibly interfering with evidence.