Sci-Fi essays

Sci-Fi essays Science fiction is among the most versatile forms of writing. It can be a romance, a comedy, a war story, a drama, a mystery and as the recent film The Wild, Wild West proves, even a western. Take any literary classic add in a crazed robot bent on world destruction, and a space station the size of a small moon, and BAM! Its Sci-Fi. Science fiction belongs to a genre of writing called speculative fiction, which also includes fantasy. Perhaps the easiest way to define Speculative Fiction is all stories that take place in a setting contrary to known reality (Card 17). Which include: 1. Any story set in the future, beings future technologies cannot be known. 2. Alternate world stories, or stories set in a past that contradicts historical fact. 4. Stories set on earth before recorded history. 5. Stories that contradict a known or supposed law of nature. Stories set in worlds that follow our rules are Sci-fi. If it is set in an universe that doesn't follow our rules it's fantasy. Many sci-fi stories fall into several of the above categories. Star Wars for example takes place in an alternate world. It also has elements that contradict laws of nature, such as The Force, or sound in space. Other sf stories fall into only a single of the categories and to further confuse things some stories that fall into those categories are not consider sci-fi at all (Card 18) What would Star Wars be without the screeching of Tie Fighters, or buzz of proton torpedoes as they cut through space? Sometimes it becomes necessary for a writer to break scientific laws in order to appeal to the audience or for the story its self to work. Beings most writers don't expect their audiences to be astrophysicists, it is easy to fool them by bending the rules little bit. Which is okay beings the majority of readers are far more interested in the story itself than by making sure every sm ...

History of General Motors

History of General Motors General Motors (GM) is a multinational corporation with its headquarters situated in Detroit Michigan. The companys history dates back a couple of decades and entails a broad range of industrial activities worldwide.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on History of General Motors specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More General Motors history delves in motorized transportation, engineering and manufacturing (Barnhoorn, 2012, p. 45). The company was established in 1908 as a holding corporation. By 2012, General Motors had employed over 202,000 people. Today, the company has created employment for over 324,000 people worldwide. Besides, it has sold over 8.35 million cars globally (Chowdhury, 2014). The company sells its cars under different brands. The current brands include Vauxhall, Cadillac, Buick, and Chevrolet. Apart from selling cars, General Motors also distributes numerous non-automotive brands like Terex and Euclid . In 1930, General Motors ventured into the aeronautical industry. It purchased Fokker Aircraft Corp, which was an American company. Later, it bought Berliner-Joyce Aircraft. General Motors merged the two companies to establish General Aviation Manufacturing Corporation. Barnhoorn (2012) alleged, â€Å"Through a stock exchange, General Motors took controlling interests in North American Aviation and merged it with its General Aviation division in 1933† (p. 47). In 1948, General Motors pulled out of North American Aviation, and since then, it has never invested in the aircraft industry again. The company purchased both Electro-Motive Corporation and Winton Engine in 1930, changing their names to General Motors Electro-Motive Division (Barnhoorn, 2012). General Motors embarked on manufacturing diesel-propelled locomotives, which dominated the American railroads. The locomotives played an important role during World War II. General Motors got rid of the Electro-Motive division i n 2005. In 1932, General Motors established an ancillary company dubbed United Cities Motor Transport.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The company helped GM to â€Å"transform streetcar systems to buses in small cities† (Chowdhury, 2014, p. 129). Chowdhury (2014) alleged that in 1936, General Motors participated in a conspiracy aimed at eradicating streetcar system. According to Ready (2004), General Motors played a significant role in World War II. The corporation manufactured enormous quantities of aircrafts, cars, and armaments that the United States used during the war. Nevertheless, the war adversely affected General Motors global interests. The American, British, and Canadian branches were divided with each branch supporting the local government. Ready (2004) alleged that it became hard for the United States government to manage GM-owned compa nies in Germany. The German government took control of the companies and used them to manufacture weapons and vehicles. Chowdhury (2014) argued, â€Å"General Motors ranked first among the United States corporations in the value of wartime production contracts† (p. 130). The company’s William Knudsen helped President Roosevelt to manufacture and supply cars and weapons. On the other hand, the companys subsidiary in Britain contributed to making the Churchill tank. The tanks were helpful in the United Kingdoms operations in North Africa. General Motors participation in the World War II made it famous across the globe. The post-war period saw the company become the largest automobile enterprise in the United States (Galster, 2012). Additionally, the company’s revenue went high and significantly contributed to the United States’ gross domestic production. In 1953, Eisenhower appointed General Motors’ president (Charles Wilson) as Secretary of Defense. Charles Wilson declared that he was ready to protect the United States without considering if his decisions could affect General Motors (Galster, 2012).Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on History of General Motors specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More However, Charles confirmed that he did not envisage a situation where his decisions could affect General Motors. He believed that both the United States and General Motors shared common interests. Later, his sentiments were misinterpreted with some people arguing that Charles meant that the General Motors interests coincided with those of the country. In 1955, General Motors became the first company to remit the highest levies in the United States (Galster, 2012). In 1958, the branch differences within General Motors started to fade away as the company developed high-performance engines. The company introduced higher trim replicas like Pontiac Bonneville and Chevrole t Impala (Galster, 2012). The replicas were sold together concurrently other models, making it hard for customers to distinguish them. In 1961, Oldsmobile, Pontiac, and Buick came up with engines that were similar to Pontiac Bonneville and Chevrolet Impala. Hence, the models eliminated the differences that existed among the General Motors’ divisions across the globe. In 1960s, GM encountered stiff competition from other car companies. Therefore, it was forced to manufacture superior cars to remain competitive (Barnhoorn, 2012). For example, General Motors built Chevrolet Corvair to counter Volkswagen Beetle. Besides, after Ford Company made Falcon, General Motors responded by making Chevy II. In 1977, General Motors launched Chevrolet Vega to curtail import of cars from foreign companies. However, Chevrolet Vega’s inventive aluminum engine encountered numerous problems (Barnhoorn, 2012). General Motors stopped manufacturing Chevrolet Vega after realizing that the car w as not doing well in the market.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Even though General Motors continued to grow its market share from 1960s to 1980s, it suffered from product disagreement. Barnhoorn (2012) posited, It seemed that, in every decade, an important mass-production product line was launched with defects of one type or another showing up early in their life cycle (p. 61). Therefore, the company always had to make some adjustments to improve its products. However, it was hard to convince customers to purchase the improved products. For instance, General Motors launched Chevrolet Corvair in 1960s. At first, the car was received well (Rattner, 2010). Later, its unusual handling made customers to consider it unsafe. Later, General Motors improved the cars suspension system and made a number of improvements to make it safe. However, Chevrolet Corvairs reputation had been adequately ruined such that customers were not ready to purchase it. The 1970s was the era of the Vega. It started as a famous car, but the fame did not last for long. General Motors was affected by labor strife in its Ohio’s production plants. Hence, many customers felt that the company could not guarantee the safety of its cars (Rattner, 2010). In 1977, General Motors stopped manufacturing the Vega model since it was not doing well in the market. According to Rattner (2010), Oldsmobile’s turnover went up between 1970s and 1980s. It received affirmative reviews from customers. Besides, people had faith in its Rocket V8 engine. Rattner (2010) posited that Olds dislodged Plymouth and Pontiac as the third best selling trademark in the United States. The first two brands were Chevrolet and Ford. Increased recognition of Oldsmobile’s cars led to a significant challenge in 1977. Oldsmobile could no longer satisfy the market since the demand for V8 engine was higher than production capability. Hence, it started to equip its car models with Chevrolet 350 engines to meet the demand (Rattner, 2010). The majority of customers did not realize w hat Oldsmobile had done. However, many customers learnt that they had been short-changed when they took their cars for maintenance. They filed lawsuits, which crippled the General Motors’ reputation. People published disclaimers alleging that Oldsmobile was using engines manufactured by other General Motors divisions to assemble its cars. The disclaimers adversely affected GM status forcing the corporation to come up with a single unit for making car engines. Today, all its engines are built by GM Powertrain (Rattner, 2010). The history of General Motors is characterized by ups and downs. The company has encountered one crisis after the other. However, the management has always found ways to salvage the company. In 2010, the administration helped the company to overcome bankruptcy that saw it close the majority of its branches. The management restructured General Motors’ brand portfolio to help it compete with other established brands (Chowdhury, 2014). The company abo lished a number of nameplates like Saturn, Pontiac, Goodwrench, and Hummer. Besides, it removed the culture of embossing its mark of excellence on all its cars. According to Chowdhury (2014), General Motors has moved from a corporate-endorsed hybrid brand architecture structure, where GM underpinned every brand to a multiple brands corporate (p. 133). Indeed, it is hard for one to identify General Motors brand in the market. The majority of its brands do not bear a trademark. Moreover, the United States branch has purged the famous blue badge from its website. However, the Canadian branch still reveres the blue â€Å"badge†. Nowadays, General Motors has two superior brands that control its global development. They are Chevrolet and Cadillac. The Cadillac brand develops lavish cars that are aggressive and dominant (Chowdhury, 2014). Besides, General Motors is in the process of reviving other brands like Buick, Holden, Opel, Baojun, and Vauxhall to help it reach a wide customer base. References Barnhoorn, J. (2012). Recognize sustained competitive advantage: A comparison in the automotive industry out of an investors’ perspective. Delft: Delft University of Technology. Chowdhury, S. (2014). Strategic roads that diverge or converge: GM and Toyota in the battle for the top. Business Horizons, 57(1), 127-136. Galster, G. (2012). Driving Detroit: The quest for respect in the motor city. Pennsylvania: University of Pennsylvania Press. Rattner, S. (2010). Overhaul: An insider’s account of the Obama administration’s emergency rescue of the auto industry. New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Ready, D. (2004). The characteristics of great leader-builder companies. Business Strategy Review, 15(3), 36-40.

US COIN Campaigns in Philippines and Vietnam Research Paper

US COIN Campaigns in Philippines and Vietnam - Research Paper Example Finally, this paper will strive to highlight the lessons that US learnt from its past COIN campaigns in the form of two consecutive successes; one achieved in Iraq and the other in Afghanistan. Introduction Counterinsurgencies (COIN) are described as a common war tactic. Foe groups engaged in wars often use this particular tactic to identify and overcome insurgencies prior to their occurrence. The authoritative governmental military groups since time immemorial have organized COIN campaigns. However, its rudimental intention remains the same. COIN campaigns were majorly covered in H100 when the US Army used many tactics and strategies in Vietnam and the Philippines. Governmental forces took a considerable amount of time to frame winning strategies in the COIN campaigns in both cases. The focus on these COIN campaigns was to make devastating offensive operations to defeat the insurgency disclosed, develop cultural understandings with the foes and to apply competent intelligence in mit igating chances for future insurgency attacks. Nonetheless, the results obtained in both the COIN campaigns proved drastically different. Even though the COIN campaign against Filipino insurgencies was a success, the US Army failed to defeat Vietnamese insurgencies in H100 (Gentile, 2009). Certainly, there are certain aspects essential for framing COIN strategies and thus ensuring their overall success. For instance, a COIN strategy must include an in-depth understanding of the motives and the objectives of insurgencies along with cultural and religious aspects of both insurgents and local populace in a differentiated manner. It is vital that the COIN strategy complies with the legal aspects of performing a counterinsurgency. Correspondingly, governmental policies to...However, its rudimental intention remains the same. COIN campaigns were majorly covered in H100 when the US Army used many tactics and strategies in Vietnam and the Philippines. Governmental forces took a considerable amount of time to frame winning strategies in the COIN campaigns in both cases. The focus on these COIN campaigns was to make devastating offensive operations to defeat the insurgency disclosed, develop cultural understandings with the foes and to apply competent intelligence in mitigating chances for future insurgency attacks. Nonetheless, the results obtained in both the COIN campaigns proved drastically different. Even though the COIN campaign against Filipino insurgencies was a success, the US Army failed to defeat Vietnamese insurgencies in H100 (Gentile, 2009). Certainly, there are certain aspects essential for framing COIN strategies and thus ensuring their overall success. For instance, a COIN strategy must include an in-depth understanding of the motives and the objectives of insurgencies along with cultural and religious aspects of both insurgents and local populace in a differentiated manner. It is vital that the COIN strategy complies with the legal aspects of performing a counterinsurgency. Correspondingly, governmental policies to combat insurgencies with effective COIN campaigns also play an essential role (Corum, 2007).

Managerial work has been researched through a number of studies using Essay

Managerial work has been researched through a number of studies using a wide range of methods over the last four to five decades - Essay Example 90-112). They are key personalities whose effectiveness and proficiency provide congruence to expected practices and performance (Hales, 1986, pp. 90-112). They lead and define the behaviour and activities of an organisation to make it truly functional and fully attuned to the standard of quality performance (Hales, 1986, pp. 90-112). Managers will also ensure that all departments are working systematically and that human resources correlate as a disciplined team in accordance with organisational policies (Hales, 1986, pp. 90-112). Managers are constantly engaged in critical analysis to read trends, opportunities, methodologies, and determine the proper mechanism in responding to political, economic, social, technological, logistical, and environmental aspects in nurturing an organisation (Hales, 1986, pp. 90-112). ... iffer in their system of communications and try to be pliant with circumstances to be able to clearly interpret the implementation of corporate policies and internal systems (Hales, 1986, pp. 90-112). Managers that are deeply concerned with operations are performance-oriented in their supervision and are surrounded by a number of diverse managerial responsibilities (Hales, 2005, pp. 472-502). Some may practise a hierarchical system of direct supervision, individual managerial responsibility, and vertical accountability (Hales, 2005, pp. 472-502). But their operations are, however, con?ned to operational and human resource strategising (Hales, 2005, pp. 472-502). They maintain personal accountability in day-to-day operational flow and act using standard performance measures (Hales, 2005, pp. 472-502). They exercise responsibilities and authority to strengthen their core supervision and broaden their role in business management (Hales, 2005, pp. 472-502). They exemplify decisive change s as a result of necessary radical organisational change but they possess continued credible and wilful persistence of hierarchy and external supervision to manifest transformational system (Hales, 2005, pp. 472-502). They also work to strengthen their supervision by adopting stringent controls to attain growth in business operation with a greater range of accountability (Hales, 2005, pp. 472-502). Managers are also responsible for designating work; monitoring output and conduct; overseeing the functionality of equipment, safety and cleanliness of a company; dealing with unforeseen problems pertaining to staf?ng; managing disputes; providing counselling; monitoring documentations as well as providing supervision in operational aspects (Hales, 2005, pp. 472-502). They perform administrative

Hamlet Essay Example for Free

Hamlet Essay It comes over you like a weight, dropping, falling on your soul, weighting you down, and corroding away the happiness. Depression appears for many different reason, and comes with many different symptoms. Hamlet, a play by William Shakespeare, is the tragic story of a young prince’s journey of self-discovery as he struggles to overcome the tragic occurrences in his life: his father murdered by his uncle, and his mother who incestuously marries the killer. Hamlet is plagued with the responsibility of avenging his father’s death, and setting right the kingdom of Denmark, all while suffering from a severe melancholia. Hamlet acts crazy in an effort to fool people into letting their guards down, allowing him to seek out revenge. Hamlet is depressed, mourning the loss of his father and his mother’s betrayal. While Hamlet’s depression causes him to act out of character, acting on impulse, his madness is just a pretense to cover his true motives. Hamlets madness only manifests itself when he is in the presence of certain characters; his ability to use logic and reasoning reinforces his sanity. In mourning, Hamlet dresses in all black, refusing to celebrate his mothers wedding, and his uncle’s coronation. The recent events have caused Hamlet to lapse into a depression; grief has overwhelmed his spirit, he feels alone and betrayed by his mother. He cannot come to terms with his mother’s actions; he does not understand how she could so quickly forget his father and marry his uncle. So in conclusion Shakespeare’s play Hamlet and it’s main protagonist’s sanity are still subject to question. And I suppose we will never know the truth of the well being of Hamlet’s mind.

Saving Your Culture in America Essay -- Cultural Traditions Immigratio

Saving Your Culture in America Many people come to the United States for freedom and to live out the American dream.What is happening is many people are trying to â€Å"fit† in with the American ways that they lose a lot of their own culture by assimilating into the American society.By losing your culture you lose a part of yourself.Knowing about your history and learning about other people’s history can give you a greater understanding of other ethnic groups and in some ways enrich your life.By preserving your culture and learning about others, it will help you to understand people better.If more people did this communication would be better between the vast ethnic groups.And by learning all of this you learn a lot about yourself and who you are. My cultural background has helped me to understand who I am and how I am different in my own unique way because of my ethnicity.Both of my parents immigrated to the United States in the 70’s from the Philippines.My mother grew up in a well to do family where she was the youngest of seven children, while my fathergrew up in a middle class family where he was the second oldest of eight.They both lived comfortable lives with their respective families and wet to good schools where they were educated well and taught the English language. In the 70s my father came to the states with his family and they settled in Chicago, while my mother came to the U.S. with her sisters and they settled in Michigan.My father came to Michigan to visit relatives often and on one such occasion he met my mother.They fell in love and got married all in the span of a few months.After they were married they decided together to live in Chicago but they often commuted from Chicago to Michigan to visit my mothe... ...ges of Race." BorderTexts: Cultural Readings for Contemporary Writers. Ed. Randall Bass. Boston: Houghton-Mifflin, 1999. 400-410 Bray, Thomas J. â€Å"Memorial day and Multiculturalism. Detroit News 24 May 1998. 16 pars. 15 September 2000 <http://www.detnews.com/EDITPAGE/9805/24/bray.html> Cose, Ellis. â€Å"What’s White, Anyway?† Newsweek. 11 September 2000. <http://www.english.wayne.edu/kitchens/klan.html> Takaki, Ronald. â€Å"A Different Mirror† BorderText: Cultural Readings for Contemporary Writers. Ed. Randall Bass. Boston: Houghton-Mifflin. 1999. 589-596. Tan, Amy. â€Å"Mother Tongue† BorderText: Cultural Readings for Contemporary Writers. Ed. Randall Bass. Boston: Houghton-Mifflin. 1999. 11-15. â€Å"The Klan’s Fight for Americanism.† 1926 Pamphlet. 10 pars. 15 September 2000 <http://www.english.wayne.edu/kitchens/klan.html>

Canterville Ghost Summary Essay

The next morning, when the Otis family met at breakfast, they discussed the ghost at some length. The United States Minister was naturally a little annoyed to find that his present had not been accepted. â€Å"I have no wish,† he said, â€Å"to do the ghost any personal injury, and I must say that, considering the length of time he has been in the house, I don’t think it is at all polite to throw pillows at him,†Ã¢â‚¬â€œa very just remark, at which, I am sorry to say, the twins burst into shouts of laughter. â€Å"Upon the other hand,† he continued, â€Å"if he really declines to use the Rising Sun Lubricator, we shall have to take his chains from him. It would be quite impossible to sleep, with such a noise going on outside the bedrooms.† For the rest of the week, however, they were undisturbed, the only thing that excited any attention being the continual renewal of the blood-stain on the library floor. This certainly was very strange, as the door was always locked at night by Mr. Otis, and the windows kept closely barred. The chameleon-like colour, also, of the stain excited a good deal of comment. Some mornings it was a dull (almost Indian) red, then it would be vermilion, then a rich purple, and once when they came down for family prayers, according to the simple rites of the Free American Reformed Episcopalian Church, they found it a bright emerald-green. These kaleidoscopic changes naturally amused the party very much, and bets on the subject were freely made every evening. The only person who did not enter into the joke was little Virginia, who, for some unexplained reason, was always a good deal distressed at the sight of the blood-stain, and very nearly cried the morning it was emerald-green. The second appearance of the ghost was on Sunday night. Shortly after they had gone to bed they were suddenly alarmed by a fearful crash in the hall. Rushing down-stairs, they found that a large suit of old armour had become detached from its stand, and had fallen on the stone floor, while seated in a high-backed chair was the Canterville ghost, rubbing his knees with an expression of acute agony on his face. The twins, having brought their pea-shooters with them, at once discharged two pellets on him, with that accuracy of aim which can only be attained by long and careful practice on a writing-master, while the United States Minister covered him with his revolver, and called upon him, in accordance with Californian etiquette, to hold up his hands! The ghost started up with a wild shriek of rage, and swept through them like a mist, extinguishing Washington Otis’s candle as he passed, and so leaving them all in total darkness. On reaching the top of the staircase he recovered himself, and determined to give his celebrated peal of demoniac laughter. This he had on more than one occasion found extremely useful. It was said to have turned Lord Raker’s wig grey in a single night, and had certainly made three of Lady Canterville’s French governesses give warning before their month was up. He accordingly laughed his most horrible laugh, till the old vaulted roof rang and rang again, but hardly had the fearful echo died away when a door opened, and Mrs. Otis came out in a light blue dressing-gown. â€Å"I am afraid you are far from well,† she said, â€Å"and have brought you a bottle of Doctor Dobell’s tincture. If it is indigestion, you will find it a most excellent remedy.† The ghost glared at her in fury, and began at once to make preparations for turning himself into a large black dog, an accomplishment for which he was justly renowned, and to which the family doctor always attributed the permanent idiocy of Lord Canterville’s uncle, the Hon. Thomas Horton. The sound of approaching footsteps, however, made him hesitate in his fell purpose, so he contented himself with becoming faintly phosphorescent, and vanished with a deep churchyard groan, just as the twins had come up to him. On reaching his room he entirely broke down, and became a prey to the most violent agitation. The vulgarity of the twins, and the gross materialism of Mrs. Otis, were naturally extremely annoying, but what really distressed him most was that he had been unable to wear the suit of mail. He had hoped that even modern Americans would be thrilled by the sight of a Spectre in armour, if for no more sensible reason, at least out of respect for their natural poet Longfellow, over whose graceful and attractive poetry he himself had whiled away many a weary hour when the Cantervilles were up in town. Besides it was his own suit. He had worn it with great success at the Kenilworth tournament, and had been highly complimented on it by no less a person than the Virgin Queen herself. Yet when he had put it on, he had been completely overpowered by the weight of the huge breastplate and steel casque, and had fallen heavily on the stone pavement, barking both his knees severely, and bruising the kn uckles of his right hand. For some days after this he was extremely ill, and hardly stirred out of his room at all, except to keep the blood-stain in proper repair. However, by taking great care of himself, he recovered, and resolved to make a third attempt to frighten the United States Minister and his family. He selected Friday, August 17th, for his appearance, and spent most of that day in looking over his wardrobe, ultimately deciding in favour of a large slouched hat with a red feather, a winding-sheet frilled at the wrists and neck, and a rusty dagger. Towards evening a violent storm of rain came on, and the wind was so high that all the windows and doors in the old house shook and rattled. In fact, it was just such weather as he loved. His plan of action was this. He was to make his way quietly to Washington Otis’s room, gibber at him from the foot of the bed, and stab himself three times in the throat to the sound of low music. He bore Washington a special grudge, being quite aware that it was he who was in the habit of removing the famous Canterville blood-stain by means of Pinkerton’s Paragon Detergent. Having reduced the reckless and foolhardy youth to a condition of abject terror, he was then to proceed to the room occupied by the United States Minister and his wife, and there to place a clammy hand on Mrs. Otis’s forehead, while he hissed into her trembling husband’s ear the awful secrets of the charnel-house. With regard to little Virginia, he had not quite made up his mind. She had never insulted him in any way, and was pretty and gentle. A few hollow groans from the wardrobe, he thought, would be more than sufficient, or, if that failed to wake her, he might grabble at the counterpane with palsy-twitching fingers. As for the twins, he was quite determined to teach them a lesson. The first thing to be done was, of course, to sit upon their chests, so as to produce the stifling sensation of nightmare. Then, as their beds were quite close to each other, to stand between them in the form of a green, icy-cold corpse, till they became paralyzed with fear, and finally, to throw off the winding-sheet, and crawl round the room, with white, bleached bones and one rolling eyeball, in the character of â€Å"Dumb Daniel, or the Suicide’s Skeleton,† a _rà ´le_ in which he had on more than one occasion produced a great effect, and which he considered quite equal to his famous part of â€Å"Martin the Maniac, or the Masked Mystery.† At half-past ten he heard the family going to bed. For some time he was disturbed by wild shrieks of laughter from the twins, who, with the light-hearted gaiety of schoolboys, were evidently amusing themselves before they retired to rest, but at a quarter-past eleven all was still, and, as midnight sounded, he sallied forth. The owl beat against the window-panes, the raven croaked from the old yew-tree, and the wind wandered moaning round the house like a lost soul; but the Otis family slept unconscious of their doom, and high above the rain and storm he could hear the steady snoring of the Minister for the United States. He stepped stealthily out of the wainscoting, with an evil smile on his cruel, wrinkled mouth, and the moon hid her face in a cloud as he stole past the great oriel window, where his own arms and those of his murdered wife were blazoned in azure and gold. On and on he glided, like an evil shadow, the very darkness seeming to loathe him as he passed. Once he thought he heard something call, and stopped; but it was only the baying of a dog from the Red Farm, and he went on, muttering strange sixteenth-century curses, and ever and anon brandishing the rusty dagger in the midnight air. Finally he reached the corner of the passage that led to luckless Washington’s room. For a moment he paused there, the wind blowing his long grey locks about his head, and twisting into grotesque and fantastic folds the nameless horror of the dead man’s shroud. Then the clock struck the quarter, and he felt the time was come. He chuckled to himself, and turned the corner; but no sooner had he done so than, with a piteous wail of terror, he fell back, and hid his blanched face in his long, bony hands. Right in front of him was standing a horrible spectre, motionless as a carven image, and monstrous as a madman’s dream! Its head was bald and burnished; its face round, and fat, and white; and hideous laughter seemed to have writhed i ts features into an eternal grin. From the eyes streamed rays of scarlet light, the mouth was a wide well of fire, and a hideous garment, like to his own, swathed with its silent snows the Titan form. On its breast was a placard with strange writing in antique characters, some scroll of shame it seemed, some record of wild sins, some awful calendar of crime, and, with its right hand, it bore aloft a falchion of gleaming steel. Never having seen a ghost before, he naturally was terribly frightened, and, after a second hasty glance at the awful phantom, he fled back to his room, tripping up in his long winding-sheet as he sped down the corridor, and finally dropping the rusty dagger into the Minister’s jack-boots, where it was found in the morning by the butler. Once in the privacy of his own apartment, he flung himself down on a small pallet-bed, and hid his face under the clothes. After a time, however, the brave old Canterville spirit asserted itself, and he determined to go and speak to the other ghost as so on as it was daylight. Accordingly, just as the dawn was touching the hills with silver, he returned towards the spot where he had first laid eyes on the grisly phantom, feeling that, after all, two ghosts were better than one, and that, by the aid of his new friend, he might safely grapple with the twins. On reaching the spot, however, a terrible sight met his gaze. Something had evidently happened to the spectre, for the light had entirely faded from its hollow eyes, the gleaming falchion had fallen from its hand, and it was leaning up against the wall in a strained and uncomfortable attitude. He rushed forward and seized it in his arms, when, to his horror, the head slipped off and rolled on the floor, the body assumed a recumbent posture, and he found himself clasping a white dimity bed-curtain, with a sweeping-brush, a kitchen cleaver, and a hollow turnip lying at his feet! Unable to understand this curious The whole thing flashed across him. He had been tricked, foiled, and out-witted! The old Canterville look came into his eyes; he ground his toothless gums together; and, raising his withered hands high above his head, swore according to the picturesque phraseology of the antique school, that, when Chanticleer had sounded twice his merry horn, deeds of blood would be wrought, and murder walk abroad with silent feet. Hardly had he finished this awful oath when, from the red-tiled roof of a distant homestead, a cock crew. He laughed a long, low, bitter laugh, and waited. Hour after hour he waited, but the cock, for some strange reason, did not crow again. Finally, at half-past seven, the arrival of the housemaids made him give up his fearful vigil, and he stalked back to his room, thinking of his vain oath and baffled purpose. There he consulted several books of ancient chivalry, of which he was exceedingly fond, and found that, on every occasion on which this oath had been used, Chanticleer had always crowed a second time. â€Å"Perdition seize the naughty fowl,† he muttered, â€Å"I have seen the day when, with my stout spear, I would have run him through the gorge, and made him crow for me an ’twere in death!† He then retired to a comfortable lead coffin, and stayed there till evening.

‘Conflict is more often driven by self-interest than genuine sense of right and wrong.’ The Quiet American Essay

‘Conflict is more often driven by self-interest than genuine sense of right and wrong.’ â€Å"Show me a man who has no interest in his own good, and I’ll show you a man who is not in touch with his own humanity.† R. Alan Woods. Conflict can be driven by any emotion whether it be greed, love, hate or lust, after all conflict occurs merely when an individual feels something strong enough that they will not quell before opposition in violation of this emotion, because of this assessing the most frequent motive behind conflict could be investigated by asking the question; What emotion is the strongest and most frequent in humans? Doubtless, the answer to this question is relative to its target, a cynic might declare hate, a romantic love, a patriot pride; however all of these emotions can be elicited from both self-interest and a sense of infringement of a person’s moral code. Throughout the span of a humans life the one motive that remains central to a person’s approach on life is the desire to fulfil ones owns emotions and take care of one’s own interests, in Graham Greene’s the Quiet American both Thomas Fowler and Alden Pyle act based on personal interest despite the usual contrast of both their emotions and their actions. Fowler desires Phuong out of a sense of loneliness and longing for companionship, whereas Pyle desires Phuong out of the desire for a wife and a desire fulfil the responsibilities placed on him by his culture, allowing his life in his point of view to be considerably improved, albeit with the significant addition of the goal of making Phoung’s life better, which is also a manifestation of his own emotional need to rescue and help others, the fulfilling of which increases his emotional wellbeing. The desire to serve our own interest is the force that characterises most of our decisions, whether it is in the form of greater emotional comfort and wellbeing by standing up against an infraction in our moral code or the simple taking from the helpless for direct personal gain. It is for this reason, that conflict is more often driven by self-interest than a genuine sense of right and wrong. Catherine Susan â€Å"Kitty† Genovese was a New York City woman who was stabbed to death and repeatedly raped near her home. Investigations recorded 38 witnesses, none of whom attempted to assist Kitty personally and only one whom called the police, afterwards stating â€Å"I didn’t want to get involved† The incident of â€Å"Kitty† Genovese’s death exemplifies the extraordinary lengths that humans can go in an attempt to prevent self-loss even at the cost of another’s far more severe personal loss. By not acting these neighbors failed to stand up for their moral code and in doing so failed to act on behalf of what they presumably believed to be right at the cost of another s life, this also establishes the ability of self-interest to not only drive conflict in the way that self-interest allowed the event to occur on the side of the attacker, who was likely motivated by lust or anger, but to also discourage opposing action in bystanders out of a fear of personal loss. The actions the witnesses of â€Å"Kitty’sâ€Å" fate took mirror the attitude of a large degree of the human populations attitudes. Historically, few stand up for their beliefs and moral code at great personal risk, the strength of self-preservation Is too strong for most , for every â€Å"hero† that acts, hundreds of bystanders fail to act. The existence of â€Å"heroes† Itself is evidence that humans often fail to act in times of conflict, after all if there was more people who acted in times such as â€Å"Kitty’s† murder compared to those who failed to act then the heroic deeds of people such as Sophie Scholl who sacrificed her life for the sake of a moral principle would become commonplace, merely regarded as a slight extreme version of the normal reaction. Instead these people are revered for their courage, having books written and movies wrote about them, while these people likely deserve such images and their actions are evidence of either an increased emotional sensitivity or little direct self-interest it reflects very poorly on the rest of the populations courage and willingness to stand up for what they believe in. Behind every action is an corresponding emotion , meaning the intent of every action is to fulfil our emotion, not to respond to some moral code or the unfairness of life or the cruelty of another, acting on our emotions is in fact an almost entirely self-orientated activity .†People love others not for who they are but for how they make them feel† said Irwin Federman. When a man acts to shelter a child it is not the fact that the child is in harm’s way that drives him into sheltering the child, but the emotion that the man feels upon sight of an exposed child, in this way in order to commit actions without a self-driven motive a person needs themselves to either have no emotion or no emotional fulfilment, however exceptions to this could possibly be shown by the actions of individuals such as Hugh Thompson Jr, who risked his life for the sake of others’ lives through his actions in the Vietnam war, namely intercepting his own force in an attempt to circumvent the massacre of hundreds of innocents. It is possible however for an individual to enter conflict with an self-orientated aim and transition throughout the conflict into upholding moral principles and beliefs that may directly oppose the individuals initial viewpoint. Demonstrated best by Oskar Schindler these peoples sense of right and wrong eventually conquers the greed and self-interest they feel until they abandon the hope of gaining for themselves and embrace the hope of upholding what their moral code stipulates, Oskar Schindler entered the second world war initially motivated by profit but in a display of commendable tenacity and moral integrity saved over a thousand Jewish workers in defiance of the Nazi regime. The selfish nature of emotions also suggests that if emotions are the driving force of action and the individual fulfils the actions his emotions desire out of a need for emotional wellbeing then the majority of actions are driven by self-interest on one level or another, and that since conflict is the result of two opposing actions and that the motive of self-interest contains all other emotions and so in a way conflict can be driven by both self-interest and a genuine sense of right and wrong, that a majority conflict must be driven by self-interest. In conclusion, conflict is driven in the most part by self-interest but this is also true of almost every other action. The spectrum of emotions that self-interest encompasses is vast enough to include almost every emotion that an human can experience since actions are driven by emotions and conflict by both actions and emotions the cause of conflict can, in the majority of cases be traced back from the action to the emotion behind it to the drive that causes humans to fulfil the actions their emotions demand. This drive can be identified as self-interest, in this way almost all conflicts can be traced back to self-interest as both a catalyst and a driving mechanism

Homemade Dippin Dots Liquid Nitrogen Ice Cream

Homemade Dippin' Dots Liquid Nitrogen Ice Cream Dippin Dots consist of ice cream that has been flash frozen in liquid nitrogen. The process is actually really simple and makes a terrific project for kids. Heres how to make your own Dippin Dots ice cream. Dippin' Dots Ice Cream Materials Ice cream dots are produced by pouring ice cream into liquid nitrogen. The warmer ice cream mixture splatters upon contact with the nitrogen and freezes in shape. Liquid nitrogenIce cream (any flavor, but dont use an ice cream with mix-ins)Plastic, metal or wooden bowlWooden spoon Dippin dots is a popular ice cream frozen using liquid nitrogen. George Rose / Getty Images Make the Dippin' Dots! The Dippin Dots that you can buy come in lots of colors, which are made by adding multiple flavors of ice cream mix or melted ice cream to liquid nitrogen. If you want multicolored dots you will need to add more than one flavor of ice cream. Add the flavors one at a time. Dont melt them together or youll just get one color! Prepare ice cream mix or melt ice cream. If you are melting ice cream, allow it to sit for a while before continuing because you want the air bubbles in the ice cream to escape. If there is too much air in your ice cream it will float on the surface of the nitrogen and freeze in clumps rather than balls. If you are making your own ice cream, you can use whatever recipe you like. An easy version is to mix:4 cups heavy cream (whipping cream)1-1/2 cups half and half1 teaspoon vanilla extract1-1/2 cups sugar1/4 cup chocolate syrupDrizzle the melted ice cream or ice cream recipe onto the liquid nitrogen. If you are having trouble pouring the liquid, you can squirt the ice cream in using a baster or plastic ketchup bottle.Stir the nitrogen while adding the ice cream. You want to keep the ice cream from floating or clumping together. You can keep adding ice cream until there isnt room for any more.Scoop up the ice cream to eat it. Let it warm up to at least regular freezer temperature befor e putting any in your mouth or else it will stick to your tongue or the roof of your mouth! You can keep uneaten ice cream dots frozen by storing them in the freezer.

The DWT Freelance Writing Course Re-Opens Next Tuesday

The DWT Freelance Writing Course Re-Opens Next Tuesday The DWT Freelance Writing Course Re-Opens Next Tuesday The DWT Freelance Writing Course Re-Opens Next Tuesday By Daniel Scocco Pretty much every week we receive emails from readers asking when the Freelance Writing Course will take place again. Well, the time has arrived. Well be re-opening the doors next Tuesday, September 27. Its a 6-week program designed to give aspiring freelance writers all the knowledge and tools they need to start making money writing online. Over 400 students joined in the past, and the feedback has been terrific. Heres what some of them said about the course: Thank you for the course! It was more than worth the price tag. I actually remember thinking: They could be charging so much more for this. Why? Because there are thousands of websites and books with advice about freelance writing, blogs, content mills or running a business but I havent found one with such comprehensive look at everything, with the action steps to take me from dabbling to professional! This really helped me see all of the avenues I have open and choose the ones that are going to give me the biggest pay off in money and experience right now. Thanks again! (Jessica Vaughan, United States) I just wanted to let you know how much I enjoyed the online course. I have been researching content on how to establish a freelance writing career since earlier this year and your course provided information that I just havent been able to find anywhere else. Thanks for taking the time to develop this in a straight-forward and manageable fashion. (Yvonne Smith, United States) What you supplied has far exceeded my expectations, both in content and value for money. I congratulate you on a job well done. (Margaret Huggins, Australia) The course has jump started me into action. It has been a huge learning curve for me. Now I am blogging and this course has opened my eyes to the potential of blogging for a freelance writer! I found all the lessons helpful and practical, and help was always at hand in the private forum. The course is great value for money and I am motivated to move into gear now, something that I have not been in a while. (Carole Lynden, Canada) You can visit the course page (linked above) to get more information about the structure of the program, the topics covered, the bonuses included and so on. Well post an update once the doors are open and you can join, so stay tuned. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Freelance Writing category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:When to Use â€Å"That,† â€Å"Which,† and â€Å"Who†Select vs. SelectedGlimpse and Glance: Same or Different?

APPLIED INTEGRATED BUSINESS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

APPLIED INTEGRATED BUSINESS - Essay Example From the above, various companies use various methods to ensure their success through both employee and customer satisfaction. This is because employee and customer satisfaction are the keys to business success. The video shows a manager who does not put customer needs at the core. The lady at the reception informs him of the dissatisfied customer but he reluctantly comes without the feel of urgency required. When dealing with customers, their needs should be given priority for them to have a sense of importance (Roche & Self 2012, p. 67). Moreover, the manager should ensure customer needs are met at all costs. The customer at the reception is urgently in need of a room but the manager downplays this urgency and seems to be interested in having an affair with her. Managers should draw boundaries between their social and professional lives. More so, the managers should not involve their customers in their social life at all costs (Roche & Self 2012, p. 141). The welfare and the needs of all categories of customers should be catered for, and in the event that a mishap occurs, remedy measures should be taken within the shortest time possible. This does not seem to be the case with the manager who fails to courteously assist the person on the wheelchair who is locked out of a reception due to inaccessibility of the venue. Furthermore, managers should use polite language whenever dealing with their clients as well as their employees (Roche & Self 2012, p. 101). This is paramount in ensuring good customer relations and the employees transfer it to the customers. The manager fails to courteously address the receptionist upon being told of the customer who wants to speak to him. Though he says he is busy, he clearly is not as he is taking coffee while checking the local daily. Good customer and employee etiquette requires the manager to listen carefully to

Epicureans Definition of Pleasure Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Epicureans Definition of Pleasure - Essay Example Hence, Epictetus points out that we possess the capacity to function well in this area knowing that it would not lead to disappointment if we choose to cultivate any of such concerns since these occur spontaneously apart from restraint or external force that is not part of our conscious act. Then because only things within our control are subject to the actions of our choice and we are always in harmony with the willed act, it follows thus that we can bring them to cultivation to become those things that make us live a life of virtue. Epictetus particularly exemplifies â€Å"body, property, reputation, command† as things falling beyond our control and are held in possession by other human beings. This being the case, as we attempt to execute around them, then, we are more likely to acquire frustration for what we cannot control is well within the bounds of abilities employed by others whose thoughts, attitude, and goals in life are necessarily different from ours. The power we hope to apply in this regard is fleeting or temporary for by nature, there would emerge struggles in trying to gain something that bears no certainty toward real success. For instance, we may not attach ourselves fully to a property owned because once it is stolen or given over to destruction at a moment we are less able to keep watch of it, the unfortunate incident is going to cause us inevitable pain from which we would rather cultivate malice or hatred toward suspected individuals. This is chiefly the reason virtuous living cannot possibly be sought after perishable objects that are out of reach of our full control since they are more concrete compared to the immaterial principles that form our identity and beliefs which others can never claim ownership of. What we can control appears to dwell in our inner sense of being so that cultivating it serves a firm grasp of wisdom, and therefore, of virtuosity. (2) What sorts of relationships should we form with other people? How is thi s related to the issue of externals and judgment? Through a Stoic point of view, we ought to establish relationships on the basis of duties that make us recognize the essence of accountability and obligation without having to neglect the nature we seek with freedom. When we relate to others, we must not expect state of affairs that would favor our welfare even if such relations were biological and we could suppose too ideally as to hope for returns that are more than just. Other people are entitled to their own actions and so are we and on this ground, Epictetus encourages us to consider or give thought not about the wicked deed done to us by another person, instead, on the action we should take in order that we can remain disposed to acknowledge the treatment provided by our faculties regarding the person’s response. We have to accept externals as they are in nature for in this manner, we maintain the norm of keeping things settled in place. Here, we may not accuse others of wrongdoing or injustice upon us for whatever they take does not really belong to us and it is in how we prefer to see and judge their deed that brings about misery as long as we consume our energy grieving over losses in life and property that are not our own originally though we admit to having experienced them with frequency. Between a parent and a child, for example as Epictetus notes,