Lessons Were Learned Essays - Fiction, Business,

Lessons Were Learned In high school, I was a bad kid. I didn't do drugs or drink beer, but I was bad. School wasn't a priority of mine during my junior year, and I failed all of my classes except weight training, ceramics, and jewelry. I lived for the bell at the end of the day. This was the first year that I drove, and I did it a lot. I had an old baby blue Chevrolet pickup that could fly like the wind. I met a lot of people, and gained some good friends. Towards the beginning of the year, I spent lots of my time with my friend Jim. He was into cars and he helped me a lot with my truck. We used to get to school early every day to get good parking. Sitting in his truck, we listened to music, talked about the most random things, and smoked cigarettes. We shared the same first class and were always late to it. We both failed it. Another cool friend that I had was Stacey. We had dated for a while back in the eighth grade, so I knew her pretty well. We both spent our free third period and our time after school together. Stacey's friend Scott was a senior whom I already knew because he was a friend of my older brother years earlier. Early in the school year, the three of us hung out on the weekends. Some time after Christmas, Scott and Stacey met Jim. We all seemed to get along well and had some good times together. We met Dan one day up at the smoking corner. Dan was a sophomore and also into trucks. John Basset, Jim's friend who lived in Issaquah, also had a big truck. I had previously met his girlfriend who went to our school. J.B.'s girlfriend, Vicki, was a bitch. Everyone knew it and they just dealt with it. The seven of us quickly became a close circle of friends. The whole gang, Jim, Vicki, J.B., Scott, Dan, Stacey and I, started hanging out a lot on the weekends. We used to go up to the mountains with all of our trucks and go 4-wheeling. We built huge bonfires and sat around them telling stories and sipping beer. This was my crew, my friends, and the main priority in my life. Sometime in March, things changed. One Saturday night while we were all together planning our mischief, Vicki and Stacey got in an argument. The argument almost got physical, but the boys and I stopped it just in time. It changed everything. Stacey didn't hang out with the crew after that, and I was the only one that still hung out with her. I dealt with separating my time between the crew and Stacey. That bothered me, but I did it because I wanted to keep all of my friends. At the end of my junior year, I spent the last day of school with Stacey. That Friday night I went over to Stacey's house and watched a movie. I had to be home that night by one o'clock. At twelve thirty, I went to the street to get in my truck, and as I put my hand on the door handle to open the door, I felt gooey stuff on the handle. As it got all over my hand, I looked at the ground and there were eggshells scattered about. Then I realized who had done this to me. The egg was still fresh, and it was all over the side of my truck. This meant that it hadn't been long since they egged my truck. Stacey and I hosed down the side of my truck and wiped it down with paper towels. After we cleaned it off, I got in the truck and there was egg all over the dash and on the floor. The culprits had opened the rear-sliding window and threw some eggs into the cab of my truck, which took me weeks to clean. As I was cleaning out the cab of the truck, I noticed a car creeping along on a crossing str eet about a half-mile away. The car's headlights were off. I grabbed my flashlight from

The book Wind, Sand and Stars written by Antoine de Saint-Exupery essay

The book Wind, Sand and Stars written by Antoine de Saint-Exupery essay The book Wind, Sand and Stars written by Antoine de Saint-Exupery essay The book Wind, Sand and Stars written by Antoine de Saint-Exupery essayThe book Wind, Sand and Stars written by Antoine de Saint-Exupery in the late 1930s was first published in France in 1939. In the 1940s, the book was translated into English and published in the United States. The author of the book, Antoine de Saint-Exupery (1900-1944), was an outstanding French aristocrat, talented writer and poet, and a legendary pioneering aviator. Antoine de Saint-Exupery gained nominations as a laureate of several literary awards. In addition, he was the winner of the U.S. National Book Award. The book Wind, Sand and Stars is considered to be an impressive lyrical aviation writing produced in the form of a memoir. In this book, Saint-Exupà ©ry provides much important information on aviation, evoking a series of significant events in his life. Special attention is placed on the period when Antoine de Saint-Exupery was employed by the airmail carrier Aà ©ropostale. The author of the book des cribes his experiences as an aviator who performed mail routes across the African Sahara and the South American Andes. The major themes revealed by the author of the book are friendship, life and death, heroism and the search for meaning in life. The major purpose of the book is to illustrate how the author views the meaning of life and what makes life worth living. The book is aimed at a general audience. My reaction to the book is positive. The book is well-organized and easy to read and understand. The evidence provided by the author is convincing. This book is worth reading and analyzing. Thesis statement: Antoine de Saint-Exupery’s book Wind, Sand and Stars tells much about aviation and man’s place in the world, promoting the feeling of love of life and encouraging the reader to start searching for meaning in life.The meaning of the title of the book   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The title of the book is Wind, Sand and Stars reflects the author†™s attitudes toward the spiritual dimension of flying. Antoine de Saint-Exupery used his experiences to highlight the role of â€Å"wind, sand and stars† which are part of the Universe. The author wrote this book in order to reflect his individual experiences and feelings as a pilot. He demonstrates his love of flying and flight, which has become an obsession for him. The title of the book gives the reader an opportunity to assess the author’s imagination and his philosophy of life.Summary of the book  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The book consists of 10 chapters. Chapter 1 â€Å"The Craft†, Chapter 2 â€Å"The Men†, Chapter 3 â€Å"The Tool†, Chapter 4 â€Å"The Elements†, Chapter 5 ‘The Plane and The Planet†, Chapter 6 â€Å"Oasis†, Chapter 7 â€Å"Men and the Desert†, Chapter 8 â€Å"Prisoner of the Sand†, Chapter 9 â€Å"Barcelona and Madrid 1936† and Chapter 10 â€Å"Conclusionâ⠂¬ . In general, each of the chapters contributed to the revealing of the major themes of the book. The laconic chapter titles point out to the simplicity of the author’s language, which allows any reader to evaluate the book’s significance.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The narrator of the story described in the book is the author himself; therefore, this writing can be called the autobiographical work. It is first-person narration. The narrator is considered to be a reliable source of information because his personal experience as a pilot is huge. In 1926, he was â€Å"enrolled as a student airline pilot by the Latecoere Company† (Saint-Exupery, 1992, p. 1). His career was successful because he became a pioneer of international postal flight services and continued his professional growth as a pilot. In addition, his writing career was successful. Antoine de Saint-Exupery wrote many literary works, including hi novella LAviateur (The Aviator), hi s book Courrier Sud (Southern Mail), his novella The Little Prince and other works.The central incident described by the author in his book is the plane crash that occurred in 1935 in the Sahara Desert between Benghazi and Cairo. Antoine de Saint-Exupery and his mechanic, Andrà © Prà ©vot, could survive, but they were without food and water in the desert. Actually, there were practically no chances to find an oasis or get help from the air. Hungry and thirsty, Antoine de Saint-Exupery and his partner nearly died before being saved by a man on a camel. That man was a Bedouin from Libya. The author of the book gives an amazing description of his own experience and feeling of love for life he had when a Bedouin gave him water:Water though hast no taste, no color, no odor; canst not be defined art relished while ever mysterious. Not necessary to life, but rather life itself, thou fillest us with a gratification that exceeds the delight of the senses. By thy might, there return into us treasures that we had abandoned (Saint-Exupery, 1992, p. 172).  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The time period described in the book and the location the book is set in refers to the author’s real life events. The setting has a strong impact on the plot of the book. The analysis of the narrative plot of the book demonstrates the well-organized structure, which ensures coherence of the whole literary work. Dialogues, descriptions, monologues are integrated into the literary work through effective plot structure. Each chapter of the book presents new facts from the life experience of the author. In addition, the author demonstrates how his feeling of flight and his love of aviation helped him to discover the meaning of life. He is focused on his philosophy of life and applies his beliefs which are based on his revelations regarding his own life experience. In the book, he provides many details of his life experience, which contribute to the progression of his chara cter. Thus, the overall theme or message of the book is to impress the reader and make him/her ponder over the meaning of life.The genre of literature chosen by the author is a memoir. Antoine de Saint-Exupery’s memoir is represented in the form of an autobiographical writing that reprocesses the past experience. In other words, the author describes real events and human interactions that require evaluation.Evaluation of the book In his book, Antoine de Saint-Exupery has achieved his goals. The author of the book gives the reader an opportunity to feel the significance of the role of nature in human life. He describes how he was flying alone in a single engine airplane and experienced the power of nature. Massive possibilities are suggested by the book as the reader has a chance to find the meaning of life due to the author’s experience. It is necessary to understand the significance of the power of nature, the beauty of Earth and the role of machines in assessing this power. Antoine de Saint-Exupery became part of nature due to his small single-engine airplane.The book can be compared to other books on the subject of adventures, including the book Things Are Different in Africa: A Memoir of Dangers and Adventures in the Congo by Frederick Edward Pitts or the book Flying Adventures and Memoirs of a US Air Force Pilot by Edward E. Skipper. Actually, these memoirs provide an honest account of a man’s experiences, which help to find the meaning in life. Practically all specific points provided by the author of the book are convincing.I really like the book because the themes reveled the author are very important for me. I love the way he describes his challenges and find solutions. I love to read about strong personalities who never give up. Antoine de Saint-Exupery is one of them. I would read more about the author of the book because he is an interesting writer and philosopher. Moreover, I would encourage others to read this book because th ere is much important information regarding the role of aviation in developing a strong personality. The National Geography magazine named Antoine de Saint-Exupery’s book is Wind, Sand and Stars as one of the most appealing adventure books of the 20-th century.Conclusion  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Thus, it is necessary to conclude that the book Wind, Sand and Stars is based on the author’s reflection upon his own adventures, which helped him to develop his sense of imagination, love of life and curiosity. The book reveals the author’s encounters with different people and challenges caused by these encounters. In general, Antoine de Saint-Exupery’s amazing stories help to assess the meaning of life and the role of friendship, the relationship between life and death, the impact of heroism in one’s search for meaning in life. Of all the stories discussed by the author, the major one is the story revolves around Antoine de Saint-Exuper y’s experience of flying across Sahara desert and the detailed description of the accidents that occurred while he executed the flight. The book can make the reader want to start searching for the meaning in life. It can make the reader love our planet, nature, flights and airplanes.

A Analytical Review Of The Battle Of Hastings History Essay

A Analytical Review Of The Battle Of Hastings History Essay In October 14, 1066, the tragic Battle of Hastings took place. It was fought between the Norman Army of Duke William II of Normandy and the English army of King Harold II. The battle took place at Senlac Hill, about 6 miles northwest of Hastings. Harold II was killed during the battle; historians predict or believe that he was shot through the eye by the barraging arrows fired from the Norman armies. The battle was the decisive Norman victory in the Norman Conquest of England. Although there was further English resistance after the Norman victory, the battle is seen as the point at which William gained control of England, becoming England’s first Norman ruler as King William I. The famous Bayeux Tapestry shows the events of the battle. Many battles later on were built on the site of the conflict, such as Battle Abbey in East Sussex. Belonging to the most authoritative family in England, Harold Godwisnon claimed the throne soon after Edward the Confessor died in January 1066. Some historians say that Edward had verbally promised the throne to his cousin William the Duke of Normandy, but decided just before his death to give it to Harold. While Edward the Confessor had a great English nephew who might have qualified as his heir, he was considered to be too young. William had been instituting policy in England for over 15 years, and by taking Harold’s crowning, he declared the start of a great battle. He planned to invade England and take over the throne. However, at that time, the Norman army was not strong enough, so nobles as far as Southern Italy were called to gather at Caen in Normandy. In order to convince them to aid him, he promised lands and titles to his followers and supporters and claimed that the voyage was secured by the Pope. William assembled an enormous fleet of about seven hundred ships, over twenty thousand men. This force waited at the port through summer, probably because of unfavorable weather conditions and more likely from f ear of a clash at sea with the large English fleet. The Norman ships finally sailed for England after the exhaustion of supplies forced Harold to dismiss his fleet and army, to add to that, many English ships were destroyed by a storm. On the day of September 28, 1066, William landed unobstructed at Pevensey. Harold, who had been waiting for Normans to start their invasion, rushed his armed forces to the north to attack an invading Norwegian Viking army led by King Harald Hardrada and Tostig Godwinson, Harold’s brother. He completely shattered the invaders at the battle of Stamford Bridge, near York. Upon hearing that the Duke’s forces had landed, Harold hurried southward to meet the invaders. Harold’s brother, Earl Gyrth, recommended a delay in the attack, but Harold was determined to show his people that he could defend his kingdom against anyone who tries to invade it, hence demonstrating his power. He headed toward London on the morning of 12 October, gather ing all the forces he could on his way. He arrived at Senlac Hill on the night of 13 October.

Hoffman Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Hoffman - Essay Example may be broadly defined as any articulate course of action either physical or otherwise, taken by a person or a group of persons who are dissatisfied by various issues in the society. The articulated course of action mostly aims at causing wreck and havoc to express dissatisfaction. However, terrorism is synonymous with leadership and politics where terrorists react violently in response to issues within government or leadership. Actions of terror qualify as terrorism whether the course action causes harm or not. The actions still qualify as terrorism whether the course of action was legitimate or not. Certainly, terrorism has changed dramatically with time. Terrorism was first taken positively as a medium of change from bad governance. It was seen as revolution and was synonymous with democracy and virtue (Hoffman 3). It then changed to â€Å"propaganda by deed† (Hoffman 5) whereby wholesome bloodshed targeted to specific groups or communities that failed to follow the conventional ways of terror perpetrators. It then changed to assassination and kidnapping of political leaders or their close relatives within the society who failed to address requirements and demands of extremist groups (Hoffman 11). Terrorism then changed to target of inanimate objects such as important, monumental, and valuable buildings. Terrorism also changed to religious based terror actions in response to unaddressed religious issues. However, a combination of these transitions has also been

The Essex Result of 1778 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Essex Result of 1778 - Assignment Example The text explains that the only occasion when the supreme power can take control of the inalienable rights is "only when the good of the whole requires it". If the supreme power is acting only for some individual's personal interests by taking control of the inalienable rights of each individual, then the supreme power is usurping the power. Each individual should receive a counterpart when surrendering his/her inalienable rights for the supreme power to be fair. In other cases, the supreme power is a usurper and if it acted in such a way that the individuals do not have political liberty, then the power is illegal and the individuals are not bound to obey. This extract is directly linked to the concept of popular sovereignty as presented by Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau through the school of the social contract. The main concept of popular sovereignty is that the consent of the governed gives legitimacy to the rule of law i.e. the population who forms a society, a politic body or a state are the true source of legitimacy to the supreme power through their consent and it is not the supreme power which holds its own legitimacy through the power it has been awarded by the population. This concept is central in many democracies and it is, therefore, no surprise that we shall encounter it in the critical report on the draft constitution for Massachusetts. Furthermore, the concept of popular sovereignty also tackles the idea that each individual enters a social contract with the supreme power where he may surrender some of its inalienable rights receiving in return protection from the dangers and hazards of the state of nature. If we consider this extract to be in direct connection with the ideas of the social contract and the popular sovereignty as stated by Hobbes, Locke, and Rousseau; we cannot dissociate this extract from the values of the Enlightenment as these philosophers are the founders of this movement. However, it would be rhetorically poor to draw this conclusion with such a simple analogy.

How you act affects what grade you get Essay Example for Free

How you act affects what grade you get Essay The Impact of Student Behavior on Student Learning is an important subject. There are varying issues that affect student behavior, and a students ability to learn and perform efficiently. This paper will discuss some of the behaviors that are commonly demonstrated when students face one of the most common symptoms; stress. It will also cover how stress, a symptom of student behavior can affect student learning. Student behavior can be categorized two different ways. A determining factor is if the behavior is negative or positive. These behaviors can be overt or covert and can play a big part in determining a student grade in a particular class. Students demonstrating poor behavior have a tendency to get lower grades. Poor behavior, which is a symptom of stress, can be linked to lack of sleep. According to The Franklin Institute Online, â€Å"Disrupting routines and interrupting sleep-all have a cumulative effect on your brain, especially its ability to remember and learn† (Franklin, 2004). The brain is a precious organism and if it is stressed it will not perform to capacity. Stress can cause ones behavior to fluctuate in a manner that can be destructive to productivity. If a student’s behavior fluctuates and causes them to react poorly in a class room setting they may not be able to retain the information needed to qualify for the grades necessary to complete their degree (K. White, personal communication, June 29, 2011). According to the Webster online dictionary, the definition of behavior is â€Å"the manner of conducting oneself; anything that an organism does involving action and response to stimulation† (Webster, 2011). Human beings have the capability to conduct themselves in a manner that may or may not help their capacity for learning. The wrong type of stimulation can alter the student’s ability to perform simple tasks that under normal circumstances would be easy for the student to perform. The behavior displayed by students affects the outcome of the amount of information the student retains. The more information a student can retain the better the grades that student is likely to receive. By definition, behavior is ‘the manner in which one conducts oneself’, and cannot be measured as good or bad because it is a matter of opinion (K. White, personal communication, June 29, 2011). Behaviors can be changed or altered to fit the mood of the person. â€Å"The term stress is short for distress, a word evolved from Latin that means to draw or pull apart. The Romans even used the term ‘districtia’ to describe a being torn asunder (Franklin, 2004). To be torn from your normal routine of good study habits, exams, and team work would be understandable in the case of a stressed student. Since the student has limited, or no control over the stressors in their life; they cannot always be held responsible for their behavior. A behavior can be harmful to the outcome of a situation but does not have to mean that the person with the behavior is bad or good (K. White, personal communication, June 29, 2011). In the same since that negative and positive behavior don’t equate to bad or good. Negative behavior is any behavior that harms the student’s learning ability (K. White, personal communication, June 29, 2011). An example would be a student that shows signs of stress. That student may be edgy or not seem like a team player. The student may grasp the main concepts during class but not seem to put the effort forth to get good grades where tests are involved. This student may understand concepts and be able to explain to others with ease how they work. This student may also miss deadlines, or not post assignments on time. This negative behavior is harmful to the student, but due to stress the student is not able to control the negative behavior. The student may not be aware of the way their behavior is disrupting their school life and will not recognize the affect on their grades (K. White, personal communication, June 29, 2011). â€Å"Overt behaviors are more open and observable and would include students talking during class, using their cellular phones, or eating or drinking noisily. Covert behaviors are more passive and include sleeping during class, arriving to class late, leaving class early, or generally acting bored and disengaged.† (Seidman, 2005) Demonstration of these behaviors may be done together or separately. A student can demonstrate just covert behavior and still seem defiant. Both covert and overt behaviors can be a sign of stress. The student who demonstrates these behaviors may not recognize that they are being a distraction to the class or to themselves. They can also attribute to poor or no study habits. Both behaviors can cause problems for the student because they can hinder the student’s ability to perform in a class setting. For example: A student can understand the concepts in a course but have trouble staying awake during class and miss important notes or assignment deadlines. When this student post an assignment too late to receive full credit their grade is affected. The student has shown signs of overt behavior but did not intend to be seen as disruptive. Often students have no idea that the outcome of their behavior can lead to poor grades. Some students are able to correct their poor grades with good grades by a change in their behavior. The symptom that will show in lieu of stress would be happiness or a since of calm. Students who demonstrate negative behavior will have a hard time retaining information or keeping up with their courses. Students with positive behavior will have a better chance of retaining the maximum amount of information possible. Positive behavior helps the student to create an environment within themselves that is conducive to learning (K. White, personal communication, June 29, 2011). Students who are stress free in mind, body, and soul are free to work at full capacity to achieve their academic goals. When a student feels comfortable with their surroundings and is freed from worrying about the outside world, the student will have a higher level of concentration on school work as all other distractions have been managed or eliminated. They will be able to focus their energy on studying , and processing the information studied. (K. White, personal communication, June 29, 2011). Behaviors can be changed or altered with help of others. Most schools have an academic advisor who is able to handle student issues. They may not be able to completely assist in matters of home life but may have some good suggestions and or referrals that may help the student get back on track. A change in student behavior for the good can impact student learning in a positive way. â€Å"Bear in mind that an appropriate stress response is a healthy and necessary part of life. It improves mood. Problems feel more like challenges, which encourages creative thinking that stimulates your brain to grow new connections within it.† (Franklin, 2004). In conclusion, student behavior can be a symptom of underlying issues that can affect student learning for different reasons and in many different ways. Poor behavior, which is a symptom of stress, can be linked to lack of sleep. The wrong type of stimulation can alter the student’s ability to perform simple task that under normal circumstances would be easy for the student to perform. Since the student has limited to no control over the stress in their life they cannot always be held responsible for their behavior. The student may not be aware of the way their behavior is disrupting their school life and will not recognize the affect on their grades. A happy, content students mind, body, and soul are free to work at full capacity to achieve the goal of good paper writing, testing, and team work. Both behaviors can cause problems for the student because they can hinder the student’s ability to perform in a class setting. Some students are able to correct their poor grades with good grades by a change in their behavior. A change in student behavior for the good can impact student learning in a positive way. References The Franklin Institute Online. Retrieved on June 29, 2011 at 7:47 PM from Web stream at http://www.fi.edu/learn/brain/stress.html#how The Learning Killer: Disruptive Student Behavior in the Classroom. Journal article by Alan Seidman; Reading Improvement, Vol. 42, 2005 Webster Dictionary online. Retrieved on June 29, 2011 at 3:43 PM from website http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/behavior, Merriam-Webster, Incorporated

Alice Walker Essay -- essays research papers

Best known for her Pulitzer Prize-winning novel The Color Purple, Alice Walker portrays black women struggling for sexual as well as racial equality and emerging as strong, creative individuals. Walker was born on February 9, 1944, in Eatonton, Georgia, the eighth child of Willie Lee and Minnie Grant Walker. When Walker was eight, her right eye was injured by one of her brothers, resulting in permanent damage to her eye and facial disfigurement that isolated her as a child. This is where her feminine point of view first emerged in a household where girls were forced to do the domestic chores unaided by the brothers. Throughout her writing career, Alice Walker has been involved in the black movement and displays strong feelings towards the respect black women get. In 1961, Walker entered Spelman College, where she joined the Civil Rights Movement. Two years after graduating in 1965, she married Melvyn Leventhal, a Jewish civil rights lawyer; afterward, they worked together in Mississippi, registering blacks to vote. In the summer of 1968, she went to Mississippi to be in the heart of the civil-rights movement, helping people who had been thrown off farms or taken off welfare roles for registering to vote. In New York, she worked as an editor at Ms. Magazine, and her husband worked for the NAACP Legal Defense Fund. In 1970, Walker published her first novel, The Third Life of Grange Copeland, about the ravages of racism on a black sharecropping family. In Meridian, 1976, her second novel, she explored a woman’s successful efforts to find her place in the Civil Rights Movement. She read much of Flannery O’Conner's work and greatly admired her. For one thing, O’Conner practiced economy. According to Herbert Mitgang of the New York Times, "She also knew that the question of race was really just the first question on a long list"(1983). Much of Walker’s writings are very personal. For example, one of her first books once was written during a time in which she was pregnant and suicidal and it described how she had an abortion and dealt with all of its after effects. Unlike many other authors, she is not afraid to write about very personal experiences she has had. Since the beginning of her writing career, she has written sixteen books, including five novels, several collections of essays, short stories, children’s books, and poems... ...mp;quot;(1993). Overall, Walker has been a very influential author throughout the black community, and her audiences are very much interracial. Although many of the criticisms are controversial over her view of black men, through this research it is concluded that the depiction cannot be narrowed down to black men. She was merely describing the kind of man who had the potential and who was abusive. Not suprisingly, most of the controversy streams from the fact that there aren’t other black male characters portrayed to counteract the depiction of the abuser. This perceived imbalance however doesn’t mean that she is focusing all her anger towards black males, she is merely trying to illustrate topics that people know are true yet perhaps unwilling to admit it. Another good argument is that it seems as though critics are trying to force her to choose between her support for the black community and her support for the feminist movement, and she won’t do that for them. She is equally supportive of both, and that is a very admirable quality. Alice Walker was a very personal author who was not afraid to show or hide anything in the struggle against racism and support for black women. Alice Walker Essay -- essays research papers Best known for her Pulitzer Prize-winning novel The Color Purple, Alice Walker portrays black women struggling for sexual as well as racial equality and emerging as strong, creative individuals. Walker was born on February 9, 1944, in Eatonton, Georgia, the eighth child of Willie Lee and Minnie Grant Walker. When Walker was eight, her right eye was injured by one of her brothers, resulting in permanent damage to her eye and facial disfigurement that isolated her as a child. This is where her feminine point of view first emerged in a household where girls were forced to do the domestic chores unaided by the brothers. Throughout her writing career, Alice Walker has been involved in the black movement and displays strong feelings towards the respect black women get. In 1961, Walker entered Spelman College, where she joined the Civil Rights Movement. Two years after graduating in 1965, she married Melvyn Leventhal, a Jewish civil rights lawyer; afterward, they worked together in Mississippi, registering blacks to vote. In the summer of 1968, she went to Mississippi to be in the heart of the civil-rights movement, helping people who had been thrown off farms or taken off welfare roles for registering to vote. In New York, she worked as an editor at Ms. Magazine, and her husband worked for the NAACP Legal Defense Fund. In 1970, Walker published her first novel, The Third Life of Grange Copeland, about the ravages of racism on a black sharecropping family. In Meridian, 1976, her second novel, she explored a woman’s successful efforts to find her place in the Civil Rights Movement. She read much of Flannery O’Conner's work and greatly admired her. For one thing, O’Conner practiced economy. According to Herbert Mitgang of the New York Times, "She also knew that the question of race was really just the first question on a long list"(1983). Much of Walker’s writings are very personal. For example, one of her first books once was written during a time in which she was pregnant and suicidal and it described how she had an abortion and dealt with all of its after effects. Unlike many other authors, she is not afraid to write about very personal experiences she has had. Since the beginning of her writing career, she has written sixteen books, including five novels, several collections of essays, short stories, children’s books, and poems... ...mp;quot;(1993). Overall, Walker has been a very influential author throughout the black community, and her audiences are very much interracial. Although many of the criticisms are controversial over her view of black men, through this research it is concluded that the depiction cannot be narrowed down to black men. She was merely describing the kind of man who had the potential and who was abusive. Not suprisingly, most of the controversy streams from the fact that there aren’t other black male characters portrayed to counteract the depiction of the abuser. This perceived imbalance however doesn’t mean that she is focusing all her anger towards black males, she is merely trying to illustrate topics that people know are true yet perhaps unwilling to admit it. Another good argument is that it seems as though critics are trying to force her to choose between her support for the black community and her support for the feminist movement, and she won’t do that for them. She is equally supportive of both, and that is a very admirable quality. Alice Walker was a very personal author who was not afraid to show or hide anything in the struggle against racism and support for black women.

Personal Marketing Plan Personal Essay

Introduction Upon completion of my undergraduate degree in Aviation Management, I will pursue a career with a major airline. Not only will I realize a life long dream but also it will be a personal accomplishment in an academic road that was often complicated. Ideals may change, values do not and some things just take a little more time to achieve. Situation Analysis *Significant Life Events Embry Riddle Aeronautical University in Prescott, Arizona solidified my passion for a career in aviation. Ivy League it isn’t but it can be classified as the Harvard of the Skies for all practical purposes. That letter of acceptance provided me the validation I needed and the assurance that those with aviation expertise thought I â€Å"had what it took†. For the next three years I lived with people that shared the same aviation zest and passion that I do, the drive to succeed, to be the best that you can but learned that your attitude is what will get you places and skills can always be learned. When I was in middle school I underwent surgery for a â€Å"suspicious tumor† that had developed on my arm. Although day surgery provided me an opportunity to miss school for the day and a few days of sympathy from my family it wasn’t until my follow up visit with the surgeon that I realized the seriousness of the situation. When Dr. Coletta asked me if I had any concerns now that he had removed the â€Å"mass† I expressed my disappointment with the scar he’d left. Politely he answered that I at least had an arm to  be scarred because he truly felt that the mass was malignant and amputation was a consideration preoperatively. How inconsequential a scar was when faced with the loss of a limb. What is that saying about not sweating the  small stuff? I was born on August 15, 1978 and my grandfather died August 15, 1975. Although this happened 3 years before my birth it was an event that has held significance for me none the less. â€Å"VaVoo† was an immigrant and working class who labored 12 hour days in road construction so his children could have a better life. Though uneducated he believed in a college education, doing the best you could for anyone that employed you and strong values. I have cherished his qualities my entire life. *Accomplishments Earning a varsity letter for high school track taught me the value of team work and tolerance. Certainly there was personal accomplishment in my individual achievements but I opened myself up to a whole new range of rewards that I had never given much credence to before. It gave me a new outlook on the value of how much more we could accomplish as a group and the true recognition was in our school’s accomplishments and not Kevin Osborn’s. On Friday, November 13, 1998 I attained my private pilot’s certificate, another of life’s milestones. Every day at Embry Riddle I worked harder to advance my goal no matter how small it was. I had set my expectations high and with perseverance and hard work I realized personal success. I received the Presidential Award for Innovation as an instructor for College Success 101. This all started as an opportunity to earn some extra money before the term started and an  inflated ego that convinced me that it was a â€Å"no brainer†. After all, how difficult can it be to teach 20 new freshmen? My budget was lean and I looked through a new lens to view challenging situations, problems and tasks. I created an environment and style that invited participation from my students and a culture in which fun and humor were part of the normal day  and we all learned something when the final bell rang. *Dissapointments In my junior year at Embry Riddle I became ill and was forced to adjust my career path and my life. Flying jumbo jets wasn’t going to happen, I needed to come home to Florida to be closer to my support systems and eventually enroll in another university to complete my education. I learned how fragile life really is and that we really don’t know what life has in store for us. We can plan and prepare but when faced with change we have to make the best of things and move along. The past is gone forever and my life is today and now. *Interest Inventory MostLeast ManagingWriting AdministratingSelling ExploringFinance Innovating Training Counseling *Strengths Osborn 4 Professionalism Strong interpersonal communication skills and courtesy Adaptability to change Driven to succeed Positive attitude and motivation Self management Strong values Perform at my highest level and do my best. Team work Tolerance Perseverance and hard work Goal oriented Innovation *Weaknesses Financial aptitude Writing Selling products, cross selling *Opportunities Although the airline industry is in the business to transport people from one  place to another they could not function without those who keep the airplanes operating on schedule. The airline industry has become the major provider of public transportation for Americans traveling between the nation’s cities. Scheduled airlines now account for 92%  of public passenger intercity travel. The outlook for the airline industry is good and continued growth is likely. Airline jobs are located in every city that airlines serve and even in a few they do not serve. Of course, the larger the city, the greater the variety of job opportunities. Morale is generally high among employees and jobs with the airlines carries an aura of prestige and reflects the vitality of technological progress. A non-flight opportunity of interest is that of a flight dispatcher. In cooperation with the pilot, the dispatcher furnishes a flight plan that enables the aircraft to arrive at its destination on schedule with its maximum payload and the least operating cost. The flight dispatcher considers en route and destination weather, winds aloft, alternate destinations, fuel required, altitudes and traffic flow. The dispatcher’s signature, along with that of the pilot, releases the aircraft for flight. The dispatcher must be familiar with navigation facilities over airline routes and must ride periodically in the cockpit with the crew to observe routes, conditions and airports (avjobs.com). *Threats The deregulation of the airline industry, which began in the mid 1970’s, greatly changed the ways the airlines operated. Overall the result has been an expansion of the airline industry and a surge in hiring in most job categories. However, there is a down side: the industry has become less stable. Airlines have merged; others have gone out of business entirely, causing a dislocation of employees. â€Å"The economic health of the airlines,  however, is directly related to the economic strength of the country as a whole, as well as to outside influences such as the cost of fuel† (Freiberg 72). Objective Ten years into my career in aviation I hope to be an airline manager with British Airways at Heathrow Airport. My duties will be administrative dealing with station operations, passenger aspects, ground service, equipment, fueling and all facets of running the station. Other responsibilities will include reviewing operating statistics from the previous day, budget items, and meetings to discuss operational issues. An airline manager in this environment could command a $70,000 annual salary. Some of the characteristics I posses for success in this type of job relate to motivation and self- management. Number one is goal oriented and secondly is time management. You need to be open minded, capable of analyzing, evaluating and implementing. Since I enjoy a challenge I would welcome promotional opportunities. Target Market An entry level, post graduation position, will probably be that of a station manager for a small airline. Responsibilities will include responsibility for all flight and ground operations such as aircraft handling, passenger services, and air cargo operations. Selling tickets, checking baggage, preparing passengers and manifests, operating teletypes and computer terminals may also be included in the job duties. Aviation industries of interest include the Federal Aviation Administration, Airlines and Airports, all who require skilled professionals an aviation-related field that present career challenges. â€Å"The FAA operates the world’s biggest and safest aviation system with  responsibility for the licensing and certification of aircraft and pilots, for the security of  airports, and for the around-the-clock operation of the nation’s air traffic control system† (FAA.gov). Airports are gateways to the cities and countries they serve and provide a variety of jobs locally and nationwide contributing billions to the national economy. Although a career with a large international airport would be the most desirous employment with Boca Aviation would be an acceptable entry- level opportunity. The airlines provide job opportunities in every city they serve with the greater variety of job opportunities in the larger cities. â€Å"The largest concentrations of airline career opportunities are in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Miami, Atlanta and Boston: (). Foreign airlines flying into the United States hire Americans to handle their passenger and air cargo business, an opportunity that cannot be overlooked.

Movie Genres Essay

By the start of 20th century movies started to play a big role in entertaining people all AROUND THE WORLD, THE EARLIEST MOVIES WERE MADE ONLY IN ONE SHOT WITH NO EDI? NG OR SPECI? C STORY BUT LI? LE BY LI? LE MOVIES STARTED COMBINING DI? ERENT SCENES TO TELL A STORY. SLOWLY BY PRODUCING DI? ERENT MOVIES, DI? ERENT MOVIE GENRES WERE SHAPED. NOWADAYS WE HAVE NEARLY 20 DI? ERENT MAIN MOVIE GENRES AND SOME OF THEM CONTAIN SUBGENRES. MOST OF THE MOVIES ARE A COMBINA? ON OF DI? ERENT GENRES. IN THIS AR? CLE THE FOCUS IS ON ONLY THREE MAIN GENRES: COMEDY, HORROR AND AC? ON. ONE OF THE MAIN AND MOST POPULAR GENRES IS â€Å"COMEDY†. A COMEDY MOVIE IS INTENDED TO MAKE THE AUDIENCE LAUGH AND CONTAINS COMICAL EVENTS OR FUNNY DIALOGUES. COMEDY IS CONSIDERED AS AN OPEN GENRE BECAUSE IT CONTAINS MANY DI? ERENT SUBGENRES SUCH AS COMEDY OF MANNERS, PARODY, ROMAN? C COMEDY AND COMEDY HORROR (WHICH CONTAINS BLACK COMEDY AND ZOMBIE COMEDY). COMEDY OF MANNERS SA? RIZES MANNERS AND A? EC? ONS OF A SOCIAL CLASS AND IT IS INTENDED TO SHOW THE AUDIENCE WHAT LIES BEHIND TRADI? ONS AND MANNERS OF SOCIETY. PARODY MOVIES MOCK OTHER WORKS, GENRES, PEOPLE OR ? C? ONAL CHARACTERS. THE AUDIENCE OF THESE MOVIES SHOULD BE FAMILIAR WITH THE SOURCE OF THE PARODY. ROMAN? C COMEDY LIKE ITS ? TLE IS A COMBINA? ON OF ROMANCE AND COMEDY AND MAINLY FOCUSES ON TWO CHARACTERS WHO WITHIN HUMOROUS HAPPENINGS DISCOVER THEIR LOVE FOR EACH OTHER AND THE LAST BUT NOT LEAST SUBGENRE IS COMEDY HORROR WHICH CONTAINS TWO DI? ERENT CATEGORIES : BLACK COMEDY AND ZOMBIE COMEDY. BLACK COMEDY IS O3EN BASED ON TRAGIC OR TABOO SUBJECTS SUCH AS DEATH, SUICIDE OR WAR AND ZOMBIE COMEDY (O3EN CALLED ZOMEDY) COMBINES HORROR OF ZOMBIES WITH COMICAL HAPPENINGS. ANOTHER POPULAR GENRE IS HORROR THAT GENERALLY IS INTENDED TO SCARE OR FRIGHTEN THE AUDIENCE THROUGH SUSPENSE, VIOLENCE OR SHOCK. THE MORE REALIS? C THEY WILL BE, THE MORE ENTERTAINING THEY BECOME AND WELL OBVIOUSLY FRIGHTENING. HORROR GENRE HAS SOME SUBGENRES SUCH AS GHOST STORY, MONSTERS AND SLASHER. IN THE GHOST STORY, MOVIES WITH INTRUSION OF THE SPIRITS OF THE DEAD INTO THE LIVES OF LIVING PEOPLE ARE INCLUDED. THE STORIES THAT CONTAIN STRANGE CREATURES SUCH AS WEREWOLVES AND VAMPIRES THAT FRIGHTEN PEOPLE ARE CONSIDERED AS MONSTER SUBGENRE AND SLASHER MOVIES FEATURE A SERIAL KILLERS OR PSYCHOPATHS WHO BRUTALLY KILL THEIR  VIC? MS. AND THE LAST POPULAR GENRE TO BE INTRODUCED IN THIS ESSAY IS â€Å"AC? ON†. MOST OF THE ? ME IT COMES WITH ADVENTURE AND THEY CAN’T BE APART. IN AC? ON MOVIES THE MAIN CHARACTER DEALS WITH DANGEROUS SITUA? ONS SUCH AS EXPLOSIONS AND ? GHT SCENES. IT DOESN’T HAVE SPECI? C SUBGENRES. ASIDE FROM THESE GENRES WE HAVE MANY OTHER MOVIE GENRES SUCH AS CRIME, FANTASY, HISTORICAL, MYSTERY, POLI? CAL, ROMANCE, SCIENCE-? C? ON, SLICE OF LIFE, THRILLER AND ETC†¦ NOWADAYS THANKS TO THE IMPROVEMENT OF TECHNOLOGY PEOPLE CAN CHOOSE ANY KIND OF MOVIE THEY WANT AND ENJOY CREA? NG MEMORIES WITH THEM.

15 Quotes for a Best Man Wedding Toast

15 Quotes for a Best Man Wedding Toast If you have been asked to be the best man at a wedding, you have a wide variety of responsibilities. Some of them (like planning and attending a bachelor party)Â  are a lot of fun; others (like handling the rings) can be tricky. Perhaps the most intimidating of all your tasks will be the ritual of raising a best man wedding toast to the couple. It is said that fortune favors the brave. So instead of thinking up creative excuses to give the legendary best man wedding toast a slip, why not use a few of the following quotes to let the best man win? 15 Fun, Funny, and Sincere Quotes to Use in Your Best Man Wedding Toast As you choose quotes, be sure they really reflect your relationship with the happy couple and their personalities. Will they enjoy fun or funny quotes? Or are they more likely to appreciate a sincere and caring message? The quote you choose can set the tone for your toast. AnonymousIts not as great a day for the bride as she thinks. Shes not marrying the best man. Robert FrostIts a funny thing that when a man hasnt anything on earth to worry about, he goes off and gets married. Allan K. ChalmersThe grand essentials of happiness are: something to do, something to love, and something to hope for. Diane SolleeAny fool can have a trophy wife. It takes a real man to have a trophy marriage. Timothy Titcomb, J. G. HollandThe most precious possession that ever comes to a man in this world is a womans heart. David LevesqueYou know you are in love when you see the world in her eyes, and her eyes everywhere in the world. Rabindranath TagoreHe who wants to do good, knocks at the gate: he who loves finds the door open. Michel de MontaigneMarriage is like a cage; one sees the birds outside desperate to get in, and those inside equally desperate to get out. Brendan FrancisA man is already halfway in love with any woman who listens to him. Mark TwainAfter all these years, I see that I was mistaken about Eve in the beginning; it is better to live outside the Garden with her than inside it without her. Ronald ReaganThere is no greater happiness for a man than approaching a door at the end of a day, knowing someone on the other side of that door is waiting for the sound of his footsteps. Saint AugustineInsomuch as love grows in you, so beauty grows. For love is the beauty of the soul. Antoine de Saint-ExuperyLove does not consist in gazing at each other, but in looking outward together in the same direction. SophoclesOne word frees us of all the weight and pain of life: That word is love. Emily BronteWhatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same.

Comparative politics Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Comparative politics - Research Paper Example ctions and public policies with particular focus on the relationship between political culture and individual or group behaviors as well as how the individual/group behaviors are related with public policy outputs. With regard to the relationship between political culture and individual and group behaviors, political culture significantly influences both individual and group behaviors in various countries. This is largely attributed to the fact that political culture deeply impacts on the way individuals see their political world and ultimately shape their behavior within their political world. For example, in a democratic political culture, individuals and the society in general often tend to actively participate in the political processes are pursue their interests freely as long as they do not infringe on the rights of others. Generally, in relations to individualistic view of governmental policies, political culture influences the individuals view of the practices of who gets what, when and how in the society. Contrastingly, in an authoritarian political culture, individuals are generally raised to believe that the interest of the state and the institutions serving the state overrides their individual interests and personal freedom1. For example, an empirical research conducted by Tezcà ¼r et al. (2012) to investigate the support for democracy in Iran revealed that the political culture in the country has a significant negative impact on the support for democracy in the Islamic State. Using a national survey, the researchers particularly found out that the dominant political culture in Iran is closely intertwined with religiosity and this has influenced the popular support for the Islamic regime and lower levels of support for democracy (Tezcà ¼r et al., 2012: 238). In the comparative public theoretical analysis, the groups in the political societies are easily influenced by the charismatic leaderships exhibited to the. Populist ideas of political cultures by

War and The Role of Photography and the Media Essay

War and The Role of Photography and the Media - Essay Example The Spanish Civil War offered one of the most enduring images of all, caught by the camera of the legendary Robert Capa - a Republican soldier at the instant of death, the moment of truth, the bitterest truth of all. And now we see again how potent a picture can be. Not long ago it seemed certain that the lasting image of war in Iraq would be Saddam's toppled statue. Instead, for millions, it is now a grinning 21-year-old girl holding a dog lead attached to the neck of a naked, cowering Iraqi. That the mass media grew in importance during the twentieth century cannot be doubted. The late Victorian period witnessed an enormous expansion of the press, stimulated by improved technology and by the mid-century removal of the so-called 'taxes on knowledge', the stamp and paper duties which had raised the price of newspapers. By 1901 there were 21 major daily newspapers being produced in London. Although this number was to fall in the next few decades, as a result of closures and mergers, the press would remain a power in the land, courted and feared by politicians of all parties. After the First World War new media came to rival the press in their capacity to reach a mass audience. The cinema came into its own in the inter-war period, providing newsreel images which enabled the public at large to gain its first visual appreciation of the country's political leaders. The establishment in the 1920 of the BBC made possible the supply of radio, followed later by television, directly to voters' homes. From 1955, with the emergence of independent television, the BBC's monopoly of broadcasting was challenged by the rise of commercial channels. The appearance of satellite and cable television from the late 1980s further extended the variety of media available to the public. The role of the media in politics remains an area of intense debate. Although the press and broadcasting have rarely, if ever, been direct causes of political change, arguably they have done more than merely reflect their environment. The historians James