Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Biography of James A. Garfield, 20th U.S. President

Biography of James A. Garfield, 20th U.S. President James A. Garfield ( November 19, 1831- September 19, 1881) was an educator, lawyer, and a major general in the Union Army during the Civil War. He was elected to the Ohio State Senate and to the U.S. Congress before becoming the 20th American president on March 4, 1881. He served only until Sept. 19, 1881, when he died from complications caused by an assassins bullet 11 weeks before. Fast Facts: James A. Garfield Known For: 20th president of the United StatesBorn: Nov. 19, 1831 in Cuyahoga County, OhioParents: Abram Garfield, Eliza Ballou GarfieldDied: Sept. 19, 1881 in Elberon,  New JerseyEducation: Williams CollegeSpouse: Lucretia RudolphChildren: Seven; two died in infancy Early Life Garfield was born in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, to Abram Garfield, a farmer, and  Eliza Ballou Garfield. His father died when Garfield was just 18 months old. His mother tried to make ends meet with the farm, but he and his three siblings, two sisters and a brother, grew up in relative poverty. He attended a local school before moving on to Geauga Academy in Geauga  County, Ohio in 1849. He then went to the Western Reserve  Eclectic  Institute (later called Hiram College) in Hiram, Ohio, teaching to help pay his way. In 1854, he attended Williams College in Massachusetts, graduating with honors two years later. On Nov. 11, 1858, Garfield married  Lucretia Rudolph, who had been a student of his at the Eclectic Institute. She was working as a teacher when Garfield wrote to her and they began courting. She contracted malaria while serving as first lady but lived a long life after Garfields death, dying on March 14, 1918. They had two daughters and five sons, two of whom died when they were infants. Career Before the Presidency Garfield began his career as an instructor in classical languages at the Eclectic Institute and was its president from 1857 to 1861. He studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1860, and he was ordained a minister in the  Disciples of Christ  church, but he soon turned to politics. He served as an Ohio state senator from 1859 to 1861. Garfield joined the Union army in 1861, taking part in the Civil War battles of Shiloh and Chickamauga and reaching the rank of major general. He was elected to Congress while still in the military, resigning to take his seat as a U.S. representative and serving from 1863 to 1880. During this time he had an extramarital affair with a woman in  New York City. He later admitted the indiscretion and was forgiven by his wife. Becoming President In 1880, the Republicans nominated Garfield to run for president as a compromise candidate between conservatives and moderates. Conservative candidate Chester A. Arthur was nominated as vice president. Garfield was opposed by Democrat Winfield Hancock. Acting upon the advice of President Rutherford B. Hayes, Garfield shied away from actively campaigning, speaking to reporters and voters from his home in  Mentor, Ohio, in what was referred to as the first â€Å"front porch† campaign. He won 214 out of 369 electoral votes. Events and Accomplishments Garfield was in office for only six and a half months. He spent much of that time dealing with patronage issues. The one major issue that he faced was an investigation of whether mail route contracts were being awarded fraudulently, with tax money going to those involved. The investigation implicated members of his Republican Party, but Garfield didnt flinch from continuing. In the end, revelations from the incident, called the Star Route Scandal, resulted in important civil service reforms. Assassination On  July 2, 1881, Charles J. Guiteau, a mentally disturbed office seeker, shot  Garfield  in the back in the Washington, D.C., railroad station while he was on his way to a family vacation in  New England. The president lived until Sept. 19 of that year. Guiteau apparently was driven by politics, saying to police after he surrendered, Arthur is now president of the United States. He was convicted of murder and hanged on June 30, 1882. The cause of death was massive hemorrhaging and slow  blood poisoning, which was later described as being related more to the unsanitary way physicians treated the president than to the wounds themselves. Doctors of the time were unschooled in the role of hygiene in preventing infection. The standard procedure was to devote most of the treatment effort to removing the bullet, and a number of doctors repeatedly poked his wound in an unsuccessful search. Legacy Garfield served the second shortest presidential term in American history, topped only by the 31-day term of William Henry Harrison, the ninth president, who caught a cold that turned into fatal pneumonia. Garfield was buried in Lake View Cemetery in  Cleveland. Upon his death, Vice President Arthur became president. Because of Garfields brief time in office, he couldnt achieve much as president. But by allowing the investigation into the mail scandal to continue despite its effect on members of his own party, Garfield paved the way for civil service reform. He also was an early champion of the rights of African-Americans, believing that education was the best hope for improving their lives. In his inaugural address, he said: â€Å"The elevation of the Negro race from slavery to the full rights of citizenship is the most important political change we have known since the adoption of the Constitution of 1787. No thoughtful man can fail to appreciate its beneficent effect upon our institutions and people.†¦It has liberated the master as well as the slave from a relation which wronged and enfeebled both.† Garfields prolonged death is credited with helping to establish the American president as a celebrity. The public and the media of the day were described as being obsessed with  his lengthy passing, more so even than they had been with the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln 16 years before. Sources James Garfield. WhiteHouse.gov.James A. Garfield: President of the United States. Encyclopedia Brittanica.

Saturday, November 23, 2019

6 Tips to Boost Your Energy Levels While Writing a Paper

6 Tips to Boost Your Energy Levels While Writing a Paper 6 Tips to Boost Your Energy Levels While Writing a Paper One nationwide study found almost 40% of respondents admitting that workplace fatigue impacts negatively on their productivity. This is just as much a problem for college students as elsewhere, so it’s important to keep your energy levels high when writing a paper. There are lots of ways you can do this, including both quick-fixes and longer-term solutions. 1. Fuel Up Make sure to give your body the fuel it needs. While writing, this might include having snacks and a drink to hand as well as stopping to eat regular meals. More generally, eating a healthy, balanced diet can improve your overall energy levels. It’s also important to drink plenty of water during the day, not just coffee! 2. Have a Plan As well as planning your essay to ensure efficiency, having a regular work routine and taking a structured approach to the day can boost productivity in the long run. 3. Soak Up Some Sunshine Spending too much time indoors can leave you drained, partly due to a lack of vitamin D. Exposure to natural sunlight boosts your body’s vitamin D production, so getting outside regularly can help if you’re feeling run down. If youre not sure how to sunbathe, just copy this lemur. 4. Get Active Even in the short-term, getting up and going for a walk is a great way of refreshing if you’re struggling for energy while writing a paper. In the long-term, regular exercise has been shown to increase energy levels and reduce vulnerability to fatigue, so staying active will ensure you’re always at your best. 5. De-Stress Another common reason we feel run down is stress, which can lead to physical and mental exhaustion. It’s therefore important to know the symptoms of stress, as then you can take action before it affects your productivity. 6. Rest Easy (And Well) The amount of sleep you get also influences your energy levels and you may struggle to concentrate on your work if you don’t get enough. Eating healthily and exercising regularly will help, as will foregoing caffeine and electronic products (TV, computers, phones, etc.) immediately before bed. On another note, napping has been shown to enhance energy levels and concentration among students. So, if all else fails, a quick snooze may be just what the doctor ordered!

Thursday, November 21, 2019

American Civil War Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

American Civil War - Assignment Example The southerners wanted to crop their land into the newly acquired states so that they could extend their cotton fields. Acquiring new land meant that these people would require more slaves thus making Texas and other states slave states. Northern states wanted the new states from Mexico to be free states. This motion was moved in congress but was always opposed by the southern states because they had a higher representation in the senate. David Wilmot, the congressman of Pennyslavania, introduced the Wilmot Proviso of 1846, which advocated for mexican acquired states from to be free from slavery. The Wilmot Proviso was raised in the house of representatives. Its main aim was to raise funds to support peace negotiations to end the Mexican American War. The Wilmot Proviso was also supporting a bill by President James Polk to raise 2 million dollars to end the war. The intention of the Wilmont Proviso was to prevent slavery being introduced in the new Mexican states. The Wilmont Proviso was passed to the senate for approval, but was never approved. Some parts concerning the Proviso were passed. The Free Soil Party was also against the introduction of slavery in Texas and other states acquired from Mexico. This party was strong in the New York city and was mainly supported by the former anti-slave members of the Democratic Party. The Free Soil Party, which lasted between 1848 and 1852, argued that free soil and free people contributed better to the growth of the economy. California sought to be recognized as a free state in 1849. This was faced by opposition especially from the southern states that advocated by slaves providing cheap labour for their farms and working long hours. The request was also controversial because gold had been discovered in California and there was a Gold Rush. Henry Clay drafted the Compromise of 1850 that admitted California as one of the free states, and other territories such as Nevada, Utah, Arizona and New Mexico would not have slave ry any more. Another development in the Compromise of 1850 was the solution to the Texas border problem. Additionally, in Columbia, the slave trade that was practised in the area was abolished, but slavery was still permitted. The Compromise of 1850 increased the number of free states, causing an imbalance between the states supporting slavery and free states. This contributed to the American Civil War. 2 The Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 was created by the Senator of Illinois Stephen Douglas. This act, which involved two territories Kansas and Nebraska, allowed these territories to decide for themselves if they wanted to allow slavery in their land. This arrangement was against the Missouri Compromise of 1820 which did not allow slavery north of latitude 36 degrees 30’. Following the enactment of the Kansas-Nebraska Act, those supporting slavery and those against moved into the Kansas and Nebraska teritorries in order to affect the outcome of the elections. The first election since the passing of the Kansas-Nebraska Act was held. Those supporting pro-slavery won, but the election was nullified because of rigging. Other elections were held by the supporters of anti-slavery, but the rest refused to vote. This led to a war between the anti-slavery supporters and those supporting slavery. After the war, both parties established parallel governments within the territory and Kansas was not recognized as a state. In another election, the pro-slavery supporters won but again accused of cheating in the elections,

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Analysis of the Current and Future use of Internet Technologies in Essay

Analysis of the Current and Future use of Internet Technologies in Qatar Airways - Essay Example By encouraging passengers to book directly with the airline, substantial savings arise because airlines do not incur payments to travel agents and Global Distribution System Companies. Thus, Qatar Airways has tried to enable maximum interaction with passengers through its website, in addition to providing passengers with Internet and text messaging services on board its more modern aircrafts. Porter’s Five Forces Analysis suggests that competitive rivalry persists among airlines in the Middle East and Qatar Airways must offer the same level of service as Emirates Airlines, the leading airline brand in the region, for less. The infomediary model presented by Professor Michael Rappa assists in understanding the strategy for Qatar Airways, which must use incentive marketing and emphasise presentation of comprehensive information. The Flower of Service Model suggests that Qatar Airways must emphasise support for its core product of transporting passengers with services geared to provide information, consultation, hospitality, billing and payment together with order-taking and the handling of exceptions. Presently, Qatar Airways uses Internet technologies to support the previously mentioned services, but it is likely that in the future further support for passengers and their needs will be available as higher bandwidth networks become available and better interfacing w ith modern airports, including the new Doha airport, becomes available. Examination and analysis of the Qatar Airways website suggests that this website provides all passenger needs, except for assisting passengers to plan fully their trips. The Qatar Airways website ranks second only to the Emirates Airlines website among all regional airline websites because at present Qatar Airways cannot provide comprehensive service to passengers wanting to plan their trips in detail, possibly

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Gone with the Wind Essay Example for Free

Gone with the Wind Essay Gone with the Wind is a film based on Margaret Mitchell’s book with the same title. Tagged as one of the most memorable love stories in American history, Gone with the Wind is not only a story of love between Scarlett O’ Hara and Rhett Butler but is also a story of a woman’s struggle to keep her family alive through years of war. Set against the American Civil War, the film is mainly influenced by the events of that time. We get a glimpse of the social structures of the 1800’s and of the roles expected of women at that time. B. MEDIA The film, despite its historical background, is more of a dramatic manifestation rather than a documentary of the events during the American Civil War. Done in Technicolor, the film features theatrical music with a touch of country to go well with the Atlanta and Jonesboro settings. The music was mostly passively used in the background, segued to indicate change of scenes. However, there were some scenes when music was an integral part, enhancing the emotions and actions depicted in the film. Being a really old film, Gone with the Wind does not have the special effects that movies nowadays have. It is, however, effective in recreating the Civil War and making the viewers feel what it would have been like to be in that situation. Explosions and gunfire were used to reestablish the film’s setting. Shots were very conventional, using wide shots to establish a scene and close-ups to enhance emotional integrity. Gone with the Wind, featuring mostly Southern characters, includes a plethora of characters speaking with a Southern drawl. The language was mostly contemporary, with a few slang usages here and there. Hats off to the well-known actors such as Clark Gable (Rhett Butler), Vivien Leigh (Scarlett OHara), Leslie Howard (Ashley Wilkes), and Olivia de Havilland (Melanie Hamilton) for pulling off the characters originally designed by Margaret Mitchell. They were excellent actors and they gave life to characters recreated in this screenplay by Sidney Howard, though the story was flavorful enough that it can be portrayed by anyone with good acting skills. Featuring well-known actors, though, helped promote the film and possibly helped in raking in big money for the producer David O. Selznick. C. CONTENT The film offered abundant source of memorable scenes. In one of the earlier scenes, we see Mammy helping Scarlett get ready for the Wilkes’s barbeque party. Instead of a grumpy, complaining slave, Mammy seem to be in high spirits and just happy helping out the O’ Hara sisters. Though this highlights the sad social structure existent at the time of the movie, Mammy’s strong hold on Scarlett and her â€Å"don’t give me nonsense† approach to Scarlett’s usually hard-to-resist charms show how – despite the racial structure of the times – African-Americans play an integral role in the American household. However, in another scene, African-Americans were depicted in a negative way. When Melanie Hamilton was about to give birth, Prissy lets it slip that she is knowledgeable in midwifery. At a crucial point of the childbirth though, Prissy panics and admits, â€Å"Lawzy, we got to have a doctor. I don’t know nothin’ ‘bout birthin’ babies. † This is eye-catching in the sense that is ‘glorifies’ one of the stereotypes associated to African-Americans. The way Scarlett O’ Hara acts is also often a point of contention in the movie. Though shown as a strong woman who was able to carry her family through bad times, Scarlett was also shown to be clingy and desperate in most scenes. This was most apparent during the Wilkes’s party, when she choreographed the whole afternoon to catch Ashley’s attention. In all the scenes mentioned, the main issue revolved around racial, social, and cultural boundaries. The scenes depicted how far along societal rules were during the setting of the movie. Though often criticized for being too leaning on stereotypical portrayals, Gone with the Wind still is very much a picture of the truth of that existed back then. D. BIAS Victor Fleming, the credited director of Gone with the Wind, was mostly an action film director and had his first hand at romantic drama with the film in discussion. One cannot say, though, that whatever biases the film had been his â€Å"fault†. Gone with the Wind is mostly producer-driven and Fleming may only have marginal influence on the film’s outcome. And since the film was highly-based on the novel, the â€Å"biases† can be attributed to what Margaret Mitchell wrote. (Myrick 126) E. EFFECTIVENESS / HISTORICAL CONTEXT Though very different from films that most of us are used to nowadays, Gone with the Wind was very effective in evoking the emotions it aimed for. The combination of the restructuring of the Civil War and the powerful acting accounts for the film’s effectiveness. The combination of both – plus its basis on a historical fact – also points to why the film was very profitable. Every American knows of the horrors that the Civil War brought us and the film’s effective depiction of this point in history made everyone love the film more. All in all, the film – with its combination of a moving plot, powerful cast, and good filming – was worth a watch. Though mostly dramatic than historical, anyone who wants to relive the Civil War can give this movie a shot. WORKS CITED Myrick, Susan. White Columns in Hollywood: Reports from the GWTW Sets. Macon, Georgia: Mercer University Press, 1982.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

A Journey into the Soul in Heart of Darkness Essay -- Heart Darkness e

A Journey into the Soul in Heart of Darkness A picture is an abstract idea, brought into context to form something concrete. They are made up and created to give off some sort of feeling or mood, that one can relate too. The atmosphere helps determine what kind of mood the picture will take. Any author, of either a painting or piece of literature will set the mood by using their atmosphere to enhance the theme of their creation. In Heart of Darkness, Joseph Conrad uses mood and atmosphere to help create a portrait called, the journey into the soul. The journey to the soul is to find one's self. Atmosphere pervades the mood or spirit. The atmosphere aids in revealing the journey to find one's soul. The setting, "took in the forest, the creek, the mud, the river-seemed to beckon with a dishonoring flourish before the sunlit face of land a treacherous appeal to the lurking death, to the hidden evil, to the profound darkness of its heart." Conrad 54 Conrad does not even mention their exact location which is very peculiar. The main river was described in the form a snake. A snake can be looked at from many points of views, mythological, biblical, literal and metaphorically. The snake represents all the twists and turns and being able to find one's inner-self is very difficult and twisted. The snake represents some of the animal imagery in the novel. Perhaps this is a sign that the jungle is something living and not just an ordinary jungle. Literature's imagery helps to show the main idea th... ...sh off against the state of the reader. While reading the novel I was able to reflect on my own journey to the soul. Any reader can reflect and realize the inevitable. The journey is not a pleasant one, it is a very difficult task, where evil lurks in the smallest of places. These places could be anywhere including the soul and the soul is one of man's most unique qualities. It determines who we are and how we treat everyone surrounding our presence. In this universe people live and die but a soul is immortal and will undertake an eternity. Works Cited Conrad, Joseph.Heart of Darkness.Bantam Books:New York,1981. Resources for the Study of Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness.1998. Simon & Schuster.Webster's New World Dictionary.Macmillian:New York,1996.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Succubus Dreams CHAPTER 17

The next day was only a partial shift at work for me, but when I saw how busy things were, I suspected I'd have a hard time dragging myself away. Seth wasn't working in the caf? ¦, but I found a note on my desk. He'd apparently already been there earlier. Thetis – Have some errands to run, but I'd like to see you later. I miss you and don't like how we left things. Come on over later when you get the chance. I'll be home all night. Love, Seth I had some things of my own to take care of, and after reading his note, I suddenly wanted them done as soon as possible so that I could go see him. As I was about to leave, Maddie caught a hold of me and covertly led me into the history books. To my astonishment, she pushed down her shirt collar, baring her shoulder. â€Å"Whoa,† I joked. â€Å"Don't you think things are moving kind of fast?† â€Å"Look,† she whispered, pointing at the lacy bra strap that had been revealed. â€Å"It's red.† â€Å"That it is,† I agreed, still a little puzzled. â€Å"It's number one.† â€Å"What?† â€Å"My three adventurous things. I bought a red bra.† I stared in astonishment. â€Å"I thought†¦I thought you said my idea was ridiculous?† She averted her eyes. â€Å"I thought it was†¦but then, well†¦I heard about Seth. What happened to him. You were there, right?† My favorite topic. â€Å"Yeah, I was there.† â€Å"Didn't it freak you out? I mean†¦right there in front of you: life and death.† â€Å"Yeah. Kind of.† Shaking her head, she looked back up at me. â€Å"Hearing what happened to him just kind of shook me up. I told you it wasn't that easy to be adventurous, but suddenly I decided that maybe it was. I just had to take control.† I smiled. â€Å"With a red bra.† She flushed. â€Å"Hey! All your lingerie may be red and edible, but this is the first bra I've ever bought that isn't white or black.† I reined in my humor and gave her a genuinely pleased smile. â€Å"I'm proud of you, Maddie. I really am.† â€Å"Don't patronize me,† she warned. â€Å"I'm not. It looks great. You get matching underwear?† Now she really looked embarrassed. â€Å"A thong.† I repressed the urge to whistle. â€Å"Nice work, soldier.† She wandered off, back to the registers. Moments later, I felt an immortal signature and a touch on my shoulder. Spinning around, I found Tawny's enormous chest practically shoved into my face. I'd heard little from the succubus since I'd called to tell her she had a job at Simon's. Niphon's presence at the poker game had been the only indication that she still hadn't bagged a guy. â€Å"Georgina – † she wailed, lower lip trembling. â€Å"No, no,† I interrupted. I grabbed her arm and dragged her toward my office. â€Å"Not here.† I managed to close the door just before she burst into tears. I groaned. â€Å"Now what's happened?† â€Å"I met a guy last night.† She flounced into my chair, and it was a wonder her breasts didn't hit her in the face. I leaned against the wall, crossing my arms over my own chest in a sort of protective gesture. â€Å"Okay†¦that's not a bad thing.† She swallowed a sob, and it was all I could do not to clean up the mascara smudges on her face. Honestly, how much did that woman wear? â€Å"We had a great time†¦had drinks and talked and all that.† â€Å"That's not a bad thing either.† She shook her head. â€Å"But at the end of the night, he told me he just wanted to be friends.† â€Å"He – wait. You got the friends line from someone you just met?† Tawny nodded. â€Å"What did you say to him? Like†¦did you proposition him?† â€Å"Yeah†¦I asked him if he wanted to meet me in the bathroom and try out this edible mint chocolate warming gel I have.† â€Å"You – what?† Tawny reached into her purse and started to pull out a tube of something. I waved her off. â€Å"No, no. I don't need to see it.† â€Å"What went wrong?† she cried. â€Å"Well†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I wasn't sure if I should laugh or weep. Tawny was never going to pull this off. Never. â€Å"You might have come on too strong. And honestly†¦that gel thing? That's just weird.† â€Å"I thought guys were into that kind of thing.† â€Å"Some are†¦but, I don't know. What kind of guy is he? What's he do for a living?† â€Å"He's a cashier.† â€Å"Hmm. Okay. That's not too bad.† â€Å"Over at Blessed Images.† â€Å"Over at – you propositioned a guy who works at a religious supply store?† I exclaimed. â€Å"I wanted a good one,† she told me. â€Å"There's no better place.† â€Å"Oh my God. Tawny†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I didn't even know where to start. There were so many nuances to seduction, so many tactics and strategies. She didn't know any of them, and seriously, I didn't even know if she could learn. â€Å"I got you the strip club job†¦why are you trolling religious supply stores? Guys should just be coming up to you after your sets.† Something troubling occurred to me. â€Å"You do still have the job, don't you?† I believed Simon would stick to his word, but one never knew for sure with his type. â€Å"Yeah†¦Ã¢â‚¬  she mumbled. â€Å"But those guys aren't – â€Å" â€Å"For the last time! Forget the good ones. You can't afford to be choosy.† I studied her. She was clearly low on energy again. Frowning, I recalled my date with Liam. â€Å"So†¦Tawny†¦things really didn't work out with Nick the auctioneer?† She took a tissue from the box on my desk and blew her nose loudly. â€Å"Nope. I told you. I called, and he said he wasn't interested.† I was good at reading people, very good. It was, well, what made me a star succubus. And looking into those teary blue eyes, I searched for some sign of deceit. Any sign. I found nothing. So who was lying? Tawny or Liam? And why would either one of them lie? Liam had no reason to – not about Tawny. Tawny, I supposed, could be in league with Niphon. Maybe he wanted to prolong things simply to annoy me. That was a dangerous game for both of them. His animosity couldn't be strong enough to risk pissing off Jerome. And I knew Jerome would be pissed off if he found out Tawny's orientation was being used for ulterior motives. There was also the fact that Tawny's energy had shown no post-sex glamour the day after Liam saw her and Nick together. She hadn't gotten any. That was my only hard evidence in all of this. All of these thoughts flitted through my mind in a heartbeat. If Tawny really was pulling a poker face on me, she'd soon learn that she wasn't the only one who could do it. Keeping my expression exasperated and unsuspecting, I said, â€Å"Tawny†¦I†¦I just don't get this. Any of this.† â€Å"That's it?† she asked. â€Å"You're my mentor, and that's all you've got for me?† â€Å"I got you the job! I don't know what else to do. Maybe we can go out together and†¦God help me†¦do a three-some or something.† I could imagine few things more horrible than that, but these were desperate times. The expression on Tawny's face showed similar sentiments. â€Å"I don't know about that,† she said. â€Å"I don't think I really do that.† I rolled my eyes. â€Å"In another century or so, you'll find you do everything.† She blew her nose again. â€Å"Well†¦I want to keep trying on my own before anything like that. Until then†¦do you think†¦do you think you could†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Could what?† â€Å"You know.† â€Å"No, I really don't.† From her, a request could be anything. Tawny gulped. â€Å"The kissing thing again.† â€Å"No! I told you that was a one-time deal.† â€Å"But†¦but†¦I'm so low†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She burst into tears again. And yeah, she was low on energy. Really low. By tomorrow morning, she could be in danger of losing her shape again. Fuck. This wasn't possible. I had to be getting played here, but why and how? Was all this hassle worth it to Niphon, just to keep irritating me? Fuck. â€Å"This is the last time,† I growled. She stopped mid-sob. â€Å"Really?† I sighed. â€Å"Come here.† With a sense of dread, I kissed her again. My discomfort had less to do with the act of kissing her than it did with me realizing I'd just pushed myself into dangerous energy limits. I was the one who'd need a fix before morning now. And if I got an energy fix, it was likely my dream stalker would return†¦. With the influx of life, Tawny was able to shape-shift away her disheveled appearance. â€Å"Thanks, Georgina! You're the best!† She started to hug me, and I jerked away. â€Å"Just go out and get laid, okay?† Doug stuck his head in just then, asking for my help. He didn't seem to have heard my charge to battle, thankfully. His eyes widened when he saw Tawny. I shooed her out, warning her not to forget what we'd talked about. â€Å"Is she single?† he asked, watching her walk away. Her pleather pants were riding up. â€Å"Yeah,† I said. â€Å"Very. But she's high maintenance.† After I finished my survey of the bookstore, I went off to take care of assorted errands. When I finally made it to Seth's place, I found him lying lengthwise on his couch, laptop open as usual. He sat up and closed it when I stepped inside. â€Å"Hey, Thetis,† he said. â€Å"Hey,† I said. I sat down beside him, and silence fell as we regarded each other. The air between us wasn't angry, but it wasn't bursting with love either. It was speculative. We were sizing each other up. He reached into the V-neck collar of my sweater, and I flinched. Then, I felt his fingers brush by the chain I'd been wearing his ring on. He pulled the ring out and ran his fingertips over the dolphin. â€Å"Around your neck, huh? What is this, high school?† â€Å"Might as well be,† I said, â€Å"seeing as how we haven't even made it to second base yet.† He smiled and released the ring, moving his fingers up to my cheek. â€Å"Yes, we have.† He sighed. â€Å"We sure do seem to be fighting a lot lately, huh?† â€Å"Yeah.† I settled back into the couch's softness. â€Å"It's not even about sex anymore.† â€Å"I noticed that. It's boring stuff, actually.† â€Å"Boring?† He shrugged. â€Å"You know. Typical relationship stuff. Spending time with each other. Trust. Communication. Love isn't always about grand forces of the universe keeping us apart.† Unless, I thought, you considered the difference in length between a mortal life and an immortal one. I didn't know why Seth's lifespan was bothering me lately. I'd understood the complications on an intellectual level when we'd first started dating, but I hadn't really had such visceral reactions until recently. Him getting shot hadn't helped, I supposed. And speaking of which†¦ â€Å"I never thanked you,† I told him. â€Å"For what?† â€Å"For risking your life for mine.† â€Å"But you can't di – â€Å" â€Å"Yeah, yeah. We've already established that, like, a hundred times. And the wisdom – or lack thereof – of your actions aside, it was sweet and brave and†¦and, well, thank you.† Seth moved his hand over mine and squeezed it. â€Å"There's nothing to thank me for.† I stood up. â€Å"Well, now that we've got the sentimental stuff out of the way, let's get down to business. Take off your clothes.† Seth started. â€Å"Wai – what?† â€Å"Well,† I amended, â€Å"except for your boxers.† â€Å"Are we going to second base after all?† â€Å"Just do it.† While he stripped, I gathered some things from his kitchen, as well as from a tote bag I'd brought. When I returned to the living room, he was sitting in the center of the couch in boxers only. They were soft gray flannel. Adorable. I sat down on the floor in front of him, moving a bowl of warm water beside me. After dipping a washcloth into the water, I slowly began rubbing it over his feet. Seth was quiet for several moments. Then: â€Å"You getting Biblical on me? Didn't somebody wash Jesus' feet?† I rewet the cloth and began moving up one of his legs. â€Å"Don't worry,† I told him. â€Å"I don't expect you to turn this water into wine. At least not until I'm done.† I moved the washcloth over Seth's calf. It was leanly muscled, covered in tawny brown hair. â€Å"The foot washing tradition is bigger than the Bible. You find it everywhere, long before New Testament times, in lots of other cultures. Kings. Generals. They all got this treatment.† â€Å"You wash a lot of kings' and generals' feet?† he teased. â€Å"Yeah, actually.† â€Å"Oh. Well. I don't think I'm really in that league.† I smiled and moved on to the other calf. â€Å"Not true. Poets and bards used to have as much prestige as kings. Lots of them got this too.† â€Å"I miss the good old days. Now we're lucky if we get paid.† I washed his thigh, careful to avoid the bandaged wound. â€Å"Yeah, true. But people also don't threaten to behead you if they don't like what you wrote.† â€Å"You obviously haven't read some of my reviews.† â€Å"I only read the good ones.† I finished both legs and dropped the washcloth into the water. I scooted the bowl away. Seth started to get up, but I shooed him back down. â€Å"Nope. Not finished.† I reached for a bottle of massage oil I'd brought and poured some on my hands. It smelled like almonds. â€Å"That was just to get you clean.† With as much deliberation as I'd performed the washing, I massaged the oil into his skin, starting with his feet once again. Washing can be sensual, but rubbing someone with oil is doubly so. Triple, even. The light banter faded between us. Seth simply watched, wonder and arousal on his face as I worked my way up. And as I met his gaze, I saw more than just those feelings. The love in his eyes was so powerful, I needed to look away. Seth had an amazing grasp of the English language, but there were days when that skill was nothing compared to what he told me in his looks. When I finished his legs, I climbed up behind him on the couch and worked on his back and chest too. I'd been giving massages almost as long as I'd been dancing. I knew exactly what to do, knew where all the muscle groups were and how to unkink them. Seth had a lot of stiffness and knots in his back, either from bad laptop posture or stress. Maybe both. At last, the job was complete. Heedless of oil on me or the couch, he leaned back and pulled me to his chest. My cheek rested on his smooth, slick skin, and the scent of almond and Seth enveloped me. â€Å"Ah, Georgina,† he sighed. â€Å"I wish I could return that.† â€Å"I'll just pretend you did.† He sighed again. â€Å"I hate the pretending.† â€Å"Yeah.† â€Å"I mean it. Really hate it.† The vehemence in his voice startled me. I lifted my head up. â€Å"You okay?† â€Å"Yeah†¦I'm just†¦I don't know.† He shook his head. â€Å"Frustrated, I guess.† â€Å"Sexually frustrated?† â€Å"Sure†¦but it's more than that. Do you ever think about us†¦just, you know, doing it maybe once?† â€Å"No,† I said immediately. â€Å"Absolutely not.† â€Å"I'd take the risk.† â€Å"The shooting addled your brain. You've always been the strong one, remember?† â€Å"The shooting's made me think about what life means, that's all.† He sounded just like Maddie. How could such a foolish gesture on his part be inspiring so many people? Was I too jaded? Could I no longer relate to humans? â€Å"And I mean, I can't even reciprocate a simple massage. You perform all the time for me†¦but what do you get? You must be the one who's sexually frustrated. The stuff you do on the side†¦well, that doesn't matter. Sometimes I think Hugh was right. You do suffer more than me.† â€Å"No, I don't. The sex stuff bugs me, but I can handle it.† â€Å"I hope I can,† said Seth. â€Å"When I was in the hospital, I had this weird moment where I started thinking about how I write about all these action-packed things but don't live any of it. O'Neill has dozens of great romances, but me? I can't even have one.† â€Å"It sucks,† I agreed. â€Å"But with the risks†¦well. We know this is how it has to be.† â€Å"What about the rest?† â€Å"Hmm?† Seth shifted slightly so that he could look into my face. â€Å"Do you really think about me dying? Do you worry about me?† â€Å"Sometimes.† â€Å"Am I going to cause you pain in the end?† â€Å"No,† I said breezily. â€Å"Of course not.† He pulled me back to his chest. â€Å"I love you, Georgina. You give me more joy than I ever expected to find in this life. I want to be with you†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He ran a hand through my hair, tangling it in his fingers. â€Å"But not if it's going to do more harm than good. I don't want you to hurt. I don't want you to spend the rest of my life worrying about my body and my soul. I don't want you to cry when I'm gone.† A lump formed in my throat, and I thought I might actually start crying then and there. There was something in his voice, a strange and ominous note that scared me for reasons I couldn't entirely explain. I dug my fingers into his skin and pressed myself closer to him. â€Å"No more,† I whispered. â€Å"I don't want to talk about this anymore. It isn't relevant.† Seth tightened his grip on me and didn't respond. We went to bed after that, speaking little. He snuggled against me, resting his head on my chest. I ran my fingers through his hair, taking in his scent and his feel. As he slipped into sleep, I thought about what he'd said about what puts meaning into life. I thought about wanting and needing. And what I needed right then was energy. Tawny'd wiped me out, and there was no way I was going to start shifting back to the body I'd been born with. Still touching Seth's hair, I thought how easy it would be to just lean down and kiss him. Really kiss him. And kiss him and kiss him†¦ Wanting and needing. Regretfully, I slipped out of bed. Seth was a heavy sleeper and simply rolled to his side, never coming close to waking. With a wistful look, I left the condo and used my last bit of energy to put on a different shape. Finding a victim wasn't hard – further reinforcing how absurd the whole Tawny thing was – and in less than two hours, I was back in bed with Seth and recharged. That creepy voice didn't speak to me, for which I was grateful. Sad but sated, I fell asleep. And I dreamed.

Sunday, November 10, 2019

SWOT Analysis of Tesco in UK

Tesco’s reputation for low cost products, can gain fair-trade cotton clothing substantial market share in the UK. Tesco’s growth in the insurance sector provides financial strength to Tesco in UK. Another important factor is the increasing growth of online sales and fair-trade cotton clothing could be included in these sales. The Brand recognition of Tesco in UK is an important strength and will help fair-trade cotton clothing. Weaknesses: The weaknesses of Tesco are that it is still largely dependent on UK for its sales. it is doubtful if it will support fair-trade cotton clothing objectives. The business model that Tesco is using is suitable for UK and not for the rest of the world. Even though Tesco sales are growing from low priced items there is fall in sale of non-essential and high priced products. If fair-trade cotton clothing are perceived as non-essential, its sales objectives will not be achieved. Tesco has suffered from bad debt, credit card arrears and household insurance claims. This is financially debilitating. Opportunities: Tesco can exercise a high degree of buying power to ensure that it has economies of scale in its fair-trade cotton clothing line. The growth opportunities n Europe and Asia provides excellent opportunities for growth. Most importantly, the growth of online sales shows excellent opportunity for increasing the sales of Tesco. Threats: Increasing fair-trade cotton clothing prices can lead to lower sales and lower profits for Tesco. Change in consumer buying patterns n the UK because of change in technology can lead to loss of customers in UK. SWOT Analysis of Tesco in Germany: Strengths; The Tesco brand recognition gives it a good start for fair-trade cotton clothing in Germany. The Germans are known to avoid uncertainness, ambiguity and unquantifiable risk. In case of Tesco they are buying from a well recognized brand. The brand value of Tesco will work very well in Germany. Further, the global market place recognition of â€Å"Retailer of the Year 2008† provides substantiation to the German customer about fair-trade cotton clothing. Weaknesses: German financial industry is very circumspect and will consider the debt of Tesco in the UK before it gives finance for store expansion for fair-trade cotton clothing in Germany. The reputation of Tesco for acquiring competing store chains may also be held against the company in Germany. Acquisition is a risky move, and Germans are averse to risk. Opportunities: Fair-trade cotton clothing in Germany has good opportunity because it has the endorsement of Tesco brand; it has the marketing channels of Tesco, and the backing of an excellent product mix. If fair-trade cotton clothing offers a good product for money it will get a good reception in Germany. Threats: The low priced fair-trade cotton clothing could lead to price wars. In addition, there can be low profitability because of competitive moves for Tesco. Finally, international competitors like Wal-Mart could add a cotton line in Germany to compete with Tesco.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Classical Decomposition Model essays

Classical Decomposition Model essays Classical Decomposition Method for Calloway Golf (1995-1999) For this paper I have gathered quarterly data on the sales of Calloway Golf Company from 1995 to the third quarter of 1999,and will attempt to fit a time series model using the Classical Decomposition Method, which uses a multifactor model shown below: Yt = actual value of the time series at time t The trend component (T) in a time series is the long-run general movement caused by long-term economic, demographic, weather and technological movements. The cyclical component (C) is an influence of about three to nine years caused by economic, demographic, weather, and technological changes in an industry or economy. The seasonal variations (S) are the result of weather and man-made conventions such as holidays. These can occur every year, month week, or 24 hours. The error term (e) is simply the residual component of a time series that is not explained by T, C, and S. There are two general types of decomposition models that can be used. They are the additive and multiplicative decomposition models. Multiplicative: Y = T * C * S * e As you can see above the type of seasonality can be determined by looking at the plot of the data. The determination of whether seasonal influences are additive or multiplicative is usually evident from the plot of the data, but this is not the case with the data for Calloway as you can see from the first graph of the quarterly sales. While it is my pretension that the seasonal influences for Calloway are multiplicative, I will use both methods and compare the two models to determine which is a better fit for the quarterly data for Calloway Golf. In the multiplicative decomposition model, which is the most frequently used model, Y is a product of the four components, T, C, S, and e. C and S are indexes that are proportions centered on 1. Only the trend, T, is measured in the same ...

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

Forbes Editorial Calendar 5 Lessons For Yearly Blog Planning

Forbes Editorial Calendar 5 Lessons For Yearly Blog Planning While doing some keyword research one day for the blog, I noticed that the term Forbes editorial calendar’ was holding an unusually high ranking. What gives? Were there really that many people looking for the Forbes editorial calendar? The Forbes #EditorialCalendar: 5 Lessons That Will Make You Better At Blog Planning Curious, I did a search on my own. This is what I found: What’s so great about that, I thought? At face value, it doesn’t look like much. With a publication the size of Forbes, it isn’t much of a surprise that they plan so far in advance. But maybe there is more to it than that. What can we learn from the giants at Forbes about yearly content marketing and blog planning? Should we be doing yearly planning for our own blogs?  Here are five lessons that I learned: Lesson #1: Forbes Isn’t The Only One Who Is Pre-Planning The pre-planning and pre-publishing of the yearly editorial calendar  isn’t a new, or unique, practice. Time, Inc,  and Vogue  all have publicly available editorial calendars right on their website. Why? For most publications, the reasons are actually very business focused, rather than content focused. Most editorial calendars are found within the â€Å"media kit† section of the website, meaning that most publications see them as tools for selling magazine advertising. Simple enough, but what about the content planning implications? Recommended Reading: How Planning Your Blog Content Can Help You Get More Done 15 Tips For Planning Successful Social Media Events How To Run The Perfect Content Planning Meeting Lesson #2:  A Yearly Editorial Calendar Makes Sense There is value in taking a look at your content planning from a yearly perspective. In our own editorial calendar training, we advocate both yearly and monthly planning for most bloggers using an editorial calendar process. The idea is simple:  When you force yourself to start at the highest level and work your way down through the food chain (yearly to monthly planning), you see everything from a grand perspective and consider each detail along the way. Ask any painter–there is big value in starting with a broad brush before honing in on the details. When you see a year’s worth of content all at once, you are free to think about the big picture, without getting too focused on the individual details. This lets you create the overarching themes that your smaller (or monthly) blog posts will fit into the whole plan. Some common topics you might place on a yearly editorial calendar are: Advertising Campaigns Key Industry Events Global/National Holidays Product Launches Commemorative Months The goal shouldn’t be to load the calendar up with things to cover, or individual posts. Rather, you should be looking to find overarching content themes that will fit your content for a certain period of time. Like Forbes, it might be advisable to only select one topic/theme per month. Tip: When using a yearly planning calendar, there can be a temptation to get â€Å"locked-in† on a certain topic/theme. Resist the urge. Just because you have a selected a theme, it doesn’t mean every post has to fit. Like a traditional magazine, perhaps only 30-40% of the articles will follow the theme directly. For you, this could be equivalent to a single post each week. In a magazine, only 30-40% of the articles follow the theme directly.Lesson #3: Even Small Teams Can Benefit From A Yearly Content Plan There’s an old story about a traveler who came across three bricklayers on a scaffold. The traveler asked the first one, "What are you doing?" The first responded, "I'm earning a wage." The traveler then asked the second one, "What are you doing?" The second responded, "I'm building a wall." They are doing the same work, but which of the two is laying the better brick? The traveler then asked the third one, "What are you doing?" The third responded, "I am building a cathedral.† The lesson here is very clear- we can all benefit from understanding the bigger picture, even content teams. Good Questions To Ask Yourself: Where is this blog going? What is the larger goal? How are we achieving this plan? It's common knowledge that a team who communicates the big picture works better together. A yearly calendar should help this big-picture thinking develop within your team. All organizations start with WHY, but only the great ones keep their WHY clear year after year. Those who forget WHY they were founded show up to the race every day to outdo someone else instead of to outdo themselves. The pursuit, for those who lose sight of WHY they are running the race, is for the medal or to beat someone else. ― Simon Sinek, Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action You might be surprised at how much big picture thinking comes out as you and your team develop your yearly editorial calendar, especially if you make it a regular part of your content planning meetings. Recommended Reading: 10 Easy Blog Post Ideas To Fill Up Your Editorial Calendar How To Kill Your Editorial Calendar And Watch Your Blog Die How To Quadruple Your Traffic With A Social Media Editorial Calendar Lesson #4: Let The Details Come Together Later The enemy of the blogger is the blank WYSIWYG editor. #blogging #contentmarketingWhen you sit down to write a blog post what usually happens? You start thinking about the individual details of that post. What will this post be about? What should I use as a headline? What will my outline be? These are important questions, but how do they play into our overall content strategy? Jumping into the details too quickly will prevent you from considering the bigger picture. Follow these steps for too long and you’ll end up without a bigger picture at all. Yearly content planning forces us to make those "big picture† decisions early when they are simple and easy to do. It’s about starting at the high level and working our way down. Choosing a monthly theme (or two) is not difficult. When it comes to planning out your posts for the month, the broad theme should make individual topic selection easier than ever before. Now, you at least have a framework for making those decisions. All you have to worry about are the details when writing the post. Put the big decisions first and that will always make the detailed decisions come easier in the end. Lesson #5: Painting With Broad Strokes Helps Your Audience Making your life easier is one thing, but how will a yearly editorial calendar impact your audience? If all goes well, planning for a year should boost your audience and grow your blog. With a yearly schedule, your audience will become more likely to connect with your content. There are a few simple reasons why this is so. 1. Relevant And Timely Content As you connect your content to the larger trends like the Forbes editorial calendar does, you will help your content become more relevant with what is going on at the time. A good example of this is a simple holiday post that I wrote for Thanksgiving a few years ago. Because we planned ahead  and pushed for an emphasis on Thanksgiving, I was able to have a detailed post ready to go when Thanksgiving came around. My post was featured on the homepage of a prominent social media blog exclusively because I was taking advantage of a current trend. Sure, the post only lasted a day or two, but it drove big traffic in the mean time. Yearly planning made the difference on that post. 2. Delve Deeper Into Topics Yearly planning should also allow you to think deeply about the themes and topic categories that matter most to your audience in a new way. This can even be used to reach out to different segments of your audience in a strategic method. For example, on this blog we occasionally rotate between writing posts for â€Å"bloggers† and writing them for â€Å"content marketers† and "editors". While they all have similarities, they really are distinct groups with unique challenges and topics to cover. By focusing on a single topic theme, we're able to reach a specific audience more directly, and build their trust in our content faster than ever before. Recommended Reading: How To Set Deadlines And Processes To Make You (And Your Team) More Efficient This Is What Happens When You Ask 12 Blog Editors About Increasing Productivity How To Actually Plan Your Blog And Save A Lot Of Time Starting Your Yearly Editorial Calendar I know what you’re thinking: This yearly editorial calendar thing won’t be so bad. Here at , we have a set of free paper editorial calendar templates that can help you start the habit of using an editorial calendar to plan your content marketing. This includes a handy template for planning out your yearly calendar. You can download them here. Of course, itself is an excellent way to set up your monthly calendar and comes with a 14-day free trial. Just saying! :) Subject To Change I’ve warned you before about the hazards that come when you plan too far ahead. This hasn’t changed, and it shouldn’t. Even the Forbes editorial calendar makes room for changes when needed. A plan doesn’t mean you can’t change your mind every once and awhile. In fact, it is probably dangerous not to. The key is to use the yearly calendar for what it does best- getting you through the big-picture strategic thinking. As you work the plan month by month, make adjustments and respond to changes in your plan. Nothing can substitute keeping your finger on the pulse of your own strategy. Plan ahead, but never let things go into autopilot.

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Tort law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Tort law - Essay Example Thus, this essay will support the notion that corrective justice and providing compensation should be priorities of the law rather than raising protection for public authorities. In considering these issues, one should consider some cases that have clarified these arguments. Firstly: the case of Smith v Ministry of Defense, which deals with claims brought against the Ministry of Defense on the basis of negligence for failing to protect the soldiers involved in a friendly fire by failing to provide them with safe vehicles and equipment for patrolling. The allegations also involved the alleged breach of Article 2 of the ECHR that gives the right to protection of human life. On the other hand, the defendants claimed that they should not be held liable for the incidents that occurred based on the concept of â€Å"combat immunity† which encompasses that â€Å"There is no common law liability for negligence in respect of acts or omissions which occur during combat operations against the enemy and there is no duty to establish a safe system of work during such operations, whether those issues are analyzed from the perspective of combat immunity or under the fair, just and reasonable test. The principle of combat immunity exists because the court cannot realistically or reasonably be required to resolve whether injuries suffered by soldiers could have been avoided by different tactics and if so how to apportion blame.† Nonetheless, the Supreme Court did not agree with the defendants’ arguments and found that the negligence that occurred in this case fell outside the scope of combat immunity. Thus, it was held that it was â€Å"fair, just, and reasonable`’ for the Ministry of Defense to be held liable for such acts of negligence. The ministry of Defense failed on their part to give the soldiers the needed training and equipments and so breached their duty of care against article 2 ECHR1. The soldiers are employees who