Wednesday, November 27, 2019

Nonmoral Nature Essays

Nonmoral Nature Essays Nonmoral Nature Paper Nonmoral Nature Paper In Stephen Jay Goulds Nonmoral Nature, he discusses nature, and the difference between cruelty in animals and humans, and explains how the same moral can not be applied for both. The order in which he presents the different points of view is very important. At the beginning he supports his writing with sources from scientists that are not famous. However, to close out his work, he uses the well-known scientist Darwin to leave a lasting impression on the reader. In this essay, Gould provides both sides of moral in animals as well as humans, and then gives his explanation, then lets the reader decide from his own point of view. According to Gould, morality in nature can be perceived from the existent power, wisdom and goodness of God instead of the no-God thesis of Darwin. If moral nature is different in animals and humans, and cruelty can not be applied to both at the same time, then a God can exist. When Reverend Francis Henry died in 1829, he left money to support a series of books by many writers on how the power, wisdom and goodness of God, [are] manifested in the creation (474). Gould, as many other writers did, wrote about morals in nature, and how it can not be applied to human morality. The example of the Ichneumon fly or wasp is brought up by many scientists. William Buckland explains how the female locates the appropriate host and converts it into food for the larva, which then grows inside, keeping the host alive, preserving intact the essential heart and central nervous system. Finally, the larva completes its work and kills its victim (476). Gould clarifies Darwins main theory, that for all the misery in the world, a God can not exist because he would not have created the Ichneumonidea (481). Furthermore, Gould cites scientists that have a different way of viewing cruelty in nature. Reverend William Kirb focused on the virtue of the mother love that is displayed by provisioning the young with such care (476). Mirvat also makes an argument based on the fact that the suffering of animals is different from the suffering of people. Mirvat states that suffering is connected to the mental condition of the sufferer, that we as humans see it differently, and that the more cultivated and refined men are, the more they suffer from recollection of past moments and anticipation of future ones (481). If moral nature can not be applied the same way in animals and humans, then an all-powerful God may perhaps exist. Goulds writing is very effective because he has a strong argument supported by strong evidence and logic. Science who knows much about this topic in an English class? Gould wasnt limited by this. Although science sometimes can have words that are not regularly used in universal English, the clarity needed to understand these complex concepts is offered by Gould through explaining the scientific word used right after using it. For instance, The ichneumon fly ichnemonoidea are a group of wasps, not flies, that include more species than all the vertebrates combined (475). Even though advanced biology terms and Latin classification are used to identify his subject matter, the explanation of the word teaches the audience the new word so that it might have understanding of the area under discussion. Furthermore, Nonmoral Nature is a very controversial matter that many scientists have written on. For the improvement of the reader, since science might not be his or her strongest ability, and the knowledge on the subject might be limited, Gould introduces the matter by quoting other scientists who have studied the issue before. This is very effective since the readers do not feel unintelligent while reading about a subject that is unknown to them. Gould makes the interpretation flow easily from one paragraph to the next one, helping the reader understand the general concept as well as his ideas. To illustrate, Gould quotes William Buckland to show what the big controversy is by presenting his thesis by questioning if God is good, why are we surrounded with pain, suffering, and apparently senseless cruelty in the animal world? (474). Moreover, Gould points up William Kirby, who in the same situation focused instead upon the virtue of the mother love displayed by wasp in provisioning their young with such care (479). Gould is very effective by teaching the readers about the subject, and then explaining his point. This way the reader feels part of the essay and has an opinion, and by being part of this dissertation the reader gains understanding. Equally important for the reader is the understanding and creating of ones own ideas on the area under discussion. Logic through critical thinking is what in fact makes the difference between an effective essay and a vain one. The way Gould uses the words and his sources helps the audience to make its own judgment on the subject. This was very effective in the nineteenth century when he first wrote the essay as well as nowadays. The reader wants to feel smart and able to make a personal resolution, without the author having all the influence. For instance, at the end of the essay Gould quotes Darwin as he says; Let every man hope and believe what he can (484). This was a good strategy because Gould was telling the readers that they were intelligent enough to make their own judgment on the subject. Gould inspires the readers to look at the facts that he gathered and find their own conclusion on moral nature. This was done in a very effective way because the reader learns to understand Goulds writing instead of judging his ideas, and after doing that the readers decide what their hopes and beliefs are. Consequently, because of the techniques used by Gould in this essay, it was easy for the reader to understand the subject as well as the point he was trying to make. If either non-God believers or Christians that believe in the power, wisdom and goodness of God, as manifested in the creation, read this essay, they would not feel harassed. The way that Gould looks at morality is to unlock a new idea for the people without forcing them to believe it. The essay was tremendously effective through the use of support to his writing. In fact, the support of his thesis with the ideas of more distinguished scientists at the end leaves a lasting impression on the reader. As Darwin said; Let every man hope and believe what he can (484). Gould lets the reader hope and believe what he can. Gould, Stephen Jay. Nonmoral Nature. A World of Ideas Essential Readings for College Writers. By Lee A Jacobus. Bedford: St. Martins, 2002. 471-484. Rpt. in A World of Ideas Essential Readings for College Writers.

Saturday, November 23, 2019

Almost, But Not Quite

Almost, But Not Quite One of the most popular features on this site has been the list of false friends, those words that look the same or almost the same as English words but have different meanings. However, such words arent the only dangerous ones for those who believe (usually correctly) that knowing English gives them a head start on Spanish vocabulary. For there also are a number of words that might be called fickle friends, words that are roughly synonymous with English words but have a different connotation, or that are synonymous some of the time but not always. These words can be confusing to anyone with a knowledge of English who is speaking Spanish as a second language. (Although technically not accurate, false friends are often referred to as false cognates. Presumably, that would make fickle friends known as partial cognates.) To take an extreme example of a fickle friend, one so extreme it is on the list of false friends, look at molestar, which is related to the English verb to molest. In English, the verb can mean to bother, which is its Spanish meaning, as in the sentence they continued on their journey unmolested. But far more often, almost always, the English word has a sexual connotation that is absent in Spanish. Many of the words on the following list are something like that, in that they have a meaning similar to an English one but often mean something different. Translating them as the English cognates may make sense some of the time but frequently it wont. Accià ³n: It is usually synonymous with action in its various meanings. But to a stock broker it can also mean a share, and to an artist it can be posture or pose. Adecuado: This word can mean adequate in the sense of being appropriate. But adequate can have a negative connotation that adecuado doesnt. Its usually better to translade adecuado as suitable or fitting. Admirar: It can mean to admire. But it frequently means to surprise or to astonish. Afeccià ³n: Once in a while, this word does refer to a fondness toward somebody or something. But far more commonly it refers to a disease or some other sort of medical condition. Better words for affection are another cognate, afecto, and a separate word, carià ±o. Agonà ­a: Nobody wants to be in agony, but the Spanish agonà ­a is much worse, usually suggesting that someone is in the final stages of death. Americano: The understanding of this word varies from place to place. If youre from the United States, its safest to say soy de los Estados Unidos. Aparente: It can mean the same as the English apparent. However, the Spanish usually carries a strong implication that things arent what they appear to be. Thus, aparentemente fue a la tienda would usually be understood not as he apparently went to the store but as it appeared like he had gone to the store but he didnt. Aplicar: Yes, this word does mean apply, as in applying an ointment or a theory. But if youre applying for a job, use solicitar (although there is some regional usage of aplicar). Similarly, an application for a job or something else you would apply for is a solicitud. Apologà ­a: The Spanish word doesnt have anything to do with saying youre sorry. But it is synonymous with the English word apology only when it means a defense, as in a defense of the faith. An apology in the usual sense of the word is excusa or disculpa. Arena: In sports, arena can refer to an arena. But it is more commonly used as the word for sand. Argumento: This word and its verb form, argumenta r, refer to the type of argument a lawyer might make. It can also refer to the theme of a book, play or similar work. On the other hand, a quarrel could be a discusià ³n or disputa. Balance, balanceo, balancear: Although these words can sometimes be translated as balance, they most often refer to a swinging or oscillation. Words with meanings more closely related to the English balance include balanza, equilibrio, saldo, equilibrar, contrapesar  and saldar. Cndido: Although this word can mean frank, it more often means naively innocent. Colegio: The Spanish word can refer to almost any school, not just ones that provide university-level classes. Collar: This word is used when referring to the collar a pet (such as a dog) might wear, and it also can refer to a ringlike mechanical item known as a collar. But the collar of a shirt, jacket or similar type of apparel is a cuello (the word for neck). Collar can also refer to a necklace or similar item worn around the neck. Conducir: It can mean to conduct or (in the reflexive form conducirse) to conduct oneself. But it more often means to drive or to transport. For that reason, a conductor on a train (or other veh icle) is the person in the driving seat, not someone who handles tickets. Confidencia: Its meaning is related to the English meaning of confidence as a secret. If youre referring to trust in someone, confianza would be more appropriate. Criatura: Most commonly it means creature or being, including humans. But it is also commonly used to refer to babies and even to fetuses. Debate: This word often does refer to a debate, particularly one in a legislative body. But it also frequently refers to a discussion, one that doesnt have to include opposing viewpoints. Defraudar: This verb doesnt have to imply wrongdoing. Although it can mean to defraud, it more often means to disappoint. Demandar: As a legal term only, demandar and the noun form, la demanda, are similar to the English demand. But to demand something in a less formal situation, use exigir or exigencia. Direccià ³n: It usually means direction in most of the ways it is used in English. But it is also the most common way of referring to a postal or email address. Discusià ³n: The Spanish word often ca rries the connotation that a discussion has become heated. Alternatives include conversacià ³n and debate (which doesnt have to refer to a formal debate). En efecto: This phrase can mean in effect. But it also can mean in fact, not quite the same thing. Estupor: In medical usage, this word refers to a stupor. But in everyday meaning it refers to a state of amazement or astonishment. Usually the context will make clear what meaning is meant. Etiqueta: It can refer to etiquette and the requirements of formality. However, it also frequently means tag or label. The verb form, etiquetar, means to label. Excitado: This adjective can be synonymous with excited, but a closer equivalent is aroused - which doesnt necessarily have to do with sexual overtones but usually does. Better translations of excited include emocionado and agitado. Experimentar: This is what scientists and other people do when theyre trying something out. However, the word also often means to suffer or to experience. Familiar: In Spanish, the adjective is more closely connected with the meaning of family than in English. Often a better word to use for something youre fami liar with is conocido (known) or comà ºn (common). Habitual: The word often does mean habitual and it is a common translation for the English word. But it can refer to something that is normal, typical or customary. Hindà º: Hindà º can refer to a Hindu, but it can also refer to someone from India regardless of the persons religion. Someone from India can also be called an indio, a word also used to refer to indigenous people of North and South America. An American Indian is also often called an indà ­gena (a word both masculine and feminine). Historia: This word is obviously related to the English word history, but it is also similar to story. It can mean either one. Honesto: It can mean honest. But honesto and its negative form, deshonesto, more often have sexual overtones, meaning chaste and lewd or slutty, respectively. Better words for honest are honrado and sincero. Intentar: Like the English cognate, it can mean to plan or want to do something. But it also is frequently used to indicate more than a mental state, referring to an actual attempt. It thus is often a good translation for to try. Intoxicado, intoxicar: These words refer to almost any kind of poisoning. To refer specifically to the symptoms of alcohol poisoning, use borracho or any number of slang terms. Introducir: This verb can be translated as, among other things, to introduce in the sense of to bring in, to begin, to put or to place. For example, se introduce la ley en 1998, the law was introduced (put in effect) in 1998. But its not the verb to use to introduce someone. For that purpose, use presentar. Marcar: While it usually means to mark in some way, it also can mean to dial a telephone, to score in a game, and to notice. Marca is most often brand (with origins similar to the English trademark), while marco can be a window frame or picture frame. Miserà ­a: In Spanish, the word more often carries the connotation of extreme poverty than does the English misery. Notorio: Like the English notorious, it means well-known, but in Spanish it usually doesnt have the negative connotation. Opaco: It can mean opaque, but it can also mean dark or gloomy. Oracià ³n: Like the English oration, an oracià ³n can refer to a speech. But it also can refer to a prayer or a sentence (in the grammatical sense). Oscuro: It can mean obscure, but it more often means dark. Parientes: All of ones relatives are parientes in Spanish, not just parents. To refer to parents specifically, use padres. Peticià ³n: In English, petition as a noun most often means a list of names or a legal demand of some sort. Peticià ³n (among other words) can be used as a Spanish translation in such cases, but most often peticià ³n refers to almost any kind of request. Pimienta, pimiento: Although the English words pimento and pimiento come from the Spanish words pimienta and pimiento, they arent all interchangeable. Depending on region and speaker, the English terms can refer to allspice (malageta in Spanish) or a type of sweet garden pepper known as pimiento morrà ³n. Standing alone, both pimiento and pimienta are general words meaning pepper. More specifically, pimienta usually refers to a black or white pepper, while pimiento refers to a red or green pepper. Unless the context is clear, Spanish usually uses these words as part of a phrase such as pimiento de Padrà ³na (a type of small green pepper) or pimienta negra (black pepper). Preservativo: You might find yourself embarrassed if you go to a store and ask for one of these, because you could end up with a condom (sometimes referred to as a condà ³n in Spanish). If you want a preservative, ask for a conservante (although the word preservativo is also used at times). Probar: It can mean to probe or to test. But it is frequently used to mean to taste or to try on clothes. Profundo: It can have some of the meanings of the English profound. But it more often means deep. Propaganda: The Spanish word can have the negative implications of the English word, but it often doesnt, simply meaning advertising. Punto: Point often works as a translation of this word, but it also has a variety of other meanings such as dot, period, a type of stitch, belt hole, cog, opportunity, and taxi stand. Real, realismo: Real and realism are the obvious meanings, but these words also can mean royal and regalism. Similarly, a realista can be either a realist or a royalist. Fortunately, realidad is reality; to say royalty, use realeza.Relativo: As an adjective, relativo and relative are often synonymous. But there is no Spanish noun relativo corresponding to the English relative when it refers to a family member. In that case, use pariente.Rentar: In some areas of Latin America, rentar can indeed mean to rent. But it also has a more common meaning, to yield a profit. Similarly, the most common meaning of rentable is profitable.Rodeo: In the right context, it can mean rodeo, although there are differences between the typical rodeos of the United States and of Mexico. But it can also mean an encirclement, a stockyard, or an indirect path. Figuratively, it also can mean an evasive reply, a beating around the bush.Rumor: When used in a figurative sense, it indeed does mean rumor. But it als o often means a low, soft sound of voices, commonly translated as murmurring, or any soft, vague sound, such as the gurgling of a creek. Soportar: Although it can be translated as to support in some usages, it often is better translated as to tolerate or to endure. Some of the verbs that are better used to mean to support include sostener or aguantar in the sense of supporting weight, and apoyar or ayudar in the sense of supporting a friend.Suburbio: Both suburbs and suburbios can refer to areas outside a city proper, but in Spanish the word usually has a negative connotation, referring to slums. A more neutral word to refer to suburbs is las afueras.Tà ­pico: This word usually does mean typical, but it doesnt have the negative connotation that the English word often has. Also, tà ­pico often means something along the lines of traditional or having the characteristics of the local area. Thus if you see a restaurant offering comidas tà ­picas, expect food that is characteristic for the region, not merely typical food.Tortilla: In Spanish, the word can refer not only to a tortilla but also to an omelet.Último: Alt hough something that is the best can be referred to as lo à ºltimo, the word more commonly means last or most recent. Vicioso: Although this word is sometimes translated as vicious, it more often means depraved or simply faulty.Violar, violador: These words and words related to them have a sexual connotation more often than they do in English. While in English a violator may simply be someone who drives too fast, in Spanish a violador is a rapist.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Summary3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Summary3 - Essay Example In other words, the fear of losing is triggered by competition with others and the attachment to the value of an item. This is the kind of competition that is there in the society. There will always be competition between countries, groups, and individuals. However, it would be important for businesses and marketers to create a social environment which would encourage natural competitive instincts instead of forcing people to act of fear. The outcome of such an environment would be an increase in the level of the audience engagement, which will enhance the value of the products and services. It is not hard to create such social environment to ensure health competition (Maki). People should be allowed to form sub-groups where they can pursue different levels of interests. Open competitions helps everyone to participate and facilitate inter-user contact. Thus for any business or individual engaging in such kind of businesses where competition is involved, the best solution is to create a social environment that is conduce for the overall objectives of the business. Maki. Fear of Losing: Using Competitive Instincts to Your Advantage. (2008). Retrieved on 15th November 2014 from

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Technology managment vs. Traditional managment Essay

Technology managment vs. Traditional managment - Essay Example Technological Management involves developing an understanding of technology and its impact on all areas of an industry, its members and their activities. Technological Management includes: goods and services; production processes; information and communications; transport and distribution; society, politics and economics. "Technology Management may be more appropriately characterized as a "discipline" than a "field." (Article,). So, technology management is aimed to coordinate only a technological process in contrast to traditional management which coordinates all levels of the organizational structure including their interaction and performance. In contrast to technology management, traditional management concerns with managing those resources of an enterprise that are required to produce the goods or services to be sold to consumers or other organizations. The balance of power has undoubtedly shifted to traditional management who now has more choice over how it conducts relationships with their employees and process. The main functions of traditional management in industrial relations objectives are: control the work process; secure cost-effectiveness; reassert managerial authority; move towards a more unitary and individualistic approach (Boone, Kurtz, 1992).

Sunday, November 17, 2019

United States after World War II Essay Example for Free

United States after World War II Essay The influence of the United States over political and economic affairs worldwide sharply decreased after World War II. US officials found this psychologically difficult to accept, given their country’s key role in the war. Jeffery E. Garten further elaborated on this sentiment: â€Å"Part of America’s outdated self-image is still related to the memory of the Pax Americana, the era of omnipotence for the twenty years following World War II†¦These were very special years in the American experience, to be fondly remembered, even cherished. But they were, looking back, a transition period†¦We need to find a way to put these years and what they represent behind us† (Paarlberg, 1995). As far as Garten knew, the US clearly had difficulty in coming to terms with its changing position in the world. As a result, outward-looking internationalism dominated US policymaking after World War II. This trend was most visible in the post-World War II history of US relations with other countries. After World War II, US foreign policy broke away from its historical tradition of avoiding permanent diplomatic alliances. This departure had a strong impact on American politics and economy (Paarlberg, 1995). The US Economy after World War II US foreign policy conventionally espoused inward-looking diplomatic neutrality beyond the Western Hemisphere and parts of the Pacific. In the 1930s, the US Congress passed three separate neutrality acts, which legally prohibited the US from taking sides in the military or diplomatic disputes of Europe or Asia. It was not until the Great Depression that protectionism was discredited through the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act of 1930. However, this law faced strong opposition from industrialists and political partisans. These parties believed that the domestic market was large enough to accommodate certain amounts of trade protection and corporate parochialism (Paarlberg, 1995). Unusual Economic Supremacy Right after World War II, a period when rival economies in Europe were exhausted and destroyed, the US was enjoying a strong economy and was even strengthening its technological superiority. High production demands during the war increased the country’s Gross National Product (GNP) by 50% in real terms. By 1950, the US economy was 5 times larger than that of the Soviet Union and 10 times than that of Japan. In sharp contrast, World War II reduced Western European economies by 25% (Paarlberg, 1995). The US economic boom continued after the war through unilateral military and economic policy initiatives, such as the Truman Doctrine (March 12, 1947) and the Marshall Plan (July 12, 1947). These strategies allowed the US to dominate political reconstruction in both West Germany and Japan, as well as the establishment of American naval and air forces across the Atlantic and the Pacific. Allies and defeated adversaries alike were offered economic advantages such as grants, technical assistance, credits and market access – without immediate repayment or demands for perfect reciprocity. The US dollar replaced gold as an international key currency, allowing the US to dominate international financial institutions like the International Monetary Fund – World Bank (IMF-WB) (Paarlberg, 1995). The Ideology of the Cold War The US did not carry out these measures without any underlying economic or security motives. Perceived threats of Stalinism (and later Maoism) prompted the American government to secure its political, economic and military influence overseas. The relative power of the US Congress was weakened in order to give the US President unprecedented peacetime authority over the deployment and use of both conventional and nuclear weapons, as well as unsupervised clout over the clandestine operations abroad of the then-newly-established Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). Nations who were previously wartime allies suddenly found themselves fighting one another simply because they were at the opposite ends of the Cold War ideological fence (Paarlberg, 1995). Communism versus Capitalism: The Consolidation of Power At the height of the Cold War, both the US and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) scrambled to find foreign allies that will espouse their respective ideologies. Countries that were allied either with the US or the Soviet Union received generous political, economic and military aid. There were even leaders from these nations that rose to power through US or Soviet backing. The Cold War was not just an â€Å"arms race† but an ideological struggle as well. The Soviet Union. Beginning in 1945, governments across Eastern Europe were characterized with â€Å"people’s democracies† or Soviet-type regimes that had a Communist form of domestic administration and whose foreign policies were dictated by the USSR. These â€Å"people’s democracies† isolated and destroyed opposing political factions, expropriated large land holdings, instituted collective farming (except in Poland) and nationalized almost all industries. Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia, Albania and East Germany were eventually included into the Soviet Union. With the cooperation of these countries, the USSR founded the Communist Information Bureau (Cominform). However, Yugoslavia was expelled from the Cominform in 1948 due to Yugoslavian President Josip Broz Tito’s resistance against Soviet interference in his country’s affairs (MSN Encarta, 2008). The US The US countered by establishing right-wing monarchial and military dictatorships in Asia, Africa, Europe and Latin America starting from the 1960s. In Africa, it backed the oppressive regimes of Idi Amin in Uganda (1971), King Hassan II in Morocco (1961) and Mobutu Sese Seko in Zaire (1965). In Asia, US-engineered dictatorships included those of Ngo Dinh Diem in South Vietnam (1955), Park Chung Hee in South Korea (1961) and Pol Pot in Cambodia (1975). In Latin America, Augusto Pinochet of Chile (1973), Francois and Jean-Claude Duvalier of Haiti (1957 and 1971, respectively) and Nicaragua’s Anastacio Somoza Garcia (1937) and Anastacio Somoza Debayle (1956). In Europe, the US sponsored the governments of Spain’s Francisco Franco (1939) and Greece’s George Papadopoulos (1967) (Bernstein and Sydell, 1995). American Policies and Practices in International Relations (Late 1940s – Mid-1950s) The US radically increased its defense spending from the late 1940s to the mid-1950s due to the Cold War and the spread of Communism in Korea, Eastern Europe and China during the said period. Companies, particularly those related with the defense industry, saw this as an opportunity for immense profits. However, over-reliance of American enterprises on defense contracts resulted in the emergence of the military-industrial complex (MIC). The MIC, in turn, heavily influenced US foreign policy from the late 1940s to the mid-1950s (Schultz, 1999). The Military-Industrial Complex (MIC) The increase in the federal government’s military spending prompted enterprises to do business with the US Department of Defense. There were at least 40,000 defense contractors working for the federal government by the mid-1950s, providing services such as the manufacturing of uniforms, weapons and ammunition. Universities and technology-related firms were used as research and development departments, wherein new weapons and fighting strategies were created. By the 1970s, the US Department of Defense had surpassed the 75 largest corporations in America in terms of economic assets. This led to criticisms that the US was building a permanent â€Å"war economy† (Schultz, 1999). In order to sustain this â€Å"war economy,† the US government had no choice but keep on waging wars with other countries. When the US economy underwent a recession in 1956, President Dwight Eisenhower responded by boosting the defense budget (Schultz, 1999). He likewise staged a number of armed conflicts with other nations. Hence, Eisenhower’s administration was known for disputes such as clashes with Red China over Taiwan (1955) and the Berlin Crisis (1959) (MSN Encarta, 2008). Conclusion The US is still living under the illusion of Pax Americana – a new world order wherein every nation on earth is subservient to American interests. As a result, it used Pax Americana to get away with imperialism and violating the rights of other nations to self-determination. The US must realize that if it is entitled to liberty and justice, the same holds true for other countries. Real freedom and prosperity can never be attained through political and economic interference, as well as through military aggression. References Bernstein, D. Sydell, L. Third World Traveler. (1995). Friendly Dictators. Retrieved August 31, 2008, from http://www. thirdworldtraveler. com/Dictators/Friendly_Dictators. html MSN Encarta. (2008). Dwight D. Eisenhower. Retrieved August 31, 2008, from http://encarta. msn. com/encyclopedia_761554032/Eisenhower. html#s1 MSN Encarta. (2008). Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. Retrieved August 31, 2008, from http://encarta. msn. com/encyclopedia_761553017/ Union_of_Soviet_Socialist_Republics. html Paarlberg, R. (1995). Leadership Abroad Begins at Home: US Foreign Economic Policy After the Cold War. Washington, D. C. : Brooklings Institution Press. Schultz, S. K. University of Wisconsin System. (1999). The 1950s: The Cold War and the Affluent Society. Retrieved August 31, 2008, from http://us. history. wisc. edu/hist102/lectures/lecture24. html

Friday, November 15, 2019

Incredible Galileo Essay -- Catholic Church, Scientific Method

Stillman Drake, the author of Discoveries and Opinions of Galileo, describes Galileo's opposition as â€Å"... professors who regarded the new method as injuries to philosophy and by priests who believed the new criterion of truth to be inimical to religion.† Drake is accurate in his statement that the opposition put forward by Galileo's accusers was regarded as an injury to philosophy, but Galileo's opposition focused primarily on the need to check unbridled spirits about the judgment and interpretation of holy scripture; in addition Galileo's opposition and defense also had undeniable scientific and epistemological aspects. Moreover I argue that Galileo in return created an argument that focused upon his belief that scientific discovery should not be held in the jurisdiction of the catholic church, that the core of Galileo's argument revolves around his belief that the components of a new â€Å"scientific method† and the new criterion of truth should not be he ld under church scrutiny. During a time of protestant reformation, the Catholic Church convened the Council of Trent (1545-1563) in order to maintain orthodoxy among the people. The Catholics primarily focused on traditional and appropriate individuals of the church to interpret holy scripture whereas the protestant reformation preached individual pluralistic interpretation, thus threatening the catholic church and causing the church to become highly sensitive. (12) In the year 1954, the council decreed that â€Å"...no one relying on his own judgment shall, in matters of faith and morals pertaining to edification of Christian doctrine, distorting the Holy Scriptures in accordance with his own conceptions, presume to interpret them contrary to that sense which holy mother Chur... ...s reply to Ingoli (1624), eight years after the Inquisitions verdict, remained devote on his belief that scientific discovery should not be at the jurisdiction of the Catholic church since he boldly stated to Ingoli that â€Å"...I must tell you that in natural phenomena human authority is worthless.† (178) Throughout his entire defense Galileo argued that natural phenomena and scientific discovery should not be under the church’s jurisdiction. Galileo's magnificent discovery gave way to the everlasting feud of religion versus nature, the new criterion of truth, the new scientific method, scientific independence, and ultimately the foundation of humans natural inalienable rights. By defending his beliefs Galileo was able to convey his message by means of science, religion, and philosophy and ultimately paved the road for future scientists and moral philosophers.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

The Elderly

Growing up , children are taught to respect those who are elder than them , emphasizing parents and grandparents. This is a fine moral value to instill on a child but once that child begins to age , he/she will begin to see the truth behind the lies. As people age their minds deteriorate leading to bad motor skills , forgetfulness and irrational thinking , causing society to view them as a crazy nuisance. Elderly people need some assistance with daily activities and health care from their families. The adult children of this elders often face a difficult challenge in helping their parents make the right choices.The family is one of the most important providers for the elderly. Infact, the majority of caregivers for the elderly are often member of their own family , most often daughter or granddaughter. But sometimes family members of the elderly people ,who generally take care of them , get frustrated or angry and behave harshly with them , beat them. This leads to elderly abuse. Eld erly abuse in our country is growing. Abusers of older adults are both male and female. Usually family members are often the abusers in the domestic surroundings. Researchers estimated two thirds of the elder abuse are family members.The news which comes in the national news paper that elderly parents are being harassed, neglected, and even thrown out of the home, makes a citizen of India shameful and sad. This country was renowned for its good treatment to elderly as well as to the young since ages. The reason was the profound ethical and religious teaching which was prevalent in this country from ages. India being a land of multi lingual and multi religious back ground never one could have thought to see that elderly parents one day could be regarded as unwanted stranger in their own house.But, from a decade or two this unnatural phenomena suddenly appears with such a magnitude that one find himself bewildered how to accept it. Unfortunately this is a real hard fact through which the nation is passing. According to a survey 40% senior citizen living with their families are facing â€Å"emotional and physical abuse. † It is reported that one old grand mother is being thrown out in the garbage by her son and grand son where she ultimately died. India was land where elders were treated with respect and dignity.Mother and father in a house were just like a king and queen where they were treated as a commander of the house not by force but by the way of love and affection which was flourishing in the house. How this sudden change in the attitude of son of the same soil has appeared so abruptly. It is not the soil which has changed but the air and atmosphere of the land has gradually infested with foreign culture and artificial light and glamour as projected through the television and electronic media which has eroded the Indian culture of patience, gratitude and sacrifice. The Elderly Growing up , children are taught to respect those who are elder than them, emphasizing parents and grandparents. This is a fine moral value to instill on a child but once that child begins to age , he/she will begin to see the truth behind the lies. As people age their minds deteriorate leading to bad motor skills , forgetfulness and irrational thinking , causing society to view them as a crazy nuisance. Elderly people need some assistance with daily activities and health care from their families. The adult children of this elders often face a difficult challenge in helping their parents make the right choices.The family is one of the most important providers for the elderly. Infact, the majority of caregivers for the elderly are often member of their own family , most often daughter or granddaughter. But sometimes family members of the elderly people ,who generally take care of them , get frustrated or angry and behave harshly with them , beat them. This leads to elderly abuse. Elde rly abuse in our country is growing. Abusers of older adults are both male and female. Usually family members are often the abusers in the domestic surroundings. Researchers estimated two thirds of the elder abuse are family members.The news which comes in the national news paper that elderly parents are being harassed, neglected, and even thrown out of the home, makes a citizen of India shameful and sad. This country was renowned for its good treatment to elderly as well as to the young since ages. The reason was the profound ethical and religious teaching which was prevalent in this country from ages. India being a land of multi lingual and multi religious back ground never one could have thought to see that elderly parents one day could be regarded as unwanted stranger in their own house.But, from a decade or two this unnatural phenomena suddenly appears with such a magnitude that one find himself bewildered how to accept it. Unfortunately this is a real hard fact through which t he nation is passing. According to a survey 40% senior citizen living with their families are facing â€Å"emotional and physical abuse. † It is reported that one old grand mother is being thrown out in the garbage by her son and grand son where she ultimately died. India was land where elders were treated with respect and dignity.Mother and father in a house were just like a king and queen where they were treated as a commander of the house not by force but by the way of love and affection which was flourishing in the house. How this sudden change in the attitude of son of the same soil has appeared so abruptly. It is not the soil which has changed but the air and atmosphere of the land has gradually infested with foreign culture and artificial light and glamour as projected through the television and electronic media which has eroded the Indian culture of patience, gratitude and sacrifice.

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Bloodsucking Fiends: A Love Story Chapter 11~12

Chapter 11 Lather, Rinse, Repent The Animals were humming the wedding march when Tommy walked in the store. Tommy was rattled from the cab ride from Telegraph Hill. Evidently the cabdriver, who had a nervous tic and the habit of screaming, â€Å"The fuckers!† at indeterminate intervals and for no particular reason, felt that if you weren't going to top a hill without all four wheels leaving the ground and land in a shower of sparks, you might as well not top it at all, and, in fact, should avoid it by taking a corner on two wheels and crushing your passengers against the doors. Tommy was sweat-soaked and a little nauseated. â€Å"Here comes the bride,† Troy Lee said. â€Å"Fearless Leader,† Simon said, â€Å"you look like you just left a three-toweler.† Simon measured the success of any social event by the number of towels it took to clean up afterward. â€Å"Was a time in my life,† Simon would say, â€Å"when I only owned one towel and I never had any fun.† â€Å"You're not still pissed at me?† Tommy asked. â€Å"Hell, no,† Simon said. â€Å"I had me a three-toweler myself tonight. Took two choir girls from Our Lady of Perpetual Guilt out in the truck and taught them the fine art of slurping tadpoles.† â€Å"That's disgusting.† â€Å"No, it ain't. I didn't kiss 'em afterward.† Tommy shook his head. â€Å"Is the truck in?† â€Å"Only fourteen hundred cases,† Drew said. â€Å"You'll have plenty of time to plan the wedding.† He held out a stack of bride magazines to Tommy. â€Å"No, thanks,† Tommy said. Drew chucked the magazines behind him and held out a can of whipped cream with his other hand. â€Å"Take the edge off?† â€Å"No, thanks. Can you guys stack the truck? I've got some stuff I want to do.† â€Å"Sure enough,† Simon said. â€Å"Let's go do it.† The crew headed to the stockroom. Clint stayed behind. â€Å"Hey, Tommy,† he said, his head down, looking embarrassed. â€Å"Yeah?† â€Å"A pallet of kosher food came in tonight. You know, getting ready for Hanukkah and everything. And it's supposed to be blessed by a rabbi.† â€Å"Yeah. So?† â€Å"Well, I was wondering if I could say a few words over it. I mean, they're not washed in the Blood or anything, but Christ was Jewish. So†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Knock yourself out, Clint.† â€Å"Thanks,† Clint said. Taken with the Spirit, he scurried off to the stockroom. Tommy went to the news racks by the registers and gathered up an armload of women's magazines. Then, glancing over his shoulder to make sure that none of the Animals was watching, he took them into the office, locked the door, then sat down at the desk and began his research. He was about to move in with a woman for the first time, and he didn't know a thing about women. Maybe Jody wasn't crazy. Maybe they were all that way and he was just ignorant. He flipped quickly through the tables of contents to get an overview of the female mind. There was a pattern here. Cellulite, PMS, and men who don't commit were the enemies. Delightfully light desserts, marriage, and multiple orgasms were the allies. Tommy felt like a spy, as if he should be microfilming the pages under a gooseneck lamp in some back room of a Bavarian castle stronghold, and any minute some woman in SS gear would burst in on him and tell him that she had ways of making him talk. Actually, that last part wouldn't be too bad. Women seemed to have some collective plan, and most of it seemed to involve getting men to do stuff that they didn't want to do. He skimmed an article entitled: â€Å"Tan Lines: Sexy Contrast or Panda Bear Shame? – A Psychologist's View,† then flipped to one entitled: â€Å"Men's Love for Sports Analogies: How to Use Vince Lombardi to Make Him Put the Seat Down.† (â€Å"When one player falls in, the whole team gets a wet butt.†) He read on: â€Å"When it's fourth and ten and Joe Montana decides to go for it, would his linemen tell him that they won't go to the store to get him tampons? I don't think so.† And: â€Å"Of course Richard Petty doesn't want to wear a helmet, but he can't drive without protection either.† By the time Tommy got to the warnings about never using Wilt Chamberlain or Martina Navratilova as examples, he was completely disenchanted. How could you deal with a creature as devious as woman? He turned the page and his heart sank even further. â€Å"Can You Tell Him He's a Lousy Lay?: A Quiz.† Tommy thought, This is exactly the kind of thing that made me stay a virgin until I was eighteen. 1. It's the third date and you're about to have an intimate moment, but when he drops his shorts you notice he's less blessed than you expected. Do you: A: Point and laugh. B: Say, â€Å"Wow! A real man at last.† Then turn and snicker to yourself. C: Say, â€Å"Is that what they mean by microbiology?† D: Just go ahead with it. He might be shamed into making a commitment. And what do you care if all your sons are nicknamed Peewee? 2. You decide to do the dread deed, and just as things are starting to get hot he comes, rolls over, and asks, â€Å"Was it good for you?† You: A: Say, â€Å"God, yes! That was the best seventeen seconds of my life!† B: Say, â€Å"Sure, as good as it gets for me with a man.† C: Put a Certs in your navel and say, â€Å"That's for you, Mr. Bunnyman. You can have it on your way back up, after the job is finished.† D: Smile and throw his car keys out the window. 3. After fumbling in the dark, he thinks he's found the spot. When you tell him that's not it, he forges ahead anyway. You: A: Grab the lamp off the nightstand and beat him with it until he gets off you. B: Grab the lamp off the nightstand and beat him to death with it. C: Grab the lamp off the nightstand, turn it on, and say, â€Å"Would you look where you're at?† D: Wait patiently until he finishes, wishing the whole time that you had a lamp on your nightstand. The phone in the office rang. Tommy closed the magazine. â€Å"Marina Safeway.† â€Å"Tommy, is that you?† Jody asked. â€Å"Yeah, I have on my phone voice.† â€Å"Look, you're registered into room two-twelve at the Van Ness Motel – the corner of Chestnut and Van Ness. There's a key waiting for you in the office. The papers and keys for my car are on the bed. I left some papers for you to take to Transamerica and some money too. I'll meet you at the motel office a little after sunset.† â€Å"What room are you in?† â€Å"I don't think I should say.† â€Å"Why? I'm not going to come in and jump you or anything.† â€Å"It's not that. I just want things to be right.† He took a deep breath. â€Å"Jody?† â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"Is there a lamp on the nightstand in your room?† â€Å"Sure, it's bolted down. Why?† â€Å"No reason,† Tommy said. Suddenly, from the back of the store, the Stones belted out  «Satisfaction » from a boom box cranked to distorted fuzz level. Tommy could hear the Animals chanting, â€Å"Kill the pig!† in the background. â€Å"I've got to go,† he said. â€Å"I'll see you tomorrow night.† â€Å"Okay. Tommy, I had a nice time tonight.† â€Å"Me too,† he said. He hung up and thought: She's evil. Evil, evil, evil. I want to see her naked. Jeff, the failed power forward, burst into the office. â€Å"The truck is stacked, dude. The ski boat is charged! We're talking luau in the produce aisle.† The Clark 250, self-propelled, professional floor-maintenance machine, is a miracle of janitorial design. Approximately the size of a small desk, the Clark 250 sports two rotating scrub disks at the front of the machine, as well as an onboard reservoir that distributes soap and water, and a squeegeed vacuum that sucks it up. It is propelled by two overpowered electric motors that will drive its gum-rubber tires over any flat surface, wet or dry. A single operator, walking behind the Clark 250, can, in less than an hour, scrub four thousand square feet of floor, and buff it to a shine in which he can see his soul, or so the brochure claims. What the brochure neglects to mention is that if the squeegee is retracted and the vacuum turned off, a single operator can slide along behind the Clark 250 on a river of soapy froth. The Animals called the machine the ski boat. When Tommy came around the corner of aisle 14, he saw Simon, shirtless, wearing his cowboy hat, cooking weenies over thirty cans of Sterno on a stainless-steel rack that normally was used to display potato chips. â€Å"I love the smell of napalm in the morning,† Simon said, waving a barbecue fork. â€Å"It smells like victory.† â€Å"Cowabunga!† Drew screamed. He was sliding through two inches of soapsuds behind the ski boat, towing Lash toward a makeshift ramp by a length of clothesline. Lash hit the ramp, went airborne, and flipped in the air with a battle cry of â€Å"Workman's Comp!† Tommy stepped aside as Lash landed on his chest and plowed a drift of suds with his face. Drew powered down the boat. â€Å"Eight-two,† Barry shouted. â€Å"Nine-one,† said Clint. â€Å"Nine-six,† said Drew. â€Å"Quatro-uno,† said Gustavo. â€Å"A four-one from the Mexican judge,† Simon said into his barbecue-fork microphone. â€Å"That's got to hurt his chances for getting into the finals, Bob.† Lash spit out a mouthful of soap and coughed. â€Å"The Mexican judges are always tough,† he said. He wore a beard of suds that made him look like a thin, wet version of Uncle Remus. Tommy helped Lash to his feet. â€Å"Are you okay?† â€Å"He's fine,† Simon said. â€Å"His personal trainer is here.† Simon grabbed a coconut off the shelf and lopped the top off with a huge knife from the meat department. â€Å"Dr. Drew,† he said, holding the coconut out to Drew, who took a pint of rum from his hip pocket and splashed some in the shell. â€Å"Down this,† Simon said, handing the coconut to Lash. â€Å"Kill the pig, partner.† The Animals chanted â€Å"Kill the pig† until Lash had downed the whole drink, coconut milk and rum washing streams though his beard of suds at the corners of his mouth. He stopped to breathe and threw up. â€Å"Nine-two!† Barry shouted. â€Å"Nine-four,† Drew said. â€Å"Six-one,† Simon drawled. â€Å"Penalty points for chunks.† â€Å"Fuego,† Gustavo said. Simon jumped in Gustavo's face. â€Å"Fuego? What fucking number is Fuego? You can be disqualified as a judge, you know?† â€Å"Fuego,† Gustavo said, pointing over Simon's shoulder to the chip rack, where three dozen weenies had burst into flames and were spewing black smoke. The smoke alarm went off with a Klaxon scream, drowning out the Rolling Stones. â€Å"It rings into the fire department,† Drew shouted in Tommy's ear. â€Å"They'll be at the door in a minute. It's your job to head them off, Fearless Leader.† â€Å"Me? Why me?† â€Å"That's why you make the big bucks.† â€Å"Kill that stereo and put out the fire,† Tommy yelled. He turned and was heading for the front door just as Clint came out of the stockroom. â€Å"The kosher stuff is all blessed, and I prayed over some of the gentile food for good measure. You know, Tom, the guys said that you might be getting married, and I'm getting my minister card in the mail soon, so if you need – â€Å" â€Å"Clint,† Tommy interrupted, â€Å"clean-up in the produce aisle.† He went to the front door, unlocked it, and went outside to wait for the fire department. The bay was socked in with fog and the beam from the lighthouse on Alcatraz cut a swath across Fort Mason and the Safeway parking lot. Tommy thought he could make out the figure of someone standing under one of the mercury lights. Someone thin, dressed in dark clothing. A fire truck pulled into the parking lot, siren off, its flashing red lights cutting the fog. As the fire truck's headlights swept across the lot, the dark figure dodged and ran, staying just ahead of the lights. Tommy had never seen anyone run that fast. The thin guy seemed to cover a hundred yards in only a few seconds. A trick of the fog, Tommy thought. Chapter 12 Fashionably Doomed There were five police cars parked at the Van Ness Motel when Tommy got off the bus across the street. He thought: They've come to get me for turning in a false alarm to the fire department. Then he realized that only Jody knew that he was coming to the motel. Pity, he thought, I would have gotten a lot of writing done in prison. He crossed the street and was met at the office door by a uniformed police woman. â€Å"Crime scene, sir. Move along unless registered.† â€Å"Am registered. Need shower,† Tommy said. He'd learned his lesson about saying too much when he had talked to the angry fireman at the store. They didn't want to hear why it happened, they just wanted to be sure that it didn't happen again. â€Å"Name?† the cop said. â€Å"C. Thomas Flood.† â€Å"ID?† Tommy handed her his Indiana driver's license. â€Å"Says ‘Thomas Flood, Junior. No ‘C. ; † ‘C' is pen name. Thomas is writer,† Tommy said. The cop adjusted her baton. â€Å"Are you trying to give me a hard time?† â€Å"No, I just thought you wanted to talk that way. What's going on?† Tommy looked over the cop's shoulder at the motel manager, a tall, balding guy in his forties who was wiping fingerprints off his bulletproof window with a towel, looking as if he was going to start crying any minute. â€Å"Were you in the motel last night, Mr. Flood?† â€Å"No, I just got off work at the Marina Safeway. I'm night-crew leader there.† â€Å"You live in the City then?† The cop raised an eyebrow. â€Å"I've just been here a few days. I'm still looking for a place.† â€Å"Where can we reach you if the detectives need to talk to you?† â€Å"At the store from midnight to eight. But I'm off tonight. I guess I'll be here. What's going on?† The cop turned to the motel manager. â€Å"You have a C. Thomas Flood registered?† The manager nodded and held up a key. â€Å"Room two-twelve,† he said. The cop gave Tommy back his license. â€Å"Get that changed if you're going to stay in the City. You can go to your room, but don't cross any of the yellow tape.† The cop walked out of the office. Tommy turned to the manager. â€Å"What's going on here?† The manager motioned for Tommy to come closer to the window. The manager bent over and whispered through his talk hole: â€Å"The maids found a woman's body in the dumpster this morning – a woman from the neighborhood, not a guest.† â€Å"Murdered?† Tommy whispered. â€Å"Her and her poodle. This looks horrible for the motel. The police are talking to all of the guests as they check out. They knocked on your friend's door, but she didn't answer.† The manager passed Tommy's key through the slot, along with a business card. â€Å"They want her to call the detective at that number when she gets in. Would you give it to her?† â€Å"Sure,† Tommy said. He took the key and stood there trying to think of something to say to relieve the manager's anxiety. â€Å"Uh, sorry about your dumpster,† he said. It didn't work. The manager burst into tears. â€Å"That poor little dog,† he sobbed. On the bed were a stack of official-looking papers, a map of San Francisco, and a thick envelope filled with cash. There was a note clipped to the papers. It said: Dear Tommy, Here's the stuff to get my Honda out of impound. Use some of this cash to pay the fines. I don't know where the impound lot is, but you can ask any policeman. You will have to go to the Transamerica Building to get my last check. (I marked it on the map.) I've left a message on the personnel department's voice mail that you are coming. Good luck finding an apartment. I forgot to mention that you want to avoid getting a place in the Tenderloin (also on map). Sorry I'm being so mysterious. I'll explain everything tonight. Love, Jody Why in the hell was she being so mysterious? He opened the envelope and took out a stack of hundred-dollar bills, counted them, then put them back in the envelope. Four thousand dollars. He had never seen that much money in one place. Where did she get that kind of money? Certainly not filling out claims at an insurance company. Maybe she was a drug dealer. A smuggler. Maybe she embezzled it. Maybe it was all a trap. Maybe when he got to the impound lot to pick up her car, the police would arrest him. She had a lot of nerve signing her note â€Å"Love.† What would the next one say? â€Å"Sorry you have to do hard time in the big house for me. Love, Jody.† But she did sign it that way: â€Å"Love.† What did that mean? Did she mean it, or was it habit? She probably signed all of her letters with â€Å"Love.† Dear Insured, We are sorry but your policy will not pay for your barium enema as it was done for recreational purposes. Love, Jody. Claims Dept†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Maybe not. Maybe she did love him. She must trust him, she had given him four grand. He shoved the money in his back pocket, picked up the papers, and left the room. He ran down the steps to the ground level and tripped over a large black plastic bag full of dead woman. A coroner's deputy caught him by the arm before he fell. â€Å"Easy there, fella,† the deputy said. He was a big, hairy guy in his thirties. â€Å"I'm sorry.† â€Å"It's okay, kid. She's sealed for freshness. My partner went to get the gurney.† Tommy stared at the black bag. He'd only seen one dead person in his life, his grandfather. He hadn't liked it. â€Å"How did it†¦ I mean, was it murder?† â€Å"I'm betting creative suicide. She broke her own neck, drained out her blood, then killed the dog and jumped into the dumpster. The ME's betting murder, though. You pick.† Tommy was horrified. â€Å"Her blood was drained?† â€Å"Are you a reporter?† â€Å"Nope.† â€Å"Yeah, she was about a gallon low, and no visible wounds. The ME had to go into the heart for a blood sample. He was not pleased. He likes things simple – decapitation by cable car, massive gunshot trauma – you know.† Tommy shuddered. â€Å"I'm from Indiana. Stuff like this doesn't happen there.† â€Å"Stuff like this doesn't happen here either, kid.† A tall, thin guy in coroner blues came around the corner pushing a gurney with a small, gray, dead dog on it. He picked up the dog by a rhinestone leash. â€Å"What do I do with this?† he asked the big hairy guy. The dog spun slowly at the end of the leash like a fuzzy Christmas ornament. â€Å"Bag and tag it?† said Big Hairy. â€Å"A dog? That's a new one on me.† â€Å"I don't give a shit. Do what you want.† â€Å"Well,† Tommy interrupted, â€Å"you guys have a good day.† He hurried away to the bus stop. As the bus pulled up he looked back and saw the two coroners tucking the little dog into the woman's body bag. Tommy got off the bus at a coffeehouse near Chinatown where he had seen guys in berets scribbling in notebooks and smoking French cigarettes. If you were looking for a place to sit and stare into the abyss for a while, always look for guys in berets smoking French cigarettes. They were like road signs: â€Å"Existential Crisis, Next Right.† And the incident with the body bag had put Tommy in the mood to contemplate the meaninglessness of life for a few minutes before he started hunting for an apartment. They had treated that poor woman like a piece of meat. People should have been crying and fainting and fighting over her will. It must be some sort of protection mechanism, more of that ability that city people had for ignoring suffering. He ordered a double mocha at the counter. A girl with magenta hair and three nose rings frothed it up while Tommy searched though a stack of used newspapers on the counter, separating the classified sections. When he paid the girl she caught him staring at her nose rings and smiled. â€Å"Thought is death,† she said, handing him the mocha. â€Å"Have a nice day,† Tommy said. He sat down and began flipping though the classifieds. As he read through the apartments for rent, the money in his pocket seemed to shrink. Here was the reason why people seemed so distracted. They were all worrying about making rent. An ad for a furnished loft caught his eye. He was a loft kind of guy. He imagined himself saying, â€Å"No, I can't hang around, I've got to get back to the loft and write.† And, â€Å"Sorry, I left my wallet in the loft.† And writing, â€Å"Dear Mom, I've moved into a spacious loft in fashionable SOMA.† Tommy put the paper down and turned to a beret guy at the next table who was reading a volume of Baudelaire and building up a drift of Disc Bleu butts in the ashtray. â€Å"Excuse me,† Tommy said, â€Å"but I'm new in town. Where would I find fashionable SOMA?† The beret guy looked irritated. â€Å"South of Market,† he said. Then he picked up his book and cigarettes and walked out of the cafe. â€Å"Sorry,† Tommy called after him. Maybe if I had asked him in French†¦ Tommy unfolded the map Jody had left him and found Market Street, then a neighborhood marked â€Å"SOMA.† It wasn't far from where Jody had marked the Transamerica Pyramid. He folded up the map and tore the loft ad out of the classifieds. This was going to be easy. As he prepared to leave, he looked up to see an enormously fat man in a purple velvet robe enter the cafe carrying a leather sample case decorated with silver moons and stars. He sat at a table near Tommy, his bulk spilling over either side of the cane chair, and began removing things from the sample case. Tommy was captivated. The fat man's head was shaved and there was a pentagram tattooed on his scalp. He covered his table with a piece of black satin, then placed a crystal ball on a pedestal of brass dragons in the center. Next he unwrapped a deck of tarot cards from a purple silk scarf and placed them by the crystal ball. Last he removed a sign from the sample case and set it up on the table. It read: â€Å"Madame Natasha. Palmistry, Tarot, Divination. Psychic Readings $5.00. All proceeds go to AIDS research.† Madame Natasha was sitting with his back to Tommy. As Tommy stared at the pentagram tattoo, Madame Natasha turned to him. Tommy looked away quickly. â€Å"I think you need a reading, young man,† Madame Natasha said, his voice high and feminine. Tommy cleared his throat. â€Å"I don't believe in that stuff. Thanks, though.† Madame Natasha closed his eyes as if he were listening to a particularly moving passage of music. When he opened them again he said, â€Å"You're new to the City. A little confused and a little scared. You're an artist of some kind, but you don't make your living that way. And you've recently turned down a proposal of marriage. Am I right?† Tommy dug into his pocket, â€Å"Five dollars?† â€Å"Have a seat,† Madame Natasha said, waving him to a seat at his table. Tommy moved to the seat across from Madame and handed him a five-dollar bill. Madame Natasha picked up his tarot cards and began shuffling. His hands were tiny and delicate; his nails painted black. â€Å"What shall we ask the cards today?† Madame said. â€Å"I've met this girl. I want to know more about her.† Madame Natasha nodded solemnly and began laying the cards out on the table. â€Å"I don't see a woman in your near future.† â€Å"Really?† Madame pointed to a card on the right of the pattern he had laid out. â€Å"No. You see the position of this card? This card rules your relationships.† â€Å"It says ‘Death. ; â€Å"That does not necessarily mean physical death. The Death card can be a card of renewal, signifying a change. I would say that you recently broke up with someone.† â€Å"Nope,† Tommy said. He stared at the stylized picture of the skeleton with the scythe. It seemed to be laughing at him. â€Å"Let's try again,† Madame Natasha said. He gathered the cards, shuffled them, and began laying them out again. Tommy watched the spot where his relationship card would fall. Madame paused, then turned the card. Death. â€Å"Well, well, what a co-in-kee-dink,† Madame Natasha said. â€Å"Try again,† Tommy said. Again Madame shuffled, and again, when he laid down the relationship card, it was Death. â€Å"What does it mean?† Tommy asked. â€Å"It could mean a lot of things, depending on your other suits.† Madame waved to the other cards in the pattern. â€Å"Then what does it mean with the other cards?† â€Å"Honestly?† â€Å"Of course. I want to know.† â€Å"You're fucked.† â€Å"What?† â€Å"As far as relationships?† â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"You're fucked.† â€Å"What about my writing career?† Madame Natasha consulted the cards again, then, without looking up, said, â€Å"Fucked.† â€Å"I am not. I'm not fucked.† â€Å"Yep. Fucked. It's in the cards. Sorry.† â€Å"I don't believe in this stuff,† Tommy said. â€Å"Nevertheless,† Madame Natasha said. Tommy stood up. â€Å"I have to go find an apartment.† â€Å"Do you want to consult the cards about your new home?† â€Å"No. I don't believe the cards.† â€Å"I could read your palm.† â€Å"Will it cost extra?† â€Å"No, it's included.† â€Å"Okay.† Tommy held out his hand and Madame Natasha cradled it delicately. Tommy looked around to see if anyone was looking, tapped his foot as if he was in a hurry. â€Å"Goodness, you masturbate a lot, don't you?† A guy at a nearby table spit coffee all over his paperback Sartre and looked over. Tommy pulled his hand away. â€Å"No!† â€Å"Now, now, don't lie. Madame Natasha knows.† â€Å"What's that got to do with an apartment?† â€Å"Just checking my accuracy. It's like zeroing out a polygraph.† â€Å"Not a lot,† Tommy said. â€Å"Then I'll have to adjust my reading. I would have rated you a wankmaster of the first degree. It's nothing to be ashamed of. Considering your relationship card, I'd say it's your only option.† â€Å"Well, you're wrong.† â€Å"As you wish. Let me see your palm again.† Tommy surrendered his palm reluctantly. â€Å"Oh, good news at last,† Madame Natasha said. â€Å"You will find an apartment.† â€Å"Good,† Tommy said, pulling his hand back again. â€Å"I've got to go.† â€Å"Don't you want to know about the rats?† â€Å"No.† Tommy turned and headed toward the door. As he reached it he turned and said, â€Å"I'm not fucked.† The Sartre reader looked up from his book and said, â€Å"We all are. We all are.†

Friday, November 8, 2019

Are You Ignoring Trends That Could Shake up Your Business

Are You Ignoring Trends That Could Shake up Your Business In this article, the writers focus on the changes that have been brought about by the emergence of digital technology. Principally, the authors articulate that marketing trends are an important part of marketing.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Are You Ignoring Trends That Could Shake up Your Business? specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This, they say, is majorly based on the fact that they determine the best strategies for the marketers to take, and the returns that the marketers expect from their investments in marketing. For this reason, it is important for the people in the marketing section to know where the world is coming from and where it is going. In addition, they have to understand the basics of transparency, cost efficacy, good services, and staying at par with the current trends of marketing and sale of various products as well as services. Even more importantly, the authors articulate that most companies are appreciating the role played by the social media networking tools and they have either implemented marketing through the social media or are in the process of implementing. According to them, the social media networking also serves the non-profit organizations by engaging the public and general awareness of the activities of these organizations. Another important trend in the market is the need to aesthetically appeal to the public through products and services. If organizations are to progress; the authors recommend that companies should implement these new trends.Advertising Looking for essay on communications media? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Essentially, the paper serves to educate marketers in any given industry. In other words, every organization, both for profit and not for profit, has to make a decision on allocating the business budget to maximize returns and minimize risks and in order to do this, great consideration has to be made on the fitting marketing trends to use. This is very crucial since the world of business is highly dynamic thus necessitating the need to find apt ways of predicting and successfully operating various businesses. To support the importance of marketing trends, the authors provide many cases including global companies like Nokia which, reportedly, uses social media like Facebook and Twitter in marketing its products and services. Other cases like the one of Poppy Line of handbags, given by these authors, also provide a fitting example for the relevance of market trending. In summary, the authors state that the market is on the move always requiring that marketers both in the commercial sector and the not for profit sector to be quite informed of how analyze the trends. The opportunities that exist in the market are for those who learn very fast and act on the lesson that has been learned in making the difference. However, with these opportunities, o ne has to be cautious since they also have their own threats and wrong choices can be quite costly on the side of the organization.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Are You Ignoring Trends That Could Shake up Your Business? specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More As an advice to the readers, especially marketers who are the main targets of the articles, the authors say that the best thing for marketers to do is to test the major trends before they can commit their resources. Some strategies may work for some organizations and fail to work in others. Before committing to marketing through social media for instance, organizations have to understand on what attracts in their business. This is because there is a likelihood of only their customers responding to their offers as opposed to total strangers, because they already know the company and trust it based on their previous transactions with it.

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

The 4 Hottest Careers for Generation Y

The 4 Hottest Careers for Generation Y Generation Y (whose members are generally in their late-20s and early-30s) are  facing a job market with fewer, less attractive prospects. Here are four sectors with the 4 hottest careers for generation y that are growing, hiring, and exciting enough to hold your attention. HealthcareEverybody get sick and everybody gets old. But we’re getting better at managing and curing illness, and all of us are living longer. This means health professionals  are in high demand. Whether you want to be a surgeon or a general practitioner or a medical assistant, or you want work on the administrative or research end of things, there will be jobs for you. High paying jobs. Jobs with flexibility for work life balance. And plenty of room for upward movement.EngineeringEngineers are also in demand- the healthcare, environment, and entertainment industries, to name a few, are increasingly requiring and seeking out the services of engineers. The comparatively high average salaries are also a p lus.Software developmentEver wonder who makes all those apps on your phone? Innovation never ceases, and as technologies advance, so does our drive for more software. If you have a passion for technology or good design and functionality, or you just like being on the cutting edge, this career is wide open- and pays extremely well.CoachingThe world is becoming more health and fitness conscious. Get in on this growing field while you still can. Athletic trainers are in higher and higher demand, and the field is expected to grow by 30% over the next 10 years. Fuse together a passion for sports, health expertise, and psychological training, and you can make bank helping athletes achieve their potential.

Sunday, November 3, 2019

SEPTIC SHOCK Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

SEPTIC SHOCK - Essay Example The objective of these definitions was to give a more differentiated understanding of sepsis to enable precise management. As a result the concept of systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) evolved with its diagnostic criteria put in place. Then sepsis was defined on the basis of SIRS, whereby sepsis was defined as â€Å"suspected or microbiologically proven infection together with SIRS†. Severe sepsis was then defined as â€Å"sepsis together with sepsis-induced organ dysfunction†. Finally septic shock was defined as â€Å"sepsis-induced hypotension persisting despite adequate fluid resuscitation† (Marik & Lipman, 2007). A very valid question arises as to the need for such differentiated definitions. There is justification for these differentiated definitions, which is provided from the study of recent data on the mortality rates associated with each of these differentiated definitions. Mortality from sepsis ranges ten to fifteen percent; severe sepsis ranges from seventeen to twenty percent and septic shock ranges from forty-three to fifty-four percent. Thus the hierarchical definitions get justified by this. (Marik & Lipman, 2007). Deeper examination of this data suggests that there is a wide difference in the mortality figures for severe sepsis and septic shock. This finding clearly indicates that it is most important to distinguish between severe sepsis and septic shock, so that they can be grouped into low and high mortality risk groups. It is in this aspect that the hierarchical definitions as created in 1991 are found to be deficient. The diagnostic criteria for septic shock still remain unclear and vague. To remove this deficiency Marik and Lipman, 2007, suggest that septic shock be defined as â€Å" a systolic blood pressure less than 90mmHg (or a fall in systolic blood pressure of > 40mmHg), or a mean arterial pressure less than 65mmHg after a crystalloid fluid challenge of

Friday, November 1, 2019

Public Relations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Public Relations - Essay Example Communication in the business, industry, and corporate world is paramount. It is an indication of openness and accountability (Pride et al 2011:242). This is because the media and the public in the contemporary world are much more interrogating than the past. The failure to have a transparent communication leads to lose of credibility in the world market. This in turn results to tremendous lose of financial gains due to lost orders. The public relations should therefore strive to do their best to when crises set in (Curtin et al 2010:28). This paper will explore the public crisis in Toyota Company. First, the research will seek to address the role of a leader in management of crisis in a corporate. Second, the research will look at the alternatives in which the Toyota manager could have minimised the crisis before it happened. Third, the paper will highlight the roles of internal communication to achieve efficiency in a corporate. The paper will finally examine the effects of long cr isis to reputation of and success of organisation. The Role of a Leader in Managing Crises Crises are unavoidable in organisations, businesses, or corporate. This striking change has detrimental effects to a corporate or an organisation. It is a situation when an organisation or a corporate finds itself under uncalled for scrutiny because of its behaviour or that of its staff. Crises may happen gradually or abruptly because of laxity of individuals or an organisation. Product tampering may plunge an organisation into deep disaster (Johnstone & Zawadi 2009:143). Toyota Company experienced a crisis back in the year 2009. The president and CEO of that time Katsuaki Watanabe was overthrown in presence of 400 Toyota workers. The reason to expel the CEO was the poor performance of the Company’s cars. The matter was in the public domain courtesy of media conjectures. This was after the lack of appropriate communication with the public. His successor, Mr. Toyoda failed to rescue the company from criticism that had widely spread. Toyoda was hesitant to respond to the media amidst increasing criticism (Bensinger and Ralph, 2010). When the situation exacerbated, Toyoda made appearances in the press to quell the increasing vilification. However, this was a late intervention of the CEO because the matter was out of the hand. There was poor communication between the Toyota Company in one hand and the media, and public on the other hand. This was a total failure of the top management to address properly the customer concerns. The crisis raised serious concerns about the role of a leader in managing crises. In times of crisis, the leadership of organizations should take immediate measures to minimise or stop any detrimental effects. The leadership ought to strive to solve it internally before it gets out to the public domains. The organization should take necessary steps to recall of its product that display unworthiness as soon as possible. This aims to restore custom ers’ confidence to the organization. This promptness to address the public is very essential for maintaining a strong touch with customers (Smith 2011:25). It avoids unsolicited speculations that may stem from the public. For instance, a company deals with manufacturing of drilling machines can recall it or provide the after sale service when it develops mechanical problems. This swift strategy helps to rectify the inefficiencies in the machines. In this way, the company maintains its brand in the competitive market. Second, the leadership of organisation should assume responsibility. This does not matter whether the crises emanates from the company or from outside. It calls for the organisation to agree that it was its faulty. The