Comparison between The Iliad and The Women of Troy Essay

The Iliad by Homer and the Women of Troy by Euripides are both Greek works of literature that look at the Trojan War from different perspectives. Book 6 of the Iliad illustrates that the ultimate glory is to fight for the city with no regard to the impact on the family. The Women of Troy focuses on the negatives that war causes, especially towards the soldier’s wives and children. Whereas the Iliad focuses on the battle itself and centers on the warriors, the Women of Troy focuses on the wrath the war brings upon the families left behind. The central theme in both the works is the Trojan War and they both offer perspectives of the duty of a person, the role of predetermined fate, and the role of women. Homer’s Iliad focuses†¦show more content†¦In contrast, the Women of Troy focuses mainly on the negatives of war especially as they affect the dependents of the soldiers. The emphasis is on the wrath the war brings on the dependents of the defeated army. The focus of the Women of Troy is the suffering of these helpless human beings who are enslaved, raped or assigned to be concubines. The Women of Troy illustrates how the women are treated just like objects once their city fell and their army lost. The women are â€Å"assigned by lottery as slaves to various Greeks –Arcadians, Thessalians, or Athenians† Even the priestess Cassandra who had taken an oath of life long virginity is forced to be King Agamemnon’s concubine. Another prominent woman, princess Polyxena is beheaded and the queen Hecabe is assigned to be a slave of Odysseus. The subjects of the Women of Troy are not the war heroes but their helpless wives; the primary focus is no t on the celebration of the glorious fight of individual soldiers but on the utter desperation of their wives and children. Hecabe’s words in the Women of Troy captures this helplessness when she says, â€Å"My virgin daughters †¦ Given to our enemies† as well as â€Å"In my old age shall go to Hellas as a slave†. The role of women in society is another area in which these two Greek works offer different perspectives. In theShow MoreRelatedThe Role Of Women And Their Influence On The War1446 Words   |  6 Pagesanother vital component in The Iliad is the role of women and their influence on the war and their association with different characters. Scholar Mary R. Lefkowitz, disputes that ladies had some freedom and were under the supervisions of man. The scholar inscribes: In the Homeric epics, women seem to have little independence; they were always under the guardianship of a man, whether a husband, father, or even a son. Wives must live in their husband’s cities; women like Chryseis or Briseis, who haveRead MoreThe Role Of Women And Their Effect On The War1458 Words   |  6 PagesNevertheless, another important element in The Iliad is the role of women and their effect on the war and their relationship with other characters. Scholar Mary R. Lefkowitz, argues that women had some independence and were under the supervisions of man. The scholar writes: In the Homeric epics women seem to have little independence; they were always under the guardianship of a man, whether a husband, father, or even a son. Wives must live in their husband’s cities; women like Chryseis or Briseis, who have beenRead MoreAnalysis Of Homer s The Iliad 966 Words   |  4 Pagestale, The Iliad. With action packed battles, heroes and mighty gods, these tales that are so incredibly detailed that the reader can picture the battles like they were happening right in front of them. The Iliad’s legends are so infamous that even after hundreds of years they are still being told in the 21st century. Between the fighting and the glory however, there are scenes with the hero’s wives and families pleading with their loved ones to cut these stories short. If the hero of Troy, Hector,Read MoreTroy By Wolfgang Petersen And Homer s Historic Epic Iliad1828 Words   |  8 PagesThe 2004 film Troy by Wolfgang Petersen and Homer’s historic epic Il iad both center on the Trojan War between the Achaeans and the Trojans, but with two distinct differences in coverage. During Homer’s era, these heroes, the great Achilles and Hector, were known to all, but in modern times they are not as prevalent and thus both artists needed to adapt their approach to this tale. Homer’s Iliad delves into the ninth year of strife with Achilles and Agamemnon‘s quarrel in full effect and the GreeksRead MoreTroy Versus Homers Illiad2234 Words   |  9 PagesTROY VS HOMERS ILIAD (A comparison between the two with a mix of movie reviewing) by Amber Shepherd When comparing the movie Troy, directed by Wolfgang Petterson, and The Iliad, written by Greek poet Homer we can clearly see that although Petterson has made an excellent film he has clearly left out certain aspects of the Iliad which really define the story. Both versions portray the Trojan War between Greece and Troy, Achilles killing Hector and King Priam visiting Achilles to ask for the bodyRead MoreHonor And Glory By Homer1574 Words   |  7 Pagestakes the lives of many men. Honor and Glory are what define the hero in the epic poem, The Iliad, written by Homer. Throughout the Iliad, honor and glory is the motivation behind the characters, there are different ways to obtain honor and glory, and the different views of honor throughout the epic poem. The idea of honor and glory are essential to understanding the motivation behind the characters in the Iliad. Glory was gained by the heroic actions and deeds. The best opportunity to gain honor wasRead MoreIliad Paper On Achilles And Agamemnon1182 Words   |  5 PagesIliad paper Achilles and Agamemnon are different and similar at the same time in The Iliad. The Iliad is an epic poem which was written by Homer that talks about the Trojan War between Greek and its allies and the Trojans as the result of Trojan prince Paris seduces the Spartan queen Helen, the wife of Menelaus, who is the brother of Greek king Agamemnon, the war lasts continually for many years. The Iliad not only includes the description of warriors, women, and war, but also emphasize the interferenceRead MoreCritical Analysis Of The Iliad1714 Words   |  7 PagesHomer’s Iliad is an epic tale that spans centuries. The story covers intense battles in which the Greeks take on the Trojans. Homer does a fantastic job of bringing the poem to life and uses the gods to show the scale of the tale. While the poem is well written and grabs the reader’s attention, upon further analysis one can conclude that there is a serious problem concerning the tension between personal desire and rati onal ethical thinking. Throughout the book this conflict appears time and timeRead MoreThe Iliad And The Odyssey1599 Words   |  7 PagesIn The Iliad and The Odyssey, Homer has different portrayals of the roles that women play in each epic. These differences are so striking that some readers have even argued that there is a possibility that a woman could have created The Odyssey, modeled after Homer’s Iliad. In The Iliad we see women represented as war prizes and slaves, vulnerabilities to men, and in positions of limited power. In The Odyssey however, we see women capturing men and keeping them as prizes, rising from a status ofRead MoreExamining Family Relationships in Literature: Examining Antigone, The Odyssey, and The Iliad880 Words   |  4 Pagesparental influence. We’ve seen the defiance of rulers, the mimicking actions of father and son, the comparison of siblings, and the rebellion of a son. Within the play Antigone, we see a relationship that tests the strength of ones personal convictions. We quickly learn that the dominant figure is a catalyst to her flawed characteristics. During this time, the cultural bias insinuated that women were the weaker sex and they were immediately given the title of inferior within any relationship

Literature Review Risk Perception - 1709 Words

CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW Risk Perception In behavioral and cognitive psychology, it is widely recognized that humans are not always rational decision makers. Even when humans learn of new, relevant information, it is difficult to predict how that information will in turn affect decisions and behaviors. Previous studies have concluded that there is no significant relationship between sexual knowledge and safe sex. One notion that is an antecedent to adopting protective behavior is risk perception. Risk perception is a subjective judgment, and in situations where the risk is high enough, an individual will perhaps change his or her behavior. Thus, in terms of condom use, people will use condoms if the costs of potential illness†¦show more content†¦To assess the optimistic bias in risk perception, the researchers asked participants to estimate their own risk, in addition to the risk of others, and consistent with the theory, the results showed that participants judged their own risk lower than the average risk. Implications for this in terms of HIV/AIDS would be that this cognitive bias could cloud people’s judgment and make it difficult to recognize that a future infection can be avoided entirely if appropriate preventative measures are taken in the present. Additionally, the literature offers two more potential factors underlying underestimation of risk. The first is the idea of adolescent invulnerability, in that adolescents inherently understate their own risk in comparison to not only adults, but also their peers in their communities. - Second, the authors explore the idea that admitting to being at risk of HIV means admitting to place oneself in the category of a stigmatized person. - In South Africa, HIV/AIDS carries a huge stigma and is often associated with homosexuality and prostitution. Adolescents are at an age where they are uncertain about their identities, and having to come to terms with the fact that they are high-risk individuals may lead ado lescents to assume that others perceive them and associate them with a stigmatized person. This could potentially be problematic, as risk perception is oftenShow MoreRelatedKnowledge and Perception of Parents Towards Risk of Obesity in Their Preschool Children: Literature Review1308 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿Literature Knowledge and perception of parents towards risk of obesity in their preschool children Student Id: Contents Literature Review 1 Barriers that parents encounter over the choice of food for their preschool child 2 Parental concerns in engaging their preschool child in physical activities 3 References 5 Appendix 6 Literature Review A major health concern of parents today is the obesity problem in children. It has been seen globally that obesity problems are increasingRead MoreLiterature Review On Drinking Fountains1734 Words   |  7 Pages1.7 REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE Immersive research on drinking fountains especially in our 21st century society with diverse cultural behavior created different studies conducting different behavioral and health related impacts on drinking fountains. Nowadays, drinking fountains occupy different places such as institutions, public places, and more importantly it is mostly used in schools. Students are engaged in the use of drinking fountains on their schools and connected with this areRead MoreLiterature Study971 Words   |  4 PagesThis study examined the impacts of demographic and geographic characteristics and risk perceptions on previous evacuation decisions and future evacuation intentions. Overall, the topics of this study are important, literature review is thorough, and the data is valuable to be published. However, there are some significant issues to the manuscript that prevent me from recommending the editor accept this manuscript in its present form. First of all, the author(s) should clearly identify the conceptsRead MoreEssay CritiqueofResearchStudiesPart11000 Words   |  4 PagesCare Research Analysis and Utilization Nur 504-0101 Dr Eva Hvingelby November 30, 2014 Quantitative Study Title The title of the article is â€Å" Effect of supplemental sensory stimulation program as an adjunct to developmental support program in high risk infants† written by Namitha Shenai and Jyothika N Bijilani (Shenai Bijlani, 2013). According to Polit and Beck, an effective title should attract the readers by including the dependent variables, independent variables and the population studiedRead MoreExploring The Earnings Management Techniques, Materiality Concept, And Ethical Judgments817 Words   |  4 PagesArticle #6 Abstract. The article reviewed was Effects of Materiality, Risk, and Ethical Perceptions on Fraudulent Reporting by Financial Executives. The abstract demonstrates how the materially affects a code of ethics and follows with financial risks and fraudulent activities (p. 243). Introduction. The author studies the financial reporting, earnings management, and relationships with stakeholders. Over the years, Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and Public Company Accounting OversightRead MoreEthics Code Of Professional Ethics980 Words   |  4 PagesAbstract. The article reviewed was Possible Ethical Issues and Their Impact on The Firm: Perceptions Held by Public Accountants. The abstract demonstrates the importance of AICPA’ â€Å"Code of Professional Ethics† and its components, and the influence of management perceptions on firms’ ethical environment (p. 919). Introduction. The authors study business ethics, compliance with ethics code, ethical issues, and ethical behavior of company management. The researchers concern with ethical believes ofRead MoreManuscript Text Or Running Head1672 Words   |  7 PagesManuscript text. In order to maintain anonymity during the peer-review process CCN requires that the author’s name or institution are not included in the manuscript text or running head (AACCN, 2015). An initial literature search was conducted to retrieve resources that where used to examine the topic and develop the outline of the manuscript text. An explanation of the literature search is discussed further below. Upon conducting the literature search, the resources were examined for main themes, and organizedRead MoreCurrent Open Visitation Practices Within The Critical Care Setting978 Words   |  4 Pagesopen visitation and the implications for practice will be acknowledged. The main barriers preventing open visitation that will be briefly introduced (a detailed discussion will occur in the later portion of the text), and include skewed nursing perceptions, gaps in knowledge about the beneficial effects of unrestrictive family presence, and lack of formal visitation policies. It will be argued that the main implication for practice is decreased patient and family satisfaction resulting from incongruentRead MoreThe Juvenile Justice System Is Not Reflective Of Their National Population1612 Words   |  7 Pages Anoshiravani, 2005; Zhang, Hsu, Katsiyannis, Barrett Ju 2011), findings are mixed on the influence race has on the disproportionate confinement rates of minority youth (i.e. African Americans and Latinos). Description of Review Method For this review of the literature, 30 peer-reviewed articles found through the Google Scholar search engine and through the California State University, Los Angeles’ online library databases are reviewed. The keywords used in the search were all in English andRead MoreQuantitative Research Vs. Qualitative Research704 Words   |  3 PagesA researcher in literature or political science would be more likely to use qualitative research than a forensic science researcher would. I am currently still deciding on a topic and talking to two possible mentors. I have found a few different areas that I may be interested in studying including, the improvement of preservation of DNA evidence, the collection of mitochondrial DNA, the effects of risk communication on conviction in the criminal justice system, and the perception of forensic evidence

Behind the Beautiful Forever-.com

Question: Discuss about the Novel Behind the beautiful forever: Life, Death and Hope in a Mumbai City. Answer: Introduction The novel Behind the beautiful forever: Life, Death and Hope in a Mumbai City by Katherine Boo captures the life of various slum dwellers in the Mumbai city (Boo, 2014). She has tried to showcase the daily life and dreams of the people who live below the poverty line in the Indian city. It is a non-fictional book that portrays the real-life challenges of many people in the developing country. The thesis statement is the interconnected lives of various characters have been described in the story by Katherine. The story takes place in Annawadi. The story is unique since the author believes that every character represents a part of her. Living conditions and other aspects of life in the slum The non-fictional theme has been used by Katherine while writing the story so that the actual living conditions of the slum people can be portrayed in the most realistic manner. The daily issues and challenges that are faced by the residents such as poverty, illiteracy, hunger, dirt, disease, lack of hygiene, etc are highlighted in the book. Various characters have been introduced like Abdul, a person who sorts garbage in the specific slum, Karam and Zehrunisa, his parents, and Mirchi, his younger brother. Sunil is another young resident of Annawadi who looks for trash so that he can sell them to Abdul (Boo, 2014, pp 25). The different characters have been highlighted so that the living conditions of the people can be portrayed in an accurate manner. Different things like violence, crime, theft, malnutrition, etc that are faced by the inhabitants on a daily basis form the structure of the story. The story is an attempt to paint the life of people living in the slum setting. Key characteristic of the book which made the strongest impression The major characteristic of the book that makes the strongest impression on me as a reader is the integrity of Abdul (Boo, 2014, pp 53). Even though the young boy has gone through various challenges at a very young age due to the poverty setting, he believes in his hard work and dedication. He tries to support his entire family of eleven members by working as a hard working garbage sorter in the locality. He makes a genuine attempt to instill positive characteristics in another fellow slum dweller named Sunil. He advises Sunil and other boys to stop stealing. After he goes to the Dongri jail he himself stops purchasing any kind of recycled products that have been stolen. The main reason that makes it the key characteristic of the book is that integrity, dedication and hard work can be portrayed by any individual irrespective of their financial condition. In spite of having no financial stability, Abdul serves as the storys moral compass. His honest principles to lead life inspire the reader to act as a responsible individual. Describing the person Abdul is surely the key character in the story. He is the oldest son of the Husain family who knows his duties and responsibilities. He believes that by adopting an honest and hardworking approach he can go ahead in his life. He also tries to make positive changes around himself. He gives valuable advice to the fellow slum boys so that they would prohibit from stealing. His strong moral integrity shows that he is a dedicated individual who believes in following a principled path in spite of having various challenges in his life (Boo, 2014, pp ). Abdul has a big family which makes his financial condition even more challenging for him. Since he is a Muslim it adds on to his challenges in life. Various challenges in his life have been showcased in the book where it shows the ups and downs that he has gone through in his entire life. But the most influencing part is the dedication that is seen in the young boy at such an early age. He is seen taking good decisions which made him achieve a better place in his life. His sense of responsibility makes him unique and inspiring. Conclusion In the story, Katherine has very effectively captured the attention of the readers by showcasing the slum life of people in a realistic manner. The various living conditions and challenges that have been highlighted in the story are something that almost every individual can relate to at some point in time. The characters that have been featured in the book show genuine emotions and undergo real challenges. These aspects make the story very baffling and interesting. Reference Boo, K. (2014). Behind the beautiful forevers: Life, death, and hope in a Mumbai undercity. Random House Trade Paperbacks. pp 10-19

Shakespeare Life Essays (832 words) - William Shakespeare, Kings Men

Shakespeare Life William Shakespeare was a great English playwright, dramatist and poet who lived during the late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries. Shakespeare is considered to be the greatest playwright of all time. No other writer's plays have been produced so many times or read so widely in so many countries as his. Shakespeare was born to middle class parents. His father, John, was a Stratford businessman. He was a glove maker who owned a leather shop. John Shakespeare was a well-known and respected man in the town. He held several important local governmental positions. William Shakespeare's mother was Mary Arden. Though she was the daughter of a local farmer, she was related to a family of considerable wealth and social standing. Mary Arden and John Shakespeare were married in 1557. William Shakespeare was born in Stratford in 1564. He was one of eight children. The Shakespeare's were well-respected prominent people. When William Shakespeare was about seven years old, he probably began attending the Stratford Grammar School with other boys of his social class. Students went to school year round attending school for nine hours a day. The teachers were strict disciplinarians. Though Shakespeare spent long hours at school, his boyhood was probably fascinating. Stratford was a lively town and during holidays, it was known to put on pageants and many popular shows. It also held several large fairs during the year. Stratford was an exciting place to live. Stratford also had fields and woods surrounding it giving William the opportunity to hunt and trap small game. The River Avon that ran through the town allowed him to fish also. Shakespeare's' poems and plays show his love of nature and rural life which reflects his childhood. On November 28, 1582, Shakespeare married Anne Hathaway of the neighboring village of Shottery. She was twenty-six, and he was only eighteen at the time. They had three children. Susana was their first and then they had twins, Hamnet and Judith. Hamnet, Shakespeare's son, died in 1596. In 1607, his daughter Susana got married. Shakespeare's other daughter, Judith, got married in 1616. In London, Shakespeare's career took off. It is believed that he may have become well known in London theatrical life by 1592. By that time, he had joined one of the city's repertory theater companies. These companies were made up of a permanent cast of actors who presented different plays week after week. The companies were commercial organizations that depended on admission from their audience. Scholars know that Shakespeare belonged to one of the most popular acting companies in London called The Lord Chamberlain's Men. Shakespeare was a leading member of the group from 1594 for the rest of his career. By 1594, at least 6 of Shakespeare's plays had been produced. During Shakespeare's life, there were two monarchs who ruled England. They were Henry the eighth and Elizabeth the first. Both were impressed with Shakespeare, which made his name known. There is evidence that he was a member of a traveling theater group, and a schoolmaster. In 1594, he became an actor and playwright for Lord Chamberlain's Men. In 1599, he became a part owner of the prosperous Globe Theater. He also was a part owner of the Black Friars Theater as of 1609. Shakespeare retired to Stratford in 1613 where he wrote many of his excellent plays. There are many reasons as to why William Shakespeare is so famous. He is generally considered to be both the greatest dramatist the world has ever known as well as the finest poet who has written in the English language. Many reasons can be given for Shakespeare's enormous appeal. His fame basically is from his great understanding of human nature. He was able to find universal human qualities and put them in a dramatic situation creating characters that are timeless. Yet he had the ability to create characters that are highly individual human beings. Their struggles in life are universal. Sometimes they are successful and sometimes their lives are full of pain, suffering, and failure. In addition to his understanding and realistic view of human nature, Shakespeare had a vast knowledge of a variety of subjects. These subjects include music, law, Bible, stage, art, politics, history, hunting, and sports. Shakespeare had a tremendous influence on culture and literature throughout the world. He contributed greatly to the development of the English language. Many words and phrases from Shakespeare's plays and poems have become part of our speech. Shakespeare's plays and poems have become a required part of education in the United States. Therefore, his ideas

Kelly Surname Meaning and Family History

Kelly Surname Meaning and Family History The Kelly surname, along with common variants Kelley and Kellie, has a number of possible origins. Most commonly it loosely means descendant of war, from the ancient Irish name OCeallaigh. The Gaelic prefix O indicates male descendant of, plus the personal byname Ceallach meaning strife or contention. The name may also mean bright-headed. Kelly is the 2nd most common surname in Ireland and the 69th most popular surname in the United States. Surname Origin:  Irish Alternate Surname Spellings:  KELLEY, KELLIE, OKELLY, OKELLEY, KELLI Famous People with the Kelly Surname Gene Kelly  - legendary American film actor and dancerEllsworth Kelly  - one of Americas great 20th-century artists  Grace Kelly  - popular American film actress of the 1950s;  married to  Prince Rainier III of MonacoNed Kelly  -  Australian outlaw;  leader of the 19th-century Kelly gangMachine Gun Kelly -  American bootlegger, bank robber, and kidnapperChris Kelly - America rapper;  one half of the rap duo Kris Kross, best known for their 1992 song Jump. Where the Kelly Surname Is Most Common The Kelly surname is the 836th most common surname in the world, according to surname distribution data from  Forebears. The name is most prevalent in Ireland, where it ranks as the 2nd most common last name, and is also very common in Northern Ireland (1st), Isle of Man (2nd), Jersey (19th), Australia (17th), Scotland (45th), Canada (60th), England (62nd), the United States (66th) and New Zealand (68th). WorldNames PublicProfiler  also shows the Kelly surname as by far most commonly found in Ireland. It is a common name across the country, with the greatest numbers in the Midlands and West regions. Genealogy Resources for the Surname KELLY 100 Most Common U.S. Surnames Their Meanings: Smith, Johnson, Williams, Jones, Brown... Are you one of the millions of Americans sporting one of these top 100 common last names from the 2000 census?Kelly Family Crest - Its Not What You Think: Contrary to what you may hear, there is no such thing as a Kelly  family crest or coat of arms for the Kelly surname.  Coats of arms are granted to individuals, not families, and may rightfully be used only by the uninterrupted male-line descendants of the person to whom the coat of arms was originally granted.KELLEY/KELLY/O’KELLY Surname DNA Study: Individuals with the Kelly surname, and variants such as Kelley, Kellay, Calley, OKelly, and OKelley, are invited to join the Y-DNA project to incorporate DNA testing with traditional genealogy research to identify various Kelly family lines.KELLY Family Genealogy Forum: This free message board is focused on descendants of Kelly  ancestors around the world. Search the forum for posts ab out your Kelly ancestors, or join the forum and post your own queries.   FamilySearch - KELLY Genealogy: Explore over 8.3 million  results from digitized  historical records and lineage-linked family trees related to the Kelly surname on this free website hosted by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.KELLY Surname Mailing List: Free mailing list for researchers of the Kelly surname and its variations includes subscription details and searchable archives of past messages.GeneaNet - Kelly  Records: GeneaNet includes archival records, family trees, and other resources for individuals with the Kelly surname, with a concentration on records and families from France and other European countries.The Kelly Genealogy and Family Tree Page: Browse genealogy records and links to genealogical and historical records for individuals with the Kelly  surname from the website of Genealogy Today.Ancestry.com: Kelly Surname: Explore over 13  million digitized records and database entries, including census records, passenger lists, military records, land deeds, probates, wills and other records for the Kelly surname on the subscription-based website, Ancestry.com. References Cottle, Basil.  Penguin Dictionary of Surnames. Baltimore, MD: Penguin Books, 1967.Dorward, David.  Scottish Surnames. Collins Celtic (Pocket edition), 1998.Fucilla, Joseph.  Our Italian Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 2003.Hanks, Patrick, and Flavia Hodges.  A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1989.Hanks, Patrick.  Dictionary of American Family Names. Oxford University Press, 2003.Reaney, P.H.  A Dictionary of English Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1997.Smith, Elsdon C.  American Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 1997. https://www.thoughtco.com/surname-meanings-and-origins-s2-1422408

Enthnography of Poker Game Essays

Enthnography of Poker Game Essays Enthnography of Poker Game Essay Enthnography of Poker Game Essay Hunter Smith 11/04/2010 Anth- E 200 Ethnography Paper All-In: Americanization of Males around the Poker Table Card games have been a staple of many western cultures and historically equivalents are found across the globe. Poker, with arguably go-fish and, is the most popular and widely played game today. The old saying , â€Å"All you need to play this game is a chip and a chair† holds very true and has allowed poker to be played by pros, amateurs, and everybody in-between and the â€Å"Poker Boom† of the 90’s has expanded the game even further. People commonly seen as dead-beat, degenerate gamblers are now seen as legitimate professionals in the likes of Phil Hellmuth, Tony G. , and so on. A result of this â€Å"boom† has been a new generation, particularly high school and even more so college students, playing this game on a fairly routine basis with a small to moderately sized group of friends (Holden 35). The premise of the game is every player sets out with an amount of chips either an all equal amount or based on how much the individual player pays in (Cash game) and the point is to be the last man standing-you having all the chips and no other player remains. The most popular variant of this game, (And the one used in this ethnography) is No Limit Texas- Hold ‘em. Each player is dealt two cards; there is a preliminary round of betting and then three cards come out of the deck called the Flop and another round of betting; then if more than one player remain in another card called the Turn is dealt on the board out and another round of betting occurs; and if there is still more than one person still in the last card or the River is put on the board and a final round of betting occurs-best five card hands wins if two players or more remain in through the last round of betting. The No Limit in No Limit Texas Hold’em simply means that a player at any time can bet as much as he wants all the way to â€Å"going all in† or betting all this chips and the player can do this at any time during a round including pre-flop (Before the Flop is dealt). While the game does appear fairly simple, testifying from personal experience, it is very, very complex and much more complicated than what it appears on the surface with a very large set of vocabulary, rules, plays, strategies and I will keep the game-specific terminology at a minimum and see to it to give just the needed explanations when needed. This paper not about the game of poker itself but explores the interactions between participating members. The point of this research is to examine how the game acts as a medium for socialization. This idea is based on a symbolic-interactionism approach which is a widely accepted paradigm that argues that a culture of a society is maintained at a micro level through interactions between individuals and small groups. Now, that does not necessarily dismiss the large social structures and other more macro level influences and their impact on culture but that one can look at a smaller scale and see that culture not only plays itself out but that it maintains itself by having members of the society reiterate and play out the ideals of the culture when they are interacting with others. Key elements of what it means to be an American male are very present during this game and it’s very clear there is peer socialization occurring just in this informal five dollar card game. Now this paper is taking a very androcentric paper and that is not to say that female poker players don’t exist or that they are not as â€Å"interesting† but this is a very much a male dominated game (Which is changing) and gender socialization is so different between males and females that it would mandate two separate papers. It should also be noted that like many other activities people find it necessary get money on the line and turn it into gambling. Gambling will not be explored in this paper and the game used for this paper the participants did all put five dollars into a â€Å"pot† and winner takes pot minus five dollars for second place. The gambling aspect seems very minor and basically insignificant for the direction of this paper and really did not seem all too important to the players either, and more or less only seemed like a means to make the game more authentic feeling and add a dash of validity to the game. Nailing down a culture is silly. A culture is very large and general varies based on numerous factors including race, education, etc. etc. So all these â€Å"traits† of the typical American male are very â€Å"loose† and in now manner what so ever are they absolutes-found in every member of a society. They are general patterns found in a culture that sociologist, anthropologist, and other social scientist recognize in American culture holistically. The â€Å"traits† used is in this paper are beer, aggression, individualism, and a sense of â€Å"outsiders† and the paper will not argue if these are true or not-these are widely accepted characteristics found in American culture and particularly male culture and instead I show these things are literally being acted out by players in the game. On October 19th five of my close friends where at my house socializing and decided to play a game of poker and I had been waiting on this to happen so I could observe. I did not want this to be set up or planned and to have this occur spontaneously but purely by will of the players of the game. The five players will be referred to as D, J, S, M, and A. The living room is where the game is almost always held and tonight was no exception. D and J sat on one couch, while, S and M sat on anther and an office chair was pulled out of a room for A to sit. They all circled the table and played the regular game of No Limit Texas Hold’em, something that occurs about once a week. I a sat on a sofa chair about just outside the circle with paper and pen taking notes. Now a second game occurred where a dorm mate of M who found out about the game and wanted to play and this second game was played shortly after the first ended and this made for great observation because the dorm mate who will be called O had never meet anyone and M and O were not friends, with O more an acquaintance of M’s. A major issue with this methodology is a small sample space-this was a small group 5-6 people been observed for around 2 and half hours one time. One could seemingly right a much longer paper on all the limitations but a lot of them originate from not enough date and not enough study. Four of the members are self-described Caucasian and the other two are self –described Indian-Americans but one could write all day about what about representation for other races, ethnicity, religion, socio-economic statues, and so on and so on, but this was what was available to work with and attempting to â€Å"create† a better scenario is very unscientific and very wrong to the core of what you are attempting to do. It’s analogous to studying bird behavior-you can’t artificially force a flock of birds to move to a new area because it is interference and you can’t claim a â€Å"natural result† Also, I was not a complete participant as in the players all knew I was observing them and would on an occasion reference me, usually jokingly, and what I was doing and attempt to talk directly with me. I did not have a set of cultural traits I was going to examine before the observation so that is a major constraint on information I collected during the research. I did not count a specific time something occurred or how what exactly was said something occurred because I was not specifically looking for it but I can approximate and at least make confident statements about what happened. There is also the common problems with doing a ethnography for example lack of quantitative data or requiring one to almost get into the operation of one’s mind in order to understand what is going on. Humans are very difficult to read and you can’t confidently say â€Å"This is what he/she was thinking† or â€Å"This is what he/she felt† even if that person tells you that. This road bump holds especially true with observing poker- a game founded on deception, lying, and intimidation. While the five members of the first game got the chips counted and everything set up I noticed the first trait to present itself and this before the cards even hit the air. S had gotten some Chicago Ale a few days earlier and when he came out and opened one he asked if anybody else wanted one everyone else said yes but J sort of moaned and really didn’t see that interested. I am good friends with J and know he does not like to drink beer-he hates the taste but after S sort of looked at him and asked with a slightly angry tone asked, â€Å"What? † J shrugged and said, â€Å"Ahhh why not†. If someone asked you if you wanted a Coke and you hate Coke you wouldn’t say yes, so why did they say yes? What is odd is S also does not like to drink since he is a smaller guy and it fills him up quickly, but as soon as everyone was seated and the first dealer was about to be picked he lifted a bottle and grinned and said, â€Å"A manly, man’s drink† in a slightly comical tone but it says something about how the players seen beer/ale. Gregg Smith writes on Beer is very much an art form-from its production to different flavors and how particularly in Europe localities had their own unique beverage and it acted as an agent of social cohesion and that American was founded by these very diverse peoples and groups had to try and retain their identity and, †Immigrants had their own language but they also had their drink of choice†¦{and} and a very good way to get a community to rejoice and praise their heritage is to get together and drink all night† (Smith 55-56). The American male has had a long relationship with beer but I also think beers persistence as a cultural staple also has to be credited to genius marketing. Coke a Cola can thank a century worth of fantastic marketing to its undying success. Coke’s greatest strategy is connecting itself with other aspects of people’s lives-a great example being Christmas. Coke has intertwined itself with Christmas so when the average American is getting set for Christmas Coke is an automatic part of Christmas. Beer has done the exact same thing most notably sports. Beer companies have advertised so much and so well that drinking a beer is just an automatic part of enjoying sports. The players followed suite exactly. They always had to have a beer at hand, and it was almost always was in their hand. D and S in particular would go long times without drinking but would still have the beer in a hand most of that time. Inebriation was not a part of it since none of them had anywhere hear enough to anything but very slight effects of alcohol, to them the drink is an intricate part of the game and being social; if you don’t do it then you are just not acting right. If poker was all about who got the best hand this time around if would not be much of a game at all. Bluffing or intimidating an opponent (s) to fold a hand and win the pot is a central aspect of the game. Doing so means being aggressive; you can’t get someone to fold if you never bet or If you always call and never re-raise. What was intriguing about the game is players would make an aggressive move apparently not for the sake of the game but purely being aggressive to be aggressive. Early in a game blinds are low and the pots are very small and the game is much less serious-players don’t bluff, little intimidation, and even for someone who has never played it is very easy to see that at certain hands nobody has anything and one player obviously has the winning hand. This is common for even professionals for the first five to six hands, but what happened in both games was the player who very obviously had the best hand when the others had nothing at all would make a large, large bet. During the first game blinds were at 50-100 and nobody had bet all the way to the turn and it clear D had caught something (Turned out to be a straight) and he made a 800 chip bet and he said it very sternly, he even appeared to sit more erect when he made the bet. You can’t argue that this was long term tactic to show aggression early so that when the game became serious he would be more intimidating because none of the other players even seemed interested or took notice at all. A actually folded when he could of just checked-and M had his cards already in hand ready to throw them to the next dealer while he had a conversation with A about something regarding the Library at night. All the players did this at some point D was just the best example. Aggression heavily culturally influenced and the work done by Richard Snipes shows that cultures do greatly vary in terms of male aggression (Trotter 251). Aggression is ingrained in American culture. Benjamin Franklin once commented that Americans were a more aggressive people than their European counterparts. Explaining why America has instilled an element of personal aggression in its culture mainly is answer by evolution-America was a frontier and the first settlers had to be aggressive, hardy, and resilient to survive a new world (Burchfield 175). It may seem that this is not really an example of interaction considering that it is 100% full sided-one individual doing something and no one else responding, but it still a social behavior. D and the others did this for a reason. What they got out of it is entirely different-it could be to get sort of emotional boost or maybe it a sense of competition among males. The point it’s not to explain why there is aggression in American males; the point is that a group of men engaging in a common activity are, seemingly unaware, practicing socialization. Aggression is correlated by another characteristic of American culture that being individualism. American culture and particularly the American male has very commonly been illustrated as the man. Pulling himself by his boot straps and no concerning himself with any other man’s boots† (Burchfield 35). Having a strong individualist spirit only requires a strong personal work ethic and putting yourself and your interest before that of a larger group-that being society. The commonly used antithesis of this is early 20th century Japan which is the textbook example of conformism and lived by the saying, â€Å"The nail that sticks out gets the hammer† (Burchfield 41). This American ideal also mandates for, in simple terms, a person to mind his own business. I found that very prevalent looking back on my notes. Occasionally there would be disputes over someone not shuffling well enough or lifting the cards to high or when someone was out of a hand and would make a noise of anger or relief (This helps someone still in the game know that one less card is out there. If you think that you opponent caught a set of threes and then someone out of the hand says â€Å"Guess who had a three† then you know there is a less likely chance your remaining opponent(s) have a three in their hand). These disputes could get heated but never anything potentially volatile. What I noticed is that when two members would start up any attempt to drag a third or more member to your cause was always unfruitful. Nobody would ever get themselves involved in the quarrel. They were as Burchfield puts it, â€Å"combative neutrals† (Burchfield 48). They would not just sit quietly with their eyes on the floor acting as though they were playing opossum, but if things got heated they would either start a conversation with somebody else or would laugh at the two quarreling players. Anytime a quarreler tried to pull them in they would immediately get scornful and say â€Å"Shut the hell up† or â€Å"I don’t give a s#^t†. The most interesting point was during the second game M and A were arguing because M had gotten the same cards from his last hand and the flop had two of the three same cards including suite. M started to call A out for never shuffling the cards and every time he deals cards repeat. They kept bickering all the way till the next flop of M’s deal came out and then D started to harass A and agree with M and what was so odd was that S instantly told D to basically mind his own . That is downright amazing. America is the poster child for an individualist culture and yet we seem to forget that a nation is made up of people and that one can see the key traits of an entire nation on the personal level right in your living room and see that we encourage this practice and also chastise anyone who deviates from that. The second game with O was a first and I wish I could have done more with it but it was sort of out of the blue and I really did not come up with a concept until after the research. When it was announced O was coming there was groans and moans but then someone said that â€Å"We can take his money†. There is a sense of â€Å"us and them†. He is seen as an outsider-someone not part of the group who is invading the sanctity of the game. There is definitely something to be studied there. Most of American history the US was not a world power and very much an isolationist nation. It seem somewhat paradoxically to have a individualistic nation that also sees itself as â€Å"us and then them†, but just because a culture puts emphasis on the individual does not mean that there is content or dislike between that culture’s members or that they also lack less unity and oneness and I think this can be expanded much more. During the last 10-15 years there has been so much talk about the globalization of culture and how technology is making the world smaller but this very small bleep of an ethnography illustrates-culture is acted out and starts with individuals doing common activities-not the internet or global institutions. A poker game acts as a great medium for the American male culture to be reaffirmed. The players are not puppets to some great all powerful â€Å"Culture† but are behaving as they have been socialized to behave, but humans are not programmable machines and culture is able to perpetuate because through our interactions with other socialized members we are constantly being retaught the values, symbols, norms, etc. that our culture has evolved. Burchfield, Henri. Stripes: What American Society Does. Ames, Iowa: Iowa State Press, 1985. Print. Holden, Anthony. A Bigger Deal: Year Inside the Poker Boom. New York: Simon and Schuster, 2008. Print. Smith, Gregg. Beer: A History of Suds and Civilization from Mesopotamia to Microbreweries. New York: Avon Books, 1995. Print. Trotter, Robert. â€Å"War: Anthropologists and Sociologist Ask Whether Warfare and Aggression Are Inherited or Learned† Science News 104. 16 (1973): 250-251. JSTOR. Web. 31 Oct. 2010

Blacks Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Blacks - Assignment Example In the 1870’s about 80% of American Blacks lived in the southern rural American area where there was large scale exploitation of laborers by wealthy American land owners (Sampson 1464). This started to change in the late 1800’s when the Blacks in the south started to migrate to better cities in the south and to the north for a better life especially during the American industrialization. This change brought about a great change in the life of Black Americans in the Unite d States of America socially, politically and economically. The Black ghettos did not just emerge, but were occasioned by among other reasons, a systematic arrangement of the Whites to prevent the Blacks from acquiring proper urban housing in certain areas and to segregate them. Socially, Blacks were considered to be inferior to Whites and were created to serve the Whites, a mentality which was strengthened by the Jim Crow laws. Though small areas that were occupied mainly by Blacks had existed before, Black ghettos started to emerge in the north with the migration of Blacks to the United States of America during the First World War, the Second World War and the 1920’s. ... Blacks were systematically removed from areas considered to be White neighborhoods due to this ideology. There was also the scenario where people who engaged in communal violence were singled out and confined to certain places and for the Blacks; this was in the ghettos (Douglas and Nancy 17). This practice mostly targeted Blacks who were considered to be violent in nature. In the period around 1920, there was also what was referred to as targeted violence which was mostly directed to the Black middle class by their White counterparts, which also gave rise to the expansion of the Black ghettos and relegation of Blacks to what were considered as Black neighborhoods. The Whites would collect money to buy out middle class urban dwellers from their neighborhoods with threats of dire consequences for non compliance, which gave rise to the concentration of Blacks to certain neighborhoods. Those Blacks who could afford to live in White neighborhoods were attacked and their houses looted or burnt just because of the color of their skin. The neighborhoods especially in the south were characterized by large avenues which housed Whites and small streets and poor dwellings which housed Blacks, with the Blacks working as house helps and farmhands in the White neighborhood dwellings. The mentality of Master /slave had been replaced by master/servant relationship but the Black was still seen as subservient to the White. Incase of arrests for the offences, the culprits would be the Blacks instead of the White attackers. The Whites considered Blacks no matter their social, economic or educational standing to belong to the Black neighborhoods, with the support of the state through the Jim Crow laws and other segregate

Condition of operation of Single-phase Induction Generator , Thesis

Condition of operation of Single-phase Induction Generator , Parameters and Characteristics of Single-phase Induction Generator - Thesis Example Single-Phase Induction Generators are simple AC motors that employ the principles of induction to derive their power (asynchronous power generation). The use of induction motors as generators is currently one of the most cost effective ways of generating electricity from wind turbine systems and other common applications. This is particularly achieved by mechanically turning the rotor of the generators at faster speeds than the synchronous speed in order to produce a torque through electromagnetic induction. For example, rather than consuming energy, a single phased motor can effectively be used to generate power by driving it at speeds over its rated speed (Murthy 8). The working principle of single phase induction generators is similar to that of the three phase induction generators. For example, all induction generators generally work on induction principle based on Faradays law of conduction that states that when a conductor moves in a magnetic field, an electric voltage that can potentially set up a current is induced. However, unlike three phase induction generators, single-phase induction generators are not self starting and, therefore, require excitation in order to start. Single-phase induction generator must always be excited with a leading voltage. This is normally achieved either by connecting the generators to an electrical grid or using phase correcting capacitors to provide a mechanism for self excitation. In such modes of operation, the single phased induction generators usually draw their excitation current from the electrical grid or the capacitors. Due to their ability to generate energy with relatively simple controls, single phased induction generators are increasingly gaining popularity in a number of applications some of which include generating power from wind turbine systems, mini hydro power plants and in the reduction of high pressure gas

Blood Alcohol Content Essay Example for Free

Blood Alcohol Content Essay The thought of alcohol being involved in fatal crashes brings about an emotional response. Recently, there has been a movement based on emotion rather than logic to change a certain drinking and driving law. This involves lowering the Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) from 0. 10% to 0. 08% nationwide. However, this attention is misdirected. By looking at my personal experiences, statistics, and current laws, it is clear that there is no need for lowering the BAC. First off, I do not drink. Yet, I’ve had many experiences relating to drinking and driving through my friends. One thing I’ve noticed is that it is extremely hard for people to tell if they are legally drunk or not. Furthermore, I have never heard any of my friends say that they feel that they should drive home because they have only a . 09% BAC. The law has very little effect on how many drinks a person decides to consume. Therefore, lowering the legal drunk limit will not result in people acting more responsible. Supporters of lowering the BAC like Judith Lee Stone in her essay â€Å"YES! † think they are targeting the problem of drunken driving, but the real problem lies within the higher BACs. Ninety three percent of fatal accidents are 0. 10% BAC and above, and half of those ninety three percent have a BAC of 0. 20% and above. The average BAC for fatal accidents is at actually at 0. 17%. This seems like a more logical target for new laws then 0. 08%. Furthermore, Stone asks â€Å"Who would want their children in a car driven by someone who has consumed three, four, or even more beers in an hour† (Stone 46)? I couldn’t agree more. However, this common argument from the pro-0. 08% side is more like a parent responsibility question. They use this to manipulate our emotion by putting an innocent child in an improbable and unrelated situation. She also goes on to state, â€Å"A study at Boston University found that 500 to 600 fewer highway deaths would occur annually if all states adopted 0. 08%† (Stone 47). On the other hand, a similar study at University of North Carolina shows no significant change after their adoption of 0. 08%. Which study is correct? Most likely, both have some truthfulness. It could be either way depending on the state. The lowering of the Blood Alcohol Content percentage law is unnecessary and useless. Nevertheless, some states have already moved to the 0. 08%, and we hear the argument: â€Å"It makes no sense for a driver to be legally drunk in one state but not in another† (Stone 46). To that, I ask a couple questions of my own. Why can I carry a concealed gun in one state and not another? Why is it that I can drive a certain speed in one state, but a different speed in another? The response to those questions and Stone’s statement is all of the above are state laws. At this point, the federal government seems to get confused. In October 2000, congress passed a law that uses the states’ money against them. It asserts that if a state doesn’t lower its BAC percentage to 0. 08% by 2003, it will lose two percent of its highway money. States that don’t like the law will be forced to vote for it because they are desperate for highway construction money. Strings shouldn’t be attached to this money. What are lost in all of this are the current laws for drunk driving. Driving while impaired is already illegal whether the person tests 0. 04% or 0. 10%. Courts can use alcohol test of 0. 04% and higher as evidence of impairment. It’s at 0. 10% where a person is legally drunk and cannot legally operate a vehicle. Therefore, it’s not as if people who test 0. 08% are going unpunished like the other side would have you believe. In conclusion, anybody who picks out one particular aspect and says that it is not working hasn’t looked that the whole problem. The president for the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, Brian O’ Neill, says that he’d rather see resources directed toward enforcing existing drunken driving laws. Hopefully, with more education, more awareness, and more enforcement we can successfully reduce drinking and driving fatalities. Bibliography Stone, Judith Lee. Yes!. Reading and Writing Short Arguments. Ed. William Vesterman. Mountain View, California: Mayfield Publishing Company, 2000. 46-47. Word Count: 702.

Another Chance Of Life Essay -- essays research papers

Another Chance of Life Can there be another you? The answer is no, but by human cloning you can reproduce an offspring that grows into an exact genetically double of you. All of us want to prolong the lives of our loved ones and have a healthy newborn baby. Many infertility couples wanted to have a baby that is genetically theirs, not from adopting a child from a different family background. In the cloning technology, eggs or sperms would not be needed to be conceived by a person because any cell would do. One parent contributes DNA, making the child almost an identical twin. He or she would differ from the parents much more than identical twins differ from each other. In many parts of the world, human cloning is banned. For example, Canada's new Human Reproductive and Genetics Technologies Act made it illegal to clone human embryos, research on human embryos later than 14 days after conception, and the creation of embryos for research purposes alone. This act will make it more difficult for the estimated 280,000 infertile couplesin Canada to obtain domestic assistance in having a genetic child of their own. Human cloning should not be banned because it has many promising benefits to infertility couples and to the basic research for treatment of various diseases. Most people would not want to clone themselves. Those people think a human clone resembles the person it is made from. The genes do not form our character and so identical twins would never get 100 percent ident...

A good day turned bad – creative writing

Swimming was always an exciting sport for me, it made me feel alive and athletic. However, this finest sport became a mark that would be on me for the rest of my life. Burbury Park was the place, me and my friends decided to go park because there was a football tournament that we had all been waiting for, this was our chance, a chance to get to the final. The weather was absolutely smashing, it couldn't get better. The sun beat down on us and we couldn't have felt a more positive vibe. The birds were singing and the trees moved to the calm wind that was keeping us cool. We were getting ready, doing our warm ups and having a team talk on how we are best team. The match had gone underway, after a nervy few minutes, the score was level, ‘nine-nine' and the atmosphere had already set in; the situation was that the next team to score would advance into the finals of the ‘Birmingham cup'. I dived towards the ball to make a critical save which kept us in a dominant position; thereafter my team had capitalized on what I had done for them. I shouted â€Å"COME ON LADS! Pass and move† and little did I know, they were doing what I had asked of them. I had to be harsh; this will improve them, â€Å"Hey! Markus! What the hell do you think you're doing, shooting from that range, do you think you're Ronaldo?† we were under vast amount of pressure, and the supporters made us know it with their screaming and supportive shouting, knowing that the next goal will be the decider. Markus was by far one of the best players in my team and I knew no-one at the age of fifteen could shoot that far out. The opposition were closing in towards our half of the pitch, and I was becoming more and more anxious with every second that passed by. I had a quick glance towards the clock and to my horror, there was only sixty seconds left, and as the role of captain, I had a duty, and that was to control my team and motivate them to win. I knew that the lads would not survive extra time as the looks on their faces told me they were exhausted and tired. To my surprise I had noticed Aquil (the weakest player in our squad) running towards the box, and then I had seen an opportunity. At that point, Abbas had possession of the ball. I knew that this maybe the last chance, we had to take advantage and maybe even score. Abbas successfully crossed the ball to Aquil, he had finally heard my commands which resulted in the fine cross. The cross was neatly passed to Aquil, it had looked like he was definitely going to score the winner. All the supports were chanting his name, in hope that he was going to score, it was one on one with the keeper, but unfortunately he had slipped. A depressed moan came from our supporters. However out of nowhere, Hussein been waiting for the rebound and had smashed the ball in the bottom of the net. I breathed a huge sigh of relief and the crowds chanted our names, I finally knew what it is like to be a professional football player. We were all tired after that fantastic win allowing us to celebrate like packs of wild animals. I owed it to all my players for all their hard work. Going to the finals of the ‘Birmingham cup' was the greatest achievement ever in our lives! ‘Knackered' was not even the word to describe how tired we were. Sweat was running down our faces onto the cold floor as though it were a waterfall. Tired, half of our team had decided to go back to their warm homes for a cup of tea and a bath, while the rest of us decided to go swimming at our local swimming centre, in Newtown. Me, Aquil, Abbas and Hussein were walking towards the swimming centre. We were all feeling excited about our upcoming match against Aston Villa Youth team in the final. We had just beaten West Bromwich Youth team making us better than them. I had decided that I was going to treat the lads for their hard work after swimming. Me, more than anyone else wanted to step inside the swimming pool and calmly cool down and rest. We were on the way to the swimming pool, we were on the main road and Newtown Swimming Centre could be seen not too far in the distance. On the way towards the Swimming Centre we had seen a park leading us straight to the Swimming Centre. â€Å"C'mon lets take the left and go through the park, it looks much easier.† I said, not knowing what was going to happen next. We had been through the park, ‘Yellow Park', many times before and we had thought it would be the safest and quickest way. We walked pass the main play area and it had seemed empty. Swings left swinging by the wind, and slides left for children to play on. I started to feel agitated and began thinking to myself why there wasn't anyone around. Goosebumps started appearing on my skin as an ice cold shiver rattled through my spine. But there was no turning back now as we had already walked past most of the park. We were at the end of the park and it was just one dark long alleyway. I began wondering even more and started thinking to myself about how corrupted this area had recently become. Newtown is not how it used to be back in the days but is becoming more and more violent and even more crimes are occurring by the minute. We were halfway down the alleyway and I could smell freedom just around fifty yards away. â€Å"Oi! Come here now!† a cold deep voice shouted at us from down the alley. I automatically looked up and to my horror and I saw two dark men. Both were hiding their identity with masks and caps, we knew they were criminals. I felt nervous and scared, thoughts began running through my mind as I thought of an escape plan. Who are these people and what do they want? What are they going to do to us? Why are they calling us? I was able to identify their ethnicity and they were both black. From then on I knew something bad was going to occur. Aquil was standing next to me. On the other hand as I turned around I was shocked to see the rest of my mates making a run for it. All these signs meant that these people were not good and I knew that the next few minutes were going to be some of the worst in my life. I didn't clock on, I was never in this situation before. Froze by fear, I stood still as I saw the men walk towards us, â€Å"Yo, what ends you from?!† they said, not bothering to wait for an answer. I knew if I hadn't responded fast, I wouldn't make it out uninjured. I answered â€Å"Lozells†. There was no reply from these men as they looked down on us. I began to get anxious. I knew that I had a huge sum of money in my wallet and thoughts began creeping into my mind, as I saw the second man reach into his pocket, that these people wanted our money. The first of the two men had started coming closer and closer and as he approached us, he put his arms around the both of us. From that moment my suspicion had been answered because he had said the following words to me. â€Å"I need some money man!† I kept quite. The other black man that was with him had taken my friend, Aquil into a corner of the alley in which I couldn't communicate to him. I had to say something to the person who was talking to me otherwise I would have to face the consequences. I was in a dilemma. I said without thinking â€Å"I have five pounds†. Of course I was lying. â€Å"Good, good, now hand over the flipping money or I will knock the hell out of you.† he said with a harsh tone as he raised a fist to my face, he was swearing too. I was thinking of a way to take out my money without him realising that I had more. Too my stupidity, I took too long and the man had thrown a strong punch at me on my chin. â€Å"ARGH† I shouted in pain as I fell to the floor on my knees. Aquil quickly looked over but really couldn't help me because he was getting robbed by the other mugger. Another punch fell my way but this time on the back of my head, I swore in pain and anger. I looked up and saw that I had no choice but to hand over all my money a huge sum of money. It was sixty pounds. The mugger helped himself and searched me and ran off with my wallet. So did the other mugger. I felt weak. I felt helpless. I was injured. I was bleeding from my mouth and from the back of my head. It had also looked like the other mugger had finished with Aquil. Me and Aquil laid there for a couple of minutes before a couple of members of the public helped us up. I was shaking as I walked back towards my home. I met up with my friends, and they were in shock, they were wondering what they could have done to help me and Aquil. I had told my parents everything that had occurred and of course my parents had phoned the police. It was useless and there was no point as the muggers were long gone†¦ I just thought to myself how a superb day just became worse.

Factors Affecting Academic Achievement in Children

Factors affecting academic achievement in children By Aaron shen Nowadays people are concerneed about education so much due to it has inevitable influence on academic achievement. But what is academic success? More and More studies have been taken to show different ideas about factors affecting academic achievement in . It’s clear that teachers’ assistants are no longer a popular point. Instead,researhers found that the size of the class is a noticable factor.Of course,tradtional ideas are still very useful to consture it such as teaching method,teaching equipment,personal qualities,families and so on. Jeremy Finn of the State University of New York and Charles M. Achilles of Eastern Michiggan University found ‘an array of benefits of small classes’in their review. In their study,they drew a conclusion that students in the small classes performed better than those who were in the larger classes. Increasing data and study are proving this idea. Due to all th e studies,it’s easy to say why this happens.First,fewer students in the classroom seem to translate into less noise and disruptive behaviour from students,which not only give the teacher more time for class but also more freedom to engage students creatively. Undoubtfully,this will help improve academic achievement. However,some new points are put forward arguing that although students can gain initial benefit from small classes,the STAR data cannot prove that the gains persist for years after a student has returned to a normal-sized class. The example of Japan is typical to testify that teaching method is a necessary factor.It is well known that classes in Asia are large,but why Asian childen do so well in such classes compared to the small classes in American and oher developed countries? The legendary is the way accroding to Catherinne lewis who is an expert on the Japanese educational system and a senior researcher at Mills College. Such discipline is not imposed by fears ome teachers. Instead,students are honored to be chosen to lead lessons,and they take turns to do it,experiencing firsthand what it is like to quieten down an unruly group of students.As a result,teachers mange the class by this rather than punishing and rewarding. What’s more,Japanese teachers spend more time with their students which centainly help studennts to learn well both in study and life skills.. All in all there are lots of factors that will affect academic achievement. Except what have been mentioned above,families and intelligence are very necessary factors as well. This eassy aims to study and tries to explain all of these aspects.

How To Get Your Professor’s Help Finding a Job

How To Get Your Professor’s Help Finding a Job Networking is everything, right? But what if you’re only just out of college- or perhaps still in college. Who do you have to network with? Keep in mind you may be forgetting a valuable resource: your professors. They know better than anyone about your skills and performance, and they have professional contacts galore. They’re also generous! And if they know you very well as a student, they’d probably be more than happy to help steer you towards success.Sound great? It is. But it’s not that easy. There are a few things you’ll have to do in order for a professor to be willing to vouch for you like that. Here are a few steps you can start with to earn their favor.1. Do the work.It sounds very simple, and it is. But you have to put in the effort. Show up to class. Do the work, and do it well. Speak up in class. Stay engaged. Turn up to office hours. Do your best, humbly accept criticism, and improve. Showing you can learn from mistakes and act respectf ully and grow sets you up very well, indeed.2. Get some face time.You’ll need to have a relationship with your professor if they’re going to put their name on the line for you. Send out a beginning-of-the-semester hello email introducing yourself. This will help you stand out early on, especially if you back it up by attending office hours at least semi-regularly. You’ll set yourself up well to be on the radar when you need to ask a favor.3. Be helpful to get help.Offer to help with your professor’s clinical trial or big research project. You might have to start small as you build experience, but eventually you’ll learn a ton and gain their trust and respect. And that way when you ask for help, it won’t be entirely one-sided.4. Ask for a recommendation letter.A recommendation letter is a great gateway to other kinds of career help. You’ll definitely need references in your first flurries of job applications. Trying to find your first job can be daunting and confusing, and a letter from your professor can really help make all the difference.5. Seek informational interviews.You can also ask your professor for help setting you up with their professional contacts for informational interviews to get a sense of what working in a particular industry will be like. Asking for referrals to contacts and introductions is a smaller leap than asking for help finding a job. And if you make them proud you’ll be well-placed to ask them for the bigger stuff later on.6. Get help with your resume.The last step on the way to actually asking for job help is to ask for help preparing your job application package. No one knows better than your professor, a professional in their field, what would be most advantageous on a resume. Swing by those office hours again and ask for tips. Don’t show up with a blank page and expect them to write it for you. Do put a lot of work, and thought into your materials and ask just for enou gh help to polish up the details.

Gap Year Ideas and Tips for Everyone Who Wants to Take a Year Off

Gap Year Ideas and Tips for Everyone Who Wants to Take a Year Off Studying might be so exhausting and frustrating that it makes you think of having a little break from all of these books and papers. A gap year is a wonderful chance to get to know yourself better and decide what you want to do in your life. Should You Have a Gap Year? Many students ask â€Å"Is a gap year a good idea?† Of course, there is no answer that will suit every student and every situation. It all depends and might be your blessing and your fail. If you think that you cant decide what career path is just for you, then you might have a break to try different jobs. You might also need a gap year to travel or simply have some rest before diving into your college routine. So, think about this year as an opportunity to grow, challenge yourself to leave your comfort zone and learn new skills that you might need in the future. Eventually, you might just need some extra money before continuing your education. Gap Year Pros and Cons If you ask yourself â€Å"Should I take a gap year?† you definitely should be aware of the pitfalls and benefits of taking a gap year. Lets take a look at the key points that we picked relying on the experience of students who took their year off after high school or college. Benefits: An opportunity to get more work experience. An opportunity to travel and have more spare time. A chance to try yourself in different spheres before actually picking a specialization. An opportunity to make some money and save for college. An opportunity to help your parents improve their financial situation. A chance to clarify your thoughts and define your goals. Disadvantages: A high chance of feeling lonely because friends went to colleges. A high chance of spending more than earning. A detailed plan is needed. High costs that you need to manage yourself. Being a year behind your classmates. A high chance of never completing education because of finding a good job or losing a desire to study at all. Of course, some of these points might have a more significant impact on you and your decision, so consider whats going to be better in a particular situation. Basically, even though many people might feel frustrated and confused through their gap year, the majority of student admits that taking a gap year was a great decision that helped them define their goals. Specific Ideas on How to Spend a Gap Year So, what can you do to make this time full of emotions and opportunities? Here, we have a few ideas of what you can do during your gap year. Volunteering One of the best ways to find out your inner strength and calmness is to go volunteering. By helping the ones in need you can make a great contribution to the world and express your gratitude for everything that you have now.  Volunteering provides you with lots of benefits that might surprise you. You can choose the sphere of volunteering that you like the most – charity, animal shelters, climate change, zero waste campaigns, fundraising campaigns, etc. Visit your local communities to know more about how you can help. You can even try to establish your own campaign and attract contributors from your location. Traveling Traveling is what the majority of people enjoy and would like to do instead of sitting in the offices all day long. So, before starting your life as an adult with lots of responsibilities, have a fun time with your friends or on your own traveling around the globe. By the way, traveling is one the best gap year ideas after college and high school or even through adult gap years. We have made a list of  the best destinations for travelling in between your studying, so you definitely should check it out. Some cool travel goals for you: Feed fruits to an elephant in South East Asia. Take a selfie standing on the Great Wall of China. Visit charming waterfalls of Costa Rica. Try shark-cage diving in South Africa. Ride a buggy through the Arabian desert. You can find some cool remote jobs to be able to pay for your living and food. Some of the best travel jobs you can find on websites like Expert Vagabond or The Broke Backpacker. We also suggest you look for some educational videos on YouTube with tips and tricks on how you can travel on a budget or being paid for traveling. For example, VagaBrothers,  Exploring Alternatives,  Fun For Louis, and others share their travel experience and give useful advice on how you can save some money while traveling, living and working in various places. Would you like to have a hobby like travel vlogging? Check out some other weird hobbies that can brighten up your life. Teaching English Even if your English is not brilliant, you can still find a job abroad or online to work with people who want to learn English as a foreign language. Teaching is not the easiest job ever, of course, but you can make some good money while teaching what you already know. Moreover, you will get excellent experience and an opportunity to get to know other cultures and people. Here is a list of apps that you might find useful for improving your English. Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) qualification is what usually required by employers in the case if you want to teach English abroad. TEFL courses will allow you to work in schools and other learning institutions even if you dont have previous teaching experience. You can find TEFL courses and materials on the following platforms TEFLcourse MyTEFL InternationalTEFLAcademy TEFL.com Some of these platforms will allow you to instantly see which job opportunities you will have after finishing the courses so you can plan your trip beforehand. Taking Courses Part-time courses are great for you when you are on your gap year. You can choose what and where you want to learn as you can take courses abroad. The variety of subjects is impressing – you can learn almost everything including languages, medicine, journalism, arts, etc. Check out the gap year programs that are offered by  UCAS, Study Abroad and Go Overseas. Travel the world and study remotely with convenient online courses to get in-depth knowledge and useful skills. Working or Taking an Internship If you dont know what to do in a gap year at home, think about making some money that you can later spend for college. Your location probably has a variety of vacant places that will gladly hire you for this year. Working will allow you also get useful skills and have something to add to your resume. Internships are also a great way to spend your gap year with the benefits for your future career. Adding internship to your academic record will definitely improve your chances of getting a better job after completing your education. You can find a suitable internship program in your location or abroad on platforms like  GapYear, Uncollege, USA Gap Year Fairs, etc. Wrapping Up Taking a year off is not a rare case among the students nowadays. Some students just need some time to make a decision, others try to have as much adventure travel experience as possible. And there are also students who never complete their education once taking a gap year. If you want to know what other opportunities you have if not going to college, read our article. A student who takes a gap year also needs to understand that: The expectations rarely become a reality Its essential to have a plan before making any decision One will definitely face ups and downs through the gap year Being uncertain and confused is totally normal Being disappointed in the chosen sphere is also normal. Eventually, you will find the one that you are searching for. Set goals for yourself and make sure not to waste your time but spending it with benefits for your self-development. This way, you might have the best time in your life.

Emirates Airlines Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Emirates Airlines - Essay Example This essay discusses that  Emirates Airlines growth spectrum has about changed the airlines industry. Its ambitious, well calculated and stable leadership team has offered it a highly successful performance approach. The ground-breaking ideas as well as positively aligned creativity have distinctly ensured that the business growth of Emirates airlines rises above board. However, its business ethics illustrate a changing fountain in both management and development. Equally, employee care and support appear to be an utmost mission, and this is drawn from its vast knowledge in business advancement.This paper highlights that the focus of the compensation policy is to shift the focus to employee support considerations. The relevant service offerings as explained by Chang and Yeh, are composed of a complex mix of performance management models. Ideally, the experienced approach is relatively transformed by analytical support and a keen service-based performance. The study demonstrated tha t 50% of the respondents agreed with the interview analysis that compensation policies were ideally positively felt in an organization.  The effectiveness of a compensation process was used by Emirates Airlines as an indicator for measuring its performance against the performance outcomes and growth perspectives.  The best practices within which specific work motivational devices were fully embraced indicate that the principles of management are arguably best defined by the qualitative nature of performance management.... An analysis by Boetsch et al, (2011) showed that Emirates Business Model provides core performance premises which are leveled against the performance metrics. Labour cost economies, (Babbar and Koufteros, 2008) provides a competitive profile that is based on a lean workforce. Equally, the traditional employee performance interface provides an allowable point of reference for Emirates organizational structure. To sum up, Emirates Airlines vision and mission are: â€Å"We exist to deliver the world's best in-flight experience†. The prospect of designing a performance management model provides a key step for invoking and enacting relevant mechanisms needed to accomplish practical participatory practices. Equally, studies conducted by Bennett, (1997) indicate that defined procedures and trainings are the necessary tools for identifying and meeting organizational goals and objectives. 1.2 Methodology Two major issues are fundamental in carrying out the relevant methodologies: the n ature of compensation, competitiveness, contributors and management. The revolution aiding the changing variations of the business models are established through Emirates fundamental employee-employer link. Survey Questionnaire design interface The questionnaires below are designed to gather for the 4-model alignments in compensation and performance management. The inclusiveness of compensation policies has equally enhanced the levels of developing and managing employee needs and expectations. 1.1 Compensation Efficiency Table 1: Compensation Policies Compensation policies are ideal for Emirates operations Frequency Percentage Strongly Disagree 2 5.0% Disagree 3 7.5% Neither Agree/Disagree 5 12.5% Agree 20 50.0% Strongly Agree 10 25.0% Total 40 100.0% Table 1 constitutes compensation

Business Placement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Business Placement - Essay Example For the purpose of this assignment, the fields selected are energy, FMCG and Information Technology. The reason for selecting FMCG and energy is their extensive nature and opportunities of having employments on global scale. There are many companies in these sectors that are operating on global scale e.g. Nestle, Unilever, P&G, 3M, Philip Moris, British American Tobacco, Colgate-Palmolive, Kellog etc. On the other hand, companies operating in these industries at small and medium level are also using e-commerce and other techniques to expand their operations beyond borders through imports and exports. If American industry is explored alone, the market is quite extensive and there is still a room for new entrants to exploit opportunities offered by this industry. My third choice would be IT sector. The reason for selecting IT industry is its robust and highly creative nature. Everyday new applications and products are coming into market and there is a never-ending need for innovative p roducts and services. In order to understand dynamics of each industry, it is important to explore how they operate individually, what kind of career prospects and remuneration they offer along with skills required by each of them. For this purpose, an extensive industry analysis is performed with reference to FMCG, energy and IT sector in United States. This analysis will further help in analyzing career opportunities available in respective fields of employment. The research regarding best employers was performed with the help of various online sources and periodicals such as business insiders, Forbes, CNN Money. With the help of this research, it was found that Google Inc was one of the best employers which not only provided better and growing career prospects but also a suitable working environment as well. Since work environment is one of the most important factor affecting employees’ satisfaction and their retention with their employers, therefore Google Inc would be my future prospective employer from IT sector (CNN Money, 2013). Another top employer is 3M from FMCG sector. Lastly, Devon Energy company would be a preferred employer from energy sector. 2.0 Energy Sector in United States The United States is named as the market leader when it comes to global energy sector. Similarly, with increase in commercial and domestic consumers, it is also the biggest user of energy resources. The industry itself has various kinds of sub-fields such as renewable energy and fuel, oil and gas, coal and nuclear energy, industrial energy efficiency, smart grid etc. The energy sector of United States alone contributes $ 6billion in global energy market (SelectUSA-Energy, 2013). The employers in this field mainly perform integrated process, exploration and production, refining, marketing, pipeline, marine businesses, and service and supply. According to American Petroleum Institute (2013), â€Å" The industry also supports 9.2 million U.S. jobs and 7.3 percent of the U.S. economy, delivers $86 million a day in revenue to our government, and, since 2000, has invested over $2 trillion in U.S. capital projects to advance all forms of energy, including alternatives.†

MY Major has a Major Problem Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

MY Major has a Major Problem - Essay Example Despite the differences between these flaws, each of them represents a serious threat that needs to be addressed to secure growth, profit and success to firms. Various deficiencies have been noticed in managerial practices that range from problems in human resource management (HRM), business ethics and quality management, failure to understand management theory to the deregulation in the industry and the failure of businesses to join their forces. All these limitations represent a serious obstacle to business growth and endanger its security and success. In this article: â€Å"Spotlight on New Research: A Business Process Approach to Human Resource Management† the researchers find flaws in human resource management very problematic and mainly responsible for most failures in businesses. They consider that this matter has always been a problem for firms and hold it responsible for many bankruptcies (Cakar, Bititci, and MacBryde). The management of resources requires much commit ment and inner qualities, which many people do not possess, and the lack of this quality represents a real threat for firms. Besides, in addition to issues in human resource management, other problems have been identified in similar fields. ... Limitations in human resource management combined with the lack of business ethics and quality management will not guarantee a successful business but lead to a certain downfall. Similarly, some managerial tools and techniques have been found very deficient and not helpful for businesses. Therefore, it belongs to managers to identify the best practices that ensure growth and disregard those that have failed. This study: â€Å"Management Practices Driving Sustained Business Success† indicates that the success of businesses depends on the ability of managers to distinguish between the tools that work from those that do not (Gronholdt and Martensen).Therefore, some managerial tools may cause more problems with serious consequences to firms. Even though all techniques have been set up to secure growth, some practices have been found seriously deficient and not helpful for businesses. It takes much craft and vision for the best managers to recognize the traps of these limited tools and avoid putting them in practice. Among these flaws deregulation takes an important place because it implements unfair competition and endangers the stability of business. This article: â€Å"Integrating Business Processes for Global Alignment and Supply Chain Management† reveals that the lack of a genuine cooperation between firms and the supply chain causes various problems that result in deregulation, which constitutes a serious threat for corporate businesses (McAdam and McCormack). This danger faces firms in many countries where the collaboration between businesses is not secured and clear rules are not implemented. Another major deficiency in managerial practices

Using the plays of Aristophanes Essay Example for Free

Using the plays of Aristophanes Essay Using the plays of Aristophanes (Lysistrata), Sophocles (Oedipus) and Euripides (Medea), we are able to discuss some major themes and concerns present in Greek Drama, such as women, fate, and other underlying themes. One of the most prominent, and perhaps the most controversial themes present in Greek Drama is the position of women in Greek Society. These three writers have different opinions of women, and this is reflected in their plays. Euripides, in Medea, presents a view of women as sex-crazed creatures. This is emphasised by Jason (569-72), when he says: you women/ Have reached a state where, if alls well with your sex-life,/ Youve everything you wish for; but when that goes wrong,/ At once all that is best and noblest turns to gall. Women in Lysistrata add to this view when they exclaim: Ill walk through fire, or anything but to give up sex, never! (166). Furthermore, women are portrayed as inherently dishonest. This is expressed when Medea tells the Chorus: We were born women useless for honest purposes, / But in all kinds of evil, skilled practitioners (407). Women are also presented as emotional rather than rational in their responses to situations. For all the Chorus protests about Medea killing her children, when they actually heard her murdering them, lamented: the miserable mother , cursed, miserable woman (1278), but are so effectively overcome with their emotions that they do not stop her, as perhaps men would have. This attitude towards women is complemented in Oedipus, when Jocasta, instead of waiting to learn the truth, murders herself at her assumption. Another major concern in Greek Drama is the idea about gods and fate. In Medea, there is little intervention of the gods, let alone fate. Medea makes the decision and is responsible for the tragic end which befalls the characters. In contrast, Sophocles Oedipus, present us with a completely different outlook. In the play, almost every aspect is seen to be controlled, in order for the prophecy to be completed. For example, in the play, Oedipus is rescued by a messenger that same messenger who happens to deliver the news that Oedipuss father is dead. Of countless people, it was the same person. Furthermore, Oedipus kills his father, protected by five men, on a lonely road. Is it not ironic, or least unlucky, the Oedipus happened to travel on the same road, and meet, out of all the people, his father who he does not even realise is his father and kills him? Oedipus then arrives at Thebes, his birth place, and solves a riddle which no person has yet been able to solve; he becomes king and marries his mother. Coincidence surely not. Certainly, these examples prove that fate was an all important factor in Greek drama that once a decision has been fated, it can never be changed. Greek Drama, particularly tragedy, also carries a prominent underlying theme Passion over Reason. In Euripides play, Medea is driven by an overwhelming passion to have her revenge that she does not stop to think what she is actually doing. This idea is exaggerated in Oedipus when he blindly pursues his identity, in defiance of warnings from numerous sources including Teiresias, Jocasta and the shepherd. Eventually, this passion over reason leads to his downfall. The theme is also carried through in Lysistrata, although not to such a prominent extent. In the play, the men are at war because they have refused methods of reasoning, and let their passions take control. However, in the play this idea can also be taken in a different sense. The men can be seen to succumb to their sexual passions, and refuse the reasons of going to war. In conclusion, we can see that the plays of these legendary writers reflect some major themes and concerns of Greek Drama. Concerns such as the position of women, the outlook on the gods and underlying themes are all major issues present in the plays.

Aristotle: Above the Mean :: essays research papers fc

Aristotle: Above the Mean   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  With the strict oppression of thought by religion and government in the 2nd century B.C.E., it’s a surprise in itself that Aristotle, a man with such revolutionary thoughts and ideas was able to let his thinking be known to the entire world (as it was known back then). It is therefore even more surprising that his idea’s have survived these many centuries though books, a medium of writing that has a notorious reputation of being burned when something in its contents doesn’t match the current beliefs of the established system of government or the church. We can certainly all be thankful that his idea’s have survived thus far because of the tremendous impact that they have had on thought, government, and the way of life throughout the entire world in general. Aristotle was a revolutionary thinker whose ideas have no rival from anyone in his own school of thought.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In book Two of Aristotle’s Nichomachean Ethics, Aristotle lets out arguably some of his best work. The idea that in life, people shouldn’t strive to be the best, but instead aim for the middle, or the mean as Aristotle calls it, was something new and innovative not only then, but even to some people today. He further backs his assumption up by supplying more than enough examples. To start out, Aristotle first defines what is â€Å"good† and what is â€Å"bad†. He does this by providing examples of several things that have both a good side along with a bad side. One example he gives is lawmakers. A lawmaker can have a positive effect on society or a negative one. Judging by the effect his laws have on the people, he is then determined to be either a bad lawmaker or a good one. Moreover, the lawmakers themselves have the power of making people into either good or bad citizens. This is done by instilling either good or bad habits into the citizens through the legislation that the lawmakers pass (Pg. 99). This once again, in turn, dictates whether the lawmakers themselves are good or bad lawmakers. Aristotle’s idea of this is (to use a clichà ©) is â€Å"Right on the money†. Even in today’s world, people are judged by their actions. That is to say, if someone does something good in their life, they are considered a good person, conversely, if a person is known for a failure, the people around them regard that person as a failure; or as Aristotle would simply put it, â€Å"bad†.

The Silver Linings Playbook Chapter 2

He Does Not Preach Pessimism My workout is interrupted midday, when Mom descends the basement stairs and says I have an appointment with Dr. Patel. I ask if I can go later that night, after I have completed my daily weights routine, but Mom says I'll have to go back to the bad place in Baltimore if I do not keep my appointments with Dr. Patel, and she even references the court ruling, telling me I can read the paperwork if I don't believe her. So I shower, and then Mom drives me to Dr. Patel's office, which is the first floor of a big house in Voorhees, just off Haddonfield – Berlin Road. When we arrive, I take a seat in the waiting room as Mom fills out some more paperwork. By now, ten trees must have been cut down just to document my mental health, which Nikki will hate hearing, as she is an avid environmentalist who gave me at least one tree in the rain forest every Christmas – which was really only a piece of paper stating I owned the tree – and I do feel bad now for making fun of those gifts and won't ever poke fun at the diminishing rain forest in the future when Nikki comes back. As I sit there flipping through a Sports Illustrated, listening to the easy-listening station Dr. Patel pumps into his waiting room, suddenly I'm hearing sexy synthesizer chords, faint highhat taps, the kick drum thumping out an erotic heartbeat, the twinkling of fairy dust, and then the evil bright soprano saxophone. You know the title: â€Å"Songbird.† And I'm out of my seat, screaming, kicking chairs, flipping the coffee table, picking up piles of magazines and throwing them against the wall, yelling, â€Å"It's not fair! I won't tolerate any tricks! I'm not an emotional lab rat!† And then a small Indian man – maybe only five feet tall, wearing a cable-knit sweater in August, suit pants, and shiny white tennis shoes – is calmly asking me what's wrong. â€Å"Turn off that music!† I yell. â€Å"Shut it off! Right now!† The tiny man is Dr. Patel, I realize, because he tells his secretary to turn off the music, and when she obeys, Kenny G is out of my head and I stop yelling. I cover my face with my hands so no one will see me crying, and after a minute or so, my mother begins rubbing my back. So much silence – and then Dr. Patel asks me into his office. I follow him reluctantly as Mom helps the secretary clean up the mess I made. His office is pleasantly strange. Two leather recliners face each other, and spider-looking plants – long vines full of white-and-green leaves – hang down from the ceiling to frame the bay window that overlooks a stone birdbath and a garden of colorful flowers. But there is absolutely nothing else in the room except a box of tissues on the short length of floor between the recliners. The floor is a shiny yellow hardwood, and the ceiling and walls are painted to look like the sky – real-looking clouds float all around the office, which I take as a good omen, since I love clouds. A single light occupies the center of the ceiling, like a glowing upside-down vanilla-icing cake, but the ceiling around the light is painted to look like the sun. Friendly rays shoot out from the center. I have to admit I feel calm as soon as I enter Dr. Patel's office and do not really mind anymore that I heard the Kenny G song. Dr. Patel asks me which recliner I want to relax in. I pick the black over the brown and immediately regret my decision, thinking that choosing black makes me seem more depressed than if I had chosen brown, and really, I'm not depressed at all. When Dr. Patel sits down, he pulls the lever on the side of his chair, which makes the footrest rise. He leans back and laces his fingers behind his tiny head, as if he were about to watch a ball game. â€Å"Relax,† he says. â€Å"And no Dr. Patel. Call me Cliff. I like to keep sessions informal. Friendly, right?† He seems nice enough, so I pull my lever, lean back, and try to relax. â€Å"So,† he says. â€Å"The Kenny G song really got to you. I can't say I'm a fan either, but †¦Ã¢â‚¬  I close my eyes, hum a single note, and silently count to ten, blanking my mind. When I open my eyes, he says, â€Å"You want to talk about Kenny G?† I close my eyes, hum a single note, and silently count to ten, blanking my mind. â€Å"Okay. Want to tell me about Nikki?† â€Å"Why do you want to know about Nikki?† I say, too defensively, I admit. â€Å"If I am going to help you, Pat, I need to know you, right? Your mother tells me you wish to be reunited with Nikki, that this is your biggest life goal – so I figure we best start there.† I begin to feel better because he does not say a reunion is out of the question, which seems to imply that Dr. Patel feels as though reconciling with my wife is still possible. â€Å"Nikki? She's great,† I say, and then smile, feeling the warmth that fills my chest whenever I say her name, whenever I see her face in my mind. â€Å"She's the best thing that ever happened to me. I love her more than life itself. And I just can't wait until apart time is over.† â€Å"Apart time?† â€Å"Yeah. Apart time.† â€Å"What is apart time?† â€Å"A few months ago I agreed to give Nikki some space, and she agreed to come back to me when she felt like she had worked out her own issues enough so we could be together again. So we are sort of separated, but only temporarily.† â€Å"Why did you separate?† â€Å"Mostly because I didn't appreciate her and was a workaholic – chairing the Jefferson High School History Department and coaching three sports. I was never home, and she got lonely. Also I sort of let my appearance go, to the point where I was maybe ten to seventy pounds overweight, but I'm working on all that and am now more than willing to go into couples counseling like she wanted me to, because I'm a changed man.† â€Å"Did you set a date?† â€Å"A date?† â€Å"For the end of apart time.† â€Å"No.† â€Å"So apart time is something that will go on indefinitely?† â€Å"Theoretically, I guess – yes. Especially since I'm not allowed to contact Nikki or her family.† â€Å"Why's that?† â€Å"Umm †¦ I don't know, really. I mean – I love my in-laws as much as I love Nikki. But it doesn't matter, because I'm thinking that Nikki will be back sooner than later, and then she'll straighten everything out with her parents.† â€Å"On what do you base your thinking?† he asks, but nicely, with a friendly smile on his face. â€Å"I believe in happy endings,† I tell him. â€Å"And it feels like this movie has gone on for the right amount of time.† â€Å"Movie?† Dr. Patel says, and I think he would look exactly like Gandhi if he had those wire-rim glasses and a shaved head, which is weird, especially since we are in leather recliners in such a bright, happy room and well, Gandhi is dead, right? â€Å"Yeah,† I say. â€Å"Haven't you ever noticed that life is like a series of movies?† â€Å"No. Tell me.† â€Å"Well, you have adventures. All start out with troubles, but then you admit your problems and become a better person by working really hard, which is what fertilizes the happy ending and allows it to bloom – just like the end of all the Rocky films, Rudy, The Karate Kid, the Star Wars and Indiana Jones trilogies, and The Goonies, which are my favorite films, even though I have sworn off movies until Nikki returns, because now my own life is the movie I will watch, and well, it's always on. Plus I know it's almost time for the happy ending, when Nikki will come back, because I have improved myself so very much through physical fitness and medication and therapy.† â€Å"Oh, I see.† Dr. Patel smiles. â€Å"I like happy endings too, Pat.† â€Å"So you agree with me. You think my wife will come back soon?† â€Å"Time will tell,† Dr. Patel says, and I know right then that Cliff and I are going to get along, because he does not preach pessimism like Dr. Timbers and the staff at the bad place; Cliff doesn't say I need to face what he thinks is my reality. â€Å"It's funny, because all the other therapists I've seen said that Nikki wouldn't be back. Even after I told them about the life improvements I have been making, how I am bettering myself, they still were always ‘hating on me,' which is an expression I learned from my black friend Danny.† â€Å"People can be cruel,† he says with a sympathetic look that makes me trust him even more. And right then I realize that he is not writing down all my words in a file, which I really appreciate, let me tell you. I tell him I like the room, and we talk about my love of clouds and how most people lose the ability to see silver linings even though they are always there above us almost every day. I ask him questions about his family, just to be nice, and it turns out he has a daughter whose high school field hockey team is ranked second in South Jersey. Also he has a son in elementary school who wants to be a ventriloquist and even practices nightly with a wooden dummy named Grover Cleveland, who, incidentally, was also the only U.S. president to serve two terms that were not back-to-back. I don't really get why Cliff's son named his wooden dummy after our twenty-second and twenty-fourth president, although I do not say so. Next, Cliff says he has a wife named Sonja, who painted the room so beautifully, which leads to our discussion about how great women are and how it's important to treasure your woman while you have her because if you don't, you can lose her pretty quickly – as God really wants us to appreciate our women. I tell Cliff I hope he never has to experience apart time, and he says he hopes my apart time will end soon, which is a pretty nice thing to say. Before I leave, Cliff says he will be changing my medication, which could lead to some unwanted side effects, and that I have to report any discomfort or sleeplessness or anxiety or anything else to my mother immediately – because it might take some time for him to find the right combination of drugs – and I promise him I will. On the drive home I tell my mother I really like Dr. Cliff Patel and am feeling much more hopeful about my therapy. I thank her for getting me out of the bad place, saying Nikki is far more likely to come to Collingswood than to a mental institution, and when I say this, Mom starts to cry, which is so strange. She even pulls off the road, rests her head against the steering wheel, and with the engine running, she cries for a long time – sniffling and trembling and making crying noises. So I rub her back, like she did for me in Dr. Patel's office when that certain song came on, and after ten minutes or so, she simply stops crying and drives me home. To make up for the hour I spent sitting around with Cliff, I work out until late in the evening, and when I go to bed, my father is still in his office with the door shut, so another day passes without my talking to Dad. I think it's strange to live in a house with someone you cannot talk to – especially when that someone is your father – and the thought makes me a little sad. Since Mom has not been to the library yet, I have nothing to read. So I close my eyes and think about Nikki until she comes to be with me in my dreams – like always.