Revolution of Music Essay - 1577 Words

Music has continued to change throughout each decade, but the 1960s was the most influential decade in the history of music. Starting in the early 1950s, rock music was first introduced. Major record labels issued recordings of white singers performing renditions of songs previously released by African American singers (Rock and Roll). These renditions often altered the original lyrics to make them more appropriate. The most prominent star of the 1950s was Elvis Presley, the â€Å"King of rock n’ roll†. With the new addition of the â€Å"Baby boom† generation, a huge population increased following World War II, creating a new segment of youth searching for new entertainment (Rock and Roll). Music of the 1960s was the new entertainment for the baby†¦show more content†¦It is said that chief among the creators of this powerful music were Joan Baez and Bob Dylan (Holland 107). Joan Baez was a prolific singer, songwriter, political activist, and known as th e Queen of Folk music (Joan Baez). Bob Dylan created plenty of politically based songs that directly criticized specific areas of politics like congressmen and senators. Dylan also warned people about joining the military- industrial establishment in Only a Pawn in Their Game (Holland 107-108). Lastly there was the genre Motown which hit its peak of popularity in the 1960s. It brought a new rhythm called the â€Å"back beat† that was easy to dance to. Berry Gordy Jr. started the Motown Company in 1962 and launched the careers of such artists as Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, Little Stevie Wonder, The Jackson Five, and Diana Ross and the Supremes (Holland 109). The racial diversity of mainstream music in the 1960s was widely spread, which is why this was such a significant decade for music. There was a so called â€Å"British invasion† that took place roughly between 1964 and 1966. British bands including the Rolling Stones, the Yardbirds, the Kinks, the Animals, Man fred Mann, and the Beatles invaded on to American Soil bringing rock music with a British twist (British Invasion). The music of the British invasion rock groups reflected the growth of their greatest fans, the baby boom generation (Holland 106). The Beatles brought what British music criticsShow MoreRelatedMusic s Impact On The Music Revolution1729 Words   |  7 PagesMusical revolutions can be defined by three key aspects which are: the venues music was made in, the way the audience listened to the music, and the way the music was disseminated. These are unique in that there is no clear separation between them and at times some of the changes that have been made can impact all three at the same time. The age in which we live in is experiencing all of these aspects to one degree or another. It is difficult for someone my age to understand that we are living inRead MoreMusic in the American Revolution2344 Words   |  10 PagesAmerican Revolution, music played an important part of American culture no matter what sector of society. The music of the era served as a social commentary on the political concerns of the period aside from entertainment. The music was expressed through many forms, songs, hymns and varied instrumental musical traditions that reflected the social conditions which created it. Church music was an important source of spiritual inspiration and expression of the patriotic sentiment. The music in the RevolutionaryRead MoreEssay on Popular Music Revolution1475 Words   |  6 Pages Music has undergone many changes throughout and history and prehistory. These changes were always somehow connected to sociological movements at the time. Rock music evolved mostly out of a need by young people of the fifties to break away from so-cietal norms. America had just come out of the Korean War, and men looked to settle down into a peaceful life. Also just prior this time period, Senator Joseph McCarthy ac-tively encouraged citizens to conform with his infamously false accusations ofRead MoreThe Digital Music Distribution Revolution1287 Words   |  5 Pages The Digital Music Distribution Revolution: The digital music distribution revolution is a trend that is associated with rapid technological advancements and the introduction of computer technology. These developments have contributed to the relatively free distribution of music through various social systems like Napster that threaten to destroy the industry or interfere with the current model for generating revenue in this industry. The peer-to-peer systems have enabled the seemingly free distributionRead MoreRevolution of music in the 1960s Essay1646 Words   |  7 PagesRevolution of Music Music has continued to change throughout each decade, but the 1960s was the most influential decade in the history of music. Starting in the early 1950s, rock music was first introduced. Major record labels were releasing new â€Å"cover songs† which were originally made by black artist, but now by white artist (Rock and Roll). These cover songs changed a few lyrics from the original songs to avoid copyright issues and to also make the song more appropriate for the white listenersRead MoreThe Music Industrys Digital Revolution4674 Words   |  19 Pagestakeover music industries, it is now, how we get it, how fast you get it and at what cost you to the consumers for the music. The demand would be a more convent way of listing to your favorite artist and the supply would be for different companies to stream the music to the consumer to keeping it current, this was the birth of Napster (napster2004). The recorded music business has always led the way for creative industries in the digital world. That leadership continues today as the music industry’sRead More Black Nationalism And The Revolution In Music Essay1045 Words   |  5 Pagessociety in terms of their courage, beliefs and faith to accomplish what they have done in the fields of politics and music. They have been affective in the field of politics by having leaders such as Dr. Martin Luther king Jr., Malcolm x and Nelson Mandela lead them to a civil right society where everyone was treated equally. And they have also been part of the revolution of music in terms of how many categories they have invented and taken over. In the field of politics, their leaders led theirRead MoreThe Underground Music Scene Reflect The Socio Political Situation Of Contemporary Iran?1493 Words   |  6 Pagesextent does the underground music scene reflect the socio-political situation of contemporary Iran?’ A review of literature A reoccurring observation made in literature focused on music in contemporary Iran, is the challenge music has faced since the Islamic revolution of 1979 and the subsequent establishment of a theocratic state . Ghazizadeh (2011) argued that music is one of the most controversial issues in Islam and so after the victory of the Islamic revolution, which promised a return backRead MoreThe Impact of Music During Apartheid1530 Words   |  7 PagesImpact of Music During Apartheid Amandla! A Revolution in Four-Part Harmony is a 2002 documentary film directed by Lee Hirsch that describes the struggle the black South Africans faced during apartheid. Activists and musicians discuss the days of apartheid. The film has a collection of musical performances, interviews, and historical footage. Amandla is a Zulu and Xhosa word that means power. It was a common rally word used in resistance to Apartheid. The black South Africans also used music to showRead MoreEnlightenment And The Enlightenment Movement In The 18th Century975 Words   |  4 Pages18th century. We can notice the change when we compare with 17th century and 18th century arts, music, and architectures. Therefore, the question arise, how enlightenment revolution refined artists, musicians, and architects ideologies? Since, enlightenment create people have individual rights. Hight class people no longer suppressed by monarch or church, and emphasis on learning, arts, science, and music became widespread to middle class. Because of the growing middle class, people could more creative

A Career as a Pediatrician Essay - 1632 Words

â€Å"What do you want to be when you grow up?† As a child, we have all been asked this question; and as unrealistic children, we all had dreams of being a superhero, princess, cowboy, or astronaut. Later on in life, as time went by, and as we became more knowledgeable, our answers became more serious. Some of us wanted to be teachers, business owners, or a veterinarian. However, I have always wanted to be a doctor, but not just any doctor. For as long as I can remember, I have wanted to be a pediatrician. Now, half way through my junior year in high school, I have started to question the details of this career, and all the hard work it takes to become a part of the medical field. What I Know I know pediatricians are people who carry their†¦show more content†¦Matthew Brennan from he Health and Pregnancy Center of WebMD says, â€Å"Pediatricians are physicians who specialize in the growth and development of babies, children, and adolescents† (WebMD). Pediatricians are responsible for assuring concerned parents that their precious child is on the correct track for a long and healthy life. While researching more on the tasks of these doctors, I found that they mainly examine the child before coming up with a diagnosis. A typical examine consists of checking their ears, reflexes, throat, etc. I had also learned that pediatricians are the first to examine a baby who is just born. They must be sure the new baby is breathing and responding correctly (WebMD). Now that I am sure what a pediatrician is, I want to know what it takes to become one. At this point in my search, I already know the process is a bumpy journey. What I have learned is that getting good grad es in high school is very important because it is just the beginning to my future at this point. After graduating high school, I will finish my generals in college, which will take about two years because I am already taking my AA degree in high school. What happens next is when the real challenges will appear. The University of Washington says, â€Å"Before becoming a doctor, future medical students will take a pre-med course,† (UW Medicine). A pre-medical program is about a four year long program that students take to learn the basics about biology, physics, chemistry,Show MoreRelatedThe Career Of A Pediatrician1876 Words   |  8 Pageschild is nice and healthy† is what most parents hear when visiting their pediatrician. A pediatrician is a doctor who helps with medical care of infants, children, and adolescents. Many adults who have children will have a pediatrician to help with the medical needs of their child. When visiting this doctor they will do several checku ps, test if needed, physicals, and will prescribe medication if it is needed. This careers tends to need several years of college, four years of undergrad, four yearsRead MoreThe Career Of A Pediatrician1741 Words   |  7 Pagesbut the most interesting is the career of a Pediatrician. Pediatricians are the primary health care providers for infants and children . Other titles associated with this job includes, â€Å"Baby Doctor†, â€Å"Physician†, or â€Å"Pediatric†. Their main job is to treat children with illnesses, monitor their growth and health, and help prevent illnesses and diseases (General pediatrician).Additionally, pediatricians also have other job duties as well. This is an interesting career because there are other work opportunitiesRead MoreThe Career Of A Pediatrician783 Words   |  4 PagesWhen you grow up, what do you want to do as a career? Do you want to be a doctor, lawyer, engineer, architect, designer, or something else? I want to be a doctor, or a pediatrician to be more specific. A pediatrician helps children under the age of 18 with their health and body. That is why the career of pediatrician is in the health science cluster. Health science is where you help others with their health and body. I chose to be a pediatrician because I like to work with children, learn about theRead MoreThe Career Path Of A Pediatrician1074 Words   |  5 PagesThe career that I chose is Pediatrician, which it primarily deals with the physical, emotional, and social health of children from birth to young adulthood. This paper will explain the history, requirements, outlook, and the career path of a pediatrician. History and Background of the Career By the late 1700s and early 1800s, the need to assist specifically to the care, growth, and diseases of children became more frequent, and specialization in pediatrics evolved, particularly in Germany and FranceRead MoreMy Career As A Pediatrician900 Words   |  4 Pagesto make it by. Being pregnant could be an extremely scary situation to be in. For me, I went through a short wave of being scared which quickly changed to excitement. As most could tell from my major, biomedical science wanting to peruse a career as a pediatrician, I either love children as well as the medical field or I just really love college. I can honestly say, I’m not a fan of college. A miscarriage, which is the sudden death of the fetus, is extremely common and happens to an estimated 12-15%Read MoreEssay about A Career as a Pediatrician1275 Words   |  6 Pagesthe effort that it takes to do so. The job of a pediatrician is life-changing to many. Unfortunately, it takes drive and effort that many people do not have, to become a pediatrician. A pediatrician’s job is a highly-skilled and interesting job because he or she has the privilege to deal with and help as many children as possible. What is a pediatrician? Pediatricians are doctors who specialize and focus in caring for babies to young adults (Career Cruising). They deal with childhood diseases andRead MoreAccording to California Career Zone, a Pediatrician is a physician who diagnose, treat, and help600 Words   |  3 PagesAccording to California Career Zone, a Pediatrician is a physician who diagnose, treat, and help prevent children’s diseases and injuries. Pediatricians are also known as, Baby doctors, Adolescent Medicine Specialist, General Pediatrician, Medical Doctor (MD), etc.. Pediatricians care for infants, children, teenagers, and young adults. Some pediatricians specialize in pediatric surgery or serious medical conditions. A pediatrician is concerned with the physical, emotional, and social health of childrenRead MoreThe Most Important Job in the US: Pediatrician1150 Words   |  5 PagesA Pediatrician is one of the most important jobs in the United States. In order to become a pediatrician, many years of college are required. Many people who’ve became pediatricians have had experiences through programs and internships. Salaries for a pediatrician vary from how long a persons been working, to the size of the hospital. Another thing is job hours, a pediatrician works an average of about 60 hours a week, however they could be called in on weekends. In all h onesty, there is alwaysRead MoreThe Life of a Pediatrician1068 Words   |  5 PagesChoosing a career is more of a personal decision. Most pediatricians say they love and want to help children and young adults, including their families. Being a Pediatrician is a wonderful way to help children in ways most people can not. Many people say this job is very difficult to handle because it can get stressful. They say there is not much room for personal time or family time, but in the end it can be quite rewarding. Some say this job is easy, but they don’t live the life of a pediatrician. TheyRead MoreA Brief Note On Save A Life : How Can Someone Imagine A Sick Child?1628 Words   |  7 Pagessurvive and not think of pediatrics as a crucial career? A pediatrician is a doctor who ensures the healthiness of children and makes decisions that can better the lives of the children and save the parents of these children worry. Although specific duties, education, and training are required to become a pediatrician, the salary once one’s career is started is rewarding; however, none of these compare to saving a child’s life. Pediatricians work with children and their parents to ensure that

Thomas Paine Essay Research Paper Thomas PaineIn free essay sample

Thomas Paine Essay, Research Paper Thomas Paine In September of 1776, on the outskirts of Newark, among the tired, discouraged, soldiers, as they paused from their day-to-day retreat, sat Thomas Paine. He wrote many documents that would hold a major consequence on the result of the quest for independency. Born the boy of a Quaker Laymaker on January 29th, 1737 at Thetford, Norfolk England. He received a basic simple instruction, and started to work for his male parent as an learner, and subsequently as an excise officer. He was non a immense success at either, and was in fact fired twice from the occupation as an excise officer. When he arrived in Philadelphia on November thirtieth 1774, he was ill and hectic, and had to be carried on a stretcher. With a missive of recommendation from Ben Franklin, he was accepted into a infirmary and given particular attention, until he recovered. With that same missive from Ben Franklin, he found many doors opened for him, including occupations tutoring many of the boies of the wealthiest work forces in Philadelphia. We will write a custom essay sample on Thomas Paine Essay Research Paper Thomas PaineIn or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Paine started over once more, by printing African Slavery In America, in the spring of 1775, in which he criticized bondage in America as being unfair and inhumane. At about this same clip, he became the co-editor for the Pennsylvania Magazine. When he arrived in Philadelphia, Paine noticed the tenseness, and the rebellious attitude, that was continually acquiring larger, after the Boston Tea Party. In Paine s sentiment, the Colonies had all the right to revolt against a authorities that imposed revenue enhancements on them, and which did non give them the right of representation in the Parliament at Westminster. Then he went one monolithic measure farther, he decided there was no ground for the Colonies to remain dependent on England. He published his sentiments in the American independency booklet Common Sense. In Common Sense Paine states that Oklahoman or subsequently Independence from England must come, because America had lost touch with the female parent state. He felt that the map of authorities in society was to merely be a regulator, and therefore reasonably simple. His strong beliefs made him a major influence on the Declaration Of Independence. He joined General Washington in his conflict against General Howe in the War of Independence. Where he motivated many gloomy soldiers who needed reassurance. The retreating of General Washington s ground forces was a slow, day-to-day matter. Bein g an Englishman himself, Paine knew that the British enemy, would non take the Revolutionary Army earnestly and was familiar with tactics of the English Army, and could rede the Revolutionary Army of what was to be expected. The English were polite in the manner that they did non assail at dark. They were slow to lift in the forenoons, and early to retire for the eventides. Their scheme on the battleground was really formal and exact. The English would process in tight ranks, which was perfect for European conflicts, but senseless in the New World, where they would easy be taken out by Revolutionary sharpshooters. The bright ruddy military uniforms that they wore looked great, but made them excess easy marks, in the brumous New England yearss. While under General Washington s bid, Paine started work on the first of his American Crisis documents, which were subsequently published between the old ages of 1776 and 1783 In these documents he wrote of how Americans must be willing to give it their all # 8220 ; These are the times that try work forces s psyches. The summer soldier and the sunlight nationalist, will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their state ; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of adult male and woman. # 8221 ; He besides wrote of how the Americans would non win easy, for if they did, they would non esteem it with the regard if they had a difficult clip get the better ofing it. # 8220 ; Tyranny, like snake pit, is non easy conquered What we obtain excessively inexpensive, we esteem excessively lightly. # 8221 ; In 1787 Thomas Paine left for England, when the Gallic Revolution broke out. Originally meaning to raise money for a span he was constructing, Paine was sidetracked and became profoundly involved in the Gallic Revolution. He began printing The Rights Of Man in which he defended the Revolution and attacked the English sovereign. His book was banned in England, of course, and he was to be arrested, but was non on history he had left for France. When he returned to America in 1802, under invitation by Thomas Jefferson, he learned that he was considered a hinderance to America, or wholly disregarded. He died on June 8, 1809 in New York City, from edema. Truly Thomas Paine was the Most Loved and Most Hated Man in America. He had motivated the immature state to liberate itself from a monarchal regulation. And was a irritant in the side of England, as they continued to lose their clasp of control, on America.

Organisational Behaviour Essay Example

Organisational Behaviour Essay Organisation Behaviour is a study of a people, individuals and a group of peoples thinking, feeling and behaviour in a organisation. That is, it interprets people-organisation relationships in terms of the whole person, whole group, whole organisation, and while social system (Nwlink. com, 2008). Because most of us work in organisations, learning organisational behaviour is able to help us understand, predict and influence the behavious of others in organisational setting, and trends in organisational behaviour. One Australia hair-care company develop a range of hair products with refillable packaging in order to maximise brand loyalty and minimise the cost to consumers and the environment. Their innovative packaging are able to refilled up to 6 times, and it is made of recyclable material. Although the company forgoes some profit by having 20 to 30% of sales as refills, they benefit from increased consumer loyalty and knowing they are contributing less packaging waste to landfill. (Johnson, 2008) Also, many company are offering their products and/or services with carbon offsets, other than the example above, for instance, some airlines like QANTAS, launched a carbon offset program, which mean, passengers can elect to offset their share of flight emissions by making a small contribution, paying a little extra on airfare, then offsetting the emissions on their flight. The MARS model identifies four interrelated factors which are motivation, ability, role perception and situational factors, influence an employees voluntary behaviour and resulting performance. How does an organisation adoot the MARS model in business operation? We will write a custom essay sample on Organisational Behaviour specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Organisational Behaviour specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Organisational Behaviour specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer First of all, motivation, it is the force energising or giving direction to behaviour. (Bartol, Tein Matthews, 2005) It is a desire to achieve a goal, combined with the energy to work towards the goal, it has effect on direction, intensity and persistence of the behaviour. Because climate change has so much effect on environment, many tourism business have decided to implement a concept called sustainable tourism in their tourism business. For instance, Paradise Bay, the recently opened resort and spa in Grenada takes sustainable tourism into account and implemented the concept in every aspect of her activities. For example, the resort asks guests to keep using the towels and bed linen as long as is comfortable for them, they would reduce usage of laundry powder and water, minimise the population from using laundry services and the water usage. What drive them to do sustainable tourism? Because they recongise once climate change affect deeply in environment, there will be more damage to their tourism industry, so that they attempt to make a low impact on the environment and local culture, while helping to generate income, employment, and the conservation of local ecosystems. They understand if they dont act, climate change is a business risk for the tourism industry, it is not just an environmental issue, it affects businesses, economies, communities, locally and globally. Secondly, ability is about skill, talent, aptitude, capacity and power, those qualities that enable to achieve or accomplish something. (Answers. com, 2008) What if QANTAS is a small domestic airline company? Would QANTAS able to afford a billion fleet investment program, to take advantage of the latest technology on airplane to deliver improved fuel efficiency and reduced emissions? The answer is obvious. In addition to QANTAS carbon offset program, they also have other technology-based and operational initiatives included: Use of advanced satellite navigation procedures that utilise GPS technology to optimise flight approach and departure tracks; the development of user preferred routes, enabling the airline to alter its flight paths where possible to make the best use of higher level wind patterns and etc. (QANTAS, 2008) Role perception is the third factor in MARS model. It is beliefs about what behaviour is require to achieve the desired results, it means that the understanding what tasks to perform, understanding relative importance of tasks and understanding preferred behaviour to accomplish tasks. As the climate change affecting the whole world, people tend to consume in a more environmental-friendly way, which means that tend to buy product has less impact on population, choosing a service with carbon offset and so on. For example, the hair-care company who has product with refillable packaging, they understanding the trend of consumer buying behaviour, so that to produce refillable packaging for their product and gain consumer loyalty, also they are building their image as a environmental-friendly company, contributing less packaging waste to landfill. By doing survey, they found that 20 to 30% of their sales are in face refill sales as customers like knowing they are contributing less waste to landfill (Johnson, 2008) Although they forgoes some profit by having 20 to 30% of sales as refills, but they benefit from increased consumer loyalty, because of that, it is essentially ensuring the company understand how do play a part in the business and for the environment. Also having meetings, discussion and provide a comprehensive role description is another ways of ensuring role perception. Behaviour can be affected by internal and external conditions as well. Some factors, such as environmental issues, consumer buying behaviour and economic, those are the external factors that cannot be controlled by the organisation or employee; internal factors means the factors that are able to controlled within the organisation, such as business operation capital and work facilities. Therefor, performance depends not just on motivation, ability and role perception, it is also affected by the situation. . McShane Travaglione, 2005) Climate change is a huge external factor that affect organisational behaviour, for example, in tourism industry, the primary issues for tourism are transportation through road and air travel and electricity consumption. Transport accounts for about 14% of global green house gas emissions, making it a major contributor to global climate change. ( OURhotel, 2008) Because of the serious impact to the environment from transportation, many companies have alre ady acted to increase the amount of clean safe renewable energy. And a report released, stated that a 255 renewable energy target combined with medium energy efficiency measures would deliver/; 16600 new jobs, $33 billion in new investment, 69 million tonnes reduction in electricity sector greenhouse emissions and enough renewable electricity to power every home in Australia. ( OURhotel, 2008) Also, including the examples from above, hair-care company, Paradise Bay resort and QANTAS, they all have such and such behaviour to against the climate change. In conclusion, organisational behaviour is affected by several factors, which are within the MARS model, and it has given the understanding of how does the behaviour in the climate change. Climate change is a world wide issue and it is growing rapidly. It will give damage to our hospitality business seriously if we do not stop it now. People wouldnt care about and pay little attention in a few years ago, now people have change, besides their behaviour changed as well. Therefore, to study the organisational behaviour helps us understand what people think and do in the business setting in this changing world. Nwlink. com, 2008, Organisational Behaviour, ; http://www. nwlink. com/~donclark/leader/leadob. html; Bartol, K. , Tein, M. , Matthews. G. , and Martin, D, Management: A pacific rim focus, 4th edition, pp366, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Australia Answers. com, 2008, Ability, ; http://www. answers. com/Ability; QANTAS, (2008, Feburuary 5), ITS NATURAL TO FLY CARBON NEUTRAL WITH THE QANTAS GROUP, OURhotel, 44-45 Johnson. C, (2008, Feburuary 14), Refillable packaging saves consumers and the environment, Packaging, 22 OURhotel, (2008, Feburuary 5), Climate change, the future in our hand, OURhotel, 40-42 McShane. S. Travaglione. T, Organisational Behaviour on the Pacific Rim, Enhanced edition, p38-41 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Australia Gibson. J. L. , Ivancevich. J. M. , Donnelly. J. H. And Konopaske. R, Organiszations, Behaviour, Structure, Processes, 12th edition, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Americas, New York.

Scapegoat Theory of Prejudice Essay Example

Scapegoat Theory of Prejudice Paper A theory refers to a set of beliefs or perceptions that people have over certain issues and they have either been proved or not. There are many theories that many philosophers and psychologists have come up with and among them are those that relate to prejudice. Prejudice is an irrational and rigid term that is used to categorize those people who are termed as rigid and irrational. There are terms that are associated with prejudice and they are include a stereotype-which is a belief of a group of people, prejudice-are negative prejudgments of a group and its individual members, discrimination-means a negative behaviour which is directed to a particular member of a group due to the perception of a negative behaviour he or she exhibits. From these definitions stereotypes can be positive or negative, accurate or inaccurate while prejudice is normally in a negative direction only. Discrimination however is the behaviour that an individual portrays in one of these conditions. Prejudices are therefore prejudgments about individuals and can either be negative or positive. Prejudice can be measured by looking at an individual’s behaviour or assessing an individual and coming up with a report. The theories that are related to prejudice include the cultural theory, the conflict theory, the scapegoat theory and the authoritarian personality theory. The scapegoat theory is a theory that suggests that people who are frustrated are driven to prejudice. We will write a custom essay sample on Scapegoat Theory of Prejudice specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Scapegoat Theory of Prejudice specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Scapegoat Theory of Prejudice specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer This theory has a strong perception that prejudice is more common among people who are more disadvantaged in the society, in essence this theory indicates that a scapegoat is a person or a group of people who have less influence in the society and are always complaining because of their own troubles. The term scapegoat obtained its meaning from the ‘scapegoat’ which is a goat that was used for ceremonial purposes in Jerusalem and other religious centers. The goat was driven off to the wilderness and sacrificed so that its blood could be used to cleanse. More often, because of the innocence of the scapegoat i. e. the individual whose character is driven by prejudice, he is punished and blamed because of others wrong doings. When a problem occurs to a normal human being he likes to blame others. The scapegoats normally take aggressions of other people, who are often regarded as bullies because they use their power to outdo those who cannot resist. A character of an individual is often shaped by scapegoatism because once an individual has been termed as a scapegoat; it can be difficult to shake off the title away from him. The origin of the word scapegoatism has a connection with Christianity; the original usage of the term therefore gave the word the current meaning and usage that is attributed to the term today. There are several fields that the theory of scapegoatism can be applied today and it includes Christianity, sports, psychoanalytic theory and sociological/ political orientations. In Christianity the theory of scapegoat is very relevant because it signifies the taking away of the human kind sins by Jesus Christ on the Cross. The story is told in the bible in the book of Leviticus where Christ is symbolized as a goat taken to wilderness outside the city and killed so that its blood can be used to appease the clan that had sinned. Scapegoat’s theory according to Girard states man as having a problem with violence. The constant want for more by an individual often makes an individual to cause conflict in the society because of lack. This scenario is caused because both parties between individuals can involve themselves in a conflict that is meant to make them satisfy their needs. This issue, as it grows in the society causes the individuals to indulge in scapegoatism mechanism, i. e. the point when an individual is sidelined in the society because of the trouble that he has caused in the society. The punishment often involves killing or expelling the individual from the society. When the scapegoat has been eliminated from the society, the balance of power and order comes back again and the cycle begins i. e. new scapegoats develop this character and the same process of expelling repeats itself. Political and social organizations utilize the use of this term majorly in situations which the individual is out at a risk of death or lack of performance. In politics, scapegoatism is a good tool for propaganda i. e. spreading wrong information about someone in the society. An example is the use of the term in the modern history of the Jews where the Nazi group singled out the Jews as the source of the German post world war one political collapse and problems in the economic and social structure. In the social setup the use of the theory of scapegoatism has undesirably effects to the minority group who are less able to defend themselves. In developed societies the use of negative use of the term to sideline the minority groups is increasingly being addressed. In sports issues the theory of scapegoatism is evident in some historic scenarios ever recorded. One case is the scapegoat of Buckner in the 1986 World Series baseball that he was the responsible for the loss of the game. In 2003 national league championships, Bartman Steven was blamed for interfering with a ball that would have been recorded as a foul in the Chicago basketball. Another case also was the loss of the 2004 ice hockey championships by the Canadian team; the blame was directed to Fleury who was the goalkeeper. There are other several cases that this theory applies in sports. Psychoanalytic theory has reservations that the feelings and reasoning of an individual can be directed to an individual in a particular situation thus making the person whom the aggression is directed to as the scapegoat. In this case the individual becomes the source of the problem and will therefore bear the consequences.

Write The Topic Here When You Decide What My Proposal Will Be Talking

Write The Topic Here When You Decide What My Proposal Will Be Talking Write The Topic Here When You Decide What My Proposal Will Be Talking About – Research Proposal Example Political Party Identification: Predicting Party Affiliations based on Age and Economic Outlook. My research captures three variables used in determining the performance of the current and past ruling parties. Through the associations determined, I will develop a linear regression model based on the ages of respondents, and economic outlook over the past twelve months to determine the individual’s party affiliation. I will run correlations between each of the independent variables and the dependent to ascertain whether as postulated, older, more conservative Americans are more likely to be associated with the more conservative Republican Party; and whether either Democrats or Republicans have a more biased outlook of the economic situation in the country. Based on the outcome, it will be possible to determine which party has a higher likelihood of winning the 2016 Presidential elections based statistical evidence. The dependent variable for this research is party affiliation ( PID_X). It will be determined using respondents’ perceived economic status of the country between the time of the survey and the previous one year (ECON_ECPAST_X), which is the first independent variable for this study. Age (DEM-AGEGRP_IWDATE), the other independent variable, will serve as a moderating factor for the relationship between party affiliation and economic outlook. Hypothetically, by older people being more conservative and more pro-Republican, age could be a source of unaccounted-for bias, which advised the decision to use it as a moderating factor. This way, the bias will be eliminated, and obtain a fairer prediction of party affiliation based on economic outlook.

1960's Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

1960's - Essay Example The conflict, of course, began when the French decided to release their colonial claims to Vietnam. The French army was driven from Vietnam in 1954, resulting in the Geneva Peace Accords. This created a temporary partition of Vietnam at the seventeenth parallel, until 1956, when nationwide elections would be held. While the Communist powers in the Soviet Union and China did want the entire nation of Vietnam to become Communist, they predicted that the 1956 election would accomplish their aims without bringing the United States into the conflict (The Wars for Vietnam: 1945 to 1975). Rather than initiate another conflict similar to Korea, the American government began a concerted effort to win the political minds of those living to the south of the Communist zone. A major part of this effort was the creation of SEATO (Southeast Asia Treaty Organization). Initially, the American efforts were successful: the 1956 elections brought Ngo Dinh Diem, a firm opponent of Communism, to power in South Vietnam. However, Diem claimed that the North Vietnamese were preparing to take the southern half of Vietnam by force, and the Americans began aiding his military maneuvers against the northern half in 1957. Diem used a variety of brutal internal measures in South Vietnam to quell the Communist insurgency, including Law 10/59, which permitted authorities to hold anyone who was suspected of being a Communist indefinitely, without bringing charges. Over time, Diem became increasingly autocratic, which made him an increasingly difficult leader for the United States to support. In response, the Communist insurgency began to increase the amount of violence in its protests (The Wars for Vietnam: 1945 to 1975). The National Liberation Front was the official organization for those in South Vietnam who wanted to overthrow

Environments of organization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Environments of organization - Essay Example To create the fruit of this cooperative enterprise, LEJ employs about eleven full time staff and employs approximately fifty paid youth interns each year. Pfeffer & Salancik argue that Organizations are inescapably bound up with the conditions of their environment & they engage in activities which lead them to quicker adjustment in their environment (Pfeffer p.233). The Resource Dependency Theory (RDT) developed by Pfeffer & Salancik highlights that most important task of an organization is to survive & the most influencing factor on the shape of an organization is not how it consumes resources but how it acquires it (Pfeffer p.234). Therefore according to Pfeffer & Salancik, the effective organization is the one which satisfies the demand of those in the environment from whom it requires support for its continued existence (Pfeffer p.242) DiMaggio & Powell similarly argue in their seminal article on institutional isomorphism & collective rationality that organizations tend to look more and more similar the more an organizational field develops (DiMaggio & Powell, P.147). This process which they name Isomorphism in organization not necessarily drives it towards more efficiency but more acceptability. They argue that the major factor which organizations must take into account is other organizations as they not only compete for resources and customers but also political power & institutional legitimacy (DiMaggio & Powell, P.150). They suggest three mechanisms for this change which they term as coercive, mimetic & normative isomorphism. The biggest survival issue for any non-profit organization like LEJ is the constant supply of funding to various projects. With propping up of new non-profit organization with the same domain of work & the temporary down turn in economy post 9/11 caused LEJ to reconsider its funding issues. The leadership decided to stick to its mission principle and reject any funding & project proposals which are outside its scope to create an image of a principled organization which appeals to donors having environment related donations. This required restructuring, introducing processes within the organization which makes channelizing of ideas easily into grants proposals and actively pursuing potential donors for grants and ideas which can quickly be converted to grant proposals. This resulted into creation of a slot for full time grant writer, who can convert ideas into grant proposals. This was a classical attempt to improve their chances of securing their resources which in case of non-profi ts is extremely important. As Pfeffer & Salancik have argues that organizations always attempt to secure their resources without owning it (Pfeffer & Salancik, p. 236) in the environments once continuous availability of a resource is a problematic issue. Coercive Isomorphism always comes into play while dealing with Government & Donors (in case of non-profits). The constant change of government's procedures to ensure check and balances in non-profit organizations, LEJ has to constantly transform how it works through employee orientation and training for the departments which deal with government like taxations and audits etc. Moreover funding by donors also comes with certain compulsions in denial of donations to certain projects and emphasis on certain others, LEJ has to ensure that they constantly satisfy their

The London Toile Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

The London Toile - Essay Example The urban landscape in many UK cities seems to be changing all the time, modern buildings have become icons that give us a strong sense of identity, and there fore the London Toile seemed a perfect expression of where we were coming from.I could go on and on, but to sum things up we do love some of the traditional designs from the past, but its great fun to give them a new angle, to make them speak to us in the present.   This fabric speaks so much about the lifestyle of the romantic, peaceful and carefree London. Printed in the fabric, were green different images of the romantic and carefree lifestyles in contrast to a cream linen which made it more beautiful and attractive.  There are 8 images injected to a bright cream fabric, showered with flying and feeding doves were a images of lovers overlooking the Great London Bridge across the lake under the tree infront of bench. It is such a very romantic site which made this fabric perfectly ideal for lovers, designed to fit on sofa sets, love rests or even   curtains in a lovers bedroom.  Next to this image is the city itself, overlooked across the ocean with a lone man walking away from it. This peaceful and solemn serenity of the scene depicts the mood of the sunset, being ready for a relaxing dinner and sleep on your way to your home. Having this fabric hanged in your living room makes you feel that you are glad to be home with your family, celebrating the union before the end of the day.Timorous Beasties have not actually changed much in the Toile concept.

Abortion And The View Of Richard Selzer

Abortion And The View Of Richard Selzer In his essay, What I Saw at the Abortion, Dr. Richard Selzer writes about his experience witnessing an abortion for the first time. Selzers article persuade readers from the side of pro-life point of view by using very powerful technique without includes anything that standing against pro-choice or effusively agreeing pro-life. His writing has neither fair nor biased in this article because it simply expresses how he witnessed a procedure of the pro-choice operation and let the readers feel how he had felt- a very powerful persuasive. Although, Selzers writing style is rubbing with a sandpaper on the readers mind at the beginning, his assertive tone and interesting language choosing in the article leads reader to the end without needing much of rhetorical tools. But he does use a rhetorical statement when he writes, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦is tugged, like a fishing line nibbled by a sunfish to visualize how the needle in the womans belly trembles. Even though this article needed more technical terms than as it is, Selzer minimizes those and gets the readers attention. When he uses the technical or biological terms, he explains what those are at once. For example he writes, prostaglandin- a substance found normally in the body.(3) or outpourings of disease-phlegm, pus, vomitus, (1) makes easy to understand and stay focus on article without needing of flipping pages of dictionary. Selzer makes his article easy to understanding. However, sometime he gives his readers to think what his expression is and that makes readers dissolve in his stand point. The statement, We are not six, I think. I think we are seven(2) gives rise to readers to think where the seventh person came from, then realize that the baby inside the womb is not just a fetus but it is another living human being. Sometime he unknowingly pushes the readers in the place of his characters feeling as one would take its own: it is not pain the she feels. It is more a recognition that the deed is being done. (1). Selzer knows like a wizard, what would be floating around on the readers head during the story goes. He shows that he knows what readers are thinking by, I know, I know. The thing is normally done at sixteen weeks. and explains the reason. He does not say that he stands on the pro-life viewpoint directly. But he indirectly states he is a pro-life in the middle of the article, where everyone in the operation room wants the jerked needle where it is. Six do then he count-off himself, No, five do.(2) Over all in his article, he is describing that he has witnessed a scene of murdering a helpless unborn baby who was defending for its life -as much as he or she could-inside the womb until effort away.(3) His emphasis in the introduction of the article, that he is a surgeon who have seen undesirable scene on daily basic, reinforces how that scene is so much painful for a person to watch. Abortion is termination of pregnancy by accidentally or a woman makes the decision to end by means of surgical procedure as states by Selzer. Abortion has been a social controversy since the procedure was invented, and has arisen since 1973 when the government legalized and over 3.5 million legal abortions have been reported in according with CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). Communities are constantly debating over the pro-life or pro-choice and how many weeks of pregnancy is not to have the procedure preformed. A person believes in pro-life would say abortion is a murder because the moment of conception, the fetus is alive. On the other hand, a pro-choice person would feel that decision to abort pregnancy is solely to mothers and the government has no right to intervene. And a fetus doesnt become real human being until it is physically delivered from a mothers womb. Abortion is one of the most controversial topics of all times and yet, is still in the gray zone. In early societies before legalizing the abortion, unwanted children were often abandoned or even killed after they were born; or seeking back alley abortions which are usually located in an unhealthy area and done by unlicensed operators. Many of women died from infection and incompetent operator. We all know that abortion is demeans the value of human life in social and religion point of view, but what all the consequences would happened if the unwanted child to bring into the world? It is probably for the society to let the unwanted pregnancy to abort than have them be brought up poor and neglected or abused. That would not only for the child and mother to suffer throughout their life but also for the society. A child who is neglected or abused are higher probability to get in to crime, drug addiction, lifelong government aid recipients, etc. (Masserli). Do we want the child to left in that kind of miserable life? Do we want to add such burden to our over loaded society? Some people might say, If the mother cannot raise her child, she could be giving up the child for adoption. Giving up the child for adoption makes tremendous emotional effect, much more than aborts the baby inside the womb, to the mother for the rest of her life. We all make mistakes in our life, especially in teenage life. But sometime, one mistake can cause a whole life living with a big scar across the face. With lack of sex education or may be with peer pressures to have sex at an early age, could drain down the great life plan for a teenage girl. We shouldnt penalize someone for life for one mistake by holding pro-life agenda without justification. A blogger/ poet, Sandra Kay expresses how much emotionally and psychologically effects to be a pregnant teenager comparing with her own experience in her article A Pro-Choice Perspective, she writes, I can tell you-and I am not guessing, but I know-that without access to legal abortions, suicides will increase and women will resort to dangerous, life-threatening, self-inflicted abortions.(Kay) Although many people say a woman has to make ultimately her own decision whether to choose pro-choice or pro-life, when the situation arises, they should carefully consider both points of view to reduce the impact of regret in the future. Pregnancy is very difficult time for many people. Some are planned; most are unintentional, thus leaving the mother frustrated with a decision to make. The decision is a matter of life and death. If you think having abortion is murder, then letting suicides of pregnant woman will make DOUBLE murder!

Affirmative Action :: Quotas Race Minority Academics Essays

Affirmative Action In Texas, acceptance to public universities for high school students is now based on academic achievement - if a student is at the top ten percent of his or her class, he or she will be automatically accepted. This is a way to counter the unfairness of affirmative action causes because the admission has nothing to do with race or sex. Arguably, this policy is reasonable because students studying at the same high school receive equal opportunity to learn and educate themselves. This may seem fair, but the same problem still exists. If a student has to work part-time just to make a living because his or her family is unable to sustain financially, how is this student going to find time to study and be successful in school, and therefore, be in the top ten percent? In recent supreme court ruling, the point system that were using in admitting law students at the University of Michigan was ruled unconstitutional and therefore taken out. The university used a point system that quantified the qualification of the applicant's status. If a student's points exceed a certain number, he or she is admitted to the school. The university gives an extra twenty points to the minorities in terms of enforcing affirmative action and helping the disadvantaged. The six of the judges believe that the defined number system is in many ways similar as having a set quota in admitting minority students, which was banned in the case of University of California v. Bakke of 1978. The judges believe that having a rule in admitting students strictly by race is impersonal. In Bakke's case, the University defends itself for having such quota with the fact that admitting minority students into medical school can help improve social discrimination because the minority are less likely to have the education or the financial status to go to a medical school. As a result, being a doctor becomes majority profession. The judges at the time countered the university's statements by stating that the school is being unfair to the non-minority applicants, who are not directly responsible of the social discrimination. The Supreme Court ruled the University of Michigan's point system unconstitutional in the undergraduate level, but kept the same system for the Law school. They believe race should be taken into consideration, but should not quantify qualification. Although the judges opposing this ruling stated that "A fixed numerical score for racial minority status has the virtue of honesty.

Demand in Life

Life is not just about being happy and being able to enjoy what we love to do. We all have a lot of things that we need to get done, but many of us have absolutely nothing to do with what is truly important in our lives with so many demands on our time. For this reason, it is easy to feel like we are losing control in our life. Time itself will not going to slow down and demands on our time will not go away too. If we want the situation to be change, it is going to be up to us to change it. Time management is the best tool that we can use that can will help us to accomplish our demands in life. There is only one life to be able to spend my lives in my own way. So, I am setting my priorities to achieve my demands in life. Whatever I do in my life is essential to make my life easier. It is important that I can manage to face the challenges that come in my way that will take a huge amount of my time such as hobbies, job and family. Generally, many of us let go some of our interest and hobbies to meet our demands in life. My hobbies help me release my stress. I know that stress can destroy me and it can also drain my mental and physical energy. In my case, I am rather being with my son’s baseball practice and games instead of going to the gym and work out. I don’t want to miss any important event in his life. I want to be there to support and cheer him up. Likewise, I also gave up my hobby as a dance choreographer to be able to spend quality time with my family especially weekend. Furthermore, my job takes lots of my time because I need to make my handmade creations and sell it online. Each and every one of us has different aspect in life. I make decision based on the situation that demands my priorities. Therefore, I know that demand in life will takes lots of time to reach my goals. For instance, working at home as an entrepreneur risks my time, but I need to work to support my school and family expenses. Even though the risk is high but I still successfully establish my own business that gives me the opportunity to have full control over it. Finally, how do I fit roles such as a mother, a wife and a friend into my hectic schedule? Since, time is precious for me and there’s one life to live, keeping a balance between my career and family can be challenge. As a mother, a wife, a student and a businesswoman takes up a huge amount of time from doing my school obligation. Family demands more attention and devotion because they are my priority. I believe that being a mother is the most expensive job in the world. In these instances, support from my family has to be there and understanding. Additionally, when my son is involved, I need to adjust my lives so I can have time to spend quality time with him. As a mother and a wife, it is my responsibility to make sure that they have delicious and healthy meal on the table, clean clothes to wear and most of all a happy, clean and relaxing home to stay. Therefore, the biggest challenge that I am facing is how to balance the demands of my hobbies, job and family. I have to make sacrifice in order to achieve my aspirations. In addition, doing the thing I love will have the opportunity to explore new challenges. It also helps me grow as individuals and learn new things about myself. I believe that my life is a gift and I want to treasure every moment of it to live my life to the fullest.

Free Essays on Candide

In the beginning of Voltaire’s Candide, Candide is expelled from the Baron's castle for kissing Cunà ©gonde. After forced enlistment in the Bulgarian army Candide fled to Holland where he met Jacques the Anabaptist, and found the philosopher, Dr. Pangloss. Pangloss told Candide that the Bulgarians raped and disemboweled Cunà ©gonde. Following the news, Candide, Jacques, and Pangloss sailed to Lisbon. A storm destroyed the ship leaving Jacques to drown, and Candide and Pangloss survived only to watch as an earthquake and tidal wave level Lisbon. Pangloss insisted that despite the total ruin of Lisbon, the world is still the best of all possible worlds. For making such a heretical statement, Pangloss is hung while Candide is beaten during a ceremony of the Spanish Inquisition. Later, an old woman reunited Candide with Cunà ©gonde, who survived the Bulgarian invasion. Cunà ©gonde was then the mistress of both Don Issachar and the Grand Inquisitor of Lisbon. Candide ended up killing them both because of their jealous rage. Then Candide, Cunà ©gonde, and the old woman fled to Cadiz and Candide volunteered to fight against the Jesuits in Paraguay. After the fights the three sailed to Buenos Aires and upon arrival the old woman spotted a ship from Spain in hot pursuit, so once again Candide had to flee. Candide and his valet Cacambo then joined the Jesuits. The Commandant of the Jesuits was actually Cunà ©gonde's brother, the Baron's son. The reunion turned sour when the Baron's son forbade Candide to marry Cunà ©gonde. The commandant attacked Candide and unfortunately was stabbed in the process. Candide and Cacambo escaped only to be captured by the Oreillons, a tribe of natives, but luckily, the diplomatic Cacambo convinced the natives to release them. Next, Candide and Cacambo happen upon the Utopian kingdom of Eldorado. After a short stay, Candide and Cacambo left, with 102 red sheep covered in jewels, to find Cunà ©gonde. They arrived ... Free Essays on Candide Free Essays on Candide Voltaire's Candide is a novel which contains conceptual ideas and at the same time is also exaggerated. Voltaire offers sad themes disguised by jokes and witticism, and the story itself presents a distinctive outlook on life. The crucial contrast in the story deals with irrational ideas as taught to Candide about being optimistic, versus reality as viewed by the rest of the world. The main theme which is presented throughout the novel is optimism. Out of every unfortunate situation in the story, Candide, the main character, has been advised by his philosopher-teacher that everything in the world happens for the better, because "Private misfortunes contribute to the general good, so that the more private misfortunes there are, the more we find that all is well" (Voltaire, p. 31). Pangloss, the philosopher, tries to defend his theories by determining the positive from the negative situations and by showing that misfortunes bring some privileges. As Candide grows up, whenever something unfortunate happens, Pangloss would turn the situation around, bringing out the good in it. Candide learns that optimism is "The passion for maintaining that all is right when all goes wrong " (Voltaire, p.86). According to Rene Pomeau, "Voltaire-Candide...have made him [Candide] acquainted with the bad and the good side of human existence. The moral of Candide is born out of its style; it is the art of extracting happiness from the desolate hopping-about of the human insect" (Adams; Pomeau p.137). Pomeau explains that Candide shows both sides of humanity; how both great and terrible events are standard in a human life. Also according to Pomeau, the whole point of the story is to debate between good and bad; for example, as Candide becomes more independent, he starts to doubt that only good comes out of life. Pangloss is a very hopeful character in the story because he refuses to accept bad. He is also somewhat naive and believes that he could make... Free Essays on Candide In the book â€Å"Candide† by Voltaire we are introduced to the main character Candide who was born and raised in a castle in Westphalia. Candide has been brought up under the teachings of the great philosopher Pangloss who is basically a philosopher of everything. Pangloss’ main philosophical view is that â€Å"everything is for the best in this best of all possible worlds.† Pangloss demonstrates this by using an example of the reason we have a nose is for glasses to be placed upon it. However Candide gets kicked out of the castle that he grew up in and as he continues to believe in Pangloss’ theory it is starting to be contradicted greatly with the events that have been occurring in Candide’s life. From the very first chapter in the book we are presented with events that Candide’s faith in Pangloss’ theory. He faces a wide variety of tragedies one after another including rapes, robberies, unjust executions, disease, earthquake, and betrayal. Yet as I read through all these terrible events I felt that it was almost necessary for Candide to keep faith in Pangloss’ theory because it is the only explanation that he has so far as to why these horrible things are happening to him and others around him. In life when we lack reasoning for the tragic events that occur we are often left very angry and confused. It is good for Candide’s spirit to hold on to this theory that Pangloss has given him no matter how unreasonable it is. On the other hand Pangloss struggles to find justification for the unimaginable things in the world and his arguments are simply absurd. For example, he says that syphilis is necessary and is needed to be transmitted from the Americans to Europe so that Europeans could enjoy new world delicacies such as chocolate. How bizarre is that explanation? So no matter how good of an idea Pangloss thought he might have had with his theory that â€Å"everything is for the best in this best of ... Free Essays on Candide In the beginning of Voltaire’s Candide, Candide is expelled from the Baron's castle for kissing Cunà ©gonde. After forced enlistment in the Bulgarian army Candide fled to Holland where he met Jacques the Anabaptist, and found the philosopher, Dr. Pangloss. Pangloss told Candide that the Bulgarians raped and disemboweled Cunà ©gonde. Following the news, Candide, Jacques, and Pangloss sailed to Lisbon. A storm destroyed the ship leaving Jacques to drown, and Candide and Pangloss survived only to watch as an earthquake and tidal wave level Lisbon. Pangloss insisted that despite the total ruin of Lisbon, the world is still the best of all possible worlds. For making such a heretical statement, Pangloss is hung while Candide is beaten during a ceremony of the Spanish Inquisition. Later, an old woman reunited Candide with Cunà ©gonde, who survived the Bulgarian invasion. Cunà ©gonde was then the mistress of both Don Issachar and the Grand Inquisitor of Lisbon. Candide ended up killing them both because of their jealous rage. Then Candide, Cunà ©gonde, and the old woman fled to Cadiz and Candide volunteered to fight against the Jesuits in Paraguay. After the fights the three sailed to Buenos Aires and upon arrival the old woman spotted a ship from Spain in hot pursuit, so once again Candide had to flee. Candide and his valet Cacambo then joined the Jesuits. The Commandant of the Jesuits was actually Cunà ©gonde's brother, the Baron's son. The reunion turned sour when the Baron's son forbade Candide to marry Cunà ©gonde. The commandant attacked Candide and unfortunately was stabbed in the process. Candide and Cacambo escaped only to be captured by the Oreillons, a tribe of natives, but luckily, the diplomatic Cacambo convinced the natives to release them. Next, Candide and Cacambo happen upon the Utopian kingdom of Eldorado. After a short stay, Candide and Cacambo left, with 102 red sheep covered in jewels, to find Cunà ©gonde. They arrived ...

Evaluating Pret a Mangers Ethical Policies Essay Example

Evaluating Pret a Mangers Ethical Policies Essay Example Evaluating Pret a Mangers Ethical Policies Essay Evaluating Pret a Mangers Ethical Policies Essay Pret a Manger (informally known as Pret), founded in 1986 by Julian Metcalfe and Sinclair Beecham, is a private partnership that never franchises out and therefore its accounts are not open to the public (Pret, 2007).   The company sees this as an advantage as it allows it to grow at a speed it feels is appropriate without the pressure that is afforded a company accountable to the public (Pret, 2007).   Pret has incorporated strict ethics in its company policies governing the sourcing of fresh produce to be utilised in their handmade products, the treatment of their workers and the working atmosphere they created and more recently have included policies on the now popular environmental subject â€Å"sustainability† (Pret, 2007).   However, there have been actions taken by the company that customers and observers have criticised as being in contrast to their supposed ethical policies.   This includes the selling of one third of the company to McDonalds, and establishmen t renowned for its policy of putting profit before ethics band being involved in environmental destruction, cheap labour and packing their food full of additives (Walsh, 2006). Produce and Products Pret a Manger has a self serving reputation for being fanatical about the freshness and cleanness of the produce they use.   They favour natural products, utilise organic milk and freedom farm meats (endorsed by the RSPCA).   They have made improvements to cater their sustainability drive and now have the so called â€Å"bio box† and use recyclable packaging as well as sourcing sustainable sources of food and avoiding the use of chemicals which they term as â€Å"sacred† to Pret (Pret, 2007).   It is a characteristic that they only use the freshest of products and never keep food over night. Staff and Customers Pret a Manger also go to great lengths to keep their staff content in their jobs and in an industry that notoriously forces staff to work longer hours for low wages, Pret pays well above the minimum wage and offers work in manageable shifts, as well as offering perks such as increased wages, bonuses and items including silver Tiffany stars for achievements or when a customer recommends their work.   It is an interesting fact that over 60% of Pret managers started out as team members (Pret, 2007).   In addition, Pret is a partner with Forum for the Future in particular reference to their exceptional behaviour as an employer (Forum for the Future, 2007).   Staff and customers are welcome to give input into the running of the company.   Every week a mystery shopper visits each store to check on the quality of the produce and the level of customer service provided (Pret, 2007). Charity and Social Work As pret does not keep food over night, something has to be done with any leftover at the end of the day.   Instead of sending them to landfill, Pret runs a drive to offer their food to homeless people through shelters and charitable donations.   In fact, they distribute approximately 12000 meals each week (Pret, 2007).   The spare food is either collected by particular charities or distributed by the Pret Foundation Trust set up in 1995 which, is funded by customer donations and income from particular products and is a fleet of electric vans (in another effort to offset carbon emissions) (Pret, 2007).   The company is always on the lookout for more homeless charities to support, especially where certain stores as yet, do not have a designated charity. McDonalds Investment For the most part, Pret a Manger have been arguably, one of the most ethical brand names to date in many areas, there is no question that they carry out their policies as far as is possible.   There is one major sticking point however, and for most people that is the third share held by the multi-conglomerate corporation McDonalds   Albeit a minority share, at 33 per cent, it is a large slice of the company (Walsh, 2006).   Many Pret admirers are sceptical of McDonalds input into the company.   The concept of a comparatively small, socially aware retail outlet, teaming up with a multinational company known for its social, environmental and ethical ineptitude and singular focus on on wealth accumulation, seems to be a contradiction in terms, although with McDonalds input, Pret has been able to expand over seas, which may be good for Pret financially, but the question remains, have they sold out, ethically?   It may be fair to say that it is certainly looking as though Pret h as sold out on its ethical policies although it maintains that it still has full control over its activities despite McDonalds involvement. Conclusion Pret a Manger has a range of prominent and competent ethical policies covering all aspects of relevant corporate social responsibility, from the welfare of their workforce to sourcing their produce with due care to the environment and environmental standards, making charitable donations and searching for advances in recycling and and ways to reduce their carbon emissions and providing a â€Å"cradle to grave† attitude towards the packaging and non-edible waste they produce.   Despite this ethical proficiency, a question mark continues to hang over the decision to sell one third of the company to McDonalds fast food chain and the possible negative affects on Prets ethical policy that this association may have.

Understanding enron Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Understanding enron - Assignment Example Enron is a unique data point which cannot be considered a trend. Another perspective suggests Enron as an example of systematic governance failure. Openly roiling the market, Enron has established new demand among investors for transparency. Market has discovered that professional staff like gatekeepers cannot be trusted for handling the financial data. Enron demonstrates gatekeeper failure. Gatekeepers provide services of verification and certification to the investors. Attorneys are more of transaction engineers than reputational intermediaries, though they can also be included in the category of gatekeepers. Gatekeepers are known as valuable sources of information because of their tendency to provide honest assessment, though gatekeepers derive their importance from pledging a reputational capital, that is too dear to them to sacrifice for a little fee. However, heavy gains optimize a gatekeeper’s tendency to comply in managerial fraud. Enron’s gatekeeper let the man agers do fraud. The status of gatekeepers is changing. Arthur Andersen engaged in several security frauds. The number of earning restatements and the amounts involved increased by the 1990’s. Most securities analysts kept recommendations on the stock of Enron till its bankruptcy filing. Analysts are also reputational intermediaries. The ration of buy to sell kept increasing over the years in the 1990’s. Something made the gatekeepers compromise the objectivity and independence. Enron provides an example of the collective failure of gatekeepers, including the auditors, the analysts, and the debt rating agencies. Two explanations can be laid for the ignorance of the massive fraud by these watchdogs; the economic general deterrence story and the psychological bubble story. 1990’s saw a decline in the risk of auditor liability along with an increase in the benefits of acquiescence, which

Dorothea Lange Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Dorothea Lange - Research Paper Example n, a face marked with wrinkles and a distant gaze seemingly full of worries; to the right and left are her children leaning against her shoulders while a baby sleeping on her lap, seemed to portray vulnerable people seeking protection amidst struggle and hopelessness. This highly concentrated, tightly composed image has been one of the most famous and most frequently published photograph of the FSA project and made Lange an eminent documentary photographer of her time (â€Å"Dorothea Lange†). Her work poignantly captured the depths of the Great Depression era by asserting the challenges of rural poverty through photographs and doing reports on the plights of poor farmers and migrant workers. Being a social realism photographer of the early 20th century, Lange once reflected â€Å"No country has ever closely scrutinized itself visually...I know what we could make of it if people only thought we could dare to look at ourselves† (qtd. in

The Greek Debt Crisis Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The Greek Debt Crisis - Assignment Example This paper is inclined towards analyzing the debt crisis of Greek. The debt crisis is considered as an important point for discussion. The countries have to encounter various financial constraints due to the debt crisis. The main reason for the Greek crisis is the weakening of the economic assistance and support. The Greek debt crisis has captured the attention of the people across the world. The main cause of the sovereign Greek debt crisis is due to the failure of the government in repaying of the debt to other countries. Debt has become a burden for Greek. The increase in debt is not only due to the failure of the government in repaying of its debt but also due to the low interest rate that prevailed in the country. The crisis has adversely affected the economy with the decrease in the employment opportunities. The low rate of interest has risen the domestic spending and has increased the rate of inflation. The reliance on borrowing by the Greek government on the international mar ket has led to the emergence of crisis. The crisis has impacted negatively. Since the failure to repay the debt has affected the confidence of the consumers to a large extent. As a result of which the investors will hesitate in investing in this countries and the countries of the world will restrict them from lending to Greece. The rate of debt has rose during the period of 2008 to 2009 as a result of which it has adversely affected the financial performance of the country. The financial debt crisis has affected the country in 2007 and the crisis has continued till the period of 2011. The Greek debt crisis is considered as one of the largest debt crisis of the world as compared to the debt crisis that is encountered by the other countries of the world. The debt crisis has affected all the sectors and segments of the economy to a large extent. The banking sector has been adversely affected (Bitzenis, 2014). The main reason behind

The different views of London presented by the two poets Essay Example for Free

The different views of London presented by the two poets Essay Compare the different views of London presented by the two poets. Refer closely to the text in your answer. The poems London by William Blake and A View From Westminster Bridge by William Wordsworth were both written around the turn of the 19th century. Both describe London in very different ways, highlighting the aspects of Londons alter ego. Blakes poem is a scathing attack on both the city and its inhabitants. In contrast, Wordsworths poem reflects the aesthetical value of the scene. The craft employed by the poets helps to reflect the difference in tone between the two poems. In Blakes poem, London is brutally painted as a dark, dirty, disease ridden and deprived place. He does this by describing the people who live in this hapless city and the mind forged manacles that bind the people to their lives of misery. Wordsworths poem describes a scene in the early morning of the view from Westminster bridge .It uses grandiose imagery to describe the beautiful majesty of the city and praises both nature and mans achievements, and how they can co-exist harmoniously the beauty of the morning; silent, bare, /ships, towers, domes, theatres. This is very different from Blakes poem which talks of the people, like the chimney sweepers cry and the hapless soldiers sigh. As Blake wanders thro each chartered street hes seeing these people and acknowledging their sadness. The purpose of Blakes poem is to outline the hardships and low standard of living within London. Blake calls the streets chartered, Chartered can be interpreted to mean responsibility of the church or state or licensed; on the other hand it can be use to mean licentious and freely immoral. Taken in context with the rest of the poem I consider it to mean freely immoral. Blake shows an obvious disgust for the city and its people. He sees in the people marks of weakness, marks of woe clearly showing that the people are living poor lives in squander. On the other hand, Wordsworths poem is an exaggerated tribute to the beauty of London. He says the city like a garment doth wear the beauty of the morning. Wordsworth is touched by the scene and is moved to write this poem describing the deep sense of calm and awe evoked in him. He wants to infect his readers with this feeling. Wordsworths poem immediately sets out how the author feels in the first line saying Dull would he be of soul who could pass by, a sight so touching in its majesty. Inferring that the sight of London would evoke strong views in everyone who sees it as it clearly does in Wordsworth. Wordsworths poem is made more charged in the penultimate line where he says Dear God! The very houses seem asleep; He is so overwhelmed by the tranquillity of London that he feels the need to invoke gods name. In contrast nowhere in the Blake poem does he use direct speech to heighten any of the emotions. Wordsworths poem uses words like glideth and smokeless air to give a sense of calm tranquillity to his words. This makes me feel peaceful and almost sleepy as the words flow along in an almost dreamlike fashion. William Blakes poem conveys his feelings in a more abstract style, when he uses the people of London to represent the institutions, which they are associated with. He says the hapless soldiers sigh runs in blood down palace walls. Here he is criticising the monarchy and government for condemning young men to death by sending them off to fight in foreign wars. It is obvious from words such as woe and appals that Blake is disgusted with what he sees in London. The reader would undoubtedly feel great pity for the people of London at this time. The poets use different symbolism to convey their ideas to the reader. Wordsworth shows his feelings for London in a figurative way. He personifies the sun, river and the city. He continues this simile giving the river a will. He says The City now doth like a garment wear the beauty of the morning this gives the impression that the city is alive and therefore more exciting and wonderful instead of it being an inanimate collection of buildings. Wordsworths sonnet is written in regular iambic pentameter which emphasises the rhyme and thus the beauty of London. Wordsworth also uses lists, Ships, towers, domes, theatres, so that it seems that he is so overwhelmed by the amount of beauty he cannot get his words out fast enough. He also uses hyperbole in saying, Never did sun more beautifully steep. Wordsworth cannot know this so he uses exaggeration to heighten the tone and impact. William Blakes London is written in four, four line stanzas. Each line of each verse has the same number of syllables; this creates a regimented effect that orders the poem well whilst accentuating the depressing tone of the poem. Without using over exaggerated language the poet reflects his own disgust at the scene. It uses alternate line rhyming . street flow . meet woe which makes the poem sound regular and draws the readers attention to the last word of each line creating a bigger impact. Blake also uses repetition to begin three lines with, In every.. This drums the message home for the reader, which coupled with the violent vocabulary, blood, creates a bigger impact. Each verse of the Blake poem attacks a different aspect of London so although the tone does not change the focus of the attack does and the reader is struck with more evidence of the appalling state of London. In the last verse of the Blake poem there is the image of sexually transmitted disease, which is a symbol of their society. It describes the youthful harlots curse blasting the newborn infant. This is showing that sexually transmitted disease affects everyone because the young are born into this promiscuous society. The last line uses the image of a marriage hearse being blighted by plagues. This image in my opinion is the sexually transmitted disease. Both poems show very different feelings towards London. You would have to compare them to other texts of the time to see which is more accurate though I believe it is Blakes poem. If I had to pick which I preferred I would choose the Blake poem. Wordsworths poem is indeed very beautiful and profound in its testament towards the beauty of London in the early morning. But Blakes poem has a deeper meaning as with the imagery of the sexually transmitted disease. It also describes London from the eyes of its people whereas Wordsworths poem only speaks of the beauty of the morning and no people are mentioned anywhere. So where Wordsworth is perhaps looking at the scenery with rose-tinted spectacles or hankering after a by-gone age, Blake depicts the reality of the newly industrialised London and all its woes. I believe this is the main defining difference between the poems and that this contrast makes it very difficult to rate one above the other as their strengths lie in different places.

Do Your Thing Honey! Essay examples -- Musicians

For a singer to skyrocket at such a fast pace, the person must truly be something special. To be able to do so and not change as a person is truly spectacular. When Rihanna came onto the scene, there were plenty of young female singers who wanted to put their staple into music. To be successful for a music artist, it all relies on timing. If too much time passes, a star is forgotten. Rihanna is a girl with staying power. She goes on from one hit to the next, always staying fresh and current. Robyn Rihanna Fenty was born on February 20, 1988 in St. Michael Parish, on the Caribbean Island of Barbados to Monica and Ronald Fenty. She had a rocky childhood dealing with her father’s addiction to alcohol and crack. One day Rihanna had walked in on her father smoking crack. â€Å"I will never forgive myself for what I did to her. I will always have nightmares as I think of her crying, begging me to stop. But I was a hopeless addict and I couldn’t care. My beautiful daughter should never have witnessed the things she did† (Edwards 13), stated Ronald Fenty. These problems lead to her parents’ divorce when she was fourteen years old. As a child, Rihanna suffered from crippling headaches but she kept it to herself so as not to feel abnormal. â€Å"It was not until her parents separated when she was a young teen that the headaches finally disappeared† (Edwards 8). Rihanna soon realized that it came from hiding her feelings. At age three, Rihanna began to sing and imitate her favorite artist. Whitney Houston’s â€Å"Saving All My Love for You† was her favorite. At the age of seven, her vocals began to really shine through. The neighbors would often complain about Rihanna’s singing. She would ignore them and keep belting out her songs. She could sing a... ...r meager beginning, to her lucky landing at Def Jam Rihanna has been herself. She knew what she wanted and she went after it. She did not let her childhood be the reason to settle. There is so much potential for her as an entertainer. If entertainment is all about timing, Rihanna seems to be right on time. Works Cited Biography.com. â€Å"Rihanna.† 2012. Biography.com. A+E Television Networks, LLC. Web. 13 March 2012. http://www.biography.com/people/rihanna-201257 Edwards, Laurie J. Rihanna. United States: Gale, Cengage Learning, 2009. Print. Heatley, Michael, and Graham Betts. Bad Girl Rihanna. United Kingdom: Flame Tree Publishing, 2012. Print. â€Å"Rihanna Biography.† 2011. Rihanna Daily.13 March 2012. Web. http://rihannadaily.com/rihanna/biography/ Spines, Christine. â€Å"Rihanna Exposed.† Cosmopolitan 250.7 (2011): 30. MasterFILE Premier. Web. 13 March 2012.

The Silver Linings Playbook Chapter 42

I Need a Huge Favor On New Year's Eve day, after agreeing to buy unlimited beer for our neighbors, Jake manages to trade seats with the season-ticket holder in front of me – and once Jake is seated, he props my cast up onto his shoulder so I am able to sit down during the Falcons game. A few minutes into the first quarter, head coach Andy Reid pulls the starters, and the game announcer reports that Dallas has somehow lost to Detroit, which means that the Birds have clinched the NFC East for the fifth time in the last six years and the current game is meaningless. Everyone in the Linc cheers, high fives abound, and it is hard to stay in a seated position. With the starting wide receivers out, I get my hopes up for Hank Baskett, and he actually does catch a few balls in the first half, each of which Scott, Jake, and I celebrate excessively because I am wearing my Baskett jersey over my winter coat, and we all like to root for the undrafted rookie. It's 17 – 10 Eagles at halftime, and Scott actually leaves the game, saying that he promised his wife he'd come home for New Year's Eve if the Cowboys lost and the Eagles game became meaningless. I give him a hard time about leaving and am surprised that my brother does not join in with the ribbing. But shortly after Scott takes off, Jake says, â€Å"Listen, Pat. Caitlin has me going to this black-tie New Year's Eve party at the Rittenhouse Hotel. She was mad at me for going to the game today, and I was sort of thinking about taking off early so I could surprise her. But I don't want to leave you here with the cast and all. So how do you feel about leaving early?† I'm shocked, and a little mad. â€Å"I want to see if Baskett gets his second touchdown,† I say. â€Å"But you can go. I'll be all right here with all the real Eagles fans – the people who are staying to see the whole game.† It's not a very nice thing for me to say, especially since Caitlin is probably already dressed and waiting for Jake to come home, but the truth is, I need my brother's help getting out of the Linc on crutches. I have a feeling that Baskett will get the ball a lot in the second half, and I know Jake really wants to see the game anyway; maybe he'll be able to use his mentally ill brother as a good excuse for missing the first part of Caitlin's New Year's Eve party; maybe this is what Jake really wants and needs. â€Å"Beer man!† I yell to the Coors Light guy who is passing our row. When he stops, I say, â€Å"Only one beer because this guy here is leaving his crippled, mentally insane brother to go to the Rittenhouse Hotel so that he can swill champagne with non-Eagl es fans in tuxedos.† My brother looks like I punched him in the gut, and soon he is pulling out his wallet. â€Å"All right. Fuck it. Make it two beers,† Jake says, and I smile as my brother sits down in Scott's seat and helps me prop my cast up onto the back of the empty seat in front of me. Through the second half, Baskett continues to catch A. J. Feeley's throws, and early in the fourth quarter my favorite player runs an out, catches the ball, and runs down the sideline eighty-nine yards for the second touchdown of his young career. Jake helps me stand, and then everyone in our section is high-fiving me and slapping my back because over my coat I am wearing the Baskett jersey my brother gave me when I first got out of the bad place. I would later learn that Baskett is the first Eagles player to catch two touchdown passes longer than eighty yards in the same season – which is an accomplishment, even if number 84 has only been a marginal player this year. â€Å"And you wanted to leave,† I say to Jake. â€Å"Go Baskett!† he says, and then gives me a one-armed sideways hug – shoulder-to-shoulder. After the Eagles' backup players win the last regular season game, the Birds finish their season at 10-6, locking up at least one home play-off game in the process. I crutch my way out of the Linc with Jake as my fullback, parting the crowds, shouting, â€Å"Cripple coming through! Cripple coming through! Move out the way!† We don't meet up with Cliff's gang until we get back to the fat men's tent and the Asian Invasion bus. But when we do, our friends greet us with a Baskett chant because number 84 had a career-high 177-yard day and an 89-yard TD. With play-offs to discuss, everyone is reluctant to leave, so we drink beers and discuss the 8-8 Giants, whom the Birds will play in the first round. When Cliff asks me if I think our team will beat the Giants, I tell my therapist, â€Å"Not only will the Eagles win, but Hank Baskett will catch another touchdown.† Cliff nods and smiles and says, â€Å"You called it before the season even started: Hank Baskett is the man!† Jake leaves first because he and Caitlin have that hotel New Year's Eve party to attend, so we all make fun of him and call him whipped – but even though he is leaving us for his woman, I give him a hug and thank him again for staying, getting me a season ticket, and paying for the play-off tickets too, which are pretty expensive. And I know Jake has forgiven me for making him miss the second Dallas game, because he hugs me back and says, â€Å"No problem, brother. I love you. Always. You know that.† After Jake leaves, we drink beers for another half hour or so, but eventually many of the guys admit they too have New Year's Eve plans with their wives, and I take the Asian Invasion bus home to New Jersey. The Eagles have won the last five games and the NFC East, so there's no stopping Ashwini from blowing the Asian Invasion bus horn when he pulls up to my parents' house, and when he does, the chant blares loudly – â€Å"E!-A!-G!-L!-E!-S! EAGLES!† – which brings my mother to the door. Standing on the front step, Mom and I wave as the green bus pulls away. We eat a late New Year's Eve dinner together as a family, but even after another Eagles win and with Super Bowl hopes alive, my father doesn't say much, and he heads for his study before Mom finishes her meal, probably so he can read historical fiction. Just before the ball drops on Dad's huge flat-screen television, Mom asks me if I want to go outside and bang pots and pans like we used to do when I was a kid. I tell Mom I don't really want to bang pots and pans, especially since I am tired from spending the day outside in the cold, so from the couch, we watch people celebrating in Times Square. Two thousand and six becomes 2007. â€Å"It's going to be a good year for us,† Mom says, and then forces a smile. I smile back at Mom, not because I think it is going to be a good year, but because my father went to bed an hour ago, Nikki never came back, there's not even the slightest inclination to suggest that 2007 is going to be a good year for either Mom or me, and yet Mom is still trying to find that silver lining she taught me about so long ago. She is still holding on to hope. â€Å"It's going to be a good year,† I say. When Mom falls asleep on the couch, I turn off the television and watch her breathe. She still looks pretty, and seeing her resting so peacefully makes me angry at my dad, even though I know he can't change who he is, but I wish that he would at least try to appreciate Mom more and spend some quality time with her, especially since he doesn't even have the Eagles to be grumpy about anymore, because the season is already a success regardless of what happens in the play-offs, especially after making it this far without McNabb. And yet I know my father is not likely to change, because I have known him for thirty-five years, and he has always been the same man. Mom tucks her knees and elbows in close to her body and begins to shiver, so I push myself up, grab my crutches, and crutch my way over to the closet. I pull a blanket from the bottom of the closet, crutch my way over to Mom, and cover her – but she continues to shiver. Back at the closet, I see a heavier blanket on the top shelf, so I reach up and pull it down. It falls on top of my head just after I hear a little crash. I look down, and by my feet is a videocassette in a white plastic case that has two ringing bells on the cover. I crutch my way over to my mother and cover her with the heavier blanket. It is hard to pick up the cassette with my cast preventing me from squatting – I actually have to sit down on the floor to pick it up. After sliding over to the TV, I slip the cassette into the VCR. I look over my shoulder, checking to make sure that Mom is sleeping soundly, and then turn down the volume before I hit PLAY. The video is not completely rewound, and the part that pops up on-screen is the beginning of the reception dinner. Our guests are seated in the banquet room of the Glenmont Country Club, which is near a golf course in a swanky little town just outside Baltimore. The camera is focused on the entrance doorway, but you can see the dance floor and the band too. Using the microphone, the lead singer says, â€Å"Let's introduce the wedding party Philly style,† at which point the horn section of the band begins playing the opening notes of â€Å"Gonna Fly Now!† The guitarist and bassist and drummer soon begin playing, and even though it doesn't sound exactly like Rocky's theme song, it's close enough to get the job done. â€Å"Parents of the groom, Mr. and Mrs. Patrick Peoples!† Our guests clap politely as my mom and dad cross the dance floor arm in arm, and the painful expression on my father's face suggests that this was one of the worst experiences of his life – being announced at my wedding. â€Å"Parents of the bride, Mr. and Mrs. George Gates.† Nikki's parents do a little skipping routine into the banquet hall, making them look sloshed, which they were, and I laugh thinking about how much fun my in-laws were when they drank. I really do miss Nikki's parents. â€Å"Bridesmaid, Elizabeth Richards, and groomsman, Ronnie Brown.† Liz and Ronnie come out waving to our guests, as if they are royalty or something, which was strange, and the tactic all but mutes their applause. Ronnie looks young in the video, and I think about how he was not yet a father, how Emily did not even exist when this video was shot. â€Å"Maid of honor, Wendy Rumsford, and best man, Jake Peoples!† Jake and Wendy walk across the dance floor and directly toward the camera until their faces are life-size on my father's huge flat-screen television. Wendy just sort of screams like she is at an Eagles game or something, but Jake says, â€Å"I love you, brother!† and then kisses the camera lens, leaving a lip-shaped smudge mark. I see the videographer's hand emerge and quickly wipe the lens with a piece of cloth. â€Å"And now, for the first time ever, allow me to introduce Mr. and Mrs. Pat Peoples!† Everyone stands and cheers as we walk into the banquet room. Nikki looks so pretty in her wedding dress. She's holding her head in that cute, shy position, with her chin close to her chest, and seeing her now makes me cry because I miss her so much. When we move to the dance floor, the band shifts gears, and I hear those sexy synthesizer chords, faint high-hat taps, and then the soprano saxophonist steps forward and â€Å"Songbird† takes flight. Something in my mind begins to melt, and it feels as though I am experiencing an ice-cream headache – or as if someone is churning my brain with an ice pick. I'm not seeing the television screen anymore, I'm seeing the road through a fogged windshield, and it's raining something fierce. It's not even four in the afternoon, but it's as dark as midnight. I'm upset because we have a big game coming up and yet the gym roof is leaking again like a sieve, which has forced me to cancel basketball practice. All I want to do is take a shower and then watch game tapes. But when I enter my house, I hear a soprano sax moaning, and it's strange to hear Kenny G's smooth jazz coming from my bathroom at a time like this. Mr. G's notes are swirling all about. I open the bathroom door; I feel the steam lick my skin, and I wonder why Nikki is listening to our wedding song in the shower. Kenny G's solo has reached a climax once more. The CD player is on the sink, and two piles of clothes rest on the floor, and a pair of men's glasses are on the sink next to the CD player. Sexy synthesizer chords, faint high-hat taps. â€Å"You fucking whore!† I scream as I rip the shower curtain off the rod, exposing so much awful, soapy flesh. I'm standing in the tub. My hands are around his throat. I'm between them now, the shower is spraying the back of my coat with hot spokes, weighing down my sweatpants, and he is in the air, begging me with his eyes, pleading for a breath of air. His hands are trying to break my grip, but he is a tiny, weak man. Nikki is screaming; Kenny G is playing; Nikki's lover is turning purple. He's so small, I can hold him up against the tiles with one hand. I cock my elbow back, squeeze a tight, teeth-shattering fist, and take aim. His nose explodes like a packet of ketchup. His eyes are rolling into the back of his head; his hands have fallen away from mine. When I cock back my fist a second time, the music stops playing, and then I'm on my back in the tub and Nikki's naked lover has fallen out of the tub and naked Nikki is holding the CD player in her trembling hands. When I try to stand, she smashes the CD player over my head once more; my knees give out, and I see the silver faucet rise li ke some fat, shiny snake to strike the hard spot just above my right eyebrow, and then – – I wake up in a hospital and immediately begin vomiting all over myself, until nurses arrive and tell me not to move my head. And I'm crying and calling for Nikki, but she does not come to me. My head hurts so badly. When I touch my forehead, I feel some sort of bandage, but then my hands are being forced to my sides. The nurses are screaming and holding me down, and then doctors are restraining me too. I feel a prick in my arm, and †¦ When I blink, I see my reflection in the blank television screen. The video has ended. I look life-size on my father's flat screen, and I can see my mother asleep on the couch, just over my right shoulder. As I continue to stare at myself, my little white scar begins to itch, but I do not really want to smash my forehead with my fist. I find my feet and crutch my way into the kitchen. The address book is still in the cabinet above the stove. I place a call to Jake's apartment. As the phone rings, I look at the microwave and see that it is 2:54 a.m., but I remember that Jake is at a swanky hotel party and won't be home until tomorrow, so I decide to leave a message. Hello, you've reached Jake and Caitlin's machine. Please leave a message after the beep. Beep. â€Å"Jake, it's your brother, Pat. I need a huge favor †¦Ã¢â‚¬ 