Wednesday, August 26, 2020

Formal Analysis of Gao Jianfu (1879-1951)s Buddhist Pagodas in Burma Essay

Formal Analysis of Gao Jianfu (1879-1951)s Buddhist Pagodas in Burma - Essay Example In 1939, Gao Jianfu was one of the Chinese craftsmen who established the Awakening Art Academy. The primary reasons for the institute were to deliver gifted specialists who could record the atrocities in type of artworks, and to have workmanship shows in the southern urban areas of Macao and Hong Kong (Hung 148). During his time, Jianfu led foundation of national workmanship institutes, yet additionally created notorious canvases of destroyed urban communities and structures. Succeeding areas of this paper contains formal examination of two artistic creations on the subject of remnants and pulverization by Jianfu. In one work of art on page 151 of the part The Birth of Ruins, Jianfu utilizes ink and shading on paper to portray a Chinese city in ruins. On page 153 of a similar part, there is a painting by Jianfu delineating the consuming of the Afong Palace. As for the artwork of a city in ruins, Jianfu work shows the structural survives from two neighboring structures, grouped garbage on the ground, and white and orange smokes taking off up to the skies. The city in ruins painting contains inclining lines. Edges of the demolished dividers are askew lined up as for the ground. Furthermore, flotsam and jetsam and smoke streams are inclined regarding the ground’s even and vertical planes (Hung 151). Additionally, the artistic creation of Afong Palace delineates residue, cinders and smoke ascending in an inclined way. In the two compositions, Jianfu utilized the utilization of inclining lines to pass on a sentiment of precariousness. Corner to corner spoke to structures implies they are eit her shaky, or are wobbling from the impact of insecurity (Whitney 58). By utilizing slanting lines, Jianfu needed to compactly speak to the devastating impacts of Japanese intrusion in the city painting, and the impeding condition of the Afong Palace in the subsequent artwork. As for the conventional investigation ideas of shape and structure, Jianfu portrayed the two works of art in three measurements. By survey the city ruins and the Afong Palace painting, one

Saturday, August 22, 2020

Literature Review Thesis Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Writing Review - Thesis Example Applying the lean standards is a significant piece of the phases where the item improvement happens. The key piece of VSM is to comprehend and outwardly speak to the procedures in question. It is basically subsequently a demonstrating of all procedures associated with the item improvement. At the point when the item is created or in any event, during the structure stage, it is likewise important to approve these procedures. The different contextual analyses referenced in this paper show how lean standards have been applied and how VSM is completed, for what reason and the results accomplished. It is indicated that at the core of this is the extraction of however much incentive as could reasonably be expected. The significant component that empowers the above is information. Information assortment and investigation is consequently the establishment for the whole undertaking. Be that as it may, dealing with the information is certifiably not a direct errand. There are issues of value and systems to consider for information the executives and development, security and discernibility, and fitting information demonstrating. Information warehousing gives an all out design to all information assortment, stockpiling and recovery necessities, which is appropriate for today’s needs. Besides, information mining permits lean standards to be applied for extricating significant information. Vibration testing is one specific region in which lean standards and VSM have huge potential as well as their utilization is basic. This is particularly so for wellbeing reasons other than upgrades to basic plan, expanding the life span of the item and improving its general quality. This audit of the writing digs on the thoughts and investigations of others on the subject of significant worth stream mapping. This could assist with social event helpful thoughts, improve existing ones, and furthermore put the researcher’s own examination into setting. Following a short depiction of lean standards and procedures, we portray Value Stream Mapping (VSM) in detail and talk about the essentialness of significant worth just as

Thursday, August 13, 2020

I am a bachelor of science and a master of engineering.

I am a bachelor of science and a master of engineering. My thesis is done. It is 384 pages long, 2.0833% of them text, 4.9479% of them pictures, and 90.365% of them code.         Here is potato soup, made and dictated by Cory and based heavily on this soup recipe. Potato Soup Chop four carrots, three or four stalks of celery, an onion, three or four large potatoes, and one leftover pork chop (or whatever). Put them all in a pot except for the potatoes, cook for two minutes without broth, add the potatoes, and cook five more minutes without broth.         Add broth (any broth; we used chicken stock). Simmer ten minutes or so until the potatoes are soft. Whisk together three tablespoons of flour and one cup of milk and stir it into the soup. Cook five more minutes.   Let the soup cool enough that it is safe to handle. Food process half of it and put it back. Add one cup of half-and-half or a half-cup of cream. Stir the soup, bring it back to a boil, and season to taste.     Garnish with shredded cheese (muenster is my preferred) and parsley. Our parsley came from our tabletop garden, which is made of starters from Paula J. ‘14’s house garden and which so far only Cory waters. There is something very, very satisfying in garnishing soup with plants from your own garden.

Saturday, May 23, 2020

Essay about Causes of Homosexuality - Nature AND Nuture

Many people cannot understand why anyone would want to get involved in homosexual activity. There are many arguments about homosexuality whether is by nature or nurture. Before we make judgments on homosexuality, we need to identify the causes of homosexuality. Homosexuality is caused by genetic, biological and environmental factors. The first possible cause of homosexuality is genetic factors. Homosexuality is a trait from birth (Buchanan, 2000). Studies found that identical twins share many common traits. A study found that identical twins normally share homosexual behavior if one of them is homosexual. This proved that genes are likely to cause homosexuality. In addition, according to (Santinover, 2002), homosexuality is a†¦show more content†¦This research indicates that female relatives on the father’s side of homosexual tend to have fewer children compared to female relatives on the mother’s side. This gave reason for researchers to believe homosexual trait must be passed down through the female X chromosome. In addition, homosexuality can also be caused by biological factors. The first biological factor is hormonal imbalances in the body. Hormones play an important role in stimulating one’s intensity of sexuality. Estrogen is normally associated with female and testosterone with the male. A homosexual man is likely to have either more estrogen or less testosterone and vice versa (Buchanan, 2000). Furthermore, sexual orientation is developed in the womb, as suggested by Bogaert (2006). He said a woman body may prompt an immune reaction on the male fetus as the body sees a male fetus as an ‘outsider’. Therefore, antibodies will be created and this may affect the male’s brain growth. This explains why older brothers are more likely to be gay. In addition to that, homosexual males’ brain structures are similar to heterosexual females. According to Rahman (2008), these brain differences may develop early in the feotal development. Lastly, homosexuality can be caused by environmental factors. Adults’ sexual behavior is influenced by their early sexual behavior (Cameron, 1999). The first sexual experience has great influence on both male and female. Based on FRI (Family

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Ban Public Smoking And Save Lives Free Essays

Public smoking is hazardous to health. It has already been identified by medical authorities as a major threat to public health, as a key contributor to preventable deaths anywhere in the world. It exposes non-smokers to second hand smoke (SHS), which is â€Å"a mixture of the smoke given off by the burning end of a cigarette, pipe or cigar and the smoke exhaled from the lungs of smokers† and which has proven to be almost as dangerous as the cigarette smoke directly inhaled by smokers. We will write a custom essay sample on Ban Public Smoking And Save Lives or any similar topic only for you Order Now In fact, it is believed that a nonsmoker who is closeted in a room with several smokers for an hour inhales dangerous chemicals equivalent to that contained in ten or more sticks of cigarette. (Cooper) [cigarette 2] Reports issued by the office of the Surgeon General declared that second hand smoke (or passive smoking), was considered a contributory factor in over 50,000 deaths every year during the early 1990s. [cigarette 5] On the other hand, LawsuitSearch. com [cigarette 6]stated that since it has already been clinically proven that people exposed to secondary smoke are prone to lung cancer, heart disease, asthma, chronic bronchitis, and other related diseases, employers who force their workers to be exposed to second hand smoke are now valid respondents to lawsuits. Meanwhile, an estimate made in the United Kingdom of deaths attributable to second hand smoke in the workplace and at home for the year 2003, found out that a total 617 employees died at the workplace while 2726 people aged 20-64, and 7959 over-65 year olds died from exposure to second hand smoke at home. Fatal strokes and heart disease aggravated by passive smoking (second hand smoke) were identified as the culprits in over 3,000 of the cases. (Jamrozik) [cigarette 8] These data certainly strengthens the case against second hand smoke. Allowed freely in public places, it can really prove harmful to nonsmokers. Armed with a prevalence of clinical data gathered around the globe, countries the world over, in what appears to be a concerted effort to save mankind from diseases caused or aggravated by second hand smoke, have, one after another, enacted laws declaring smoking in public areas illegal. The government of the Greater Kashmir banned it as early as 2002, with the term public places encompassing public offices, educational institutions, hospital buildings, libraries, auditoriums, public conveyance including railways, and court buildings. (Tobacco. org. ) [public smoking 3] In France, Chrisafris (2006) reported that the public smoking ban which will take effect February 2007 will cover universities, railway stations, and offices, while nightclubs, cafes, restaurants and bars were told to be ready for the ban a year after. [public smoking 7] Meanwhile, the ban in Hongkong which took effect January 1, 2007, included all indoor places such as restaurants, public places, workplaces, karaoke lounges, and bars. (Washburn, 2007) [public smoking 8] Over in Canada, smoking in public places will be prohibited in Quebec effective February 1, 2007, and smoking in bars, restaurants, nightclubs and cafes will be banned starting January 1, 2008. (Greenaway, 2007) The evidence against the hazards of public smoking can no longer be ignored, and the rest of the world has already spoken: public smoking must be banned if we want a healthy citizenry. The United States should now stop patronizing the tobacco industry and enforce a total ban on all public places in the country, because people are already dying. Smokers may invoke their freedom to smoke as they wish: when, where, or in what manner. However, people have now decided that enough is enough; that individual freedom can only be exercised as far as it doesn’t curtail other people’s own freedoms. Their right to smoke, therefore, must never prejudice nonsmokers’ right to inhale smoke-free air and, therefore, add years to their lives. Given the number of deaths occurring each year in countries around the world, public smoking could even be considered an act of homicide through reckless imprudence! REFERENCES Chrisafis, A. (2006). France sets date for public smoking ban. Guardian Unlimited. (Retrieved from: http://www. guardian. co. uk/smoking/story/0,,1890866,00. html) Cooper, P. G. (2005). Hazards of Smoking. University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center. (Retrieved from: http://www. cancer. med. umich. edu/prevention/hazards_of_smoking. shtml) Greenaway, N. (2007). CanWest News Service. The Gazette. (Retrieved from: http://www. canada. com/montrealgazette/news/story. html? id=c414c2a9-9d63-4bae-9c28-a2543ac. 59025) Jamrozik, K. (2005). Estimate of deaths attributable to passive smoking among UK adults: Database analysis. BMJ. (Retrieved from: http://www. bmj. com/cgi/content/abridged/330/7495/812) LawsuitSearch. com. (2006). (Retrieved from: http://www. lawsuitsearch. com/product-liability/smoke-exposure. aspx) The Reports of the Surgeon General: Secondary Smoking, Individual Rights, and Public Space. (n. d. ). Profiles in Science. (Retrieved from: http://profiles. nlm. nih. gov/NN/Views/Exhibit/narrative/secndary. html) Tobacco. org. (2002) Public smoking banned. (Retrieved from: http://www. tobacco. org/news/89098. html) Washburn, D. (2007). Public smoking banned in HK†¦Mainland next? Shanghaiist. (Retrieved from: http://www. shanghiist. com/archives/2007/01/05/publicsmoking. php) How to cite Ban Public Smoking And Save Lives, Papers

Sunday, May 3, 2020

Legal Aspects and International Business and Enterprise

Question: Discuss about theLegal Aspects and International Business and Enterprise. Answer: Multinational Company Operating in Australia Nestle Australia is a corporation that has specialized in manufacturing and marketing a variety of food and beverage products. Nestle Australia Companys mission "Good Food, Good Life shows that it intends to ensure that its consumers eat sweet, most nutritious and have wide options for a variety of beverage and food to choose. Nestle portfolio covers a lot of beverages and classes of food providing clients with good taste and improved products that bring joy at every eating time and during the steps of life. Most Nestl's well-known brands are Nespresso, Nescafe, Milo, Toll House, Coffee-mate, Kitkat, Purina Friskies, and Maggi, among others. Nestle Australia products include infant foods, processed milk, coffee, nutritional healthcare products, chocolate, culinary products, nutritional snacks, pet foods and accessories among others. It also provides a wide range of assortment of noodles in different essence, frozen food products, dairy milk products, and espressos. Additionally, it p rovides an assortment of hot and cold beverages, light desserts together with a range of confectionery store, bakery item as well as pastry kit. Nestle has been performing remarkably well in the global business segment in pulling in consumers. Currently, Nestle Australia offers catering services in the direction of eateries, bistros, clubs and lodgings. Moreover, it provides pets nourishments, such as Purina. On the other hand, Nestle Company also exports its products to different nations. Nestle Australia Ltd Company was founded in 1908 and its headquarter is in Rhodes in Australia (Bloomberg.Com, 2016). It runs factories, offices, and distribution centers in Australia, Pacific Islands, and New Zealand. Additionally, people believe that Nestle as an international company dealing in food and beverage has a duty towards satisfying clients. The company has also taken an interest in the Oceanias culture, which is known by its assortments and variety of monetary circumstances, flavors, and cultures. Nestle Oceania became a crucial division in the grouping where the company activated it as a business as well as a dealer in the direction of the neighborhood. On the other hand, the company believes that their customers must live a healthy style by participating in sports activities; hence, they support many games occasions and have continued to guide individuals in the direction of being active. Other than that, they are the pioneers in identifying many issues such as peoples health and ecological safeguards (Nestle.com, 2012). Besides, Nestle in collaboration with Australia Institute of Sports is making the young people be familiar with various sports and the Nestl's diets (Bloomberg.Com, 2016). In 2008, Nestle became number one globally due to its international standings, strategic location in Sydney, higher competent employees, and the superb company's approach. It happened despite the hard-hitting economic situations by that period. Currently, Nestle company has over 490 factories as well as over 400, 000 staffs in 88 various nations around the world. Nestle is found in America, Africa, Europe, Australia and the Middle East. As the biggest food and Beverage Company, Nestle is determined to reach most of the nations globally. In Australia, Nestle Oceania had employed more than 6,500 staffs. Besides, the larger number of staff in this location, it also has more than 20 plants and four distributions centers that are claimed and handled by the Company. Nestle corporation is a Switzerland international food and health-related commodities business with headquarters in Vevey, Switzerland (Statista.com, 2015). It is the main food company internationally. Nestle company improves lives with science-based nutrition and health resolutions for all stages of life. Nestle helps consumers care for their lives and that of their families. Regulatory Frameworks That Affect the Multinational Company That Operates in Australia The regulatory framework that affects Nestle Company is the Forum on Food regulation (FoFR). Forum on Food Regulation is essentially in control of the growth of residential food administrative as well as the improvement of strategy rules for setting food principles. Additionally, FoFR has the capability to embrace, change or decline principles and to demand that the rules be evaluated. Those who are required to participate in FoFR include the Australia government, a Minister from New Zealand, Health Ministers from the nations in Australia, and other various Ministers from related nations where they were assigned through their jurisdictions. The Forum on Food regulation guarantees an entire food-chain technique towards the rules that govern food safety (agriculture.vic.gov.au, 2016). Additionally, the other regulatory framework affecting the multinational company working in Australia is the Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ). FSANZ is an organization that manages food standards in New Zealand and Australia. Its main responsibility is to build up and manage these two countries Food Standards Code, which proves necessities for foodstuffs such as foodstuff securities, additives, genetically modified foods, and additives. In Australia, FSANZ organizes ethics across the food supply chain. It also arranges principles in production and processing, as well as the doctrine intended for food cleanliness, and putting restrictions in food farming along with veterinary stuff. FSANZ develop principles in discussion with other included government organizations together with the stakeholders (Food Safety.govt.nz, 2016). Moreover, the national food security standards geared towards safeguarding the health and the security of the consumers get produced in accordance with the administrative approaches by the FSANZ and distributed as the Australia New Zealand Standards Code. Nations and regions control the execution of the requirements of the Food Standards Code. For example, Dairy Food Safety Victoria executes and respects the principles of the Australia and New Zealand Food Regulation in the dairy trade through its Victorian Dairy Act 2000 and the 1984 Food Act (Health.gov.au, 2016). Furthermore, the other food regulation framework is known as Food Regulatory Standard Committee (FRSC). FRSC is a board consisting of trustees of the Forum on Food Regulation. This association comprises of the senior authorities. FRSC assist in making strategy guidance towards FoFR and provides a guarantee to a steady process of dealing with the utilization as well as enforcement of food principles. Similarly, at the start, it exhorts the actions growth and audit of the IRSC and FoFR (Health.gov.au, 2016). Besides, the Australia food regulation system also entails: (1) The Australia New Zealand Food Regulation Standing Committee. This committee harmonizes approach pieces of advice to the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Council, which is headed by the office of the Secretary of Commonwealth health. The commission in charge engages the leaders of the divisions whose managers are the ANZFSC persons and the current Food Policy Unit of the Commonwealth Department of Health and Aged C are. (2) The Australia New Zealand Food Authority (ANZFA) will soon alter to be Food Standards Australia and New Zealand (FSANZ). Such constitutional right in the authority of the Commonwealth Health portfolio had a responsibility concerning building up all the residential food standards. (3) The accomplishment of the inter-Governmental Code requires changes to the ANZFA Act 1991 on the way to creating the techniques for the fresh foodstuff administrative structure. The major establishments of the new framework include The Australia New Zealand Food Standards Council, which is mandated to create strategy rules for making household food. Question 3 Treaties or Agreements that have Impact on the Products or Services that Multinational Company Provides in Australia Under the Australia, New Zealand Food Standards-setting Agreement, the Australia, and New Zealand have been in agreement to improve the combined foodstuff regulations in both countries. It is the reason why it is vital to evaluate the Country of Origin Labeling (CoOL) There is an equal country of origin agreements enclosed in other Australia and New Zealand ratification such as Australia Commerce Trade Descriptions Act 1905(CTDA) and Australia Trade Practices Act 1974 (TPA) (Food Standards Australia New Zealand, 2015). The Food Regulation Agreement (FRA) The Food regulation Agreement that was initially marked by the Council of Australian Government (COAG) in 2000, offers impact to an oath by State, Commonwealth, and Territory to a national strategy to deal with food guidelines within Australia (Health.gov.au, 2016). Food Regulation Agreement purpose is to provide a national understanding of the secure food controls to ensure the general health and security, reduce an administrative influence on food division, and to support coordination of Australia residential and export standards with universal principles. It also intended to provide money-making agreement and approval courses of action and to give a dependable executive methodology (Health.gov.au, 2016). Food Treaty among Australia and New Zealand The Australia and New Zealand governments made a Joint Food Standards System official by the means of a Treaty. It is the contract between the Australian government and the government of New Zealand whereby these two countries set up an arrangement to build up Development of Joint Food Standards. This a code is meant to remove the needles impediments to trade, receive a common arrangement of food principles and to support sharing of data (Food Standards Australia New Zealand, 2015). Australia-New Zealand Closer Economic Relations Trade Agreement (ANZCERTA) The Australia-New Zealand Closer Economic Relations Trade Agreement commonly referred as ANZCERTA is one of the inclusive joint free trade codes. It is responsible for the trade of various goods including agricultural products. The Treatys inner provision is the development of global trade responsible for free trade zone concerning Australia and New Zealand. Some of the objectives of ANZCERTA may include: First, strengthening a wide relationship between Australia and New Zealand. Second, is to develop closer economic relationships among the Member States through an equally helpful extension of free business between Australia and New Zealand (Hawke, 2011). Third, it is meant to eliminate impediments to business between New Zealand and Australia in a steady and progressive approach under an accepted timetable and with minimal restrictions. Last, is to build up business between Australia and New Zealand under conditions of fair competition. ANZCERTA has strengthened the growth of trade across the Tasman. Under its 32 years of existence, the arrangement of trade between New Zealand and Australia has increased tremendously. Many of the goals of the trade have been successful, the governments of the New Zealand and Australia have agreed to have Single Economic Market method to bring the economic relations closer (Hawke, 2011). SEM is currently applied to harmonize the two countries to allow trade, investors, and consumers to perform businesses across the Tasman in an atmosphere that seems not to have regulation. Such agreements have made it easier for Nestle to perform its businesses across these two countries with an ease. How the Treaty Impacts the Goods and Services of the Nestle Australia There various ways through which the Treaty influences the goods and services of the Nestle Australia. For example, the Treaty forces Nestle Australia to have ten years permit for selling Pfizers S-26 and SMA brands, which is followed by ten years ban period in which Nestle Company would not be allowed to re-enter into the business sector of selling Pfizer's brands. The regulations of the agreement state that any outsider supplier that wins the permit would have to source the items from Nestle, with a view that it will manufacture its own particular baby nourishment products within a short period of time. In those 10 year ban, nobody will get permitted in the direction of selling those products within Australia. However, it is trusted that the selected supplier would by this period selling its own products. On the other hand, ANZCERTA has made it easier Nestle goods and services to be manufactured and sold locally in New Zealand (Hawke, 2011). The agreement has made the Australian go vernment have more control over what goes over New Zealand by trading or other means. Nestle has become a major player in New Zealand employing over 650 workers across its six sites. Such treaties have allowed Nestle Australia to sell most of its chocolates manufactured in Melbourne to markets in New Zealand. Moreover, when there are no rules governing trade between countries, there will be no control on the quality of the food products sold to consumers and that could be risking peoples health. Therefore, Treaties and regulations can help in curbing search operations in an international business. References Agriculture.vic.gov.au, (2016). Victoria's Regulatory Food Framework. https://agriculture.vic.gov.au/agriculture/food-and-fibre-industries/food-regulators-forum/victorias-regulatory-food-framework Australianreview.net, (2001). The Australian food regulatory system: Troubling times ahead? https://www.australianreview.net/digest/2001/10/lawrence.html Bloomberg.com, (2016). Company Overview of Nestle Australia Ltd. [Online] Available at https://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=12722296 Dairyreporter.com, (2012). FSANZ approves Nestle infant formula L- histidine level amendment. [Online] Available at: https://www.dairyreporter.com/Regulation-Safety/FSANZ-approves-Nestle-infant-formula-L-histidine-level-amendment Food Standards Australia New Zealand, (2015). Food law, treaties, and agreements. https://www.foodstandards.gov.au/about/foodlawandtreaties/pages/default.aspx Food safety.govt.nz, (2016). Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ). https://www.foodsafety.govt.nz/policy-law/food-regulation/australia-nz-cooperation/FSANZ/ [Accessed 15 September 2016]. Hawke, g. (2011). Australia New Zealand Closer Economic Relations Trade Agreement (ANZCERTA) and Regional Integration. New Zealand International Review, 36(5), 26-27. Health.gov.au, (2016). The Food Regulation System. https://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/foodsecretariat-system1.htm Ibisworld.com.au, (2015). Nestle Australia Ltd - Premium Company Report Australia. https://www.ibisworld.com.au/car/default.aspx?entid=807 Nestle.com, (2012). Nestl to manufacture medical nutrition products in Australia https://www.nestle.com/media/newsandfeatures/australia-medical-nutrition-aspx sbs.com.au, (2016). EPISODE 9: Food for Thought - Food Colours. [Online] Available at: https://www.sbs.com.au/shows/foodinvestigators/listings/detail/i/2/article/3431/Episode-9-Food-For-Thought-Food-Colours Statista.com, (2015). Total number of Nestl employees worldwide from 2008 to 2015 (in 1,000s). [Online] Available at: https://www.statista.com/statistics/255203/total-number-of-nestle-employees-worldwide/ Theaustralian.com.au, (2012). Nestle to license Pfizer formula brands in Australia under ACCC orders. https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/companies/nestle-to-licence-pfizer-formula-brands-in-australia-under-accc-orders/story-fn91v9q3-1226522115399

Thursday, March 26, 2020

Pike Place Market and Work Environment free essay sample

1. Preliminary Information: Stephen C. Lundin, Harry Paul, and John Christensen. Fish! A Proven Way to Boost Morale and Improve Results. New York: Hyperion, 2000. Print. 2. Summary: Fish! is the story of Mary Jane Ramirez, a mid-level manager who works at First Guarantee Financial in Seattle, and her efforts to transform her employee’s attitudes. The story starts off with Mary Jane and her family moving to Seattle due to her husband’s job relocation. Unfortunately, Mary Jane’s husband died unexpectedly from a blood clot in his brain, which left Mary Jane financially unsecure and forced her to accept a management position with First Guarantee. Mary Jane’s promotion bumped her up to the dreaded third floor, which is often referred to in the book as a â€Å"toxic waste dump†. The staff on the third floor is known for being bored, uninterested, unmotivated and not helpful to the clients that they serve. We will write a custom essay sample on Pike Place Market and Work Environment or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Five weeks passed, and Mary Jane’s confidence was clearly shaken and all of her energy depleted, not to mention she was reporting to senior manager, Bill, who has a reputation of being very unpleasant and rude. Bill noticed the severe lack of motivation from level 3 and put Mary Jane in charge of changing the environment and the culture of level 3. With plenty of questions and no answers in sight, Mary Jane found herself at the infamous Pike Place Fish Market for lunch where she met Lonnie, a happy-go-lucky fishmonger, who gives her just the advice she needs about her situation with First Guarantee. Lonnie explained to her that Pike Place used to be exactly like First Guarantee, with the lack of motivation and the feeling that their work was boring, monotonous every single day. So, how were the fishermen at Pike Place able to turn their boring fish market into one of the most famous in the world? Lonnie explained it to Mary Jane in four simple steps. The first step, and arguably most important, is to â€Å"choose your attitude. † Choosing your attitude sounds simple enough, but it is crucial when it comes to the work environment. The second step is to â€Å"find ways to play. † This makes the work environment more fun and reduces the tension. The third step is to â€Å"be present. † This step ensures that you’re always living in the moment and not taking anything for granted. The fourth and final step is to â€Å"make their day. † This step focuses on the customers and making sure that their day was made with your interactions. With these four steps, Mary Jane was able to transform her â€Å"toxic waste dump† to a healthy working environment. Just to be sure the company follows these steps, a plaque had been made and hung in the front entrance of the headquarters that reads: â€Å"As you enter this place of work please choose to make today a great day. Your colleagues, customers, team members, and you yourself will be thankful. Find ways to play. We can be serious about our work without being serious ourselves. Stay focused in order to be present when your customers and team members most need you. And should you feel your energy lapsing, try this sure fire remedy: Find someone who needs a helping hand, a word of support, or a good ear- and make their day† (Lundin). 3. Critical Analysis: Fish! tells a wonderful and believable story about a common problem with today’s workforce. Many workplace tasks can be considered monotonous and boring, and you do whatever you can just to get through the day. In today’s world, when there is such a big emphasis on health and the overall well-being of employees, there shouldn’t be such a high rate of â€Å"toxic waste dumps†, especially when we spend a considerable amount of our time in the work place. I liked how the authors used the world famous Pike Place Fish Market as an example to demonstrate that any job on the planet can be fun and tolerable with the right mindset. As Lonnie from the fish market said, â€Å"I’m spoiled for life. I don’t think I could work in a typical market after experiencing this. As I mentioned, the market didn’t start this way. It, too, was an energy dump for many years† (Lundin). The four elements of Lonnie’s philosophy really could be applicable to any work environment in need of revamping. Starting with choose your attitude; it is probably the most simple yet effective strategy in the book. As it is stated in the book: â€Å"there is always a choice about the way you do your work, even if there is not a choice about the work itself† (Lundin). Any worker can choose their attitude that they bring to work; whether they are going to be miserable or if they are going to be happy and motivated. If you consistently choose to be in a positive mood, then odds are you will be much happier and productive in the long-run. After all, if you have to be at work, why not try and make the best out of it? The next philosophy is to play. We see this strategy come in to use for many companies today, especially Google. The general idea is that you can be serious about your work, but you can still have fun with the way you conduct your business. This shows that you are not always taking yourself so seriously, and you can understand the importance of humor even in stressful situations. If the ideology of play is incorporated in businesses, people will treat others well, workers will be more creative, the time passes more quickly, and the environment is healthier. The third philosophy is to make their day. This step is crucial when it comes to customer satisfaction. The idea is simple in theory: go out and approach customer service with the goal that you are going to make somebody’s day. When you go out of your way to give your customer a memorable experience, it enhances your company’s image and leaves a lasting impression. The fourth and final philosophy is to be present. This brings in an element of attention to the moment rather than zoning out of work. When you are not present while at work, more than likely time is being wasted staring at the clock, which also means you are not fully engaged with your clients or customers and diminishes the quality of your work. When you are present at work, all of those problems are solved and it makes you stand out from the rest of your coworkers. 4. Conclusion: Fish! is a must-read for any business that has signs of becoming a â€Å"toxic waste dump. † The book itself is short in length, and it delivers its message very clearly and effectively. The four basic philosophies discussed in the book are very simple, yet they can easily be implemented in any work environment to improve the overall atmosphere. I would recommend this book to anyone that fears their company’s work environment might be in trouble.

Friday, March 6, 2020

Free Essays on Zen Buddhism

Ch’an and Zen Buddhism Throughout the early years in many East Asian countries, there were many people who were looking for answers to this world’s, and otherworldly, questions. When Gotama became enlightened, and began preaching the practices of Buddhism, it came at such a time when the Han dynasty was collapsing, citizens were tired of Confucianism and looking for a new ideology that they could put there hearts and souls into. Over the years, Buddhism proved to be much more than just a religion; it became a way of life. But over time, the powerful orthodoxy transformed, and many different Buddhist sects emerged. One of the more popular sects, Ch’an, or Zen, Buddhism, has become one of the most influential religions in China and Japan, and is still flourishing today. In the year 220 AD, as the Han dynasty was collapsing, Confucianism, then the state ideology, began to lose its popularity. This, along with the demise of the Han order, set up a situation in which the people of China were hungry for new ideas. There were also many dignitaries within the Chinese government that were looking to gain good political footing in order to ensure staying power. These factors all opened up the gate for Buddhism to enter Chinese society and gain popularity with the Chinese culture. At first, Buddhism was transmitted to the different East Asian countries via the Silk Road, but as its domination grew, many people began to interpret their own meaning of the Buddhist doctrines that had been translated from Indian to Chinese. â€Å"By the fourth century AD a much greater number of sutras were available in both north and south China, and the Chinese were beginning to realize the immensity of Buddhist literature.† Buddhism did not reach Japan, however, until October 13th, 538, from the Korean kingdom of Paekche. At this point in time, there were two major schools of Buddhism in China. The first form to emerge was known as Hinaya... Free Essays on Zen Buddhism Free Essays on Zen Buddhism Ch’an and Zen Buddhism Throughout the early years in many East Asian countries, there were many people who were looking for answers to this world’s, and otherworldly, questions. When Gotama became enlightened, and began preaching the practices of Buddhism, it came at such a time when the Han dynasty was collapsing, citizens were tired of Confucianism and looking for a new ideology that they could put there hearts and souls into. Over the years, Buddhism proved to be much more than just a religion; it became a way of life. But over time, the powerful orthodoxy transformed, and many different Buddhist sects emerged. One of the more popular sects, Ch’an, or Zen, Buddhism, has become one of the most influential religions in China and Japan, and is still flourishing today. In the year 220 AD, as the Han dynasty was collapsing, Confucianism, then the state ideology, began to lose its popularity. This, along with the demise of the Han order, set up a situation in which the people of China were hungry for new ideas. There were also many dignitaries within the Chinese government that were looking to gain good political footing in order to ensure staying power. These factors all opened up the gate for Buddhism to enter Chinese society and gain popularity with the Chinese culture. At first, Buddhism was transmitted to the different East Asian countries via the Silk Road, but as its domination grew, many people began to interpret their own meaning of the Buddhist doctrines that had been translated from Indian to Chinese. â€Å"By the fourth century AD a much greater number of sutras were available in both north and south China, and the Chinese were beginning to realize the immensity of Buddhist literature.† Buddhism did not reach Japan, however, until October 13th, 538, from the Korean kingdom of Paekche. At this point in time, there were two major schools of Buddhism in China. The first form to emerge was known as Hinaya...

Wednesday, February 19, 2020

The Ways We Lie Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

The Ways We Lie - Research Paper Example ng copywriter, and an author to Companion through the Darkness, in her writing of â€Å"The Ways We Lie,† tries to bring to light the numerous ways in which human beings lie to each other. The lies are justifiable by those who tell while others are not. She argues that every one of us is bound to lie and we do find excuses to get out of it when caught. There are many types of lying, which are to be discussed in this paper, and giving some examples to show how they are told. Ericsson believes that it is practically impossible to live without lying. She even tried doing that herself for a whole week, and she says that it was ‘paralyzing’ and that ‘there must be a merit to lying’. When you lie, it puts an end to the pressing issue or the situation one is in, but others require a series of lies that could go on for a lifetime. If one is not careful, the truth comes out at some point. All they had told becomes null and they get into trouble. The white lie, we are all guilty of this. When we are with our friends, we often lie to them in their faces so that we cannot hurt their feelings (Krentz, 2007). ‘You look okay in the suit’ we tell this to someone getting into an interview room so that they do not panic before they get an interview for their dream job. If we were to tell them the truth at that moment, they may back out from what they were doing and try to concentrate on the not so important details, which may lead them to fail. Men lie to their women almost every morning before they go to work, ‘Honey, your hair is perfect’, yet they have not even given the hair a look at all. Bergen Evans, an English professor said: A man who will not lie to a woman has very little consideration for her feelings. Deflection is another type of lying. It is easily visible in court when you make an accusation against someone and do not have a way to defend themselves. The only option for them is to keep quiet until the other party says something offensive about

Tuesday, February 4, 2020

What is the role of social media in the field of journalism Annotated Bibliography

What is the role of social media in the field of journalism - Annotated Bibliography Example Processing Culture: Cognition, Ontology, and the News Media Processing Culture: Cognition, Ontology, and the News Media. Sociological Forum, 25(4), 824-850. doi:10.1111/j.1573-7861.2010.01214.x The article discusses how U.S. civilians perceive and react to news from diverse social media mainstreams. Mainly, this encompasses how a person psychologically intercepts, interprets news and assessing relayed information to result to a certain conduct once intellect undergoes adequate stimulation. This is in a move to establish desired order in unpredictable social world in order to ascertain what is genuine and factual in all media circles. The author outlines how people have adapted to the use and function of online social media in journalism in this 21st century. He claims that people are bemoaning and condemning the reduction of journalistic material at the same time analyzing the expanding recognition of social media in today’s era. In addition, he argues that the use of social media like blogs as today’s means of communication is a strong and clear indication implicating the changes and transformation in journalism. The author concludes that there is no need in advocating and shielding journalism old ways of news broadcasting because consumers adores besides being preoccupied with the new digital upstarts that is deflating the old media. This article claims that twitter as well as micro-blogging has been dominating contemporary social transmission of information especially during crises both at international and national levels. Oh, Agrawal and Rao (2013), despite acknowledging how twitter together with blogging have played a significant role in relaying information during varied crises contend these sites pose a potential danger. This is in terms of the relayed information’s reliability due to lack of valid source though the current generation seems not to care but continue to rely on it. This is contrary to the old fading journalism whereby

Monday, January 27, 2020

Short Answers to Questions on providing nursing care for clients

Short Answers to Questions on providing nursing care for clients Treatment provided to manage pain and alleviate suffering experienced by a person dying. Palliative care is a unique moment in life where emphasis is on the journey not the destiny. In adopting a holistic approach to care practice the nurse can support the essence of the individual by ensuring their comfort and needs are met within an environment conducive to stages of end of life living. (Harris, Nagy Vardaxis 2006, p.1274). b) How does the practice of palliative care differ from acute care for the nursing staff? Although death occurs in both practices, expectations of the client by the nursing staff would be significantly reduced in palliative care as the body is in a progressive degenerative state contrary to the acute setting where increases in body functions indicate recovery and expedite discharge (Harris, Nagy Vardaxis 2006, p.28 p.1274). c) What ethical issues may staff face while working in a palliative setting? Contradictions of core values, defining and segregating personal assumptions and professional development of nursing staff would be continuously challenged in a palliative setting. Politics, global economics and organisational constraints would also impinge on ethical issues faced by staff (Johnstone 2006, pp. 130-134). d) What personal care strategies may nurses need to employ to help them deal with the unique stresses related to working in palliative care? Strategies to reduce stress include regular physical exercise, maintenance of a nutritional eating plan, personal hygiene and routine sleep patterns-albeit shift work is disruptive. Acknowledge self-worth either by indulging in a regular luxury or personal time out. Participate in grieving, team de-briefing and grief counselling. Understanding human foibles and maintaining a sense of humour can improve coping skills required to deal with stress (McMurray 2005, p.101). e) How can reflective practice be of benefit to nurses in the palliative care settings? Observational skills are heightened when consciously aware of environment and subjectivity can increase the ability to improve outcomes by manipulation. Reflection allows for self and procedural evaluation and promotes resilience. Experience in the clinical care setting combines theory with practical knowledge which can increase coping mechanisms required by the nurse to evolve and adapt to perpetual change (Usher Holmes 2006, pp. 100-105). Q 2 a) List three pathophysiological changes that you may observe while caring for a client in the last few weeks or days of life care? Three changes that may be observed in end life care include; Anorexia-loss of appetite, Akinesia-absence of movement and Atrophy-decrease in muscle and body mass (Porth 2005, p.1501). b) How do palliative illnesses such as cancer affect a persons ability to perform ADLs? The presence of disease, retention of chemical therapy, controlled medication all exacerbate chronic fatigue alienating mind from body increasing frustration borne from the inability to perform activities of daily living. At all stages of disease the body is fighting to compensate perpetuating fatigue encouraging systemic changes that cannot be regulated to resonate throughout the system. One example would be the inability to swallow caused by either obstruction or medication affecting respiration and appetite, creating chemical imbalances in the stomach and along the gastrointestinal tract with further complications resulting in the bowel (Tollefson 2005, pp. 908-911) (Mott 2005, pp. 1379-1380.) c) What interventions and or equipment may be used to support palliative clients to perform ADLs? Equipment may include frames, walkers, lifters, trapeze bars, thickeners in fluids, pureed food, prompts with ablutions and routines. Enable continuity in care by providing succinct habits in documentation and communication with all staff members. Continuous assessment to identify pain, symptoms and recovery times following exertion will assist the nurse in educating and supporting client losses and create realistic alternatives to manage ADLs while encouraging client autonomy. (Mott 2005, pp. 1385-1396). d) How do palliative clients hydration and nutritional needs differ from acute clients particularly during end of life care? Nutrition and hydration needs of the palliative client fluctuate as the effects of anxiety, depression and futility of disease progress. Decline in the bodys need and tolerance for nutrition and hydration which eventuates to mouth swabs and ice chips is compounded by continual bed rest, medication and immobility, further disabling the bodys ability to secrete hormones required to regulate and balance homeostasis and avoid organ failure. Generally with acute care clients, the body is capable of compensating single organ failure by intervening with appropriate responses. Interventions by the body include mobilisation of body defences and an increase in metabolism which requires a balance of nutrition and hydration to promote healing (Tollefson 2005, pp. 1245-1252). Q 3 Case Study Mr Klamic a) What would be the benefits of offering a grief counsellor to Mr. Klamic and his family? Particular benefits of offering grief counselling is that it can allow all family members to address unresolved issues of disillusion and resentment associated with loss. A grief counsellor helps the family understand the processes involved by exploring coping mechanisms, strengthening communication skills, and forming allegiances (Griffiths Crookes 2006, pp. 185-189). b) What would be the benefits of discussing the spiritual and cultural aspects of Mr. Klamics care with Mr. Klamic and his family. Recognition and understanding of specific cultural needs by the nurse will encourage a therapeutic relationship with the client and his family which will facilitate in appropriate care for Mr. Klamic. Promoting inclusion can empower the family to actively participate in care. An example of benefits regarding discussing spiritual needs would be rituals associated with religion as in the administration of Holy Communion and Last Rites (Omeri 2006, pp. 277-280). c) Discuss the grieving process and how it might differ for each of the parties involved, Mr. Klamic, his wife and children. Experience associated with the transition of dying and death is unique and the impact on the surviving family members needs to be acknowledged and addressed. Although Mr Klamics children no longer live at home, the family structure is fractured, dynamics within the family will shift, behavioural changes may occur as perceptions of role in life, become displaced (Mooney 2005, pp. 559-568). d) What significant others or community services could the nurse access for support in the grieving process for Mr. Klamic and his family. Community support services could include, a senior member of the families religious affiliation which would offer pastoral care, Polish associations also offer support with members volunteering their time to friendship visits, respite for family members, Centrelink financial support, Family Services can advise on government assisted funeral schemes, Domicillary help with house, garden and shopping (SA Community Connecting Up Australia 2009, website). e) Why is it important to consider language barriers when information needs to be discussed with a client and their family? Client confidentiality requires medically trained health care translators be appointed when there is a language barrier. Informed consent relies on the understanding of medical information received by the client and their family. Other obstacles that need to be considered with language barriers are loved ones protecting client or denial by client, cultural and religious beliefs, personal and or vested interests by other parties (Dowd, Eckermann Jeffs 2005, pp. 131-137). f) How does pain management in the palliative setting differ from in the acute setting? The goal in palliative care is to comfort and alleviate whereas the focus in acute care is on rehabilitation albeit pain management is ultimately directed by the opinion of the Doctors will. Managing pain with the palliative client requires administration prior, to prevent increases in suffering. Timing of administration when moderated appropriately may reduce dosage required for continual pain control. Generally in acute care initial aggressive pain management is required to stimulate the body, inducing healing processes. Increased homeostasis enables mobility of the body which is beneficial in reducing pain management as the clients body avails to strategies implemented (Tollefson 2005, pp. 1188-1189). g) Other than Opioid use what other strategies may be employed to manage Mr. Klamics pain? All forms of diversional therapy warrant investigation and use of if client is agreeable. Simple strategies of holding a hand, giving a gentle hug, listening, participation in a chat or debate of interest to client, encourage journaling-written or taped, arouse interest in unexplored possibilities. Initiate changes to environment so the client can absorb and enjoy the seasons or an excursion outside in the elements. Massage, aroma, visualisation and music therapy, are alternatives that may be offered to Mr. Klamic to increase his comfort. Guidelines for implementing therapies will probably vary between organisations, prior reference to policies and procedure is recommended (Taylor 2005, pp. 896-900). h) Other than patient statements, what are some of the observations and assessment nurses may use to gauge a patients pain level? Regular assessment of vital signs, deep sadness watery eyes, pallor of the skin, grinding of teeth, flinching and clenching of extremities, irregularities in breathing , inability to find comfort or solace and foetal curling. Listening to and enquiring with family members of noticeable pain. Reduce external irritants and monitor signs on skin; pressure areas, pallor, cyanosis, jaundice, heat and beads of sweat. Reference to medication, pain (Wong Baker) and behavioural charts and levels of participation in activities of daily living may help to gauge clients pain levels (Tollefson 2005, pp. 1183-1198). i) What are the Enrolled nurses responsibilities when caring for a patient with a morphine infusion? Responsibilities include ensuring machine is functioning and calibrated in accordance to pharmacy order and that pain is being controlled and frequently reassessed. Cannulation tube should be free of kinks and the area surrounding the site of insertion is devoid of redness, heat, swelling and pain. Co-signing record of use of a schedule 8 drug on register and reporting variants, adverse reactions and side effects to the Registered Nurse while implementing the five rights of medication are mandatory of the Enrolled nurse working within their scope of practice (Tollefson 2005, p.1210) (Davis, 2005, pp. 874-881) (ANMC, 2007 p.2). Q 4 a) How does Mr Klamics diagnosis affect his ability to be an organ donor? Although Mr. Klamics diagnosis impedes his ability to donate organs and tissue to a living recipient, it may be possible for him to donate himself in entirety to science. Criteria for scientific donation would be assessed on an individual basis by the receiving school of medicine and would require prior contact between Mr. Klamic and or his power of attorney and the particular institution. (The University of Adelaide School of Medical Sciences 2011, website) (Australasian Transplant Co-ordinators Association Incorporated 2006, website). b) When may an autopsy be required in the palliative setting? Who carries out the autopsy, who gives permission for the autopsy? Several occasions when an autopsy is performed include times when death occurred within 24 hours of seeking emergency treatment and or discharge from a hospital, residents of licensed residential facilities and residential homes where cause of death was unable to be certified by a doctor or qualified paramedic. An autopsy is performed by a medical pathologist under the direction of the State Coroner to establish precise cause of death. The Coroners Act 2003 permits the autopsy, delays can occur when objections raised by next of kin warrant consideration by the State Coroner (Courts Administration Authority of South Australia-Coroners Court 2011, website). c) What is an Advanced Health Directive? An Advanced Care Directive or Living Will is a legal document notarised at a time when a person is sound of mind, eighteen years or over in age. In this document the bearer states in advance how their future personal needs are to be met, if and when an event fails them to do so. Advantage of the ACD is it allows the person to control preferences of medical treatment while releasing others of decision making responsibility (Attorney-Generals Department 2011, website). d) Which legislation governs the provision of palliative care? Legislation governing palliative care in South Australia is the Consent to Medical Treatment and Palliative Care Act 1995 and Schedules under the Act 1995. Guardianship and Administration Act 1993, Power of Attorney and Agency Act 1984, Coroners Act 2003, Controlled Substances Act 1984, and Drugs of Dependence Regulations (Australasian Legal Information Institute 2011, website). e) Care delivery in the palliative care setting is governed by the policies and procedures of the Hospital. What kind of situations may these policies deal with? Situations that may be in Hospital policies include admissions, discharge and patient care documentation, client rights, dying with dignity, standards of care, clinical procedures, informed consent advanced health directives, death certification, code blue and met calls, do not resuscitate requests, bereavement, use of complimentary therapies, life prolonging intervention, organ donation, O.H. Safety, equity and diversity, grievances, cultural safety, risk management, staffing, nursing informatics and hospital emergencies (Royal Adelaide Hospital 2010, website).

Sunday, January 19, 2020

Practical Demonkeeping Chapter 1-2

PART ONE SATURDAY NIGHT Like one that on that lonesome road Doth walk in fear and dread, And having once turned round walks on, And no more turns his head; Because he knows a frightful fiend Doth close behind him tread. – Samuel Taylor Coleridge, The Rime of the Ancient Mariner 1 THE BREEZE The Breeze blew into San Junipero in the shotgun seat of Billy Winston's Pinto wagon. The Pinto lurched dangerously from shoulder to centerline, the result of Billy trying to roll a joint one-handed while balancing a Coors tallboy and bopping to the Bob Marley song that crackled through the stereo. â€Å"We be jammin' now, mon!† Billy said, toasting The Breeze with a slosh of the Coors. The Breeze shook his head balefully. â€Å"Keep the can down, watch the road, let me roll the doobie,† he said. â€Å"Sorry, Breeze,† Billy said. â€Å"I'm just stoked that we're on the road.† Billy's admiration for The Breeze was boundless. The Breeze was truly cool, a party renaissance man. He spent his days at the beach and his nights in a cloud of sinsemilla. The Breeze could smoke all night, polish off a bottle of tequila, maintain well enough to drive the forty miles back to Pine Cove without arousing the suspicion of a single cop, and be on the beach by nine the next morning acting as if the term hangover were too abstract to be considered. On Billy Winston's private list of personal heroes The Breeze ranked second only to David Bowie. The Breeze twisted the joint, lit it, and handed it to Billy for the first hit. â€Å"What are we celebrating?† Billy croaked, trying to hold in the smoke. The Breeze held up a finger to mark the question, while he dug the Dionysian Book of Days: An Occasion for Every Party from the pocket of his Hawaiian shirt. He flipped through the pages until he found the correct date. â€Å"Nambian Independence Day,† he announced. â€Å"Bitchin',† Billy said. â€Å"Party down for Nambian Independence.† â€Å"It says,† The Breeze continued, â€Å"that the Nambians celebrate their independence by roasting and eating a whole giraffe and drinking a mixture of fermented guava juice and the extract of certain tree frogs that are thought to have magical powers. At the height of the celebration, all the boys who have come of age are circumcised with a sharp stone.† â€Å"Maybe we can circumcise a few Techies tonight if it gets boring,† Billy said. Techies was the term The Breeze used to refer to the male students of San Junipero Technical College. For the most part, they were ultraconservative, crew-cut youths who were perfectly satisfied with their role as bulk stock to be turned into tools for industrial America by the rigid curricular lathe of San Junipero Tech. To The Breeze, the Techies' way of thinking was so foreign that he couldn't even muster a healthy loathing for them. They were simply nonentities. On the other hand, the coeds of S.J. Tech occupied a special place in The Breeze's heart. In fact, finding a few moments of blissful escape between the legs of a nubile coed was the only reason he was subjecting himself to a forty-mile sojourn in the company of Billy Winston. Billy Winston was tall, painfully thin, ugly, smelled bad, and had a particular talent for saying the wrong thing in almost any situation. On top of it all, The Breeze suspected that Billy was gay. The idea had been reinforced one night when he dropped in on Billy at his job as night desk clerk at the Rooms-R-Us motel and found him leafing through a Playgirl magazine. In Breeze's business one got used to running across the skeletons in people's closets. If Billy's skeleton wore women's underwear, it didn't really matter. Homosexuality on Billy Winston was like acne on a leper. The up side of Billy Winston was that he had a car that ran and would take The Breeze anywhere he wanted to go. The Breeze's van was currently being held by some Big Sur growers as collateral against the forty pounds of sinsemilla buds he had stashed in a suitcase at his trailer. â€Å"The way I see it,† said Billy, â€Å"we hit the Mad Bull first. Do a pitcher of margaritas at Jose's, dance a little at the Nuked Whale, and if we don't find any nookie, we head back home for a nightcap at the Slug.† â€Å"Let's hit the Whale first and see what's shakin',† The Breeze said. The Nuked Whale was San Junipero's premier college dance club. If The Breeze was going to find a coed to cuddle, it would be at the Whale. He had no intention of making the drive with Billy back to Pine Cove for a nightcap at the Head of the Slug. Closing up the Slug was tantamount to having a losing night, and The Breeze was through with being a loser. Tomorrow when he sold the forty pounds of grass he would pocket twenty grand. After twenty years blowing up and down the coast, living on nickle-dime deals to make rent, The Breeze was, at last, stepping into the winners' circle, and there was no room for a loser like Billy Winston. Billy parked the Pinto in a yellow zone a block away from the Nuked Whale. From the sidewalk they could hear the throbbing rhythms of the latest techno-pop dance music. The unlikely pair covered the block in a few seconds, Billy striding ahead while The Breeze brought up the rear with a laid-back shuffle. As Billy slipped under the neon whale tail and into the club, the doorman – a fresh-faced slab of muscle and crew cut – caught him by the arm. â€Å"Let's see some I.D.† Billy flashed an expired driver's license as Breeze caught up to him and began digging into the pocket of his Day-Glo green surf shorts for his wallet. The doorman raised a hand in dismissal. â€Å"That's okay, buddy, with that hairline you don't need any.† The Breeze ran his hand over his forehead self-consciously. Last month he had turned forty, a dubious achievement for a man who had once vowed never to trust anyone over thirty. Billy reached around him and slapped two dollar bills into the doorman's hand. â€Å"Here,† he said, â€Å"buy yourself a night with an Inflate-A-Date.† â€Å"What!† The doorman vaulted off his stool and puffed himself up for combat, but Billy had already scampered away into the crowded club. The Breeze stepped in front of the doorman and raised his hands in surrender. â€Å"Cut him some slack, man. He's got problems.† â€Å"He's going to have some problems,† the doorman bristled. â€Å"No, really,† The Breeze continued, wishing that Billy had spared him the loyal gesture and therefore the responsibility of pacifying this collegiate cave man. â€Å"He's on medication. Psychological problems.† The doorman was unsure. â€Å"If this guy is dangerous, get him out of here.† â€Å"Not dangerous, just a little squirrelly – he's bipolar Oedipal,† The Breeze said with uncharacteristic pomposity. â€Å"Oh,† the doorman said, as if it had all become clear. â€Å"Well, keep him in line or you're both out.† â€Å"No problem.† The Breeze turned and joined Billy at the bar amid a crunch of beer-drinking students. Billy handed him a Heineken. Billy said, â€Å"What did you say to that asshole to calm him down?† â€Å"I told him you wanted to fuck your mom and kill your dad.† â€Å"Cool. Thanks, Breeze.† â€Å"No charge.† The Breeze tipped his beer in salute. Things were not going well for him. Somehow he had been snared into this male-bonding bullshit with Billy Winston, when all he wanted to do was ditch him and get laid. The Breeze turned and leaned back, scanning the club for a likely candidate. He had set his sights on a homely but tight-assed little blond in leather pants when Billy broke his concentration. â€Å"You got any blow, man?† Billy had shouted to be heard over the music, but his timing was off; the song had ended. Everyone at the bar turned toward The Breeze and waited, as if the next few words he spoke would reveal the true meaning of life, the winning numbers in the state lottery, and the unlisted phone number of God. The Breeze grabbed Billy by the front of the shirt and hustled him to the back of the club, where a group of Techies were pounding a pinball machine, oblivious to anything but buzzers and bells. Billy looked like a frightened child who had been dragged from a movie theater for shouting out the ending. â€Å"First,† The Breeze hissed, waving a trembling finger under Billy's nose to enumerate his point, â€Å"first, I do not use or sell cocaine.† This was half true. He did not sell since he had done six months in Soledad for dealing – and would go up for five years if he was busted again. He used it only when it was offered or when he needed bait when trolling for women. Tonight he was holding a gram. â€Å"Second, if I did use, I wouldn't want it announced to everybody in San Junipero.† â€Å"I'm sorry, Breeze.† Billy tried to look small and weak. â€Å"Third,† The Breeze shook three stubby fingers in Billy's face, â€Å"we have an agreement. If one of us scores, the other one gets cut loose. Well, I think I found someone, so cut loose.† Billy started to shuffle toward the door, head down, his lower lip hanging, like the bloated victim of a lynch mob. After a few steps he turned. â€Å"If you need a ride – if things don't work out – I'll be at the Mad Bull.† The Breeze, as he watched the injured Billy skulk away, felt a twinge of remorse. Forget it, he thought, Billy had it coming. After the deal tomorrow he wouldn't need Billy or any of the quarter-ounce-a-week buyers of his ilk. The Breeze was eager for the time when he could afford to be without friends. He strutted across the dance floor toward the blond in the leather pants. Having wafted through most of his forty years as a single man, The Breeze had come to recognize the importance of the pickup line. At best, it should be original, charming, concise but lyrical – a catalyst to invoke curiosity and lust. Knowing this, he approached his quarry with the calm of a well-armed man. â€Å"Yo, babe,† he said, â€Å"I've got a gram of prime Peruvian marching powder. You want to go for a walk?† â€Å"Pardon me?† the girl said, somewhere between astonishment and disgust. The Breeze noticed that she had a wide-eyed, fawnlike look – Bambi with too much mascara. He gave her his best surfer-boy smile. â€Å"I was wondering if you'd like to powder your nose.† â€Å"You're old enough to be my father,† she said. The Breeze was staggered by the rejection. As the girl escaped onto the crowded dance floor, he fell back to the bar to consider strategy. Go on to the next one? Everybody gets tubed now and then; you just have to climb back on the board and wait for the next wave. He scanned the dance floor looking for a chance at the wild ride. Nothing but sorority girls with absolutely perfect hair. No chance. His fantasy of jumping one and using her until her perfect hair was tangled into a hopeless knot at the back of her head had been relegated long ago to the realm of fairy tales and free money. The energy in San Junipero was all wrong. It didn't matter – he'd be a rich man tomorrow. Best to catch a ride back to Pine Cove. With luck he could get to the Head of the Slug Saloon before last call and pick up one of the standby bitches who still valued good company and didn't require a hundred bucks worth of blow to get upside down with you. As he stepped into the street a chill wind bit at his bare legs and swept through his thin shirt. Thumbing the forty miles back to Pine Cove was going to suck, big time. Maybe Billy was still at the Mad Bull? No, The Breeze told himself, there are worse things than freezing your ass off. He shrugged off the cold and fell into a steady stride toward the highway, his new fluorescent yellow deck shoes squeaking with every step. They rubbed his little toe when he walked. After five blocks he felt the blister break and go raw. He cursed himself for becoming another slave to fashion. Half a mile outside of San Junipero the streetlights ended. Darkness added to The Breeze's list of mounting aggravations. Without trees and buildings to break its momentum, the cold Pacific wind increased and whipped his clothes around him like torn battle flags. Blood from his damaged toe was beginning to spot the canvas of his deck shoe. A mile out of town The Breeze abandoned the dancing, smiling, and tipping of a ghost-hat that was supposed to charm drivers into stopping to give a ride to a poor, lost surfer. Now he trudged, head down in the dark, his back to traffic, a single frozen thumb thrust into the air beaconing, then changing into a middle finger of defiance as each car passed without slowing. â€Å"Fuck you! You heartless assholes!† His throat was sore from screaming. He tried to think of the money – sweet, liberating cash, crispy and green – but again and again he was brought back to the cold, the pain in his feet, and the increasingly dismal chance of getting a ride home. It was late, and the traffic was thinning to a car every five minutes or so. Hopelessness circled in his mind like a vulture. He considered doing the cocaine, but the idea of entering a too-fast jangle on a lonely, dark road and crashing into a paranoid, teeth-chattering shiver seemed somewhat insane. Think about the money. The money. It was all Billy Winston's fault. And the guys in Big Sur; they didn't have to take his van. It wasn't like he had ever ripped anyone off on a big deal before. It wasn't like he was a bad guy. Hadn't he let Robert move into his trailer, rent free, when his old lady threw him out? Didn't he help Robert put a new head gasket in his truck? Hadn't he always played square – let people try the product before buying? Didn't he advance his regulars a quarter-ounce until payday? In a business that was supposed to be fast and loose, wasn't he a pillar of virtue? Right as rain? Straight as an arrow†¦. A car pulled up twenty yards behind him and hit the brights. He didn't turn. Years of experience told him that anyone using that approach was only offering a ride to one place, the Iron-bar Hotel. The Breeze walked on, as if he didn't notice the car. He shoved his hands deep into the pockets of his surf shorts, as if fighting the cold, found the cocaine and slipped it into his mouth, paper and all. Instantly his tongue went numb. He raised his hands in surrender and turned, expecting to see the flashing reds and blues of a county sheriff cruiser. But it wasn't a cop. It was just two guys in an old Chevy, playing games. He could make out their figures past the headlights. The Breeze swallowed the paper the cocaine had been wrapped in. Taken by a burning anger, fueled by blow and blood-lust, he stormed toward the Chevy. â€Å"C'mon out, you fucking clowns.† Someone crawled out of the passenger side. It looked like a child – no, thicker – a dwarf. The Breeze blew on. â€Å"Bring a tire iron, you little shit. You'll need it.† â€Å"Wrong,† said the dwarf, the voice was low and gravely. The Breeze pulled up and squinted into the headlights. It wasn't a dwarf, it was a big dude, a giant. Huge, getting bigger as it moved toward him. Too fast. The Breeze turned and started to run. He got three steps before the jaws clamped over his head and shoulders, crunching through his bones as if they were peppermint sticks. When the Chevy pulled back onto the highway, the only thing left of The Breeze was a single fluorescent-yellow deck shoe. It would be a fleeting mystery to passers-by for two days until a hungry crow carried it away. No one would notice that there was still a foot inside. PART TWO SUNDAY All mystical experience is coincidence; and vice versa, of course. – Tom Stoppard, Jumpers 2 PINE COVE The village of Pine Cove lay in a coastal pine forest just south of the great Big Sur wilderness area, on a small natural harbor. The village was established in the 1880s by a dairy farmer from Ohio who found verdant hills around the cove provided perfect fodder for his cows. The settlement, such as it was – two families and a hundred cows – went nameless until the 1890s, when the whalers came to town and christened it Harpooner's Cove. With a cove to shelter their small whaling boats and the hills from which they could sight the migrating gray whales far out to sea, the whalers prospered and the village grew. For thirty years a greasy haze of death blew overhead from the five-hundred-gallon rendering pots where thousands of whales were boiled down to oil. When the whale population dwindled and electricity and kerosene became an alternative to whale oil, the whalers abandoned Harpooner's Cove, leaving behind mountains of whale bone and the rusting hulks of their rendering kettles. To this day many of the town's driveways are lined with the bleached arches of whale ribs, and even now, when the great gray whales pass, they rise out of the water a bit and cast a suspicious eye toward the little cove, as if expecting the slaughter to begin again. After the whalers left, the village survived on cattle ranching and the mining of mercury, which had been discovered in the nearby hills. The mercury ran out about the same time the coastal highway was completed through Big Sur, and Harpooner's Cove became a tourist town. Passers-through who wanted a little piece of California's burgeoning tourist industry but didn't want to deal with the stress of life in San Francisco or Los Angeles, stopped and built motels, souvenir shops, restaurants, and real estate offices. The hills around Pine Cove were subdivided. Pine forests and pastures became ocean-view lots, sold for a song to tourists from California's central valley who wanted to retire on the coast. Again the village grew, populated by retirees and young couples who eschewed the hustle of the city to raise their children in a quiet coastal town. Harpooner's Cove became a village of the newly wed and the nearly dead. In the 1960s the young, environmentally conscious residents decided that the name Harpooner's Cove hearkened back to a time of shame for the village and that the name Pine Cove was more appropriate to the quaint, bucolic image the town had come to depend on. And so, with the stroke of a pen and the posting of a sign – WELCOME TO PINE COVE, GATEWAY TO BIG SUR – history was whitewashed. The business district was confined to an eight-block section of Cypress Street, which ran parallel to the coast highway. Most of the buildings on Cypress sported facades of English Tudor half-timbering, which made Pine Cove an anomaly among the coastal communities of California with their predominantly Spanish-Moorish architecture. A few of the original structures still stood, and these, with their raw timbers and feel of the Old West, were a thorn in the side of the Chamber of Commerce, who played on the village's English look to promote tourism. In a half-assed attempt at thematic consistency, several pseudo-authentic, Ole English restaurants opened along Cypress Street to lure tourists with the promise of tasteless English cuisine. (There had even been an attempt by one entrepreneur to establish an authentic English pizza place, but the enterprise was abandoned with the realization that boiled pizza lost most of its character.) Pine Cove's locals avoided patronage of these restaurants with the duplicity of a Hindu cattle rancher: willing to reap the profits without sampling the product. Locals dined at the few, out-of-the-way cafes that were content with carving a niche out of the hometown market with good food and service rather than gouging an eye out of the swollen skull of the tourist market with overpriced, pretentious charm. The shops along Cypress Street were functional only in that they moved money from the pockets of the tourists into the local economy. From the standpoint of the villagers, there was nothing of practical use for sale in any of the stores. For the tourist, immersed in the oblivion of vacation spending, Cypress Street provided a bonanza of curious gifts to prove to the folks back home that they had been somewhere. Somewhere where they had obviously forgotten that soon they would return home to a mortgage, dental bills, and an American Express bill that would descend at the end of the month like a financial Angel of Death. And they bought. They bought effigies of whales and sea otters carved in wood, cast in plastic, brass, or pewter, stamped on key chains, printed on postcards, posters, book covers, and condoms. They bought all sorts of useless junk imprinted with: Pine Cove, Gateway to Big Sur, from bookmarks to bath soap. Over the years it became a challenge to the Pine Cove shopowners to come up with an item so tacky that it would not sell. Gus Brine, owner of the local general store, suggested once at a Chamber of Commerce meeting that the merchants, without compromising their high standards, might put cow manure into jars, imprint the label with Pine Cove, Gateway to Big Sur, and market it as authentic gray whale feces. As often happens with matters of money, the irony of Brine's suggestion was lost, a motion was carried, a plan was laid, and if it had not been for a lack of volunteers to do the actual packaging, the shelves of Cypress Street would have displayed numbered, limited-edition jars of Genuine Whale Waste. The residents of Pine Cove went about their work of fleecing the tourists with a slow, methodical resolve that involved more waiting than activity. Life, in general, was slow in Pine Cove. Even the wind that came in off the Pacific each evening crept slowly through the trees, allowing the villagers ample time to bring in wood and stoke their fires against the damp cold. In the morning, down on Cypress Street, the Open signs flipped with a languid disregard for the times posted on the doors. Some shops opened early, some late, and some not at all, especially if it was a nice day for a walk on the beach. It was as if the villagers, having found their little bit of peace, were waiting for something to happen. And it did. Around midnight on the night that The Breeze disappeared, every dog in Pine Cove began barking. During the following fifteen minutes, shoes were thrown, threats were made, and the sheriff was called and called again. Wives were beaten, pistols were loaded, pillows were pounded, and Mrs. Feldstein's thirty-two cats simultaneously coughed up hairballs on her porch. Blood pressure went up, aspirin was opened, and Milo Tobin, the town's evil developer, looked out the front window to see his young neighbor, Rosa Cruz, in the nude, chasing twin Pomeranians around her front yard. The strain was too much for his chain-smoker's heart, and he flopped on the floor like a fish and died. On another hill, Van Williams, the tree surgeon, had reached the limit of his patience with his neighbors, a family of born-again dog breeders whose six Labrador retrievers barked all night long with or without supernatural provocation. With his professional-model chain saw he dropped a hundred-foot Monterey pine tree on their new Dodge Evangeline van. A few minutes later, a family of raccoons who normally roamed the streets of Pine Cove breaking into garbage cans, were taken, temporarily, with a strange sapience and ignored their normal activities to steal the stereo out of the ruined van and install it in their den that lay in the trunk of a hollow tree. An hour after the cacophony began, it stopped. The dogs had delivered their message, and as it goes in cases where dogs warn of coming earthquakes, tornadoes, or volcanic eruptions, the message was completely misconstrued. What was left the next morning was a very sleepy, grumpy village brimming with lawsuits and insurance claims, but without a single clue that something was coming. At six that morning a cadre of old men gathered outside the general store to discuss the events of the night before, never once letting their ignorance of what had happened interfere with a good bull session. A new, four-wheel-drive pickup pulled into the small parking lot, and Augustus Brine crawled out, jangling his huge key ring as if it were a talisman of power sent down by the janitor god. He was a big man, sixty years old, white haired and bearded, with shoulders like a mountain gorilla. People alternately compared him to Santa Claus and the Norse god Odin. â€Å"Morning, boys,† Brine grumbled to the old men, who gathered behind him as he unlocked the door and let them into the dark interior of Brine's Bait, Tackle, and Fine Wines. As he switched on the lights and started brewing the first two pots of his special, secret, dark-roast coffee, Brine was assaulted by a salvo of questions. â€Å"Gus, did you hear the dogs last night?† â€Å"We heard a tree went down on your hill. You hear anything about it?† â€Å"Can you brew some decaf? Doctor says I've got to cut the caffeine.† â€Å"Bill thinks it was a bitch in heat started the barking, but it was all over town.† â€Å"Did you get any sleep? I couldn't get back to sleep.† Brine raised a big paw to signal that he was going to speak, and the old men fell silent. It was like that every morning: Brine arrived in the middle of a discussion and was immediately elected to the role of expert and mediator. â€Å"Gentlemen, the coffee's on. In regard to the events of last night, I must claim ignorance.† â€Å"You mean it didn't wake you up?† Jim Whatley asked from under the brim of a Brooklyn Dodgers baseball cap. â€Å"I retired early last night with two lovely teenage bottles of cabernet, Jim. Anything that happened after that did so without my knowledge or consent.† Jim was miffed with Brine's detachment. â€Å"Well, every goddamn dog in town started barking last night like the end of the world was coming.† â€Å"Dogs bark,† Brine stated. He left off the â€Å"big deal† – it was understood from his tone. â€Å"Not every dog in town. Not all at once. George thinks it's supernatural or something.† Brine raised a white eyebrow toward George Peters, who stood by the coffee machine sporting a dazzling denture grin. â€Å"And what, George, leads you to the conclusion that the cause of this disturbance was supernatural?† â€Å"Woke up with a hard-on for the first time in twenty years. It got me right up. I thought I'd rolled over on the flashlight I keep by the bed for midnight emergencies.† â€Å"How were the batteries, Georgie?† someone interjected. â€Å"I tried to wake up the wife. Whacked her on the leg with it just to get her attention. I told her the bear was charging and I have one bullet left.† â€Å"And?† Brine filled the pause. â€Å"She told me to put some ice on it to make the swelling go down.† â€Å"Well,† Brine said, stroking his beard, â€Å"that certainly sounds like a supernatural experience to me.† He turned to the rest of the group and announced his judgment. â€Å"Gents, I agree with George. As with Lazarus rising from the dead, this unexplained erection is hard evidence of the supernatural at work. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have cash customers to attend to.† The last remark was not meant as a dig toward the old men, whom Brine allowed to drink coffee all day free of charge. Augustus Brine had long ago won their loyalty, and it would have been absurd for any one of them to think of going anywhere else to purchase wine, or cheese, or bait, or gasoline, even though Brine's prices were a good thirty percent higher than the Thrifty-Mart down the street. Could the pimple-faced clerks at the Thrifty-Mart give advice on which bait was best for rock cod, a recipe for an elegant dill sauce for that same fish, recommend a fine wine to complement the meal, and at the same time ask after the well-being of every family member for three generations by name? They could not! And therein lay the secret of Augustus Brine's ability to run a successful business based entirely on the patronage of locals in an economy catering to tourists. Brine made his way to the counter, where an attractive woman in a waitress apron awaited, impatiently worrying a five-dollar bill. â€Å"Five dollars worth of unleaded, Gus.† She thrust the bill at Brine. â€Å"Rough night, Jenny?† â€Å"Does it show?† Jenny made a show of fixing her shoulder-length auburn hair and smoothing her apron. â€Å"A safe assumption, only,† Brine said with a smile that revealed teeth permanently stained by years of coffee and pipe smoke. â€Å"The boys tell me there was a citywide disturbance last night.† â€Å"Oh, the dogs. I thought it was just my neighborhood. I didn't get to sleep until four in the morning, then the phone rang and woke me up.† â€Å"I heard about you and Robert splitting up,† Brine said. â€Å"Did someone send out a newsletter or something? We've only been separated a few days.† Irritation put an unattractive rasp in her voice. â€Å"It's a small town,† Brine said softly. â€Å"I wasn't trying to be nosy.† â€Å"I'm sorry, Gus. It's just the lack of sleep. I'm so tired I was hallucinating on the way down here. I thought I heard Wayne Newton singing ‘What a Friend We Have in Jesus.'† â€Å"Maybe you did.† â€Å"The music was coming from a pine tree. I'm telling you, I've been a basket case all week.† Brine reached across the counter and patted her hand. â€Å"The only constant in this life is change, but that doesn't mean it's easy. Give yourself a break.† Just then Vance McNally, the local ambulance driver, burst through the door. The radio on his belt made a sizzling sound as if he'd just stepped out of a deep fryer. â€Å"Guess who vapor locked last night?† he said, obviously hoping that no one would know. Everyone turned and waited for his announcement. Vance basked in their attention for a moment to confirm his self-importance. â€Å"Milo Tobin,† he said, finally. â€Å"The evil developer?† George asked. â€Å"That's him. Sometime around midnight. We just bagged him,† Vance said to the group. Then to Brine, â€Å"Can I get a pack of Marlboros?† The old men searched each other's faces for the right reaction to Vance's news. Each was waiting for another to say what they were all thinking, which was, â€Å"It couldn't have happened to a nicer guy,† or even, â€Å"Good riddance,† but as they were all aware that Vance's next rude announcement could be about them, they tried to think of something nice to say. You don't park in the handicapped space lest the forces of irony give you a reason to, and you don't speak ill of the dead unless you want to get bagged next. Jenny saved them. â€Å"He sure kept that Chrysler of his clean, didn't he?† â€Å"Sure did.† â€Å"The thing sparkled.† â€Å"He kept it like new, he did.† Vance smiled at the discomfort he had caused. â€Å"See you boys later.† He turned to leave and bumped straight into the little man standing behind him. â€Å"Excuse me, fella,† Vance said. No one had seen him come in or had heard the bell over the door. He was an Arab, dark, with a long, hooked nose and old; his skin hung around his piercing gray-blue eyes in folds. He wore a wrinkled, gray flannel suit that was at least two sizes too big. A red stocking cap rode high on the back of his bald head. His rumpled appearance combined with this diminutive size made him look like a ventriloquist's dummy that had spent a long time in a small suitcase. The little man brandished a craggy hand under Vance's nose and let loose with a string of angry Arabic that swirled through the air like blue on a Damascus blade. Vance backed out the door, jumped into his ambulance, and motored away. Everyone stood stunned by the ferocity of the little man's anger. Had they really seen blue swirls? Were the Arab's teeth really filed to points? Were, for that moment, his eyes glowing white-hot? It would never be discussed. Augustus Brine was the first to recover. â€Å"Can I help you with something, sir?† The unnatural light in the Arab's eyes dimmed, and in a humble, obsequious manner he said, â€Å"Excuse me, please, but could I trouble you for a small quantity of salt?†

Friday, January 10, 2020

What is a Monster? Are We Monsters? Are Humans Monsters?

When we become envious of our friend's belongings, vengeful toward those who hate, or selfish when we have plenty. Monsters strike fear within our hearts because they are giant, monstrous, ugly and uncontrollable beings. Humans strike fear in their peers because of their vengeance, race or politics. In Beowulf, readers are exposed to these monsters who are uncontrollable through the ways that they fight each other. By analyzing Beowulf, the concept of monstrosity is parallel to some flaws of humanity. Although Beowulf is seen a deviant God-sent savior by the people of Heorot and Hrothgar, he is not exempt from the equivalence of humanistic flaws in the natural world. Through the use of many parallels between the characters of Beowulf representing monsters and the natural world humans, the reader is left questioning what it is to be a hero and what it is to be a monster. The story uses symbolism such as supernaturalism as the model to create specific roles for the characters in Beowulf that parallel humans. In this paper, I will discuss the ways in which Grendel, Grendel's Mother and Beowulf are parallel to humans in the natural world by looking at the ways in which monsters and humans are similar. The epic poem, Beowulf, describes each of the monsters to be supernatural except Grendel and his mother who are understood to not be supernatural. He is one of three monsters in the story that is ornamented with monstrous traits such as â€Å"heathen talons, terrible spikes† (Beowulf 987). Although he is described with these monstrous features, it is humanistic and emotional instinct that propel his actions. For example, in the beginning of the story, Grendel is angered by the joyous celebration of the men of Heorot (Danes), crawls out of his underground swamp and creates a deathly disturbance. This ambiguous monstrosity gives mixed views of the role of humans and monsters, allowing for overlapping representations. He lives underground with his mother that is recognized by readers as the unnatural world-living in swamps and darkness. The grumpy Grendel attacks the Hall because it â€Å"harrowed him to hear the joyful din loud in the hall† (87-105). He is envious of Hrothgar and his people because they live in civilization-unlike Grendel-who lives in isolation. Words like â€Å"harrowing,† â€Å"misery† (105), â€Å"unholy creature,† and â€Å"ravenous† (120-121) are all used in the beginning of the story which alludes readers that Grendel is monstrous and envious of the Danes. The human characteristic Grendel is portraying in the story is envy. He wants to fit in with the Danes but since he is a Cain (who kills kin) he is unable to. His physical form confuses readers in terms of categorizing him as man or beast. He has many animal attributes, a grotesque and monstrous appearance such as â€Å"beast† (425), â€Å"heathen talons† and â€Å"terrible spikes† (985), but his actions and emotions prove otherwise. When Grendel is gravely injured from the battle with Beowulf at the Hall, he is doomed to die in his underground home. When Beowulf describes the win over Grendel, he states, â€Å"death is not an easy thing to escape-try it who will-but compelled necessity all must come to that place set aside for soul-bearers, children of men, dwellers on earth†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (1012). This further blurs the line between natural world humans and monsters because of the vernacular Beowulf chooses, â€Å"earth dwellers†, â€Å"children of men†. These words with specific intent towards Grendel, can overlap with descriptions of death towards humans in the natural world that death is hard to escape. Grendel's mother in the story is relatable to every mother in the natural world. Her intent to avenge her son's death (Grendel) to kill Beowulf is a very similar instinct mothers have in the natural world humans feel remorse for the loss of their loved ones. She symbolizes the natural quality of revenge. Grendel's mother comes into play and described as, â€Å"a woman's warfare, is less than an armed man's when a bloodstained blade, its edges strong, hammer-forged sword, slices through the boar-image on a helmet opposite† (1283). The line, â€Å"a woman's warfare, is than an armed man† to describe Grendel's mother as weak is a direct parallel to mothers in the natural world. In today's world, people assume that women are weak and less harmful than a man. In the story, the men in the hall are not afraid of her because she is a woman. Even though she is a mother, a female, to a â€Å"weak†, â€Å"emotional† monster (Grendel), she can still be violent and dangerous to others. This parallels mothers in the natural world. They can be terrifying when you make them mad. Grendel's mother is also ornamented with monstrous descriptions, â€Å"her hostile claws, that she-wolf of the sea swam to the bottom† (1505). This puzzles the reader when trying to categorize Grendel's mother as (wo)man or â€Å"beast†. Along with Grendel's monstrosity and his mothers', Beowulf's humanity is called into question. His call for attacking and killing Grendel is only for the fame he receives from the men of Heorot, â€Å"he trusted his strength, the might of his handgrip-as a man should do if by his warfare he thinks to win long-lasting praise: he cares nothing for his life† (1535). In this scene, the reader sees how he possess supernatural qualities of abnormal strength. This is the epitome of so many men in the natural world. Men are greedy for praise to impress a woman they like. The description of Beowulf here can again confuse the reader as to what to categorize him as, man or â€Å"beast†. Men try to be heroic when a tragedy happens most of the time to gain praise from the public. This is what Beowulf does in the story, to be the hero by stopping the attack on Heorot by Grendel. Beowulf is the example of the â€Å"tragic hero† in the story. He comes from being known as nothing but an ugly strong monster to a praised monster who killed the bad guy. He has many animal attributes and a monstrous appearance, but he seems to be guided by vague human emotions and impulses. For example, the impulse to kill Grendel for glory and fame is a remorseful killing act, Beowulf uses it as adrenaline to keep killing and attacking the â€Å"beasts† who harm Heorot. These different monstrous personalities are seen in the natural human world which need to be addressed today when reading and exploring one's own life. Humans are monsters too. Grendel is portrayed as the man who takes the bus to work every day and is envious of happiness in people's life-maybe someone with depression. Grendel's mother is portrayed as everyone's mother who wants revenge for a loved one's death and Beowulf is the greedy white American who wants to be praised for saving blacks in a burning house. Each of these portrayals in the human world is scary to see and understand. But it is all real. Concepts of monstrosity, heroism, and supernaturalism in Beowulf are complex due to the parallelisms between humanity and the monsters in the story. It is easy for readers to neglect the looming allusions on humanity that Beowulf offers through its use of subtle comparison. The ambiguity of â€Å"monster† and â€Å"hero† are intermixed in both the story and world of common man. Beowulf reminds readers to question the flaws and norms in humanity and its longing labels. We must yearn to understand human motivation before asking and claiming self-righteous glory. The difference between Grendel's mother and Beowulf is that his mother was avenging the death of her son and Beowulf kills for glory and fame. Humans are monsters.

Thursday, January 2, 2020

Analysis Of James Wright s The Blues Essay - 2277 Words

As Bryan Crable notes, Burke and Ellison had the closest intellectual and social relationship when Burke was writing A Rhetoric of Motives—and, I would add, when Ellison was writing Invisible Man. Crable points out that the Rhetoric is â€Å"the only one of Burke’s books to cite Ellison,† in large part because Ellison’s 1945 essay â€Å"Richard Wright’s Blues† (which called Wright’s just-released memoir Black Boy â€Å"a nonwhite intellectual’s statement of his relationship to western culture† that illuminates a â€Å"conflicting pattern of identification and rejection† à   la Joyce, Nehru, and Dostoyevsky) had a major influence on Burke â€Å"only one month into serious work on his now-canonical text† (â€Å"Blues† 263–64, Crable 47–48). The claim that the friendship was important for both Burke and Ellison is certainly true, intervening in a longstanding scholarly conversation on the Burkean influences apparent in Invisible Man (and other works of Ellison’s) that paid little attention to the ways in which Ellisonian ideas in fact inspired Burke’s work as well. Even with this helpful addition of Crable’s, though, the scholarly consensus seems to suggest that Ellison employed Burke’s philosophies of literary form in his composition of Invisible Man, while Burke developed his â€Å"thoughts on the rhetorical dimensions of race† based on Ellison’s insights about the conflicts between â€Å"individual identity† and â€Å"racial identity† (Crable 47–48). 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In this article, I will explore Toni Morrison s The Bluest Eye from a naturalistic perspective; however, while doing so I will propose that because Morrison s novels are distinctly black and examine distin ctly black issues, we must expand or deconstruct the traditionalRead MoreQantas Airways Ltd: Analysis and Valuation4978 Words   |  20 PagesTABLE OF CONTENTS TOPICS PAGE NO. 1.0 Executive Summary†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦3-4 2.0 Objectives†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..5 3.0 Economic Analysis†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..6-7 4.0 Industry Analysis†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..8-10 5.0 Company Profile..†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.11 5.1 Key Financial Ratios†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦11-12 6.0 Valuations†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦15 6.1 Dividend Valuation Model†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦14-16 6.2 Price-Earnings(P/E) Model.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..17 Read MoreEssay on Wal-Mart Case Analysis2917 Words   |  12 Pagesdependency on team spirit in order to sustain success in the retail industry. Although the customer is the top priority, Wal-Mart’s success in the future is based on communication, implementation and accomplishing each task in the organizational chain. Analysis of Mission and Objectives Wal-Mart’s mission statement is fairly simple; â€Å"We save people money so they can live better.† Their objective is to provide customers with quality merchandise that allows them to be confident in the quality of the merchandiseRead MoreLiterary Criticism : The Free Encyclopedia 7351 Words   |  30 Pagesnovel is sometimes used interchangeably with Bildungsroman, but its use is usually wider and less technical. The birth of the Bildungsroman is normally dated to the publication of Wilhelm Meister s Apprenticeship by Johann Wolfgang Goethe in 1795–96,[8] or, sometimes, to Christoph Martin Wieland s Geschichte des Agathon of 1767.[9] Although the Bildungsroman arose in Germany, it has had extensive influence first in Europe and later throughout the world. Thomas Carlyle translated Goethe’s novelRead MoreFront Office Customer Satisfaction19126 Words   |  77 PagesMASTER S THESIS The role of standard service quality in front office of five star hotels in Tehran in order to satisfy customers Nina Bashirian Tina Majdpuor Master program Business Administration Luleà ¥ University of Technology Department of Business Administration, Technology and Social Sciences Master Thesis, Continuation Courses Tourism and Hospitality Management Department of Business Administration and Social Sciences Division of Industrial marketing and e-commerce The roleRead More Affirmative Action Essay4528 Words   |  19 Pagesmore indiscernible qualifications for the position (Holzer 492). Studies have shown that many affirmative action programs have been successful in providing opportunities to ethnic minorities and women in the past thirty years (Leonard 439). In an analysis entitled the â€Å"Impact of Affirmative Action on Employment,† data is provided that shows that females and males share of work has increased more under federal contractors that utilize affirmative action policies than those contractors that are not