Monday, September 30, 2019

Cra and Financial Crisis

Table of Content Introduction2 Real-life examples2 Empirical cycle2 Other concepts of Babbie, Gravetter and Forzano applied2 Conclusion2 References2 Introduction The burst of the United States housing market bubble initiated the worldwide financial crisis. Amongst all housing regulations, the community reinvestment act (CRA) may be the most significant. The act passed in 1977 to improve low-income households’ housing opportunities. As such, the act raised the incentives for banks to provide mortgages to low-income households (FFIEC, n. d. ). Over time, several political administrations, like the George H.W. Bush-, Clinton- and George W. Bush-administration, changed the original act, adapting to new challenges in the housing market (Braunstein, 2008). However, as time passed, the act became less important for banks, as the products, mortgages, became more profitable. As a result, more and more financial institutions started offering mortgages to low-income classes. These so cal led subprime mortgages are often associated with high risks (Aalbers, 2009). This point of view can be concluded with the hypothesis that the CRA will be seen as a cause of the financial crisis.Firstly, the different opinions and their respective arguments with regard to the hypothesis are illustrated. Secondly, an explanation is given on how these examples fit in the empirical cycle. Thirdly, three other concepts of Babbie, Gravetter and Forzano are applied to the examples. Finally, a conclusion is drawn with respect to the examples. Real-life examples As a result of the CRA, banks were rated, based on the number of loans given out to low-income households. A bad rating could have had severe consequences for a bank.The fact that the FED did not allow a Hartford, Connecticut bank to acquire a New Hampshire bank on CRA grounds demonstrates this. In order to keep their CRA ratings high, banks had to provide low-income classes with loans. In essence it can be said that the CRA ratings raised the banks’ incentives to provide low-income households with loans (Carney, 2009a). It can clearly be seen that the enforcement of the CRA over time led to a relaxation of lending standards and consequentially to more risk-taking in the banking sector in the form of mortgages. These high-risk mortgages are now seen as part of the problem.Thus, Carney (2009b) concludes, the CRA is part of the cause of the financial crisis. Carney agrees with the hypothesis. Defendants of the CRA simply claim that an act passed in 1977 cannot lead to the creation of a housing bubble in the early 21st century. Nevertheless, the CRA was not a static piece of legislation. The act evolved over the years, as it was mentioned earlier in the introduction. To be more specific, it was more and more enforced over the years. As a conclusion it can be said that the enforcement of the CRA might have been crucial in creating the housing bubble.Therefore the act could have created a housing bubble in th e early 21st century (Carney, 2009a). However, Aalbers (2009) also argues in favor of the CRA and tries to falsify the hypothesis. He states that the majority of subprime loans in 2006 were provided by non-bank lenders. These non-bank lenders, however, were not subject to CRA regulations and thus were not obliged to provide affordable loans to low-income classes. The only logical conclusion that can be drawn from this information is that these loans to low-income classes were an attractive investment.Thus, Aalbers says, the CRA was not the cause of the high-risk mortgages providence to low-income households by banks. By clearly, Aalbers would reject the hypothesis that the CRA was a cause of the financial bubble. Nonetheless, his argumentation has to be questioned. In 1977 most of the loans and mortgages were provided by banks as well as savings and loan associations. The extra mortgages that were provided as a result of the CRA probably increased the demand for houses, which in tur n resulted in an inflation of housing prices.Several years later, due to rising housing prices, subprime mortgages became a more attractive investment for financial institutions. Consequently, the majority of loans issued since the inception of the CRA came from nonbanks that deemed mortgages a good investment. In other words, the CRA created major lending opportunities for financial institutions (Kroszner, 2009). Since the CRA initiated the inflation of housing prices to some extent, it can be argued that the CRA can be hold partly responsible for the creation of the housing bubble. This theory should verify the hypothesis. This argumentation has to be investigated further.As Foote et al. ’s (2008) research concludes, housing price data in Massachusetts reveals that around 70% of all homes lost to foreclosure were actually purchased with prime mortgages. From that information Aalbers (2009) derives that most loans were not used for directly financing new homes, but rather re financing existing loans. Hence, Aalbers insinuates that the extra mortgage lending as a result of the CRA did not cause a rise in housing prices. That information implies that the CRA was not a cause of the creation or inflation of the United States housing bubble. Clearly, this would reject the hypothesis.Nonetheless, Aalbers’ argumentation contains two pitfalls. First, his argumentation solely rests on inductive reasoning. Massachusetts is just one small part of the United States of America. Without any supportive data to back up the thesis that the Massachusetts housing market is representative of the whole nation’s housing market, it has to be concluded that Aalbers overgeneralizes the statistical data provided by Foote et al. As Babbie (2005) mentions, overgeneralization can lead to misdirection or rendering of inquiry. Due to this fact Aalbers’ argumentation is questionable. Second, even if the study of Foote et al. 2008) were representative, Aalbers fail ed to acknowledge the other side of the medal: The supply side, as it is not in favor of his opinion. If the CRA-related loans were used to refinance homes only, it would strongly affect the supply side of the housing market in the way that supply was artificially lowered. Homes were occupied that otherwise would not have been, driving up the prices of real estate. Aalbers falls victim to the fallacy of selective observation. He only looks at the effects of the CRA on the demand-side. Looking at the supply-side would not support his theory and point of view on the topic.That makes this observation a selective one. Empirical cycle This debate fits in the empirical cycle in the way that it started with an observation: The burst of the housing bubble. Consequentially different hypotheses and theories where formulated and tested by reasoning and correlation. As markets nowadays are very complex phenomena, it is difficult to establish a causal relationship between several factors of this system. In spite of that it is possible to use logical reasoning and correlation between these factors to hint at the correctness of a thesis. For example, it can be investigated how many subprime loans were CRA-related.A different question that can be posed is how these CRA-related subprime loans performed against other loans (Kroszner, 2009). The answers to these questions could give an idea of the causal relation between the CRA and the financial crisis. After testing the hypothesis, a new hypothesis and theory might be formulated until a conclusive theory is found. Nevertheless, Kroszner himself admitted the existence of a lack of data to get conclusive answers to the previously mentioned questions. For the empirical cycle, this lack of data means it is very hard to reject or not reject theses, obstructing the formulation of new theses and theories.Other concepts of Babbie, Gravetter and Forzano applied The empirical cycle is not the only concept of Babbie (2005), Gravetter and Forzano (2009) which can be applied to the examples. Another concept that can be applied apart from the empirical cycle is the concept of authority. Carney (2009a), who was mentioned earlier in this paper, started out as a strong defendant of the CRA. He did change his mind though, relying on, among others, the FED Governor Meyer. Since Carney used a quotation of Meyer, it can be concluded that Meyer is a person with authority and strong references in the field of economics.Babbie, Gravetter and Forzano define authority as a person with strong references in certain fields. Authority is used as a source for knowledge and can be referred to. Gravetter and Forzano (2009, p. 11) define rationalism as the search for â€Å"answers by the use of logical reasoning†. This is exactly what Carney (2009b) does to come to the conclusion that the CRA was a cause of the financial crisis. He reasons that the CRA raised the banks’ incentives to provide low-income households with mortg ages. These financial products are now seen as a cause of the housing bubble, which caused the financial crisis.Therefore, Carney concludes, the CRA is a cause of the financial crisis. Theory is described by Babbie (2005, p. 12) â€Å"as a systematic explanation for the observations that relates to a particular aspect of life†. This implies that the argumentations used by Carney (2009a, b), Aalbers (2009) and Kroszner (2009) are parts of different theories as they explain how the CRA caused or did not cause a housing bubble. Conclusion As shown in this paper, there is a huge debate about whether the CRA was a cause of the financial crisis. As Carney (2009b) pointed out, the CRA raised the banks’ incentives to issue risky loans.Critics, however, state that an act passed in 1977 cannot create a housing bubble in the early 21st century. Nevertheless, the act was enforced several times, which implies that an enforcement of the CRA might have a causal relation with the fina ncial crisis. Aalbers (2009) argues also in favor of the CRA: he points out that most subprime mortgages were provided by non-CRA-related institutions. Despite that fact, Kroszner (2009) says there is no reason to believe CRA is not to be blamed. He mentions that the inception of the act increased the demand for mortgages and consequentially, houses.According to Kroszner, this was the start of the housing bubbles. Aalbers on his turn argues that the vast majority of houses bought in Massachusetts was financed with prime mortgages. He concludes that this provides evidence in order for the CRA not be labeled a cause of the crisis. Nonetheless, Aalbers argumentation contains two fallacies. First, he uses inductive reasoning which results in overgeneralization without supportive data. Second, he uses selective observation by ignoring the supply-side of the market. This whole debate fits in the empirical cycle in a way that it started with an observation which was followed by many theses .After the formulation of these theses they were tested by logical reasoning and correlation. As a final step, new theses theories will be formulated. However, this step is obstructed heavily by a lack of data. Other concepts of Babbie (2005), Gravetter and Forzano (2009) can also be applied to the examples. Meyer has authority in Carney’s argumentation, logical reasoning is used by Carney to come to the conclusion that the CRA was a cause of the crisis and the argumentations used by Carney, Aalbers and Kroszner are all parts of theories, described by Babbie, Gravetter and Forzano.References Aalbers, M. (2009). Why the Community Reinvestment Act cannot be blamed for the subprime crisis. City & Community, 8 (3): 346-350. Babbie, E. (2005). The Basics of Social Research (3rd ed. ). Belmont: Thomson Wads worth. Braunstein, S. (2008). The Community Reinvestment Act, 13 February 2008. Retrieved 20 January 2010 from: http://www. federalreserve. gov/newsevents/testimony/braunste in20080213a. htm Carney, J. (2009a). Here’s how the Community Reinvestment Act led to the housing bubble’s lax lending, June 27, 2009. Retrieved 15 January, 2010 from ttp://www. businessinsider. com/the-cra-debate-a-users-guide-2009-6 Carney, J. (2009b). Sorry, folks, the CRA really did require crap lending standards, June 23, 2009. Retrieved 15 January, 2010 from http://www. businessinsider. com/sorry-folks-the-cra-really-did-require-crap-lending-standards-2009-6 FFIEC, (n. d. ). Community Reinvestment Act. Retrieved 20 January 2010 from: http://www. ffiec. gov/CRA/ Foote, C. , Gerardi, K. , Goette, L. & Willen, P. , (2008). Journal of Housing Economics, 17: 291-305. Retrieved 19 January 2010 from: http://www. sciencedirect. om/science? _ob=MImg&_imagekey=B6WJR-4TN0KW9-1-N&_cdi=6885&_user=499911&_orig=search&_coverDate=12%2F31%2F2008&_sk=999829995&view=c&wchp=dGLbVtb-zSkzk&md5=f93e4616adcb03662bac8ef89298dcdc&ie=/sdarticle. pdf Gravetter, F. & Forzano, L. (2009). Research Methods for the Behavioral Sciences (3rd ed. ). Belmont: Wadsworth Cengage Learning. Kroszner, R. (2009). The Community Reinvestment Act and the recent mortgage crisis. Retrieved 15 January, 2010 from http://www. frbsf. org/publications/community/cra/cra_recent_mortgage_crisis. pdf

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Sample Business Plan for Cafeteria

CHARMAINE (The Battle of Good and Bad Toys) Charmaine is a 10-year old girl grew up with the care of her grandparents. She spends most of her time in her room playing with her toys since her lola doesn’t allow her to go outside and play with other children. It became a norm to her not to speak and just to burst all her emotions alone†¦with the toys. ***Opening paragraph introduces the main character (very briefly,) and the situation or point of change that starts the story. Her wish was granted one Christmas eve; that all her toys could have their lives.While asleep, her toys came to life but is divided – the good toys and the bad toys. The bad toys get Charmaine’s body for they believe that in their world, Charmaine would be happier. The good toys stand with the reason that no matter how the child is taken for granted, she still belongs in the real world. ***Here is the conflict—the battle of the good and bad toys began because of different beliefs. As the battle continues to rise, as the bad toys tried their best in convincing that they can give the unconditional love and attention that Charmaine is always wanted.The little child was confused for at some point she realizes that in her life, all that she has is herself, and her toys that never left her, that never got tired of being with her, that accepts her and always ready to listen. But the good toys never stop making them realize the truth, that only her family can love Charmaine and give her the feeling of contentment. Because of her good heart despite the pain she has been through, Charmaine chose to think of all the things she has and appreciate the effort of her grandparents for raising her up.She stood by the good toys with the thought that somehow, the bad toys will understand her and hope that her grandparents will realize that every child needs undivided attention, unconditional love, company and freedom to let them live every minute of their lives in its fullest. ***This paragraph serves several functions: we learn  Good toy’s selflessness for no matter how they want to be with Charmaine in their world, they still chose to bring back the girl to the reality and Charmaine’s understanding and good heart for still appreciating life and love despite things she is longing for – love, attention, care and freedom.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

An Evaluation of Human Productivity Using Computer and Internet

Both technology and Computers are more than ever present in our daily routines helping us achieve our objectives in a faster, secure and more professional way. The aim of this report is to evaluate whether Computers and Internet make people more productive. According to the information gathered, it turns out that in most cases they do in fact improve the overall productivity of people. It†s amazing how many new communications discoveries have improved the way people work, behave and conduct their lives. The term productive can be explained as â€Å"Yielding favorable or useful results; constructive. Or involved in the creation of goods and services to produce wealthy or value†. 1 Let me start by providing some of the new technological terms that have been changing the lifestyle of many people. Internet, or Information Super Highway, is aimed to improve accesses to information and corporate resources. â€Å"This communication will allow people to move faster, control communications costs, and overcome distance. It can also make your people more productive, empowering them with new tools to help meet business objectives.†2 Thanks to the Internet, people are more than ever able to share their information, thoughts and ideas faster. Another technology being used nowadays is called telecommuting. A simple explanation is that employees can now work from home, without having to go to their offices. According to many surveys, the number of people whom will adopt this working method will reach 45 millions people in the United States by the Year 2000. â€Å"Telecommuting provides me with a lot of flexibility†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ â€Å"And it allows me to balance my work load with my personal life. I feel that I’m definitely more productive.†3 This can only be accomplished by the lower price of hardware and software available in the market today. In addition, with lower-cost high-tech home office equipment available, the approach saves employers money on office space and overhead. This is only the tip of the iceberg, compared to the endless ways of how the use of Computers integrated with an Internet connection can make people more productive. Furthermore, lower software prices together with very well designed computer interfaces can also increase the productivity of workers. I can certainly say that well-designed user interface helps me better accomplish my daily tasks at work. Why? One of the major changes in computer technology has been the development of icons instead of command driven interfaces. According to the use of Human-Computer Interaction Studies, â€Å"only 5% to 20% of user interactions typically involve help, but although this reflects a small percentage in terms of data collection it can be very substantial one in terms of effort and frustration!†4 â€Å"GUI (Graphical User Interface) also provides interface options not available in character mode. The chance that they’re all irrelevant is slight; some will let you make people more productive.†5 An image is easier to be recognized by humans; thus well-designed software facilitates the tasks included in performing your job. This method yields constructive results, which is one of the definitions for productivity. In addition to that, many changes have been made in the way in which people connect themselves. The terminology LAN (Local Area Network) and WAN (Wide Area Network) are the methods used for people to connect in an office, within their houses or with friends around the world. Network Structure is related to the people working under the same building but not in the same area. The connections between different floors within a company can be achieved by using LANs. By means of LANs and WANs, people can contact their co-workers within the same building or the other side of the world by only sending them an e-mail message. Not only does this kind of information technology give people the ability to do their jobs more effectively, but also allows them to respond faster, yielding more productivity. â€Å"So, for instance, if your company has internal web sites in London, Singapore, Seattle, and New York, someone with a web browser could retrieve information from any of those sites with equal ease.†6 Again, this technique produces, in my opinion, favorable results not only for the user but also for the company. The aim is to make people more productive, to reduce cost and provide the best quality possible. To achieve this stage, such tools are necessary today. Not only e-mail messages make things simpler but also improve the speed in which people received/send their answers. A valid example where a user needs faster help is when a computer problem arises or you need to find out the next flight to â€Å"Spain†. Instead of calling the Telephone Company and asking for the telephone number of the carrier, one can just check the Internet for a fast, reliable information. Another example is when you need to fix your computer. You need that information as fast as you can get it. Nowadays, the use of on-line help has been proven a true value. Problems with printers, files and computers bugs can arise at any time. On-line help can easily provide that information for you or your company faster than spending time finding the number to call to customer service for help. Less time to fix the problem means more time to be productive. This example explains the ability to generate services, another explanation of productivity. Much has been said about the Internet and computers. But can computers without the Internet increase people†s productivity? I strongly believe that computers have increased the speed in which we accomplish our activities. According to many studies, my assumption is not always correct. A report states that †¦ â€Å"Information processing continues to be the principal task undertaken by America’s work force. Over half the labor force is employed in information-handling activities. Overall productivity growth appears to have slowed significantly since the early 1970s and measured productivity growth has fallen especially sharply in the service sectors†¦Ã¢â‚¬ 7 But it also states that computers helped people to be more confident and therefore to feel more comfortable making decisions on their own. Computers are able to provide people with resources and material to facilitate their decision-making. They are becoming user-friendly enough for all to be able to use. This is one of the main reasons why the hi-tech companies today are facing such a state of grace, with outrageous revenues and endless room for new development of products. Many others believe that what is happening now is just the beginning and that we are entering in a new era as described by Peter Schwartz. He states that†¦ We are watching the beginnings of a global economic boom on a scale never experienced before. We have entered a period of sustained growth that could eventually double the world’s economy every dozen years and bring increasing prosperity†¦Ã¢â‚¬ 8 With all this new technology emerging is not difficult to agree that much more is yet to come. If all the new technology will make tasks easier, improve quality and increase productivity, let this technology be part of the world and accessible by people. As stated before, computers are becoming a very important piece of equipment in our lives. Much can be done with computers. They are only tools that need to be driven by a smart, intelligent individual to generate the best outputs possible. An Evaluation of Human Productivity Using Computer and Internet Both technology and Computers are more than ever present in our daily routines helping us achieve our objectives in a faster, secure and more professional way. The aim of this report is to evaluate whether Computers and Internet make people more productive. According to the information gathered, it turns out that in most cases they do in fact improve the overall productivity of people. It†s amazing how many new communications discoveries have improved the way people work, behave and conduct their lives. The term productive can be explained as â€Å"Yielding favorable or useful results; constructive. Or involved in the creation of goods and services to produce wealthy or value†. 1 Let me start by providing some of the new technological terms that have been changing the lifestyle of many people. Internet, or Information Super Highway, is aimed to improve accesses to information and corporate resources. â€Å"This communication will allow people to move faster, control communications costs, and overcome distance. It can also make your people more productive, empowering them with new tools to help meet business objectives.†2 Thanks to the Internet, people are more than ever able to share their information, thoughts and ideas faster. Another technology being used nowadays is called telecommuting. A simple explanation is that employees can now work from home, without having to go to their offices. According to many surveys, the number of people whom will adopt this working method will reach 45 millions people in the United States by the Year 2000. â€Å"Telecommuting provides me with a lot of flexibility†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ â€Å"And it allows me to balance my work load with my personal life. I feel that I’m definitely more productive.†3 This can only be accomplished by the lower price of hardware and software available in the market today. In addition, with lower-cost high-tech home office equipment available, the approach saves employers money on office space and overhead. This is only the tip of the iceberg, compared to the endless ways of how the use of Computers integrated with an Internet connection can make people more productive. Furthermore, lower software prices together with very well designed computer interfaces can also increase the productivity of workers. I can certainly say that well-designed user interface helps me better accomplish my daily tasks at work. Why? One of the major changes in computer technology has been the development of icons instead of command driven interfaces. According to the use of Human-Computer Interaction Studies, â€Å"only 5% to 20% of user interactions typically involve help, but although this reflects a small percentage in terms of data collection it can be very substantial one in terms of effort and frustration!†4 â€Å"GUI (Graphical User Interface) also provides interface options not available in character mode. The chance that they’re all irrelevant is slight; some will let you make people more productive.†5 An image is easier to be recognized by humans; thus well-designed software facilitates the tasks included in performing your job. This method yields constructive results, which is one of the definitions for productivity. In addition to that, many changes have been made in the way in which people connect themselves. The terminology LAN (Local Area Network) and WAN (Wide Area Network) are the methods used for people to connect in an office, within their houses or with friends around the world. Network Structure is related to the people working under the same building but not in the same area. The connections between different floors within a company can be achieved by using LANs. By means of LANs and WANs, people can contact their co-workers within the same building or the other side of the world by only sending them an e-mail message. Not only does this kind of information technology give people the ability to do their jobs more effectively, but also allows them to respond faster, yielding more productivity. â€Å"So, for instance, if your company has internal web sites in London, Singapore, Seattle, and New York, someone with a web browser could retrieve information from any of those sites with equal ease.†6 Again, this technique produces, in my opinion, favorable results not only for the user but also for the company. The aim is to make people more productive, to reduce cost and provide the best quality possible. To achieve this stage, such tools are necessary today. Not only e-mail messages make things simpler but also improve the speed in which people received/send their answers. A valid example where a user needs faster help is when a computer problem arises or you need to find out the next flight to â€Å"Spain†. Instead of calling the Telephone Company and asking for the telephone number of the carrier, one can just check the Internet for a fast, reliable information. Another example is when you need to fix your computer. You need that information as fast as you can get it. Nowadays, the use of on-line help has been proven a true value. Problems with printers, files and computers bugs can arise at any time. On-line help can easily provide that information for you or your company faster than spending time finding the number to call to customer service for help. Less time to fix the problem means more time to be productive. This example explains the ability to generate services, another explanation of productivity. Much has been said about the Internet and computers. But can computers without the Internet increase people†s productivity? I strongly believe that computers have increased the speed in which we accomplish our activities. According to many studies, my assumption is not always correct. A report states that †¦ â€Å"Information processing continues to be the principal task undertaken by America’s work force. Over half the labor force is employed in information-handling activities. Overall productivity growth appears to have slowed significantly since the early 1970s and measured productivity growth has fallen especially sharply in the service sectors†¦Ã¢â‚¬ 7 But it also states that computers helped people to be more confident and therefore to feel more comfortable making decisions on their own. Computers are able to provide people with resources and material to facilitate their decision-making. They are becoming user-friendly enough for all to be able to use. This is one of the main reasons why the hi-tech companies today are facing such a state of grace, with outrageous revenues and endless room for new development of products. Many others believe that what is happening now is just the beginning and that we are entering in a new era as described by Peter Schwartz. He states that†¦ We are watching the beginnings of a global economic boom on a scale never experienced before. We have entered a period of sustained growth that could eventually double the world’s economy every dozen years and bring increasing prosperity†¦Ã¢â‚¬ 8 With all this new technology emerging is not difficult to agree that much more is yet to come. If all the new technology will make tasks easier, improve quality and increase productivity, let this technology be part of the world and accessible by people. As stated before, computers are becoming a very important piece of equipment in our lives. Much can be done with computers. They are only tools that need to be driven by a smart, intelligent individual to generate the best outputs possible.

Friday, September 27, 2019

What is Philosophy. How would you explain this to someone who hasn't Essay

What is Philosophy. How would you explain this to someone who hasn't studied it - Essay Example many strategies for breaking through the delusions and self-deceptions that keep us human beings from seeing things as they really are.† (What is Philosophy?). Thus philosophy can be regarded as an enquiry into the facts relating to human life, knowledge and values. It helps humans to analyze the meaning of various concepts about life as also to understand the relationship between theories. Philosophy provides them relevant insight to evaluate the arguments and determine their validity or expose their fallacy. Philosophy is distinct from other branches of studies in humanities both because of its subject matter and methodology. Though arts and literature also deal with the fundamental problems of human life, they are not necessarily based on critical reasoning. On the other hand, science relies heavily on observations and experiments for critical reasoning of theories. Philosophy is, therefore, more comparable to mathematic and logic; but encompasses a wider range of generic topics like religion, morality, culture, tradition and values. â€Å"The topics that philosophy addresses fall into several distinct fields. Among those fundamental concerns are: A major difference between philosophy and other branches of learning is that philosophy leans more towards the spiritual aspects of life, as can be evidenced in the words of Socrates, â€Å"Men of Athens, I honor and love you; but I shall obey God rather than you, and while I have life and strength I shall never cease from the practice and teaching of philosophy, exhorting any one whom I meet after my manner, and convincing him, saying: O my friend, why do you, who are a citizen of the great and mighty and wise city of Athens, care so much about laying up the greatest amount of money and honor and reputation, and so little about wisdom and truth and the greatest improvement of the soul, which you never regard or heed at all?.† Obviously, great teachers like Socrates have considered philosophy as the pursuit of wisdom

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Asian performance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Asian performance - Essay Example The stiffs’ tapes are Puramvaal, Ulluvaal, Pattuval. The Kacha forms the bulky skirt of the artist. Costume of Kathaakali entails colorful and ornate vests, anklets and jewelry completes and mainly preserves the culture. The prominent music played is Manipravalam. Narrations of the story and the conversations amidst two characters of the play are carried out through gestures expression and rhythmic dancing. The songs are sung on the background, usually by two vocalists. Two drums called Chenda and corresponding maddalam are provided for the music, Cymbals and other instruments are associated in the orchestra. Kathakali performances are conducted after dark but sometimes-special plaayya were played in very early morning. The main reason why kathakali was being performed was to entertain people after the long period work. It was also meant to pass the peoples tradition from one generation to the next Before someone acts the Kathakali, he has to go a rigorous training lasting 8-10 years. The long training period ensures that the actors have the full concentration and physical stamina and male actors played the skill to perform. Traditionally, Kathakali used to dress like woman and played the character, but eventually with time, female participation in Kathakali has become very common. Kathakali is a stylish, ancient and classical dancing form well known for its large costumes and elaborate make-ups. It can be described as a powerfully charged drama and a combination of dance, devotion, drama, music, make up’s and costumers which aims in producing the most impressive sacred theatre in the

Public policy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Public policy - Essay Example It is a tool that is normally used for the creation of policy items and it is through it that governments have been able to develop desired results. The use of this tool involves a process where potential problems with policies are identified by policymakers and attempts are made to ensure that the latter are corrected in such a way that they become more effective. This paper will attempt to show institutional reform as a tool for the institution of policy changes and this will be according to the theory developed by Peter John. Each stage of policy change or development will be followed by an evaluation of examples of the use of this tool in the contemporary world. One of the most significant aspects of the institutional reform is that it helps in the identification of needs that allow for the development of necessary changes to make policies more effective. Identifying needs is a process where policymakers conduct research in society and this is conducted both through research on the field as well as the study of different literature concerning problems or needs that are required in society (Heckathorn and Maser, 1990). The ability to conduct such research is essential in making sure that there is a political priority concerning the best way to handle matters so that they do not end up being too difficult to handle. Identifying needs helps in ensuring whether there has been similar research in the areas that need adjustments to policies and this helps in making it possible for policymakers not to develop policies that might in the end turn out to be irrelevant. Through the use of effective research methods, policymakers have an easier time fo llowing up on previous research in the area of concern and, through the identification of both positive and negative outcomes, make changes to policy decisions that have a greater possibility of being more effective. When finding out the needs that necessitate policy changes,

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

DDT and malaria Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

DDT and malaria - Essay Example The disease is common in subtropical and tropical regions including a lot of Americas, Asia, and the Sub-Saharan Africa. Malaria is very common in these regions since they have reliable hot temperatures and large amounts of rainfall. Since mosquitos live in a warm environment with consistent temperatures, they breed continuously in the aforementioned areas. Significance of Malaria Malaria is one of the major contagious diseases in tropical environments and a huge public health disaster. It has been ranked the leading cause of death in the world where almost five million new cases are identified, with deaths of two point seven million annually according to Glaser and Knight (2007). Historically, malaria has infected humans since the creation of mankind. Malaria has not spared is victims despite of their status and position, the American President John Adams for example nearly succumbed to malaria while on a diplomatic mission in Amsterdam. It was until the nineteenth century that fact s about the real cause of malaria became known. So far despite this knowledge, malaria continues to grossly affect the populations of south East Asia, sub-Saharan, and Latin America its victims manly comprising pregnant women and young children (McConnell, 2006). Malaria causing mosquitoes are known to breed in swamy areas or areas that have stagnant waters where they lay their eggs. The Plasmodium parasite apart from infecting humans, also affects reptiles, birds, rodents, chimpanzees and monkeys. Plasmodium enters the bloodstream and damages the red blood cells as well as affecting the spleen, kidney, liver, and other vital body organs. Malaria has other names like falcipurum malaria, quartan malaria, black water fever, plasmodium, and tertian malaria. Thus malaria parasites are transmitted by female anopheles mosquitoes (Capinera, 2008). Information on the economic workload of malaria is needed to focus interventions equitably and efficiently, and to establish investment in contr ol and research of how to combat the disease. Treatment of malaria is costly its asociated expenses a burden to the victims. Many institutions use weak data to estimate indirect costs, which fail to account for seasonal variations, the difference between the marginal and average product of labour, and the means firms and households survive in response to the illness period. Impact of DDT There are several measures used in combating malaria including use of insecticides, mosquito nets and medication that fight the disease. One product that has been used for a long to in fighting malaria is DDT (Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane). DDT is a synthetic pesticide invented in 1874. DDT opens sodium ion paths in the neurons of insects enabling them to fire suddenly which results to eventual deaths spasms. However, in humans it affects the health through endocrine disruption or genotoxicity. Genotoxic substances are recognized to be potentially carcinogenic or mutagenic, particularly those cap able of causing genetic mutation and of contributing to the growth of swellings as noted by Miller and Spoolman (2008). DDT may be directly genotoxic, although it may also make enzymes generate other genotoxic intermediates. It is also an endocrine disruptor in that it act as an ant androgen. According to Roberts and Tren (2010), the remains of DDT on the walls of the houses can change the transmission mode of mosquitoes. The non contact repellant action of DDT remains can stop a malaria mosquito from entering the house. In

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Nuts Production Mix Problem Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Nuts Production Mix Problem - Research Paper Example Assuming that the company can bought 1,000 pounds more of almonds from a supplier who overbought for $1,000, the additional profit contribution is $4,958 which is much more than the additional cost of almond. The new production mixes are presented on the table in the next page. If the ultimate objective is attain the highest contribution profit, then the company is better off not satisfying the existing orders. The company is better off with the production mix presented below. This production mix shows a contribution profit of $62,250 which is $875 higher than if the company satisfies the existing orders. This is so because the Holiday mix uses a lot of almond which is a scarce resource for the production mix. Of course, the quest for profit shouldn't be the end all, be all for the organization. The company also has to be socially responsible while doing business, and simply ignoring orders for higher gains is not in alignment with corporate social responsibility (Albareda 2008, p. 430).

Monday, September 23, 2019

Marketing feasibilty analysis Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Marketing feasibilty analysis - Research Paper Example Fuze is a non-carbonated fruit drink enriched with vitamins. It is one of the most popular drinks especially among school and college students. This study will focus on the marketing feasibility for Fuze drink in Saudi Arabia. It will also cover various aspects of feasibility study. In a country like Saudi Arabia where alcoholic drinks are banned, fruit drinks like Fuze have a good prospect for growth. Effective marketing can lead to even better results (Fuze Drink, â€Å"Fuze Drink†). Feasibility study is concerned with the analysis of various determinants of forces which affect the business in order to determine whether a business opportunity is economically, technically, financially and socially feasible or not. It is used as a supportive measure for business decision making process regarding viability of any project. It helps business entrepreneurs to take a realistic view of both positive and negative aspect of an opportunity (Hoagland, â€Å"What is a feasibility study?†). Marketing feasibility study is one of the dimensions of business feasibility study, which deals with analyzing the demand and supply of the product in the market and the factors affecting them. Variables like price, place, promotion and physical evidence, which are the main Ps of marketing, are evaluated for the feasibility of the product. Pricing the product: Pricing is considered as one of the most important aspect of marketing as it is related with success and failure of any product. If the price is soaring then customers may not accept it and if it is too low, then the company may not earn profit. Fuze Beverages need to adopt a pricing policy after taking into consideration different factors like, cost in production and advertising, price of its competitor’s product, and capacity of consumers. Market segmentation: A detailed study of market is necessary if Fuze drink wants to capture market through segmentation. At first a thorough analysis of market must be done. There are a

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Thomas Merton Essay Example for Free

Thomas Merton Essay Thomas Merton is a spiritual writer who has come up with different works on faith and religion. One of his works The True Self talks about humility and its association with meditation. Merton writes that humility is not assuming another character that someone is not as this only reflects your insistence that a person knows better than God with regards to his personality. This is basically true because in meditation an individual reflects on his own life and reflects on how he is created by God into the person that he is. In meditation, a person does not pretend and does not try to assume another role or another characteristic. Merton presents that there is the resistance to the temptation of being lost among the false masks of other people. Meditation helps us to humbly accept who we are and how God has created us. Humility is realizing that our current selves are special and any chance for improvement should be utilized for the better and not for the purpose of shifting into another personality very far from our own.Moral action is the voluntary effort of a man in response to a particular event based on his moral beliefs of whether the event is right or wrong. Human dignity is very much related to morality in that any offense to the former is a reflection on morality. In this regard, insults in human dignity such as murder, sexual offence, slavery, abuse, or any other form of annihilation of human rights is subject to moral action. Because these acts clearly offend morality, a person is bound to carry out his moral action depending on his beliefs and judgment. If a person believes that an act like euthanasia is not morally wrong then this would determine his moral action regarding a possible threat to human dignity. Reference: Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the modern world. December 7, 1965.

Friday, September 20, 2019

Overview Of Data Structures And Algorithms Computer Science Essay

Overview Of Data Structures And Algorithms Computer Science Essay As Robert Lafore has stated, data structures are a collection of structures that are used to store data in a memory location. A Data structure is designed to organize data to fulfill ones purpose of accessing and using them. Arrays, linked lists, stacks, binary trees, and hash tables etcThese are included as data structures. But there are data structures that can be thought of as Abstract data types as well, the given examples above can be considered as ADTs except arrays. All most all data structures have both advantages and disadvantages. Nell B.Dale et al (1996) has stated that an abstract data type is one whose set of operations that are defined in a certain level without getting any restrictions from operational details. According to Robert Lafore (2008) An Abstract data type is a way of looking at a data structure simply focusing on what it does instead of focusing on how it does it. Both of these definitions give a similar meaning. If taken from Nell Dales point of view its a set of operations in a certain level that has no restrictions by operational details on it. When compared this definition with Robert Lafores definition, An Abstract data type is a way of looking at the operations of the data structure and as Nell Dale stated in the end without getting any restrictions by operational details. By operational details Nell Dale has meant it does not focus on how on the details of those operations. In conclusion to both these definitions, an abstract data type is a logical operation on certain level of data structures focusing on its process and not its method. Stacks and queues are examples of ADTs. .Classification of data structures Arrays Robert lafore has explained Arrays to be known as the most commonly used data structure in programming. An array is a series of elements that is of the same type and same name. It is possible to create an array of any data type. In order to access an array the array has to have an index. An index is an integer that allows access to each of the elements of an array. Using an array we can name a group of elements instead of naming each of them individually. A simple array will look like this see FIGURE 1.2.1 Data Index FIGURE 1.2.1 a simple array The data within the array are the data entered to an array. And the numbers below outside the array are indexes used to access the particular data packet. Advantages Quick insertion Very fast access if index is known Disadvantages Slow search Slow deletion Fixed size Stacks A stack is special a kind of a list in which both insertion and deletion takes place from the top of the stack. To add new elements to a stack a word called push is used instead of insert and for removal or deleting of an element the word pop is used. Robert lafore(2008) has stated that a stack allows access to only one data item at a time. This is because a stack provides a LIFO or Last in first out method. This means the last data item that is pushed into a stack is the first item that will be popped. Then it provides access to the next data item and so on. By the name of this data structure itself it gives a picture of how the data structure would be. Given an example, a stack of data blocks, the last data block to be entered gets removed first. See FIGURE 1.2.2 Insertion of new data item takes place on top Deletion of item takes place on top Stack of data blocks 30 30 1 1 1 24 24 24 5 5 5 14 14 14 16 16 16 FIGURE 1.2.2 a stack of data blocks Advantages Provides last in first out access Disadvantages Slow access to other items Queues This is a data structure of ordered elements in which insertion takes place at the end and deletion takes place at the front. A queue is a known as a FIFO or first in first out. Unlike stacks in queues the first data item to be entered is removed from the queue first. The process of a queue is easy to understand when modeled to the real world. For example think of the line ups in your local grocery stores. Each of the customers waits in line and one at the front of the line get to go first. Each of the new customers joins the line in the rear. See figure 1.2.3 New customers join at the end of the queue First customer joins the queue, first to go FIGURE 1.2.3 A queue of customers Similar to the figure 1.3 above in computer science the elements which are inserted first in a queue are removed first from the queue. Advantages Provides first in first out access Disadvantages Slow access to other items Linked lists Linked list has a similarity with arrays. D.Samanta (2004) has defined that linked lists as a ordered collection of finite, adjacent data elements called as nodes where linear order is maintained by links or pointers. Links or pointers are used to address to the other node. Simplify by pointing to the next location in the sequence. The pointers are maintained depending on the requirements. FIGURE 1.2.4 shows a simple example of a linked list. Link Link to the next node node Data FIGURE 1.2.4 a simple linked list Advantages Quick insertion Quick deletion Disadvantage Slow search 1.3. Importance of data structures in software industries Importance of data structures To understand the importance of data structures first we have to know what data structures are. It is already explained in the previous sections. What is the importance of it? The importance is that a data structure can give an overview of the types of operations that can be performed and its processes. In a software industry Software industries keep changing and growing continuously, which requires a great deal of innovative ways to solve the problems they face. Use of data structures can bring down the stress level down to a point. Because uses of data structures are most effective if the programmers know what he wants to do with the data, whether he wants random access or the ability to move back and forth through the data. Use of data structures helps the programmer to determine which data structure has to be used in which situations. It is very important that the data are stored in a way that it can be retrieved and accessed easily in the future. Data structures fulfill this importance. According to Robert Lafore (2008) data structure is nominated among three categories where it is useful. Real- world data storage Programmers tools Real-world Modeling These three categories help understand the usefulness of data structures. By real-world data storage it means data is described based on physical entities like personnel records that describe a human, here the data is personnel records and entity is human. Programmers tools are meant to be accessed only by the program itself. Because this is entirely based on the data storage structures that are not meant to be accessed by the user. Stacks, queues, and priority queues are tools that a programmer uses in such a way to facilitate some other operations. Last but not the least its real-world modeling. It is basically structures that model real world situations. The most important data structure of this type is graph. Graphs can be used to represent airlines routes between cities etcà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Based on these three categories alone, we can point out that data structures provide a vast area in which data structures can be helpful for development of software industries. 1.4. Complexity in relevant to data structures When using data structures there is an important aspect related to them called as algorithms. Robert Lafore (2008) has defined that algorithms are used to manipulate the data within the data structures. Algorithms can be used in various ways, for searching particular data items and sorting the data. Shi kuo chang has stated that the concept of an algorithm is one of the most important elements of computer science. Because its useful to frame a problem and get solutions without any errors. When it comes to algorithms there are two complexities that arise from it, Time complexity and space complexity. Time complexity As Alfred V Aho et al (2009) has explained the time needed by an algorithm given as a function of the problems size is called as the time complexity. There are three cases in time complexity best case, average case and worst case this can be explained separately in relevance to data structures. Best case: This is when an algorithm takes minimum amount of time to search a desired set of inputs. For an example you can take a stack when searching for an element in a stack with a Linear search if u come across the element you are looking for at the top of the stack then it can be called as best time complexity. Average case: Average time complexity is the mean number of operations assuming the probability of the input. The binary search method in algorithm can be identified as an average case time complexity method. Worst case: If an algorithm takes maximum amount of time to find the desired set of inputs then its called a worst case time complexity. For an example you can take a stack again when searching for a desired element using a linear search if it is at the bottom of the stack then it is a worst case time complexity. Space complexity According to Alfred V Aho et al (2009) space complexity determines the size of the problems that can be solved by an algorithm. This simply means this is a function that describes the amount of memory space taken by the algorithm. 1.5 Influence of object oriented programming concepts on data structures According to Matt A.Weisfeld,(2004) Object oriented programming has been around in software development from 1960s. The fact that Object oriented programming helps encapsulate the data and the operations that manipulate them in the object is considered as an advantage that arises from object oriented programming. Tim Patrick et al has explained that when it comes to object oriented programming, there are four main concepts we need to be aware of, as follows. Abstraction Encapsulation Inheritance Polymorphism . Abstraction:- This is a view of an entity that includes only those aspects that are relevant to a situation. Encapsulation:- This is the process of converting abstraction into a usable software component. A simple explanation is restricting access to the attributes and methods of an object directly. Encapsulation helps encapsulate a process of a data structure. Example can be an array because of the encapsulation an output of an array would be the elements within the array it wont show how it was processed. Inheritance:- This makes it possible for OOP code to build classes that extend or restrict features in other existing classes. Without the need to fully re write the code. Simply speaking, inheritance can receive attributes and methods from super classes. When you take data structures there are special kinds of data structures identified as abstract data types. The inheritance concept can create new abstract data types from old. An example can be a stack. Use of inheritance allows a user to create a new stack from an old one. Polymorphism:- A simple explanation of polymorphism is that a recognised action can be performed differently in different situations by an object. The influence of polymorphism concept in data structures is that it creates operations that can be applicable for data structures which store more than one type of data. An example for this can be linked lists. A linked list can be implemented with operations of stacks and queues using polymorphism concept. These four concepts are included among the other principles of object oriented programming. The last three concepts from the four alone give an idea, how oriented programming object can influence data structures. Task 2 K 2.2 A stack and its procedure for various operations. According to V.rajaraman et al (0000) a stack is a memory location where the data are stored and retrieved in a location called top of the stack. When the data is entered the firstly entered data are pushed there for the first data to be entered will be retrieved last. Unlike a RAM where each of the data can be addressed separately in a stack the only data that can be addressed is the top of the stack. There are two main Operations associated with a stack, PUSH and POP.

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Controversial Minority Representation in the Film, Birth Of a Nation Es

Controversial Minority Representation in the Film, Birth Of a Nation       Birth of a Nation was a film that broke several artistic boundaries in the film industry yet was seen as the most racist film of any generation. This has caused it to be a film under heavy debate since its release in 1915. One can never look past the racist depictions that this film portrays in it. However, to truly understand the film and explore its importance in the study of minorities in film, one must look at this film from all perspectives. D.W. Griffith grew up in Kentucky under a father who was a Confederate hero and was the first to place the racial views in his head. Here is where the ideals of blacks and whites were created for D.W. Griffith. In his head and in his upbringing, his views of blacks and whites were real. The black race being lower then the whites and never really deserving of equality. That is where the ideal for his film Birth of a Nation originated. As far as he was concerned this was a heroic epic of the white people. This is the first context in which one must explore this film. The second is what was going on in America during the time of this films release. No more then fifty years after the Civil War, this film was made. African-Americans were nowhere near finding equality or having civil rights that they were said to have or presumed to have. Separate but equal was still the main mindset in America. Most of the South still hated African Americans, lynched them, and the KKK was strong. When you look at all these social contexts that were going on during the time of the films release, there is no way that this film was seen as racist in the majority of the population. Most of the South probably saw this mov... ... If it is possible to find one positive racial image, then I am blind. Through its remarkable breakthroughs in film and what the camera could do, Birth of a Nation can be explored as a film that set the standards for future film development and masterpieces. However, one can never look past the way that African-Americans were horribly represented and depicted on film. This has caused this film to be such a great film to explore when studying film and especial minorities in film. This debate will continue way past my life and beyond. One must hope and believe that the ignorance of the few that still see this as a positive image of reality can be overturned and that this film can only be seen as a studying device for all those that look to explore the art of film and the sad realities that can come from the ideals of those who create film and movies.    Controversial Minority Representation in the Film, Birth Of a Nation Es Controversial Minority Representation in the Film, Birth Of a Nation       Birth of a Nation was a film that broke several artistic boundaries in the film industry yet was seen as the most racist film of any generation. This has caused it to be a film under heavy debate since its release in 1915. One can never look past the racist depictions that this film portrays in it. However, to truly understand the film and explore its importance in the study of minorities in film, one must look at this film from all perspectives. D.W. Griffith grew up in Kentucky under a father who was a Confederate hero and was the first to place the racial views in his head. Here is where the ideals of blacks and whites were created for D.W. Griffith. In his head and in his upbringing, his views of blacks and whites were real. The black race being lower then the whites and never really deserving of equality. That is where the ideal for his film Birth of a Nation originated. As far as he was concerned this was a heroic epic of the white people. This is the first context in which one must explore this film. The second is what was going on in America during the time of this films release. No more then fifty years after the Civil War, this film was made. African-Americans were nowhere near finding equality or having civil rights that they were said to have or presumed to have. Separate but equal was still the main mindset in America. Most of the South still hated African Americans, lynched them, and the KKK was strong. When you look at all these social contexts that were going on during the time of the films release, there is no way that this film was seen as racist in the majority of the population. Most of the South probably saw this mov... ... If it is possible to find one positive racial image, then I am blind. Through its remarkable breakthroughs in film and what the camera could do, Birth of a Nation can be explored as a film that set the standards for future film development and masterpieces. However, one can never look past the way that African-Americans were horribly represented and depicted on film. This has caused this film to be such a great film to explore when studying film and especial minorities in film. This debate will continue way past my life and beyond. One must hope and believe that the ignorance of the few that still see this as a positive image of reality can be overturned and that this film can only be seen as a studying device for all those that look to explore the art of film and the sad realities that can come from the ideals of those who create film and movies.   

self-hypnosis :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When a person begins talking about hypnosis, what is your first thought? If the first thing you think of is a person on their knees barking like a dog, or flapping their arms while clucking like a chicken, then you are among many others who believe that hypnosis is purely entertainment. It is actually very common and used across the world as a helpful form of deep relaxation. Many, many people have used hypnosis to achieve goals, overcome obstacles, and enhance the quality of their personal and professional life. It is also believed by many that it takes a professional hypnotist swinging a shiny metal object to become hypnotized, when in fact, hypnosis is not something one person â€Å"does† to another. Its use varies from person to person, although development of this skill can be enhanced with the guidance of an experienced hypnotist. (Baker-Jambretz). Professional hypnotists share the belief that hypnosis is an altered state of consciousness. However most people don’t feel any different under hypnosis than the way they feel in their everyday state. Hypnosis is a very powerful tool that can be used for a large variety of topics. These topics range from increasing confidence and managing stress to quitting smoking and actually easing childbirth! The topic that caught my attention involved using self-hypnosis to improve an individual’s ability at sport. The key to this, and most other topics, is to trust yourself and learn to find a deep state of relaxation that you can return to with a simple â€Å"trigger† word. Once you find the trigger word that is best for you, use it to take yourself into a completely different mind-set. Then you need to go through a sequence of affirmations to remind yourself that you are successful and to help you see the skills that you already possess. With this positive mind set, you will realize that the key to performing well in sports is the ability to relax and let things flow naturally. Obviously you won’t just be able go out and excel at a sport without practice and determination, but with hypnosis you will be able to relax and let all aspects of your skills flow with nothing being held back. Not only will your game improve, but your pleasure for the game will increase as well. Whenever you bring yourself into this state with your trigger word, you will be able to see yourself playing just as you like.

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Georgia OKeefe (includes annotated bibliography) Essay -- art, America

Georgia O’Keefe (word count includes annotated bibliography) Georgia O’Keefe is a famous American painter who painted beautiful flowers and landscapes. But she painted these images in such a way that many people believed she was portraying sexual imagery. â€Å"O’Keefe’s depictions of flowers in strict frontality and enlarged to giant scale were entirely original in character . . . the view into the open blossoms evoked an image of the female psyche and invited erotic associations.† (Joachimides 47) O’Keefe denies these allegations and says that she â€Å"magnified the scale of the flower only to ensure people would notice them.† (Haskell 203) O’Keefe’s artwork was misinterpreted because of cultural prejudice, her non-traditional lifestyle, and gender bias art criticism. But despite these accusations, Georgia O’Keefe’s artwork was not based on sexuality.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   O’Keefe was born on November 15, 1887 in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin. Her parents were dairy farmers and throughout her childhood she lived on her family’s farm. Georgia had a rough childhood growing up on the farm. Her mother did not especially like her and when she was not busy ignoring her, she treated her very badly. Although her mother disliked her, Georgia’s father loved her unconditionally and gave her the love her mother deprived her of. But he also molested her, a tramatizing drawback that would follow her for the rest of her life. Although she knew what her father was doing was wrong, she refused to admit this to herself because he was the only loved one she truly had. So, when Georgia’s father left, she was heartbroken (Hogrefe 14). â€Å"The abandonment she must have felt when he left the family had repercussions for the rest of her life as she refused to get close to many of her male companions . . .her closest male friends were homosexual . . . a nd she spurned men who sought sexual intimacy with her.† (15) After her father left, Georgia was sent to live with her aunt who punished her frequently by secluding her in her room and often by slapping Georgia in the face. When she was a teenager she was sent to an all girl’s boarding school. This is where she was finally able to receive art classes and build on her talent. Georgia’s mother did not allow her to be cultured, because it was forever trapped in the ways of the late 1800’s and if you were a lady, it was not worth it (17). Georgia O’Keefe was brought ... ...o capture the true essence of a flower you needed to be able to see it up close for a more personal, intimate effect. To examine something as simple as a flower up close, you only then realize the extreme complexity that makes such an inconsequential thing so beautiful. Robinson, Roxana. Georgia O’Keeffe: A Life. New York: Harper & Row Publishers, 1989.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This book goes through Georgia’s life in detail. I found a lot of personal quotes in this book that Georgia said about her work and the criticism it received that really caught my eye. She was very opinionated about her art, but at the same time, she could care less about what any art critic had to say about it. Art critics at the time of her career’s peak were predominantly male and this book expresses the fact that male chauvinism was a huge impact on the criticism of her work. This book also goes into the impression her constant change in her surroundings had on her work. Georgia her constant change in her surroundings had on her work. Georgia lived in several different parts of America, Wisconsin, New Mexico, Arizona, California, New York, etc. and with each move, her style change and reflected this new place. Georgia OKeefe (includes annotated bibliography) Essay -- art, America Georgia O’Keefe (word count includes annotated bibliography) Georgia O’Keefe is a famous American painter who painted beautiful flowers and landscapes. But she painted these images in such a way that many people believed she was portraying sexual imagery. â€Å"O’Keefe’s depictions of flowers in strict frontality and enlarged to giant scale were entirely original in character . . . the view into the open blossoms evoked an image of the female psyche and invited erotic associations.† (Joachimides 47) O’Keefe denies these allegations and says that she â€Å"magnified the scale of the flower only to ensure people would notice them.† (Haskell 203) O’Keefe’s artwork was misinterpreted because of cultural prejudice, her non-traditional lifestyle, and gender bias art criticism. But despite these accusations, Georgia O’Keefe’s artwork was not based on sexuality.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   O’Keefe was born on November 15, 1887 in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin. Her parents were dairy farmers and throughout her childhood she lived on her family’s farm. Georgia had a rough childhood growing up on the farm. Her mother did not especially like her and when she was not busy ignoring her, she treated her very badly. Although her mother disliked her, Georgia’s father loved her unconditionally and gave her the love her mother deprived her of. But he also molested her, a tramatizing drawback that would follow her for the rest of her life. Although she knew what her father was doing was wrong, she refused to admit this to herself because he was the only loved one she truly had. So, when Georgia’s father left, she was heartbroken (Hogrefe 14). â€Å"The abandonment she must have felt when he left the family had repercussions for the rest of her life as she refused to get close to many of her male companions . . .her closest male friends were homosexual . . . a nd she spurned men who sought sexual intimacy with her.† (15) After her father left, Georgia was sent to live with her aunt who punished her frequently by secluding her in her room and often by slapping Georgia in the face. When she was a teenager she was sent to an all girl’s boarding school. This is where she was finally able to receive art classes and build on her talent. Georgia’s mother did not allow her to be cultured, because it was forever trapped in the ways of the late 1800’s and if you were a lady, it was not worth it (17). Georgia O’Keefe was brought ... ...o capture the true essence of a flower you needed to be able to see it up close for a more personal, intimate effect. To examine something as simple as a flower up close, you only then realize the extreme complexity that makes such an inconsequential thing so beautiful. Robinson, Roxana. Georgia O’Keeffe: A Life. New York: Harper & Row Publishers, 1989.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This book goes through Georgia’s life in detail. I found a lot of personal quotes in this book that Georgia said about her work and the criticism it received that really caught my eye. She was very opinionated about her art, but at the same time, she could care less about what any art critic had to say about it. Art critics at the time of her career’s peak were predominantly male and this book expresses the fact that male chauvinism was a huge impact on the criticism of her work. This book also goes into the impression her constant change in her surroundings had on her work. Georgia her constant change in her surroundings had on her work. Georgia lived in several different parts of America, Wisconsin, New Mexico, Arizona, California, New York, etc. and with each move, her style change and reflected this new place.

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Management Proposed by Fayol Essay

Critically examine the functions (elements or processes) of management proposed by Fayol. Explain why these functions are relevant (or otherwise) to today’s managers. The twentieth century has bought upon us a number of management theories which have helped to shape the overall view of management in the present environment of business. Many of those theories have stood the test of time and are still often referred to in the management world of today. One of the most famous theories referred to in management is that of Henri Fayol. Henri, a French engineer became somewhat of a hero for resurrecting a troubled mining company in which he worked, and turning it into one of France’s most successful businesses (Daft 2003). Born in 1841 and dying in 1925, Fayol spent most of his working life as a manager, where he drew upon personal experiences to facilitate in the creation of his theory of administration. In his most significant work, General and Industrial Management, Fayol discussed and identified five basic functions of management, which he believed every manager needed to perform. These were: planning, organising, commanding, coordinating, and controlling. These functions, although have been condescended down to four; planning, organising, leading and controlling, still underline much of the general approach to today’s management (Draft 2003). Although, the usefulness of Henri Fayol’s classical functions have come under question about their relevance in current managerial activities by a number of professionals, Fayol’s functions still continue to shape and have underlining influence on the basis in which managers perform in the business world of today. Planning If you have no particular destination in mind, it does not matter what road you take. However if you have somewhere in particular you want to go, then you have to plan the best way you can to get there (Robbins et al.2008). This phrase demonstrates the shear importance that planning has in managerial roles to an organisation. As organisations exist to achieve purpose, someone must clearly define that purpose and what is needed in order to reach achievement. That someone is management. Planning is the process in which managers use to identify and select appropriate goals and courses of action (Waddell et al. 2009). Without the definition of goals, the establishment of strategies to be used in order to achieve, and the development of plans that will be used to integrate activities, then an organisation simply will not continue to exist. Managers, therefore today must be aware of the many circumstances that surround the organisation. For instance their environment, whether it is the general environment, the task or even internal, managers must be aware of the effects these areas could have on the organisation not only in the present but also for the future. With suitable planning and strategies put in place, managers can help the organisation avoid such extremes as bankruptcy, with strong planning efforts regarding direction and demographic trends, growth and acquisitions. Therefore the first function of planning, proposed by Fayol to any organisation is not only relevant to the world in which business operates today, but also the potential to add huge value to the current and future aspects of that organisation. Organising Managers today are responsible for arranging and structuring work to accomplish the organisation’s goals (Robbins et al. 2008). Typically following planning, organising is the process managers use to establish a structure of working relationships that allow organisational members to interact and cooperate to achieve organisational goals (Waddell et al. 2009). Today’s managers determine the tasks that need to be done, who is to do them, how the tasks are to be grouped, who reports to whom and what level decisions are to be made (Robbins et al. 2008). The relevance of organising to mangers today is to create structure, which is organised with all the necessary resources. With structure, managers give employees appointed tasks, lines of authority and decision responsibility. This in turn provides employees with a sense of ownership and control over their jobs and thus strengthens initiative from them (Yoo, lemak, Choi 2006), helping to create an organisation that achieves goals. Coordinating Fayol’s management concept of coordinating sees managers encouraging direct personnel activity. Coordinating is the laying out of timing and sequencing of activities and harmonizing them all (Fells 2000). Mangers that are able to maintain the balance between the activities of the organisation, are able to succeed in creating an organisation that can come together to face problems of common interest that can surround different areas of the organisation, for instance, the many departments. The value of this concept is high, as managers from different areas within the organisation can band together and communicate as well as forecast possible problems, while offering short or long term solutions. Commanding As the word commanding suggests, managers must take authority and put the desired plan into action (Fells 200). The value of commanding in managerial roles today is important and has relevance as managers verify whether everything occurs in conformity with the plan adopted, the instructions issue and principles established (Lamond 2004) that have been previously set. Controlling After the goals have been set and plans are formulated, the structural arrangements determined, people are motivated, there has to be some evaluation of whether things are going to plan (Robbins et al. 2008) Controlling, is the function of managers evaluating how well an organisation is achieving its goals and taking action to maintain or improve performance (Waddell et al. 2009). This function is an important concept in organisational management as it demonstrates the successfulness of the organisation in terms of the achievement of goals that have been put in place by the managers. The value of controlling is extremely important, as managers are able to monitor what needs to be improved by comparing the information to performance standards and taking corrective action where necessary. Managers must ensure that the organisation is moving towards its goal and performance does not deviate from standards. Without control from managers organisational goals are not monitored and therefor e many not be accomplished affecting the overall performance of the organisation as a whole, making control very relevant to the managerial positions in business today. In conclusion, Henri Fayol’s principles of management provide and continue to provide a general management perspective for practicing managers today and an instructional tool for academics teaching in the field of management (Yoo, lemak Choi 2006). Fayol has provided a general framework for practising managers (Yoo, Lemak, Choi 2006), by which the functions of planning, organising, coordinating, commanding and controlling have a bearing connection with the practicing of managers in any managerial position across a vast number of organisations, no matter the size or level. Therefore making Fayol’s principles an essential for building strong teams and stronger organisations in today’s Business environment. References: Waddell, D, Devine, J, Jones, G & George, J, 2009, Contemporary Management, McGraw – Hill Australia Pty Ltd, North Ryde, NSW. Robbins, S, Bergman, R, Stagg, I & Coulter, M, 2008, Management 5 (Fifth Edition), Person Education Australia, Frenchs Forest, NSW. Daft, R.L, 2003, Management (Sixth Edition), Thomson Learning – South-Western United States of America, Mason, Ohio. Yoo, JW, Lemak, DJ & Choi, Y, 2006, ‘Principles of management and competitive strategies: using Fayol to implement Porter’, Journal of Management History, Vol. 12 No 4, pp.352-368, 23 July 2010, Emerald Research Database. Lamond, D, 2004, ‘A matter of style: reconciling Henri and Henry’, Journal of Management Decision, Vol. 42 No 2, pp330-356, 23 July 2010, Emerald Research Database. Fells, MJ, 2000, ‘Fayol stands the test of time’, Journal of Management History, Vol. 6 No 8, pp 345-360.

Monday, September 16, 2019

How do Owen and Auden convey the negative effects of war in their poems ‘Disabled’ and ‘Refugee Blues’’?

In the poems Disabled and Refugee Blues, the writers, Owen and Auden respectively, convey the negative effects of war in a variety of ways. Through the use structuring, literary and figurative devices, Auden subtly shows the negative effects of war, whereas Owen does this it more explicitly, showing the de-humanizing, gruesome effects of war. In the poem Disabled, Owen displays the more gruesome, horrendous reality; he does this in a variety of ways.Firstly he uses a randomized stanza structure, the stanzas do not have a consistent amount of lines. The stanza structure is emphasizing how the soldier’s think, because most soldiers act upon their animalistic instinct, Owen has used this idea rely on instinct to create his structure, not only does this confuse the reader but Owen also tries to emphasize on how the war has affected the soldiers.Owen also uses a lot of different literary devices to help him, metaphor is used throughout the poem to help develop the poem, â€Å"Voic es of boys rang saddening like a hymn†, the voices of boys made the soldier feel sad; they make him remember his childhood, it was not long ago that he was like those boys, running freely, however it seems like a distant memory.Owen is emphasizing that the war robbed the soldier of his innocence and naivety, he is also a little jealous of them, they still believe in fairy tales and happy endings, whereas the soldier understands the true colors of reality. â€Å"In the old times, before he threw away his knees/All of them touch him like some queer disease† these two quotes, emphasize on the fact that the soldier threw away his legs when he enlisted in the army, if he didn’t sign up he wouldn’t be disabled and the girls would still be flirting with him.The girls do not want to be with someone who is crippled; heroes do not get injured. It seems like he has given up on life as much as life has given up on him, he has succumbed into the idea that he is not a r eal man anymore; others can sense this about him and stay away because they do not want to be dragged down by his self-pity. Granted, the women could be touching him in disgust, it is also likely that it is him who is projecting his own feelings of disgust on them.The war can affect both the social life and the personal life negatively, thus creating a very negative atmosphere in the stanza. Owen also makes effective use of alliterations, â€Å"Legless, sewn short at elbow†, not only does this quote tell us the exact extent of the soldiers disability, but during World War I it was common practice to sew shut pant legs and sleeves when someone is missing the limb or appendix, the quote makes us pity the soldier, moreover it is also common that soldiers lose a limbs during war, creating a very brutal and negative view upon war.Another alliteration that has been used, â€Å"And a leap of purple spurted from his thigh†, a leap of purple could relate to blood or bruises, th is quote indicates the severity of his injuries, although it was a large injury, the poem portrays it only as a ‘leap of purple’, this makes the injury seem small and insignificant, and which was likely how the government and the higher-ups viewed the disabled soldiers. Although W.H Auden wrote Refugee Blues half a year before World War II broke out, the Nazi’s (Nationalists) have already been hunting Jews and ‘exterminating’ them, Refugee Blues is a Jewish perspective on the war. W. H. Auden has structured his poem into tersets, and each stanza proposes a different theme and part of the Jewish refugees life, it also isolates the stanza, emphasizing each negative point Auden has made.Auden uses very effective metaphors to convey the different negative effects of Hitler’s rein, â€Å"Saw a poodle in a jacket fastened with a pin, /Saw a door open and a cat let in:/ But they weren’t German Jews, my dear, they weren’t German Jews. à ¢â‚¬  In this quote, W. H. Auden was comparing the Jewish with a poodle and a mere street cat, not only does it emphasize how un-wanted the Jews were, Auden himself degraded the Jewish into something that was utterly despised and negatively viewed.

Sunday, September 15, 2019

Helping the Needy Essay

Remember those precious moments of sitting around and trying to comfort; hearing the soothing, slow, and experienced voices. It is time consuming to sit and hear such stories, but a smile spills acrossed your face as you listen to their never ending stories, sometimes it is the same story that you heard yesterday or an hour ago. Each time you attempt to talk your words are abruptly cut off and the story continues. Some are filled with wisdom others too delirious to take serious. With time, listening and helping them, a bond of friendship is made. The days seem to go by fast and your friendship becomes stronger as you spend each day serving these types of people, and sharing experience with them as well. In one day it all comes to an end, they are no longer there to be assisted. Life appears to be like that in the every average day at the Avalon Care center. In a training session from Avalon Care Center Annie Wayment became a qualified Certified Nursing Assistant to help others as they make an end to the journey in their lives. Depending on the state where you are at, the training course to become such a person can take six to eight weeks. Where you are trained to up lift people. What will you do, â€Å"working closely with patients, you are responsible for basic care services such as bathing, grooming and feeding patients, assisting nurses with medical equipment, and checking patient vital signs. CNAs give patients important social and emotional support and also provide vital information on patient conditions to nurses. † For Annie the training was a long, hard jammed packed four weeks. She stated, â€Å"I almost died (Annie Wayment, personal communication, May, 22, 2013). In the course there are plenty of hands on experience and memorization. Then after passing all tests and training satisfaction you are qualified to assist people. She takes Avalon’s statement to heart â€Å"we embrace a reverence for life, and a heart for healing. † After going all through this and then actual helping people Annie continues with an energy that most people do when they are doing what they enjoy. While on a high school job shadow Annie was introduced to the field of helping and then made the decision that was her future job, helping someone. She began her work at Avalon Care Center aiding those who can on loner help themselves. Confused like most people in their first job experience she floated about for a couple of weeks but slowly understood her role. Distressed, frustrated, and irritated to not be able to do what they use to do all their lives this group accepts help from others. They tell them of their problems, and their long life experiences. They don’t only need physical assistance but also mentally. Being a good listener, with a caring heart is part of the job. Though Annie cannot see herself doing this particular work all her life she still goes about with a smile on her face enjoying every minute. Those moments of doing all you can, and then seeing a face of gratitude for what you have done gives you that extra step to do another good deed. A swelling of an inexplicable satisfaction fills you up. Working in this nursing home Annie has gained many new friends. They share all their joyous moments with her and she helps them through their moments of pain and frustration. As time goes on she becomes more than just a friend to these people with all the time she has spent with them. â€Å"When working in a nursing home, as an aide, you spend 1/3 of your day with these residents and you become part of their families (Annie Wayment, personal communication, May, 22, 2013). † Even at times when she thinks she is aiding someone she receives help in return from these this time worn people. A piece of advice here and there and a phrase that sticks in your mind. They just seem to grow on you as the time passes and an inner connection is made with them. She recalls one of the many residents of the caring center in which she helped. The elderly woman was sick for some time. She knew how the woman wanted her room to be organized and helped her daily. The woman got better and was later discharged from the care center. They kept in contact even afterwards. The job like most other jobs also has its down side. After spending quality time in helping, listening, and strengthening people and being strengthened by them, it all seems to be lost in a moment. Sometimes the question of why is asked in most of these circumstances. This woman who Annie kept in contact with became sick again and was hospitalized. She was informed that she would be returning back to the care center back under her care. Excited to see again her room was prepared and fixed up the way the patient liked it. Later on Annie was told that she would no longer be coming. In most incidents Annie has to be the one who needs to get over her grief first and fast. After the passing of those who she has helped she then needs to face the family of the person who she lost, but she is happy for having the knowledge that the church has given her about life. She understands the purpose of why we are here and gives yet another comforting hand to the families of those who have passed on. With the knowledge of the gospel she can comfort and ease the pain of the family members that do not have this knowledge. Hard at times and good at others this is what Annie Wayment does. The good seems to outweigh the bad and she continues on her way of assisting others who are in need. It is what she finds the most enjoyable thing to do.

Saturday, September 14, 2019

The Secret of Ella and Micha Chapter 4

Micha â€Å"She's already got you all hot and bothered.† Ethan sips on his soda. â€Å"Look at you. Drunk after eight months of sobriety and I don't believe it's a coincidence it happened on the same night she showed up.† I slam another shot back and wipe my lips with the back of my hand. â€Å"I'm fine man. And I can't blame what I do on anyone else but myself. This isn't Ella's fault. â€Å" Ethan laughs, tipping his head back, bumping it on the edge of the cupboard. â€Å"Who the hell are you trying to convince? You know just as well as every single person in the room knows that you two are each other's problem and it's never going to be fixed until you fuck and get it over with.† I punch him in the arm, harder than I planned. â€Å"Watch it. You're walking on thin ice tonight.† He holds up his hands, surrendering. â€Å"Sorry, I forgot how you get when you're like this.† I grab a fist full of his shirt and jerk him toward me. â€Å"Like what?† Again, he forfeits up his hands. â€Å"Micha man, calm down and go drink some coffee or something. You're trashed out of your mind.† I release him and rake my fingers through my hair, frustrated with something I can't grasp. â€Å"Coffee's a myth†¦ And I need something else.† My eyes travel to the back door window, and suddenly I understand what I need. I pat Ethan's shoulder. â€Å"Clear everyone out before my mom gets home, okay?† â€Å"Alright, man will do,† he replies confoundedly. â€Å"But where are you going?† â€Å"On a walk.† I knock people out of my way, and stumble out the back door. Regaining my balance, I trip across the grass and climb over the fence. Ella's dad's Firebird is parked in the driveway, so he must be home from the bar. Doesn't matter, though. He won't notice or care if I sneak in. I've been doing it since we were kids. Although, my intentions did get a bit dirtier the older we got. I stare up at her bedroom window until I reach the tree. After a drunken struggle, I make it to the top and I inch along the branch to the window. Cupping me hands around my eyes, I peek inside. The lights are off, but the glow of the moon lights a trail to her bed. She's fast asleep. I inch open the window, slicing my finger on a rusty nail. â€Å"Mother†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I suck on my finger tip, the taste of blood and vodka bitter against my tongue as I head dive through the window and hit the floor with a soft thud. Her friend shoots upright from the bed on the floor, her eyes wide. â€Å"Oh my God.† I put my finger to my lips as I get to my feet. â€Å"Shh†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She still looks worried so I dazzle her with my most charming smile. That seems to win her over and she settles back in her bed. As carefully as I can, I step over her bed and crawl in with Ella. She's always been a heavy sleeper and doesn't stir. I press my chest against her back, drape my arm over her waist, and feel the rhythm of her breathing. God, I've missed this way too much. It's not healthy. I burrow my face in her neck, smelling the scent of her hair, vanilla mixed with something that's only her. I shut my eyes and for the first time in eight months, I fall into a peaceful sleep. Ella I sleep horribly for half the night, tossing and turning, like the princess sleeping on a pea. Only I am far from a princess and the pea is my guilty conscience. I don't know why I feel guilty about blowing off Micha. I've done it breezily for the past eight months. Although, he wasn't living right next door with his sad puppy dog eyes and charming sexiness. My sleep deprivation only got worse when my dad stumbled into the house in the middle of the night, bumping over cups and bottles, drunk off his ass. Later, I heard him crying in the bathroom my mom died in. It still hurts to hear because his tears are my fault. Once I fall asleep, I am out and it ends up being the best night's rest I've had in ages. When I wake up in the late afternoon, I feel refreshed and calm. Until I realize why. Micha is in my bed and has me in his long, lean arms. His body is curved into mine, so every single part of him is touching me. I know it's him by the smell of his cologne mixed with mint and something else that only belongs to Micha. I pretend to be asleep, engulfed in a wonderful dream, refusing to wake up until he leaves. â€Å"I know you're awake,† he whispers in my ear. His voice is hoarse and his breath is stale with booze. â€Å"So open your eyes and quit avoiding me.† â€Å"You know it's illegal to walk into someone's house without permission,† I say with my eyes shut. â€Å"And sneaking into someone's bed – that's the move of a pervert.† â€Å"I didn't walk in. I fell in,† he says, amused. I pinch his firm chest and he laughs. â€Å"Now there's my feisty girl.† He brushes his soft lips across my forehead. â€Å"I've missed you, Ella May.† Opening my eyes, I wiggle in his arms. â€Å"Please don't start. It's too early.† His eyes are guarded and his hair is a mess. He chuckles lowly, a sound that ripples deep inside my core. â€Å"Pretend all you want, pretty girl. You and I know that deep down you're secretly glad to be pressed up to my body.† He urges our chests together as he snakes his legs around mine. My eyelids flutter against his warmth. God, I've missed this so much. Way too much and so has my body, evidently. â€Å"So where did you go?† he asks, crushing my moment of bliss. â€Å"To school in Vegas? Because it kind of surprises me. You never really liked school.† My mind snaps back to reality. â€Å"I don't want to get into this right now. I just want to have a relaxing summer and then I'm headed back to campus.† He blinks, his eyelashes fluttering against my forehead. The feel of him sends a warm tingle up my thighs and I seal my lips to keep from moaning. His eyebrows knit. â€Å"It's like you've been kidnapped by a bunch of nuns or something.† â€Å"Maybe I was,† I say submissively. â€Å"It wouldn't hurt anyone if I was.† He considers this and an artful smirk curves at his lip. â€Å"That's not true. Nuns can't have sex and I still haven't fulfilled my lifelong dream of having sex with you.† I open my mouth, my tongue locked and loaded with an equally perverted comeback, but I bite down, remembering I'm not that kind of a girl anymore. â€Å"I need to wake Lila up. She's got a long drive ahead of her.† With one swift roll, he has me pinned down beneath his body and my arms trapped above my head. His aqua eyes search mine and it's like staring at the endless ocean. He sucks on his lip ring, lost in thought. â€Å"You're going to tell me, pretty girl,† he asserts, tilting his head so his lips are next to my cheek. â€Å"You always tell me everything.† â€Å"Micha, please†¦.† I despise how breathless I sound. â€Å"You know why I left. You were there that night†¦ you saw me†¦ I can't do it again.† Anxiety claws up my throat and my muscles tense beneath the weight of his body. â€Å"Please let me up. I can't breathe.† He props up on his arms. â€Å"You could have talked to me, instead of running away. You know that.† I shake my head. â€Å"No, I couldn't. Not that time. That time it was different. You were part of the reason I had to leave.† â€Å"Because you kissed me?† he asks, dipping his voice to a husky growl. â€Å"Or because I found you that way†¦ that night.† I swallow the giant lump in my throat. The kiss was part of it. It was an earthshattering kiss, one that stole breaths, stopped hearts, and scared the shit out of me because it surfaced feelings I'd never felt before, ones that rendered me helpless. â€Å"I don't want to talk about it. Now get off of me.† I wiggle my arms between us and push on his chest. He sighs and rolls off me. â€Å"Fine, don't talk about it, but it doesn't mean you can run away from me again. I'll chase you down this time,† he threatens with a wink as he climbs off the bed, and the chain hooked to his studded belt jingles. â€Å"Get dressed and meet me out in the driveway. You have to go visit Grady today.† â€Å"No, thanks,† I decline and tug the blanket over my head. â€Å"And I told you last night I have stuff to do today. Besides aren't you hung over from last night? You were pretty wasted.† â€Å"Don't do that,† he says, aggravated. â€Å"Don't pretend like you have some deep insight into me anymore. You've been gone for eight months and a lot has changed.† I'm speechless. â€Å"Micha, I†¦ â€Å" â€Å"Come on, get out of bed. You're going to see Grady, whether you like it or not.† He yanks the blanket off me and tosses it on the floor, so I'm lying there in my plaid shorts and skin-tight tank top with no bra on underneath. He gives me a prolonged once over, with a dark, lustful glint in his eyes and goosebumps sprout all over my skin. I cover myself with my arms. â€Å"I'm not going to Grady's. I just got home and I have things to do.† â€Å"He's got cancer, Ella.† He backs for the door, tucking his hands into the pockets of his faded jeans. â€Å"So get your bratty, split-personality ass out of bed and go see him before you can't.† My arms fall to my sides as I sit up. â€Å"Why didn't anyone tell me?† â€Å"If you would have told someone where you were, we would have,† he says. â€Å"Although, I'm pretty sure your father knew where you were, he just wouldn't tell anyone.† I don't deny it. â€Å"Besides, I told you in the voicemail I left yesterday,† he says, glancing at my phone on the desk. â€Å"But I'm guessing you haven't listened to that?† I shake my head. â€Å"No, I was too surprised to see your number on the screen.† He bites on his lip ring, something he does when he's nervous. â€Å"Yeah, you should probably just delete that. I don't think you're ready for it yet.† My gaze moves to my phone. What the hell is on it? I climb out of bed, arching my back and stretching like a cat. â€Å"How bad is Grady?† He swallows hard. â€Å"He's dying, so you need to get dressed and let me take you to see him.† I begin to object, but rethink my initial stupidity. Grady is the one part of my past that I could never run from. At one point, he was like a father to Micha and me. I even called him from Vegas once, although I didn't tell him where I was. I nod. â€Å"Let me get dressed and I'll be out in a second.† â€Å"See you in a few.† He winks at me and vanishes into the hall, leaving the door wide open behind him. Lila quickly springs up from the trundle bed, clutching the sheet. â€Å"Oh. My. Hell. What was that about? I mean, he crawled in here through the window in the middle of the night, and just climbed into bed with you.† â€Å"That's what he does.† I open the window letting in the gentle breeze. Loose pieces of my hair dance around the frame of my face. â€Å"Oh, no.† Lila stretches her arms above her head. â€Å"What's wrong?† I reluctantly look at her. â€Å"I think someone might have confused your car for a canvas.† She jumps out of bed and elbows me out of the way to get a look at the damage done to her beautiful, nearly brand new Mercedes. â€Å"My poor baby!† I pull a skirt and a pink tank top out of my duffel bag. â€Å"Get dressed and we'll go check out the damage.† She pouts, looking like she might cry. â€Å"I can't drive it home like that. My parents will kill me.† â€Å"I know plenty of people who can fix it for you,† I say, opening the door. â€Å"Or I use to, but I'm sure it's all the same.† She nods and I go to the downstairs bathroom to change, avoiding the upstairs one. I turn on the shower so the mirror will fog up and hide my reflection. I comb my hair until it flips up at the ends naturally. Then I apply a light shade of lip gloss and head out the door, but run into my dad on the stairway. â€Å"When did you get here?† His breath smells like gin and his eyes are red. His cheeks have sunken in over the last eight months and his skin is wrinkled like leather with sores. He's in his late forties, but looks like he's pushing sixty. â€Å"Last night,† I tell him, taking his arm and helping him up the stairs. â€Å"I was in bed before you got home.† He offers me a pat on the back. â€Å"Well, I'm glad to have you home.† â€Å"I'm glad to be home,† I lie with a smile as we reach the top of the stairs. He moves his arm away from my hand and rubs the back of his neck. â€Å"Do you need anything? Like help carrying in your boxes?† â€Å"I think I can handle it on my own, but thanks.† I decline, sticking my arm out as he teeters toward the stairs. He nods and his eyes drift to the bathroom down the hall. He's probably thinking about how much I look like her. It hurts his eyes, at least that's what he told me the night I went to the bridge. â€Å"I guess I'll talk to you later then. Maybe we could go to dinner or something?† He doesn't leave me time to answer as he zigzags down the hall to his room, slamming the door shut behind him. My dad started drinking when I was about six, a few months after my mom got diagnosed with a bipolar disorder. His drinking habit wasn't that bad back then. He would spend a few nights at the bar and sometimes on the weekends, but after my mom died, beer and vodka took over both our lives. When I return to my room, Lila is dressed in a yellow sundress, with her blonde hair curled up and there is a pair of overly large sunglasses concealing her eyes. â€Å"I feel like crap,† she declares, putting her hands on her hips. â€Å"This place has that effect on most people.† I grab my phone, noting the flashing voicemail as I slip on my flip flops. We go outside, leaving the smoky air behind and step into the bright sunlight, surrounded by the scenery of rundown homes and apartments. The neighborhood is filled with motorcycle engines revving and far in the distance are the sounds of a lovers' quarrel and Micha is nowhere to be seen. A long time ago, it felt like home, back when street racing and running wild felt natural, but now I just feel lost. Lila starts biting at her fingernails as she gapes confoundedly at her car. â€Å"It looks worse up close.† I circle her car with my arms folded, assessing the damage. It looks like a fruit basket, only instead of being filled with fruit it's crammed with innuendos and colorful words. I'm on the verge of laughing for some reason. â€Å"They got you good.† She shakes her head. â€Å"This isn't funny. Do you know how much it's going to cost to fix this?† Lila's dad is a big shot lawyer over in California. Her parents are always sending her things like clothes, money, cars. She has never worked a day in her life and gave me a hard time for my waitressing job at Applebee's, begging me to take time off to go to parties. â€Å"So what do we do?† She chips at some green paint on the headlight with her fingernail. I point up the street. â€Å"There's an auto body shop not too far from here.† She glances down the road, which is covered in potholes and lined with filthy gutters. â€Å"But this is a Mercedes.† â€Å"I'm sure painting a car, no matter who the maker is, is all the same.† â€Å"But what if they do something to it?† â€Å"Like spray paint it again after they paint it?† I say sarcastically and she scowls. â€Å"Sorry. We'll find someone, okay? We can take it to someplace in Alpine. It's a little nicer over there.† â€Å"I can't drive it when it looks like this,† she complains, motioning at the car. â€Å"It's hideous.† â€Å"I'll drive it, then,† I offer my hand out for her to give me the keys. â€Å"Are you joking?† She pats the hood of her car. â€Å"This is my baby. No one drives it but me. You know that.† â€Å"I think your baby is in serious need of some plastic surgery.† Micha strides off the porch of his house and onto the driveway. He's changed into black jeans, a fitted grey t-shirt, and his blonde hair hangs in his eyes. Using his long legs, he jumps over the chain-linked fence between our yards. â€Å"I know the perfect place to get it fixed and it's here in town, so you won't have to drive it so far.† He gives Lila a wink. â€Å"I'm Micha, by the way.† â€Å"Hi, I'm Ella's roommate or old roommate anyway,† she says with a warm smile and slides her sunglasses down the brim of her nose. â€Å"We're not sure if we're sharing a dorm room next semester.† He presents her with his player grin. â€Å"Sharing a room with Ella? That had to be tough.† He shoots me a mischievous look, trying to get a rise out of me. She laughs and returns her glasses over her eyes. â€Å"No, she's a pretty great roommate, actually. She cleans and cooks and everything. It's like having my own house maid.† â€Å"Ella was always good at that stuff,† he agrees, knowing the real reason why. Even before my mom died, she was never good at taking care of the house. I had to learn how to take care of myself at a very young age, otherwise I'd have starved and rotted away in a rat-infested house. â€Å"So do you want me to take your car to that shop I was talking about? Like I said, it's really close.† â€Å"Yeah, that sounds great.† She shuffles her sandals against the concrete. â€Å"I'd rather go someplace close.† I mentally roll my eyes. Leave it to Micha. He can get any woman to contradict herself if he wants to. He swings his arm around my shoulder and kisses me on the forehead. â€Å"But I have to take pretty girl over here to see an old friend first.† â€Å"Please stop calling me that,† I beg. â€Å"I've never liked the nickname and you know that. I never even got why you called me it.† â€Å"And that's the appeal of it, pretty girl.† He tempts me closer to him and caresses my cheek with his lips, giving me a kiss that brings warmth to my skin. â€Å"Now are you ready to go see Grady? You can come, too, if you want†¦ is it Lila?† â€Å"Yeah, it's Lila. Lila Summers.† She offers her hand and Micha shakes it. â€Å"And sure I'll go. This place makes me a little nervous.† â€Å"Isn't your family expecting you to be home tonight?† I escape from underneath Micha's arm. â€Å"I'll text them and tell them I'm not leaving until tomorrow.† She retrieves her cell phone and scrolls through her contacts. â€Å"The car will be done by tomorrow, right?† â€Å"It's hard to say,† Micha says. â€Å"Ethan is the best, but a little slow.† Her head snaps up and there's delight in her eyes. â€Å"Ethan as in Ethan from the party last night? The one with the sexy hair and the really big hands?† Micha bites down on his lip, stifling a laugh, and flicks me a sideways glance. I can't help but smile. â€Å"Yep, that's the one,† he says. â€Å"Do you feel better about taking your car to him now?† â€Å"Well, yeah, if you think it's okay?† she checks. â€Å"I'm very picky about who works on my car or at least my dad is very picky about who works on it.† â€Å"It'll be fine,† he assures her with a wink. â€Å"I've never disappointed a girl yet.† â€Å"Oh yeah?† Lila laughs, glancing at me uneasily, like she's worried she's stepping on my territory. â€Å"So are we going to go or what?† A ping of jealousy pinches inside my chest. â€Å"Yep, let's go, beautiful.† Micha leads the way around the fence and up his driveway to the garage. When I step inside, my mouth falls open. Parked in the middle, between the walls lined with shelves and tools, is a shiny 1969 Chevy Chevelle SS. It's painted in a smoky black with a cherry red racing stripe down the center. â€Å"You finally fixed it up?† He pats the shiny flawless hood, his eyes sparkling with excitement. â€Å"I finally got around to it, after talking about it for four years.† His eyes find mine, seeking my approval. â€Å"So what do you think?† â€Å"It's kind of old.† Lila pulls a face at the car. â€Å"And really big.† â€Å"I thought you liked things big?† Micha teases. I punch him in the arm and he laughs. â€Å"Ow, I meant hands. Jeez get your mind out of the gutter.† I roll my eyes. â€Å"You did not, you pervert.† He shrugs, his eyes lustrous in the sunlight filtering through the gritty windows. â€Å"So what. It got you to lighten up, didn't it?† â€Å"Are we driving it to Grady's?† I opt for a neutral voice. He slips his keys out of his pocket and tosses them to me. â€Å"Yeah, go ahead. It's all yours.† I swiftly shake my head and throw the keys back at him, like they're scorching hot. â€Å"No thanks. I don't want to.† He cocks an eyebrow, looking sexy. â€Å"What do you mean you don't want to?† â€Å"I mean I don't want to drive it.† It nearly kills me to say it. I walk around the front of the car, open the door, and gesture for Lila to get in. â€Å"But it has a blown 572 Big Block in it,† he says astounded with the keys hanging loosely from his fingers. â€Å"How can you not want to drive it?† My insides twitch to drive it, but I won't buckle. â€Å"It's fine, Micha. I'd rather be the passenger.† â€Å"What does that mean? A blown big block or whatever you said?† Lila wonders as she walks to the side of the car. â€Å"Wait, are you guys talking cars? El doesn't like cars. In fact, she made us take the bus most of the time when we left campus.† â€Å"Oh really?† His tone implies otherwise. â€Å"That's news to me.† â€Å"It's a waste of gas,† I lie, attempting to mask the truth; that I miss it. The rush, the speed, the adrenaline high. Lila ducks inside the car and into the backseat. I climb into the passenger side and Micha opens the garage door. He revs up the engine, letting it rumble, teasing me, before backing down the driveway. â€Å"I'm starting to think that the Ella you knew isn't the same one as I know.† Lila buckles her seatbelt up. He spins the tires down the road. â€Å"I think you might be on to something Lila, because the one I knew loved cars. In fact she used to hang out in the garage all day with the guys while the other girls played with their hair and makeup.† He flashes me a dangerous grin. â€Å"She used to get all excited when we'd go racing.† No matter how hard I try to hinder myself from getting energized, I can't. Those hot summer nights, flying down the highway, neck and neck with another car, the rush soaring through my body. Micha trails his finger along my neck and rests it on my pulse. â€Å"You're getting excited just thinking about it.† His touch spreads a longing through my body. I swat his hand away, cross my arms, and focus on the window, watching the neighborhood blur by as he cruises over the speed limit. Micha shifts the gears and the engine thunders louder, begging to burn rubber. â€Å"Is it legal to be driving this fast?† Lila asks nervously. We glance back at her and she grips the edge of the leather seat. â€Å"It just seems like we're going really fast, especially in a neighborhood.† Micha holds my gaze resolutely as he downshifts and pumps up the rpms. â€Å"What do you think? Speed up? Or slow down?† I want to tell him to slow down, pull on my seatbelt, and look away, but a passion that was dead raves. He throttles the gas pedal, keeping his eyes on mine, venturing me to look away first. â€Å"Um†¦ I don't think this is a good idea.† Lila's voice is far away. The car surges faster down the narrow road and his eyes dare me to tell him to slow down and part of me wants to. Desperately. But as he shoves the shifter into the next gear, going faster and faster, my body pleads to let go. Suddenly, Lila screams, â€Å"Stop sign!† Micha's eyes sparkle like sunlight reflecting into the ocean. He slams on the brakes, squealing the car to a halt, and throwing us all forward. My hand shoots out and I brace myself from hitting the dashboard. â€Å"Are you crazy?† Lila's voice cracks as she situates back into the seat and realigns her dress over her legs. â€Å"What is wrong with you two?† Micha and I look at each other and my body is burning with a hidden desire that I won't admit exists. My heart beats in my chest, rock steady and alive again. For a second, I'm back in the place I lost. Then Micha ruins it. â€Å"See, the same old Ella still lives.† He grins arrogantly as he drives through the intersection. â€Å"She just needed a little push out.† I click the seatbelt locked, proving a point. â€Å"No, she doesn't. She's gone forever.† â€Å"Try all you want, but I'm bringing her back.† He bites his lip, refocusing on the street as he mutters, â€Å"I won't let that night ruin you forever.† But it did. It broke me into a million pieces and blew them away in the wind, like crumbled leaves. That night was one of the most incredible nights I've ever had. Then I quickly plummeted toward rock bottom.