Stranger Monsters Professor Ramos Blog

Stranger Monsters Stranger Things is a rare breed of a series. It not only manages to capture it’s audiences attention with its incredibly unique story, but the actors are quick and easy to fall completely in love with. This series manages to have a fantastic character arc for the heroes as well as constantly having the threat of the unknown ‘upside down’ constantly growing. While the first season focused on the demi-gorgon and the second on the demodogs, the third season brings a fresh villain which was teased at the end of the second season. The Mind Flayer has a unique approach on a monster which overall makes for a great and disturbing story. The show is set in the early eighties, which was a time where American citizens were afraid of the Soviet Union because of the Cold war. It was believed that there were secret Labs underground created by Soviet spies who would do human experimenting. This ended up being a major influence for this season. With the idea that they would eventually unearth themselves and start mind controlling people to fight against America. Mind Control was no laughing matter in the eighties. In fact, it was commonly feared by the majority of the american population. The term ‘brainwashing’ was actually born from the Cold war. It is said that, â€Å"The notion of ‘brainwashing’ emerged out of the conjuncture in the outbreak of the Cold War and the sense of panic it created in American society. Efforts to master this panic found new intelligence infrastructure and in new frameworks of discourse, knowledge, and terminology.† (Killen Andriopoulos 8) Basically, writers and filmmakers took advantage of the American knowledge, or lack thereof, and took advantage of it to produce novels and film. Killen Andriopoulos gave great modern examples of the Jason Bourne series and Shutter Island. (9) This ties in very well with Jeffery Cohens first monster theory, â€Å"The Monster’s Body Is a Cultural Body.† (4) Although the eighties did not consist of a huge human consuming monster, the fear of Russian testing and the unknown was definitely real. Cohen states that, â€Å"The monster is born only at this metaphoric crossroads, as an embodiment of a certain cultural moment.† (Cohen 4) This monster acts as a representation of what Americans were afraid could happen or be created in the Cold war era. Having Allies turn against each other. The Mind Flayer throughout this season acts as a puppeteer, pulling the strings while having others it has assimilated do its bidding. What is interesting about this monster is that it also uses its ‘hosts’ to grow itself, turning them into a slime like paste to which they crawl together to make the main monster bigger and stronger. Which works well in making a very uncomfortable scene watching a character go from a human to a semi-slime monster. But what exactly makes this monster scary? The Mind Flayer uses humans that it assimilates to do its bidding, which makes the human the villain. This is a very interesting metaphor in that the Mind Flayer, while it might not have necessarily been created by humans, is still in our dimension because of human curiosity and testing. The Mind Flayer, while it is its own monster, still came from the upside down. The fact of the matter is not that the monster has never left. The gate to the upside down was closed in one place but opened in another, never truly leaving the small city of Hawkins. Cohens second theory, ‘Monsters Always Escapes’ can be tied into the idea that while the group might have defeated the demi-gorgon and the demodogs in the previous seasons, the one thing that never left the city was the portal to the upside down. Acting as almost the main villain to the heroes, constantly throwing new monsters at them. The film Get out has a fantastic interpretation on mind control. Director Jordan Peele takes a unique twist on what is a simple horror movie and creates a monster that can control another human beings body, rendering them essentially a backseat driver in their own body. The idea of being conscious in what you are doing but not being able to do anything about it is truly a terrifying feeling. The characters are similar to the Mind Flayer in that when the highest bidder wins the body, the surgical procedure allows conscious to override and take control of the victims body. While the Mind Flayer does not have to have a surgical procedure to control its victims, it still overtakes the victim and has complete control over their actions and decisions. The Mind Flayer works so well as a monster because it is unique. While it has been done before the way it was presented and executed distracts the viewer and enthralls them into wanting more. This disgusting slimy beast works in the shadows which allows the actors to really shine. Also, some of the monsters actions create a real tear jerker for the viewer, giving major character development and allowing a fantastic story to play out through its ravenous destruction. There Is however one interesting fact about the monster that does leave some unanswered questions. In an interview with the directors and cast members for the third season, Matt Duffer stated, â€Å"Eleven closed the Gate, but the Mind Flayer is still alive in the Upside Down† (Stack 2). Watching the season it is not really explained at all how the Mind Flayer managed to escape the upside down when the previous monsters did not. It is true that later in the season it is revealed that there is another gate being kept open by the Russian government. But this does not elaborate on how the Mind Flayer was the only thing able to escape after the gate was shut. Although there is a significant plot gap it does not take away from the overall story. The monster still provides a wonderful fresh experience and frightening demeanor for the viewers when on screen. But why does this creature work so well for this series? The Mind Flayer provides such a fresh, and creative idea of a monster that really strays away from the standard traditional horror films. And is a big reason why the series works so well. You are not expecting as a viewer to see some recurring characters just evaporate into a disgusting pile of goo and literally attach themselves together. But what has to be the most chilling trait of this monster is its ability to take over someones body and mind. The idea that your neighbor or family member could be actively trying to kill you adds a chilling on screen tension that definitely deserves more credit than what is given. This is a monster that is unique and different as opposed to your standard zombie. It has a mysterious background but a fantastic tool kit of skills it uses to terrorize the protagonists. This monster easily deserves a 4/5. While it does contain some miniscule flaws, the overall idea and execution of this monster were flawless. Its creativeness and uniqueness manages to leave the viewer constantly wondering what is next, or even who is next. Stranger things continues to display such unique and intriguing monsters that in the end, help create fantastic plot lines and seasons. And the third iteration of Stranger Things continues to live up to the expectations it has set in the first season. Annotated Bibliography Levy, Shawn, Et all. â€Å"Stranger Things .† Netflix, season 3, episode 1-8, 4 July 2019. The popular Netflix series stranger things has a monster that has a hive mind. I found this to be an interesting take and interpretation of what a zombie could be or is. Im planning on using the series to show a different style of zombie and how it differs from the standard brain eating mindless monster that is more commonly known. Cohen, Jeffery jerome. â€Å"Monster Culture (Seven Theses).† Englishwithtuttle, www.englishwithtuttle.com/uploads/3/0/2/6/30266519/cohen_monster_culture__seven_theses__3-20.pdf. This article is Jeffery Cohen’s seven Theses on monsters was discussed in class. This Article will be one of the main sources from comparisons, and stereotyping monsters to correctly classifying the individual as a monster. This source is credible because it is peer reviewed. J effery is also a college professor at the George Washington University. Peele, Jordan, director. Get Out. Universal Pictures Home Entertainment, 2017. The Widely popular movie Get Out has a fantastic twist on mind control. This is a great comparison to the Mind Flayer and gives some perspective as well as contrast to some of the characters in the movie. These comparisons and contrasts are what I plan on using in this analysis. Killen, Andreas, and Stefan Andriopoulos. â€Å"Editors Introduction.† Grey Room, Oct. 2011, web.a.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=12sid=ff43cd13-cf61-4fb3-9767-5b595eacef4b@sessionmgr4008. This peer reviewed article goes into detail about mind control and brainwashing. It also goes into detail about how it originated, from the Cold War. This was a huge inspiration for the third season of stranger things. This will make a fantastic supporting article for the inspiration and the birth of the monster. Stack, Tim. â€Å"Stranger Things 3.† Entertainment Weekly, web.b.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=3sid=b4b742f9-03e2-4875-bac8-afda0fb643ab@pdc-v-sessmgr05. Tim Stacks is a reporter who did an interview with the cast and directors of the series. He answers a lot of questions and brings in an interesting point of view on certain topics. One question shows an error with the origin and plotline of the monster. I plan on using this to describe what is wrong with the monster.

Battle of Fishers Hill in the American Civil War

Battle of Fishers Hill in the American Civil War Battle of Fishers Hill - Conflict Date: The Battle of Fishers Hill was fought September 21-22, 1864, during the American Civil War (1861-1865). Armies Commanders: Union Major General Philip H. Sheridan29,444 men Confederate Lieutenant General Jubal A. Early9,500 men Battle of Fishers Hill - Background: In June 1864, with his army besieged at Petersburg by Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant, General Robert E. Lee detached Lieutenant General Jubal A. Early with orders to operate in the Shenandoah Valley.   The goal of this was to have Early reverse Confederate fortunes  in the region which had been sustained a blow due to Major General David Hunters victory at Piedmont  earlier in the month.   Additionally, Lee hoped that Earlys men would divert some Union forces away from Petersburg.   Arriving at Lynchburg, Early was able to force Hunter to withdraw into West Virginia and then drove down  (north) the valley.   Entering into Maryland, he pushed aside a scratch Union force at the Battle of Monocacy on July 9.  Ã‚  Responding  to this new threat, Grant ordered Major General Horatio G. Wrights VI Corps north from the siege lines to reinforce Washington, DC.   Though Early threatened the capital later in July, he lacked the forces to mount a meaningful assault on th e Union defenses.   With little other choice, he withdrew back to the Shenandoah. Battle of Fishers Hill - Sheridan Takes Command: Weary of Earlys activities, Grant created the Army of the Shenandoah on August 1 and appointed his cavalry chief, Major General Philip H. Sheridan, to lead it.   Composed of Wrights VI Corps, Brigadier General William Emorys XIX Corps, Major General George Crooks VIII Corps (Army of West Virginia), and three  divisions of cavalry under Major General Alfred Torbert,  this new formation received orders to eliminate Confederate forces in the Valley and render the  region worthless as a source of supplies for Lee.   Moving south from Harpers Ferry, Sheridan initially showed caution and probed to ascertain Earlys strength.   Leading four  infantry and two cavalry divisions, Early misinterpreted Sheridans early  tentativeness as  over-caution and permitted his command to be strung out between Martinsburg and Winchester. Battle of Fishers Hill - Gibraltar of the Shenandoah Valley: In mid-September, having gained an understanding of Earlys forces, Sheridan moved against the Confederates at Winchester.   In the Third Battle of Winchester (Opequon) his forces inflicted a severe defeat on the enemy and sent Early reeling south.   Seeking to recover, Early reformed his men along Fishers Hill just south of Strasburg.   A strong position, the hill was situated at a point where the valley narrowed with Little North Mountain to the west and Massanutten Mountain to the east.   Additionally, the north side of Fishers Hill possessed a steep slope and was fronted by a creek named Tumbling Run.   Known as the Gibraltar of the Shenandoah Valley, Earlys men occupied the heights and prepared to meet Sheridans advancing Union forces.    Though Fishers Hill offered a strong position, Early lacked sufficient forces to cover the four miles between the two mountains.   Anchoring his right on Massanutten, he deployed the divisions of Brigadier General Gabriel C. Wharton, Major General John B. Gordon, Brigadier General John Pegram, and Major General Stephen D. Ramseur in a line extending east to west.   To bridge the gap between Ramseurs left flank and Little North Mountain, he employed Major General Lunsford L. Lomaxs cavalry division in a dismounted role.   With the arrival of Sheridans army on September 20, Early began to realize the danger of his position and that his left was extremely weak.   As a result, he began making plans for a retreat further south to begin on the evening of September 22.      Battle of Fishers Hill - The Union Plan: Meeting with his corps commanders on September 20, Sheridan rejected mounting a frontal assault against Fishers Hill as it would cause heavy losses and had a questionable chance of success.   Subsequent discussions resulted in a plan to strike Earlys right near Massanutten.   While this was endorsed by Wright and Emory, Crook had reservations as any movement in that area would be visible to the Confederate signal station atop Massanutten.   Adjourning the meeting, Sheridan reconvened the group that evening to discuss a thrust against the Confederate left.   Crook, with support from one of his brigade commanders, future president Colonel Rutherford B. Hayes, argued in favor of this approach while Wright, who did not wish his men to be relegated to a secondary role, fought against it.   When Sheridan approved of the plan, Wright attempted to secure leading the flank attack for VI Corps.   This was blocked by Hayes who reminded the Union commander that VIII Corps had spent much of the war fighting in the mountains and was better equipped to traverse the difficult terrain of Little North Mountain than VI Corps.   Resolving to move forward with the plan, Sheridan directed Crook to begin quietly moving his men into position.   That night, VIII Corps formed in heavy woods north of Cedar Creek and out of sight of the enemy signal station (Map). Battle of Fishers Hill - Turning the Flank: On September 21, Sheridan advanced VI and XIX Corps towards Fishers Hill.   Nearing the enemy lines, VI Corps occupied a small hill and began deploying its artillery.   Having remained concealed all day, Crooks men commenced moving again that evening and arrived at another concealed position north of Hupps Hill.   On the morning of the 21st, they ascended the east face of Little North Mountain and marched southwest.   Around 3:00 PM, Brigadier General Bryan Grimes reported to Ramseur that enemy troops were on their left.   After initially dismissing Grimes claim, Ramseur then saw Crooks men approaching through his field glasses.   Despite this, he refused to send more forces to the left end of the line until he discussed it with Early. In position by 4:00 PM, Crooks two divisions, led by Hayes and Colonel Joseph Thoburn, commenced their attack on Lomaxs flank.   Driving in the Confederate pickets, they quickly routed Lomaxs men and pressed on towards Ramseurs division.   As VIII Corps began to engage Ramseurs men it was joined on its left by Brigadier General James B. Ricketts division from VI Corps.   Additionally, Sheridan directed the remainder of VI Corps and XIX Corps to pressure Earlys front.   In an attempt to rescue the situation, Ramseur directed Brigadier General Cullen A. Battles brigade on his left to refuse back to face Crooks men.   Though Battles men mounted a fierce resistance, they were soon overwhelmed.   Ramseur then sent Brigadier General  William R. Cox’s brigade to aid Battle.   This force became lost in the confusion of the fight and played little role in the engagement. Pressing forward, Crook and Ricketts next rolled Grimes brigade as enemy resistance faltered.   With his line shattered, Early began directing his men to withdraw south.   One of his staff officers, Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Pendleton, attempted to mount a rearguard action on the Valley Turnpike but was mortally wounded.   As the Confederates retreated in confusion, Sheridan ordered a pursuit in the hopes of dealing Early a fatal blow.   Chasing the enemy south, the Union troops finally broke off their efforts near Woodstock. Battle of Fishers Hill - Aftermath: A stunning success for Sheridan, the Battle of Fishers Hill saw his troops capture nearly 1,000 of Earlys men while killing 31 and wounding around 200.   Union losses included 51 killed and around 400 wounded.   As Early escaped south, Sheridan commenced laying waste to the lower part of the Shenandoah Valley.   Reorganizing his command, Early attacked the Army of the Shenandoah on October 19 while Sheridan was away.   Though the fighting at the Battle of Cedar Creek initially favored the Confederates, Sheridans return later in the day led to a change in fortunes with Earlys men being driven from the field.   The defeat effectively gave control of the valley to the Union and eliminated Earlys army as an effective force.    Selected Sources Civil War Trust: Battle of Fishers HillShenandoah at War: Battle of Fishers HillHistoryNet: Battle of Fishers Hill

Lowe's vs. home depot Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Lowe's vs. home depot - Essay Example That is one of reasons that statistics show more sale revenue for Home Depot which is more accessible due to more branches! Lowe’s and Home Depot, being in the same business, have distinctly differentiated market strategy. Lowe’s is more focused to the needs and requirements of women and housewives who are more incline to buy dà ©cor accessories and unique products that can make a fashion statement for them. Home Depot, on the other hand, caters to the bulk buyers like contractors and retail customers, men especially, who are seriously into DIY (do it yourself) products. Home Depot has a better competitive image because they not only have more stores but they have also realized the need to improve on their quality and customer service. They are also thinking of expanding their product line to cater to wider customer base. Lowe’s, on the other hand, is just intending to improve on its customer service which is inadequate in the current scenario of recessive trend and highly competitive business

The Changes In The Use Of Buildings In Manchester Essay

The Changes In The Use Of Buildings In Manchester - Essay Example The city features a lot of famous buildings and landmarks including its palatial mills, warehouses, libraries, churches and other historical landmarks. The city of Manchester is also accredited to be the city from where the Industrial Revolution initiated. The city’s buildings have displayed an immense show of power, politics and wealth. The banking halls featured in the famous King Street simply go on to show reflect what’s just mentioned above by its large and well-furnished banking halls which were built during the Victorian era. Everything changes with time and so has the building landscape of Manchester. The twentieth century saw the grown of what’s referred to as the â€Å"modern day Mexico†. Recognizing the importance of studies, the Central Reference Library was built on Saint Peter’s Street, aiming to provide students and old aged people a good place to study and increase their knowledge about things. Focusing on civic amenities of the metr opolitan, the Town Hall Extensions were also developed with an aim to provide people places where they can head out to. Throughout the years the Manchester City Council has played a very active and important role in maintaining the old buildings of the city alongside constructing new ones. The citizens of Manchester take very much pride to be associated with in a city whose council has not just maintained old buildings and preserved the heritage of the city, but utilized them in such a manner that their existence is utilized to their full capacity. The once famous Corn Exchange has now become a Triangle, the famous Joshua Hoyle’s warehouse situated in Piccadilly has been converted into the classy Malmaison Hotel and the Watts Warehouse has been converted into a glamorous hotel.

Strategies Used by the Banking Industry Essay Example for Free

Strategies Used by the Banking Industry Essay In depressed economic times, Banking is an industry that is prone to substantial financial losses, from customer’s closing their depository account to an increase in outstanding loan delinquency. An increase in consumer and commercial loan defaults can damage the integrity of a Bank’s outstanding loan portfolio. Such deterioration can lead to an increase of â€Å"Non-Performing Assets†. Once a loan is nonperforming, (usually when a debtor has not made their scheduled payment for at least 90 days, but there are other reasons why a loan can be deemed â€Å"non-performing†) the odds that it will be repaid in full are considered to be substantially lower. The non-performing asset is therefore not yielding any income to the lender in the form of principal and interest payments. Banks have spent the last several years grappling with nonperforming assets, but perhaps working out problems with bad loans is best left to entities that do not have to answer to a Federal Regulator. This year, more banks have escalated efforts to sell nonperforming assets, and industry experts say the volume of such deals is only going to increase. Meanwhile, a new deal structure is calling for sellers to retain the problematic assets to work them out on their own. (Barba, 2011) But, even if a loan pays in accordance with its Terms Conditions, it still can be categorized non-performing for several reasons. Deterioration in financial ratios can cause a loan to be classified non-performing, one of those financial ratios is Loan to Value or â€Å"LTV†. LTV is the outstanding principal balance of the loan divided by the appraised value for real property pledged as collateral for a loan. When the appraised value of the pledged collateral decreases faster than the principal of the loan, the LTV will increase, thereby making this loan a greater risk in case of default. The benchmark LTV ratio will usually not exceed 75%, the rationale behind this threshold is if the loan does default and, subsequently, the asset disposed of, that the 25% of equity can be used to reimburse the bank for legal fees, court cost, and expenses incurred with liquidating the collateral. This strategy is incorporated in the bank’s lending policy in the effort to â€Å"make the bank whole† in a loan default scenario. When the loan request is not collateral based, the key financial ratio used to determine the borrower’s ability to repay is Debt Service Coverage or DSC. This ratio is calculated using the existing company debt, plus the new loan obligation, divided by the businesses existing cash flow to determine if the total debt can be supported. Covenants in the loan documentation will require the business to furnish Tax Returns and Financial Statements annually to review the borrower’s financial condition to ensure sufficient DSC. If it is determined that the DSC is not sufficient or if the borrower is not in compliance of the Loan Covenant by not supplying the required financial information, the loan can be classified as non-performing. An increase in the level of non-performing assets increases risk and impacts capital levels that regulators believe are appropriate in light of the ensuing risk in the loan portfolio. Regulators request that the level of non-performing assets be reduced. If these problem assets are not reduced through loan sales, workouts, or restructuring or the level of problem assets continue to rise through decreases in the value of the underlying collateral, or in these borrowers’ performance or financial condition, whether or not due to economic and market conditions beyond our control, could adversely affect the bank’s operations and financial condition. This is why banks are so interested in getting these assets off the books. Banks that’ve held on to some loans in hopes of a rapidly increasing economic recovery are starting to lose hope. Moreover, the Euro Zone Debt Crisis and, locally, the $1.2 billion dollar debacle and former New Jersey Governor Jon Corzines MF Global, plus the decline in Moodys index of commercial property values, which reached around 200 in late 2007 and early 2008, before taking a complete round trip back to 100 as of the beginning of this year and leveling off to about 120—but has been largely treading water since late 2009. After that bounce, its gone back down a little, and looks to be flat for the foreseeable future, says David Tobin, one of the two principals of Mission Capital Advisors. Its a smart time to sell. (McDonald, 2011) Another reason for the converted interest in selling these assets is the challenge that banks are having in making new loans. â€Å"Analysts and investors are demanding balance sheet improvements out of the banks†, says Tobin, â€Å"and if the banks cant show strength by adding new, solid loans, then theyll do it by unloading legacy assets that are a drag on capital†. And thats just what has happened. But when they can sell, they do. The best thing a bank can do is sell properly marked assets that help fix the balance sheet. The more you can sell, the better you are perceived. says Tobin. (McDonald, 2011). So, how do bank’s dispose of these assets and what is done with those assets that cannot be sold on a Secondary Market? There are several loss mitigation alternatives used by banks in both scenarios. Typical Strategies used in the sale of non-performing loans are usually Note Sales, Short-Sale or Short-Payoffs, or a Deed in Lieu of Foreclosure. A Note Sale is just as it sounds. A Bank will assign all its rights and interests in the subject Note and Mortgage (or a group of Notes and Mortgages) to an interested party for an appropriate price. A Short-Sale or Short-Payoff, again, is just as it sounds, is a method whereby the bank examines the value of the collateral, financial condition of the borrower, and will determine the amount of acceptable loss that the bank would be willing to incur â€Å"just to make the borrower go away† instead of involving themselves in a, potentially, protracted Foreclosure process. Lastly, the Deed in Lieu of Foreclosure is the process whereby the borrower surrenders the Title to the property instead of going through the, potentially lengthy and expensive, Foreclosure process. This method allows for the bank to receive a maximum price for the collateral since they, in essence, are owners of the property since they are in possession of the Title and the buyer does not have to take assignment in any Legal action initiated by the bank. More often than not, with this option, borrower’s will also insist on the release of any personal guarantors on the Mortgage, so the bank doesn’t have an option of pursing any potential deficiency balance on the loan after the sale of the collateral. When a bank can’t sell their criticized and classified loans on the secondary market and has no other choice that to keep those loans on their books, there are several methods that can be used to modify the existing terms and conditions of a loan to, possibly, strengthen the credit in hopes of a possible upgrade in the loans classification by the bank’s Risk Managers. The first (and most preferred) of these methods is the Reinstatement. The borrower will pay all loan arrears (past-due Principal and Interest) and continue paying as agreed through the term of the loan. As an incentive to the borrower, the bank has the option of waiving accrued Late Charges and Default Interest amounts as part of the terms of the agreement. Typically, if the loan performs as agreed (usually for six to twelve months) after reinstatement, the bank’s Risk Managers will agree to re-classify the loan back to a performing status and resume taking in the interest income on the loan. The remaining methods are several types of Forbearance Agreements. A Standard Forbearance is often consideration (the bank’s delay in enforcing its legal rights and remedies under the Note) for a promise by the debtor to pay an added amount to the current Principal and Interest payments to cure the loan arrears. A Refinance Forbearance is an option whereby the borrower intends to refinance their loan with the bank in order to satisfy the obligation. Lastly, a Graceful Exit Forbearance allows the borrower the time to market and sell the mortgaged premises in order to satisfy the underlying loan obligation to the bank. The time allowed by the bank in any forbearance scenario will, usually, not exceed twenty four months. In good times or bad, deciding how to manage nonperforming assets is never easy. Loan workout can be intricate and costly, both in time and resources spent on deciding whether to work out an asset or focus on what can be salvaged. Moreover, it also requires the bank to evaluate whether the borrower can recover and still remain valued customer. (Trauner 2009) But, if the decision is made to sell the credit, then the decision is how to maximize the consideration received for the asset. Selling assets can often be perplexing and nerve-racking and the reality is that if you take time to evaluate and think purposefully about your portfolio, selling these assets can be a very effectual and fruitful tool to help manage your portfolio through the ups and downs in credit cycles. (Trauner 2009) REFERENCES Barba, R. (2011, November 14). Toxic assets turn into opportunity for community banks. Retrieved from http://www.americanbanker.com/issues/176_221/loan-sales-nonperforming-assets-private-equity-1044055-1.html. (Barba, 2011) McDonald, D. (2011, November 04). Good news? It’s a buyers market for bad loans. Retrieved from http://finance.fortune.cnn.com/2011/11/04/bank-bad-loans/ (McDonald, 2011) Trauner, S. (2009, April). Non-performing assets: The keep versus sell decision. Retrieved from http://www.wib.org/publications__resources/article_library/2009-10/mar09_assets.html (Trauner, 2009)

The Life of Kate Chopin Essay -- Biography Biographies Essays

The life of Kate Chopin      Ã‚  Ã‚   Kate Chopin led a fascinating life filled with times of triumph but also times of great loss. Living in the South during the post-Civil War era, the setting and experiences of her life would have a great impact on the subjects of her writing. Chopin began writing as a way to express her frustration with life. This is why her emotions about life are conveyed so strongly in her writing. One of her short stories, "Juanita," is an excellent example of how Chopin's life affected her writing.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The story of "Juanita" is that of a young woman who, though not incredibly beautiful, had many admirers. The people of her small town gossiped continually about which man she would marry. Would it be the man who had traveled all the way from the city for the sole purpose of seeing her? Or would it be the rich millionaire from Texas who owned a hundred horses? The townspeople all assumed she would choose the richest of her suitors, until one day Juanita announced that she had secretly married a poor one-legged man whom she loved very much.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   To truly understand the characters of Chopin's stories, one must examine the history of her life. Kate Chopin was born as Katherine O'Flaherty to a wealthy Irish St. Louis family on February 8, 1851. While she was still a young child, her father died in a train accident. Only a few years later her brother died after being captured by Union forces during the Civil War. The loss of all the males in her life, according to Hoffman, led to the intense female relationships she shared with her mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. As a young woman, Kate treasured her independence. Late 1860's society was highly critical of her because she walked, unac... ... about the world as she actually saw it. For a woman to do this in the late nineteenth century was unheard of, and Chopin was highly criticized for it at the time. But after going through as much as she did in her life, she could not stay silent. Ker suggests that "after 39 years of trials and tribulations and just plain living, she finally had something to say!"    Works Cited Chopin, Kate. "Juanita." A Vocation and a Voice Stories. Ed. Emily Toth. New York: Penguin Books. 1991. 86-88 Chopin, Kate. The Awakening. New York: Bantam Books. 1988 Fox-Genovese, Elizabeth. "Kate Chopin: A re-awakening." http://www.pbs.org/katechopin/interviews.html Hoffman, Audrey. "Kate Chopin." http://www.kutstown.edu/faculty/reagan/chopin.html Ker, Christina. "Kate Chopin- Ahead of her Time." http://empirezine.com/spotlight/chopin/chopin1.htm         

Passing: Black People and Hold Clare Essay

People as the victim of inequality and social restriction (â€Å"Passing†_Nella Larsen) The novel â€Å"Passing† was written in 1929 and become one of the most famous novels of Nella Larsen. Like other novels which were also written about â€Å"passing†, â€Å"Passing† of Nella Larsen reflects the tough life of African-American in the 19th century, when they were struggling with racism to have the equal rights. Clare Kendry and Irene Redfield in â€Å"Passing† both were born Negroes but with light skin so that they could be â€Å"passing†. However, these two women have different choices in their life, which lead to the tragedy when they meet each other after twelve years. The novel ends with Clare’s death without revealing to the readers who kills her, which encourages the readers to think of the uncertain end of â€Å"Passing† by logically interpreting evidence throughout of the novel. By that way, Nella Larsen might want her readers to be open-minded to understand how people become the victim of inequality and social restriction in term of race and gender. Ending her novel in uncertainty, Nella Larsen makes her readers curious about who is responsible for Clare’s death. The two possible things might happen are whether Clare commits suicide or Irene pushes her out of the window. Clare has her reasons to commit suicide since her husband finds out that she was born a Negro. For him, all Negroes are â€Å"black scrimy devils† and â€Å"always robbing and killing people† (70). These prejudices exist not only in Jack’s mind but also among many white people. These cruel prejudices and discrimination had threatened Clare’s marriage for a long time before her death. Clare might be always ready for the day that the truth about her race would take everything from her. When Irene asked her whether she thought of how she could do if her husband finds out about her race, she just said yes with a smile. And at the moment Clare stands near the window, â€Å"she seemed unaware of danger or uncaring. There was even a faint smile on her full, red lips, and in her shining eyes† (209). When Clare takes a risk by joining the Negroes community, she might prepare for that day, for her death. However, there are also evidences for the possibility that Irene kills Clare. First, she has the motivation. In Irene’s mind, Clare is one who â€Å"not only that she wanted to have her cake and eat it too, but that she wanted to nibble at the cakes of other folk as well† (88). Before seeing Clare, Irene’s life keeps going on under her control: a family with a doctor husband and two kids, living in Negroes community†¦ But Clare comes and raises the fear inside Irene that Clare and Brian, Irene’s husband, might have an affair. Although Irene doesn’t have any clear proofs for what she suspect, but she can feel it through the changing in attitude of Brian: â€Å"For a minute, Irene hesitated, then turned her head, though she knew what it was the held Hugh’s gaze. Clare, who had suddenly clouded all her days. Brian, the father of Ted and Junior†¦then she saw him smile, and the smile made his face all eager, and shining. †(169-170). Secondly, the readers can realize how the presence of Clare makes Irene suffers: â€Å"It hurt. It hurt like hell†¦She was very tired of Clare Kendry. She wanted to be free of her. †(174-179). The readers also has reason to suspect Irene since she already think of how to get rid of Clare before Clare’s death: â€Å"If Clare should die†¦To think, yes, to wish that†¦the thought stayed with her. She could not get rid of it†(187). In the party, before Clare falls out from the window, Irene is the one who open it despite of the cold outside. The image of Irene â€Å"watching the tiny spark drop slowly to the white ground† makes the readers relates to the falling down of Clare after that (207). At the moment that Clare stands at the window, Irene â€Å"laid a hand on Clare’s bare arm. One thought possessed her. She couldn’t have Clare Kendry cast aside by Bellew. She couldn’t have her free†(209). And watching Clare falls out from the window, â€Å"Irene wasn’t sorry. She was amazed†(210). Irene’s thought and attitude towards Clare at the moment she falls out from the window proved that Irene, whether responsible for Clare’s death or not, wants Clare to die. Therefore, the readers can suspect that Irene is the one who push Clare out of the window, leading to Clare’s death. Despite of many clues support for the possibility that Irene kills Clare, the author doesn’t want an obvious end for her novel. She keeps questioning her readers about how much they could trust what they see. Throughout the novel, Nella Larsen expresses her attitude in ridicule of white people’s blindness when they discriminate black people without knowing who they really are. Jack, a racist, marries a Negro woman because he believes in what he sees. Many people witness Clare’s death but nobody could be sure about what they saw. They even suspect Jack since he is the only white people there. By ending the novel in uncertainty, Nella Larsen questions her readers about how they interpret and understand who or what pushes people to death. If there is no racism, Clare would not commit suicide, and Jack wouldn’t be suspected just because he is white. Therefore, the most suspicious person would be Irene. If Irene doesn’t have any pressure about keeping her life as it must be according to social norms, she wouldn’t have motivation to kill Clare since she doesn’t love Brian: â€Å"She couldn’t now be sure that she had ever truly known love. Not even for Brian†¦ she still intended to hold fast to the outer shell of her marriage, to keep her life fixed, certain† (201). The image of Irene put her hand on Clare’s bare arms before Clare falling out of the window symbolize for the struggling inside Irene. Irene plays the role of one who could help Clare come back to her community, but she also puts Clare in risk by not telling Clare about Jack seeing Irene with a black woman. Before Clare died, Irene must be the one hold Clare back, but she is also suspicious for killing Irene. The truth isn’t always revealed in what we see, but also in how we interpret what we know about it, which depends much on our attitude toward it. Nella Larsen let her readers have their own way to think of this uncertain end in order to question their beliefs and their values. This uncertain end of â€Å"Passing† also like the uncertainty of people’s life under various pressures comes from social restriction such as race and gender. Clare’s death symbolize for people as the victim of inequality and social restriction.

Is Texting and Driving as bad as Drinking and Driving Essay

There are many dangers when both drinking while driving and texting while driving. In this essay the two will be compared and contrasted to find why people do them even with the dangerous consequences. Drivers think they can text while driving and also drink while driving because they think they can get away with it because nothing has affected them in the past while doing it. Michael Austin states, â€Å"Texting, also known as SMS (for short message service), is on the rise, up from 9.8 billion messages a month in December ’05 to 110.4 billion in December ’08†. What does it mean to all drivers to text and drive, or even drink and drive? Why would somebody text and drive? Why would somebody drink and drive? Are the consequences great enough to make a change? Driving is already dangerous when the driver isn’t impaired, so when they add the risk of being impaired it increases their chances of getting hurt or damaging their car. Not only could they kill thems elves, but they could also kill somebody else and that’s not fair to the other people that are doing nothing wrong if it isn’t their fault. Drivers may want to pay close attention when they have their children because if they are texting while driving or drinking while drive when their children are in the car, the children will pick up the habits that are being influenced and think that it is okay. Larry Copeland states in USA today, although they’re otherwise protective of their young children, the survey finds, 78% of mothers with children under age 2 acknowledge talking on the phone while driving with their babies; 26% say they text or check their e-mail (Larry Copeland, 2013). What it means to text while driving is that the driver is on their phone emailing, texting, or searching the web while their attention should be on the road aware of their surroundings. All drivers should constantly be focused on the road and other cars instead of their phones. But is texting while driving as bad as drinking while driving? What it means to drink while  driving is that the driver has possession and is consuming alcohol while operating a motor vehicle at the same time. Although they are both different they have one thing in common, they both impair the driver. Micheal Austin states, â€Å"Intern Brown’s baseline reaction time at 35 mph of 0.45 second worsened to 0.57 while reading a text, improved to 0.52 while writing a text, and returned almost to the baseline while impaired by alcohol, at 0.46. At 70 mph, his baseline reaction was 0.39 second, while the reading (0.50), texting (0.48), and drinking (0.50) numbers were similar†. A huge difference betwe en the two is that when a driver drinks they are constantly impaired as they are driving. But when a driver is texting and driving there are usually impaired for less than a minute. According to The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, â€Å"five seconds is the average time your eyes are off the road while texting. When traveling at 55mph, that’s enough time to cover the length of a football field. Also a texting driver is 23 times more likely to get into an accident than a non-texting driver.† (NHTSA, n.d). Even though texting and driving and drinking while driving are very dangerous one can be more harmful than the other at times. Everybody has received a phone call, email or text while driving one time or another. As soon as the driver gets the notification that somebody is trying to reach them they feel the urge to check their phone. Our phones have become a major addiction and people cannot resist the temptation to check their phones every minute they get. A driver feels like it won’t matter if they just happen to look down at their phone for a moment as they take their attention off of the road. Nothing has happened before as they’ve done it many times, so why would something happen now? But little do they know it could impact their lives in many ways. According to drivesafely.net, only 60% or more have admitted to texting and driving when the results are closer to 80% in reality (drive-safely.net, 2011). There may be more than one reason why people feel like it is okay to drink in drive. One of those reasons may be that they are so impaired that they aren’t aware of the dangers of get ting behind the wheel. In some situations a driver could get pulled over by a police officer and he would give a breathalyzer test that the driver would most likely fail. Then the driver would be taken away to  jail in hand cuffs and treated like a criminal. Another reason is that the driver feels as if they can drink as much as they would like and still be able to drive because they have done it in the past. Also drivers don’t want to feel intimidated by the alcohol in their system; they believe they are still capable of doing the same things they did when they weren’t under the influence. After you’re put in jail you will have to face a judge or jury and depending on your alcohol level you’ll be sentenced. If it’s okay to drink and drive, is it okay to text and drive? Neither option is okay. But people feel as if texting and driving is a lot more minor then drinking in driving. Drivers look at driving as a dangerous thing already and most think adding alcohol to the equation makes it more dangerous. But is it worse than drinking and driving? Teenagers and adults don’t think so. Drivers feel as if they can hide their phone when they are texting or talking on it and the police officer will not se e them or take the time to pull them over. Especially since the consequences aren’t that great. The current texting fine is around $150, if you bump that up to about $300 I’m sure people would be more careful. Also having insurance nowadays is a MUST. If insurance companies decided to stop covering these crashes I’m sure they would decrease. In both situations drivers feel they have the ability to drive while taking these actions even though they are wrong and a danger to all other drivers. Regardless of these situations a responsible driver should never drive impaired in any way. Texting while driving and drinking while driving both have their down falls. And no responsible driver should ever take part in either action. Drivers think they can get away with a quick text or a little alcohol while driving because it may have not affected them in the past. They aren’t aware of the true danger and consequences of these actions when things go horribly wrong. In my essay I hit three main points; what it means to do these things, followed by the reasons people do it, and also the consequences of doing it. In the end the roads are only as safe as we make them. WORK CITED PAGE http://www.caranddriver.com/features/texting-while-driving-how-dangerous-is-it-the-results-page-2

Definition and Examples of Online Writing

Definition and Examples of Online Writing Online writing refers to any text created with (and usually intended for viewing on) a computer, smartphone, or similar digital device. Also called digital writing. Online writing formats include texting, instant messaging, emailing, blogging, tweeting, and posting comments on social media sites such as Facebook. See Examples and Observations 12 Tips for Improving Online WritingColloquializationComposing Online: Social Is Sexy but Email Still Rules in the WorkplaceConversationalization and InformalizationEmoji and EmoticonInformal StyleInternet SlangOnline ReadingParagraph LengthPractice in Cutting the Clutter10 Tips on How to Write a Professional EmailTextingTextspeakTop 10 Editing Tips for Business WritersWriting Examples and Observations The main difference between offline and online writing techniques is that while people buy newspapers and magazines intending to read them, on the Internet people generally browse. You must grab their attention and hold it if they are to read on. This means that, on the whole, online writing is more concise and pithy and should offer the reader greater interactivity.(Brendan Hennessy, Writing Feature Articles, 4th ed. Focal Press, 2006) Digital writing is not simply a matter of learning about and integrating new digital tools into an unchanged repertoire of writing processes, practices, skills, and habits of mind. Digital writing is about the dramatic changes in the ecology of writing and communication and, indeed, what it means to write- to create and compose and share.(National Writing Project, Because Digital Writing Matters: Improving Student Writing in Online and Multimedia Environments. Jossey-Bass, 2010) Structuring Online Writing Because online readers tend to scan, a Web page or e-mail message should be visibly structured; it should have what [Jakob] Nielsen calls a scannable layout. He found that frequent use of headings and bullets can increase readability by 47 percent. And since his study found that only about 10 percent of online readers scroll below the text initially visible on the screen, online writing should be fronted, with the most important information placed at the beginning. Unless you have a good reason otherwiseas in a bad news message, for examplestructure your Web pages and e-mail messages like newspaper articles, with the most important information in the headline (or subject line) and the first paragraph.(Kenneth W. Davis, The McGraw-Hill 36-Hour Course in Business Writing and Communication, 2nd ed. McGraw-Hill, 2010) Blogging Blogs are usually written by one person in their own individual language. This, therefore, presents you with the ideal opportunity to present the human face and personality of your business.You can be: - conversational- enthusiastic- engaging- intimate (but not overly so)- informal. All of this is possible without stopping beyond the limits of what would be considered as the acceptable voice of the company.However, other styles may be required owing to the nature of your business or your readership.On the latter, as with other forms of online writing, its important to know your reader and their expectations before you begin writing a blog.(David Mill, Content Is King: Writing and Editing Online. Butterworth-Heinemann, 2005) Single Sourcing Single sourcing describes the set of skills related to the conversion, updating, remediating, and reuse of content across multiple platforms, products, and media. . . . Creating reusable content is an important skill in Internet writing for a variety of reasons. It saves the writing team time, effort, and resources by writing content once and reusing it multiple times. It also creates flexible content that can be adapted and published in a variety of formats and media, such as web pages, videos, podcasts, advertisements, and printed literature.(Craig Baehr and Bob Schaller, Writing for the Internet: A Guide to Real Communication in Virtual Space. Greenwood Press, 2010)

How to Write Natural Dialogue for Narratives

How to Write Natural Dialogue for Narratives Writing verbal conversations or dialogue is often one of the trickiest parts of creative writing. Crafting effective dialogue within the context of a narrative requires much more than following one quote with another. With practice, though, you can learn how to write natural-sounding dialogue that is creative and compelling. The Purpose of Dialogue Put simply, dialogue is narrative conveyed through speech by two or more characters. Effective dialogue should do many things at once, not simply convey information. It should set the scene, advance action, give insight into each character, and foreshadow future dramatic action. Dialogue doesnt have to be grammatically correct; it should read like actual speech. However, there must be a balance between realistic speech and readability. Dialogue is also a tool for character development. Word choice tells a reader a lot about a person: their appearance, ethnicity, sexuality, background, even morality. It can also tell the reader how the writer feels about a certain character. How to Write Direct Dialogue Speech, also known as direct dialogue, can be an effective means of conveying information quickly. But most real-life conversations are boring to read. An exchange between two friends may go something like this: Hi, Tony, said Katy. Hey, Tony answered. Whats wrong? Katy asked. Nothing, Tony said. Really? Youre not acting like nothings wrong. Pretty tiresome dialogue, right? By including nonverbal details in your dialogue, you can articulate emotion through action. This adds dramatic tension and is more engaging to read. Consider this revision: Hi, Tony. Tony looked down at his shoe, dug in his toe and pushed around a pile of dust. Hey, he replied. Katy could tell something was wrong. Sometimes saying nothing or saying the opposite of what we know a character  feels is the best way to create dramatic tension. If a character wants to say I love you, but his actions or words say I dont care, the reader will cringe at the missed opportunity. How to Write Indirect Dialogue Indirect dialogue doesnt rely on speech. Instead, it uses thoughts, memories, or recollections of past conversations to reveal important narrative details. Often, a writer will combine direct and indirect dialogue to increase dramatic tension, as in this example: Hi, Tony. Tony looked down at his shoe, dug in his toe and pushed around a pile of dust. Hey, he replied. Katy braced herself. Something was wrong. Formatting and Style To write dialogue that is effective, you must also pay attention to formatting and style. Correct use of tags, punctuation, and paragraphs can be as important as the words themselves. Remember that punctuation goes inside quotations. This keeps the dialogue clear and separate from the rest of the narrative. For example: I cant believe you just did that! Start a new paragraph each time the speaker changes. If there is action involved with a speaking character, keep the description of the action within the same paragraph as the characters dialogue. Dialogue tags other than said are best used sparingly, if at all. Often a writer uses them to try to convey a certain emotion. For example: But I dont want to go to sleep yet, he whined. Instead of telling the reader that the boy whined, a good writer will describe the scene in a way that conjures the image of a whining little boy: He stood in the doorway with his hands balled into little fists at his sides. His red, tear-rimmed eyes glared up at his mother. But I dont want to go to sleep yet. Practice Makes Perfect Writing dialogue is like any other skill. It requires constant practice if you want to improve as a writer. Here are a few tips to help you tune your ear. Start a dialogue diary. Practice speech patterns and vocabulary that may be foreign to you. This will give you the opportunity to really get to know your characters.Eavesdrop. Carry a small notebook with you and write down phrases, words, or whole conversations verbatim to help develop your ear.Read. Reading will hone your creative abilities. It will help familiarize you with the form and flow of narration and dialogue until it becomes more natural in your own writing.

Maketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Maketing - Essay Example Of course the first ability with which an individual’s sales performance can be judged is their ability to sell. Since a person makes a certain amount of commission on everything they are able to offload to a customer, the more merchandise they can move from their hands to the customer’s house the more effective they are as sales persons. In fact, that seems to be the primary criteria of assessment at all the websites mentioned in the question. The ability to sell is not a singular talent since it requires several skills in combination. For example, a person must have high confidence, high enough to handle any tricky question from the clients and they should be able to convince them of the benefits of a product within the short time they have. In fact, if they are good at convincing people to a certain viewpoint, that can be an advantage since they might be able to up-sell or have the client purchase additional accessories for the same product. The analysis of individual websites shows that Avon wants people with ambition. Using terms like â€Å"Sky’s the limit† and giving the idea that a person could make as much as they wanted by selling Avon products really shows that they want go-getters. Additionally since Avon has outlined a career path, they are also looking for people who have management skills since there is a possibility of managing a team which requires efficiently handling a group of people. The benefits package offered by Avon highlights the ways the company makes it possible for parents to devote more time to selling their products. This leads me to believe that the time investment in the process is significant which may not be true for the business model offered by Betterware but they have not outlined their benefits on their website. However, Betterware’s website is more focused on the career path and personal development. This is because Betterware offers training for those sellers who need it and clarifies the