The Theme of Isolation and Loneliness In Talking Heads Essays

The Theme of Isolation and Loneliness In Talking Heads Essays The Theme of Isolation and Loneliness In Talking Heads Paper The Theme of Isolation and Loneliness In Talking Heads Paper Essay Topic: Literature Talk Most of Alan Bennetts characters in Part One of the Talking Heads Monologues, are lonely or they are threatened with loneliness, and this leads to alienation from society and the environment they live in. This essay looks at the effects of loneliness, illness, unhappiness and lack of self-knowledge and how this is portrayed in Bennetts works. It also shows how isolation and loneliness, are dealt with in different ways, by people of varying ages and backgrounds. A great number of people are unaware of being lonely such as Doris in A Cream Cracker under the Settee We were always on our own, me and Wilfred Mix, I dont want to mix Throughout their marriage, they never socialised. Doris had very definite views on cleanliness and avoided people for this reason. Later on in the story we learn that this could have stemmed from the stillbirth of their son and for Doris this is her defence mechanism. Doris, indirectly, reveals that she never got over the trauma of losing her son, possibly clouding her view of life. Wilfred, obviously did not understand or feel her emotions. I dont think Wilfred minded It was then he started talking about getting a dog It is easier to put up a barrier and hide away rather than reveal our true feelings. This can later lead to loneliness and isolation. By not showing our true selves we are in danger of hiding who we really are. In the case of Miss Irene Ruddock (A Lady of Letters) she is lost in a society that no longer cares. She is younger than Doris and is wrapped up in her own self. Again, she is unaware of this. In the past, neighbourly interest was welcomed. But in present society, personal contact is discouraged, either by her or by the young family who are her neighbours, so instead she spies on them. She is critical of her neighbours, who she feels do not meet her standards and who she watches in secret. I dont even know their names Irene is very judgmental even though she doesnt know their circumstances. Itll surprise me if they are married. He has a tattoo anyway When reading this quote the first thought I had was now how Alan Bennett had dated the monologue. As in todays society it is perfectly acceptable to have a tattoo and is no longer frowned upon. Miss Ruddock can no longer rely on the church to provide her order and security, as shown in the scene when she is visited by the vicar. He offers to prove his identity by showing her his cross, she dismisses the gesture by saying A cross doesnt mean anything. Youths wear crosses nowadays. Hooligans. They wear crosses in their ears It is no longer a symbol. She feels that she is being alienated by the way the church is structured. The only time she has structure to her life is when she is in prison. The letters Irene writes are her only contact with the outside world. In fact I wrote to the crematorium but I actually didnt know her all that well She went to the funeral because at least its an outing Irene feels she is a pillar of the community as she writes to the Council, the Queen and even the Archbishop of Canterbury. She feels they all take her seriously as a public spirited member of the community but she is unaware of what a nuisance she is. Although she has already been in trouble before, The court bound you over to keep the peace She carries on with the harassment. I feel this is because she has no family or friends to talk to. It is also about her self-esteem and making her self feel important. She eventually ends up in an institution because her state of mind is caused by her loneliness and egocentricity. She has no idea that this is of her own making due to her snobbery. However, she thrives on the regime of the institute, becoming institutionalised because it gives her life structure and she is able to form relationships. Although she remains a very formal character she becomes caring and compassionate towards others. Im so happy Both Iris and Doris harp on about the past, when they were less lonely and isolated. Doris remembers You could walk down the street and folk smiled and passed the time of day Both of these are good examples of a paradox. The problems that once stood in their way, has turned and changed their lives for the better. Irene recalls when everybody knew the occupants of every single house. Everybody could, once upon a time This quote is another good example of how Alan Bennett has dated his monologues as society has changed and moved on. Miss Ruddocks story does have a happy ending. When she is brought face-to-face with her actions and the reality that she is going to prison, she is able to exchange her life of isolation and have friends within the prison community. She is actually able to offer sympathy and help to others. At the beginning of the monologue she feels pain and loneliness like Doris in A Cream Cracker under the Settee but at the end she feels connected and part of something. Both these women seem to miss the days of contact with their neighbours. The times when you could leave your door open and nobody would walk in. Both characters crave what they used to have. Due to their natures, it would not occur to them to change with the times. It did not occur to them to form relationships, by making friendly gestures to their neighbours. Doris is different from the other characters as she goes to the extreme of isolating herself. This is illustrated by the fact she wants trees in her front garden but actually puts bushes to stop any intrusions. Susan is the vicars wife in In Bed amongst the Lentils and her unhappiness/loneliness is harder to analyse. Alan Bennett here show that Susan is a witty and complex character. She is not so helpless that she could not have avoided a loveless marriage and a role, tying her to the church in which she has lost faith. Her disappointment seems to relate to her whole world and she uses drink to mask her loneliness and as a means to escape the real world. Susan is younger than Doris and Irene and by the end of the monologues you are left with the feeling that Doris and Irene are her future. Susans cynical and often ironic remarks make the monologues quite humourous. Susans loneliness stems from her husbands fan club of church helpers. In the words of Princess Diana, she feels there are three of us in this marriage. We must cherish him Susans way of cherishing him is with some chicken wings and tuna fish sauce When the bishop comes to visit Geoffrey, she knocks a jug of Carnation milk over the bishop and when cleaning him down compares it to Mary Magdalene and the Nivea cream all over again Susan is secretly an alcoholic, which is another expression of her isolation. She drinks to make herself feel better for a while. Geoffrey knows about the problem but refuses to acknowledge it, which makes Susans isolation worse. This relationship can be compared to Doris and her husband. Marriage should be the closest of relationships but within it they feel alienated. The subjects never discussed Instead of changing her life with Geoffrey, Susan decides to have an affair with Mr Ramesh, who owns the local shop. She feels she needs someone to talk to and by having an affair feels she will be loved. This affair is also a distraction from her marriage and its problems. Even when she sleeps with Mr Ramesh she tells us Its the first time I really understand what all the fuss is about She tries not to bring her new feelings for Ramesh into her life with Geoffrey by detaching from her feelings, she only feels apathy towards Geoffrey. Even when Geoffrey is angry with her because of the missing communion wine she doesnt care and is even more interested in having a drink. Susan is persuaded by Mr Ramesh to seek counselling from AA. We get the feeling that this is a good thing for her to do for herself but when Susan admits to being an alcoholic to her husband he does not give her the emotional support that she needs. He uses the situation to his advantage. This is a good example of their breakdown in communication. I find myself transformed into a feather in his cap Susan tells about Asians and Mr Ramesh and their ability to build things up and move on. For example, with his local shop, he builds it up into a thriving business and then he moves on. Rameshs outlook on life excites her but he has the freedom to move on and she doesnt. Its a good thing. We ought to be like that She realises that her circumstances could improve but in her isolated state of mind she cannot put talking it through into practice. If she could, like Miss Ruddock, her situation might have got better, since Susan seems to be a humorous person. She survives her lonely life by mocking not only what she sees as the pointless activities of her life but of herself as well. In the last scene she seems like a different woman but we are left unsure of any future happiness. Bennett uses bathos throughout the monologues especially with Susan, who keeps her thoughts to herself. Its on the tip of my tongue to say that if Jesus is all hes cracked up to be why doesnt he use tap water and put it to the test She is unconsciously using her sarcasm to protect herself. Bennett is very moving and thought provoking. He sums up Susans life in general parked by a lay-by on the ring road wondering what happened to our life To me this provokes a wonderful use of imagery as it shows her life is going round but not ending up anywhere. Loneliness by these characters is brought on by their lack of self-knowledge. This may contribute to both their sadness and the comedy of the narrator. It is perhaps part of their strategies for survival that the narrators do not see themselves as pitiable and lonely. The main themes of Bennetts, Talking Heads, are loneliness and the failure to understand ones own life. He also pays respect and attention to the point that there is a Little Person inside us all sometimes, foolish, wilful, vain, mistaken and self-deluded. The narrators problems may be the problems of ordinary people and often, unfortunate people at a particular point in time. I found that the each narrator touches on everyday issues that effect us all and thats why when reading Talking Heads you dont know whether to laugh or cry at the issues raised. Bennett tackles things with a light-hearted view but gets his point across in a very meaningful way. In conclusion Bennett is showing us that loneliness can apply to anyone and in different forms. The way he has chosen to show loneliness may be a product of male domination within personal relationships. I personally feel he could have written from this perspective because he is male. Also, most of Bennetts plays make the audience aware of the organisations that are provided by the State to cope with the needs of the characters. These efforts are seen as a poor substitute for a family, friends and neighbours. These characters dont have this support and this may be the root of their problems.

Popular English Phrases and Idioms

Popular English Phrases and Idioms English phrases are part of everyday speech. They add the necessary zing to our communication. Here are some of the most popular English phrases and idioms. Use them to make an impact on your readers or listeners. A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.Your guess is as good as mine.Rome was not built in a day.The ball is in your court.Let bygones be bygones.Hit the nail on the head.It takes two to tango.Hold your horses.Idle hands are the devils tools.Wear your heart on your sleeve.Dont put all your eggs in one basket.A fool and his money are easily parted.Dont look a gift horse in the mouth.Variety is the spice of life.Curiosity killed the cat.A leopard cant change his spots.Every cloud has a silver lining.Go down like a lead balloon.A picture paints a thousand words.Haste makes waste.Dont count your chickens before they hatch.A house divided against itself cannot stand.Go the extra mile.Blood is thicker than water.You cant take it with you.The bigger they are, the harder they fall.When it rains, it pours.A penny saved is a penny earned.He lost his head.Its a small world.Great minds think alike.If its not one thing, its another.Elvis has left the building.Actions speak louder than words. Its anyones call.Keep your chin up.Let sleeping dogs lie.Never bite the hand that feeds you.You cant judge a book by its cover.Drastic times call for drastic measures.Lend me your ear.Practice makes perfect.Rise and shine.You are what you eat.Let the cat out of the bag.Mums the word.

Organizational Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 1

Organizational Management - Essay Example One of the ways in which employees can be made happy is through employee motivation. This requires knowledge of the above mentioned disciplines and related theories. Due to its importance, employee motivation has been the subject of serious study by many theorists and scholars over a period of time. The objective of this research paper is to study employee motivation Research questions: Money is considered to be a motivating factor for all employees, but studies have indicated that they are motivated by other factors also. The research question in this study is given below. Literature review and methodology: A literature review will be done on the area. A methodology using primary and secondary data will also be used to substantiate the findings. A survey among the employees of the organization where this researcher is working as an administrative head will be conducted Human Resource Management is one of the most important topics of study in the organizational management today. The word organization was used because this area of study affects all types of organizations. They can be the government and government organizations, they can be organizations run for profit like corporations and companies and they can be run not-for profit. In each case managing of the human capital is important for the efficient functioning of the organizations. The field is a very vast one with elements of psychology, anthropology, economics, etc being included in the study. This paper forms a part of a research proposal that looks at HRM in general with regard to the career options of this writer. This writer is working as an administrative head in a large manufacturing organization that is planning to expand into international markets. The proposal will focus on a specific area of human resources management namely managing employee motivation which is an essential

Marketing and International Retailing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4500 words

Marketing and International Retailing - Essay Example 64), and that certain iue relating to corporate ocial reponibility are placed within the ame trategic context a, for example, pricing and continuity of upply. In the year ahead, retail trategit are likely to focu increaed attention on the election of appropriate partner organization (Wrigley, 1994, pp. 6-7; Lowe and Wrigley, 1996; Morganoky, 1997, p. 369; Martin et al., 1998, p. 14) and put in place appropriate leaderhip model to enure that interaction between individual throughout the partnerhip manifet itelf in buine deciion which in turn reult in a utainable competitive advantage being achieved and maintained. Thi mean that manager need to: A regard cutomer retention in particular, taff in each of the partner organization will in future need to be more pro-active in promoting the concept of cutomer relationhip management, which i underpinned by a clearly defined et of organizational value. A well crafted relationhip marketing trategy will help to enure that long-term, quality-baed relationhip are developed with taff in partner organization throughout the marketing channel (Grant, 1991, p. 45; Juttner and Peck, 1998). The adoption of thi approach will link marketing policy to human reource management policy, and attention will be focued on the co-ordination and flow of information among taff, between function and facilitate, and on the promotion of inter-organizational interaction (Cepede, 1995, pp. 251-2; Platt and Yeung, 2000). Furthermore, retail marketing planner and manager need to adopt a reflective approach to marketing deciion-making, and thi mean engaging more with marketing academic in order that a critical evaluation can be made of marketing policy and trategy related deciion. The reult hould be the development of marketing knowledge. New inight generated can be converted into new theoretical approache (Burton, 2005, p. 11). The outcome hould prove beneficial by advancing marketing theory, linking it to practice, and explaining development in current area of tudy uch a cutomer relationhip management (Baker, 2003). That aid, it i a quetion worthy of cloe conideration whether or not all thi can be achieved without a more holitic appreciation of what marketing intelligence repreent. An anwer will be offered during the coure of the paper. Firt, however, attention will be turned to what contitute a cutomer-driven international trategy, to the matter of developing long-term relationhip, and to the building of long-term partnerhip arrangement. Thee are conidered to be the key factor to be conidered when deviing a retailing trategy. Cutomer-Driven International trategie The focu on international trategy i not intended to exclude conideration of dometic trategy, but rather reflect the reality of twenty-firt century retailing and the focu of many of the other author whoe work i reviewed. That increaingly dynamic buine environment force manager to implement change, poibly through incremental adaptation and, when neceary, experimentation. Marketing manager therefore need to be aware of how intelligence gathered from the external and internal

Ojt Doc Essay Example for Free

Ojt Doc Essay Listed in the Philippine Stock Exchange in 2007 after a successful initial public offering, the company has built its reputation for delivering its projects on time, without sacrificing the beauty and functionality of its developments. Initially finding its niche within the affluent Filipino-Chinese community, ALHI has brought modern condo living to Old Manila through a fusion of current trends and traditional comforts and practices. The company’s developments take inspiration from upscale condos in major cities around the world while incorporating age-old Feng Shui principles. Building on the successful formula of its first project, the 33-storey Lee Tower in Binondo which was sold out within 9 months and delivered ahead of schedule in 2006, ALHI has continued its dynamic and aggressive approach to take on even bigger and bolder challenges. The company has several ongoing developments, with more in the pipeline. It has started turning over units to buyers of its Mayfair Tower along UN Avenue in Ermita, in the heart of colonial Old Manila, and its second condominium in Binondo, the Mandarin Square, which by the end of 2008 is more than 50 percent completed. Both developments will take condo living in Manila to a higher level with first class amenities rivaling the best there is in the country. Anchor Land likewise broke ground for its Solemare Parksuites, its first project outside of the City of Manila, in December of 2008. The 18-storey twin tower residential project at the ASEANA Business Park in Paranaque City, near the humongous Mall of Asia, caters to those who want to be at the center of Metro Manila’s emerging cultural and entertainment hub along scenic Manila Bay. Among the company’s plans are the development of the tallest building in Binondo, Manila, the 56-storey Anchor Skysuites that is guaranteed to further raise the benchmark in the Chinatown district, as well as projects in San Juan, another in Ermita, a fourth project in Binondo, among others. What sets the company apart from other Philippine developers is its ability to execute its business plans. While others give tremendous focus and attention to their business development efforts but hardly sustain them afterwards, Anchor Land makes sure that its business plans are meticulously implemented. The secret lies in the active involvement of its key people in sales and marketing from the conceptualization stage and throughout the development of each project, with each department – from business development to engineering, finance, sales and customer relations – all in constant touch to ensure the seamless, on time delivery of the company’s commitments. In 2008, the company has started to attract the attention not only of local investors, but international award-giving bodies as well for its sterling performance. Anchor Land was one of only two Philippine companies included in Forbes Magazine’s list of 200 Best Companies in Asia with capitalization of under $1 billion, a feat made possible by the company’s sterling financial performance amidst the global economic slowdown. Internally, the company continues to build and strengthen its organization with the goal by recruiting and honing the best talents available in the manpower market, and by maintaining a small but dedicated cadre of sales people who have imbued Anchor Land’s corporate values of discipline, commitment, and excellent service. The company values each and every employee’s contributions, and recognizes them via a rewards and recognition system that puts premium on providing the best service to customers throughout the whole cycle of each and every project. III. Summary of OJT Experience IV. Assessment of the OJT/Practicum Program A. New Knowledge, attitudes and skills acquired Being the intern of the I. T. Department of Anchor Land Holdings Inc. I have learned many things that are beneficial for me and for my well – being. Here is the list of the skills that I acquired during my internship period: -Organization of files. -Networking. -Remote Access. -LAN cables. -LAN and Internet connections. -Centralized server. -Ncomputing technology -Computer building. -Kaspersky Lab. -Organization Security. -Data Back-up. -Routers For Troubleshooting -Printers -Fax Machine -Photocopy Machine. -Outlook. -Web connectivity. -Skype. -Computers. -Routers.

Mercury in the Everglades Essay -- Geology

Mercury in the Everglades Everglades Background Information: * Established in 1947 on 1.4 million acres in southwest Florida * Sunny, Semi-Tropical Swamp Setting. Experiences near daily downpours (http://srv3sftpa.er.usgs.gov/sofl.fact.html) Mercury's Effect on the Everglades: * A small amount of mercury is found in the crust of the earth. This is not the problem. The anthropogenic mercury is the problem. The mercury that is growing dangerously in size is known as methylmercury. It is an organic substance that still baffles scientists who are trying to work out its life cycle. So far, what they know is that methylmercury forms when inorganic mercury combines with organic matter that is dissolved in water. This reaction favors conditions that are extremely warm, where there is plenty of sunlight, and where the right kind of bacteria is present (mainly sulfate reducing bacteria). The Everglades, unfortunately, because of its large amount of sunlight and the near daily downpours provides ideal environment for forming methylmercury. (http://www.research.fsu.edu/RinR/Fal_Wn97/merc_sd2.htm) * Mercury settlement: The majority of mercury sett;es into the surface sediment where the amount of mercury was2.5 times more than the deep sediment. This of course leads to an even greater chance of the mercury getting recycled into the food chain rather than decomposing. (http://www.aslo.org/aslo/dialog/d_rood.html) * Biomagnefication: Methylmercury becomes deadly to the environment through the process of biomagnefication. To achieve biomagnefication, the mercury must be consumed by microorganisms nd work its way up the food chain increasing in concentration as it enters large... ... that 95% of the mercury arrives in the Everglades via the atmosphere. Hydrological changes resulting from the Central and South Florida Flood Control Project (www.sph.umich.edu/group/eih/umaql/suamp.html) * Conclusion: Rising mercury levels in the Everglades is just one of the problems that we need to deal with in order to protect our Everglades. However, it is not an issue that we can procrastinate on or fight over. Mercury levels are rising and our time is running out. We need to act before it is too late. * Bibliography: (http://srv3sftpa.er.usgs.gov/sofl.fact.html) (http://www.research.fsu.edu/RinR/Fal_Wn97/merc_sd2.htm) (http://www.aslo.org/aslo/dialog/d_rood.html) (http://www.n-jcenter.com/98/feb/08/en2.htm) (http://www.sph.umich.edu/group/eih/umaql/suamp.html) (http://ww.fsu.edu/cpm/FACT/sec_D/merc.html)

Romeo and Juliet: Impulses and Restraints

Romeo and Juliet’s impulses and self-control used in Romeo and Juliet. In the play of Romeo and Juliet, many characters show how they cannot handle the pressure that they are faced with which leads to impulse and action which is taken without thinking it through. Many of the characters show a lack of self-control and exaggerations which leads to broken-hearts and many unfortunate situations which result in deaths and miscommunications. Over the course of Romeos love life, he tends to act on an impulse whenever he sees a girl that he likes based on her looks. Romeo can go from depressed and unhappy because a girl does not love him back, to very happy because he meets another girl that he instantly likes. Before Romeo enters the Capulet’s party, he spills his heart out and tells Benvolio all about how he's feeling about Rosaline because he is very heart-broken that she doesn't love him back. Romeo himself has never spoken to Rosaline and has based his â€Å"love† on her looks. â€Å"What doth her beauty serve but as a note/ where I may read who passed that passing fair? / Farewell. Thou canst not teach me to forget. † (Act 1, Scene 1, 228-230) Romeo keeps saying that he will never forget someone like Rosaline and that she is the one and only that he could ever be with. But then he sees Juliet and forgets all about Rosaline. Romeo compares Juliet to a jewel that is hanging off an Ethiop's ear meaning that it stands out. He says that she is the most beautiful girl in the world and that she outshines all the other women like a white dove in the middle of a flock of crows. Oh, she doth teach the torches to burn bright! It seems she hangs upon the cheek of night As a rich jewel in an Ethiope’s ear-, Beauty too rich for use, for earth too dear: So shows a snowy dove trooping with crows, (act 1, scene 5, 43-47) Juliet acts on a rash impulse and decision when she sees Romeo at Capulet`s party and she instantly falls in love with him but when she is on the balcony, she shows a little bit of restraint in deciding to marry him. When Romeo finally approaches Juliet at the party, they talk for a bit then share a kiss twice with each other. Once the two parts their ways, Juliet knows she has fallen in love with Romeo right away and she is already making haste decisions on a relationship with Romeo. But when Juliet is on the balcony, she is very upset because she had found out from the nurse that Romeo is a Montague and since she is a Capulet, they cannot be together. â€Å"Deny thy father and refuse thy name. / Or, if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love, /And I’ll no longer be a Capulet† (Act 2, Scene 2, 34-36) Juliet just wishes for Romeo to swear that he loves her because then she will stop being a Capulet. Once Romeo comes out of the bushes from hiding, both Romeo and Juliet begin to talk about making plans to get married even though they just met. They would do the wedding in secret without anyone knowing. Thy purpose marriage, send me word tomorrow By one that I’ll procure to come to thee Where and what time thou wilt perform the rite, And all my fortunes at thy foot I’ll lay And follow thee my lord throughout the world. (Act 2, Scene 2, 144-148) Juliet would want Romeo to send her a message saying where they would get married if Romeo`s intentions were actually true. She said to Romeo how she would lay all her fortunes at his feet and follow him all around the world. But before Juliet agrees to get married to Romeo, she demonstrates some restraint at first asking Romeo if them getting married isn’t too fast. †It is too rash, too unadvised, too sudden, / Too like the lightning, wh-ich doth cease to be / Ere one can say â€Å"It lightens. † Sweet, good night. † (Act 2, Scene 2, 118-120) Juliet referred to their decision as being too rash and fast as lightning because they haven`t done much thinking through with their decision and they`re making an impulsive conclusion to get married. Romeo acts on a reckless and foolish reaction towards Tybalt when he witnesses him kill his best friend Mercutio. Mercutio and Tybalt get into a brawl because Romeo was supposed to fight Tybalt but instead, Mercutio does it for him, so when Romeo steps in between the two, Tybalt thrusts Mercutio with the sword under Romeo`s arm killing him. Romeo gets very mad and immediately acts on his quick and careless emotions and impulsively goes at Tybalt to kill him. And fire-ey'd fury be my conduct now† (act 3, scene 1, 120) Romeo said this when he went after Tybalt which meant that Romeo didn't care from now on what happened because he just wanted to hurt Tybalt for killing Mercutio as revenge. After Romeo finally got to Tybalt he stabbed him and killed him which led to him getting banished by the Prince. This causes a conflict because he is not allowed to be in Verona anymore which means that he wouldn't be able to see Juliet anymore. Romeos impulsive reaction has not only acted against him now, but for Juliet as well because they just got married and they won`t be able to see each other from now on. Throughout the play, not only did Romeo and Juliet show acts of impulse and restraint, but other characters like Mercutio did as well which attributed to how others reacted as well. This resulted in broken-hearts and fatal events which affected everyone. The characters lack of self-control without thinking resulted in difficulties throughout the play which led to many problems that had to be later faced with.

Famous Names in American Literature

30 Famous Names in American Literature Though the history of American literature is comparatively not so long, it has given the world many outstanding literary names. Washington Irving was the first US writer to gain an international reputation. In 1819 he published his volume of stories with such classic American stories as the â€Å"Legend of Sleepy Hollow† and â€Å"Rip Van Winkle†. Only 2 years after another American writer began to attract attention – James Fenimore Cooper, the first major US writer of novels. F Cooper was influenced by the social ideas of the age of Enlightenment. His best – known book is â€Å"The Last of the Mohicans†.Samuel Clemens who wrote under the pen name Mark Twain is undoubtedly well -known all over the world. This famous humorous writer of the 19th century is best known for the novels â€Å"The Adventures of Tom Sawyer† and â€Å"The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn†. The â€Å"Huckleberry Finn† h as been called the greatest novel in American literature. Jack London is a famous writer of adventure stories and novels. Before starting to write he worked as a sailor and went to the Klondike to look for gold. Both experiences he used in his books. His best-known novels include â€Å"The Call of the Wild†, â€Å"The Sea – Wolf† and â€Å"White Fang†. Also read The Story of an Eyewitness Essay AnalysisWilliam Porter, usually known as O'Henry is one of my favorite authors. He wrote short humorous stories which usually ended with a surprise. More than 300 of them were collected in â€Å"Cabbages and Kings†, â€Å"The Voice of the City† and other volumes. Other famous names in American Literature worth mentioning are Ernest Hemingway (he received the Nobel Prize for â€Å"The Old Man and the Sea†), Ray Bradbury, a prominent American science fiction writer of â€Å"The Martian Chronicles†, Edgar Poe, the inventor of the modern detective story, Henry Longfellow, most popular American poet.

List of Government Shutdowns

List of Government Shutdowns In United States politics, â€Å"government shutdowns† occur whenever Congress fails to pass or the President of the United States refuses to sign or vetoes legislation funding the operation of some or all government agencies. Under the Antideficiency Act of 1982, the federal government must â€Å"shutdown† the affected agencies by both furloughing non-essential personnel and curtailing agency activities and services that do not directly relate to national security. Key Takeaways Government shutdowns happen when legislation to allocate money needed for the operation of the government agencies fails to be enacted.By law, most government agencies must furlough their non-essential personnel and stop or limit their activities during a government shutdown.While few last very long, all government shutdowns result in increased costs of government and inconvenience for many citizens.   While most government shutdowns are of relatively short duration, they all result in the disruption to government services and increased costs to the government- and thus taxpayers- due to lost labor. According to the financial rating agency Standard Poors, the 16-day shutdown from October 1, to October 17, 2013, had â€Å"taken $24 billion out of the economy,† and â€Å"shaved at least 0.6 percent off annualized fourth-quarter 2013 GDP growth.† The many  government shutdowns have done little to help Congress abysmal approval ratings. There were six shutdowns ranging from eight to 17 days in the late 1970s, but the duration of government shutdowns shrank dramatically beginning in the 1980s. And then there was the government shutdown in late 1995; that lasted three weeks and sent nearly 300,000 government workers home without paychecks. The gridlock came during President Bill Clintons administration. The dispute between the Democrats and the Republicans was over disparate economic forecasts and whether the Clinton White House budget would result in a deficit or not.   Weaponized Shutdowns Occasionally, both Congress and presidents use government shutdowns as a way of accomplishing political goals not directly related to larger budgetary concerns like reducing the national debt or deficit. For example, in 2013, the Republican majority in the House of Representatives forced a lengthy shutdown in an unsuccessful attempt to get Democratic President Barack Obama to repeal the Affordable Care Act. The Border Wall Shutdown of 2019 The third shutdown during the Donald Trump presidency began at midnight on December 22, 2018, when funding for nearly a quarter of the federal government ran out. The shutdown was triggered when Congress and President Trump were unable to agree on the inclusion in the spending bill of some $5.7 billion requested by President Trump for the construction of an additional section of immigration security wall or fencing along the U.S. border with Mexico. According to the White House’s Office of Management and Budget, the $5.7 billion requested by President Trump would allow for the addition of about 234 miles of steel fencing to 580 miles already in place, leaving about 1,140 miles of the 1,954-mile long border still not fenced. In a televised address to the nation on January 8, 2019, President Trump warned that unless Congress agreed to include the funding, he would declare a national emergency allowing him to bypass Congress by diverting existing funds intended for other purposes to build the wall. However, after a meeting between Trump and House and Senate Democratic leaders on January 9 failed to reach a compromise, the shutdown continued. At midnight on Saturday, January 12, 2019, the 22-day-long shutdown became the longest in U.S. history. An estimated 800,000 federal employees- including Border Patrol officers, TSA agents, and air traffic controllers- were either working without pay or had been sent home on unpaid furlough. Though Congress had passed a bill on January 11 ensuring that unpaid employees would receive full back pay after the shutdown ended, that end remained nowhere in sight. On January 19, the 29th day of the shutdown, President Trump offered Democrats a deal to end it. In return for congressional approval of a $7 billion border security package, including $5.7 billion for the border wall, the president offered to extend for three years the DACA- Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals policy. DACA is an expired Obama-era policy allowing eligible persons who entered the United States illegally as children to receive a renewable two-year period of deferred action from deportation and become eligible for a work permit in the U.S.   Democrats quickly rejected the proposal, arguing that it did not offer a permanent renewal of the DACA program and still included funding for the border wall. Democrats again refused to further talks until President Trump ended the government shutdown. By January 24, the then 34-day-long partial government was costing U.S. taxpayers more than $86 million a day in back pay promised to more than 800,000 furloughed workers, according to Government Executive magazine, based on salary data from the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM). Agreement Temporarily Reopens Government In at least a temporary solution, President Trump, on January 25, announced that he had struck a deal with Democratic leaders in Congress to allow the government to reopen until February 15 without including funding for the construction of any additional border barrier. Negotiations of border wall funding were to continue during the three-week period. The President stressed that a border wall remained a necessity for national security and that if Congress did not agree to fund it by the February 15 deadline, he either reinstate the government shutdown or declare a national emergency allowing existing funds to be used for the purpose. Shutdown Averted, but National Emergency Declared On February 15, 2019, President Trump signed a compromise Homeland Security spending bill averting another shutdown However, the bill provided only $1.375 billion for 55 miles of new border fencing, far short of the $5.7 billion he had requested for 234 miles of new solid steel walls. At the same time, the president declared a national emergency redirecting $3.5 billion from the Defense Department’s military construction budget to the construction of new border wall, and signed executive orders redirecting $600 million from the Treasury Departments drug forfeiture fund, and $2.5 billion from the Defense Department’s drug interdiction program for the same purpose.   A Fourth Trump Wall Shutdown Loomed On March 11, 2019, President Trump sent Congress a $4.7 trillion spending proposal for the government’s 2020 budget that included another $8.6 billion for U.S.-Mexico border wall construction. Bringing the threat of a fourth government shutdown of the Trump presidency, Democratic lawmakers immediately vowed to block further border wall funding. In a joint statement, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer reminded the president of the â€Å"widespread chaos† that had â€Å"hurt millions of Americans† during the 34-day border wall shutdown from December 22, 2018, to January 24, 2019. â€Å"The same thing will repeat itself if he tries this again. We hope he learned his lesson,† wrote Pelosi and Schumer. By law, Congress had until October 1, 2019, to approve the 2020 budget.   More  Recent Major Government Shutdowns The most recent government major shutdowns before 2018 came in the 1996 fiscal year, during the Clinton administration. The first government shutdown of the Clinton administration lasted five full days from Nov. 13 through Nov. 19, 1995, according to the Congressional Research Service. Some 800,000 federal workers were furloughed during that shutdown.The second government shutdown was the longest government shutdown lasted 21 full days from Dec. 15, 1995, to Jan. 6, 1996. Some 284,000 government workers were furloughed and another 475,000 worked without pay, according to the Congressional Research Service. List of All Government Shutdowns and their Duration This list of government shutdowns in the past was drawn from Congressional Research Service reports: 2018-2019 (President Donald Trump): December 22, 2018 to January 25, 2019 - 34 days2018 (President Donald Trump): January 20 to January 23 - 3 days2018 (President Donald Trump): February 9 – 1 day.2013 (President Barack Obama): October 1 to  October. 17 - 16 days1995-1996 (President Bill Clinton): December 16, 1995, to January 6, 1996, - 21 days1995 (President Bill Clinton): Nov. 14 to 19 - 5 days1990 (President George H.W. Bush): October 5 to 9 - 3 days1987 (President Ronald Reagan): December 18 to December 20 - 1 day1986 (President Ronald Reagan): October 16 to October 18 - 1 day1984 (President Ronald Reagan): October 3 to October 5 - 1 day1984 (President Ronald Reagan): September 30 to October 3 - 2 days1983 (President Ronald Reagan): November 10 to November 14 - 3 days1982 (President Ronald Reagan): December 17 to December 21 - 3 days1982 (President Ronald Reagan): September 30 to October 2 - 1 day1981 (President Ronald Reagan): November 20 to November 23 - 2 days1979 (P resident Jimmy Carter): September 30 to October 12 - 11 days 1978 (President Jimmy Carter): September 30 to October 18 18 days1977 (President Jimmy Carter): November 30 to December 9 - 8 days1977 (President Jimmy Carter): October 31 to November 9 - 8 days1977 (President Jimmy Carter): September 30 to October 13 - 12 days1976 (President Gerald Ford): September 30 to October 11 - 10 days Updated by Robert Longley

7 ways to avoid letting envy ruin your career growth

7 ways to avoid letting envy ruin your career growth Even though it’s ideal to always keep your eyes on your own career, we’re only human. It’s almost impossible not to look at your friends and colleagues to see where they are in their job, what they’ve done by a certain age, and how much they’re making compared to you. In fact, envy can be a very useful tool and motivator for personal and professional success, provided it comes in the appropriate doses and is put to the best possible use. But if you let it spiral out of its bounds, it can eat you alive- and even ruin your life.Here are a few tips you can follow to make sure you’re comparing yourself to others for the good of self-evaluation and motivation, rather than endless comparison that will only lead to anger or unhappiness about others’ successes.1. Check your reactions.When a close friend or colleague scores a lucky break or achieves something great, what is your reaction? Are you a seething green monster, or are you excited for them, no matter how motivated you are to accomplish great things yourself? And when something bad happens to someone, are you quietly doing a happy dance or are you truly sympathetic for their hardship? Hint: You want to feel good when good things happen to the good people in your life and bad when bad things happen to them. If your reactions are reversed, you have some work to do.2. Get off the Internet.There’s nothing worse for stoking spirals of negative emotion and envy than social media. If you can’t be trusted to use Facebook or Instagram without losing oodles of time and your own humanity, just suspend your accounts. Take a break or cut yourself off entirely- especially if you spend most of the time looking at your high school acquaintance’s successful lifestyle blog. It’s just not worth the risk to your soul.3. Only compete with yourself.If you’re comparing yourself constantly with others, restructure your focus. Instead, start comparing y our present self against your past. How much progress have you made? Enough? Too little? Are you actually killing it by this metric? Remember, you usually have no idea where anybody else began, and with what benefits. It’s no use playing a silent competition game that you can’t win.4. Become the best version of yourself.It is impossible to be authentic and yourself if you’re constantly looking outward. Instead, start caring more about your own personal development and less about how others see you, what they do, or what they are. Be original and authentic and get noticed for who you are, not who you envy.5. Focus on taking action to get what you want.You want the momentum that gets you chugging your way to the top? That requires focus, determination, and hard work- none of which you’re doing if you’re constantly in the hamster wheel of envying your co-workers and friends. You’re also compromising your ability to be an effective networker- al so a crucial piece to your success. Trust yourself enough to be able to sell your capabilities and capacities at the highest possible value, and trust everyone else to take care of themselves.6. Be empathetic.Try putting yourself in someone else’s shoes. That person whose successes have you blowing steam out of your ears is impressive and shiny on the outside, but might be harboring all sorts of hurts and challenges within. Try to see past the social media posts to the human underneath.7. Practice gratitude.Instead of coveting every little thing you don’t have, try being more grateful for what you do have: Your current job. Your current rung on the ladder. How far you’ve come. This doesn’t mean you can’t strive for more or better; it just means you shouldn’t dismiss what you’ve already earned.

Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4500 words

Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease - Essay Example The superficial layer of the esophagus is known as adventitia. The adventitia attaches the esophagus to surrounding structures. The esophagus secretes mucus and transports food into the stomach but it does not produce digestive enzymes. The stomach contents can reflux (back up) into the inferior portion of the esophagus when the lower esophageal sphincter fails to close adequately after food has entered the stomach; the condition which is known as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). In GERD, the basal layer of of the epithelium is is thickened, and the papillae of the lamina propria are elongated and extend toward the surface. Abnormalities of the lower esophageal sphincter, Hiatus hernia, Delayed esophageal clearance, Gastric contents, Defective gastric emptying, Increased intra-abdominal pressure, and Dietary and environmental factors may be the factors involved in GERD. Clinically, GERD may be diagnosed by radiographic examinations using dyes, endoscopy, and esophageal pH-metr y. PPI trial is also an accepted method of first line diagnostic test. Treatment involves both non-pharmacological treatment measures as well as pharmacotherapy. Non-pharmacological treatment include avoidance of foods and medications that exacerbate GERD, smoking secession, weight reduction, taking a small meal at a time, avoidance of alcohol and elevation of the head of the bed. Drugs for treating GERD include H2 receptor antagonists like cimetidine, ranitidine, famotidine or nizatidine. Proton pump inhibitors such as omeprazole, pantoprazole, lansoprazole and rebeprazole are found to be very effective to reduce acid reflux and hence inflammation. H2 blockers were found to heal ulcers and erosions but the typical reflux changes of the squamous epithelium of the esophageal mucosa are not recovered. Studies confirmed that PPIs not only heal ulcers and erosions but also cures basal cell hyperplasia and elongation of the papillae. The percentage of normal epithelium were also reported to increase significantly after PPI administration in patients with GERD. Two commonly employed treatment alternatives for GERD are antirefluctive surgery and Endoscopic Treatments. Surgery is preferred only when the patient fails to respond to pharmacological treatment, when the patient prefers surgery, in those patients who have complications of GERD like barrett's esophagitis, or if the patient has atypical symptoms and reflux documented on 24-hour ambulatory pH monitoring. Several randomized controlled trials have confirmed that open fundoplication and medical treatment have similar long-term effects for GERD. Laparoscopic antireflux surgery is also reported to have similar outcomes to the open procedures. Endoscopic Treatments for GERD include plicating gastric folds methods (Endoscopic Gastroplication, ELGP method, thermal tissue remodeling /neurolysis method, and bulking injection method. These endoluminal treatments augment the reflux barrier. Section I: Organ system structure and Function. Explain the accepted normal healthy structure of parts and function of organ system; How it works The esophagus is a collapsible muscular tube, about 25 cm (10 in.) long that lies posterior to the trachea. The esophagus begins at the inferior end of the laryngopharynx and passes through the mediastinum anterior to vertebral column. Then it pierces the diaphragm through an opening called the

Global Career Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Global Career Paper - Essay Example Marketing departments face global competition resulting into the need to come up with diverse marketing strategies in the dynamic global environment. This result into the organizations involved to revise their marketing programs. However, there is a problem that a marketing strategy that has resulted into business success in a certain period may not work in the next period and may even result in to bankruptcy. Many organizations have succeeded in extending their sales and supplies in the global market resulting into the transmission of ideas in all corners of the world. As a result, such organizations are able to face a broader marketing environment, which is more complex than ever before. From this globalization has resulted into various benefits for such organizations: Possibility of coming up with a unique brand name and identity for the globalized company. As a result, there is a significant reduction in costs of communication by the organizations targeting the same consumer segments for the same product. Globalization has also benefited consumers and the targeted countries as a whole, which has resulted into such consumers getting high quality products and services. The countries, on the other hand are able to increase their foreign exchange (Ionut and Iulia 169). There is a negative effect in centralization of the organizational activities, which can result into slowing down of the marketing decisions of the organizations, which can result into slow reaction to specific problems facing consumers and inability to deal with competition. Consumers may lack the intended customer satisfaction that is brought about by too much standardization of products. Countries, on the other hand, may lack the required identity and the spirit of national culture. I would be interested in working with other countries while based in the United States. The reason is that such exposure would lead into development of creative problem solving skills