Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Definition and Examples of Attributive Adjective

Definition and Examples of Attributive Adjective In English grammar, an attributive adjective is an adjective that usually comes before the noun it modifies without a linking verb. Contrast with a predicative adjective. Attributive adjectives are direct modifiers of nominals. Examples Hush-a-by, Dont you cryGo to sleep, little baby.When you wake you shall findAll the pretty little horses.(Traditional American lullaby, perhaps of African-American origin)In those tender mornings, the Store was full of laughing, joking, boasting, and bragging.In a rush of pity- sympathy, affection, hope- I said the most stupid thing ever.A beautiful form is better than a beautiful face; it gives a higher pleasure than statues or pictures; it is the finest of the fine arts.†(Ralph Waldo Emerson, Manners)I know he was a bad man who did vicious, horrible things, some of them to me, but he had a good side, too. Just like all of us.He was a gorgeous, heart-stopping, too-yummy-to-be-believed, genuine hunk, and she was crazy to even consider kissing him.It had been a nasty little affair, a grim and unpleasant war, fought in a dark, never-ending nightmare of ambush and merciless killingan eye-to-eye, face-to-face war where prisoner was a doubtful word. Observations on Attributive and Predicative Functions There are two main kinds of adjectives: attributive ones normally come right before the noun they qualify, while predicative adjectives come after to be or similar verbs such as become and seem. Most adjectives can serve either purpose: we can speak of a happy family and say the family appeared happy. But some work only one way. Take the sentence Clergymen are answerable to a higher authority. Answerable is exclusively a predicative; you could not refer to an answerable clergyman. And higher is strictly attributive; you wouldnt normally say, The authority is higher.Attributive adjectives sometimes follow the model of French and come after the noun, as when we refer to accounts payable, something important, proof positive, matters philosophical, paradise lost, a battle royal, the heir apparent, stage left, time immemorial, or a Miller Lite.(Ben Yagoda, When You Catch an Adjective, Kill It. Broadway Books, 2007)There are a significant number of adjectives which, either absolutely or wi th a certain meaning, are restricted to attributive function (e.g. mere, former, main) or excluded from it (e.g., alone, asleep, glad happy/please).(Rodney Huddleston and Geoffrey K. Pullum, The Cambridge Grammar of the English Language. Cambridge University Press, 2002) Sources Maya Angelou,  I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. Random House, 1969Leonard Michaels, Viva La Tropicana.  The Collected Stories. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2007Nick Santora,  Slip Fall. State Street, 2007Julianna Morris,  Meeting Megan Again. Silhouette, 2001George Brown,  The Double Tenth. Arrow, 2012

Friday, November 22, 2019

Turn-Taking Definition in Conversation Analysis

Turn-Taking Definition in Conversation Analysis In conversation analysis, turn-taking is a term for the manner in which orderly conversation normally takes place. A basic understanding can come right from the term itself: Its the notion that people in a conversation take turns in speaking. When studied by sociologists, however, the analysis goes deeper, into topics such as how people know when its their turn to speak, how much overlap there is between speakers, when its OK to have overlap, and how to consider regional or gender differences. The underlying principles of turn-taking were first described by sociologists Harvey Sacks, Emanuel A. Schegloff, and Gail Jefferson in A Simplest Systematics for the Organization of Turn-Taking for Conversation in the journal  Language, in the December 1974 issue. Competitive vs. Cooperative Overlap Much of the research in turn-taking has looked into competitive versus cooperative overlap in conversations, such as how that affects the balance of power of those in the conversation and how much rapport the speakers have. For example, in competitive overlap, researchers might look at how one person dominates a conversation or how a listener might take some power back with different ways of interrupting.  Ã‚   In cooperative overlap, a listener might ask for clarification on a point or add to the conversation with further examples that support the speakers point. These kinds of overlaps help move the conversation forward and aid in communicating the full meaning to all who are listening. Or overlaps might be more benign and just show that the listener understands, such as by saying Uh-huh. Overlap like this also moves the speaker forward. Cultural differences and formal or informal settings can change whats acceptable in a particular group dynamic.  Ã‚   Examples and Observations Television programs, books, and films present some fine examples of turn-taking. Christine Cagney: Im being quiet now. That means its your turn to talk.Mary Beth Lacey:  Im trying to think of what to say.(Cagney Lacey, 1982) Once a topic is chosen and a conversation initiated, then matters of conversational turn-taking arise. Knowing when it is acceptable or obligatory to take a turn in conversation is essential to the cooperative development of discourse. This knowledge involves such factors as knowing how to recognize appropriate turn-exchange points and knowing how long the pauses between turns should be. It is also important to know how (and if) one may talk while someone else is talking- that is if the conversational overlap is allowed. Since not all conversations follow all the rules for turn-taking, it is also necessary to know how to repair a conversation that has been thrown off course by undesired overlap or a misunderstood comment. Cultural differences in matters of turn-taking can lead to conversational breakdown, misinterpretation of intentions, and interpersonal intergroup conflict. (Walt Wolfram and Natalie Schilling-Estes, American English: Dialects and Variation. Wiley-Blackwell, 2006) The Wolf: Youre Jimmie, right? This is your house?Jimmie: Sure is.The Wolf: Im Winston Wolfe. I solve problems.Jimmie: Good, we got one.The Wolf: So I heard. May I come in?Jimmie: Uh, yeah, please do.(Pulp Fiction, 1994) Turn-Taking and Parliamentary Procedure The rules regarding turn-taking in formal situations can differ markedly than between people who are speaking casually together. Absolutely fundamental to following parliamentary procedure is knowing when and how to speak in your correct turn. Business in deliberative societies cannot be conducted when the members are interrupting each other and when they are speaking out of turn on unrelated subjects. Etiquette calls interrupting someone else rude behavior and unfitting for people in refined society. [Emily] Posts book of etiquette goes beyond this to describe the importance of listening and responding to the correct topic as being part of good manners when participating in any form of conversation. By waiting your turn to speak and avoiding interrupting another person, you not only show your desire to work together with the other members of your society, you also show respect for your fellow members. (Rita Cook, The Complete Guide to Roberts Rules of Order Made Easy. Atlantic Publishing, 2008) Interrupting vs. Interjecting Sometimes butting in while someone is talking may not be considered as interrupting, but only interjecting. To be sure, a debate is as much about performance and rhetoric (and snappy one-liners) as it is about meaningful dialogue. But our ideas about conversation inevitably shape how we perceive the debates. This means, for example, that what seems an interruption to one viewer might be merely an interjection to another. Conversation is an exchange of turns, and having a turn means having a right to hold the floor until you have finished what you want to say. So interrupting is not a violation if it doesn’t steal the floor. If your uncle is telling a long story at dinner, you may cut in to ask him to pass the salt. Most (but not all) people would say you aren’t really interrupting; you just asked for a temporary pause. (Deborah Tannen, Would You Please Let Me Finish ... The New York Times, Oct. 17, 2012)

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Unit Contribution Margin Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Unit Contribution Margin - Essay Example At break-even point, the Cost-Volume-Profit analysis equation is reduced to: PX = xv + FC Where p is the price per unit, x is the number of units, v is the variable cost per unit, and total fixed cost is FC. Solving the equation for Break-even sales units Break-even Sales Units = x = FC à · ( p − v ) Since unit contribution margin (Unit CM) is equal to unit sale price (p) less unit variable cost (v) thus, Unit CM = p − v Hence, Break-even Sales Units = x = FC à · Unit CM Break-even Sales Dollars = Price per Unit Ãâ€" Break-even Sales Units ; or What is contribution margin ratio and when is it most useful? The contribution margin ratio is the measure of sales, facility returns or selling price that residues after all variable costs and variable costs have been enclosed. Contribution margin ratio= (Sales-variables) / sales Contribution margin ratio plays a key role in; †¢ Determining the profits that will rise from several sales levels †¢ Assessing the influenc e on earnings of changes in sales. In particular, it can be used to estimation the decline in profits if sales drop, and so is an standard tool in the making of budgets. How is the breakeven equation modified to take into account the sales required to earn a target profit?

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

3107 Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

3107 - Term Paper Example Good infrastructure is between nations have also encouraged international trade. The infrastructures such as those that enhance transport and communication have been regarded as the core determinants of a country development and therefore different nations have invested in them to encourage investors. The forces of demand and supply are the main drive for the international trade. Countries do have special products and services that they do produce in bulkiness and at low cost (Lecture notes chapter 1). These qualities gives the country the power to have a market share in the world market where the sell their commodities. The benefit accrued from the global trade is that the country can get access of the surplus produce and can fill in the deficit of commodities that is unable to produce at a cheaper cost. Development of the information and communication technology across the globe is also a boost to the international trade as people from different regions of the world can do business regardless of the geographical distances. The increase in trade between two or more countries has also been affected by the international production. Countries have been moving their units of production to countries other countries as seen by the U.S.A firms shifting to China. The reasons for international production are mainly for cost reduction. Firms may move their industries to other countries where the main raw materials are readily available. Setting an industries in the base where raw materials are readily available helps the industry to cut the cost of production by cutting out the cost related to the transportation of the raw materials to the production site. Industries are also shifting to countries where the labor cost is cheap. Most of the international firms from the west are setting up industries in the third world countries where the labor cost is cheap. Cheap labor leads to low production cost and therefore the investors finds advantage of setting up firms in

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Roman Civilization Essay Example for Free

Roman Civilization Essay Abstract The Roman civilization was one of the greatest civilizations in world history. It spanned almost a thousand years and stretched from Europe to Africa. Although the Roman civilization is already long extinct, its legacy is still an important part of todays social institutions such as government and religion. The Roman Civilization   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Roman civilization is one of the most powerful and influential civilizations in history. It was well-known for its political, economic, cultural and technological advancements that allowed it to expand from Europe to Africa (MSN Encarta, 2007). So consequential is the Roman civilization that most of its practices are still in use today. Ancient Rome   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Roman civilization was believed to have started almost 3,000 years ago on the hills beside the Tiber River in central Italy (MSN Encarta, 2007). What began as an encampment of shepherds huts later evolved into the city of Rome (MSN Encarta, 2007). It is sometimes claimed that the land and environment of Italy proved to be condusive for the growth of Roman civilization (MSN Encarta, 2007).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Being a peninsula, Italy is separated from the rest of Europe by sea on the east, west and south and the Alps mountain range on the north (MSN Encarta, 2007). The country in general enjoys a temperate climate, with hot summers in the south (MSN Encarta, 2007). Italys western coast and offshore islands have several volcanoes such as Mount Etna and Mount Vesuvius, resulting in fertile land in some parts of Latium, Campania and Sicily (MSN Encarta, 2007).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Italys timber-rich mountains had vast meadows where sheep and goats grazed during the summer (MSN Encarta, 2007). The Tiber River was abundant in salt and Etruria had large iron deposits (MSN Encarta, 2007). North-south land routes boosted the Roman economy by improving commerce, agriculture, pasturage and metalwork (MSN Encarta, 2007). Romulus and Remus – The Founders of Rome   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   According to Roman myth, twin brothers Romulus and Remus founded Rome in 753 BC (MSN Encarta, 2007). They were the grandsons of King Numitor, the ruler of the ancient city of Alba Longa in Latium (MSN Encarta, 2007). But Numitors brother seized the throne and also tried to kill the twins by having them thrown into the Tiber (MSN Encarta, 2007). The twins miraculously survived – they were washed ashore and were nursed by a she-wolf (MSN Encarta, 2007).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Upon reaching adulthood, Romulus and Remus brought Numitor back to his throne and formed a new city located on top of Palatine Hill (MSN Encarta, 2007). Romulus had this new city surrounded with a wall, which Remus scornfully jumped over in an attempt to assert his leadership (MSN Encarta, 2007). Romulus killed him as a result, later becoming the citys first king and naming it after him (MSN Encarta, 2007). Life in Ancient Rome   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Ancient Roman society was religious and family-oriented (MSN Encarta, 2007). Family and religion not only influenced personal and social relations, but also public and political activities (MSN Encarta, 2007). These two social institutions were said to be the â€Å"twin pillars of Roman society for the five centuries of the Roman Republic† (MSN Encarta, 2007).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Ancient Roman Family.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Family relationships in ancient Rome reflected the patriarchal nature of the Roman state (MSN Encarta, 2007). The father (paterfamilias) wielded absolute and lifelong power (patria potestas) over his wife, children and slaves (MSN Encarta, 2007). He was also the â€Å"the priest of the cult of his ancestors and of the hearth gods of the family† (the ancient Romans practiced ancestral worship) (MSN Encarta, 2007).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Roman marriage existed primarily to continue bloodlines (MSN Encarta, 2007). The fathers family had sole custody of all legitimate children (MSN Encarta, 2007). Should a divorce occur, the mother was required to leave the children with her husband (MSN Encarta, 2007). In addition, Roman law allowed a father to abandon an infant at birth – unwanted children during this period were either deformed boys or daughters of families who cannot afford a dowry (MSN Encarta, 2007). It was also considered legal under Roman law for a father to kill an adult son as â€Å"punishment† for â€Å"treasonous† behavior (MSN Encarta, 2007).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Despite the all-encompassing authority of the father, the ancient Roman family remained tightly-knit (MSN Encarta, 2007). It was the parents themselves who educated their children (MSN Encarta, 2007). To prepare their sons for citizenship, fathers would bring them along to forums, where they can observe public meetings (MSN Encarta, 2007). During funerals, ancient Roman sons were also obliged to deliver speeches that praised the deceased and their forefathers in order to sustain family pride and myths (MSN Encarta, 2007).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Ancient Roman women usually married between 14 and 17 years old, with their husbands often at their mid-20s (MSN Encarta, 2007). Although children during this era were not forced into wedlock, only few were able to refuse arranged marriages (MSN Encarta, 2007). A divorce can only take place if it was the husband who wanted it (MSN Encarta, 2007).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   However, women still enjoyed relative freedom in ancient Rome (MSN Encarta, 2007). They could attend public and private banquets, where they freely interacted with men (MSN Encarta, 2007). When a father died without a will, his estate was divided equally between his sons and daughters (MSN Encarta, 2007). But daughters were commonly included in the bequests of their fathers (MSN Encarta, 2007).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Religion.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Ancient Rome was a predominantly agricultural civilization (MSN Encarta, 2007). Hence, Romans believed that deities governed every aspect of the natural world (MSN Encarta, 2007). They even tried to â€Å"construe† the â€Å"will† of the gods by analyzing animal activities and body parts (MSN Encarta, 2007).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Romans, however, adopted from the Etruscans a religion that was based from the Greek pantheon or family of gods (MSN Encarta, 2007). As a result, most Greek gods have Roman counterparts (MSN Encarta, 2007). Zeus (Greek god of the skies) was Jupiter for the Romans (MSN Encarta, 2007). Hera (Zeus wife), Aphrodite (Greek goddess of love) and Ares (Greek god of war) became Juno, Venus and Mars, respectively (MSN Encarta, 2007).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Romans also believed that devotion through prayers, festivals and sacrifices were necessary for the community to have a harmonious relationship with the gods (MSN Encarta, 2007). Kings and civil magistrates first officiated the aforementioned activities, but priests and priestesses later facilitated the worship of particular gods and goddesses (MSN Encarta, 2007). An example of the latter would be the vestal virgins who served hearth goddess Vesta (MSN Encarta, 2007).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Some of the months in the Roman calendar, as well as the days of the week, were also named after the gods (MSN Encarta, 2007). January was named after Janus, the god of beginnings (MSN Encarta, 2007). March was taken from Mars (MSN Encarta, 2007). September was derived from the Latin term septem (â€Å"seven†) – March originally was the first month of the Roman calender (MSN Encarta, 2007). October, November and December were based on the Latin words for eight, ninth and tenth, respectively (MSN Encarta, 2007).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   However, the English names of the days of the week was patterned after Germanic gods and goddesses (MSN Encarta, 2007). Friday, for instance, was a day that was dedicated to Venus (MSN Encarta, 2007). It was taken from Freia, the German goddess of love (MSN Encarta, 2007).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Politics.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The leaders of Ancient Rome were kings who â€Å"had wide military and judicial powers and represented the people to their gods† (MSN Encarta, 2007). The kings who succeeded Romulus were appointed and advised by the Senate, a governmental institution whose members were from noble clans (MSN Encarta, 2007). These tasks of the Senate enabled the Roman elites to dominate Romes religious, political and economic life (MSN Encarta, 2007).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Meanwhile, the Assembly of the People was a Roman political body that was composed of all male Roman citizens (MSN Encarta, 2007). Divided into 30 curiae or clans, members of the assembly initially met to â€Å"witness the announcement of a new king or a declaration of war† (MSN Encarta, 2007). Later, each of the clans gathered to cast their votes regarding the approval of a certain will or adoption (MSN Encarta, 2007). The Roman Republic   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   During the Roman Republic (510 BC-27 BC), Rome â€Å"grew from a small city of 10,000 into a great cosmopolitan metropolis of 1 million whose empire of 15 million subjects encompassed the entire Mediterranean basin† (MSN Encarta, 2007). Therefore, the Roman Republic was sometimes known as the period of expansion of Roman civilization (Hooker, 1996). However, they encountered social and economic problems that resulted from imposing conventional laws and institutions on subjects whose cultures were very much different from theirs (MSN Encarta, 2007). Governance   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Roman monarchy was abolished after Junius Brutus toppled the Tarquin dynasty in 509 BC (Hooker, 1996). The Romans then assumed a republican form of government but retained their constitution, a series of unwritten laws and traditions that were still based from the monarchy (Hooker, 1996). As a result, the republics new leaders, the consuls, were no different from the kings (Hooker, 1996). Although the consuls were elected and held one-year terms, they were also the heads of the Roman military and judiciary, as well as the nations chief priests (Hooker, 1996).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   However, the consuls had severely limited powers (Hooker, 1996). After finishing their one-year term, they had to be reelected for another term if they wish to become a consul again (Hooker, 1996). In addition, the republic was supposed to be ruled by two consuls (Hooker, 1996). No consul can act or decide without the other consuls approval (Hooker, 1996). Lastly, consuls were mandated to serve on the Senate as soon as their term expires (Hooker, 1996). The Law of the Twelve Tables   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It would be fair to say that the Roman Republic promoted the rights of the ordinary citizen (Hooker, 1996). In 450 BC, Romes constitution and laws were standardized and put into order through the Law of the Twelve Tables (Hooker, 1996). As a result, the Roman masses became aware of the rights that the law has granted upon them (Hooker, 1996). Intermarriage between plebians and patricians were allowed in 445 BC and the position of consul was opened to plebians in 367 BC (Hooker, 1996). By 287 BC, the vote of the plebian  Ã‚   assembly â€Å"were not only binding on the plebeians, but on the entire Roman citizenry† (Hooker, 1996). Crisis   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In order to widen itslef, the Roman Republic waged many wars, including the Second Punic War (218-201 BC) (Hooker, 1996). But these hostilities had serious social and economic consequences for Rome (Hooker, 1996). The Second Punic war, for instance, further widened the gap between the rich and the poor in Rome (Hooker, 2006).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Prior to the Second Punic War, ordinary Roman citizens worked as farmers, craftsmen or laborers (Hooker, 1996). They were able to live well because they tilled their own land or received decent wages (Hooker, 1996). But while Hannibal destroyed the Roman countryside, the elites remained quietly within the walls of Rome (Hooker, 1996).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Their farmlands gone, the Romans living in the countryside had no choice but to migrate to the cities (Hooker, 1996). The rich Romans, meanwhile, bought the ravaged lands and developed them into large plantations (Hooker, 1996). These establishments dominated Roman agriculture by the middle of the second century (Hooker, 1996).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Furthermore, wars led to the proliferation of slaves in Rome and Roman territories (Hooker, 1996). As slaves provided labor at wages that were almost below subsistence level, the Roman economy shifted from a laborer economy to a slave economy (Hooker, 2006). Poor Romans who were not slaves suddenly found themselves unemployed or taking jobs that paid very little (Hooker, 1996). This resulted in the beginning of the Roman Republics unpopularity with the people (Hooker, 1996). The Roman Empire   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The social instability during the later part of the Roman Republic produced dictators such as the Gracchi brothers (UNRV, 2008). Increasing public frustration over the republic made the people turn to citizen assemblies for the discussion of popular agendas instead of to the Senate (UNRV, 2008). However, overeliance on citizen assemblies bred unscrupulous and opportunistic leaders such as Maruis and Sulla (UNRV, 2008). Roman politics was divided between the conservative Optimate Senators who tried to preserve the political dominance of the elite and the Populares who was supported by the lower classes (UNRV, 2008). As a result, the last 100 years of the Roman Republic was characterized with political instability and violence (UNRV, 2008). Caesar Augustus   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   After many years of civil war, the Senate proclaimed Gaius Octavius emperor in 27 BC, giving him the name Augustus (â€Å"exalted† or â€Å"holy one†) (MSN Encarta, 2007). Historians often said that the proclamation of Gaius Octavius as emperor marked the beginning of the Roman Empire (27 BC-476 AD) (MSN Encarta, 2007). The Roman Republic was never revived since (MSN Encarta, 2007).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Regime of Augustus.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Augustus rule (27 BC-14 AD) was marked with absolute power (MSN Encarta, 2007). However, it transformed Rome into â€Å"the greatest and most influential political institution in European history† (MSN Encarta, 2007). Thus, Augustus was said to have started the Pax Romana (â€Å"Roman Peace†), a period of peace and prosperity in Rome that lasted for about 200 years (MSN Encarta, 2007).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Under Augustus, the empire acquired new territories, such as ancient Britain, Arabia and Dacia (now Romania) (MSN Encarta, 2007). Rome became the center of politics, trade and culture in the Mediterranean region (MSN Encarta, 2007). Rome was seen as a place of opportunity – people from the Roman provinces who went there usually became soldiers, bureaucrats and senators (MSN Encarta, 2007).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Roman Empire also tolerated cultural differences among its subjects (MSN Encarta, 2007). The empire promoted Greek art, literature and philosophy, the Jewish religious and ethical system, the then-new religion of Christianity, the astronomy and astrology of the Babylonians and Persian and Egyptian culture (MSN Encarta, 2007). With the exceptions of leaders like Caligula and Nero, most Roman emperors were competent and just (MSN Encarta, 2007). Fall of the Roman Empire   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The murder of Emperor Commodus in 192 was the precedent for the collapse of the Roman Empire (MSN Encarta, 2007). After his demise, rivalry over the imperial throne resulted in a civil war that proved to be detrimental to the whole empire (MSN Encarta, 2007). Political institutions collapsed, the army was weakened and the economy crashed (MSN Encarta, 2007). The civil war lasted for about a century until the Roman Empire quietly ended in 476 (MSN Encarta, 2007). Reasons for the Fall   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The selection process for a Roman emperor was facilitated by the incumbent emperor, the Senate, the army and the Praetorian Guard (the emperors personal security forces) (Harker, n.d.). But the Praetorian Guard later had the sole authority in choosing the emperor (Harker, n.d.). In exchange for the Praetorian Guards support, the emperor rewarded them with political and military favors (Harker, n.d.). By 186 AD, the practice of selling the throne to the highest bidder was already a â€Å"tradition† in Roman politics (Harker, n.d.).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In addition, the Roman Empire spent too much on its military (Harker, n.d.). Since the empire was very vast, protecting it from invaders was very expensive (Harker, n.d.). A huge portion of taxes were spent on soldiers and weapons, instead of on housing, roads and aqueducts (Harker, n.d.). When the empire did not have enough money, it raised taxes, leading to strong public discontent among ordinary Roman citizens (Harker, n.d.). Conclusion   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Even if the Roman civilization no longer exists, its legacy is still an important part of modern society. Roman laws and Latin remain to be integral in the legal profession, governance and religion (MSN Encarta, 2007). Christianity is still one of the worlds major religions (MSN Encarta, 2007).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Latin gradually evolved into languages and dialects such as Provenà §al, French, Spanish and Catalan (MSN Encarta, 2007). The Roman civilization also served as an important influence in Renaissance art, literature and politics (MSN Encarta, 2007). Renaissance sculptors revived the Greco-Roman trend of realism (after centuries of theocentrism), while Renaissance architects used Greek and Roman designs for their creations (MSN Encarta, 2007). William Shakespeares works were based on Roman comedies (MSN Encarta, 2007).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Philosophers and political theorists in the succeeding centuries used Roman laws and Roman concepts of freedom and tyranny as a reference for their own writings and discourses (MSN Encarta, 2007). These ideas also inspired revolutionaries in America and France to liberate their respective countries (MSN Encarta, 2007). References Harker, K. Killeen Harker Heights Connections. (n.d.). Reasons for the Fall of the Roman   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Empire. Retrieved May 8, 2008, from http://killeenroos.com/1/Romefall.htm Hooker, R. World Civilizations. (1996). Rome: The Roman Republic. Retrieved May 7, 2008,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   from http://www.wsu.edu/~dee/ROME/REPUBLIC.HTM MSN Encarta. (2007). Ancient Rome. Retrieved May 6, 2008, from   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761552589/Ancient_Rome.html MSN Encarta. (2007). Roman Empire. Retrieved May 6, 2008, from   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_1741502785/Roman_Empire.html UNRV. (2008). Fall of the Roman Republic. Retrieved May 8, 2007, from   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.unrv.com/roman-republic/fall-of-roman-republic.php

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Support for the Current Placement of the Confederate Flag in South Caro

Support for the Current Placement of the Confederate Flag in South Carolina There is an old saying that says you can please all of the people some of the time, or you can please some of the people all of the time, but you can’t please all of the people all of the time. Never is this truer than in the state of South Carolina as it pertains to the flying of the Confederate Battle Flag. It is obvious at this point that no solution will make everyone in the state happy, but a compromise does need to be made that can satisfy a majority of the people. I think that a satisfactory compromise, or at least as satisfactory as can be realistically attained, was made when the flag was relocated to the statehouse grounds last year. This may have brought on a lot of griping from different political action groups and other outspoken pundits, but for the common citizens that make up the majority of the state I think that this will prove to be sufficient if outside organizations can quit aggravating the situation. In preparing a compromise on the flag issue, one must consider the different sides of this debate. One group, the opponents of the flag, would wish it to be banished completely. First of all, not only is this simply not possible because of the sheer number of supporters who would wield the flag anyway, but it simply does not do justice to the men who fought and died under that flag. If we were to call for the complete prohibition of all Vietnam War remembrance ceremonies because it offends some of the Vietnamese-American citizens of the country, or the ban of all nationally recognized Christian holidays because it offends the Muslims of the country, it would never happen. It must be recognized that we live in a diverse nat... ...ys tribute to the people it was meant to venerate. This seems to be the best solution to this very passionate and historic dispute. There will always be trouble and unrest surrounding the Confederate Battle Flag; it is a symbol charged with great emotion on both sides. There is no â€Å"right answer† to this quandary, and I’m sure that this debate will rage for generations to come just as it has for generations past. As far as a solution is concerned though, I think that the decision makers in South Carolina have solved the problem as well as it can be solved. It is impossible to make everyone happy with any decision, but for the time being, I think that this solution makes the most people happy. Works Cited: Darby, Joseph A. â€Å"Darby Responds to Most Recent Allegations Against Sanctions.† Editorial. The Post and Courier [Charleston, SC] 16 May 2001: A7. Support for the Current Placement of the Confederate Flag in South Caro Support for the Current Placement of the Confederate Flag in South Carolina There is an old saying that says you can please all of the people some of the time, or you can please some of the people all of the time, but you can’t please all of the people all of the time. Never is this truer than in the state of South Carolina as it pertains to the flying of the Confederate Battle Flag. It is obvious at this point that no solution will make everyone in the state happy, but a compromise does need to be made that can satisfy a majority of the people. I think that a satisfactory compromise, or at least as satisfactory as can be realistically attained, was made when the flag was relocated to the statehouse grounds last year. This may have brought on a lot of griping from different political action groups and other outspoken pundits, but for the common citizens that make up the majority of the state I think that this will prove to be sufficient if outside organizations can quit aggravating the situation. In preparing a compromise on the flag issue, one must consider the different sides of this debate. One group, the opponents of the flag, would wish it to be banished completely. First of all, not only is this simply not possible because of the sheer number of supporters who would wield the flag anyway, but it simply does not do justice to the men who fought and died under that flag. If we were to call for the complete prohibition of all Vietnam War remembrance ceremonies because it offends some of the Vietnamese-American citizens of the country, or the ban of all nationally recognized Christian holidays because it offends the Muslims of the country, it would never happen. It must be recognized that we live in a diverse nat... ...ys tribute to the people it was meant to venerate. This seems to be the best solution to this very passionate and historic dispute. There will always be trouble and unrest surrounding the Confederate Battle Flag; it is a symbol charged with great emotion on both sides. There is no â€Å"right answer† to this quandary, and I’m sure that this debate will rage for generations to come just as it has for generations past. As far as a solution is concerned though, I think that the decision makers in South Carolina have solved the problem as well as it can be solved. It is impossible to make everyone happy with any decision, but for the time being, I think that this solution makes the most people happy. Works Cited: Darby, Joseph A. â€Å"Darby Responds to Most Recent Allegations Against Sanctions.† Editorial. The Post and Courier [Charleston, SC] 16 May 2001: A7.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

limitations of first amendment

The First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America speaks of certain guaranteed freedoms of the citizens. Said freedoms, are of paramount importance, and having been guaranteed by the supreme law of the land, it means that intrusions into said rights can not be countenanced. The First Amendment states that Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. It appears that the First Amendment speaks mainly of three fundamental rights of the citizens namely, the right to freely exercise one’s religion; freedom of speech and of the press; and the right to peaceably assemble. By virtue of the Constitution, intrusions respecting said rights cannot be allowed. It bears to stress that the First Amendment serves as a reminder that the branches of the government, in exercising their powers, must not step or intrude into said guaranteed rights. However, it must be borne in mind that the freedom granted to the citizens under the First Amendment is not absolute in character. There are certain limitations to the exercise of First Amendment rights wherein reasonable intrusion by the State is permitted in order to prevent dissension among the citizens and to avoid causing undue injury. In formulating laws, the primordial concern of the lawmakers is the furtherance and protection of the interests of the public in general. Hence, the laws, most especially the Constitution, cannot be used as a shield in justifying one’s act of injuring another. As will be discussed, law and jurisprudence have laid down the guidelines in exercising the freedoms guaranteed by the First Amendment. So also, the limitations as to the exercise of First Amendment rights have been affirmed as necessary in order to regulate the conduct of citizens within the State. The first right mentioned under the First Amendment is the freedom of religion. The free exercise clause proscribes the State from sponsoring a certain form of religion. The State must be impartial as regards the different forms of religion within the State.   But more importantly, this clause grants to the citizens the freedom to be respected in their choice of belief. A citizen cannot be compelled by the State to choose and to practice a certain type of religion. A citizen is free to choose his own religion and is free to do acts in accordance with his or her belief. The limitation imposed upon the free exercise clause is aptly stated by the Court in the case of Cantwell vs. Connecticut thus, Freedom of conscience and freedom to adhere to such religious organization or form of worship as the individual may choose cannot be restricted by law. On the other hand, it safeguards the free exercise of the chosen form of religion. Thus, the amendment embraces two concepts—freedom to believe and freedom to act. The first is absolute, but in the nature of things, the second cannot be (310 US 296 (1940)). Hence, it appears that while an individual is granted by the Constitution the freedom to believe and to act in accordance to one’s belief, the exercise of said right cannot be limitless. The acts of an individual must be regulated by the State, even if the same be done as a way of professing his belief, if the same is already detrimental or prejudicial the interests of the public in general. If an individual does an act which is in contravention with a prohibitive law, he cannot use his religion as a defense. Infringement of said freedom is permitted when the unreasonable exercise of said right can cause danger and harm to the public interest. Although his freedom to believe is guaranteed by the Constitution, the same law cannot permit prejudice and injustice to prevail to spring from said freedom. An individual shall not be excused from complying with a law by reason of his religious belief, especially if the object of the law is a legitimate purpose, and if the same is not an attack against religion. It must always be borne in mind that the paramount concern of our laws is to promote and serve public interest. Hence, if a certain action on the part of a citizen can be characterized as a frustration of the interest of the public in general, it cannot be considered as protected by the First Amendment. The second part of the First Amendment speaks of the freedom of speech. Under this clause, one is free to express his own views and opinions. This clause indeed strengthens the State’s belief in the concept of democracy as the opinion of citizens is given weight and importance. Under the Constitution, an individual cannot be restrained when it comes to airing out his opinions and views either orally, in print, or through other mediums of communication. It is noteworthy, however, that this right is also limited in operation in the sense that not every form or speech or communication is protected by the law. It is settled that â€Å"there are certain well-defined and narrowly limited classes of speech, the prevention and punishment of which has never been thought to raise any Constitutional problems† (Chaplinsky vs. New Hapshire, 315 US 568 (1942)). It thus appears that not every utterance enjoys the freedom granted by the First Amendment. Examples of said unprotected speeches are libel and obscenity. Libelous words and statements cannot be countenanced under the law. The First Amendment cannot be used, for instance, as a justification for violating the right of another to privacy and to be free from undue vexations. It must not be forgotten that the freedom of speech is granted in order to recognize the value of the voice and views of the citizens. There can be no value as regards speech that are damaging to other parties. As the same already inflicts injury to another person, the perpetrator is not permitted to seek shelter under the First Amendment. The same can be said about obscene publications, being in contravention and offensive to the concept of chastity and decency. It is because of the grave injury caused by said utterances to the public in general that made them fall outside the ambit of the First Amendment protection. Lastly, the First Amendment speaks of the right of the people to peaceably assemble and to petition the government for the redress of their grievances. This is a fundamental right as the citizens are not restricted from gathering themselves in order for them to air out their opinions and bring their concerns to the government. In a number of cases, it has been settled that this right is connected to the freedom of expression since assembling and petitioning the government for redress is a form of expression. Hence, it can be said that the same limits imposed on the freedom of expression clause in the First Amendment can be applied to the freedom to peaceably assemble and petition the government. In the exercise of this right, the assembly must not be tainted with any form of violence which could bring undue injury to the public. So also, in petitioning the government for redress of their grievances, the same must be for valid grounds and must not amount to seditious acts. Otherwise, the same shall fall outside the scope of the First Amendment and will not merit any protection under the law. In the last analysis, it appears that the fundamental rights of religion, speech and peaceful assembly, although guaranteed by the First Amendment, cannot be exercised without limits. Said rights, while promoting the democratic character of our nation, must necessarily be regulated in order to avoid dissension among the citizens and in order to prevent undue injury. A certain level of restriction is necessary for the purpose of making sure that the exercise of said rights is done in furtherance of the objectives of the Constitution—promote peace, order and unity in the society, and not to create conflict and injustice within the State. If said freedoms are accorded without any form of regulation, abuse cannot be avoided, and hence, the very instruments formulated to further public interest can even cause the frustration of said interests.

Saturday, November 9, 2019

A Dirty Job Chapter 20

20 ATTACK OF THE CROCODILE GUY It was a brutally hot night in the City, and everyone had their windows open. From the roof across the alley, the spy could see the little girl happily splashing away in a tub full of suds, the two giant hounds sitting just outside the tub licking shampoo from her hand and belching bubbles as she screeched with glee. â€Å"Sophie, don't feed the puppies soap, okay?† The shopkeeper's voice from another room. â€Å"Okay, Dad. I won't. I'm not a kid, you know,† she said, pouring more strawberry-kiwi shampoo into her palm and holding it out for one of the dogs to lick. A cloud of fragrant bubbles burped out of the beast, through the bars of the window, and out into the still air over the alley. The hounds were the problem, but if the spy had his timing right, he'd be able to take care of them and get to the child without interference. In the past he'd been an assassin, a bodyguard, a kickboxer, and most recently a certified fiberglass-insulation installer – skills that could serve him well in his current mission. He had the face of a crocodile – sixty-eight spiked teeth and eyes that gleamed like black glass beads. His hands were the claws of a raptor, the wicked black nails encrusted with dried blood. He wore a black silk tuxedo, but no shoes – his feet were webbed like those of a waterbird, with claws for digging prey from the mud. He rolled the large Persian rug to the edge of the roof and waited; then, just as he had planned, he heard, â€Å"Sweetie, I'm going to take the trash out, I'll be right back.† â€Å"Okay, Dad.† Funny how the illusion of security can make us careless, the spy thought. No one would leave a young child alone in the bath unattended, but the company of two canine bodyguards wouldn't make her unattended, would it? He waited, and the shopkeeper emerged from the steel door downstairs carrying two trash bags. He seemed momentarily thrown off by the fact that the Dumpster, which was normally right outside the door, had been moved down the alley twenty feet or so, but shrugged, kicked the door wide, and while it hissed slowly shut on its pneumatic cylinder, he dashed for the Dumpster. That's when the spy sent the rug off the roof. The rug unrolled as it fell the four stories. Unfurled, it hit the shopkeeper with a substantial thud and drove him to the ground. In the bathroom, the huge dogs perked up. One let out a woof of caution. The spy already had the first bolt in his crossbow. Now he let it fly – nylon line hissed out and the bolt hit the rug with a thump, penetrating the rug and probably the shopkeeper's calf, effectively pinning him under the rug, perhaps even to the ground. The shopkeeper screamed. The great hounds dashed out of the bathroom. The spy loaded another bolt, attached it to the free end of the nylon line attached to the first bolt, then fired it through another section of the rug below. The shopkeeper continued to shout, but with the heavy rug pinned over him, he couldn't move. As the spy loaded his third bolt the hounds burst through the doorway into the alley. The third bolt wasn't attached to a line, but had a wicked titanium-spiked tip. The spy aimed at the pneumatic cylinder on the door, hit it, and the door slammed shut, locking the hounds in the alley. He'd practiced this a dozen times in his mind, and it was all going exactly as planned. The front doors to the shop and the apartment building had been Super Glued shut before he'd come up on the roof – no easy job getting that done without being seen. His fourth shot put a bolt in the window frame over the hall window. The bars on the bathroom were too narrow, but he knew that the shopkeeper would have left the door to the apartment open. He attached a carabiner to the nylon line and slid silently down the line to the window ledge. He unclipped, then squeezed through the bars and dropped to the floor in the hallway. He kept close to the hall walls, taking careful, exaggerated steps to keep his toenails from catching on the carpet. He could smell onions cooking in a nearby apartment and hear the child's voice coming from the door down the hall, which he could see was open, if only a crack. â€Å"Dad, I'm ready to get out! Dad, I'm ready to get out!† He paused at the doorway, peeked into the apartment. He knew the child would scream when she saw him – his jagged teeth, the claws, his cold black eyes. He would see to it that her screams were short-lived, but nobody could remain calm in the face of his fearsomeness. Of course, the fearsome effect was somewhat reduced by the fact that he was only fourteen inches tall. He pushed the door open, but as he stepped into the apartment something grabbed him from behind, yanking him off his feet, and in spite of his training and stealth skills, he screamed like a flaming wood duck. Someone had Super Glued the key slot in the back door and Charlie had snapped his key off trying to get it open. There was some kind of arrow stuck on a string through the back of his leg and it hurt like hell – blood was filling up his shoe. He didn't know what had happened, but he knew it wasn't good that the hellhounds were bouncing around him whimpering. He pounded the door with both fists. â€Å"Open the goddamn door, Ray!† Ray opened the door. â€Å"What?† The hellhounds knocked them both down going through the door. Charlie jumped to his feet and limped after them, up the steps. Ray followed. â€Å"Charlie, you're bleeding.† â€Å"I know.† â€Å"Wait, you're dragging some kind of line. Let me cut it.† â€Å"Ray, I've got to go – â€Å" Before Charlie could finish his sentence, Ray had pulled a knife from his back pocket, flicked it open, and cut the nylon line. â€Å"Used to carry this on the job to cut seat belts and stuff.† Charlie nodded and headed up the steps. Sophie was standing in the kitchen, wrapped in a mint-green bath towel, shampoo horns still protruding from her head – she looked like a small, soapy version of the Statue of Liberty. â€Å"Dad, where were you? I wanted to get out.† â€Å"Are you okay, honey?† He knelt in front of her and smoothed down her towel. â€Å"I needed help on the rinse. That's your responsibility, Dad.† â€Å"I know, honey. I'm a horrible father.† â€Å"Okay – † Sophie said. â€Å"Hi, Ray.† Ray was topping the steps, holding a bloody arrow on the end of a string. â€Å"Charlie, this went through your leg.† Charlie turned and looked at his calf for the first time, then sat on the floor, sure that he was going to pass out. â€Å"Can I have it?† Sophie said, picking up the arrow. Ray grabbed a dish towel from the counter and pressed it on Charlie's wound. â€Å"Hold this on it. I'll call 911.† â€Å"No, I'm okay,† Charlie said, pretty sure now he was going to throw up. â€Å"What happened out there?† Ray said. â€Å"I don't know, I was – â€Å" Someone in the building started screaming like they were being deep-fried. Ray's eyes went wide. â€Å"Help me up,† Charlie said. They ran through the apartment and out into the hall – the screaming was coming from the stairwell. â€Å"Can you make it?† Ray said. â€Å"Go. Go. I'm with you.† Charlie steadied himself against Ray's shoulder and hopped up the stairs behind him. The harsh screaming coming from Mrs. Ling's apartment had dwindled to pleas for help in English, peppered with swearing in Mandarin. â€Å"No! Shiksas! Help! Back! Help!† Charlie and Ray found the diminutive Chinese matron backed against her stove by Alvin and Mohammed, swinging a cleaver at them to keep them at bay while they barked salvos of strawberry-kiwi-flavored bubbles at her. â€Å"Help! Shiksas try to take supper,† said Mrs. Ling. Charlie saw the stockpot steaming on the stove, a pair of duck feet sticking out of it. â€Å"Mrs. Ling, is that duck wearing trousers?† She looked quickly, then turned and took a swipe at the hellhounds with the cleaver. â€Å"Could be,† she said. â€Å"Down, Alvin. Down, Mohammed,† Charlie commanded, which the hellhounds ignored completely. He turned to Ray. â€Å"Ray, would you go get Sophie?† The ex-cop, who felt himself the master of all situations chaotic, said, â€Å"Huh?† â€Å"They won't back off unless she tells them to. Go get her, okay.† Charlie turned to Mrs. Ling. â€Å"Sophie will call them off, Mrs. Ling. I'm sorry.† Mrs. Ling had been considering her dinner. She tried to shove the duck feet under the broth with her cleaver, but to little effect. â€Å"Is ancient Chinese recipe. We don't tell White Devils about it so you don't ruin it. You hear of paper-wrap chicken? This duck in pants.† The hellhounds growled. â€Å"Well, I'm sure it's delicious,† Charlie said, leaning against her fridge so he didn't fall over. â€Å"You bleeding, Mr. Asher.† â€Å"Yes, I am,† Charlie said. Ray arrived, carrying the towel-wrapped Sophie. He set her down. â€Å"Hi, Mrs. Ling,† Sophie said, then she stepped out of her towel, went to the hellhounds, and grabbed them by their collars. â€Å"You guys didn't rinse,† she said. Then, buck naked, her hair still in shampoo spikes, Sophie led the hellhounds out of Mrs. Ling's apartment. â€Å"Uh, someone shot you, boss,† Ray said. â€Å"Yes, they did,† said Charlie. â€Å"You should get medical attention.† â€Å"Yes, I should,† Charlie said. His eyes rolled back in his head and he slid down the front of Mrs. Ling's refrigerator. Charlie spent the entire night in the emergency room of St. Francis Memorial waiting for treatment. Ray Macy stayed with him the whole time. While Charlie enjoyed the screaming and whimpering from the other patients waiting for treatment, the retching and pervasive barf smell began to wear on him after a while. When he started to turn green, Ray tried to use his ex-cop status to gain favor with the head ER nurse, whom he had known in that old life. â€Å"He's hurt bad. Can't you sneak him in somewhere? He's a good guy, Betsy.† Nurse Betsy grinned (which was the expression she used in lieu of telling people to fuck off) and scanned the waiting room to make sure that no one seemed particularly attentive. â€Å"Can you get him to the window?† â€Å"Sure,† Ray said. He helped Charlie out of his chair and got him to the little bulletproof window. â€Å"This is Charlie Asher,† Ray said. â€Å"My friend.† Charlie looked at Ray. â€Å"I mean my boss,† Ray added quickly. â€Å"Mr. Asher, are you going to die on me?† â€Å"Hope not,† Charlie said. â€Å"But you might want to ask someone with more medical experience than me.† Nurse Betsy grinned. â€Å"He's been shot,† Ray said, ever the advocate. â€Å"I didn't see who shot me,† Charlie said. â€Å"It's a mystery.† Nurse Betsy leaned into the window. â€Å"You know we have to report all gunshot wounds to the authorities. Are you sure you don't want to take a veterinarian hostage and have him sew you up?† â€Å"I don't think my insurance will cover that,† Charlie said. â€Å"Besides, it wasn't a gunshot,† Ray added. â€Å"It was an arrow.† Nurse Betsy nodded. â€Å"Let me see?† Charlie started to roll up his pant leg and lift his leg up on the little counter. Nurse Betsy reached through the little window and knocked his foot off the shelf. â€Å"For Christ's sakes, don't let the others see I'm looking.† â€Å"Ouch, sorry.† â€Å"Is it still bleeding?† â€Å"No, I don't think so.† â€Å"Hurt?† â€Å"Like a bitch.† â€Å"Big bitch or little bitch?† â€Å"Extra large,† Charlie said. â€Å"You allergic to any painkillers?† â€Å"Nope.† â€Å"Antibiotics?† â€Å"Nope.† Nurse Betsy reached into her uniform pocket and pulled out a handful of pills, picked out two round ones and one long one, and slid them through the little window. â€Å"By the power invested in me by Saint Francis of Assisi, I now pronounce you painless. The round ones are Percocet, the oval one is Cipro. I'll put it on your chart.† She looked at Ray. â€Å"Fill out his papers for him, he's going to be too fucked up to do it in a few minutes.† â€Å"Thanks, Betsy.† â€Å"You get any Prada or Gucci bags in that store where you work – they're mine.† â€Å"No problem,† Ray said. â€Å"Charlie owns the store.† â€Å"Really?† Charlie nodded. â€Å"Free,† Betsy added. She slid another round pill across the counter. â€Å"For you, Ray.† â€Å"I'm not hurt.† â€Å"It's a long wait. Anything could happen.† She grinned in lieu of telling him to fuck off. An hour later the paperwork was done and Charlie was heaped in a fiberglass chair in a posture that seemed possible only if his bones had turned to marshmallow. â€Å"They killed Rachel here,† Charlie said. â€Å"Yeah, I know,† Ray said. â€Å"I'm sorry.† â€Å"I still miss her.† â€Å"Yeah, I know,† Ray said. â€Å"How's your leg?† â€Å"But they gave me Sophie,† Charlie said, ignoring the question. â€Å"So, you know, that was good.† â€Å"Yeah, I know,† Ray said. â€Å"How are you feeling now?† â€Å"I'm a little concerned that growing up without a mother, Sophie won't be sensitive enough.† â€Å"You're doing a great job with her. I meant how are you feeling physically?† â€Å"Like that thing where she kills people, just by looking at them. That can't be good for a little girl. My fault, all my fault.† â€Å"Charlie, does your leg hurt?† Ray had opted not to take the painkiller Nurse Betsy had given him, and now he was regretting it. â€Å"And the thing with the hellhounds – what kid has to deal with that? That can't be healthy.† â€Å"Charlie, how do you feel?† â€Å"I'm a little sleepy,† Charlie said. â€Å"Well, you lost a lot of blood.† â€Å"I'm relaxed, though. You know, blood loss relaxes you. You suppose that's why they did leeches in the Middle Ages? They could use them instead of tranquilizers. ‘Yes, Bob, I'll be right in to the meeting, but let me stick a leech on, I'm feeling a little anxious.' Like that.† â€Å"Great idea, Charlie. You want some water?† â€Å"You're a good guy, Ray. Did I ever tell you that? Even if you are serial-killing desperate Filipinas on your vacation.† â€Å"What?† Nurse Betsy came to the window. â€Å"Asher!† she called. Ray looked pleadingly at her through the window – a few seconds later she was coming through the door with a wheelchair. â€Å"How's Painless doing?† she said. â€Å"Oh my God, he's incredibly irritating,† Ray said. â€Å"You didn't take your medicine, did you?† â€Å"I don't like drugs.† â€Å"Who's the nurse here, Ray? It's the circle of meds, not just the patient, but everyone around him. Haven't you seen The Lion King?† â€Å"That's not in The Lion King. That's the circle of life.† â€Å"Really? I've been singing that song wrong the whole time? Wow, I guess I don't like that movie after all. Help me get Painless into the chair. We'll have him home by breakfast.† â€Å"We got here at dinnertime,† Ray said. â€Å"See how you are when you're off your meds?† Charlie had a foam walking cast and crutches when he got home from the hospital. The painkillers had worn off to a level where he was no longer painless. His head was throbbing like tiny twin aliens were going to burst out of his temples. Mrs. Korjev came out of his apartment and cornered him in the hallway. â€Å"Charlie Asher, I am having bone to pick with you. Last night am I seeing my little Sophie run by my apartment naked and soapy like bear, pulling giant black dogs around singing ‘not in butt'? In old country we have word for that, Charlie Asher. Word is nasty. I still have number for child service from days when my boys were boys.† â€Å"Soapy like bear?† â€Å"Don't change subject. Is nasty.† â€Å"Yes, it is. I'm sorry. It won't happen again. I was shot and wasn't thinking straight.† â€Å"You are shot?† â€Å"In the leg. It's only a flesh wound.† Charlie had waited his entire life to say those words and he felt very macho at that moment. â€Å"I don't know who shot me. It's a mystery. They dropped a rug on me, too.† The rug diminished the machismo somewhat. He vowed not to mention it henceforth. â€Å"You come in. Have breakfast. Sophie will not eat toast Vladlena make. She say is raw and have toast germs.† â€Å"That's my girl,† Charlie said. Charlie was no sooner in the door and on his way to rescue his daughter from toast-borne pathogens, when Mohammed grabbed the tip of one of his crutches in his mouth and dragged a hopping Charlie into the bedroom. â€Å"Hi, Daddy,† Sophie said as her father went hopping by. â€Å"No skipping in the house,† she added. Mohammed head-butted the hapless Beta Male to his date book. There were two names there under today's date, which wasn't that unusual. What was unusual was that they were the names that had appeared before: Esther Johnson and Irena Posokovanovich – the two soul vessels he'd missed. He sat down on the bed and tried to rub the pain aliens back into his temples. How to even start? Would these names keep coming back until he got the soul vessels? That hadn't happened with the fuck puppet. What was different here? Things were obviously getting worse – now they were shooting at him. Charlie picked up the phone and dialed Ray Macy's number. It took Ray four days to come back to Charlie with the report. He had the information in three, but he'd wanted to be absolutely sure that all the painkillers had worn off and Charlie wasn't going to be crazy anymore – going on all night about being the big death, â€Å"with a capital D.† Ray also felt a little guilty because he'd been holding out on Charlie about breaking some rules in the store. They met in the back room on a Wednesday morning, before the store opened. Charlie had made coffee and taken a seat at the desk so he could prop his foot up. Ray sat on some boxes of books. â€Å"Okay, shoot,† Charlie said. â€Å"Well, first, I found three more crossbow bolts. Two had barbed-steel tips like the one that went through your leg, and one had a titanium spike. That one was stuck in the pneumatic closer on the back door.† â€Å"Don't care, Ray. What about the two women?† â€Å"Charlie, someone shot you with a deadly weapon. You don't care?† â€Å"Correct. Don't care. It's a mystery. Know what I like about mysteries? They're mysterious.† Ray was wearing a Giants cap and he flipped it around backwards for emphasis. If he'd been wearing glasses he would have whipped those off, but he wasn't, so he squinted like he had. â€Å"I'm sorry, Charlie, but someone wanted you and the dogs out of the house at the same time. They threw that rug on you from the rooftop across the alley, then, when you were pinned down and the dogs were outside, they shot the closer on the door so it would slam shut. They sabotaged the back door's lock and glued the front doors shut, probably before they even started with the rug, then they slid down a line to the hall window, slipped between the bars, and – well, then it's unclear.† Charlie sighed. â€Å"You're not going to tell me about the two women until you finish this, are you?† â€Å"It was highly organized. This wasn't a random assault.† â€Å"The hall window upstairs has bars on it, Ray. No one can get in. No one got in.† â€Å"Well, that's where it gets a little crazy. You see, I don't think it was a human intruder.† â€Å"You don't?† Charlie actually seemed to be paying attention now. â€Å"In order to get through those bars, an intruder would have to be under two feet tall, and less than, say, thirty pounds. I'm thinking a monkey.† Charlie put down his coffee so hard that a java geyser jumped out of the cup onto some papers on the desk. â€Å"You think that I was shot by a highly organized monkey?† â€Å"Don't be that way – â€Å" â€Å"Who then slid down a wire, broke into the building, and did what? Made off with fruit?† â€Å"You should have heard some of the stupid shit you were saying the other night at the hospital, and did I make fun of you?† â€Å"I was on drugs, Ray.† â€Å"Well, there's no other explanation.† To Ray's Beta Male imagination, the monkey explanation seemed completely reasonable – except for lack of motive. But you know monkeys, they'll fling poo at you just for the hell of it, so who's to say – â€Å"The explanation is that it's a mystery,† Charlie said. â€Å"I appreciate your trying to bring this†¦this furry bastard to justice, Ray, but I need to know about the two women.† Ray nodded, defeated. He should have just shut up until he'd figured out why someone would want to get a monkey into Charlie's apartment. â€Å"People can train monkeys, you know. Do you have any valuable jewelry in your apartment?† â€Å"You know,† Charlie said, scratching his chin and looking at the ceiling as if remembering. â€Å"There was a small car parked across from the shop all day on Vallejo. And when I looked the next day, there was a pile of banana peels, like someone had been staking the place out. Someone who ate bananas.† â€Å"What kind of car was it?† Ray said, his notepad ready. â€Å"I'm not sure, but it was red, and definitely monkey size.† Ray looked up from his notes. â€Å"Really?† Charlie paused, as if thinking carefully about his answer. â€Å"Yes,† he said, very sincerely. â€Å"Monkey size.† Ray flipped his notebook back to the pages in the front. â€Å"There is no need to be that way, Charlie. I'm just trying to help.† â€Å"It might have been bigger,† Charlie said, remembering. â€Å"Like a monkey SUV – like what you might drive if you were transporting – I don't know – a barrel of monkeys.† Ray cringed, then read from the pages. â€Å"I went to the Johnson woman's house. No one is living there, but the house isn't on the market. I didn't see the niece you talked about. Funny thing is, the neighbors knew she'd been sick, but no one had heard that she'd died. In fact, one guy said he thought he saw her getting into a U-Haul truck with a couple of movers last week.† â€Å"Last week? Her niece said that she died two weeks ago.† â€Å"No niece.† â€Å"What?† â€Å"Esther Johnson doesn't have a niece. She was an only child. Didn't have brothers or sisters, and no nieces on her late husband's side of the family.† â€Å"So she's alive?† â€Å"Apparently.† Ray handed Charlie a photograph. â€Å"That's her latest driver's-license photo. This changes things. Now we're looking for a missing person, someone who will leave a trail. But the other one – Irena – is even better.† He handed Charlie another picture. â€Å"She's not dead either?† â€Å"Oh, there was a death notice in the paper three weeks ago, but here's the giveaway – all of her bills are still being paid, by personal check. Checks she signed.† Ray sat back on his stool, smiling, feeling the sweetness of righteous indignation over the monkey theory, and a little guilt alleviation for not telling Charlie about the special transactions. â€Å"Well?† Charlie finally asked. â€Å"She's at her sister's house in the Sunset. Here's the address.† Ray tore a page out of his notebook and handed it to Charlie.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

The Evolution of Art Essay Example

The Evolution of Art Essay Example The Evolution of Art Essay The Evolution of Art Essay Stacie Mueller Art 100 Professor Morris 24 February 2012 The Evolution of Art To even begin to define art, we must have a starting point in history where something was first perceived as art. The question begs, though, why do we perceive it as art? To look up the word in a dictionary, you will find the term aesthetics almost always applied to its definition; however, much of we call art today is not exactly pleasing to the eye. Our shifting social attitudes have affected how art has been presented to us over time. We see depictions of hate, of war, of death, and many other forms of sorrow and horror. Moreover, we must consider how technology and modern conveniences have allowed a greater realm in the world of art: Photography and Photoshop programs, computer generated graphics, and applications for use with tablets and smart phones that allow us to modify images in an infinite number of ways. Loosely defined, the word art seems to be applied to almost anything: The written word, photography, performance arts, computer graphics, commercial art, fashion, culinary, comics, and so on. For purposes of this research paper, however, the focus will be on the more concrete forms of art that we’ve come to know throughout history. The definition of art has certainly shifted and changed over time and across cultures; in this research paper we will explore how art has evolved. Art is many things to one person, and certainly carries different meanings for another person. However, anything and everything cannot be art or it would be difficult to appreciate art’s true essence; the quality that brings forth contemplation and deliberation. Besides creativity, art takes deep thought, imagination, and accomplishes a specific goal. Artists help us see things that matter and give us a different perspective with a specific goal in mind. The earliest art was discovered on cave walls in Lascaux, France. Paintings on the walls included large numbers of animals in various activities, as well as humans. In Art: A New History, Paul Johnson shows us the ingenuity of early artists: Pestles and mortars were found at Lascaux, with the discovery of â€Å"no less than 158 different mineral fragments from which the mixtures were made† (9). Techniques of these early artists included engraving with flakes of sharp flint, spraying paint, and the use of stencils. The use of colors, binding agents and tools to get the material to the walls such as brushes, and blow tools, is remarkable for the time period. It appears that the purpose of the cave paintings was to tell a story; as if the artists were attempting to make a connection with the animals they hunted and also feared (Getlein, 5). In the years since, many things have occurred in history affording great influence on art. The introduction of Christianity into the Roman Empire created a dynamic, cultural shift over religious beliefs (Getlein, 345). Realism, which centered around depictions of everyday life, was seen in art during that period of time. As the Roman Empire shifted into the Byzantine Empire in the early Middle Ages, Emperor Constantine ruled that Christianity was to become the state religion. Hence, Byzantium art glorified Christianity in attempt to express its mystery. The subject matter became primarily religious and imperial, moving away from realism, while showing a more compressed, abstract style. Rather than depicting images of ordinary daily life, artists created more complex scenes that represented spiritual and heavenly splendor. Mosaic was a favored technique of Byzantium artists: An example of this is the mosaic depicting Christ as Pantokrator in the Santa Maria la Nuova (Getlein, 350). During the early Middle Ages we saw emotions in art shift back to realism in Carolingian art. When the emperor Charlemagne was crowned king in 800, uniting Christianity with Roman beliefs, chapels were designed to rival Roman and Byzantine architecture. The Chapel of Charlemagne is a mighty example of Carolingian art: Massive stone structure with an octagonal plan, mosaic decoration, and an interior framed by massive arches (Getlein, 15. 13). Some competition with Byzantium may also be implicit in Charlemagnes promotion of figural painting and carving, for he embraced and encouraged representational art at precisely the time when Byzantine rulers were renouncing images in favor of iconoclasm. The Romanesque period (1050 to 1200) gave us the proliferation of churches with thick stone walls, round arches and barrel vaulted stone ceilings. One such example is Abbey Church of Sainte-Foy (Getlein, 15. 14). Evolving from Romanesque style, Gothic art is more ornate. Churches are characterized by soaring interiors and large stained-glass windows. The Chartres Chapel exemplifies Gothic art in its flying buttresses and ornate towers (Getlein, 15. 18). During the late Middle ages, art became an even more powerful means of storytelling. This was a common device of religious art of the Middle ages, for example in the frescoes by Giotto from the Church of San Francesco de Assisi, where sequences of panels were used to tell stories from the Scriptures or lives of saints (Getlein, 15. 26). The definition of art continues to change as we cross continents. The symbolism in African art, for example, was quite strong. The use of masks was one of the most interesting parts of their everyday life. Masks were meant to be kept in motion, as Getlein explains, because they represent â€Å"the head or face of a spirit being that has appeared in the community† (420). The nowo mask was used to represent the guiding spirit of Bondo, a women’s organization that regulates female affairs. Bondo is an initiation that prepares young girls for womanhood. An important feature of the nowo mask is the rings around its base; they are meant to represent a chrysalis, as girls emerge as women at the conclusion of Bondo (Getlein, 420). In more modern times we’ve seen various forms of â€Å"isms†: Impressionism, Expressionism, Naturalism, Realism, Modernism, and Surrealism – to name a few. Impressionist painting was perceived as working from outer appearances. Expressionistic artists intended to show a more inner dialogue, particularly with their use of color. The objective attention to appearances places Impressionism within the context Naturalism. While Naturalism and Realism are terms which are used interchangeably, the Naturalist is more impressed by the surface of things, such as the textures of fabric, the play of light, or the sheen of gold. The Realist tends to probe deeper into appearances, seeking the essence. Twentieth century Modernism is a reaction to Naturalism. Trevor Pateman describes Modernism as that which â€Å"can be defined as being concerned with the inner, or subjective, at the expense of the outer, or objective† (Pateman). The modernist viewed art as an agent of social change and even helped shape many political movements. The Surrealist movement sought techniques which would permit essence to break through the illusions of appearance, emphasizing imagery from dreams and fantasy. In this, Surrealists sought to act like Realists of the inner rather than the outer world. In all of these â€Å"isms,† however, there is a certain common ground: a focus on people, nature scenes, and everyday items. We can see that art has gone through many evolutions, but even though the technology of today has created more mediums for the creation of art, I wouldn’t say it has been transformed. Art, it seems, has forever been intended to speak the language of the unconscious mind. The human condition, nature, and events continue to capture the attention of artists. Clowney, David. Definitions Of Art And Fine Arts Historical Origins. Journal Of Aesthetics Art Criticism 69. 3 (2011): 309-320. Academic Search Premier. Web. 26 Feb. 2013. Getlein, Mark. Living With Art. 9th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2010. Print. Johnson, Paul. Painted Caves and Giant Stones. Art: A New History. New York: HarperCollins, 2003. 7-16. Print. Keizer, Joost. Michelangelo, Drawing, And The Subject Of Art. Art Bulletin 93. 3 (2011): 304-324. Academic Search Premier. Web. 26 Feb. 2013. Pateman, Trevor. Isms: Expressionism, Impressionism, Naturalism, Realism, Surrealism. Selectedworks. co. uk. N. p. , 2005. Web. 2 Mar. 2013

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

How to Write Faster 10 Effective Strategies Finally Finish Your Book

How to Write Faster 10 Effective Strategies Finally Finish Your Book How to Write Faster: 10 Effective Strategies Finally Finish Your Book Learning how to write faster has many uses, whether youre writing a book or just want to get ahead in another writing field.â€Å"The faster I write, the better my output. If I’m going slow, I’m in trouble. It means I’m pushing the words instead of being pulled by them.†Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ Raymond ChandlerWe’ve all been there: You finally squeeze in some writing time in between all your commitments but rarely have a solid writing habit built into your busy life.However, when you sit down to write, something odd happens. These are our strategies for how to write faster:Write every dayUse an outline to write fasterAvoid editing as you goResearch laterPractice your typing speedSit up properly to write fasterUse talk-to-textDo writing sprintsGet accountability buddiesChallenge yourselfYou thought that a torrent of words would flow out - after all, you haveso much to say.Yet, each word that comes out of you is dragged out. Writing feels less like fun, and more like bleeding.At the end of the hour, you find youve only written 100 words, and not the 500 words you budgeted.Any writer understands how frustrating it is to make time for writing, but to have almost nothing to show for that time. How to Write Well FastTheres a great debate over whether or not doing something quickly produces good quality. After all, fast food restaurants and known for their low-quality food being unhealthy.However, writing is not like the food industry.In fact, we have plenty of tips for maintaining that quality while learning how to write faster.So can you write well while doing so quickly?The answer is yes, and heres howHow to Write a FasterI have some good news: This doesnt have to be the case.You can set up your writing process in such a way that its guaranteed youll find your writing flow and have words stream out of you faster than you can catch them.You can make sure that your writing session is as efficient and effective as possible so that not a single minute is wasted.Writing faster will not only mean that you finish your book’s first draft, which can be a life-changing achievement, it’ll also mean that you’ll be quicker at anything you write.Your blog posts, emails, letters, and even your social media updates will be written faster.Here are all the practical tips Ive gathered over the years to help me and my students learn how to write a book in less than 30 days.NOTE: We cover everything in this blog post and much more about the writing, marketing, and publishing process in our VIP Self-Publishing Program. Learn more about it here#1 Write Every DayI’m going to start with an essential tip: If you want to write faster, you have to write every day and make that your primary writing goal.Writing, like any craft, gets better the more you do it. The more you practice your writing skills, the faster the words will come to your mind and your fingertips.You’ll get better and quicker at connecting diff erent pieces of knowledge, forming new ideas and improving your natural storytelling abilities.You’ll also get quicker at the mechanical process of writing. Youll develop muscle memory for your keyboard and your writing speed will go up. Soon you’ll wonder how you could have ever survived at your slower words-per-minute speed.What to write? You could update your WordPress blog every day, or a chapter of your book every day. It doesn’t matter, as long as you’re writing. How to Write Faster Action Step:1 Choose what you’re going to write about every day, whether it’s blog articles, chapters of your book or even a personal journal.2 Set your word count goal for each day.3 Track how many words you are writing per hour or day.However, even writing every day won’t stop you facing that feeling you get when you see a blank page. To avoid that and guarantee your words flow every time you see a new page you need to create an outline.#2 Crea te an OutlineHere’s the writing world’s worst-kept secret: outlines work to help you write faster!To achieve any goal, you need to plan first. The same can be said for writing.Even if you’re able to crank out 3000 words an hour, it won’t matter much if your content lacks direction, as readers will get confused and drop your book.A solid outline gives you the direction you need to keep your readers engaged and it also allows you to plan roughly how many words are in your novel, working backward from how many chapters and how many words in each chapter.This ensures you can plan and create your writing goal to succeed. Writing a book is a lot of work, but we can cut out a ton of obstacles with a well-written book outlinethat builds passion and purpose into your writing.Here’s how an outline can double or even triple your writing speed:1. Outlines Eliminate Writer’s BlockOne of the reasons writers experience  writer’s block is by not ha ving an outline, or having a poorly written outline. If your outline is well-organized and fleshed out with all the ideas, chapters, and sections flowing in a logical sequence, chances are writer’s block won’t be an issue.When you have to stop to think about what comes next, you’re no longer in writing mode. Instead, you fall into confusion and frustration and then default to book research mode.â€Å"I know I can get through this if I just it look up†¦Ã¢â‚¬ You start doing everything else but writing. The next time you hit a wall,check the flow of your outline. Revise what you need to and keep moving forward. Be sure to do as much research as you can before the initial writing begins.2. Outlines Provide an Organized Framework for Your Book’s StructureYour outline is the roadmap for your book, a place where your story structure is laid out in front of you. Without it, your writing time is slow and grueling, like running up a mountain with a ball and chain. Sounds tough, right?A well-organized outline boosts productivity throughout the writing phase.The secret to completing any big project, like a novel, is to break it into small manageable chunks, and an outline breaks this marathon project into small manageable writing tasks.You’ll write much faster when the chapters flow from one to the next and ideas are combined and clustered. When your outline flows with a well-organized structure you don’t have to stop to think about what to write next. Your fingers can keep moving in flow with the plan you created.3. Outlines Give You a Bird’s Eye ViewWhen you can see your book in its entirety on the page, you feel compelled to write as much as possible. Think of it as a race. You’ll perform much better knowing the exact distance you have to run - especially as you near the finish line and you have the  end in sight.Behind every great post and book is a bulletproof outline. Here are some steps you can take today to get started with this process. How to Write Faster Action Step:1 Spend some time today and go back and revise your book outline. If you don’t have one, make one.2 Look at areas that could be better researched. Review the chapters that have ideas that require deeper development.3 The aim is to make your outline the best it can be. Revise your outline as you go, but make sure your words keep hitting the paper.For other writing:Commit to this rule whenever you’re writing anything: Five minutes of outlining for every 500 words of content. Writing a 1,000-word article? Spend 10 minutes developing an outline.Writing a 100-word email? Spend a minute outlining your points. Every minute you spend outlining will save you a heap of time later.#3 Dont edit as you goWant to write better quality stuff? Then youre going to have let go of your inner perfectionist and stop your self-editing.Hemingway is often attributed with the quote, write drunk, edit sober. While Im no t advocating you become an alcoholic to produce content, you can adopt the figurative meaning of the quote.The largest obstacle to entering that zen state where the words zip out of us effortlessly is our tendency to censor ourselves. We continuously correct what were about to say before we put the words on the page.Us writers tend to be perfectionists, yet this self-criticism gets in the way of our creativity.A better strategy is to write a rough draft first. Think B- quality instead of A+. This is what Hemingway means when he says to write drunk. During the drafting phase you let go of caring about thequalityof your work, but instead focus on thequantity.Aim to finish your daily writing goal, no matter how bad the draft is. The goal is not to have a perfect manuscript.Once youve finished, then and only then, begin the â€Å"edit sober† phase. Here you can engage your inner critic. You can cut what doesnt work and polish what does. Its best to begin the editing phase with a fresh set of eyes, usually after youve taken a break.If its a short article, then sleep on your draft before editing.If its a book draft, then take at least a week off the project before looking back on it.Its hard to let go of that inner judge when drafting our work, but once you do, youll write significantly faster. Often when you look back on the draft that you thought was horrible, youll find its better than you thought. Not perfect, but better than you imagined.Youll also see that there were some ideas you put in there that couldnt have happened if you were writing as a perfectionist.Also, if youre still worried about the quality of your book draft, remember that youll hire an editor to polish your book to be the best it can be. How to Write Faster Action Step:1 When you begin writing a piece, throw perfection out of the window and aim for a rough draft. Think B- work and not A+.2 If you find it hard to lock up your inner perfectionist, set yourself a challenge to write a wor d count in a set time, like 500 words in 30-minute chunks.3 After you finish your draft, put it away for a bit of time before you begin editing.#4 Write Faster First, Research LaterHeres a piece of great advice many journalists receive: write first and research your book later. It might be counter-intuitive, but before you close this page and think I’m crazy, hear me out.When you begin writing you have one mission: enter flow. This is the state where the words come out of you effortlessly and you lose awareness of time flowing by. This is the key for quality and effective writing.Once you enter flow, your mission is to stay there.A sure way to get thrown out of the zone is to stop mid-sentence to find the capital of that countryyou want to reference, and then get sucked down a Wikipedia rabbit hole.Instead of interrupting your flow of writing, use a writer’s tip I’ve talked about before: TK your research point.TK is short for â€Å"to come† and is a han dy placeholder to use for research points you want to look up later. There are barely any words in the English language that have those two letters next to each other, making it easy to use the Command+F function to find these placeholders.For example, lets say you were writing about the Golden Gate bridge and couldnt remember the date it opened and its length. If that were the case, this is what your draft would look like and doing a quick command+f (for mac) will help you fill in these gaps later:The Golden Gate Bridge was opened in TK and was the longest bridge with a main span of TK.This takes 10 seconds to write, and you can stay in your flow and move on to the next sentence.If you had Googled each of those facts, the sentence would have taken you 60 seconds and taken you out of your flow.After you finish the draft, you can go back in and fill in the blanks:The Golden Gate Bridge was opened in1937and was the longest bridge with a main span of4,200 feet. How to Write Faster Acti on Step:1 When drafting, if you cant remember a piece of detail, put TK as a placeholder, instead of going to Google.2 During your editing phase, use Control+F to search for TK and replace each result with the relevant piece of research.#5 Schedule Brief Typing Practice SessionsThink of your typing speed as the bottleneck between your brain and your piece of content, like the narrowest part of the road that’s causing a traffic buildup. Your fingers simply can’t type as fast as your mind is working.Unfortunately, technology hasn’t yet progressed to the point where we can think of the words and they magically appear on the page, but with the help of a few fun and simple online games we can improve our typing speed.I’ll share a secret with you: I used to not be able to type very well. I was like someone from the early 20th century, using two fingers to pound out my content. My typing speed was barely above 30 words per minute. Yet, writing was important t o me, like it is for you, so I worked at it.Even now, for ten minutes a day I play online typing games to test my writing speed and provide feedback on how efficient I am a typist. It’s a great way to master the skill of getting your word count up. Check out 10FastFingersor Key Hero.# 6 Use Proper Sitting PostureThe position of your body has a lot to do with typing speed and efficiency.If you slouch in your chair you’ll cramp up and find it hard to concentrate.Here is how you should position yourself:Make sure that you are sitting up straight - don’t lean or hunch over towards the desk.Position your elbows at right angles to the keyboard - avoid bending your arms upwards or downwards.Properlyposition your fingerson the keyboard.You can even buy a standing desk to help your posture.It’s scientifically proven that thestanding deskhas major benefits for your health. Standing gives you higher energy levels and better blood flow. But that’s not all! It also boosts productivity and makes us more efficient when typing.#7 Use talk-to-textOne of the greatest parts about the advancement in technology is the fact that there are now options to use talk-to-text to even write a book, and not just compose a text message.Google docs has a fantastic diction program that allows you to speak your words onto the page.Heres how you can use diction on Google docs:Open a new doc in Google DocsGo to ToolsSelect voice typingMake sure your microphone is workingPush the microphone that pops up on the left side of your doc and start speakingThats all there is to it. This way, those of you who can speak faster than you type and are audible people in general (usually you extroverts!), you can write a book faster with this method.#8 Do writing sprints to write fasterWriting sprints are one of the best ways to write faster.Theres an entire community of writers (typically found on Twitter using the #WritingSprint hashtag) who write their entire books by using sprints.A writing sprint is when you set a certain amount of time on the clock (15 minutes for the first, then 25, then 10 minutes) and you write as fast as you can for that amount of time.The goal with writing sprints is to NOT edit, not go back and read, just write.Heres an example of the writing community on Twitter doing their sprints:#9 Get an accountability buddyOne of the best ways to write and finish a book faster is utilizing accountability partners in order to keep you on track.Here at Self-Publishing School, we help students find accountability partners in our Mastermind Community on Facebook. This is largely responsible for students finishing their drafts faster.These are some benefits and reasons having an accountability partner can help you write faster:Someone else can keep you accountableThey can help lift your spirits if youre feeling down (which usually prevents writing)They can talk through writers block with you to get rid of itYou can do writing sprints togetherUltimately, youll only benefit from having a writing buddy on-hand to keep you on pace to finish your book faster.#10 Challenge YourselfWriting faster will not only allow you to finish your books first draft faster, it’ll make you quicker at all forms of writing. You’ll be speedier at composing emails, recommendation letters, cover letters, social media posts and articles.Writing is also closely related to thinking. Being a faster and clearer writer will make you a faster and clearer thinker.Follow the above tips on your next greatarticle idea or book chapter and see how many words you can get out in a timed writing session. Youll be amazed at the difference in your writing speed.Instead of your draft taking months to produce, you might find that youll be able to pound out full-length novels on the weekends.What to do NextIn order to write faster, it helps to be fully informed. That way, youll spend less time clicking open another tab and more time writing.Her es how you can do that.

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Mass Media paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Mass Media paper - Essay Example Living room has the television, outer lawn has the newspaper, car has the radio, mailboxes are full of mailers and journals while office table has the Internet and computer. The penetration is so deep that it won't be an exaggeration to say that no citizen can escape the news, views, and opinions, in different forms from the media. Political field is one such field which encompasses all aspects of our social life. So it is affected the most by media. Media has become an integral part of our lives and therefore they generate popular interest and debate about any social problem that we can think of. Media prospers and becomes more meaningful in a democratic environment like USA, India etc. It provides information: Media provides an access to government decisions and the decision taking process. Media also provides a scope for the public to know as to why the decision taker has taken such a decision. Accountability: Media has the ability to hold government officials accountable - either to the legal system or to public opinion - when they violate the law or when they act in ways that adversely affect people's interests. 3. At times shrewd political parties and politicians manipulate the media to serve their own interests. In fact now there are media channels/ newspapers set up by political parties/ leaders to influence the public opinion.