Free Essays on Guys And Girls

â€Å"What a girl prefers in a guy† Every man’s dream is to have the perfect companion. However, in order to have one, you must first be able to get one. Most believe such a task can be extremely difficult, yet if done properly, it can be accomplished swiftly and efficiently. In fact, there are only a few basic procedures to getting a girl. The first step of this process is rather quite simple; get her attention. Initiating conversation is half the battle. As well, it is very effective to make frequent eye contact. Let her catch you staring once in a while and smile at every chance you get. Your goal is to be fairly subtle, while still making it obvious that you want her. Once you have succeeded in being noticed, you are ready for the next step. Be funny, be confident, but be yourself. The absolute worse thing you can do when trying to get a girl is to change your personality. Self-assurance is indispensable and by altering your character, you are telling her that you lack confidence. Having a sense of humor is also very important. It is absolutely crucial to make her smile, even if it occasionally requires making a fool of yourself. If you can’t make her laugh, you don’t stand a chance. Now that she’s interested, entice her by making her feel special. Without being too overwhelming, attempt to spend as much time as possible with her. Devote yourself to making her feel different than the rest by going out of your way to please her. Little things count most. For example, cancel a pre-planned weekend with the boys and take her out for dinner and a movie instead. Randomly buy her flowers and she will melt. Let her hear things she wants to hear. Compliment her hair or her outfit, but don’t go overboard. Too much of a good thing gets taken for granted. It’s also essential that you be interested, or pretend to be interested, in things she likes. If she plays sports watch her game, even in the pouring rain. Once she feels a littl... Free Essays on Guys And Girls Free Essays on Guys And Girls â€Å"What a girl prefers in a guy† Every man’s dream is to have the perfect companion. However, in order to have one, you must first be able to get one. Most believe such a task can be extremely difficult, yet if done properly, it can be accomplished swiftly and efficiently. In fact, there are only a few basic procedures to getting a girl. The first step of this process is rather quite simple; get her attention. Initiating conversation is half the battle. As well, it is very effective to make frequent eye contact. Let her catch you staring once in a while and smile at every chance you get. Your goal is to be fairly subtle, while still making it obvious that you want her. Once you have succeeded in being noticed, you are ready for the next step. Be funny, be confident, but be yourself. The absolute worse thing you can do when trying to get a girl is to change your personality. Self-assurance is indispensable and by altering your character, you are telling her that you lack confidence. Having a sense of humor is also very important. It is absolutely crucial to make her smile, even if it occasionally requires making a fool of yourself. If you can’t make her laugh, you don’t stand a chance. Now that she’s interested, entice her by making her feel special. Without being too overwhelming, attempt to spend as much time as possible with her. Devote yourself to making her feel different than the rest by going out of your way to please her. Little things count most. For example, cancel a pre-planned weekend with the boys and take her out for dinner and a movie instead. Randomly buy her flowers and she will melt. Let her hear things she wants to hear. Compliment her hair or her outfit, but don’t go overboard. Too much of a good thing gets taken for granted. It’s also essential that you be interested, or pretend to be interested, in things she likes. If she plays sports watch her game, even in the pouring rain. Once she feels a littl...

The Man,The Myth, and The Morality essays

The Man,The Myth, and The Morality essays Thomas Jefferson: The Man, The Myth, and The Morality Thomas Jefferson was a man of the greatest moral character who has been excoriated routinely over the last 30 years by historical revisionists and presentists. His commitment to America and his vast contributions to the framing of society as it is today are overlooked in favor of base analysis of his character that, while not flawless, is that of a morally upright person who has deeply held convictions and lives by them. Jefferson was born to a prominent family of Virginia tobacco growers. Plantation life is based largely around the work of slaves, so Jefferson was surrounded by them from the time of his birth in 1743 until the day he died. One of the harshest criticisms of Jefferson comes from the fact that, while he vehemently opposed slavery, was indeed a slave owner himself. As historian Douglas L. Wilson points out in his Atlantic Monthly article Thomas Jefferson and the Character Issue, the question ...[T]his was of asking the question... is essentially backward, and reflects the pervasive presentism of our time. Consider, for example, how different the question appears when inverted and framed in more historical terms: How did a man who was born into a slave holding society, whose family and admired friends owned slaves, who inherited a fortune that was dependent on slaves and slave labor, decide at an early age that slavery was morally wrong and forcefully declare that it ought Wilson also argues that Jefferson knew that his slaves would be better off working for him than freed in a world where they would be treated with contempt and not given any real freedoms. Another way that Thomas Jefferson shows his moral character is in his most famous achievement, the drafting of the Declaration of ...

Nike Company and the Targeted Consumers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Nike Company and the Targeted Consumers - Essay Example Also, in the year 2008, the company presented the Air Jordan XX3 which was identified to be a high-performance basketball shoe created with the environment in mind (Kapferer, 2012). Some of the Nike Companies’ newest shoes contain Lunarlite and Flywire foams to lessen weight. In addition, Nike Company is well recognized and popular in young adult and hip-hop philosophy for their delivering of city fashion clothing (Kumar, 2009). However, The Company being well recognized for its performance, the question is â€Å"What constitutes the capability of the Company to capture its targeted consumers?† There is a bundle of attributes presented by the Nike Company for their targeted consumer consideration. Some of this attribute is discussed in the following paragraphs in detail. First, is the logo â€Å"swoosh† which is the company’s signature or trademark. With or without the name Nike underneath the logo, the general consumers can perceive the logo and visualize Nike. Regardless of a check of excellence, the flowing nature of the logo has played a vital role in the marketing of the brand. The role of visual rhetoric is to influence the company’s targeted consumers visually.  Ã‚     The logo visually ties into the early gods of sports, elaborating its achievement as a successful, recognizable, and uncomplicated trademark. Second, the attribute is the slogan â€Å"Just Do It† which is the tag-line allied with the Nike logo. Together, the tag-line and the logo feature the importance of Nike’s brand objectives and ideals; victory and athleticism. The design of both logo and the slogan has emerged as a motto and the way of life for Nike’s consumers (Palmer, 2009). The Nike slogan and the logo serve to identify consumers as icons for action and excellence. When the consumers read the word â€Å"Just Do It†, the word is defining content; however, they do not reflect it visually. The slogan provides distinction and identification. The word â€Å"Just Do It† is distinct in its content. It means do not talk about it, do not ask, do not regret it, do not think, but just do it (Hawkins, 2013).

Job Application Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Job Application - Essay Example Another means that I process requests are the correspondence between PCDUO’s and other Customer Service. The bulk of the correspondences are requests for processing claims and reviewing and or verifying of claims if processed correctly. The tasks also involve me having to write sent back letters to an inquisitor regarding balance billing, letter of credible coverage, or explaining to a provider why a claim is either denied correctly or paid correctly, and to submit an appeal if it’s an appealable denial. Be it a correspondence in STELLENT or PCDUO, I would carefully analyze each requests and cross reference it to the CHAMPVA policy manual and CSC/CPD desk procedures to determine whether to do a send back letter to the inquisitor, or to have the claim reprocessed. If a claim needs to be reprocessed, I would place the request through the â€Å"reprocessing worksheet† to inform CPD why the claim was denied, how much to pay the provider, whether to over ride timely f iling because evidence exist of timely submission, and give the specific instructions on how to reprocess the claim. My dedication to effective communication speaks well during my tenure since all my written correspondence, not once did I received a send back letter from a Supervisor or a â€Å"reprocessing worksheet† from CDP due to inaccurate or incomplete data. I always make sure that I check the policy manual and or CSC/CPD desk procedures and reference it to my correspondence to ensure efficacy and factualness of my judgment. Another example wherein I used my written communication skills to obtain needed information to respond to inquiries and provide information was when I was on active duty as a Guardsman in the Air Force. Being part of the chain of command, I would respond to daily inquiries through email from senior commanders and from junior personnel that involves critical matters pertaining to deployments,

An overview of the conflict resolution theory Essay Example for Free

An overview of the conflict resolution theory Essay Conflict Resolution Theory In conflict resolution, preconceived notions, also called the natural cognitive sorting processes, are the stimuli that unwittingly foment war. By taking a look at individual and intergroup relations, one can better grasp conflict resolution as a way of mediation which may lessen the probabilities of the outbreak of political violence. This essay takes a close examination of the effect of individual-level models of change to inspire change at the social level. The scaling up the process from individual treatment to social has its strengths and weakness. Controlled communication, sensitivity training, Freud’s hydraulic model, complex mirroring and conscious raising psychotherapy are experimented means in conflict resolution to dissolve conflict at both individual and general levels. The natural cognitive sorting mechanism of dividing people into ‘us’ and ‘them’ engenders prejudice and in the long run, political violence. This perspective is typical to The Self and The Other concept in which people and groups are constructed to exclude the other or any entity that is perceived as foreign and to include the self or other entities affiliated to the self. â€Å"Protracted social conflicts typically involve an enduring set of antagonistic perceptions and interactions between communal groups†¦negative attributions of motivations and reciprocal negative images perpetuate the antagonisms and solidify the conflict† (Fisher 1997). This concept breeds the antagonization of groups which turns one group against the other, deepening rifts and sharpening rivalry. Since this type of social cognitive process emphasizes differences between ‘us’ and ‘them,’ an elitism can arise which advantages one group over the othe r and fosters an unhealthy intergroup competition and mutual exclusion. With mutual degradation and demonized motives, each group continues to not only drift apart but rub against each other in a frictional relationship to produce an aggression fire. At the national level, us and them dichotomy leads to jingoism which is a chauvinistic form of nationalism. This ideology promotes the suppression of one and the superiority of a people. Fanatical patriotism and the prejudiced belief propose that another party must suffer in the power imbalance. (Paris 2004) agrees that â€Å"exclusionary forms of nationalism also make enemies of excluded groups.† In other words, one nation categorizes, segregates and disadvantages another. As a consequence, the excluded party harbors resentment toward the opposing group. Resentment begets tension-filled relations, which beget mistrust. The polarizing effect of the ‘us’ and ‘them’ construct leads inevitably to suspicion and in a competitive environment, to perceived inequalities. Inequalities result in the categorization of an oppressed and an oppressor, the victimized and the victimizer. At a particular point, one group arrives at a breaking point, demanding the redr ess of wrongs whether real or perceived and an equalizing of the playing field. (Fisher 1997) also recognizes that some â€Å"conflicts arise when identity groups perceive that they are oppressed and victimized through a denial of recognition, security, equity and political participation.† Imbalances of power stimulate one group to react or even retaliate – hence hostilities erupt. It was a wave of nationalism which provokes WWII in which the Aryan Germans attempt to purge Germany of ‘unwanted elements’ for the sake of the country. Similarly, in the case of Rwanda and other countries, ethnic cleansing or genocide take place because of inequality and a false sense of nationalism. Sorting out the Natural Cognitive Processes To arrive at conflict resolution, one must broach the theme of altering intergroup perceptions. This method is an individual-to-social strategy in which with a third party intervention, both groups can mutually exchange opinions and feelings. John Burton pioneers and implements a â€Å"casework approach,† a term used in social work to explain the methods implemented to solve an in individual or group problem. Controlled communication signifies a way to forge effective communication habits. Burton asserts that the source of conflict is miscommunication and the source of miscommunication is distorted worldviews or perceptions of the other. In practicing controlled communication, groups can share their prejudices and biases in a setting that diffuses anger and sets a more amicable tone for talks would help improve relations. Also, Leonard Doob advocates sensitivity training which progresses the transition from individual-level change to collective change. He puts forward that a s mall representative group ventilates their perceptions, opinions, and concerns to create awareness and better grasping of group processes. The sensitivity training workshop is similar to a psychological therapy conducted by a third party. Ideas and feelings are shared to increase interpersonal effectiveness. (Toft 2010) declares that giving voice to former combatants is a mechanism in conflict resolution to craft negotiation settlements in which â€Å"renewed violence can be averted.† This rule follows the sensitivity training theory which enhances sympathy and increases chances at understanding and positive change. In Sigmund Freud’s group processes theory, he posits that the group’s way of thinking is spawned directly from the individual’s. In Freud’s hydraulic model, the principle is that just as it is dangerous to suppress feelings for fear of compounding them for a more violent eruption, so at the social level, it is risky to continually inhibit ill-feeling by conflict resolution (Strachey 1966); instead, venting would help diffuse tensions and instead of internalizing the resentment, the person finds relief in expression. In his work â€Å"Give War a Chance† (Luttwak 1999) examines the effect of peacekeeping which only temporarily resolves the issue by satisfying parties. However, he advocates war as the means of reaching a more definitive and longer lasting conflict resolution. Complex Mirroring Complex mirroring within the group setting is a way in which the individual change scalps up to the group level change. In remedying traumatized individuals, the victims join themselves to a group and begin to mirror one another’s feelings and experiences. A critic notices that â€Å"by listening to one another’s individual presentation of personal experiences, participants gain a new perspective†¦by listening to the series of such descriptions, they gained the experience of universality† (Herman 1997). As a result, the individual-level change dynamic transmutes into the group-level change. As one witness the effect of trauma, the support group experiences secondary trauma as wounded members relate their experiences and seek emotional support. The incidence of secondary trauma gives rise to empowerment and awareness. Kathie Sarachild formulated the conscious-raising psychotherapy structures specifically for the individual but which could be used â€Å"to ef fect social rather than individual change† (Herman 1997). This method was implemented for rape-victims who were silenced by the violence and trauma inflicted by another. In the scope of social change, political violence is a grave injustice inflicted by one and visited upon the other. A remedial path is a sensitization rather than retaining the silence over the injury. As the public’s consciousness heightens, a cure has to be suggested and taken. The beneficial result is that â€Å"changes at the individual level were being linked with policy processes at the macro level† (Fisher 1997). Conflict Resolution Strengths and Weaknesses In conflict resolution, a strength of the individual to group model application is that groups comprise a conglomerate body in which individual mirroring gradually filters into the group’s ethics. The reasoning is that a group is comprised of individuals and since a group is made up of individuals, then a method aimed at effecting change in an individual can also be applied to the group. However, this method does not factor in the wide diversity of the individuals belonging to a group. One rigid rule utilized for one individual cannot work for a group because this view only facilitates the one-size-fits-all theory which is not socially viable. References: Fisher, R.J. (1997). Interactive Conflict Resolution, Syracuse University Press, New York. Herman, J.L. (1997). Trauma and Recovery. Basic Books Publishers, New York. Anonymous. (1996). Human Rights in Peace Negotiations, Human Rights Quarterly,18(2), 249- 258. Luttwak, E. (1999).   Give War a Chance, Journal of Foreign Affairs, 78 (4), 36-44 http://www.jstor.org/stable/20049362. Accessed 14 December 2011. Strachey, J. (1966). The Standard Edition of the Complete Psychological Works of Sigmund Freud, The Hogarth Press and the Institute of Psycho-Analysis, Vol. 22, Toft, M.D. (2010). Ending Civil Wars: A Case for Rebel Victory, Journal of International Security, 34 (2), 7-36. Paris, R. (2004). At War’s End: Building Peace after Civil Conflict. Cambridge University Press.

Essay on The Holy Bible - Suffering and The Book of Job -- Holy Bible

Suffering and The Book of Job      Ã‚   Life is difficult. "Suffering...is not an exception to the human condition, it is the human condition" (Gomes 405). The question of why life can be unjustly cruel is asked today and has been asked since the beginning of time.    And where is God in the midst of hardship? Is He non-existent, as the pagan statement, "It's Chance alone that moves and rules our lives" implies (Neiman 442). Or is God only partially in control of situations, as Harold Kushner concludes, writing, "there are some things God does not control" (462). Is all suffering a direct result of our own actions, as David Neiman offers ("He who is suffering and believes in a God of justice, must also blame himself for his state of being"" (438). Moses Maimonides prefers to view the question by focusing not on the external life that surrounds us, but on the internal condition of the heart. He argues that good and evil have their own reward and punishments within the spiritual realm and outward appearances are inconsequential (Behrens and Rosen 434).    For those who believe in a God who is living and active and who believe in the sanctity of the scriptures, the question of God's justice in the Bible does seem a contradiction at times. As Neiman observed, The Book of Proverbs presents a formula for life, promising blessings to the man who lives a moral life (436). But is The Book of Proverbs a collection of promises or is it the wise man's observations of probabilities? One can see the unpleasant consequences of poor choices, as well as the good fortunes of those who have lived a "clean" life, but sometimes this moral law breaks down. As Neiman states, "experience has led men to realize that ... ...t out of self-interest'" (460). Love is not self-seeking. Love is illustrated by a mother who cares for her newborn baby and expects nothing in return. She continues to love and nurture, until the child is an adult, in anticipation of the beautiful person the child will be. God wants us to anticipate the day when we will be made perfect, and trust His ways, like a child trusting its mother. Works Cited Behrens, Laurence, and Leonard J. Rosen, eds. Writing and Reading Across the Curriculum. 7th ed. NewYork: Longman, 2000. -Gomes, Peter. "The Bible and Suffering." 400-405. - Kushner, Harold S. "When Bad Things Happen to Good   People."   452-462. - MacLeisch, Archibald. "God Has Need of Man."  Ã‚   474-480.   - Neiman, David. "An Introduction to Job 435-444. The Bible. Revised Standard Version. 2nd ed. Dallas: Melton, 1971.

Amazon: Online Shopping and Amazon.com Essay

Write a 1-page, single-space, 10-point font case analysis on the Amazon Case making sure to address the following questions: 1. On a scale of â€Å"1† (Very Poor) to â€Å"5† (Excellent), how would you rate Jeff Bezos as an entrepreneur? How would you rate him as an IT manager? 2. Trace the evolution of the Amazon.com business from the company’s launch in 1995 to the dot-com collapse in 2000. How did the company’s strategy change over time? How did capabilities evolve? What value did the company deliver to all stakeholders? 3. Do you agree with the decision to pursue the Toys â€Å"R† Us deal? Why did the company do the deal? Should Amazon.com do more deals like this? What impact does the Toys â€Å"R† Us deal have on Amazon.com’s business model in early 2000? 4. As a member of the Amazon.com board of directors in early 2001, what challenges did the company face and what actions would you take? Amazon.com is a global leader in online-retail. The company was founded by Jeff Bezos in Seattle in 1995, during the period of tech boom era of the 1990’s. Since founding as an online bookseller, Amazon.com drastically grown to expand its product offerings, fulfillment, and customer service. This growth required huge investments in technology and processes to support the complex business. Today, Amazon .com sells, or auctions, books, music, videos, toys, videogames, consumer electronics, software, and home products. On a scale of â€Å"1† (Very Poor) to â€Å"5† (Excellent), I would rate Jeff Bezos 5 out of 5 as an entrepreneur. â€Å"Our vision is to be the world’s most consumer-centric company, where customers can come to find anything they want to buy online.†-Jeff Bezos. In 1994, Bezos was already a successful investment banker with estimated six figure salary. Bezos definitely had huge potential to rise in the company ranking but Jeff had a vision driven by a secret desire for the business of electronic retailing. And just four years after Bezos created Amazon.com, the virtual bookstore became the model for how e-commerce businesses should be run. Now there are thousands of online retailer following his steps. Amazon begun on its strong root by starting up the business in Seattle during the dot com bubble meant Amazon.com was entering a new industry from its earliest beginnings. And being located in Seattle meant the company had e-commerce’s top talent and leading experts nearby. Other thing Bezos drove Amazon as a very successful entrepreneur is that his decision to become a business that offered multiple product lines meeting various consumer needs. The company also created a barrier to entry by being the first large online bookseller and finally a huge online retailer. I would rate Bezos 5 out of 5 as an IT manager as well. The company experienced extraordinary growth during and after the tech boom with customers increasing from 14 million in 1999 to over 20 million in 2000 . But with rising fulfillment costs, the company had not produced profits during these years. The challenge Bezos and Amazon faced was turning the company profitable before cash ran out and operations would have to cease or go bankrupt. In fact, were it not for the $318 million raised through stock options in 1999 and another $680 million borrowed in early 2000, the company surely would have run out of cash. Strengths: Amazon.com strengths begin in its roots. Starting up in Seattle during the dot com bubble meant Amazon.com was entering a new industry from its earliest beginnings. And being located in Seattle meant the company had e-commerce’s top talent and leading experts nearby. The company’s next strength came from its decision to become a business that offered multiple product lines meeting various consumer needs. The talent and industry that Amazon.com was surrounded by made it easy for the company to switch from a bookseller to retailer by utilizing virtual resources versus traditional physical requirements such as store fronts and floor space. The company also created a barrier to entry by being the first large online bookseller. Since its incorporation in 1994, Amazon’s business model had expanded from offering a simple internet marketplace for books to providing web services to online retailers, storage solutions and a dramatically expanded product line. Nevertheless, despite massive sales the company failed to produce a profit for shareholders and Amazon was on the brink of bankruptcy at the beginning of 2001. If I were a shareholder who received the company’s 2000 annual report, I would have strongly agreed with CEO Jeff Bezos that the company must achieve profitability by year-end 2001. I would recommend that the company accomplish this by cutting costs related to fulfillment and inventory and by increasing revenue by capitalizing on the previous year’s investments in infrastructure. While many expenditures in 2000 were related to Amazon’s efforts to implement its strategy for growth, operating costs had also increased. Amazon’s fulfillment costs were 11 11% of sales in 1997 and 1998, increased to 14 14% in 1999. Because e-Commerce was still new and just beginning to establish customer trust, it’s critical that these costs be reduced without negatively impacting quality, speed of delivery or customer service. Because of Amazon’s large scale and repeatable processes, I would recommend a continuous improvement strategy such as lean Six Sigma. Another area of operational cash drain is inventory. After adding multiple new product lines and distribution centers in 2000, inventory management became a challenge for Amazon. In 1999, inventory turnover was 20% that of competitor Barnes and Noble and contributed to negative cash flow in 2000. Amazon would be well advised to use IT technology such as an advanced ERP to better estimate the inventory needed to meet demand without overstocking. In addition to cutting costs, Amazon must increase revenue From its birth in 1994 to the dot com collapse in 2000, Amazon.com implemented a number of changes to its business strategy in attempt to stay on top of the e-commerce industry. Amazon.com started in 1994 as a simple online book retailer. Under this initial strategy, Amazon was receiving all of its revenue from its book sales (sales revenue model), and was  popular because it was the first online retailer to do so. Amazon created value for customers early on by providing a space for customers to purchase a large variety of books in one place, thereby reducing the customers product search drastically from the traditional method of going to brick & mortar book stores. In the early stages, Amazon benefitted from the first mover advantage, and had a dominating market share. This attracted huge investment capital in the late 1990s, and Amazon used this capital to broaden its offerings in order to stay on top of emerging competitors. In 1996, Amazon focused on making the shopping experience on Amazon.com better for its customers. It revved up its browsing and search capabilities, and personalized the whole experience by offering customized layouts and recommendations based on what you had been looking at and purchasing. At this point, Amazon aimed to provide additional value to its customers by providing a personalized shopping experience. By 1998, Amazon started expanding into international markets and new products categories, turning into an online superstore and providing convenience and further reduced search costs to its customers. During 1999, Amazon began exploring complementary business models, such as auctions and marketplaces. Under these models, Amazon did not assume control of the inventory, and as such acted as an agent (generating additional revenues under the brokerage revenue model). In late 2000, Amazon saw additional opportunities to†¦ 1994 : Bezos, a N.Y. investment banker with no book publishing or retail experience, identifies book retailing as an industry segment that could exploit the power of emerging Internet technologies. Chooses Seattle as a location to be close to one of the largest book distributors. Writes the business plan and chooses the company name while driving cross country with his wife. 1995 : Between July 1994, when the company was incorporated, and July 1995 when the Amazon.com online bookstore was officially launched, Bezos and a few employees built the software that powered the website. By September 1995, the company was selling over $20,000 per week out of the founder’s garage. 1996 : Amazon.com focused on enhancing its product and service offerings and capabilities with increasingly sophisticated browsing and focused search capabilities, personalized store layout and recommendations, shopping carts, 1 Click shopping (which was later patented), wish lists, and greeting cards. Efforts to redefine and enhance the online shopping experience continued and, in 1999, Amazon.com was one of the first online retailers to enable shopping through wireless devices. 1997 : By the first quarter of 1997, Amazon.com revenues had increased to $16 million (which was equivalent to the company’s yearly revenues in 1996). Amazon.com went public on May 15, 1997. 1998 : Beginning in 1998, Amazon.com began aggressively expanding into new product categories and into international markets. By early 2001, the company was not just an online bookstore, it was an online superstore selling a wide variety of products in over 160 different countries. 1999 : During 1999, Amazon.com began exploring new business models including, auctions (low-end and high- end) and marketplaces (zShops). For these businesses, Amazon.com provided software and services but did not assume control of inventory. As such, it acted as an agent—not a retailer. 2000

Mission Impossible 4 Movie Review

Agents Gone Rogue (Mission Impossible – Ghost Protocol) REVIEW By Joe Bricely The newly released movie Mission Impossible- Ghost Protocol was produced by Tom Cruise and the following companies: Paramount Pictures, Skydance Productions, Bad Robot, FilmWorks, Stillking Films, and TC Productions. It was directed by Brad Bird who is most commonly known for his role in the movies Up (2009), Ratatouille (2007), and The Incredibles (2004) as well as the long running television series The Simpsons (1989-Present). Those were all animated, unlike Mission Impossible. Overall it was able to not only captivate me the entire time but also was able to demonstrate the beautiful locations that the movie was shot in, such as Dubai’s downtown, Mumbai (Fun fact: the shots supposedly placed in Mumbai were actually shot in Bangalore), Bangalore (These scenes were actually shot in Canada) , and Moscow. (Really). The plot to the new Mission Impossible is basic yet still intriguing. Though it is the classic story of a hero and his team setting out to stop the ultimate destruction of the world; it created a clever background story of how Ethan Hunt’s (Tom Cruise) and fellow teammate William Brant’s (Jeremy Renner) past are intertwined. The only flaw I could find is that they never really established a thorough background to the evil mastermind Kurt Hendricks (Michael Nyqvist). With the top billed cast the performances were quite convincing. Specifically the roles of Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) and Jane Carter (Paula Patton) were captivating. Tom Cruise served his repetitive role as Ethan Hunt the super spy to a tee; through not only his phenomenal stunts, but also in his spy like swagger. Paula Patton, in the role of the only female on the former IMF team, not only played the role of her the spy well, but also had to go undercover in the movie as an international assassin and was mesmerizing seducing an Indian tycoon into giving her what she wanted. Overall the performances in Mission Impossible were top notch. As stated previously, Mission Impossible was an exhilarating thrill ride which utilized its budget of $145 million effectively. There were some new gadgets including high powered suction gloves which Tom Cruise used to scale the tallest building in the world, the Burj Khalifa and a metal suit which allowed Jeremy Renner to levitate over a high powered fan using magnetism. In the movie several effective costumes were utilized including Tom Cruise dressing as a Russian general to infiltrate the Kremlin. Shortly after his exit, the Kremlin exploded leaving a large crater in the building, an example of the brilliant special effects incorporated into the movie. Other than that massive explosion, some other special effects were impressive included the launching of a nuclear missile (and its ultimate deactivation) that lead into it crashing through a LA skyscraper then dramatically plunging into the water. In the new Mission Impossible the key to the humor in the movie is the role of Benji Dunn played by the notoriously funny Simon Pegg (who will forever be known for his staring in the 2004 classic comedy Shawn of the Dead. His comedic antics started off in his first scene when he argued with Tom Cruise’s Ethan Hunt through a security camera feed while breaking the spy out of Russian prison. He continued with his humorous attitude throughout the movie. Especially funny was his untimely entrance into the hotel room in Dubai, gloating how he was able to change a few door numbers in time yet not knowing that just seconds before, the rest of his team had struggled for their lives, dangling out a window over 100 stories up. Though I have been a fan of the Mission Impossible series since I was 6, I have to say that ‘Ghost Protocol’ was my favorite. It not only satisfied my thirst for some top notch fighting and action scenes, but also met my needs for a strong comedic presence, both worked beautifully together. I recommend this movie to any other IMF fans out there, but also to anyone seeking a well written, action packed, thrill ride of a movie.

10 Fascinating Facts About Stink Bugs

10 Fascinating Facts About Stink Bugs Stink bugs arent particularly beloved bugs, but that doesnt mean they arent interesting insects. Take a few minutes to learn more about their natural history and unusual behaviors, and see if you agree. Here are 10 fascinating facts about stink bugs. 1.Stink bugs do, indeed, stink. Yes, its true, stink bugs stink. When a stink bug feels threatened, it releases a pungent substance from special glands on its last thoracic segment, repelling nearly any predator that has a sense of smell (or functioning chemoreceptors). If you want a demonstration of this insects infamous skill, give a stink bug a gentle squeeze between your fingers, holding it along its sides. Before you condemn stink bugs for their pungent habit, you should know that all kinds of insects put up a stink when disturbed, including those well-loved ladybugs. 2.Some stink bugs help control pests. Though most stink bugs are plant feeders and many are significant agricultural pests, not all stink bugs are bad. Stink bugs in the subfamily Asopinae are predators of other insects, and play an important role in keeping plant pests under control. The spined soldier bug (Podisus maculiventris) is easy to identify thanks to the prominent points or spines extending from its shoulders. Welcome this beneficial predator into your garden, where it will feed on leaf beetle larvae, caterpillars, and other problem pests. 3.Stink bugs are really bugs. Taxonomically speaking, that is. The word bug is often used as a nickname for insects in general, and even for non-insect arthropods like spiders, centipedes, and millipedes. But any entomologist will tell you that the term bug actually refers to members of a specific order or group of insects – the Order Hemiptera. These insects are properly known as true bugs, and the group includes all manner of bugs, from bed bugs to plant bugs to stink bugs. 4.Some stink bug mothers (and a few fathers) guard their young. Some species of stink bugs exhibit parental care of their offspring. The stink bug mother will stand guard over her cluster of eggs, aggressively defending them from predators and acting as a shield to dissuade parasitic wasps from attempting to lay eggs in them. Shell usually stick around after her nymphs hatch, too, at least for the first instar. A recent study noted two stink bug species in which the fathers guarded the eggs, a decidedly unusual behavior for male insects. 5.Stink bugs belong to the family Pentatomidae, meaning five parts. William Elford Leach chose the name Pentatomidae for the stink bug family in 1815. The word derives from the Greek pente, meaning five, and tomos, meaning sections or cuttings. Theres some disagreement today about whether Leach was referring to the stink bugs 5-segmented antennae, or to the 5 sides of its shield-shaped body. But whether or not we know Leachs original intent, you now know two of the traits that will help you identify a stink bug. 6.A stink bugs worst enemy is a tiny, parasitic wasp. Though stink bugs are fairly good at repelling predators with the sheer force of their stink, this defensive strategy doesnt do much good when it comes to deterring parasitic wasps. There are all kinds of teeny wasps that love to lay their eggs in stink bug eggs. The wasp young parasitize the stink bug eggs, which never hatch. A single adult wasp can parasitize several hundred stink bug eggs. Studies show that egg mortality can reach well over 80% when egg parasitoids are present. The good news (for farmers, not for stink bugs) is that parasitic wasps can be used as effective biocontrols for pest stink bug species. 7.Stink bug sex isnt particularly romantic. Stink bug males arent the most romantic blokes. A courting stink bug male will touch the female with his antennae, working his way to her nether end. Sometimes, hell head butt her a little to get her attention. If shes willing, shell lift her hind end a bit to show her interest. If she isnt receptive to his overture, the male may use his head to push her bum up, but he risks being kicked in the head if she really doesnt like him. Stink bug mating occurs in an end-to-end position, and can last for hours. During this time, the female often drags the male around behind her as she continues to feed. 8.Some stink bugs are brilliantly colored. While many stink bugs are masters of disguise camouflaged in shades of green or brown, many some bugs are quite flamboyant and showy. If you love to photograph colorful insects, look for the harlequin bug (Murgantia histrionica) in its vibrant orange, black, and white costume. Another beauty is the two-spotted stink bug (Perillus bioculatus), wearing the familiar red and black warning colors with unusual flair. For a subtler but equally stunning specimen, try a red-shouldered stink bug (Thyanta spp.), with its faint rosy stripe along the top of the scutellum. 9.Young stink bugs suck on their eggshells after hatching. When they first hatch from their barrel-shaped eggs, stink bug nymphs remain huddled together around the broken eggshells. Scientists believe these first instar nymphs suck on secretions on the eggshells to acquire needed gut symbionts. A study of this behavior in the Japanese common plataspid stinkbug (Megacopta punctatissima) revealed that these symbionts affect nymph behavior. Young stink bugs that didnt get adequate symbionts after hatching tended to wander away from the group. 10.Stink bug nymphs are gregarious (at first). Stink bug nymphs usually remain gregarious for a short period of time after hatching, as they begin to feed and molt. You can still find third instar nymphs hanging out together on their favorite host plant, but by the fourth instar, they usually disperse. Sources Stink Bugs, by Blake Newton, University of Kentucky Entomology Department. Accessed online February 6, 2015.Kaufman Field Guide to Insects of North America, by Eric R. Eaton and Kenn Kaufman.Borror and DeLongs Introduction to the Study of Insects, 7th edition, by Charles A. Triplehorn and Norman F. Johnson.Encyclopedia of Entomology, 2nd edition, edited by John L. Capinera.First cases of exclusive paternal care in stink bugs (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae), by Gustavo S. Requena, Tais M. Nazareth, Cristiano F. Schwertner, and Glauco Machado, Zoologi, December 2010. Accessed online February 6, 2015.Stink Bug Egg Parasitoids, by Blake Layton and Scott Stewart, University of Tennessee   Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology. Accessed online February 10, 2015.Symbiont acquisition alters behaviour of stinkbug nymphs, by Takahiro Hosokawa , Yoshitomo Kikuchi , Masakazu Shimada , Takema Fukatsu, Biology Letters, February 23, 2008. Accessed online February 10, 2015.Stink Bugs of Economic Importance in America North of Mexico, by J. E. McPherson and Robert McPherson.

Haym Salomon, American Revolution Spy and Financier

Haym Salomon, American Revolution Spy and Financier Born to a Sephardic Jewish family in Poland, Haym Salomon emigrated to New York during the American Revolution. His work in support of the American Revolution- first as a spy, and later brokering loans- helped the patriots win the war. Fast Facts: Haym Salomon Also Known As: Chaim SalomonKnown For: Former spy and financial broker who worked in support of the American Revolution. Born: April 7, 1740 in Leszno, PolandDied: January 6, 1785 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Early Years Haym Salomon (born Chaim Salomon) was born on April 7, 1740 in Leszno, Poland. His family was part of a group of Sephardic Jews descended from Spanish and Portuguese immigrants. As a young man, Haym traveled all over Europe; like many Europeans, he spoke several languages. In 1772, Salomon left Poland, following the country’s partitioning that essentially removed its status as a sovereign nation. He decided to try his luck in the British colonies, and he emigrated to New York City. War and Espionage By the time the American Revolution broke out, Salomon had already established himself as a businessman and financial broker in New York City. At some point in the 1770s, he became involved in the patriot movement and joined the Sons of Liberty, a secret organization that fought against British taxation policies. Salomon had a supply contract with the patriot army, and at some point in 1776, he was arrested in New York by the British for espionage. Although it is not known for certain that Salomon was a spy, the British authorities seem to have thought so. However, they decided to spare him from the traditional death sentence for spies. Instead, they offered him a pardon in exchange for his linguistic services. The British officers needed translators to communicate with their Hessian soldiers, most of whom spoke no English at all. Salomon was fluent in German, so he served as an interpreter. This didn’t exactly work the way the British wanted it to, as Salomon used his translating as an opportunity to encourage as many as five hundred German soldiers to desert the British ranks. He also spent a lot of time helping patriot captives escape from British prisons. He was arrested for espionage again in 1778, and sentenced to death once more. This time, there was no offer of pardon. Salomon managed to escape, fleeing to Philadelphia with his wife and children. Although he was virtually penniless when he arrived at the rebel capital, within a short amount of time he re-established himself as a merchant and financial broker. Financing the Revolution Once he had settled comfortably in Philadelphia and his brokerage business was up and running, Salomon was appointed to the role of paymaster general for French troops fighting on behalf of the colonists. He was also engaged in selling securities that supported Dutch and French loans to the Continental Congress. In addition, he advanced funds personally to members of the Continental Congress, offering financial services below market rates. Over a three year period, Salomon’s financial contributions to George Washington and the war effort totaled well over $650,000, which translates to upwards of $18M in today’s currency. Much of this money was funneled into Washington’s accounts in the latter part of 1781. In August of 1781, British general Charles Cornwallis and his troops were penned in near Yorktown. Washington’s army had Cornwallis surrounded, but because Congress was essentially out of money, the continental troops hadn’t been paid in some time. They were also low on rations and crucial uniform components. In fact, Washington’s soldiers were close to staging a coup, and many were considering desertion as a better option than staying in Yorktown. According to legend, Washington wrote to Morris, and asked him to send Haym Salomon. Bruce Leighty / Getty Images Salomon managed to secure the $20,000 in finances that Washington needed to keep his men fighting, and ultimately, the British were defeated at Yorktown, in what would be the final major battle of the American Revolution. After the war ended, Salomon brokered numerous loans between other nations and the newly formed United States government. Final Years Sadly, Haym Salomons financial efforts during the war led to his downfall. He had loaned out hundreds of thousands of dollars during the Revolution, and because of the unstable economy in the colonies, most private borrowers (and even government entities) were unable to repay their loans. In 1784, his family was nearly penniless. Salomon died on January 8, 1785 at the age of 44 from complications from tuberculosis, which he had contracted while in prison. He was buried at his synagogue, Mikveh Israel, in Philadelphia. In the 1800s, his descendants unsuccessfully petitioned Congress for compensation. However, in 1893, Congress decreed that a gold medal be struck in Salomons honor. In 1941, the City of Chicago erected a statue featuring George Washington flanked by Morris and Salomon. Sources Blythe, Bob. â€Å"The American Revolution: Haym Salomon.†Ã‚  National Parks Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, www.nps.gov/revwar/about_the_revolution/haym_salomom.html.Feldberg, Michael. â€Å"Haym Salomon: Revolutionary Broker.†Ã‚  My Jewish Learning, My Jewish Learning, www.myjewishlearning.com/article/haym-salomon-revolutionary-broker/.Percoco, James. â€Å"Haym Salomon.†Ã‚  American Battlefield Trust, 7 Aug. 2018, www.battlefields.org/learn/articles/haym-salomon.Terry, Erica. â€Å"Haym Solomon: The Man Behind the Myth of the Dollars Star of David.†Ã‚  Jspace News, 12 Dec. 2016, jspacenews.com/haym-solomon-man-behind-myth-dollars-star-david/.

Consult the facilitator regarding the assignment of one of the Eastern Essay

Consult the facilitator regarding the assignment of one of the Eastern religious traditions studied in the course - Essay Example He wished to eradicate ignorance in society and bring about enlightenment, in order to relieve oneself from distress and escape what Buddha called the cycle of suffering and rebirth. The concept of rebirth in Buddhism states that a being, after death, is reborn into the world in another form as a creature superior or inferior to the one in the previous life, depending on how ignorant or enlightened one has been in one’s lifetime. For example, an ignorant human being is likely to be reborn as an animal in the next life, whereas a human being, who has tried to be righteous and upright in the ways prescribed by the religion, can be reborn as a spirit or an angel. Buddhism is, in a way, in addition to being a religion, a philosophy explaining the nature of life and existence. It talks about suffering, which is an inevitable part of life for all human beings - whether among the affluent in society, or one of the deprived – and further goes on to explain that there is not onl y a cause for that suffering, but also an end of the suffering and a method to end the suffering. These are the Four Noble Truths in Buddhism. The method to the cessation of suffering is the Noble Eight Fold Path, which states that making use of â€Å"right perception, intention, speech, action, livelihood, effort, mindfulness and concentration† (Calyaneratne, 2011), in that order, leads to the attainment of the state of final liberation called Nirvana (Calyaneratne, 2011). This state is, according to Buddhism, the ultimate purpose of a person’s life. Successfully reaching this stage of liberation requires a human being to forgo all worldly things and desires, as Buddhism declares all worldly objects as temporary. The idea is that these objects hinder a human being from complete liberation of the soul and from reaching the superior state or Nirvana; hence, Buddhism condemns the yearning for such objects. Furthermore, since there is no concept of worldly happiness in Bu ddhism and the only path that deserves focus is the Noble Eight Fold Path (Calyaneratne, 2004). The word ‘religion’ brings to one’s mind a guide defining for its followers a code of conduct, a way of life. All religions, no matter how distinct and unmatched they are in their backgrounds, their beliefs about life and their practices, the fundamental values taught by each religion can, certainly, be penned down as quite similar; the dissimilarity lies in the way those values are taught. At the end of the day, all religions, using the similar means of prescribing various ethics, are working towards the ‘good life’, in the interest of an individual and for the improvement of society. Even though this is a very overarching, umbrella perception on religions around the world and religions are gravely different from each other on many grounds, one can draw links between Buddhism and the various other Eastern religious traditions, which consist of â€Å"Hind uism, Confucianism, Jainism, Taoism, and Shinto† (Calyaneratne, 2011). Hinduism and Buddhism origins belong to the same subcontinent – Indian – and the two faiths are known to share a long and interesting relationship (Religion Facts, 2011). While some even consider Hinduism to have been an offshoot of Buddhism, it is widely acknowledged, despite the fundamental differences, that both religions have influenced each other in some way or the other. Confucianism, prevalent in China, values ethics that complement various other

Quiz Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 3

Quiz - Assignment Example digm of economic activity tries to encapsulate the natural order of an economy based on that paradigm, to show that it has a logic that works best when left to its own devices. Governmental intervention has no role in this regard. Jacques Turgot argues for the same, and sees the privileged classes, by virtue of their unnatural privileges, warping the natural flow of the economy so to speak. In place of the privileged classes, Turgot points to the farmers, the proponents of capitalism, as being best able to farm the lands in the most market efficient manner (â€Å"Critics of the Mercantilist Era†). Meltzer makes a good point about how democratic societies ultimately shape the extend of wealth redistribution through the power of the vote. In the US, for instance, where voters want greater wealth redistribution, voters go for Democrats with such agendas, and where they want less, they go for Republicans who espouse lower taxes and minimalists governments. The gist of his thoughts on deficits and sustainability is that while deficit spending may cure some economic ills in the short term, society pays for it in the long term in one way or the other, including deficit spending that inevitably fuels inflationary forces (PowerPoint