Personal statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 4

Personal Statement Example Moreover, I have a willingness to develop my English speaking skills, which will certainly make my interaction with people overseas better. Ever since I was a young kid, I have always wanted to go abroad and roam around the world. Although I did my primary schooling from Turkey, I felt uneasy being in only one place and wanted to travel to different places and meet different kinds of people. Moving to the United Kingdom was a wonderful experience and it gave me great joy to meet people from a different culture. My experience throughout this time earned me many skills and I discovered a lot about my abilities. First of all, when I was on the basketball team at my school, I learnt to perform very well under pressure in order to get the best result. This happened especially during those times when there were only a few minutes left for the end of the game and we still had to score another point to win. Most importantly, I have learnt to accept my failures and be critical with myself by trying to find out the areas where I failed to perform well and perfecting those areas before the next game. I believe that such determination will make me a very good business manager, as carrying on with enthusiasm after losing a deal is a very important skill for business men to have. Another experience at my high school made me gain essential skills required by professionals in business management. ... Furthermore, I gained the ability to successfully work and get along with a diverse range of people. In addition, I learnt how to take quick decisions whenever an emergency related to the technical service or a fight between two individuals occurred. I believe that such skills are extremely important in the business profession because a business manager should know how to change the tone of his proposition depending on the mood of the client. Moreover, I believe that once you get along with a client, you are already halfway to scoring the deal. On the other hand, this experience taught me how important communication skills are in the profession of being an international business manager. Although I have developed extremely good interpersonal skills, I want to further develop my English speaking skills. I understand how important it is for an international business manager to be extremely fluent in English, especially during interactions with clients in different countries. This is th e reason why I have taken English as one of the subjects for the Business Foundation course which I am currently studying at CATS College. Other than English, I have taken Business Studies, Accounting and Math as all of these subjects are equally important for my future as an international business manager. Solving math problems has taught me perseverance which is a critical trait that will help me work towards my goals with a calm and clear head. Accounting has of course developed my practical skills, whereas Business Studies has increased my knowledge about the way things go about in the business profession. I highly believe that I am the perfect candidate for the International Business Trade/Management course offered by your university. I enjoy traveling to different places and

Len Bias Essay Example for Free

Len Bias Essay In one day all of one man’s dreams came true, and in one night all those dreams came spiraling down with a silent crash. I think about his friends with whom he spent his last hours with, and the nightmares that must have followed after helplessly watching their friend die at their feet. I think about his family who lost so much good fortune and, more importantly, a nephew, a cousin, a brother, and a son. I also think about the game of basketball. It lost a great player that day. Some believe he was going to be it’s greatest yet. Len Bias was the greatest player to never play the game, it’s brightest star to never shine. Cocaine had, once again, robbed the world of a truly one of a kind treasure. There has been a bit of poetic justice to come from this story, however. Bias’ mother has told stories of people who have randomly come up to her at the market or in the street telling her of how her son’s death has helped them kick their cocaine addiction. Seeing as how the story was told all over the nation, it wasn’t just locals who responded to it in this way. I have been affected by this story in a similar way. Len Bias is the sole reason I have never tried cocaine. Of course it’s very rare for a young athlete like myself to have a heart attack from drugs. Bias was definitely an exception, but he was not the rule. It goes deeper than fatality statistics for me, though. The death on Len Bias showed me that everything a human being has worked for could be stripped away in an instant with the involvement of drugs. For example, there’s the similar story of Earl â€Å"The G. O. A. T. † Manigault, who was deemed one of the greatest basketball players New York has ever seen but never reached his full potential because of a heavy heroin addiction. Unlike Bias, Manigault is still alive today. However, he is nowhere near being in the position he could’ve been in had he not picked up his drug habit. We’re talking about a possible difference of 20 million dollars! There’s no drug on earth worth making that sacrifice for in my opinion.

Satire and the Deployment of Irony in A Modest Proposal by Jonathan Swi

Satire and the Deployment of Irony in A Modest Proposal by Jonathan Swift Therefore let no man talk to me of other expedients: of taxing our absentees at 5s. a pound: of using neither clothes, nor household furniture, except what is of our own growth and manufacture: of utterly rejecting the materials and instruments that promote foreign luxury: of curing the expensiveness of pride, vanity, idleness, and gaming in our women: of introducing a vein of parsimony, prudence and temperance: of learning to love our country, wherein we differ even from Laplanders, and the inhabitants of Topinamboo: of quitting our animosities and factions, nor acting any longer like the Jews, who were murdering one another at the very moment their city was taken: of being a little cautious not to sell our country and consciences for nothing: of teaching landlords to have at least one degree of mercy towards their tenants. Lastly, of putting a spirit of honesty, industry, and skill into our shop-keepers, who, if a resolution could now be taken to buy only our native goods, wou ld immediately unite to cheat and exact upon us in the price, the measure, and the goodness, nor could ever yet be brought to make one fair proposal of just dealing, though often and earnestly invited to it. Therefore I repeat, let no man talk to me of these and the like expedients, till he has at least some glimpse of hope that there will ever be some hearty and sincere attempt to put them into practice. (Swift 57-58) "A Modest Proposal" has been hailed by literary critics as one of Jonathan Swift's greatest satirical works. The essay takes the form of a proposal that sets out to offer a solution to the problems of overpopulation and poverty in 18th century Ireland, a... ...ff. Hypertext Rhetoric Lesson for Swift's "A Modest Proposal". Updated date unknown. <http://www.du.edu/~jegoldst/html/a_modest_proposal.htm>. Cited 27 March 2004. Hutcheon, Linda. Irony's Edge: The Theory and Politics of Irony. London: Routledge, 1994. Montgomery, Martin et. al. "Irony." Ways of Reading. Advanced Reading Skills for Students of English Literature. London: Routledge, 2000. 161-171. Rose, Margaret A. Parody: Ancient, Modern, and Post-Modern. Cambridge: CUP, 1993. Swift, Jonathan. "A Modest Proposal--For preventing the children of poor people in Ireland from being a burden to their parents or country, and for making them beneficial to the public." "A Modest Proposal" and Other Satirical Works. New York: Dover. Wilson, Deirde & Dan Sperber. "On Verbal Irony." The Stylistics Reader. Ed. Jean Jacques Weber. London: Arnold, 1996. 260-279.

Psychoanalytic Theory

In this paper I will be talking about the founder of the psychoanalytic theory, Sigmund Freud. Who came up with many ways to find out why we do the things we do and think the way we think. Sigmund Freud was an awesome mind that thought things and put it on paper that we might would think was too offending to others. Throughout the decades his work has been deciphered by many people who try to make sense of it, and in this paper I will try to let you know what understanding I got from the readings. When it comes to comparing and contrasting the psychoanalytic theories of Sigmund Freud, Carl Gustav Jung, and Alfred Alder, I felt like Sigmund Freud had the most, wide range of theories and the broader range of thoughts throughout his readings. One thing that Alder touched on that puzzled me is the fact that we all some kind of way are coming into our personality as a child while suckling on our moms breast. Another thing that puzzled me about Alder is that our personality comes from a form of sexuality, like the comment he made about everyone having a crush on their mother at an early age and mainly boys but girls also. From what I read though is that the female will stop that sexual connection with their mother and transfer it to their dad, and it was said it’s because they don’t have a penis. It seems to me that all of Alders research was more on how people think from sexuality experiences rather than any life experiences. On the other hand there is Jung who wrote that the visions and dreams he often experienced were not unimportant coincidences, but instead were valuable communications of information from the realm of the paranormal. This I also found really puzzling because we all know that we have dreams but have never thought that the dreams or thoughts came from another realm. Jung’s ego is quite similar in scope and meaning to Freud’s. It is the aspect of personality that’s conscious, and it embodies the sense of self. (Jung believed that this personal identity, or ego, developed around age four. ) One of the central ways in which Adler’s views differed from those of Freud was the emphasis each placed on the origin of motivation. REF†¦ Throughout my reading about Jung I found that his theories made more sense than those of Freud, mainly because Freud’s theories were based on a person’s sexuality which I find hard to believe mainly because of the fact that his theories are based on sex. Whereas Jung’s theories made more sense to me as far as him quoting that our dreams are like an iceberg, with dreams being bigger than what they appear to be and our collective unconscious that we can’t control is our past elders. When it comes to Alder I feel like his psychoanalytic theories makes a lot of sense also because he feels like everyone has their own unique motivations on why they make the decisions they make in life and also how that individual person perceives the life that they have been raised around. What is significant about Adler’s notion is that it involves comparisons and rivalries with other people. For Adler, social interest is a primary source of motivation. The internal drives emphasized by Freud are complemented by external pressures, especially those arising from relationships. REF†¦ When it comes to the stages of Freud’s theory, it’s very interesting on how he broke down the stages. The first one I want to talk to you about is the Oral stage in which he says that you are like a child that’s depending on their mother for milk and comfort and pleasure. Also he felt like that if you carry this Oral stage over into your adult life that you would develop habits like attachment, and also have pleasure from biting, chewing, sucking hard candy, eating or smoking cigarettes. The next stage is the Anal stage in which he talked how as kids we learned to use the pot, and those of us who learned quick and was willing to use the bathroom would shake the Anal stage and the ones who would want to hold their feces would likely be stuck in the anal stage. Also he stated that these certain people would like to make messes and also making messes of other peoples lives. (Or they may be overly concerned with neatness, parsimony, order, and organization†¦REF) The next stage is the phallic stage in where he says a child starts touching their genitals and participates in masturbation. This stage seemed odd to me because I can’t recall masturbating at the age of four. The next stage is the genital stage in which he states that if you make it through all the challenges of childhood with enough sexual energy still left then there will supposedly be a fairly well-adjusted life, dominated by the genital stage. When it comes to the defense mechanisms of Freud repression is one that I can relate to simply because as a child my father left the house and was gone for many birthdays which made me not trust men. That plays on in my mind now that I have a two year old son of my own, that I would never leave his side and will always be there as long as God is willing. Another defense mechanism is denial and I can relate to that also because when my granddad passed away it was hard on me and I was in denial of not wanting to accept that he was gone and I’d never see him again. Another defense mechanism that I could relate to is sublimation in which I transform my dangerous urges into positive ones. One way that I do this is by helping out at the local boys club and helping my elders as much as possible. In conclusion Freud, Jung, and Alder had great minds on them that needed to be wrote down with every thought. Because throughout my time on this earth I have never heard people talk so openly about why people do the things they do and think the way they think. As I went over the readings I could only think what type of life these people really lived. Also some of the points they made about certain things really made sense especially the oral stage. We need great minds like that in our world to make sense of things like why things happen the way they do. Psychoanalytic Theory In this paper I will be talking about the founder of the psychoanalytic theory, Sigmund Freud. Who came up with many ways to find out why we do the things we do and think the way we think. Sigmund Freud was an awesome mind that thought things and put it on paper that we might would think was too offending to others. Throughout the decades his work has been deciphered by many people who try to make sense of it, and in this paper I will try to let you know what understanding I got from the readings. When it comes to comparing and contrasting the psychoanalytic theories of Sigmund Freud, Carl Gustav Jung, and Alfred Alder, I felt like Sigmund Freud had the most, wide range of theories and the broader range of thoughts throughout his readings. One thing that Alder touched on that puzzled me is the fact that we all some kind of way are coming into our personality as a child while suckling on our moms breast. Another thing that puzzled me about Alder is that our personality comes from a form of sexuality, like the comment he made about everyone having a crush on their mother at an early age and mainly boys but girls also. From what I read though is that the female will stop that sexual connection with their mother and transfer it to their dad, and it was said it’s because they don’t have a penis. It seems to me that all of Alders research was more on how people think from sexuality experiences rather than any life experiences. On the other hand there is Jung who wrote that the visions and dreams he often experienced were not unimportant coincidences, but instead were valuable communications of information from the realm of the paranormal. This I also found really puzzling because we all know that we have dreams but have never thought that the dreams or thoughts came from another realm. Jung’s ego is quite similar in scope and meaning to Freud’s. It is the aspect of personality that’s conscious, and it embodies the sense of self. (Jung believed that this personal identity, or ego, developed around age four. ) One of the central ways in which Adler’s views differed from those of Freud was the emphasis each placed on the origin of motivation. REF†¦ Throughout my reading about Jung I found that his theories made more sense than those of Freud, mainly because Freud’s theories were based on a person’s sexuality which I find hard to believe mainly because of the fact that his theories are based on sex. Whereas Jung’s theories made more sense to me as far as him quoting that our dreams are like an iceberg, with dreams being bigger than what they appear to be and our collective unconscious that we can’t control is our past elders. When it comes to Alder I feel like his psychoanalytic theories makes a lot of sense also because he feels like everyone has their own unique motivations on why they make the decisions they make in life and also how that individual person perceives the life that they have been raised around. What is significant about Adler’s notion is that it involves comparisons and rivalries with other people. For Adler, social interest is a primary source of motivation. The internal drives emphasized by Freud are complemented by external pressures, especially those arising from relationships. REF†¦ When it comes to the stages of Freud’s theory, it’s very interesting on how he broke down the stages. The first one I want to talk to you about is the Oral stage in which he says that you are like a child that’s depending on their mother for milk and comfort and pleasure. Also he felt like that if you carry this Oral stage over into your adult life that you would develop habits like attachment, and also have pleasure from biting, chewing, sucking hard candy, eating or smoking cigarettes. The next stage is the Anal stage in which he talked how as kids we learned to use the pot, and those of us who learned quick and was willing to use the bathroom would shake the Anal stage and the ones who would want to hold their feces would likely be stuck in the anal stage. Also he stated that these certain people would like to make messes and also making messes of other peoples lives. (Or they may be overly concerned with neatness, parsimony, order, and organization†¦REF) The next stage is the phallic stage in where he says a child starts touching their genitals and participates in masturbation. This stage seemed odd to me because I can’t recall masturbating at the age of four. The next stage is the genital stage in which he states that if you make it through all the challenges of childhood with enough sexual energy still left then there will supposedly be a fairly well-adjusted life, dominated by the genital stage. When it comes to the defense mechanisms of Freud repression is one that I can relate to simply because as a child my father left the house and was gone for many birthdays which made me not trust men. That plays on in my mind now that I have a two year old son of my own, that I would never leave his side and will always be there as long as God is willing. Another defense mechanism is denial and I can relate to that also because when my granddad passed away it was hard on me and I was in denial of not wanting to accept that he was gone and I’d never see him again. Another defense mechanism that I could relate to is sublimation in which I transform my dangerous urges into positive ones. One way that I do this is by helping out at the local boys club and helping my elders as much as possible. In conclusion Freud, Jung, and Alder had great minds on them that needed to be wrote down with every thought. Because throughout my time on this earth I have never heard people talk so openly about why people do the things they do and think the way they think. As I went over the readings I could only think what type of life these people really lived. Also some of the points they made about certain things really made sense especially the oral stage. We need great minds like that in our world to make sense of things like why things happen the way they do.

Importance of Minor Characters in Shakespear Essay

In the main plot of Shakespeare’s famous play Hamlet, Hamlet’s father, the king, is murdered, and as a result, Hamlet swears revenge and ultimately succumbs to madness. Hamlet plays the role of the protagonist, while his uncle, Claudius, serves as the antagonist of the story. Besides the two main characters, there are a number of secondary characters, of unusual importance both to the action and to the themes of the play. Many of the themes of the play, including decay and corruption, revenge, and appearance vs. eality, are outlined through the description and progression of the secondary characters. Shakespeare creates minor characters Ophelia, the ghost and Polonius to play a very crucial role in Hamlet as they shape the thematic elements of the play. The character of Ophelia plays the role of Hamlet’s love interest and is easily manipulated by her family; portraying various themes of the play through her actions and behaviour. At the onset of the play Ophelia appears to have her wits about her, with the ability to be objective and coherent when she recognizes the mad behaviour of Hamlet. In act 3 scene 1 during a contentious conversation between Ophelia and Hamlet, he expresses his disgust with Ophelia and women in general, insisting that â€Å"it hath made me mad†. Ophelia is able to identify the frantic behaviour of Hamlet proclaiming â€Å"oh what a noble mind is here o’erthrown! † Although Ophelia is of sound mind during this portion of the play, she quickly spirals out of control, losing her mind as a result of the murder of her father. Ophelia’s insanity is witnessed during act 4 scene 5 when she proceeds to sing everything she says â€Å"How can you tell the difference between you true lover and some other? Ophelia’s madness is also described by Horatio when he tells the queen â€Å"she is importunate, indeed distract†¦ says she hears there’s tricks I’ th’ world, and hems, and beats her heart, spurns enviously at straws, speaks things in doubt that carry but hald sense†. The tragic downfall of Ophelia depicted in the play illustrates the theme of decay and corruption. The ghost of Hamlets dead father, King Hamlet, drives Hamlets determination to avenge his father, setting the revenge plot into motion, a major theme in the play. Upon Hamlet and the ghost’s first meeting, he informs Hamlet of his father’s horrible murder by Claudius, encouraging him to avenge the king â€Å"revenge his foul and most unnatural murder†. Before even explaining to Hamlet the details of the murder Hamlet insists â€Å"haste me to know’t, that I, with wings as swift as meditation or the thoughts of love, may sweep my revenge†, driving the action of the play forward and initiating the theme. Although Hamlet swears to get revenge quickly his procrastination and uncertainty prevents him from achieving his goal. When Hamlet begins to veer away from his attempt to kill Claudius, obsessing over his mother’s behaviour, the ghost returns to remind him of his true purpose â€Å"do not forget. This visitation is but to whet thy almost blunted purpose†. The ghost is a constant reminder throughout the play of the theme of revenge, encouraging Hamlet to avenge his father. At the beginning of Hamlet, Polonius is introduced as the father of Laertes and Ophelia and is later revealed to illustrate the theme of appearance vs. reality. Polonius’ has the appearance of a well natured wise old man yet in reality he is a poor excuse for a man who’s obsessed with self gain. Polonius enjoys giving advice, including â€Å"this above all: to thine ownself be true, and it must follow, as the night the day, thou canst not then be false to any man†, insisting that if you are true to yourself, you cannot deceive anyone else. In reality, Polonius is in no position to be preaching about honesty and truthfulness, due to his shady behaviour spying on his children and Hamlet. Polonius presents himself as a very caring father, concerned about his children; however, in an attempt to keep an eye on his son, Laertes, he does not consider the possible repercussions of his plan. Polonius instructs his servant to spread rumors about his son, in the hopes of possibly discovering Laertes’s true behavior, disregarding Reynaldo’s protest that â€Å"that would dishonour him! † Due to his constant use of subterfuge, the character Polonius is one of the play’s best examples of the major theme of appearance vs. reality. It is uncommon in pieces of literature for secondary characters to be of such importance, both to the action and to the themes, as they are in Hamlet. The themes of the play, including decay and corruption, revenge, and appearance vs. reality, are highlighted through the description and progression of the secondary characters. Shakespeare creates minor characters Ophelia, the ghost and Polonius with the intention for them to play a very crucial role in Hamlet; shaping the thematic elements of the play. Secondary characters are often used in a play to supplement the main characters and the story line; however Shakespeare creates them with a much greater importance to reveal the themes of the play.

Native American Inventions

Native American Inventions Native Americans retain a strong influence on American living- and the majority of Native American inventions came long before European settlers arrived on North American land. Just as an example of Native Americans impact, where would the world be without gum, chocolate, syringes, popcorn, and peanuts? Lets take a look at just a few of the many Native American inventions and cultivations. Totem Pole West Coast First Peoples believe that the first totem pole was a gift from Raven. It was named Kalakuyuwish, the pole that holds up the sky. The totem poles were often used as family crests denoting the tribes descent from an animal such as the bear, raven, wolf, salmon, or killer whale. According to Encyclopedia Britannica, there are several different types of totem poles, among them, for example, the memorial, or heraldic, poles, erected when a house changes hands to commemorate the past owner and to identify the present one; grave markers, house posts, which support the roof; portal poles, which have a hole through which a person enters the house; and welcoming poles, placed at the edge of a body of water to identify the owner of the waterfront. Toboggan The word toboggan  is a French mispronunciation of the Chippewa word nobugidaban, which is  a combination of two words meaning â€Å"flat† and â€Å"drag.† The toboggan is an invention of the First Nations Peoples of northeastern Canada, and the sleds were critical tools of survival in the long, harsh, far-north winters. Indian hunters first built toboggans made of bark to carry game over the snow. The Inuit (sometimes called Eskimos) used to make toboggans of whalebone; otherwise, a toboggan is made of strips of hickory, ash, or maple with the front ends curved back. The Cree word for toboggan is utabaan. Tipi and Other Housing Tipis, or tepees, are adaptations of wigwams that were invented by the Great Plains First Peoples, who were constantly migrating. The seven main styles of housing that Native Americans invented include the wickiup, wigwam, longhouse,  tipi,  hogan, dugout, and pueblo. These nomadic Native Americans needed sturdy dwellings that could stand up against the severe prairie winds and yet be dismantled at a moments notice to follow the drifting herds. The Plains Indians used buffalo hides to cover their tepees and as bedding. Kayak The word kayak means hunters boat. This transportation tool was invented by the Inuit Peoples for hunting seals and walruses in the frigid Arctic water and for general use. First used by Inuits, Aleuts, and Yupiks, whalebone or driftwood was used to frame the boat itself, and then seal bladders filled with air were stretched over the frame- and themselves. Whale fat was used to waterproof the boat and skins. Birch Bark Canoe The birch bark canoe was invented by Northeast Woodlands tribes and was their main mode of transportation, allowing them to travel long distances. The boats were made of whatever natural resources were available to the tribes, but mainly consisted of birch trees found in the forests and woodlands of their lands. The word canoe originates from the word kenu meaning dugout. Some of the tribes that built and traveled in birch bark canoes include the Chippewa, Huron, Pennacook, and Abenaki. Lacrosse Lacrosse was invented and spread by the Iroquois and Huron Peoples- Eastern Woodlands Native American tribes living around the St. Lawrence River in New York and Ontario. The Cherokees called the sport the little brother of war because it was considered excellent military training. The Six Tribes of the Iroquois, in what is now southern Ontario and upstate New York, called their version of the game baggataway or tewaraathon. The game had traditional purposes in addition to sport, such as combat, religion, bets, and to keep the Six Nations (or Tribes) of Iroquois together. Moccasins Moccasins- shoes made of deerskin or other soft leather- originated with the Eastern North American tribes. The word moccasin derives from the  Algonquian language  Powhatan  word makasin; however, most Indian tribes have their own native words for them. Chiefly used for running and exploring outdoors, tribes could generally identify each other by the patterns of their moccasins, including the bead work, the quill work, and painted designs.

Marriage and Slavery

Marriage and Slavery Free Online Research Papers One mans drink is another mans poison! There are many differences between marriage and slavery, but I believe that marriage in many fashions is very comparable to slavery. Individuals that desire marriage, as opposed to having long term monogamous commitments on good faith, want to be slaves and to have a slave in return. Marriage is comparable to slavery not just because of the insane, not hope but â€Å"demand† of absolute monogamy, enforced by the legal system on penalty of losing property and being marked officially as an adulterer; but because similar to a slave, what is your property becomes their property. To a certain degree the loss of individuality amounts to very similar feelings of obligation and sacrifice that can be associated with slavery. The problem, as I see it, begins with people pervasively pursuing marriage as a goal. Despite their healthier needs and desires, this cultural virus running in the background is messing up their program. Rather than looking for a compatible partner they search for a slave, which means they will seek out someone who triggers dependency more than a respectful relationship. Unfortunately for this reason people tend to settle, which ultimately leads to unhappiness and feelings of regret. There are guys married to women who deprive them of sex and treat them like money machines. In return, those guys tend to break the scared rule of monogamy due to mixed up feelings and therefore a lack of positive communication. In retrospect, there are women who are married to guys that deprive them of simple freedoms. For example, they may not be allowed to associate with certain people of their family and friends due to feelings of insecurity. Husbands feel that the wives would be brain washed into le aving even though there were no genuine reasons to do so. My parents mainly got legally married due to the fact that they were pregnant with me, but because of this arrangement; it cost my mother a life time of friends and personal goals. I would gather that a slave also sacrifices personal goals, family, and friends. Marriage is a three-ring circus: engagement ring, wedding ring, and suffering! Love is love, and marriage is neither love nor an expression of love; it’s a legal contract. Those, for whom marriage is actually meaningful, dont require a contract of any sort to share the feelings and emotions associated with marriage. They also share core ethics and values and dont treat each other like slaves. They respect one another as individuals with choices, one choice of which is to leave. There are people that have been together for numerous years being exclusive to only each other without any contracts, ceremonies, or anything else associated with the idea of marriage. Their relationships are healthy, loving, and fulfilling. When asked why they choose to keep the relationship untitled by the name of marriage, their reply is simply â€Å"we love each other deeply and we do not need any formal arrangement to express our feelings for one another.† The question is, is it really this simple? I believe it is and don’t see the need to complicate things. Marriage serves certain purposes, mainly legal, and does provide many civil benefits to people who do so; like tax benefits, housing benefits, and sometimes military benefits. Overall, marriage does not constitute anything but a contract between two consenting people. There is a difference when it comes to slavery, as in the slave is not a consenting party. However, if you’re blinded by misleading feelings and emotions when entering a marriage there is a strong possibility that much like a slave you will inherit feelings of captivity and suffering. As the saying goes, â€Å"be careful for what you wish for.† Research Papers on Marriage and SlaveryHonest Iagos Truth through DeceptionInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married MalesComparison: Letter from Birmingham and Crito19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraPersonal Experience with Teen PregnancyAnalysis Of A Cosmetics AdvertisementQuebec and CanadaHip-Hop is ArtCapital PunishmentThree Concepts of Psychodynamic

Gibbons v. Ogden, 1824 Landmark Legal Case

Gibbons v. Ogden, 1824 Landmark Legal Case The Supreme Court case Gibbons v. Ogden established important precedents about interstate commerce when it was decided in 1824. The case arose from a dispute concerning early steamboats chugging about in the waters of New York, but principles established in the case resonate to the present day. The decision in Gibbons v. Ogden created an enduring legacy as it established the  general principle that interstate commerce as mentioned in the Constitution included  more than just the buying and selling of goods. By considering the operation of steamboats to be interstate commerce, and thus activity coming under the authority of the federal government, the Supreme Court established a precedent which would impact many later cases. The immediate effect of the case was that it struck down a New York law granting a monopoly to a steamboat owner. By eliminating the monopoly, the operation of steamboats became a highly competitive business beginning in the 1820s. In that  atmosphere of competition, great fortunes could be made. And the greatest American fortune of the mid-1800s, the enormous wealth of Cornelius Vanderbilt, could be traced to the decision that eliminated the steamboat monopoly in New York. The landmark court case involved young Cornelius Vanderbilt. And Gibbons v. Ogden also  provided a platform and cause for Daniel Webster, a lawyer and politician whose oratorical skills would come to influence American politics for decades. However, the two men for whom the case was named, Thomas Gibbons and Aaron Ogden, were fascinating characters in their own right. Their personal histories, which included them being neighbors, business associates, and eventually bitter enemies, provided a raucous background to the lofty legal proceedings. The concerns of steamboat operators in the early decades of the 19th century seem quaint and very distant from modern life. Yet the decision rendered by the Supreme Court in 1824 influences life in America to  the present day. The Steamboat Monopoly The great value of steam power became apparent in the late 1700s, and Americans in the 1780s were working, mostly unsuccessfully, to build practical steamboats. Robert Fulton, an American living in England, had been an artist who became involved in designing canals. During a trip to France, Fulton was exposed to advances in steamboats. And, with the financial backing of the wealthy American ambassador to France, Robert Livingston, Fulton began working to build a practical steamboat in 1803. Livingston, who had been one of the nations founding fathers, was very wealthy and possessed extensive  landholdings. But he also possessed another asset with the potential to be enormously valuable: He had secured, through his political connections, the right to have a monopoly on steamboats in the waters of New York State. Anyone who wanted to operate a steamboat had to partner with Livingston, or purchase a license from him. After Fulton and Livingston returned to America, Fulton launched his first practical steamboat, The Clermont, in August 1807, four years after he met up with Livingston. The two men soon had a thriving business. And under New York law, no one could launch steamboats in New York waters to compete with them. Competitors Steam Ahead Aaron Ogden, a lawyer  and veteran of the Continental Army, was elected governor of New Jersey in 1812 and sought to challenge the steamboat monopoly by buying and operating a steam-powered ferry. His attempt failed. Robert Livingston had died, but his  heirs, along with Robert Fulton, successfully defended their monopoly in the courts. Ogden, defeated but still believing he could turn a profit, obtained a license from the Livingston family and operated a steam ferry between New York and New Jersey. Ogden had become friends with Thomas Gibbons, a wealthy lawyer and cotton dealer  from Georgia who had moved to New Jersey. At some point the two men had a dispute and things turned inexplicably bitter. Gibbons, who had participated in duels back in Georgia, challenged Ogden to a duel in 1816. The two men never met to exchange gunfire. But, being two very angry lawyers, they began a series of antagonistic legal maneuvers against each other’s business interests. Seeing great potential, both to make money and harm Ogden, Gibbons decided that he would go into the steamboat business and challenge the monopoly. He also hoped to put his adversary Ogden out of business. Ogden’s ferry, the Atalanta, was matched by a new steamboat, the Bellona, which Gibbons put into the water in 1818. To pilot the boat, Gibbons had hired a  boatman in his mid-twenties named Cornelius Vanderbilt. Growing up in a Dutch community on Staten Island, Vanderbilt had started his career as a teenager running a small boat called a periauger between Staten Island and Manhattan. Vanderbilt quickly became known about the harbor as someone who worked relentlessly. He possessed keen sailing skill, with an impressive knowledge of every current in the notoriously tricky waters of New York Harbor. And Vanderbilt was fearless when sailing in rough conditions. Thomas Gibbons put Vanderbilt to work as the captain of his new ferry in 1818. For Vanderbilt, used to being his own boss, it was an unusual situation. But working for Gibbons meant he could learn a lot about steamboats. And he also must have realized he could learn a lot about business from watching how Gibbons waged his endless battles against Ogden. In 1819 Ogden went to court to shut down the ferry run by Gibbons. When threatened by process servers, Cornelius Vanderbilt continued sailing the ferry back and forth. At points he was even arrested. With his own growing connections in New York politics, he was generally able to get the charges thrown out, though he did rack up a number of fines. During a year of legal skirmishing the case between Gibbons and Ogden  moved through the New York State courts. In 1820 the New York courts upheld the steamboat monopoly. Gibbons was ordered to cease operating his ferry. The Federal Case Gibbons, of course, was not about to quit. He chose to appeal his case to the federal courts. He had obtained what was known as a â€Å"coasting† license from the federal government. That allowed him to operate his boat along the coasts of the United States, in accordance with a law from the early 1790s. The position of Gibbons in his federal case would be that federal law should supersede state law. And, that the commerce clause under Article 1, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution  should be interpreted to mean that carrying passengers on a ferry was interstate commerce. Gibbons sought out an impressive attorney to plead his case: Daniel Webster, the New England politician who was gaining national fame as a great orator. Webster seemed the perfect choice, as he was interested in advancing the cause of business in the growing country. Cornelius Vanderbilt, who had been hired by Gibbons because of his tough reputation  as a sailor, volunteered to travel to Washington to meet with Webster and another prominent lawyer and politician, William Wirt. Vanderbilt was largely uneducated, and throughout his life he would often be considered a fairly coarse character. So he seemed an unlikely character to be dealing with Daniel Webster. Vanderbilt’s desire to be involved in the case indicates that he recognized its great importance to his own future. He must have realized that dealing with the legal issues would teach him a lot. After meeting with Webster and Wirt, Vanderbilt remained in Washington while the case first went to the U.S. Supreme Court. To the disappointment of Gibbons and Vanderbilt, the nation’s highest court refused to hear it on a technicality, as the courts in New York State had not yet entered a final judgment. Returning to New York City, Vanderbilt went back to operating the ferry, in violation of the monopoly, while still  trying to avoid the authorities and at times skirmishing with them in local courts. Eventually the case was put on the Supreme Court’s docket, and arguments were scheduled. At the Supreme Court In early Februrary 1824 the case of Gibbons v. Ogden was argued in the Supreme Court chambers, which were, at that time, located in the U.S. Capitol. The case was briefly mentioned in the New York Evening Post on February 13, 1824. There was actually considerable public interest in the case due to changing attitudes in America. In the early 1820s the nation was approaching its 50th anniversary, and a general theme was that business was growing. In New York, the Erie Canal, which would transform the country in major ways, was under construction. In other places canals were operating, mills were producing fabric, and early factories were producing any number of products. To show off all the industrial progress America had made in its five decades of freedom, the federal government even invited an old friend, the Marquis de Lafayette to visit the country and tour all 24 states. In that atmosphere of progress and growth, the idea that one state could write a law that might arbitrarily restrict business was seen as a problem which needed to be solved. So while the legal battle between Gibbons and Ogden may have been conceived in a bitter rivalry between two cantankerous lawyers, it was obvious at the time that the case would have implications across American society. And the public seemed to want free trade, meaning restrictions shouldnt be placed by individual states. Daniel Webster argued that portion of the case with his usual eloquence. He delivered a speech which was later considered important enough to be included in anthologies of his writings. At one point Webster stressed that it was well-known why the U.S. Constitution had to be written after the young country encountered many problems under The Articles of Confederation: â€Å"Few things are better known than the immediate causes which led to the adoption of the present Constitution; and there is nothing, as I think, clearer, than that the prevailing motive was to regulate commerce; to rescue it from the embarrassing and destructive consequences resulting from the legislation of so many different States, and to place it under the protection of a uniform law.† In his impassioned argument, Webster stated that creators of the Constitution, when speaking of commerce, fully intended it to mean the entire country as a unit: â€Å"What is it that is to be regulated? Not the commerce of the several States, respectively, but the commerce of the United States. Henceforth, the commerce of the States was to be a unit, and the system by which it was to exist and be governed must necessarily be complete, entire, and uniform. Its character was to be described in the flag which waved over it, E Pluribus Unum.† Following Websters star performance, William Wirt also spoke for Gibbons, making arguments about monopolies and commercial law. The lawyers for Ogden then spoke to argue in favor of the monopoly. To many members of the public, the monopoly had seemed unfair and outdated, a throwback to some earlier era. In the 1820s, with business growing in the young country, Webster seemed to have captured the American mood with an oration that evoked the progress that was possible when all the states operated under a system of uniform laws. The LandmarkDecision After a few weeks of suspense, the Supreme Court announced its decision on March 2, 1824. The court voted 6-0, and the decision was written by Chief Justice John Marshall.  The carefully reasoned decision, in which Marshall generally agreed with Daniel Websters position, was published widely, including on the front page of the New York Evening Post on March 8, 1824. The Supreme Court struck down the steamboat monopoly law. And it declared that it was unconstitutional for states to enact laws that restricted interstate commerce. That decision in 1824 about steamboats has had an impact ever since. As new technologies came along in transportation and even communication, efficient operation across state lines  has been possible thanks to Gibbons v. Ogden.   An immediate effect was that Gibbons and Vanderbilt were now free to operate their steam ferry. And Vanderbilt naturally saw great opportunity and began building his own steamboats. Others also got into the steamboat trade in the waters around New York, and within years there was bitter competition between boats carrying freight and passengers. Thomas Gibbons did not get to enjoy his victory for long, as he died two years later. But he had taught Cornelius Vanderbilt a lot about how to conduct business in a freewheeling and ruthless manner. Decades later, Vanderbilt would tangle with Wall Street operators Jay Gould and Jim Fisk in the battle for the Erie Railroad, and his early experience watching Gibbons in his epic struggle  with Ogden and others must have served him well. Daniel Webster went on to become one of the most prominent politicians in America, and along with Henry Clay and John C. Calhoun, the three men known as the  Great Triumvirate would dominate the U.S. Senate.

Vietnam War Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Vietnam War - Essay Example For American soldiers it was very difficult even to move in jungle. They had to use special instruments like machete to move from one place to another. In order to survive in jungle Americans had to capture the whole settlements. As a result Americans lost much in this war. The interests of the both American and Vietnamese soldiers were not taken into account by the Vietnam War initiators. The problem lied in the fact that many Americans were against the war as well as Vietnamese. They organized strikes and meetings devoted to the question. Other countries of the world also were not pleased with what was happening as the war, which started due to the political interests, led to the death of hundreds of peaceful citizens. Moreover, many of these citizens provided American soldiers with help. The United States did not take into account the political consequences of their military actions on the territory of Vietnam. Actually, the goals of the war are still vague. Soldiers themselves could not understand what they were fighting for. Vietnamese were weaker in terms of military forces, but they were stronger mentally because they knew that they just had to defend. Today everybody knows about the huge military potential of the USA: even a little child every day can see modern American military techniques and bold soldiers on TV, in magazines, movies, computer games. It seems that military forces of the United States can do everything: help other peoples in their struggle with suppressors, neutralize dangerous terrorists, bring peace to dangerous regions and provide them with stability. The American military forces were not less powerful in 1970, but they still managed to fail the war with small undeveloped state – Vietnam. In this failure prejudices played not the last role. American soldiers were considered to be heroes, the mission of which is to defend poor and deprived. However, War in Vietnam destroyed these

Low Cost Airlines Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Low Cost Airlines - Essay Example The emergence of budget airlines is directly attributed to the transformation of the global business environment. The major drivers which facilitated this trend are: the deregulation of the European air travel sector; the establishment of the European Union; the 9/11 tragedy; the rapid technological advancement; and change in customers' lifestyle and preferences. It is irrefutable that the deregulation of the European airline industry primarily contributed to the rise of low cost carriers. It can be recalled that deregulation has lowered the barrier to entry in the industry as well as enhanced the competitiveness of the players which are previously receiving subsidy from the government. This, in turn, largely contributes to the cost efficiency of airline operators allowing them to charge lower prices to passengers. The establishment of the European Union affects the airline industry has the same effect like the deregulation of the sector. This has opened up markets and lowered operat ing costs, encouraging the proliferation of low cost carriers (Sorensen 2006). ... Lastly, technological advancement has significantly enhanced company's efficiency. It can be recalled that the internet technology has lowered the airline's costs in terms of booking and servicing customers by eliminating travel agent costs. This has paved way for huge costs savings which cut down the cost of airline operations (Sorensen 2006). It can be seen that all of the aforementioned factors which paved the way for the emergence and wide acceptance for low cost air travel have altogether pushed the prices of airline operation down allowing the fast entry of prospective players and allowing industry participants to price more competitively. It can be seen that the business model employed by a typical budget airline is primarily affected by these changes in the external environment of companies. A low cost carrier which competes in the European airline industry typically a business model which offers only a single passenger class and a single type of airplane which is usually an Airbus320 or Boeing737 which allows the company to cut on training and servicing costs. Budget airlines also typically employ a very simple fare scheme which rewards early reservation by increasing the fare charged as the plane fills up. There is usually no reserved seating in order to allow customers to choose their own seats thereby encouraging early and quick boarding. In order to drive down operation costs, technological innovation particularly the internet is used in order to eliminate the huge commission usually passed on to travel agencies. Budget airlines also prefer flying on secondary and simplified routes as well as having relatively shorter flights and faster turnaround times. Budget airlines, unlike

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Art Critique Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

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History research paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

History - Research Paper Example ilm Gandhi, which belongs to the genre of epic biography, portrays the life history of Gandhi on one side and analyses the Indian independence movement and the related complex confluence of imperialism, nationalism, and decolonization on another side, because different methods adopted by Gandhi, like non-violent struggle, civil disobedience movement, the Salt March etc, eventually helped India to be free from the British rule. This research study is broadly divided as: Film as an epic biography: Gandhi’s life history, Analysis: Gandhi’s influence on Indian independence movement, Gandhi’s methods and Indian independence movement, and personal opinion. One can see that epic biography as a movie genre deals with life histories of historically significant individuals. Within this scenario, the film Gandhi primarily deals with the life history of Gandhi in general. To be specific, the opening scene (say, Gandhi’s death) proves that the director’s aim is to make use of flashback technique to narrate Gandhi’s life history. Martha NUSSBAUM stated that, â€Å"Mohandas K. Gandhi has been the subject of such vast discussion and such widespread veneration that even readers with little knowledge of Indian history are likely to have a reasonably accurate picture of him-especially if they have seen Richard Attenborough’s excellent 1982 film, in which Ben Kingsley successfully conveyed many aspects of Gandhi’s complex personality† (94). But the director does not try to unearth Gandhi’s earlier life because it is less significant within this context. Besides, the director portrays Gandhi’s political activism in South Africa. When Gandhi reached South Africa as a lawyer, the nation was under British imperialism. To be specific, some Indian merchants residing in South Africa asked Gandhi to help them to save them from discriminatory laws implemented by the government. When he reached South Africa, he realized that the Indian merchants are facing marginalization

Art Critique Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Art Critique - Essay Example Although the miniature tea kettles are not strictly geometric in form, they are placed in such a way as to make the most of their geometric attributes. For example, the artist has placed a column of tea kettles vertically aligned along the bottom right edge of the piece to emphasize their circumference. Another squat tea kettle is placed with its bottom attached to the back piece so as to emphasize its round opening at the top. This large piece stands vertically aligned on the wall like a misaligned small coffee table. The artist works almost exclusively with found materials thus reflects the cast off detritus of society at the same time that he presents these pieces as shining new. The eye is kept moving through the piece thanks to strategic use of line. None of the straight lines created are permitted to exist in horizontal or vertical alignment with the exception of the underlying frame. Most angles are oriented on the diagonal and interrupted in some way by a circle. The composition suggests a haphazard tea table complete with tea cups, saucers and kettles with a few cubes available here and there for a suggestion of sweetener. However, the artist also plays with the aspects of dimension available in the medium, allowing some of these elements to protrude while others sink into the surface. This multi-dimensional piece thus encourages the level of activity and discussion one might expect to find at a t ea party. Kai Bob Cheng’s â€Å"Self-Portrait† is an undated mixed media piece that attempts to convey something about the artist’s interpretation of himself. The image is presented in the traditional form of a portrait complete with an aged and ornate frame and a golden-colored background. Within this frame, and even partially overlapping it, is the seated figure of the artist. This figure is created with the use of paint, wires and other found objects. A set of letters is stenciled across the middle of the image

Considered for academic reinstatement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Considered for academic reinstatement - Essay Example me tasks for the city and borough of Juneau as a Security Officer; (3) I inadvertently took several Law Enforcement classes all over the country which were too structured and used up most of my spare time; (4) I was also an Army reserve and therefore, due to longer hours spent at work, there remained virtually shortened time periods for both compliance to academic requirements and to personal rest; and finally (5) time constraint inevitably limited access to references and sources for academic compliance. Currently, I definitely am not satisfied with my general standing in the program. I am aware that the desire and pursuit to attain my original vision is still aflame. With the awareness of the rationale for failure to sustain the required GPA, I am more than determined to overcome whatever obstacles I have recently encountered. I realize that my ultimate objective of finishing the program I started with Empire State College is still my priority. In this regard, with renewed hope and unwavering spirit, I humbly seek for re-admission in the program. The dilemma brought about by mistakes in the previous semester made me aware that I deeply regret the academic lapses. The realization and threat of being totally obliterated from the program awakened my senses. I have planned the following measures to improve and maintain the required GPA: (1) severance of my employment responsibilities for the state of Alaska and the city of Juneau to make compliance to academic requirements my priority; (2) leave the Army; (3) participate more actively in study groups; (3) consult with my advisor and professors for academic requirements; (4) be more involved in both curricular and extracurricular activities; (5) apply time management techniques to prioritize tasks and responsibilities; and (6) seriously prepare for tests and examinations to maximize learning. I have utilized the same techniques when I took specialized training for the State of Alaska. I am aware that it is a

Non-Art in Popular Culture Essay Example for Free

Non-Art in Popular Culture Essay When discussing art in popular culture there are very few boundaries to adhere to. Almost any form of media can be considered as art. But not all works are good examples of art and there are several determining factors that help to decide on the artistic quality of a piece. This essay will discuss in response to the above quote the identifiable characteristics of what could be considered art in contemporary pop culture. It will deconstruct the some of the most prominent types of art in popular culture including street art, music video and advertisements or commercial art. And under which circumstances are they considered to be art whether this is the intention of the piece, or the creative process that surrounds it or simply the aesthetic values that it holds. It will also discuss if works produced solely for commercial propaganda are still considered art. And if the artistic values of the work are influenced on the environment in which it resides. These three determining factors will help distinguish between art and non art in contemporary pop culture. Art in popular culture varies widely in a range of creative forms and media. Popular culture or ‘pop’ culture has a heavy influence on much of the works that are created by artists today. (Gibbons, 2005, p. 1) These include all forms of street and public art including graffiti and stencil art that often make statements on pop culture. And also in a more formal environment including galleries and art museums where there is a large array of contemporary works which reflect on these elements of consumerism. There are numerous well recognised artists that have concentrated much of their practice on consumerism and culture. Andy Warhol, is a founder in bringing consumerism to the high art scene in the 1960’s (Livingstone 1992), something that had not being done before. A more recent take on this concept is Takashi Murakami and the art movement ‘Super Flat’ which concentrates on Japanese pop culture and particularly anime and manga. (n. a 2009 Superflat art) Art is not only influenced by popular culture but it makes up a large part of influential media for popular culture. This form of art can be recognised directly in advertising, music, music videos, cartoons and any other form of media that creatively puts forth a message, more often that not for commercial propaganda. This is not always the case but this lower form of more accessible art is completely open to the public because it is not hemmed in by the confines or laws of the gallery system or the museum. (Stowers 1997) And it quite often forced into peoples lives, by occurring in a public space society are forced into viewing these creative works that promote popular culture through advertisements billboards television radio and generally in any public space just as they are exposed to graffiti art and vandalism. More often than not the environment in which the artwork resides in impacts the values that people give the piece but this is not the only thing that should be considered when depicting the piece as several factors impact the merit of the work. These can include the creative process involved, the purpose of the work and the aesthetic values of the final piece. (Johnstone 2006) The creative process that is involved in creating an art piece may have huge effects on the final outcome. In some cases it’s the process that is the work, in others cases it can be just important in developing the meanings and values behind the work and also some pieces may not be understood fully until the intentional processes are understood. The creative process has being described in four steps these are Preparation, Incubation, Illumination and Implementation. (Charlie, 2008) Going through this four step process is not always occur consciously but has an impact on the outcomes. (Konradsson 1999) Pieces that do not have a creative intention or process behind them can be severely limited in creative outcome and therefore have limited merit as art. In this case it severely relies on the aesthetic values that other people then place on the work. And if it has little appeal in terms of colour, line, balance, rhythm and other principles and elements and no creative meaning then is generally not considered to be art. The purpose of the work can also impact the process of how a piece is created. Depending on whether it is for commercial use or purely artistic intentions there can be a lengthy design process which is very calculated in terms of design. The final impact the work is strongly controlled through the elements and principles of design. This is generally used in commercial art such as illustration, graphic design, and advertising and communication media. All these forms of creative work hold artistic value but are not necessarily considered art to the general public as it is not presented as art but takes on a different primary form, advertising. (Gibbons 2005) This is a similar concept as street art or graffiti as it generally seen as a form of vandalism and can be considered as an eyesore. Though people are more likely to see graffiti for its artistic values and intentions as it dose not generally hold the same connotation as advertising. The reasons and values for why one might engage in graffiti art are as varied as the artists who produce it. A chief reason is the â€Å"prospect of fame and recognition of ones artistic talent. Graffiti is also a form of self expression. The art as writing is a creative method of communicating with other writers and the general public. † (Stowers 1997) What it communicates is the artists identity, expression, and ideas like all other art forms but is forced into the public eye unlike art in a gallery. Graffiti is fast becoming popular as a preferred art form of many contemporary artists and hold the same fundamental artistic intentions as any other art form. As art we see in galleries have purely the intentions of being art we are more likely to consider that it is art. (Hester 2007) And we find some way of connecting to it via feeling and aesthetic value or the appreciation of the process. The placement of a piece in relation to its surroundings also impacts on the effect it has for example seeing an advertising piece in a gallery we would assume it to be art and created to make a statement about advertising. Where as if it were to be place on a billboard we would consider the primary reason is the promotion of a particular product. It is very difficult to define what art is exactly. According to many artistic directors and critics there is not one single definition of art. Art historian Robert Rosenblum believes that the idea of defining art is so  remote [today] that he doesnt think anyone would dare to do it. (Witcombe n. d)And that more or less anything can be considered as art. † (Witcombe n. d) Goldmans aesthetic theory (2005, 345) is of use to clarify the problem of location and presentation in relation to graffiti art. Goldman ( 2005, 346) claims that ‘art takes us to other worlds in a manner that is quite fulfilling sensually and aesthetically’ The are many determining factors that help us see the artistic values in works how we as individuals read and interpret these through out the work is a matter of pure personal opinion. Some personal factors that establish our opinions on creative works are our knowledge and understanding of art or a piece in particular, likes and dislikes and how we relate to the piece. This combined with the values of the piece that include; the process, the intention, the environment in which it is placed and the visual aesthetic values of the work determine how we personally consider the impact of the work. Many people consider art as something appealing to the eye or ear but much of contemporary art is not like this and a greater understanding of the work is needed to gain an insight to the values is holds. (n. a. 2009) For most people when art becomes hard or impossible to understand right away we tend to question its merit. This is particularly the case for graffiti as some may argue (Stowers 1997) even when it is in a gallery environment it is too hard to understand, though this should not be a determining factor to deciding whether is considered art as many art work considers deeper intrinsic values. Most of the opposition to graffiti art is due to ‘its location and bold, unexpected, and unconventional presentation,’ (Stowers 1997) but its presentation and often illegal location does not necessarily disqualify it as art either. The major determining factor is the creative value â€Å"the ability to produce complicated pieces is what separates the tagger from the graffiti artist; graffitist for short. Taggers scribble and graffitists do art. † (Stowers 1997) So as we can see there are many different forms of art in contemporary pop culture including those that are influenced by pop culture and those that influence pop culture. These can be all forms of Digital Media, advertising, illustration and music as well as art we see in galleries and street art. Not all have the primary purpose of being art but all hold artistic and creative values that can be seen through the process the intention the aesthetic qualities and the surrounding of the work. Some seem to have the primary purpose of being only art while others are created for commercial propaganda. While the pieces that are generally considered art by the public, have a better aesthetic quality and are initially easier to understand there can not be any set connotations as to what it to be determined as art or non art. And that it is purely what importance, feelings and values the individual viewing the work sees. Reference List Charlie, 2008. Demystifying the Creative Process http://www. productiveflourishing. com/demystifying-the-creative-process/ (accessed 28/04/2010) Gibbons,J. 2005 Art and Advertising. P. 1-12 New York: I. B Tauris co Ltd Goldman, A. 2005. Aesthetic Qualities and Aesthetic Value . in Aesthetics critical concept in philosophy J. O Young, p. 345-349 Oxon: Routledge. Hester, N 2007. Low and High: What is Art Anyhow  http://www.monstersandcritics.com/

The definition of leadership and mentoring

The definition of leadership and mentoring Leadership and mentoring can be two different terms that are either related or unrelated. You can be a protà ©gà © and not be a leader at that time. You can be a mentor and be in an administrative position. You can be a leader and never mentor but that would be a shame. A quality of both a mentor and a leader is advising or training the next generation of librarians or retraining veteran librarians. Mentoring is a growth experience on both sides. What does leadership and mentoring mean? According to The American Heritage Dictionary, leadership is defined as the position or office of a leader or the capacity to lead. Mentoring means a wise and trusted counselor and teacher. Remember that librarians mentor a patron how to use online catalog or electronic database. We may not have the title of a teacher, but our profession is teaching. I believe leadership goes with mentoring. A mentor helps you to become a better leader at any stage in leadership. Leaders become mentors; and you can be mentored and be mentoring another person at the exact same time. You may not even be aware that you are mentoring. Until it was pointed out to me, I did not realize that I was mentoring another staff member. When she left her position, she told me how grateful she was that I encouraged her to get a Library Technical Assistant certificate and go on the finish her Bachelors Degree. She is now applying to graduate schools in Library Science. Does the dictionarys definition leave out some elements when defining leadership? Leadership means being able to lead, wanting to lead and teaching others to lead. A leader needs to have some key characteristics to be able to be an effective leader: the ability to write agendas, run meetings, set goals and objectives, create business plans and motivate followers and other leaders. Other qualities/skills that a leader needs are being able to manage people and processes: to be able to lend a hand when needed, knowing when an extra hand is needed, knowing when to push people harder, knowing when to slow people down. Are you lacking some of these? Do you really know that you do or do not have these qualities? How do you get these characteristics or skills to become a mentor or a better leader? Where do you find opportunities to be leader and to be a mentor? The primary opportunity that everyone thinks of first for mentoring and leadership skills is the workplace. However, there are many other settings, such as an adult civic organization, a youth/child civic organization, society/religious organization, and professional organizations, where leadership and mentoring opportunities exist. Where do you find these? Use the Internet, phonebook, town hall, a librarys bulletin board, a grocerys bulletin board, college newsletters and bulletin boards or just ask people in your community what organizations exist. Mentoring and leadership can happen in your daily personal life, work life and in your community. You can also be a leader and follower in the same situation. There are many organizations out there in the international community. The one that I know well is the United States Jaycees (part of the Junior Chamber International). My experience is with the Greater Hartford (Connecticut) Jaycees. We are the largest chapter in the United States as of February 2004. In my first years of being a Jaycee, I realized that I was a leader. I had the drive or ambition to lead. I learned through the Jaycees to be more organized, to plan events (timelines are good things), to develop relationship among members, and how to better relate to the office staff. I learned some amazing skills: how to publish a newsletter, to run computer software, to hammer a nail into a set for a Haunted House, to help build a house for Habitat for Humanity. I learned you need laughter in your daily life and time management skills. I learned about international food and cultures and how to write a chairmans planning guide (basically a business plan that the Jaycees use to run an event/project). In the Jaycees, there are State, National, and International Conferences. This has been a great opportunity for me to pick up or refine leadership skills, even learning Roberts Rules of Order, as well as to travel a bit. Remember, learning to be a leader or part of mentorship program can be done in a fun atmosphere. I have learned wonderful leadership skills while having fun and helping out the community. The Greater Hartford Jaycee website is http://www.greaterhartfordjaycees.org/ and the United States Jaycees website is http://www.usjaycees.org/. Opportunities for Leadership Skills Academic and Professional Committees Charitable Organizations (i.e. March of Dimes, American Diabetes Assoc.) Junior Chamber of Commerce Kiwanis Club Library Boards Lions Club (your Jaycees years of services carry over) Political Committees Rotary Club Sorority or Fraternal Organizations Opportunities for Mentoring Get involved with a professional organization that is in your specialty of library science, or in an area of library science that you want to work in the future. Some work-related organizations include American Library Association, Special Library Association, Association for College and Research Libraries and State Library Association. My experience again: I am on the CT Library Associations Committee Reference and Adult Services. These associations are places where you can find both leadership positions and someone to mentor you. CT Library Association has a wonderful mentoring program that I went through a couple years ago. American Association of Health Science Libraries The American Association of Health Science Libraries (AAHSL), in conjunction with the National Library of Medicine (NLM), has started a leadership program for its members. The program includes travel money to spend two weeks with a mentor, attend continuing education classes and more. AAHSL is in its second year of the program. The program is set up so that the emerging leaders learn the following: Introduce emerging academic health sciences library leaders to leadership theory and practical tools for implementing change at organizational and professional levels. Develop meaningful professional relationships between fellows and mentors that give fellows access to career guidance and support. Expose fellows to another academic health sciences library under the guidance of their mentors. Examine career development and provide models of directors to potential future academic health sciences library directors. Create a cohort of learners who will draw upon each other for support throughout their careers. Offer recognition to emerging leaders. The NLM/AAHSL Leadership Fellows Program comprises six components over a one-year time frame: a one-day opening Orientation Session, an ongoing Mentoring relationship, a half-day Leadership Institute, a two-week Library Site Visit, three short, self-paced Web-based Courses on selected leadership topics, and a two- to three-day Capstone Event. For more information about the NLM/AAHSL program, schedule and application go to http://www.arl. org/olms/fellows/. American Association of Law Libraries (AALL) The Mentoring and Retention committee plans and implements programs designed to provide a network through which the newer members of AALL, and members contemplating job changes or desiring career guidance, can establish personal contact with experienced law librarians who can serve as resources for information and advise on the profession and the Association. In addition, this committee plans, promotes, and presents the Annual Conference of Newer Law Librarians (CONELL). For a roster and other information about AALL go to http://www.aallnet.org/committee/menret_com.asp. Connecticut Library Association The Connecticut Library Association has a mentoring and protà ©gà © program. The CLA website for mentoring program is http://cla.uconn.edu/new/mentor1r.doc. The website explains why the mentoring program was started. It also defines the difference between protà ©gà © and a mentor. A protà ©gà © should expect: 1. a role model. 2. to learn how the library field functions. 3. to make contacts with other individuals in the profession. 4. help in defining career objectives. 5. specialized information and help. 6. the chance to learn from the mentors experience. 7. a way to gather information about other areas of librarianship. 8. more confidence and problem-solving skills. The mentor can expect: 1. new opportunities for challenge. 2. career enrichment. 3. enhanced self-esteem and reputation. 4. opportunities to share knowledge and expertise. 5. a revitalized interest in work. 6. professional satisfaction. The CLA website also list information about CLA committees, scholarships and calendar of programs. You can join a committee, such as Childrens, Reference and Adult Services, Support Staff, and College and University. A member can also assist with the annual conference. This is a wonderful way to ease into leadership roles. Check out your local and state library associations. CLA website is http://cla. uconn.edu. American Library Association On the ALA website, you can find the Spectrum Initiative section for a mentoring and networks. This is the formal training program. The website is http://www.ala.org/ala/diversity/spectrum/spectruminitiative. htm and then click on Mentoring and Networks under Diversity. Currently, the mentoring portion of the website is not available. Special Libraries Association If you are a member of SLA, there is a mentoring program for you. There are many state chapters that have mentoring programs. You can explore SLA website at http://www.sla.org. Association of College and Research Libraries The University of Georgia gives articles, websites, library organizations and associations, forum recommendations, and mentoring programs at specific libraries. I found out that Special Libraries Association has a mentoring program for librarians in the areas of physic, mathematics and astronomy. Take a look at http://www.libs.uga.edu/mentor/resources.html. Academic Libraries Academic Libraries has a bibliography of mentoring articles and websites at http://www.nsula. edu/watson_library/acrl/bonnetteAcademicBib.htm. There are many leadership and mentoring opportunities in our communities. Look within your library setting/organization. Explore your options in library associations, civic organizations, charitable organizations and community library boards. Use what is available to you to gain the necessary skills.

Free Euthanasia Essays: Problems With Assisted Suicide :: Free Euthanasia Essay

Problems With Assisted Suicide Americans want to know what the report card says, in other words, what are the results of the Netherlands and Oregon experiments with assisted suicide. Let's sift through the data and relevant studies in order to arrive at a conclusion which either affirms or rejects the practice. Although the New England Journal of Medicine article (2/24/00) was the first time a major medical journal in the United States had recounted problems associated with assisted suicide in the Netherlands, there had been prior warnings: In 1995, Dr. Pieter Admiraal, who has practiced euthanasia in the Netherlands for years, warned of the risk of failure associated with assisted suicide. After explaining the preparations that must be made for an assisted suicide death, he wrote: "In spite of these measures, every doctor who decides to assist in suicide must be aware that something can go wrong, with the result being a failure of the suicide. For this reason, one should always be prepared to proceed to active euthanasia. In other words, the doctor should always have at hand thiopental and muscle relaxant" (to administer in the form of a lethal injection). (Admiraal) Â  Barbiturates are the most common substances used for assisted suicide in Oregon and in the Netherlands. Overdoses of barbiturates are known to cause distress: Extreme gasping and muscle spasms can occur. While losing consciousness, a person can vomit and then inhale the vomit. Panic, feelings of terror and assaultive behavior take place from the drug-induced confusion. Other problems can include difficulty in taking the drugs, failure of the drugs to induce unconsciousness and a number of days elapsing before death occurs. (NEJM) Dr. Katrina Hedberg, a co-author of Oregon's two official reports on assisted suicide, denies that there have been complications in assisted suicide deaths in Oregon. "Those things have not materialized," she stated. (Oregonian) But news reports from Oregon indicate otherwise: * A man experienced difficulty during his assisted suicide death and his brother-in-law had to help him die. "It doesn't go smoothly for everyone," the person who helped explained. "It would not have worked without help." [Oregonian, 1/17/99 and 3/11/99] * In another case, after a man took the drugs intended to induce death, his physical symptoms were so disturbing that his wife called 911. He was taken from his home to a hospital where he was revived.

Montana 1948 and the Abuse of Power Essay

In the novel â€Å"Montana 1948† you see a common issue that is around still in our everyday lives. This issue is the abuse of power and how it leads to consequences that sometimes might be devastating. You see this in our everyday lives with the Government and also many times in are families across the nation. In the novel there are many examples of this in the Hayden family. Wes, Frank and their father all are very powerful due to their back ground. Wes Hayden who is the father of David (The Narrator) is the second generation of Hayden’s to be a Sheriff uses his power for good things; Frank Hayden who is the brother of Wes is a war hero uses his power for bad things such as rape, killing and lying; and finally you have Julian Hayden who is the father of Wes and Frank. Some would say he used his power to benefit his family, but in reality he protected Frank with his power to let the crimes add up. Julian Hayden is where the abuse of power effect many people’s li ves and ends up hurting his own family in the long run. Grandpa Hayden’s corruption and abuse of power should be blamed for the tragedies. You first find this out when David explains, â€Å"He wanted, he needed, power †¦ He was a dominating man who drew sustenance and strength from controlling others.† (Watson 20). Also when David visited Len after Marie’s death, Len talked to him about being a sheriff in Montana. He told David, â€Å"You know what your granddad said it means to be a peace officer in Montana? It means knowing when to look and when to look away.†(Watson 93). Len saying this suggests that to Julian, being the sheriff does not mean keeping justice and doing the right thing; instead it brings power and the right to hide the truth. Grandpa Hayden tolerated Frank for molesting Indian girls and used his powers to cover up for him. This gave Frank the ability to continue to sexually assault girls without being punished. This also led to murder and in Frank committing suicide, Wes having to leave town and Julian losing both of his sons. From this, we can see that corruption and  power are causes of the tragedy. This issue is very important because even in today’s society you see events like this happen all the time. Some cases are even more severe because it’s at a much larger scale where it affects a whole country sometimes even makes history. For example with our government today we are continuously learning things the government tries and hide things from the citizens. Some of these things include warrantless wire tapping, kidnapping and illegal detention and other government secrecies that abuses power and also violates our rights as citizens of the Unites States. This creates distrust in the government and chaos among the citizens. Celebrities, sports stars and wealthy people are good examples of showing how the abuse of power is used in our modern day society. For example Ray Rice (Running Back from the Baltimore Ravens) violently assaulted his Fiancà ©e and completely knocked her out unconscious. From this incident there should be some consequences to help him learn his lesson. Instead our judicial system allows wealthy people to keep doing these horrible crimes and only being assessed a bail fee. This demonstrates how corrupt and how the abuse of power is still very existent in not only government but also in people lives still today. Abuse of power is clearly demonstrated in the novel â€Å"Montana 1948†. This book just displays how people all around the world have been dealing with the same problem for quite a while. Abuse of power is problematic because the consequences for this issue are devastating and sometimes fatal. This is shown in â€Å"Montana 1948† and also in our everyday lives. This issue will never be fixed if Power is given to people who can’t handle it; history will keep repeating itself.

Practical Demonkeeping Chapter 3-4

3 TRAVIS Travis O'Hearn was driving a fifteen-year-old Chevy Impala he had bought in L.A. with money the demon had taken from a pimp. The demon was standing on the passenger seat with his head out the window, panting into the rushing coastal wind with the slobbering exuberance of an Irish setter. From time to time he pulled his head inside the car, looked at Travis, and sang, â€Å"Your mother sucks cocks in he-ell, Your mother sucks cocks in he-ell,† in a teasing, childlike way. Then he would spin his head around several times for effect. They had spent the night in a cheap motel north of San Junipero, and the demon had tuned the television to a cable channel that played an uncut version of The Exorcist. It was the demon's favorite movie. At least, Travis thought, it was better than the last time, when the demon had seen The Wizard of Oz and had spent an entire day pretending to be a flying monkey, or screaming, â€Å"And that goes for your little dog, too.† â€Å"Sit still, Catch,† Travis said. â€Å"I'm trying to drive.† The demon had been wired since he had eaten the hitchhiker the night before. The guy must have been on cocaine or speed. Why did drugs affect the demon when poisons did not phase him? It was a mystery. The demon tapped Travis on the shoulder with a long reptilian claw. â€Å"I want to ride on the hood,† he said. His voice was like rusty nails rattling in a can. â€Å"Enjoy,† Travis said, waving across the dashboard. The demon climbed out the window and across the front, where he perched like a hood ornament from hell, his forked tongue flying in the wind like a storm-swept pennon, spattering the windshield with saliva. Travis turned on the wipers and was grateful to find that the Chevy was equipped with an interval delay feature. It had taken him a full day in Los Angeles to find a pimp who looked as if he were carrying enough cash to get them a car, and another day for the demon to catch the guy in a place isolated enough to eat him. Travis insisted that the demon eat in private. When he was eating he became visible to other people. He also tripled in size. Travis had a recurring nightmare about being asked to explain the eating habits of his traveling companion. In the dream Travis is walking down the street when a policeman taps him on the shoulder. â€Å"Excuse me, sir,† the policeman says. Travis does a slow-mo Sam Peckenpah turn. â€Å"Yes,† he says. The policeman says, â€Å"I don't mean to bother you – but that large, scaly fellow over there munching on the mayor – do you know him?† The policeman points toward the demon, who is biting off the head of a man in a pinstriped polyester suit. â€Å"Why, yes, I do,† Travis says. â€Å"That's Catch, he's a demon. He has to eat someone every couple of days or he gets cranky. I've known him for seventy years. I'll vouch for his lack of character.† The policeman, who has heard it all before, says, â€Å"There's a city ordinance against eating an elected official without a permit. May I see your permit, please?† â€Å"I'm sorry,† Travis says, â€Å"I don't have a permit, but I'll be glad to get one if you'll tell me where to go.† The cop sighs and begins writing on a ticket pad. â€Å"You can only get a permit from the mayor, and your friend seems to be finishing him off now. We don't like strangers eating our mayor around here. I'm afraid I'll have to cite you.† Travis protests, â€Å"But if I get another ticket, they'll cancel my insurance.† He always wondered about this part of the dream; he'd never carried insurance. The cop ignores him and continues to write out the ticket. Even in a dream, he is only doing his job. Travis thought it terribly unfair that Catch even invaded his dreams. Sleep, at least, should provide some escape from the demon, who had been with him for seventy years, and would be with him forever unless he could find a way to send him back to hell. For a man of ninety, Travis was remarkably well preserved. In fact, he did not appear to be much over twenty, his age when he had called up the demon. Dark with dark eyes and lean, Travis had sharp features that would have seemed evil if not for the constant look of confusion he wore, as if there were one answer that would make everything in life clear to him if he could only remember the question. He had never bargained for the endless days on the road with the demon, trying to figure out how to stop the killing. Sometimes the demon ate daily, sometimes he would go for weeks without killing. Travis had never found a reason, a connection, or a pattern to it. Sometimes he could dissuade the demon from killing, sometimes he could only steer him toward certain victims. When he could, he had the demon eat pimps or pushers, those that humanity could do without. But other times he had to choose vagrants and vagabonds, those that would not be missed. There was a time when he had cried while sending Catch after a hobo or a bag-lady. He'd made friends among the homeless when he was riding the rails with the demon, back before there were so many automobiles. Often a bum who didn't know where his next roof or drink was coming from had shared a boxcar and a bottle with Travis. And Travis had learned that there was no evil in being poor; poverty merely opened one up to evil. But over the years he had learned to push aside the remorse, and time and again Catch dined on bums. He wondered what went through the minds of Catch's victims just before they died. He had seen them wave their hands before their eyes as if the monster looming before them was an illusion, a trick of the light. He wondered what would happen now, if oncoming drivers could see Catch perched on the front of the Chevy waving like a parade queen from the Black Lagoon. They would panic, swerve off the narrow road and over the ocean-side bank. Windshields would shatter, and gasoline would explode, and people would die. Death and the demon were never separated for long. Coming soon to a town near you, Travis thought. But perhaps this is the last one. As a seagull cry dopplered off to Travis's left, he turned to look out the window over the ocean. The morning sun was reflecting off the face of the waves, illuminating a sparkling halo of spray. For a moment he forgot about Catch and drank in the beauty of the scene, but when he turned to look at the road again, there was the demon, standing on the bumper, reminding him of his responsibility. Travis pushed the accelerator to the floor and the Impala's engine hesitated, then roared as the automatic transmission dropped into passing gear. When the speedometer hit sixty he locked up the brakes. Catch hit the roadway face first and skidded headlong, throwing up sparks where his scales scraped the asphalt. He bounced off a signpost and into a ditch, where he lay for a moment trying to gather his thoughts. The Impala fishtailed and came to a stop sideways in the road. Travis slammed the Chevy into reverse, righted the car, then threw it into drive and screeched toward the demon, keeping the wheels out of the ditch until the moment of impact. The Impala's headlights shattered against Catch's chest. The corner of the bumper caught him in the waist and drove him deep into the mud of the ditch. The engine sputtered to a stop and the damaged radiator hissed a rusty cloud of steam into Catch's face. The driver's side door was jammed against the ditch, so Travis crawled out the window and ran around the car to see what damage he had done. Catch was lying in the ditch with the bumper against his chest. â€Å"Nice driving, A.J.,† Catch said. â€Å"You going to try for Indy next year?† Travis was disappointed. He hadn't really expected to hurt Catch, he knew from experience that the demon was virtually indestructible, but he had hoped at least to piss him off. â€Å"Just trying to keep you on your toes,† he said. â€Å"A little test to see how you hold up under stress.† Catch lifted the car, crawled out, and stood next to Travis in the ditch. â€Å"What's the verdict? Did I pass?† â€Å"Are you dead?† â€Å"Nope, I feel great.† â€Å"Then you have failed miserably. I'm sorry but I'll have to run you over again.† â€Å"Not with this car,† the demon said, shaking his head. Travis surveyed the steam rising from the radiator and wondered whether he might not have been a little hasty in giving way to his anger. â€Å"Can you get it out of the ditch?† â€Å"Piece of cake.† The demon hoisted the front of the car and began to walk it up onto the berm. â€Å"But you're not going to get far without a new radiator.† â€Å"Oh, you're all of a sudden an expert mechanic. Mr. help-me-I-can't-change-the-channel-while-the-magic-fingers-is-on all of a sudden has a degree in automotive diagnostics?† â€Å"Well, what do you think?† â€Å"I think there's a town just ahead where we can get it fixed. Didn't you read that sign you bounced off of?† It was a dig. Travis knew the demon couldn't read; in fact, he often watched subtitled movies with the sound off just to irritate Catch. â€Å"What's it say?† â€Å"It says, ‘Pine Cove, five miles.' That's where we're going. I think we can limp the car five miles with a bad radiator. If not, you can push.† â€Å"You run over me and wreck the car and I get to push?† â€Å"Correct,† Travis said, crawling back through the car window. â€Å"At your command, master,† Catch said sarcastically. Travis tried the ignition. The car whined and died. â€Å"It won't start. Get behind and push.† â€Å"Okay,† Catch said. He went around to the back of the car, put his shoulder to the bumper, and began pushing it the rest of the way out of the ditch. â€Å"But pushing cars is very hungry work.† 4 ROBERT Robert Masterson had drunk a gallon of red wine, most of a five-liter Coors minikeg, and a half-pint of tequila, and still the dream came. A desert. A big, bright, sandy bastard. The Sahara. He is naked, tied to a chair with barbed wire. Before him is a great canopied bed covered in black satin. Under the cool shade of the canopy his wife, Jennifer, is making love to a stranger – a young, muscular, dark-haired man. Tears run down Robert's cheeks and crystallize into salt. He cannot close his eyes or turn away. He tries to scream, but every time he opens his mouth a squat, lizardlike monster, the size of a chimpanzee, shoves a saltine cracker into his mouth. The heat and the pain in his chest are agonizing. The lovers are oblivious to his pain. The little reptile man tightens the barbed wire around his chest by twisting a stick. Every time he sobs, the wire cuts deeper. The lovers turn to him in slow motion, maintaining their embrace. They wave to him, a big home-movie wave, postcard smiles. Greetings from the heart of anguish. Awake, the dream-pain in his chest replaced by a real pain in his head. Light is the enemy. It's out there waiting for you to open your eyes. No. No way. Thirst – brave the light to slake the thirst – it must be done. He opened his eyes to a dim, forgiving light. Must be cloudy out. He looked around. Pillows, full ashtrays, empty wine bottles, a chair, a calendar from the wrong year with a picture of a surfer riding a huge swell, pizza boxes. This wasn't home. He didn't live like this. Humans don't live like this. He was on someone's couch. Where? He sat up and waited in vertigo until his brain snapped back into his head, which it did with a vengeful impact. Ah, yes, he knew where he was. This was Hangover – Hangover, California. Pine Cove, where he was thrown out of the house by his wife. Heartbreak, California. Jenny, call Jenny. Tell her that humans don't live this way. No one lives this way. Except The Breeze. He was in The Breeze's trailer. He looked around for water. There was the kitchen, fourteen miles away, over there at the end of the couch. Water was in the kitchen. He crawled naked off the couch, across the floor of the kitchen to the sink, and pulled himself up. The faucet was gone, or at least buried under a stack of dirty dishes. He reached into an opening, cautiously searching for the faucet like a diver reaching into an underwater crevice for a moray eel. Plates skidded down the pile and crashed on the floor. He looked at the china shards scattered around his knees and spotted the mirage of a Coors minikeg. He managed a controlled fall toward the mirage and his hand struck the nozzle. It was real. Salvation: hair of the dog in a handy, five-liter disposable package. He started to drink from the nozzle and instantly filled his mouth, throat, sinuses, aural cavity, and chest hair with foam. â€Å"Use a glass,† Jenny would say. â€Å"What are you, an animal?† He must call Jenny and apologize as soon as the thirst was gone. First, a glass. Dirty dishes were strewn across every horizontal surface in the kitchen: the counter, stove, table, breakfast bar, and the top of the refrigerator. The oven was filled with dirty dishes. Nobody lives like this. He spotted a glass among the miasma. The Holy Grail. He grabbed it and filled it with beer. Mold floated on the settling foam. He threw the glass into the oven and slammed the door before an avalanche could gain momentum. A clean glass, perhaps. He checked the cupboard where the dishes had once been kept. A single cereal bowl stared out at him. From the bottom of the bowl Fred Flintstone congratulated him, â€Å"Good kid! You're a clean-plater!† Robert filled the bowl and sat cross-legged on the floor amid the broken dishes while he drank. Fred Flintstone congratulated him three times before his thirst abated. Good old Fred. The man's a saint. Saint Fred of Bedrock. â€Å"Fred, how could she do this to me? Nobody can live like this.† â€Å"Good kid! You're a clean-plater!† Fred said. â€Å"Call Jenny,† Robert said, reminding himself. He stood and staggered through the offal toward the phone. Nausea swept over him and he bounced back through the trailer's narrow hallway and fell into the bathroom, where he retched into the toilet until he passed out. The Breeze called it â€Å"talking to Ralph on the Big White Phone.† This one was a toll call. Five minutes later he came to and found the phone. It seemed a superhuman effort to hit the right buttons. Why did they have to keep moving? At last he connected and someone answered on the first ring. â€Å"Jenny, honey, I'm sorry. Can I-â€Å" â€Å"Thank you for calling Pizza on Wheels. We will open at eleven A.M. and deliveries begin at four P.M. Why cook when-â€Å" Robert hung up. He'd dialed the number written on the phone's emergency numbers sticker instead of his home. Again he chased down the buttons and pegged them one by one. It was like shooting skeet, you had to lead them a little. â€Å"Hello.† Jenny sounded sleepy. â€Å"Honey, I'm sorry. I'll never do it again. Can I come home?† â€Å"Robert? What time is it?† He thought for a moment then guessed, â€Å"Noon?† â€Å"It's five in the morning, Robert. I've been asleep about an hour, Robert. There were dogs barking in the neighborhood all night long, Robert. I'm not ready for this. Good-bye, Robert.† â€Å"But Jenny, how could you do it? You don't even like the desert. And you know how I hate saltines.† â€Å"You're drunk, Robert.† â€Å"Who is this guy, Jenny? What does he have that I don't have?† â€Å"There is no other guy. I told you yesterday, I just can't live with you anymore. I don't think I love you anymore.† â€Å"Who do you love? Who is he?† â€Å"Myself, Robert. I'm doing it for myself. Now I'm hanging up for myself. Say good-bye so I don't feel like I'm hanging up on you.† â€Å"But, Jenny-â€Å" â€Å"It's over. Get on with your life, Robert. I'm hanging up now. Good-bye.† â€Å"But-† She hung up. â€Å"Nobody lives like this,† Robert said to the dial tone. Get on with your life. Okay, that's a plan. He would clean up this place and clean up his life. Never drink again. Things were going to change. Soon she would remember what a great guy he was. But first he had to go to the bathroom to answer an emergency call from Ralph. The smoke alarm was screaming like a tortured lamb. Robert, now back on the couch, pulled a cushion over his head and wondered why the Breeze didn't have a sleeper button on his smoke alarm. Then the pounding started. It was a door buzzer, not the smoke alarm. â€Å"Breeze, answer the door!† Robert shouted into the cushion. The pounding continued. He crawled off the couch and waded through the litter to the door. â€Å"Hold on a minute, man. I'm coming.† He threw the door open and caught the man outside with his fist poised for another pounding. He was a sharp-faced Hispanic in a raw silk suit. His hair was slicked back and tied in a ponytail with a black silk ribbon. Robert could see a flagship model BMW parked in the driveway. â€Å"Shit. Jehovah's Witnesses must make a lot of money,† Robert said. The Hispanic was not amused. â€Å"I need to talk to The Breeze.† At that point Robert realized that he was naked and picked an empty, gallon wine bottle from the floor to cover his privates. â€Å"Come in,† Robert said, backing away from the door. â€Å"I'll see if he's awake.† The Hispanic stepped in. Robert stumbled down the narrow hall to The Breeze's room. He knocked on the door. â€Å"Breeze, there's some big money here to see you.† No answer. He opened the door and went in and searched through the piles of blankets, sheets, pillows, beer cans, and wine bottles, but found no Breeze. On the way back to the living room Robert grabbed a mildewed towel from the bathroom and wrapped it around his hips. The Hispanic was standing in the middle of a small clearing, peering around the trailer with concentrated disgust. It looked to Robert as if he were trying to levitate to avoid having his Italian shoes contact the filth on the floor. â€Å"He's not here,† Robert said. â€Å"How do you live like this?† the Hispanic said. He had no discernible accent. â€Å"This is subhuman, man.† â€Å"Did my mother send you?† The Hispanic ignored the question. â€Å"Where is The Breeze? We had a meeting this morning.† He put an extra emphasis on the word meeting. Robert got the message. The Breeze had been hinting that he had some big deal going down. The guy must be the buyer. Silk suits and BMWs were not the usual accouterments of The Breeze's clientele. â€Å"He left last night. I don't know where he went. You could check down at the Slug.† â€Å"The Slug?† â€Å"Head of the Slug Saloon, on Cypress. He hangs out there sometimes.† The Hispanic tiptoed through the garbage to the door, then paused on the step. â€Å"Tell him I'm looking for him. He should call me. Tell him I do not do business this way.† Robert didn't like the commanding tone in the Hispanic's voice. He affected the obsequious tone of an English butler, â€Å"And whom shall I say has called, sir?† â€Å"Don't fuck with me, cabron. This is business.† Robert took a deep breath, then sighed. â€Å"Look, Pancho. I'm hung over, my wife just threw me out, and my life is not worth shit. So if you want me to take messages, you can damn well tell me who the fuck you are. Or should I tell The Breeze to look for a Mexican with a Gucci loafer shoved up his ass? Comprende, Pachuco?† The Hispanic turned on the step and started to reach into his suit coat. Robert felt adrenaline shoot through his body, and he tightened his grip on the towel. Oh, yeah, he thought, pull a gun and I'll snap your eyes out with this towel. He suddenly felt extremely helpless. The Hispanic kept his hand in his coat. â€Å"Who are you?† â€Å"I'm The Breeze's decorator. We're redoing the whole place in an abstract expressionist motif.† Robert wondered if he wasn't really trying to get shot. â€Å"Well, smart ass, when The Breeze shows up, you tell him to call Rivera. And you tell him that when the business is done, his decorator is mine. You understand?† Robert nodded weakly. â€Å"Adios, dogmeat.† Rivera turned and walked toward the BMW. Robert closed the door and leaned against it, trying to catch his breath. The Breeze was going to be pissed when he heard about this. Robert's fear was replaced by self-loathing. Maybe Jenny was right. Maybe he had no idea how to maintain a relationship with anybody. He was worthless and weak – and dehydrated. He looked around for something to drink and vaguely remembered having done this before. Dj vu? â€Å"Nobody lives like this.† It was going to change, goddammit. As soon as he found his clothes, he was going to change it. RIVERA Detective Sergeant Alphonso Rivera of the San Junipero County Sheriff's Department sat in the rented BMW and cursed. â€Å"Fuck, fuck, and double fuck.† Then he remembered the transmitter taped to his chest. â€Å"Okay, cowboys, he's not here. I should have known. The van's been gone for a week. Call it off.† In the distance he could hear cars starting. Two beige Plymouths drove by a few seconds later, the drivers conspicuously not looking at the BMW as they passed. What could have gone wrong? Three months setting it all up. He'd gone out on a limb with the captain to convince him that Charles L. Belew, a.k.a. The Breeze, was their ticket into the Big Sur growers' business. â€Å"He's gone down twice for cocaine. If we pop him for dealing, he'll give us everything but his favorite recipe to stay out of Soledad.† â€Å"He's small time,† the captain had said. â€Å"Yeah, but he knows everybody, and he's hungry. Best of all, he knows he's small time, so he thinks we wouldn't bother with him.† Finally the captain had relented and it had been set up. Rivera could hear him now. â€Å"Rivera, if you got made by a drugged-out loser like Belew, maybe we should put you back in uniform, where your high visibility will be an asset. Maybe we can put you in P.R. or recruitment.† Rivera's ass was hanging out worse than that drunken jerk in the trailer. Who was he, anyway? As far as anyone knew, The Breeze lived alone. But this guy seemed to know something. Why else would he give Rivera such a hard time? Maybe he could pull this off with the drunk. Desperate thinking. A long shot. Rivera memorized the license number of the old Ford truck parked outside The Breeze's trailer. He would run it through the computer when he got back to the station. Maybe he could convince the captain that he still had something. Maybe he did. And then again, maybe he could just climb a stream of angel piss to heaven. Rivera sat in the file room of the sheriff's office drinking coffee and watching a videotape. After running the license number through the computer, Rivera found that the pickup belonged to a Robert Masterson, age twenty-nine. Born in Ohio, married to Jennifer Masterson, also twenty-nine. His only prior was a drunk-driving conviction two years ago. The video was a record of Masterson's breathalyzer test. Several years ago the department had begun taping all breathalyzer tests to avoid legal-defense strategies based on procedural mistakes made by arresting officers during testing. On the television screen a very drunk Robert W. Masterson (6 ft., 180 lbs., eyes green, hair brown) was spouting nonsense to two uniformed deputies. â€Å"We work for a common purpose. You serve the state with your minds and bodies. I serve the state by opposing it. Drinking is an act of civil disobedience. I drink to end world hunger. I drink to protest the United States' involvement in Central America. I drink to protest nuclear power. I drink†¦Ã¢â‚¬  A sense of doom descended on Rivera as he watched. Unless The Breeze reappeared, his career was in the hands of this tightly wound, loosely wrapped, drunken idiot. He wondered what life might be like as a bank security guard. On the screen the two officers looked away from their prisoner to the door of the testing room. The camera was mounted in the corner and fitted with a wide-angle lens to cover anything that happened without having to be adjusted. A little Arab man in a red stocking cap had come through the door, and the deputies were telling him that he had the wrong room and to please leave. â€Å"Could I trouble you for a small quantity of salt?† the little man asked. Then he blinked off the screen as if the tape had been stopped and he had been edited out. Rivera rewound the tape and ran it again. The second time, Masterson performed the test without interruption. The door did not open and there was no little man. Rivera ran it back again: no little man. He must have dozed off while the tape was running. His subconscious had continued the tape while he slept, inserting the little man's entrance. That was the only viable explanation. â€Å"I don't need this shit,† he said. Then he ejected the tape and drained his coffee, his tenth cup of the day.