Strengths In John Steinbecks The Grapes Of Wrath - 743 Words

Do the needs of an individual family or group supersede the needs of the many? In The Grapes of Wrath written by the John Steinbeck, the readers see the strength that is needed to be a mother when outside forces rip a family apart. Ma Joad is the living representation of strength given her unique role in the family. Ma took an almost patriarchal role in the family and demonstrated that she was unique among other characters due to her strength, love, and family power. One of Ma Joads most defining features is her overall mental strength. Throughout the story, her strength is shown time and time again as she tries to reach California with her family. An example of her strength is seen when the family looked in â€Å"terror at her strength†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦show more content†¦Not only does this show Ma’s love for Tom but it also shows the courage that it gives her. All in all, Ma used her love for her family to fuel her resolve to stick together as a family regardless of the cost. Many characters stood out during the story yet none ever broke the established family hierarchy except for Ma Joad. Ma did not completely break the family structure instead it was more akin to a momentary shift of power. The first time Ma demonstrates any form of power is during a meeting to see whether Jim Casy can go with the Joads to California. During said meeting, although Ma had no real power her â€Å"tone† was able to make Pa â€Å"ashamed† (Steinbeck 130). This on its did not show power instead it showed Ma’s influence on Pa when dealing with family affairs since her opinion was just as important. Later on in the story, Ma would take a more active role in family affairs. Not only did Ma become more active in order to keep the family together but she also took Pa’s power when she said: â€Å"I ain’t a-gonna go† which left Pa â€Å"amazed at the revolt† (Steinbeck 185). During this incident, Ma for the first time disobeyed not j ust Pa but the whole family and took command in order to keep the family from separating even a little. From this point forward Ma is essentially the Patriarch of the family taking over her husbands role as the head of the family. Thus itShow MoreRelated Comparing and Contrasting the Novel and Movie Version of The Grapes of Wrath968 Words   |  4 PagesComparing and Contrasting the Novel and Movie Version of The Grapes of Wrath John Steinbeck wrote the The Grapes of Wrath in 1939 to rouse its readers against those who were responsible for keeping the American people in poverty. The Grapes of Wrath tells the story of the Joad family, migrant farmers from Oklahoma traveling to California in search of an illusion of prosperity. The novels strong stance stirred up much controversy, as it was often called Communist propaganda, and banned fromRead MoreJohn Steinbeck: Experiencing the Dust Bowl Essay1364 Words   |  6 Pagesdecade of great change politically, economically, and socially. The Great Depression and the Dust Bowl wore raw the nerves of the people, and our true strength was shown. From it arose John Steinbeck, a storyteller of the Okies and their hardships. His books, especially The Grapes of Wrath, are reflections of what really went on in the 1930s. John Steinbeck did not write about what he had previously read, he instead wrote what he experienced through his travels with the migrant workers. His methodRead MoreAmerica Is Home To Many Great Writers Whom Come Different1709 Words   |  7 PagesAmerica is home to many great writers whom come different backgrounds. American authors like John Steinbeck who add biographical elements into their pieces of writing. John Steinbeck, one of the most honorable authors of time, is known for receiving Nobel Prize, California commonwealth club medal, Pulitzer Prize, and other great accomplishments towards publishing sixteen novels. Steinbeck’s realist style of writing and life experiences impacting his life show the reader he’s been through a lot inRead More John Steinbeck: Experiencing the Dust Bowl Essay1346 Words   |  6 Pagesdecade of great change politically, economically, and socially. The Great Depression and the Dust Bowl wore raw the nerves of the people, and our true strength was shown. From it arose John Steinbeck, a storyteller of the Okies and their hardships. His books, especially The Grapes of Wrath, are r eflections of what really went on in the 1930’s. John Steinbeck did not write about what he had previously read, he instead wrote what he experienced through his travels with the migrant workers. â€Å"His methodRead MoreAnalysis Of John Steinbeck s The Crucible 1074 Words   |  5 Pages Dylon Morrison Mr. Briggs 5 December 2014 Word Count: 978 John Steinbeck John Steinbeck was born on February 27, 1902 in Salinas, California. John decided to be a writer at the very young age of fourteen. â€Å"John used to lock himself in his bedroom and to be alone and write stories and poem†(John Steinbeck Biography). John was the first in his family to have a striving desire to become a writer, his father did everything he could to keep food on the table and his mother was a former schoolRead MoreAnalysis Of The Book The Grapes Of Wrath 2169 Words   |  9 Pages Reoccurrence of a life Lurking underneath Steinbeck’s vivacious verbs and vivid adjectives, the reader can see his vivid, and often, complex characters. Steinbeck does not write specifically about the stories of his life, yet incorporates his own innate feelings into his characters. He institutes archaic animations in his characters that flow through each of his own stories. John Steinbeck s works, include little pieces of himself hidden in the heavy plots. This is also known becauseRead MoreGrapes of Wrath838 Words   |  4 PagesHow does John Steinbeck portray Jim Casey as a Christ figure in his novel, The Grapes of Wrath? In his novel, The Grapes of Wrath, John Steinbeck brings a variety of diverse characters to the reader. The majority of these characters individuality lies within whom they symbolize. What Im trying to say is that the character in the novel represents another being outside of the novel. For example, the former preacher Jim Casey who is also a good friend of the Joads may to some readers representRead More James Stills River of Earth: A Neglected American Masterpiece811 Words   |  4 Pagesof their region. However great it may be at depicting Appalachias mountain people and culture, though, Stills novel has remained mostly invisible compared to other novels of the period which depict poor white southern life, such as John Steinbecks Grapes of Wrath and Erskine Caldwells Gods Little Acre (Olson 87). As scholar Ted Olson notes, there are several reasons for this neglect. First of all, Stills novel has been labeled as regional and therefore not as universal in its concernsRead MoreScott Fitzgeralds The Great Gatsby and John Steinbecks The Grapes of Wrath1720 Words   |  7 PagesFitzgeralds The Great Gatsby and John Steinbecks The Grapes of Wrath In the novels The Great Gatsby by Scott Fitzgerald and The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck, the authors present similar ideas, but use different methods to portray them. Similarities in themes can be made between the two texts; these include the pursuit of the American Dream and the use and misuse of wealth. Other themes are also central to each novel, the strength in unity and the influence of female Read MorePoetry In John Steinbecks The Grapes Of Wrath1463 Words   |  6 Pageshave. The words are fighting each other to get out (Steinbeck, John. phantascene.com/2014/0 2/john-steinbeck-what-he-taughtwriters.Web.7Oct.2013). The lyrical style of The Grapes of Wrath keeps the readers spell-bound from beginning to the end and lets the readers feel the vicinity of the have-nots. Steinbeck has a suitably elastic form and elevated style to express the far-reaching tragedy of the migrant drama. In The Grapes of Wrath he devised a contrapuntal structure, which alternates short lyrical

The Effects Of Bullying On The Health Care Industry

Literature Review Bullying is a prevalent problem that has existed in the health care industry for a long time, but people did not want to talk about it and it was kept as an ugly secret. When the occurrence of misbehavior increased over time, health care providers started breaking the silence. The evidence of bullying has shown the effect on patient outcomes as well as the victims. According to studies, nurses particularly younger age females are more susceptible to bullying than any other health care workers in the industry. Workplace bullying is the repeated, health-harming mistreatment of one or more persons (the targets) by one or more perpetrators. Workplace bullying behaviors include verbal abuse, victimization, humiliation, being†¦show more content†¦According to a Workplace Bullying Institute (2014), 27% of adult Americans have experienced abuse, 48% have been affected either directly or indirectly by it, 72% of Americans are aware that workplace bullying happens and 93% support th e enactment of a healthy workplace environment law. Bullying is reported across all levels in the health care sector and the cases keep increasing over time and management should intervene to prevent and control the problem. (Dumont, Meisinger, Whitacre, Corbin, 2012) report in their study of 950 RN respondents that 82% reported experiencing or witnessing bullying behaviors on a weekly or daily basis. In 2008, The Joint Commission (TJC) reported that these behaviors can foster medical errors; and contribute to poor patient satisfaction and to preventable adverse outcomes. Fitness (2000) found that employees bullied by subordinates may be more likely to confront the offenders than employees bullied by superiors. (Trà ©panier, Fernet, Austin, 2015) found out that employees who are victims of bullying at work may be able to satisfy their need for being valued and connected to others at work through other means such as confiding to other colleagues about the situation to obtain

Academic and Communication Problem †Free Samplers for Students

Question: Is Obesity The Problem Of The Consumers And Not Of The Producers? Answer: Introduction When fat gets accumulated in a persons body that it can have a negative effect on their health and this condition is known as obesity. A person having 20% more weight than required is considered obese. Every packaged product, one tears open to eat its content, has the calorie count printed in bold letters. Anyone who can read knows what they are eating and how it will affect their body. Still, when it comes to the blaming game, the responsibility of the problem of obesity is given to the companies, fast-food restaurants, and other food sellers who sell food which is sugary, high in fat, and salty. To decide whether it is the companies or the consumers who should be blamed for the problem of increasing obesity it is important to analyze both the factors (Burgess, Hassmen, Pumpa, 2017). The studies demonstrated that not only food habits, but many other factors contribute to the increasing obesity. Poor life-styles and socio-economic deprivation are some common factors that are prevale nt in the rapidly increasing obesity. With the alarming rates, obesity and being over-weight are becoming the reasons for many health problems which cause pressure on the health care system to find the solution for it (Elbel et al., 2013). In this essay the position of both consumers and companies will be evaluated to find who is responsible for the increasing problem of obesity. Obesity is no good and a control on it is an important factor that needs attention. In developed nations, the big food companies are under constant attack by health advocates saying that it is the junk food that makes the main contribution to the constantly growing waistline and chronic diseases. The results of obesity are the chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes mellitus and coronary heart diseases. In addition, above all physical inactivity and smoking habits exacerbate the problems to its maximum level. This tendency is found more prominent amongst people of lower socio-economic status (Han et al., 2014). Though the lifestyles may vary from country to country, the drivers for obesity were found to be poor lifestyles and the deprived socio-economic status of people. It is said that the influence of physiological and lifestyle stress affects the person and results in increased body fat and issues of obesity. Apart from adults, children are also becoming obese, and, in the last thre e decades, the problem of child obesity has risen substantially. The policy makers are working hard to control the epidemic, obesity is causing, but the issue is to find the main cause of obesity in people ranging from 5 years to 60 years of age which researcher have not found et (Larson, Ellison,2014). Obesity has turned into an epidemic, which has affected people of every age, gender, and economic status. There has been a major debate over fast-food companies and other food companies and whether they are responsible for the obesity. People have even called fast-food the new tobacco as people become addicted to it and face its harmful prospects in the future. The advertisements of tasty, nice smelling, and looking fast-food with some free toys are filling the main time-slots of television attracts everyone including children to the food the company is selling. To attract the customer companies, spend a lot on these advertisements. The debaters say that the advertisements of healthy food like fruit, and milk, are non-existent which makes it difficult to ignore the junk food (Lobstein et al., 2015). The food industry says that they are just advertising what people are asking for. They say that they are not forcing anyone to eat their products, and also, they are following the policie s of the government to control the increasing obesity which includes mentioning the nutritional values of the food on the packaging. It clearly says the amount of salt, sugar, fat, carbohydrates, and other relevant information that the food contains. When they are not hiding anything, why are they to blame for increasing obesity. Moreover, for selling their products, they have to use promotional methods, and in that, they are going to make their food look good and delicious, not as a reason for obesity. As per food companies the customers are sensible enough to decide that the promoted product is healthy for them or not. A company is never forces anyone to make the purchase and consume their product so they cannot be held responsible for increasing obesity (Morrisson, 2011). It is true, that nobody forces anyone to eat the food full of sugar, carbohydrates, and fat that the companies are selling. This side of the debate says that it is a consumers responsibility to manage what a person is eating and how it is going to affect him. Furthermore, if a person is eating food which can result in obesity, proper exercise and care need to be taken. If a person has the purchasing power and liking for something, it becomes their personal choice to make the purchase and eat the product or understand the ill impact it is going to cause and avoid it (Peretti, 2013). A healthy lifestyle also reduces the unhealthy effects of fast-food. People say that advertisements of the consumer products are so attractive and convincing that people get bound to make the purchase of the product. Companies like McDonalds give toys with a specially segmented happy meal for children, which attracts the children and they force their parents to make the purchase. However, no one asks paren ts to purchase a big box of French fries and let children sit and watch television while devouring it and later complain about increasing obesity. Sensibility lies in deciding whether the product is good for health or not(Stanish, 2010). Responsible or not, it is the time for food companies to become realistic when advertising their food products, for children especially. There are many companies that are selling food that is being segmented as healthy, but they hide the negative facts of it. For example, Kelloggs company was sued in the US for advertising their nutria-grain bar as healthy as a bowl of salad or a glass of milk, whereas the claim says that the company is not showing the level of sugar and fats the nutria-grain bar has, which increases the trans-fat in the body and may result in heart disease. Even people personally and as a parent have to be responsible for deciding how they are eating and in what quantity. They should consider their life style also to avoid the epidemic of obesity affecting them or their children and the result will be a healthier world(Zheng, 2016). Conclusion Obesity negatively affect the health and this is a fact. A healthy life style and a thought before eating are very important to keep the issues like obesity away.Humans are smart enough to decide what is good for them. Even companies selling products that may result in obesity, especially for children, must feel the responsibility of showing a contribution to the healthy population and the future generations. The socio-economic factors and lifestyle of the people are affecting the increasing rate of obesity in the developed, and developing countries, and policies are required that affect positively in controlling the increasing obesity. Hence, it is concluded that both the consumers and the producers are responsible for the increasing obesity. References Burgess, E., Hassmen, P., Pumpa, K. (2017). Determinants of adherence to lifestyle intervention in adults with obesity: a systematic review. Clinical Obesity, 7(3), 123-135. Elbel, B., Mijanovich, T., Dixon, L., Abrams, C., Weitzman, B., Kersh, R. (2013). Calorie labelling, fast food purchasing and restaurant visits. Obesity, 21(11), 2172-2179. Han, T., Lee, D., Lean, M., Finn, J., O'Neill, T., Bartfai, G. (2014). Associations of obesity with socioeconomic and lifestyle factors in middle-aged and elderly men: European Male Aging Study (EMAS). European Journal of Management, 172(1), 59-67. Ing, B. (2014). Viewpoint: Who is to Blame for Childhood Obesity?. Thespec.com. The Hamilton Spectator, 1(1), 1. Larson, D., Ellison, B. (2014). Whos to blame for obesity? Policy makers, the food industry, or individuals? | ACES News :: College of ACES, University of Illinois. News.aces.illinois.edu. Lobstein, T., Jackson-Leach, R., Moodie, M., Hall, K., Gortmaker, S., Swinburn, B. (2015). Child and adolescent obesity: Part of a bigger picture. The Lancet, 385(9986), 2510-2520. Morrison, M. (2017). Ad Age Homepage - AdAge. Adageindia.in. Retrieved 24 May 2017, from https://www.adageindia.in/ Peretti, J. (2017). Fat profits: how the food industry cashed in on obesity. the Guardian. Retrieved 24 May 2017, from https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2013/aug/07/fat-profits-food-industry-obesity Stanish, J. (2017). The Obesity Epidemic in America and the Responsibility of Big Food Manufacturers. Inquiries Journals, 2(11), 1. Retrieved from https://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles Zheng, T. (2016). Research on food companies' social responsibilities from the perspective of the food safety. Advance Journal of Food Science and Technology, 12(4), 212-218.

Interested in obtaining an MBA In Health Care Essay Example

Interested in obtaining an MBA In Health Care Essay The mission of the program is a comprehensive training of managers and specialists in Health Management. Feature of the program is to prepare Health Care Managers in modern management techniques and changes in active development areas, as well as primary medical specialty. The program is primarily practical and is based on parsing of real situations that arise in managing the organization health care system. Learning Objectives: The course focuses on skills in the field of law and legislation, budget planning, efficient management in terms of changes, health information systems and marketing. The list of subjects of MBA programs on health includes subjects that provide a common understanding of the typical organization of health systems. Getting an MBA in Health Care generally includes an internship, during which a student spends time in some of the health institutions, such as: We will write a custom essay sample on Interested in obtaining an MBA In Health Care specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Interested in obtaining an MBA In Health Care specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Interested in obtaining an MBA In Health Care specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer * Hospitals* Nursing homes* Rehabilitation facilities* Department of Health Most of the MBA in Health Care consist of studying the process of managing and understanding the policies and procedures. Usually these subjects are focused on information systems, communication technologies and personnel management. In a typical curriculum one can find the subjects of politics, legal issues, ethical standards and government relations at the local, district and state level. Some subjects will cover the historical aspects of health care or planning for future development. Also in the list of subjects funding must be included. If we consider health as a business, it is important to understand the economics basis for management of health facilities. MBA in Health Care includes such items relating to the financial side: * Accounting of Health* Marketing in Healthcare Management* Health Economics* Finance in Healthcare Management.

The gothic horror genre Essays

The gothic horror genre Essays The gothic horror genre Paper The gothic horror genre Paper Immediately before Jonathan makes the discovery of Draculas resting place, there are some very intense Gothic description that builds up until the incident of horror. Jonathan describes, the stairs were dark at the bottom there was a dark, tunnel-like passage through which came a deathly, sickly odour which gives the reader feelings of tenseness. Gothic descriptions tend to be, deathly, dark and dreary. Draculas eyes were open and stony, but without the glassiness of death the lips were as red as ever I fled from the place. This describes Dracula as dead and alive, the living dead. There is suggestion that Frankensteins Monster is also the living dead. With his watery eyes that seemed almost of the same colour as the dun-white sockets in which they were set, his shrivelled complexion and straight black lips. This describing the living monster sounds as if it describing a dead man. As something major is going to happen tension is often built up via intense description and pathetic fallacy. The wind came now with fiercer and more bitter sweeps. As the weather is worsening so is the situation. Pathetic fallacy is also used often in this way in Frankenstein too. The rain pattered dismally against the pains and my candle was nearly burnt out. The dismal rain sets a dismal atmosphere. The mention of the candle almost burnt out suggests that something dire is about to happen. There is often supernatural description in gothic horror novels. In Dracula Lucy is described as being like a nightmare of Lucy the pointed teeth, the bloodstained, voluptuous mouth the whole carnal and unspiritual appearance, seeming like a devilish mockery of Lucys sweet purity This is typical of the Gothic horror genre. The idea of vampires is super natural and is Gothic in itself. Again, the descriptions become ever more intense, leading up to horror. The horror here is the act of releasing Lucys spirit from the possessed body. As the stake is hammered into the heart The Thing in the coffin writhed The body shook and quivered and twisted in wild contortions while the blood from the pierced heart welled and spurted up around it. This again demonstrates the Gothic tradition and the horror that is connected to it. The blood here symbolises anger, hate and passion. The demon is fighting to stay within the body and so is writhing and twisting in frustration. Lucy is no longer a human being. The men have now realised that her mind and soul no longer exist. She has been reduced to an it. When the monster in Frankenstein is first brought to life Victor sees I saw the dull yellow eye of the creature open. The unnatural colour of the eyes suggests that the monster is supernatural. This also brings fear to the reader as he may be seen as dangerous. In Dracula religion is used as a literacy device. Whilst in Transylvania, Jonathan speaks of how the local people offer him gifts, such as a crucifix. This shows the close tie of the Holy cross, linked into their supernatural beliefs. The old woman says that, It is the eve of St. Georges Day [and] when the clock strikes midnight, all the evil things in the world will have full sway This suggests that she is scared for Jonathan. With her fear, she offers him a crucifix, as do travellers later on. Mina Harkers incident is an obvious show of religion used. After Dracula has bitten her, she reaches a period of depression. Mina shows her self-hatred to be a mixture of religion, shock and horror. Mina feels that she is now Unclean, Unclean!.. I am now his worst enemy referring to her husband. She feels that now Dracula has bitten her, she is a Vampire also and that she should be killed. Van Helsing attempts to protect Mina against any further attack. He touches a piece of sacred wafer on her forehead. There was a fearful scream As he had placed the wafer on Minas forehead, it had seared it had burned into the flesh as though it had been a piece of white-hot metal. This suggests that there is evil and super natural presence within Mina and religion is able to harm or even defeat it. Van Helsing acknowledges that Mina may have to bear that mark till God Himself sees fit, as He most surely shall, on the Judgement Day to redress all wrongs when that red scar shall pass away and leave your forehead as pure as the heart we know. This suggests that Minas scar is seen as the mark of evil. There is an indication that When she dies all her evil shall be dismissed she shall be judged by god on her pure self only not Draculas curse. The characters here believe that their faith in God shall save them. Religion seems to be a safety net for the vulnerable and for those who are exposed to danger. It reflects the Gothic feeling to the novel and so contrasts good and evil, which seems to be a significant theme, particularly towards the end of the novel. Religion is not such an important theme used by Mary Shelley, though her characters make exclamations that mention such things as God in times of fear or shock. Frankenstein often refers to his creation as a Devil or a Demon. This is ironic because it was he who created the monster, and it was he who performed the ghastly task of putting it together, so does that not make him the devil and the monster but a pure human. Frankenstein says that his brother, William now sleeps with his angel mother! which is a biblical image. This shows the horror and grief that is felt by Frankenstein and his family as it emphasises Williams purity and innocence. Frankenstein realises that he has, inadvertently caused Williams death. His unnatural and unholy creation has murdered a sweet and innocent child. A significant theme that Shelley uses to a great extent is science. As Frankensteins chosen occupation is within the scientific field, themes arising from this, cover a majority of the novel. Towards the beginning of the novel, Frankenstein is a student. His first mention of a creation, he says that, The raising of ghosts and devils was a promise liberally accorded by my favourite authors showing his observation of the matter. It seems to be Frankensteins study of others and determination that makes his ideas to be horrific. He is a well-educated young man, who feels that he must prove himself, but he does not realise the implications of this. Frankenstein speaks of his ancient philosophers as one would of a God. Punctuation and the language that is used is a very important device. This is shown significantly in Dracula with Jonathans feelings of shock. He says, There lay the count, but looking as if his youth had been half renewed, on the lips were gouts of fresh blood, which trickled from the corners of the mouth and ran over the chin and neck. This is exceptionally long sentence. This suggests Jonathan is making a hurried description because he is breathless, confused and in shock. He only half believes what he has seen. He later exclaims that he is, alone in the castle with those awful women. Faugh! They are devils of the pit! Goodbye, all! Mina! conveying his desperate situation to the reader. Stoker uses exclamation marks in order to portray Jonathans shock, these create a certain abruptness to the text, thus shocking the reader. Commas and semi-colons are used here. These suggest to the reader sharp intakes of breath, hence indicating shock and fear. There is also repetition of the word and this seems to add to the description, therefore the situation feels more intense. Frankenstein seems to be a novel that deals with morals, conventions and the significance of human beings as a whole. Where as Dracula is deals more with humans as individuals. Two very different styles are used in Dracula and Frankenstein. Although both convey what is essentially known as Gothic horror, they are two very different stories and they set out to suggest very different morals through the themes that are used. Despite the fact that each author suggests different morals, they do both touch on the importance and meaning of human life. The novels were both written in a time where people were questioning their place in the world. The two monsters portrayed within the novels perhaps reflect society during that period. I enjoyed both novels especially Dracula due to the unique way the novel had been structured. Both novels shared similar moral messages though Frankenstein was probably more clear than that that of Draculas.

In Writing, Tone Is the Authors Attitude

In Writing, Tone Is the Authors Attitude In Writing, Tone Is the Author’s Attitude In Writing, Tone Is the Author’s Attitude By Mark Nichol In written composition, tone is often defined as what the author (rather than the reader) feels about the subject. (What the reader feels about it, by contrast, is referred to as the mood.) Tone is also sometimes confused with voice, which can be explained as the author’s personality expressed in writing. Tone is established when the author answers a few basic questions about the purpose of the writing: Why am I writing this? Who am I writing it to? What do I want the readers to learn, understand, or think about? Tone depends on these and other questions. In expository, or informative, writing, tone should be clear and concise, confident but courteous. The writing level should be sophisticated but not pretentious, based on the reader’s familiarity with or expertise in the topic, and should carry an undertone of cordiality, respect, and, especially in business writing, an engagement in cooperation and mutual benefit. Expository writing shares with journalistic writing an emphasis on details in order of priority, so writers should not only organize their compositions to reflect what they believe is most important for readers to know but also use phrasing and formatting that cues readers about the most pertinent information words like first, primary, major, and â€Å"most important,† and special type like italics or boldface, but employ both techniques with restraint. In creative writing, tone is more subjective, but it also requires focus on communication. The genre often determines the tone thrillers use tight, lean phrasing, romances (hearty adventures as well as adventures of the heart) tend to be more effusive and expressive, comedies more buoyant, and so on. Some writing guides suggest that if you’re unsure about what tone to adopt for fiction, you visualize the book as a film doesn’t everybody do that anyway these days? and imagine what emotions or feelings its musical soundtrack would convey. Tone is delivered in the form of syntax and usage, in imagery and symbolism, allusion and metaphor, and other literary tools and techniques, but that shouldn’t imply that developing tone is a technical enterprise that involves a checklist. Just as with mastering your writing voice (while being flexible enough to adapt it to a particular project), adopting a certain tone depends on these and many other qualitative factors. Tone can also be compared to differing attitudes of human behavior the difference, for instance, in how you behave at work, at church, at a party, and so on. Tone and voice are two features of writing that go hand in hand to create the style for a piece of writing. The attitude and the personality two other ways to describe these qualities could also be said to blend into a flavor of writing. Whatever analogy you use, make a conscious decision about tone based on the purpose, the audience, and the desired outcome of your work. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Fiction Writing category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:7 English Grammar Rules You Should KnowThe Four Sounds of the Spelling OUGrammatical Case in English

LA Cuisine Marketing Report Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

LA Cuisine Marketing Report - Coursework Example It has a wide range of meals to suite all individuals and workouts. The main offering that the restaurant make includes protein booster for body builders, slim fat meals for people who intend to lose weight, high crab meal for those taking endurance training, and low meals for the one who want to acquire a lean body and muscle. The restaurants will offer the customers with advice on the best meals that fit their workout. The restaurants will offer three meals breakfast, lunch, and dinner (Loudon, Stevens, and Bruce, 2004). a. Marketing plan overview Marketing refers to a method of determining the value for ones products or services and taking the appropriate procedure to communicate the information to customers. Before deciding on the price that one will offer in the market, a reasonable analysis should be conducted on the target group or customers. LA Cuisine has clearly identified the target group and analyzed their needs. The restaurants will, therefore, make substantial returns d ue to proper selection of a unique opportunity (Loudon, Stevens, and Bruce, 2004). The researcher who will have the responsibility of marketing the restaurants should put into consideration The Four Ps. These include product, price, place, and promotion. For the researcher to emerge with the best marketing method that LA Cuisine should adopt, they should concentrate emerging with an appropriate marketing plan. Products refer to the commodities that the entity will offer. Price is the charges that the management will be implementing for every commodity or service. Place is the location of the entity where the business will take place. Promotion refers to the various strategies that the business will offer to help people find about the product. Where the researcher concentrates on the above, LA Cuisine will be successful to dominate the market of serving their customers with the best services (Website marketing plan, 2012). Marketing objectives The objectives set out the goals that th e business wants to achieve in the course of the marketing process. LA Cuisine should aim at attaining various objectives that will lead to success and comprise of both corporate and functional objectives. Corporate objectives are the one that concern the business as a whole, while functional objectives are the objectives for various marketing activities. For a business to be successful, the objectives should conform to the SMART criteria below (McDonald, and Wilson, 2011). 1. Specific- the objectives should state exactly what should be achieved. 2. Measurable- the objectives should be flexible in a manner that the management can measure them. It should be possible for the management to determine if they achieve their objective. 3. Achievable- the various laid out objectives should be realistic. They should conform to the resources of the entity. 4. Relevant- the objectives should have material relevance to the staff who have the responsibility of achieving them. 5. Time Bound- the management should set the objectives with a time-frame in mind. This will ensure that the management sets realistic and attainable deadlines for various objectives. LA Cuisine should follow the above criteria to achieve the set objectives. With a strict adherence to the above criteria, the company will derive fruitful results in achieving the stipulated results. Marketing ethics This is a field that deals with the various moral principles that govern regulation and

Translating culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Translating culture - Essay Example Globalization is an overwhelming global trend drawing both positive and negative influences. One of the significant impacts of globalization on cultural identity lies in the spread of multinational corporations. This has been a significant driver of consumer culture and standardization of products and values.2 Globalization has been significant in propagating economic opportunity, elevating human rights, and enhancing access to information, technology, and goods and services to the people. Globalization has had a remarkable influence on the viability of locally made products and the people who take part in producing them.3 Local culture can be analyzed in terms of three dimensions. The first dimension relates to human relationship to nature and to life while the second dimension relates to symbols and rituals that aid people in structuring social relationships and building communities. Lastly, culture infers quest for ultimate meaning that avails goals and motivations. People make cu lture, and culture, in turn, makes people. Cultures keep on changing, and evolving, and the elements within any cultural identity reflect consumer choices. Nevertheless, globalization may accelerate cultural change and lead to a quick dilution of local cultural identity.4 From a socio-cultural perspective, globalization has a permeating effect on building of relationships between and among people.5 Prior to the emergence of globalization, most cultures were local, autonomous, distinct, and well-defined. The previous robust and culturally sustaining experiences, connections and reinforced local cultural identity have been destabilized. In this case, identity can be perceived in terms of gender, sexuality, religion, ethnicity, and nationality. In the contemporary world, people’s lives are perpetually being modified by contradictory trends of globalization and identity. Cultural identity and globalization are correlated and interconnected phenomena. Globalization is a critical s ource of transformation of new and modern ideas, development of human capital and information. Globalization has enhanced contacts between people with their values, ideas, and ways of life. Globalization diffuses cultural traits from one society to another. Culture is altered by other cultures that it comes into contact with through diffusion, commercial or political relations. Globalization has been associated with free flow of information, rapid advancement in technology and communication. Similarly, there has been phenomenal growth in the transportation sector, leading to the world becoming a â€Å"global village.† The new global culture signifies a â€Å"deterritorializing† character of globalization and eventual emergence of a borderless world. This aspect is blamed for diminishing the consequence of locality in cultural experience.6 Globalization has eased the way in which people can take part or integrate into another country’s cultural, economic, and pol itical life. The dominance of capitalism geared towards selling as much as possible to maximize profit has contributed significantly to the weakening of local cultures. The hyper commoditization stems from massive advertisement campaigns carried out to disseminate information concerning the products. Consumer

Integration Discussions to Include in Learning Portfolio Essay Example for Free

Integration Discussions to Include in Learning Portfolio Essay The term communication was derived from the Latin ‘communis’ meaning â€Å"to share† that is, sharing of concepts and ideas, feelings and emotion. In a literal sense however, communication means to inform to tell, to show, or to spread information (Singh, Amrik, Yadav, Seema 2003, p. 1). Communication is vital to any organization as it constitute the life of the entire organization while culture is the essence of an organization. When the management becomes concern on results and outcomes rather than on the techniques and processes, the management becomes concern only on employees’ productivity but not with their welfare. Business organization should be people oriented and its written communication or its policies must be clearly and rightly enforce and should not hinder employees from enhancing their full productivity potential. Maydan (2003) pointed out that organizations, as entities, â€Å"are also embedded in cultures, and organizing is a communication process† (p. 1). In a sense, organizational culture and policies it self are both part of communication. Thus, poor policies and policies that are poorly enforced both affects the organizational performance as well as the organizational life of business organization. It means that the employees’ effectiveness is affected by poor implementation of policies such as limiting employee’s communication with other employees in other departments and also employees’ access to management because it effectively isolate them from people they perceive as source of moral strength and information. It also effectively weakens their productivity. It is widely accepted that team work provides a better working relationship in any business organization. Here the degree to which work activities are organized around teams rather than individuals enhances the employees’ effectiveness and productivity. This is clearly illustrated in the game of basketball. Teams that play as a team have higher chances of winning. Team work also creates fun as working together for a common cause â€Å"creates group spirit, lightens up the atmosphere, and reduces tensions and conflicts (Dinsmore Cabanis-Brewin, 2006). Team work is an example of effective communication. How the problem of communication could be avoided There are perhaps a number ways to avoid the problem of communication. Management should allow employees some freedom to communicate freely with other employees on matters relating to their jobs. Having a delivery person to convey messages to other department in the same business organization delays important communications that are may be vital for the company’s growth. Business companies should be people oriented than profit oriented by focusing more on their employees welfare. It is true that even losers can turn into winners when they properly motivated. Employees gain more confidence and satisfaction through increased self-esteem and pride in their organization. In this way, employees can enjoy their work and they will become more productive in return. Aside from allowing employees some freedom to communicate, the management should also encourage its employees to innovate and take risk rather control them forced them to do more work. Gryskiewicz (1993) aptly stated that risk taking does not mean â€Å"taking a blind chance† rather it is a decision to implement â€Å"a well-reasoned idea where benefits would far outweigh the loss, should that occur† (p. 119). The problem of communication can be avoided if the management would be more people oriented. That is, if the management allows their employees to make some mistakes but at low cost, and to let them try their ideas. Attention to detail and aggressiveness When companies pay attention to details and become more demanding to their employees to come up with better results, the more pressures they imposed on their employees to exhibit precision, analytical skills, and attention to details. However, this is counter productive because this does not encourage employees to be innovative or risk takers. The company should not create an organizational climate of fear rather; it should strive to create a climate of trust. That means, allowing employees to even commit mistakes and to let them acknowledge such mistakes. Paying attention to details however is not bad; indeed it is important that company management should pay attention to details though this does not guarantee success. Details of transactions, of goals and objectives, and of business strategy to be implemented are important for the management to aware of. But when it comes to committing mistakes and risk taking, the management should display trust and confidence in their employees. Aggressiveness on the other hand is an important character of any employee. People who are aggressive are competitive and achieved more. It is far desirable than easy going attitude. Being aggressive is a positive quality as it will get one ahead of others who are not aggressive. Going back to a game of basketball, a team who is more aggressive is likely to win the game. But aggressiveness is not always viewed as positive and beneficial quality. Many people tend to view aggressiveness as the tendency to actively oppose someone else’s position or viewpoint. But viewed in the context of competitiveness, aggressiveness is positive quality that can help employees achieved more. Reference Dinsmore, P. C. Cabanis-Brewin, J. (2006) The AMA Handbook of Project Management USA: AMACOM Div American Mgmt Assn Gryskiewicz, S. S. (1993) Discovering Creativity USA: Center for Creative Leadership Maydan, A. (2003) Understanding Organizations Through Culture and Structure USA: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Sing, Amrik, Yadav Seema (2003) Business Communication India: Anmol Publication PVT. LTD

Wesels Night - The True Test in Faith :: Elie Wesel

All around the world people lose their faith in God for many different reason, either they or a love one has been diagnose with and deadly disease or an unexpected death occur in there family, they need somebody to blame, so most of them God. In Elie Wisel novel "Night" Elie explain how his faith in God was tested throughout the book, as he was force to leave his home, separated from his family, observe how many was being killed all around him, and witness children being thrown into huge ditches of fire, alive! Elie felt abandon, betrayed, and deceive, the God that he knew was an loving and giving God, it was then he started to doubt his existence. The unexplainable events that occur forever change Elie feelings for God. As Elie try hardly to hold on to his faith, his life was flashing right before his eyes, leaving his home to live in the ghetto, then as his and other lives was getting back normal they was then force out the ghetto, to either be put to death or live in an Concentration Camps, “Not far from us, flames huge flames, were rising from a ditch. Something was being burned there. A Truck drew close and unloaded its hold: small children. Babies! Yes, I did see this, with my own eyes… children thrown into flames. (Is it any wonder that ever since then, sleep tends to elude me?)" Everything around Elie was happen very fast, he couldn't believe it, on how a benevolent God could be part of such depravity, "Why did I pray?... Why did I live? Why did I breathe?" Elie prayed because he believe, he live and breathe to worship thee Almighty. The holocaust forces Elie to ask horrible question, question that doubted God’s ability. It became clear to Elie that God di dn’t have any intention to help, so why should Elie Pray before God, “How could I say to him: Blessed be Thou Almighty, Master of the Universe, who chose us among all nations to be tortured day and night, to watch as our fathers, our mothers, our Brothers end up in the furnaces?

Analysis of Dynacorp Case Essay

The strategic design lens assumes organizations are deliberate, goal-achieving entities. In this view, managers can achieve organizational goals by understanding the fundamentals of design and fitting design to strategy, as well as to the larger organizational environment. In this paper, I discuss the five major elements of strategy – environmental fit, strategic intent, strategic grouping, strategic linking, and alignment – and identify two specific elements as causes of the problems Dynacorp is experiencing with its redesign. These elements are strategic linking and alignment. Fit with the Environment In the 1980s, Dynacorp was an excellent fit with the environment; it produced high-quality, innovation products. As result, its customers were happy to wait months or even a year for the company to bring out a new product and to â€Å"do some of their own applications work and figure out how to integrate Dynacorp’s products with the rest of their operations†. In the 1990s, however, the company lost the technological advantage it had maintained over the competition. According to Carl Greystone, executive vice president of the U. S. Cus-tomer Operations Group, â€Å"Both foreign and domestic competitors have been cutting into our market share, and our gross margins are way down,†. Indeed, Dynacorp was finding that many of its customers needed more than hardware, but want-ed ‘complete solutions’ to problems. Customers were â€Å"looking for systems solutions, more cus-tomized software, and more value-added services†. Dynacorp’s senior managers recognized that the firm’s existing functional structure was seriously inhibiting the organization from creating effective cross-functional responses to its external environment. Strategic Intent Dynacorp’s senior management thus moved to redefine the firm’s strategic intent, a no-tion that Ancona et al. define as â€Å"setting the strategy or mandate of the organization†¦Ã¢â‚¬ . Instead of continuing to think of itself as a company merely selling hardware, the firm reorganized with the intention of providing customers with the integrated solutions they were demanding, and, where necessary, to do all this on a global basis. Strategic Grouping To implement its strategic intent, Dynacorp executives first had to make decisions about how to regroup tasks and functions. According to Ancona et al. , strategic grouping is a process of deciding â€Å"how the necessary activities are to be allocated into jobs, department, divisions, and other units, and how people are assigned to each†¦Ã¢â‚¬ . The textbook describes five possible methods by which grouping of functions can be organized: activity; output; user, customer, or geography; matrix; and business process. At Dynacorp, the decision was made to move away from grouping by activity. Instead, the development, manufacturing, and marketing functions were grouped together into an output-oriented set of â€Å"‘end-to-end’ business units† in which all the functions would be ex-pected to contribute to the success of a product or a family of products or services. Within the sales area, executives decided to group by geography (U. S. , Europe, Latin America/Asia, with each of these areas further subdivided into regions) rather than to create multiple sales forces for each business unit. â€Å"Since products overlapped,† the interviewer was told, â€Å"the purchasers of different products were frequently the same people, and the cost inherent in replicating the field structure several times was prohibitive,†. Within each sales region, management created account teams with each team focusing on customers within market segments and industries. Greystone asserts that such a restructuring will result in industry specialists, rather than salespersons who were only knowledgeable about particular products. Greystone seemed optimistic: â€Å"You see, we feel that by targeting our investments toward growth of sales in specific industries and developing solutions to fit their needs, we’ll rebuild our market share and increase margins,† Strategic Linking Ancona et al. describe strategic linking as both formal and informal processes and posi-tions that would integrate units and subunits which are interdependent in tasks. The text identifies a wide array of linking mechanisms, including formal reporting structures, liaison roles, permanent or temporary cross-unit groups, integrator roles, information technology systems, and planning processes. Strategic linking at Dynacorp was to be accomplished, in the first instance, by linking development, manufacturing, and marketing within each Business Unit through a change in the formal reporting structure. Carl Greystone expressed his conviction that a â€Å"tremendous amount of progress† has been made since these changes were instituted and that his personnel are â€Å"thinking about the business in new terms†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Even Greystone, however, was forced to admit that his group had been â€Å"consistently behind plan in both revenue and profit† for the past year and a half and that the â€Å"Business Unit presidents have expressed some frustration with the performance of his group. †Martha Pauley, a Branch Manager in Greystone’s division who supervised six teams that â€Å"handle financial institutions, insurance, and education in the Northeast Region,† was considerably quite disillusioned about the absence of effective cross-functional relations between sales and the Business Units. Specifically, Pauley was finding it difficult to compete because of business decisions in which she had been given no role. She had several complaints: â€Å"Our prices are still higher than our competitors’, and technical support services are way too slow. The new plant in Indonesia was supposed to help bring prices down, but they’re having problems getting the factory up and running. Since I have no control over unit manufacturing costs or the availability of technical support resources, I can’t help the team’s effectiveness in these areas†. A second way in which strategic linking was to be accomplished was to establish multi-function Account Teams focused on â€Å"selling customized solutions based on integrating our products, rather than on selling fancy hardware. †These permanent cross-unit groups were comprised of â€Å"account managers, product specialists, solution consultants, service technicians, customer administration specialists, and systems specialists. † Describing the actual functioning of these new teams to the interviewer, Martha Pauley confessed that â€Å"everyone has been so busy trying to understand their new responsibilities while still keeping up with our customers that we have communicated only through e-mail messages. We haven’t had time for the off site meeting that I had planned. Anyway, we’re still getting modifications on the job guidelines from the staff group. † The time pressures reported by Pauley were evident when she takes the interviewer into a meeting of one account team; there, they found â€Å"about half† of the members missing because of other obligations. As the meeting progressed, it also became apparent that this account team was struggling to meet its goals. The team had just been outbid for a contract with a Boston bank because its competitor had been able to offer â€Å"lower prices and a much more comprehensive package† . With regard to planning as a means of strategic linking, there too Pauley’s teams were struggling. Pauley admitted to the interviewer that she â€Å"hadn’t had a chance to develop a cohe-sive sales plan to show you†. Alignment The last of the strategic design processes is alignment: â€Å"that is, assessing the implica-tions of strategic grouping and linking patterns for the rest of the organization’s structures and processes, and making changes to ensure that the grouping and linking patterns can be implemented effectively†. suggest that each of the following be considered as elements of alignment: organizational performance measurement systems, individual rewards and incentives, resource allocation, human resource development, and informal systems and processes. One obvious alignment problem in this case concerns individual rewards and incen-tives. Ben Walker, VP of the Northeast Region, notes that the new reward system compensates branch managers in sales and product managers in the Business Units on â€Å"performance against revenue and margin goals,† but Walker worries that â€Å"no one in these jobs has the skills to be a team player. † Soon thereafter, Martha Pauley complained to the interviewer about precisely this problem. Although she shared revenue goals for her teams with the product team’s general managers in the Business Units, her own performance was being hampered by the fact that â€Å"different product team leaders in the Business Units are pushing different types of sales, depending on their particular product lines. † Something similar was happening to Pauley’s Account Teams, whose sales performance depended, in part, on their ability to get adequate Technical Support to their clients, yet they had no control over this support unit. Dynacorp’s turnaround also was being hurt by the company’s failure to give appropriate support to human resources development. Ben Walker is convinced that the company has â€Å"too many people who know how to sell products but not solutions† and projects that â€Å"at least 25 percent of the current staff needs to be replaced. † Right now we have the customer teams functioning under new guidelines that force them to collect information on customer needs and develop solutions. But too many team members are still operating under the old attitude that the equipment sells itself and the customers will do the work of integrating our products into their operations. The notion of helping the customer from initial call through implementation and use of the system is still quite alien to many of our people. The fact that Sales Team Member 2 soon was seen expressing a desire for more customers who want â€Å"standard off-the-shelf equipment† suggests that Walker’s concerns have merit. And Martha Pauley, to her credit, does not hide the fact that her teams lack training. â€Å"You see,† Pauley says, â€Å"moving from a product salesperson to a provider of solutions in a big change. It involves knowledge of the industry and the company, the full line of products, our various software applications, and concepts of systems integration. Exactly who handles all the pieces of a sale like this is still unclear†. Finally, there is some evidence of dissatisfaction with Dynacorp’s resource allocation practices, given the perceived high cost of manufacturing and the problems with Technical Support. As we have seen, at least one account team is having difficulty competing on price; and Martha Pauley complains that Dynacorp’s prices â€Å"are still higher than our competitors’, and technical support services are way too slow†.   Dynacorp appears to have done a good job of analyzing its fit with the environment and crafting a strategy that is likely to be responsive to that environment. The strategic groupings are well-suited to the strategic intent, positioning Dynacorp to be a geographically-focused, industry-specific organization that is organized to bring cross-functional talent to bear on the service as well as hardware needs of its customers. Dynacorp fails, however, to give adequate attention to strategic linking processes. There is evidence of a lack of planning, particularly as it involves product and branch managers and their staffs, apparently resulting in a lack of widespread commitment at all levels of the organization to the new mission. There also are problems of coordination between branch managers in sales and the Business Units and between the Account Teams and the Technology Specialists. Finally, the new cross-functional sales teams have had little opportunity to work out their methods of operation. Dynacorp also fails to give adequate attention to alignment. Individual reward systems and incentives work at cross-purposes with unit goals, and manufacturing costs are too high for sales teams to compete effectively. Finally, there is almost a complete absence of training—both for product and branch managers and for the various functional specialists who are now expected to work as members of teams. The senior managers at Dynacorp have made impressive efforts to respond to their highly competitive environment. However, unless careful attention is given to the strategic linking and alignment processes, this organizational redesign effort is destined to fail.

History of the Miraculous Apparition of the Virgin of Guadalupe

istory of the Miraculous Apparition of the Virgin of Guadalupe In the year 1531, early in the month of December a miracle happened in Tepeyacac, it was said that the miracle illustrious Virgin, Blessed Mary, Mother of God, Our Lady, appeared to a man named Juan Diego. He was a humble Indian who lived in Quahutitlan but was from Tlatilolco. The way the author narrates the beginning of the story is really good. He uses a really sincere tone that makes the story look real and really respectful attitude. The author has a sincere way of telling the story.He knows how to engage every scene with another one and the setting he describes makes this story so real that the readers get involved really easily on this story. Many readers become part of the story through their imagination and this is a wonderful gift someone can have because being able to feel the story like part of your real life is not easy. He keeps on telling the story and this part is gorgeous. He describes the land and it see ms that it looks like wonderland. It is so marvelous and this place is where Juan is going through.It was a Saturday morning when he was on his way to divine worship based on his custom, when he starts hearing birds singing. The way these birds sing was so beautiful that he thought he was dreaming. He was so amaze about what was happening to him. He makes an exact description of all the setting of this story; imagine every single thing that he was saying. It was stunning. He mentions that she was shining as the sun and that all around her was so bright, all of these are the things that really matters in a story, all the emphasis he puts on it makes it really reliable.I really enjoy this part because I feel like if I was in the story, like if I was looking at the flowers and the sun. All the sounds of the birds and the wind were really fantastic and help to imagine how was the land where he was because he even explains that the sounds were coming from the top of the hill, he was grea tly rejoiced with all these beautiful sounds that make a wonderful song, suddenly he heard a sweet voice saying: â€Å"Juan†, he was so scared and confuse because he was hearing a lot of different noises and even this voice mentions his name so he did not dare to climb to the mountain.He was just standing looking to the top where he was hearing all these things. He finally decided to climb the hill. He wanted to know who was calling him and why or for what. When he reached the hill he saw on the very top of the hill a beautiful lady. All around her was shining like the sun, there were stones, caves everything was so bright and even the rainbow clothed the land so that the cactus and all other plants that grew there seem like precious gold, Juan Diego was really excited about it, but at the same time he was wondering why that lady did was calling him.As it is mentioned before the author does a really good narrative of this story by describing all the scenes with a wonderful se tting. When he finally got to the top of the hill and talked to this wonderful lady. He was surprised about her and the things that she was telling to him because she talked to him like she loved him. This is one of the parts that should recall because in here the author has a tone he is using is like nostalgia but at the same time he tries to describe how the virgin was talking to Juan like when a mother talks to her son or daughter.This entire scene was nice, as the author mention Juan felt that this lady loved him, and sure she did because she even says â€Å"You must know, and be very certain in your heart, my son, that I am truly the eternal Virgin, holy Mother of the True God†. With this quote we can see how the author tries to sensitize the reader to get the idea that she really loves him and that she is a good person. The author wants us to know how the virgin was a really nice lady. Then they finally started talking and the virgin told Juan what she wanted from him, what she expected him to do, and what she wanted was a church on that hill, exactly where she was.She wanted a church in where she could show and may make known and give all her love, her mercy, help and protection. She said she was his and everybody else truth his merciful mother who call upon her. In this scene she is explaining Juan why she wanted a church. He tells him to go to the Episcopal Palace of the Bishop of Mexico and tell them what he just saw and what she just told him. She really desired a church in that place so she command Juan Diego to go and tell them to build her one.He need it to have a lot of confidence on himself in order to convince everybody in the palace of what he was saying, or at least to convince the Bishop. I think that the narrator is really involved in the story but not as a character. The author uses a really good setting because he even portrays real life events and that is what it makes the readers to be involved and interested on the reading. His religion is catholic because of the way he talks about what the virgin want it and what is she going to do with the church.She wants to be built there; he is very reliable and even thought he is just the narrator he is doing a good job on transmitting all what the virgin says along the story. The Virgin of Guadalupe is a very famous character on the catholic religion and this is a really important fact that helps the author because he is not using non-fictional characters instead he is talking about a really known image. She is known as a nice lady, as a sweet lady who helps everyone and who does miraculous and that you can pray her for something and she will conceive almost whatever you want.This is what it makes the story reliable and interesting. Juan Diego went to the palace to talk to the Bishop. He was kind of afraid because he was just a humble Indian and he knew that the Bishop would probably not believe him about what he was going to say, but even though he went there and after so much trouble he went through in order to talk to the Bishop at the end he did and tell him all that he had saw and heard. The Bishop was listening at him carefully and respectfully but at the end the Bishop just tell him to come back other day in where they can talk about it.Juan Diego left sadly and went to see the virgin and explain her everything that had happen on the palace. When the author talks about the way the people in the palace treated Juan he seems to be ironic, because he is saying that Juan was on his way to the palace so that the Bishop could listen to him and do what the virgin wanted to, but we all knew that this would not be able to happen at once, even the author knew that nobody will believe Juan about what he was about tell them. He does not lose his empathy and he tries to keep the story on an interesting point so the readers do not lose track of the story.Juan Diego very sad went back to see the virgin and this time the virgin tell him that he needed to go back to the palace and tell them again what she wanted to. She told him to try to convince him, to try to use the same words that she was telling him so they can believe him. He hope the Bishop to believe him and he said to the virgin not to worry about it that he would find the way to convince him no matter what and he promise her he will come back with good news. In this paragraph the author has a nostalgic tone.He want the readers to be sensitive to what Juan was going through and all the things that he need it to do so they could believe him, but this is also a moral because this is showing us not to give up on whatever we want to do or to obtain if we keep on trying and no matter how many times you try. If you never lose the hope you will obtain what you want, sooner or later but you will have it. Nothing is worthless, if you do it with faith and if you really try hard. This is when god tests you, to see how much you will try to obtain something and if you are really wor king hard on what you want.The author makes a really good writing when the Virgin tells Juan to go back and tell the Bishop what she want it, he tries to makes us feel as part of the story, because what the Virgin said to him was so nice but at the same time nostalgic. Even Juan says that he thinks he is not the appropriate person to do this. He says that still he will try convinced the Bishop no matter what. This part is kind of repetitive, but I guess is the way the story happened and also to make emphasis on the fact that it was not easy for the Juan to accomplish what the virgin wanted him to do.We probably all wonder why the virgin select him to do that, but well we will find out later on the reading. The next day he went there again and the same thing happened, he took forever to get to talk to the Bishop and when he finally did, he told him the same thing. This time one thing change, now he was interested on: when did he saw the Virgin, where and how does she looks like. All of these questions Juan Diego were able to answer him, so he did and with no trouble told him everything that he was seen and heard. The Bishop could not believe what was happening and did not know if he should believe or not.As it was mentioned before all these part of the reading was becoming kind of repetitive. The Bishop was really amazed of what he had heard. He command three of his servants to follow Juan on his way back. He said he was going to talk to the Virgin again, so he need it to be sure that he was not lying. The setting of this part of the story is really good because the author describes how Juan went back home and how those servants were following him but suddenly they lost him. They went back to the palace and said to the Bishop that he was a liar that they did not saw anything wrong.That was not the truth they just wanted to cover themselves because they lost him. As the story keeps on going, the author tries to keeps us engage on the reading. He does an amazing description of each scene that is just becoming more interesting and interesting each time. Sometimes you are reading a story but something happens that you lose the path of the story, and this can become boring and tedious. After that he went back home and found an uncle who was staying there very sick he was burning in fever. He did not know what to do, he call a doctor and the Dr. ame to look at him. He gave him medicine, but he was so sick that noting help him. Bernardino who was his uncle name told Juan to go to Tlatilolco and bring a priest. He wanted to confess; he said that He WAS About to pass away. Juan was so sad and went to look for the priest, on his way to Tlatilolco he did not know which way to go. If he goes straight he would saw the Virgin and she wanted him to go and see the Bishop. Since he was on a hurry to get the priest, he went through a different path, but what he did not know was that the Virgin could see him wherever he went.When he was walking the virgin a sk him: Where are you going this is not the path you follow always, he was so embarrassed that he tell her what was going on about his uncle and everything. The Virgin told him not to worry about it that he was cure already and that now he need it to go and talk to the Bishop. This scene was a moral because it shows us that whatever you do you, god will always know it and in this case the virgin knew everything what Juan Diego did. This teaches us that no matter where we are god will always take care of us. Always try to follow the right path of your life.Sometimes you think that doing other stuff will make you popular or whatever but this is not truth, all bad things will always come up. Finally he went again to see the Bishop. This time he had an evidence of what he was saying and that was what the Bishop wanted. There were these beautiful flowers on his mantle and as soon he shows it to the Bishop they fall on the floor and a suddenly appeared the most pure image of the Virgin. I t was so real that everybody in there knelt down and gazed with wonder. This setting seems real and he always portrays a lot of real life events.

Is My Writing Any Good

Is My Writing Any Good The following response resulted from someone who wrote me and asked the above question: Is my writing any good? Thats a huge burden to bear . . . to tell a struggling writer whether his/her work is good. What is GOOD anyway? Its so subjective. Books that sold hundreds of thousands of copies dont strike a chord with me. Then Ill read a story I didnt want to make or break this writers self-esteem. Who am I to make that call? So I sent this writer the following response, and thought I would likewise share it with you. Is your writing any good? This isnt a yes or no question. Youd like it to be that simple, but Im wont let you off that easily. I read most of one piece you submitted to me but couldnt read more (my time is limited and very precious to me), and I see an intense desire to write, and I see a storyteller, but I see some newbie flaws to work on. No writer starts off writing well. Nobody. No first draft is good. Nobodys. Even Stephen King has an editor that beats him up. I think the first question is whether or not you want it. Do you want to be a writer? If you do, then it doesnt matter what the writing is now. It matters where you want to take it. You set a course and go there. Read how-to books . . . change your work from what you learn.Attend conferences . . . change your work from what you learn.Join a critique group . . . change your work from what you learn.Enter contests . . . change your work from what you learn. I see dialogue that is a little stilted and some stiff emotion. I see a writer writing for himself instead of the reader. But thats normal when you are striking out, attempting to find your footing. What is it you want to do with your writing? Define that and head in that direction, willing to edit your work as many times as it takes, for as long as it takes to get it right. If you want to publish now, and want to make bank on what youve written now, then it appears you arent into writing for the right reason. Anybody can write. Only a few choose (note I said choose) to write well. And it is indeed a learned craft. So, from all the books you read in the genre you want to write in, you tell me. Is your writing good? If so, submit. If not, learn how to fix it. What do you think?

Biography of Arthur Miller, Major American Playwright

Biography of Arthur Miller, Major American Playwright Arthur Miller (October 17, 1915–February 10, 2005) is considered one of the greatest playwrights of the 20th century, having created some of Americas most memorable plays over the course of seven decades. He is the author of Death of a Salesman, which won the 1949 Pulitzer Prize in drama, and The Crucible.  Miller is known for combining social awareness with a concern for his characters’ inner lives. Fast Facts: Arthur Miller Known For: Award-winning American playwrightBorn: October 17, 1915 in New York CityParents: Isidore Miller, Augusta Barnett MillerDied: Feb. 10, 2005 in Roxbury, ConnecticutEducation: University of MichiganProduced Works: All My Sons, Death of a Salesman, The Crucible, A View From the BridgeAwards and Honors: Pulitzer Prize, two New York Drama Critics Circle Awards, two Emmy Awards, three Tony AwardsSpouse(s): Mary Slattery, Marilyn Monroe, Inge MorathChildren: Jane Ellen, Robert, Rebecca, DanielNotable Quote: Well, all the plays that I was trying to write were plays that would grab an audience by the throat and not release them, rather than presenting an emotion which you could observe and walk away from. Early Life Arthur Miller was born on October 17, 1915, in Harlem, New York to a family with Polish and Jewish roots. His father Isidore, who came to the U.S. from Austria-Hungary, ran a small coat-manufacturing business. Miller was closer to his mother Augusta Barnett Miller, a native New Yorker who was a teacher and an avid reader of novels. His fathers company was successful until the Great Depression dried up virtually all business opportunities and shaped many of the younger Millers beliefs, including the insecurity of modern life. Despite facing poverty, Miller made the best of his childhood. He was an active young man, in love with football and baseball. When he wasn’t playing outside, Miller enjoyed reading adventure stories. He also kept busy with many boyhood jobs. He often worked alongside his father; other times, he delivered bakery goods and worked as a clerk in an auto parts warehouse. College After working at several jobs to save money for college, in 1934 Miller left the East Coast to attend the University of Michigan, where he was accepted into the school of journalism. He wrote for the student paper and completed his first play,  No Villain, for which he won a university award. It was an impressive beginning for a young playwright who had never studied plays or playwriting. Whats more, he had written his script in just five days. He took several courses with Professor Kenneth Rowe, a playwright. Inspired by Rowes approach to constructing plays, after graduating in 1938, Miller moved back East to begin his career as a playwright. Broadway Miller wrote plays as well as radio dramas. During World War II, his writing career gradually became more successful. (He couldnt serve in the military because of a football injury.) In 1940 he finished The Man Who Had All the Luck, which reached Broadway in 1944 but closed after only four performances and a pile of unfavorable reviews. His next play to reach Broadway came in 1947 with All My Sons, a powerful drama that earned critical and popular praise and Millers first Tony Award, for best author. From that point on, his work was in high demand. Miller set up shop in a small studio that he had built in Roxbury, Connecticut, and wrote Act I of  Death of Salesman  in less than a day. The play,  directed by  Elia Kazan, opened on February 10, 1949, to great acclaim and became an iconic stage work, earning him international recognition. In addition to the Pulitzer Prize, the play won the New York Drama Critics Circle Award and swept all six of the Tony categories in which it was nominated, including best direction, best author, and best play. Communist Hysteria Since Miller was in the spotlight, he was a prime target for the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC), led by Wisconsin  Sen.  Joseph McCarthy. In an age of anti-communism fervor, Miller’s liberal political beliefs seemed threatening to some American politicians, which is unusual in retrospect, considering that the Soviet Union banned his plays. Miller was summoned before the HUAC and was expected to release names of any associates he knew to be communists. Unlike Kazan and other artists, Miller refused to give up any names. â€Å"I don’t believe a man has to become an informer in order to practice his profession freely in the United States,† he said. He was charged with contempt of Congress, a conviction that was later overturned. In response to the hysteria of the time, Miller wrote one of his best plays, The Crucible. It is set during another time of social and political paranoia, the Salem Witch Trials, and is an insightful criticism of the phenomenon. Marilyn Monroe By the 1950s, Miller was the most recognized playwright in the world, but his renown wasn’t only because of his theatrical genius. In 1956, Miller divorced Mary Slattery, his college sweetheart with whom he had had two children, Jane Ellen and Robert. Less than a month later he married actress and Hollywood sex symbol  Marilyn Monroe, whom hed met in 1951 at a Hollywood party. From then on, he was even more in the limelight. Photographers hounded the famous couple and the tabloids were often cruel, puzzling over why the â€Å"world’s most beautiful woman† would marry such a â€Å"homely writer. Author  Norman Mailer  said their marriage represented the union of the Great American Brain and the Great American Body. They were married for five years. Miller wrote little during that period, with the exception of the screenplay for  The Misfits  as a gift for Monroe. The  1961 film,  directed by  John Huston, starred Monroe,  Clark Gable,  and  Montgomery Clift. Around the time the  film was released, Monroe and Miller divorced.  A year after divorcing Monroe (she died the following year), Miller married his third wife, Austrian-born American photographer Inge Morath. Later Years and Death Miller continued to write into his 80s. His later plays didnt attract the same attention or acclaim as his earlier work, though film adaptations of The Crucible and Death of a Salesman kept his fame alive. Much in his later plays dealt with personal experience. His final drama, Finishing the Picture, recalls the turbulent last days of his marriage to Monroe. In 2002, Millers third wife Morath died and he soon was engaged to 34-year-old painter Agnes Barley, but he became ill before they could marry. On February 10, 2005- the 56th anniversary of the Broadway debut of  Death of a Salesman- Miller died of heart failure  at his home in Roxbury, surrounded by Barley, family, and friends. He was 89 years old. Legacy Millers sometimes bleak view of America was shaped by his and his familys experiences during the Great Depression. Many of his plays deal with the ways capitalism affects the lives of everyday Americans. He thought of theater as a way to speak to those Americans: The mission of the theater, after all, is to change, to raise the consciousness of people to their human possibilities, he said. He established the Arthur Miller Foundation to help young artists. After his death, his daughter Rebecca Miller focused his mandate on expanding the arts education program in New York City public schools. In addition to the Pulitzer Prize, Miller won two New York Drama Critics Circle Awards, two Emmy Awards, three Tony Awards for his plays, and a Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement. He also received the John F. Kennedy Lifetime Achievement Award and was named Jefferson Lecturer for the National Endowment for the Humanities in 2001. Sources Arthur Miller Biography. Notablebiographies.com.Arthur Miller: American Playwright. Encyclopedia Britannica.Arthur Miller Biography. Biography.com.Arthur Miller Foundation.

Homeland Security - Response & Recovery Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Homeland Security - Response & Recovery - Essay Example , when to release it?, how to release it?, where to release it?, whom to release it to?, and why to release it?† (Leader for Leaders, 2010). The first step I will take before making any public interviews or communication is to analyze the different stakeholders involved in the specific disaster scenario. This entails the identification and relationship of various stakeholders to the current situation. The second step I will take after identifying the different stakeholders is to determine what specific goals or objectives I have to achieve so the needs of all those involved are addressed. Last but not the least is the third step where an appropriate technique for appraising results is established (Goldschmid, 2011). In a disaster situation, the stakeholders are the general public and the various agencies who are involved in the operation. Having been able to determine those concerned in the disaster scenario, my objective now as the Director of Media Relations is how to communi cate effectively with all of them bearing in mind the factors of communication failure and success. According to Leaders for Leaders (2010) there are five types of communication letdowns that often jeopardize the success of an operation in disaster situations. These communication letdowns or failures which I must avoid are: â€Å"1. ... Therefore the messages given out by the various agencies involved in the operation must be consistent with each other so that the people do not lose faith in officials making the statements. Aside from this a back-up plan must be established when and if the normal communication lines get damaged, which makes it hard for everyone to communicate with each other. A perfect example is the time when Hurricane Hugo devastated South Carolina, where all the communications of relief agencies from various levels of the government were unable to coordinate with each other making the whole relief operation inefficient (Miskel, 2006). The next kind of communication failure is the information released late, where the public is left guessing as to what is really happening and what they should do. In cases of disaster an immediate answer is necessary to prevent the people from taking steps to follow the advises of others whose only interest is to take advantage of the present situation. The third co mmunication failure is paternalistic attitudes where certain facts are withheld. It is essential that people must be given the true facts about the situation and are given the leeway to come up to their own conclusion. By telling the public what they need to know, they are in a better position to decide whether they should or should not be worried about the disaster that happened (Leaders for Leaders, 2010). The fourth communication failure is not countering rumors in real-time. To be able to respond to false information, agencies involved in the recovery operations must monitor the situation as it progresses. This involves being tuned to all information outlets like broadcasts from television and radio

Romantic music in Renaissance painting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Romantic music in Renaissance painting - Essay Example Another purpose of Romantic music was that it had non-musical influences. Changes and events that occur in the society such as discoveries, ideas, inventions, attitudes and historical events which will affect the music at all the time. For instance, by early 19th century the industrial revolution was in fully effective and it had a great effect on music. One effect was that there were great improvements in the mechanical valves. This meant that due to the innovative instruments music could be played with more simplicity and easiness. Also the instruments became more reliable. Development in music was also caused by increase of middle class. Composers previously lived on the benefaction of the aristocracy. The audience was small most of the times and the music was only composed by people who had music knowledge and the upper class ones. On the other hand romantic composers wrote mainly for public festivals and concerts, they had large audiences. Nationalism was another theme during Ro mantic era. For instance, Jean Sibelius is mainly read to represent the Finland nation which was rising during that period and which was expecting to gain freedom one day from the Russians. Another example of musical nationalism which is well seen in the productivity of the romantic ages is where Joseph Machlis states that`` Poland’s struggle for freedom from tsarist rule aroused the national poet in Poland.† The development of Renaissance painting is an odd age in the history. It is not only that the time.

Did Marx think that capitalism is unjust Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Did Marx think that capitalism is unjust - Essay Example The theory of Base and the Superstructure is also a part of this theory. The capitalist society made of human beings form the base over which the Superstructure of the social, political, legal or religious institutions of the state is built (Friedman & Friedman, 1962, p. 42). The ownership class dominates this superstructure but the economic base will have its effect on the operation of the Superstructure. When a conflict between the social relations of the base and the owners of the forces of production takes place, it leads to a change in the superstructure (Lukes, 1987, p.47). The distinctiveness of a social class will depend on the relationship it has with the forces of production. This particular theory of Marx led to various controversies in the modern times. Discussion Capitalism theory discusses about an economic structure in which there is private ownership of means of production and the owners have the sole motive of profit maximisation (David, 1987, p.72). The main compone nts of capitalist society are accumulation of capital, competition in markets and labour who would be paid wages. At the end of feudalism, capitalism has evolved in the Western countries. Marx explains that a Capitalist Society can be classified into two classes such as the Bourgeois and the Proletariat (Dahrendorf, 1959, p.21). The Bourgeois or the Capitalist class are the ones who owned the means of production, which include the land, raw materials, machinery which are required to produce the final product. The Proletariat on the other hand are those who do not have possession of these means and hence trades of their labour in return of wages. According to his theory the ownership class and the working class are dependent on each other in a view for exchanging mutually while the production process would go on (Brass, 2004, p.23). The ownership class would need the labour class for the production with the use of their physical labour. The working class would get the opportunity to work and earn wages which is necessary for their survival (Schumpeter, 2013, P.36). This relation is however governed by exploitation and conflict of interest. Karl Marx claimed that the so called capitalists would be able to earn profits by exploitation of their workers. Profits are accumulated by the capitalist's requisition of surplus value formed by unstinted labour of the workers (Carver, 1982, p.43). Put in a different way, the wages that the labourers were paid were way less than the value that they contributed to their employers. The theory states that the workers work for a period of necessary labour and they return back the same worth of production as the wages they are paid. The concept of surplus labour comes here. The period of time when the workers produce in excess of the necessary labour is the capital gain for the employers. They make no equivalent outlay in return of this. Thus the rate of surplus value would be the degree of exploitation the employers impose on th eir labourers (Bengo, n.d., p.9). Marx regarded this phenomenon as a system where there was exploitation of labourers systematically. Marxism incorporated the concept of non reciprocal benefit where one party benefits the other but the other does not reciprocate in the same way. Thus one party remain wrongly exploited by the unjust. This according to Marx is exploitation and Capitalism is unjust. Marx held that a worker was ethically entitled to the product of his own labour with certain deductions like the

Skeletal Specimens for Scientific Studies

Skeletal Specimens for Scientific Studies This report is about the proper techniques for preparing, cleaning, whitening and articulation of skeletal specimens for osteological, biological, veterinary or zoological study. It will explain the three usual techniques used to clean the bones of soft tissue and a few of the more uncommon ways to do so. It will go slightly in depth in each category and then move onto the proper ways and improper ways that the bones themselves are whitened and all lipids are removed from the bones, than it will discuss how to seal the bones to protect them from the elements. Then it will discuss actual articulation and go into detail on the types of articulation commonly used. Lastly it will go over common uses for prepared articulated skeletons. Skeletal articulations have been going on since museums first started displaying taxidermied animals. Many times the animals bones didnt want to be wasted so either the skulls or entire skeletons would be saved in archives to help accurately catalog specimens kept in the museum. Eventually the idea was had to reconstruct these skeletons into lifelike poses and display them in the museum as well, this is where skeletal articulation found its roots. In the picture below is an example of an articulated skeleton of a Potto, a species of primate There are multiple ways to clean the specimens that are used for articulations. There are three common ways that it is done with satisfactory results, the first and most common method is with the use of the beetle Dermestes maculatus, otherwise known as the dermestid, or skin, beetle. These beetles start their life as a small microscopic egg typically laid near dried animal material, which than hatch out as small furry larvae which are black to brown in color. The eggs typically take a day to hatch and the larvae go through multiple stages, or instars, before finally pupating and emerging as an adult. Post, L (n.d) Bone Builders notebook. Pg. 21 Homer, AK, Author published. The male beetle attracts the female with pheromones, which is a common method in the insect world. There is no intermale aggression or territorial aggression. These beetles are useful not only in skeletal articulation but also in the field of human forensics. The main way these beetles assist in the cleaning of bones for articulation is they eat the flesh fairly quickly, the larger the colony the faster the job gets done. With a colony of one thousand beetles an animal the size of a weasel could be cleaned overnight, as opposed to some of the other methods which take considerably longer. An example of a small colony cleaning a deer skull can be seen in the below picture The beetles are also extremely delicate and thorough in the job that they do, being able to clean even the skeletons of young animals without fully formed bones while doing little to no damage. B. Shaver P.E Kaufman (2009). They also allow articulators to perform ligamentary articulations. A drawback to using beetles for cleaning is they often leave a lot of fat in the bones, making for a longer whitening and degreasing process. Beetles usually live for around 6 months in their adult form, however they breed very quickly. I have personally raised a colony of these beetles from just eighteen beetles to well over five thousand in a little over a year. A second common method for cleaning bones for use is maceration, which requires less maintenance than a beetle colony but also takes a lot more time to fully clean the bones. Maceration is the submersion of the specimen in water to decompose fully. This is further broken down into two categories, cold water maceration and warm water maceration. Cold water maceration typically takes a longer period of time to completely decompose the specimen, however it is easier maintenance and is typically used in warmer climates. Warm water maceration usually uses some form of heating element in the water to speed up the process of decomposition. It also has the added benefit of helping to melt some of the lipids left in the bones, helping to degrease the bones while cleaning them at the same time. Maceration when used properly results in much cleaner bones than the other methods of cleaning, however it takes a considerable amount of time to complete. Times can vary from a week or two for a small animal like a mouse to a few years for larger animals such as horses and cattle. Generally the water temperature is kept at or above 80 degrees for warm water maceration. This dramatically lowers the degreasing time by melting and liquefying the lipids in the bones, making it easier for the bacteria to consume and for physical removal of the fat. This techniques major drawback is mostly the smell it produces, which if never smelled before has been known to produce ill responses. Most of the time maceration is done in small containers with separate bone groups separated from each other, for example the arm bones separated, the leg bones separated, and the ribs and spine separated. This makes it much easier to rearrange the bones after the cleaning process is done. These sections are often placed in mesh bags made of some form of plastic, as if it were a form of cloth it could potentially also be digested and consumed by the bacteria in the water. Other times specimens may be placed in wire cages and placed in streams, rivers, or ponds to macerate, which also allows natural scavengers to help do the work, however there is a far greater potential to lose bones this way, or have it tampered with. A third common technique for cleaning bones is boiling. This technique involves actually cooking the specimen for multiple hours until the soft tissues become soft enough to come away from the bones. There are several problems with this method and the main one being that people tend to actually boil the bones, damaging them with the heat and making them soft and flaky. It is best to simmer the bones on low heat for a long period of time to help avoid from damaging the bones. Often times the heat tends to leech the fat directly into the bones, making for a terribly long degreasing process. This technique is commonly employed by taxidermists for European mounts, which is keeping the skull and horns of game animals such as deer or antelope. A European mount may be seen in the below picture Some people will also add baking powder to help strip the soft tissue from the bones, this is highly damaging to the bones and though initial results may look alright, without proper sealing the bones will soon turn dusty and deteriorate overtime, until you are left with nothing more than dust. This process is also usually done in pieces so as to make organization of the skeleton a simpler process. Times can vary from a few hours for smaller sections of bone to well over twenty four hours for larger animals or sections of bones. Often times the spine of the animal will present a problem as there is much cartilage, nervous tissue and muscle tissue holding them together. Manuel removal of flesh is required for this technique, often involving fine scalpel blades and knives, as well as stiff wire brushes. Overall this technique is the least efficient of the three common techniques and has the most potential for damaging the specimen, therefore it is often not recommended to be tried by those first starting skeletal articulations, as they are more prone to make careless errors and mistakes. The most efficient and time efficient method of the three common methods is using dermested beetles. There are many more ways to clean the bones of specimens for display however now I will discuss just two of the more uncommon ways of doing this. The first less uncommon way of cleaning bones is simply burying the specimen in the ground and allowing nature to do the work. Often times the specimen is placed in a cloth bag and buried so as to not lose bones, however the cloth bag can also be effected by decay, and be eaten away in the soil by invertebrates and bacteria naturally present there. Bones are commonly lost using this method and it may take several years for the soft tissue to effectively be decomposed even in small specimens. A large problem with using this method is the fact that minerals are naturally found in the soil and often will leave orange or rusty red stains on the bones due to the presence of iron in the soil. These stains can be removed but not always thoroughly using strong chemicals which also damage the bone; this is not an optimal situation. Sometimes after removing the bones from the ground it will be discovered that the soft tissues have mummified to the bones, making it very hard to remove. This happens frequently in warmer dryer climates. The dried tissue than has to be removed manually with tools and than most of the time needs to be boiled or put into a dermested colony, defeating the purpose of putting the specimen in the ground to begin with. A second uncommon technique used for cleaning is using chemicals to remove the soft tissues. L. Post (n.d) Bone Builders notebook. Pg 24. Homer, AK, self published. Commonly household drain cleaner is used for this process, as it eats away at the soft tissue by either being strongly acidic or basic. Other times fifteen percent or higher hydrogen peroxide is used as it oxidizes the flesh. A drawback to this technique is the obvious danger of using strong chemicals which may severely burn the user. These chemicals if not used in proper percentages can completely eat away a small specimen in just a few hours, so a close eye has to be kept on the entire process. Often times the ligaments are the last parts to be dissolved and with proper timing can be used to make a ligamentary articulation. The benefit of these techniques are they are fairly hands off, however there are often multiple things that can go wrong and ruin a specimen or possibly even harm the articulator. Some of these techniques are still new to practice and must be tuned a bit more to get proper results. Often times it is best just to use those techniques which are proven safe and effective as they are the ones that have most likely been around the longest. Those who wish to start skeletal articulations are often suggested to ask the area museum of natural history what their opinion is or which technique they employ for their own skeletal displays, they will often be more than happy to help you. After proper cleaning of the specimen has been achieved it is necessary to remove all fat from the bones and make them as white as possible for a clean looking display. By removing the fat not only are you making the skeleton look better but also you are removing a possible source of bacterial growth and unsanitary conditions. This also helps to lessen the risk of possibly having the skeleton have any off odors of decay, not what is wanted for proper display of specimens. Often the first step to degreasing is doing a preliminary soak in hydrogen peroxide, three percent for smaller skeletons or up to thirty percent for larger bones or skeletons, though thirty percent hydrogen peroxide can be an extremely dangerous chemical, and all proper precautions must be taken. Hydrogen peroxide works on the principal of oxidization, which is the removal of one or more electrons from a chemical composition. Basically oxidization is what causes rust to occur on certain metals. By removing an electron, the chemical composition of the substance is changed. In this instance it makes bones turn from a natural color to a brighter white. This first preliminary soak in hydrogen peroxide whitens the bone in areas where less natural fat deposits are occurring, typically at the ends of the bones away from the marrow in the center of most long bones. By whitening these areas first it reveals the areas with the most fat present, thus making an area to target for the actual degreasing process. Without doing this first preliminary soak it would make the process of degreasing longer and require more water changes than what might truly be necessary. There are a few different ways to go about degreasing the bones of specimens used for articulation. The two most common methods are using ammonia and using some form of detergent in warm water, both being an effective means of degreasing bones, however the detergent method is a bit more complicated. When using ammonia to remove lipids from bones it is usually done using uncut household ammonia, though this is not the strongest form of ammonia that can be used, it does the job and is the safest to use. It does not need to be warmed to be effective, however the warmer it is the faster it acts on the fat molecules in the bone. When using the detergent method for degreasing it is common to use one cup of detergent per five to ten gallons of water. Using straight detergent has been done before but often leaves less than desirable effects, such as discoloration of bone. An aquarium heater or other form of water heater can be used to warm the water in the container, making the detergent act upon removing the fat a bit faster. With small skeletons this method may take a few weeks to a month, but with larger bones and skeletons it may take several months and several water changes to reach the desired effects. With the ammonia method it usually takes a shorter period of time than if you were using the detergent method, from a few days for small bones to a month or two for larger skeletons. It is very important to protect the bones and skeletons that are being worked on from the elements and the natural passage of time. There is more than one way to do this and most are effective. The first and most common way to seal bones is using a dipping technique using a mixture of Elmers glue and water. The glue tends to be soluble in water and it is a very natural and non-harsh way to treat bones. The whole skeleton or bone is dipped into the mixture and allowed to dry, the glue naturally forms a clear protective layer over the skeleton however if it needs to be removed all that need be done is for it to be re-dipped in hot water and the glue will melt off. Reasons why the glue, or any sealant, might need to be removed range from grease coming to the surface of the bone or skeleton after it was thought it was all removed, which can be a frustrating and disheartening occurrence, to the skeletons position needing to be changed, for any number of reasons. Sometimes the sealant might need to be removed because a new, more reliable sealant has been found, with the first being used temporarily to protect the bone from harm. Sometimes damaged skeletons can be salvaged if using the correct sealant. If the bone was compromised during cleaning, often from harsh chemicals or too much heat being applied, the sealant will keep the bones from coming apart or further cracking. The teeth of large carnivorous mammals have a tendency to crack over time due to moisture in the teeth slowly evaporating, and when a liquid evaporates into a solid it takes up more room, cracking the tooth. This can be avoided by placing the tooth in a drying material such as rice or cotton, and letting it sit for a few weeks to a few months. The tooth is than covered in a clear strong sealant, clear nail polish being a good example of this. Several coats are applied to make the tooth very strong and stable. The same procedure can be applied to the keratin sheath on the claws of animals. Another method of sealing bones or skeletons involves buying a clear spray paint from a reputable brand that is known to not yellow over time. The skeleton or bone is laid out in a ventilated area and sprayed in several coats of the spray paint and allowed to dry. Depending on the type of paint used the sealant will either appear dull and non-reflective, keeping the natural properties of the bone, or it will appear to be shiny and reflective, which often times may be applied to teeth and claws for those who keep private collections of skeletons for their own research. Typically in a museum quality specimen a flat coat is used to keep the bones looking as natural as possible. Other times no sealant is used at all on bones which have been professionally cleaned, and the bones or skeletons are simply kept under glass or in a display case, to protect them from dust and the oils found on human fingers and skin. Several types of articulations exist and are used in different manners for different institutions or research. Articulations and collections can be broken down into personal collections, museum or educational collections, or veterinary models, though often times in recent years replicas and reproductions are used for this purpose as they are often cheaper and far less fragile. Articulations and collections for personal use can be found in the homes of hunters, taxidermists, medical and veterinary students or just those people who are interested in natural history, anatomy or biology. Skull collections are often a simple and less complicated means of having an inventory of collections for certain species without having to do full skeletal articulations, these are fairly common in the homes of hunters and taxidermists. Those who keep full skeletal articulations often times have them on bases or in a natural habitat type setup. Often, those who are more interested in the general anatomy of the skeletons themselves have free standing skeletal articulations or those without bases, These are simpler to complete and may sometimes require bars to keep the articulation stable and from falling and possibly becoming damaged. Free standing articulations of smaller animals may be done through the use of ligament articulations. This involves letting a dermested beetle colony clean the skeleton, and watching the process very carefully so as to know the precise time to take the skeleton out of the colony. This takes practice to do, but when done right can make articulations much easier to complete. Essentially the beetles eat away all soft tissues except those ligaments which are holding the skeleton together. Often one or two bones may break away from the main skeleton but can easily be reattached at the time of the actual articulation. Than the entire skeleton goes through the degreasing process and during this time the ligaments are kept hydrated, making the skeleton very flexible and easy to manipulate. A stand may be built and pins used to put the skeleton into the position that you want it to dry in, though as ligaments dry they begin to contract and become hard, and on small enough animals such as mice, may not be visible at all. It is often necessary to re-align bones that shift during the drying process, as contraction of the ligaments causes them to move around, but if it dries in a position not right, all that need be done is for the skeleton to be re-hydrated and posed again. Once the skeleton is dried in an acceptable pose the pins and remove the support frame and often times the skeleton may be free standing. With larger skeletons, more tools and work may be involved. Common tools used for articulation of larger skeletons include drills, pins, eye screws, and metal pars or wiring. Where ligaments would normally hold bone to bone, metal pins sunk into the joints may be necessary, and these are often siliconed into place so as not to come apart again. An example of a cougar skeleton on a base may be found below A bar is often ran up the neural canal of the spine and reshaped to form the natural arch and support found in the spinal column of most vertebrates. The rod terminates after entering the foramen magnum of the skull, and may then be epoxied into place to keep from coming apart. There is naturally cartilage which attaches from the ventral end of the ribs to the sternum, to be as accurate as possible this cartilage must be rebuilt. The cartilage is often rebuilt be using thin wires which come from the sterna end of the ribs and attach to each other and to the sternum, and are than covered in layers of clear silicone to replicate cartilage. Another interesting articulation which is rarely seen is known as the Beauchene skull, which was first developed for human skeletal articulations by a French anatomist named Claude Beauchene in the mid eighteen hundreds. Cult of weird staff (n.d) Beauchene skull, retrieved from Cult Of Weird website http://www.cultofweird.com/medical/beauchene-skull/. This type of articulation is where the individual bones of the skull on one side of the skull are removed from each other in an exploded manner, so that the internal anatomy and the individual bones may be studied. This is a very infrequently seen articulation in animal skeleton articulations. Young animals may also be used in skeletal articulations, and though it may be sad to think that a young animal lost its life before it could grow into an adult, they are also an important research for the continuation of Osteological study. The bones of young animals are often much softer and not fully connected which makes for a more difficult articulation. Young animals also usually contain more bones than adults, as the individual bones grow they form together to make larger bones. These skeletons may be used in comparative anatomy with the skeleton of an adult of the same species of the animal. Young animals require a much finer touch and can usually only be cleaned through the use of beetles, as other cleaning techniques that were previously discussed will most likely be too harsh on the young bones, resulting in damage or complete disintegration of the bones. Skeletal articulations may also be used in area nature centers in parks, to help demonstrate the local wildlife in that particular area. They are found in taxidermist shops to help promote business and show the skill of the taxidermist who owns the company. Often times larger universities have a colony of dermested beetles to help demonstrate to students the natural life cycle of the beetle for entomology students while also having an inventory of bones or skeletons for other majors of the college, such as anatomy biology or zoology. Skeletal articulations are a necessary component of anatomical and other fields of study. Without the use of skeletons for research we would never know how bones connect to each other, how different teeth of animals are used for different food that the animals ingest and how certain animals from certain families have unique evolutionary adaptations, such as the cat family, with their retractable claws, or the pinniped family, whos limbs have evolved into flippers, but are still able to haul out on land to escape predators from the ocean. Skeletal anatomy is important to most if not all biological sciences, and without skeletal articulators there would be far less to look at in your favorite natural history museum, and we may never have known what dinosaurs skeletons may have looked like properly articulated. The next time you take a look at a skeleton in a museum, think about the hard work and patience that went into putting that skeleton together.