Iago Essays - Othello, English-language Films, Operas, Iago

Iago Essays - Othello, English-language Films, Operas, Iago Iago When Shakespeare attempted to create the ultimate villain (and I must say he was stunningly successful), Iago was the result. This cunningly evil character always keeps the audience guessing at his true personality until he has the opportunity to plan in solitude or so gracefully manipulate an inferior intellect that he can let his true colors shine while preserving his "image". Such is the case in act I, scene III, when he recites to Roderigo a beautifully worded speech revealing his true feelings about life, love, and Othello. This near-soliloquy shows us some of the thinking behind Iago's Machiavellian actions. 320Virtue! a fig! 'Tis in ourselves are we thus or thus. Our bodies are gardens, to which our wills are gardeners; so that if we plant nettles or sow lettuce, set hyssop and weed up thyme, supply it with one gender of herbs or distract it with 325many, either to have it sterile with idleness or manured with industry, why, the power and corrigible authority of this lies in our wills. If the balance of our lives had not one scale of reason to poise another of sensuality, the blood and baseness of our natures would conduct us to the most 330preposterous conclusions. But we have reason to cool our raging motions, our carnal stings, our umbitted lusts, wherof I take this that you call love to be a sect or scion?It is merely a lust of the blood and a permission of the will. Come, be a man. Drown thyself? Drown cats and blind 335puppies. I profess me thy friend, and I confess me knit to thy deserving with cables of perdurable toughness. I could never better stead thee than now. Put money in thy purse. Follow these wars; defeat thy favour with an usurped beard I say, put money in thy purse. It cannot be that Desdemona 340should long continue her love unto the Moor,-Put money in thy purse,-nor he his to her. It was a violent commencement, and thou shalt see an answerable sequestration. Put but money in thy purse. These Moors are changeable in their wills. Fill thy purse with money. The 345food that to him now is as luscious as locusts, shall be to him shortly acerb as the coloquintida. (She must change for youth.)? The main point behind the first section of the "soliloquy" in line 320 is that humans make their destinies and rules (Virtue! a fig! 'Tis in ourselves that we are thus or thus ln. 320). Our friendly villain uses a metaphor relating a garden to our lives, and gardeners to our independent wills (Our bodies are gardens, to which our wills are gardeners ln 321). This view on life has many hidden insights into the character of Iago. First among these is that Iago believes that god is a fa?ade created by people with no heart. The quotes that back this up are: 'Tis in ourselves ln 320, corrigible authority of this lies in our wills ln 327 If the balance of our lives ln 328, and love to be a sect or scion. ln. 333. We can tell by the connotations of the words Iago uses that he does not consider god to be a motivating force in the lives of humans. Take, for instance, the use of the words sect and balance; these words normally refer to religion, and god as a major force in the balance of a person's life, but Iago uses them to refer to our own decisions, playing down god's importance. Secondly, he believes that people who do not get ahead in life and live to get everything possible are suckers. This conclusion is backed up by two major statements: sterile with idleness ln 323 and one gender of herbs ln 322. The images these words call up in our minds are desolate and pitiful gardeners either being just plain lazy, or trying to just scoot by. These quotes also show what a highly motivated person Iago is. When Iago concludes his tirade about our bodies being gardens, we get an extreme look into his demented psyche (May I say it is not a pretty sight). Iago's view about love are not much better than his opinions about other

The Facts About the Chinese Moon Festival

The Facts About the Chinese Moon Festival If youre planning to attend a Chinese Moon Festival or simply want to know more about a festival youve previously attended, this review will better acquaint you with the origins of the festival, the traditional foods associated with it and the different ways its celebrated. This festival is one of many observed in  China, which is home to a number of  traditional celebrations.   Also known as the Mid-Autumn Festival, the Chinese Moon Festival falls on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month. Its one of the most important traditional events for the Chinese.   The Legend Behind the Fest The Moon Festival is rooted in many different myths. Legend traces the story to a hero named Hou Yi, who lived during a time when there were 10 suns in the sky. This caused people to die, so Hou Yi shot down nine of the suns and was given an elixir by the Queen of Heaven to make him immortal.  But Hou Yi didnt drink the elixir because he wanted to remain with his wife, Change (pronounced Chung-err). So, he told her  to watch over the potion. One day a student of Hou Yi tried to steal the elixir from her, and Change drank it to foil his plans. Afterward, ​she flew to the moon, and people have prayed to her for fortune ever since. Shes presented with a variety of food offerings during the Moon Fest, and festival-goers swear that they can spot Change dancing on the  moon during the festival.   What Happens During the Celebration The Moon Festival is also an occasion for family reunions. When the full moon rises, families get together to watch the full moon, eat moon cakes  and sing moon poems. Together, the full moon, the legend, the family gatherings and the poems recited during the event make the festival a great cultural observance. That is why the Chinese are so fond of the Moon Festival. Although the Moon Festival is a place where families congregate, it is also considered a romantic occasion. The festival legend, after all, is about a couple, Hou Yi and Change, who are madly in love and devoted to one another. Traditionally, lovers spent romantic nights at the event tasting delicious moon cake and drinking wine while watching the full moon. The moon cake, however, isnt just for couples. It is the ​traditional  food consumed during the Moon Festival. The Chinese eat the moon cake at night with the full moon in the sky.   When circumstances prevent couples from getting together during the event, they pass the night by watching the moon at the same time so it seems as if  they are together for the night. A great number of poems has been devoted to this romantic festival.   As the Chinese have spread out across the globe, one neednt be in China to partake in the Moon Festival. Celebrations are held in countries that are home to large Chinese populations.

Cloud Computing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Cloud Computing - Essay Example Given the close linkages between financial services firms and cutting edge technology, it makes for eminent business sense to remain on top of the â€Å"convergence† that is happening between IT and financial services. Cloud computing is altering the way business is done and the way business services are provided by bringing about a paradigm shift in the way excess computing power and storage space can be used. Cloud Computing works by aggregating the computing power of individual computers and then centralizing the same so as to derive maximum advantage for the users. Since UVW does not have to invest in additional capacity whenever it takes on more users, we stand to gain from the double benefit of efficiencies from economies of scale and cost savings because of outsourcing our requirements to providers of cloud computing services. For UVW to remain competitive in the financial services market, we need to embrace next generation IT services like what other global financial conglomerates like Goldman Sachs are doing by renting out cloud providers to host their data and provide them computing power. The use of offshore datacenters by these financial services firms has helped them to cut their IT costs significantly. In the context of the financial services firms undergoing an era of rapid change in the way they do business, it is necessary for UVW to embrace innovation and be at the forefront of emerging technologies. By embracing cloud computing in its business, UVW can thus remain competitive as well as ride the wave of change that is sweeping the financial services

Clinical Scenario with Structured Questions Essay

Clinical Scenario with Structured Questions - Essay Example A nurse’s aid who is also a second year nursing student at university saw the client , took his blood pressure which was found to be elevated at 185/112. His heart rate was rapid at 113 beats per minute. The clinical picture indicated that the man was most probably having a heart attack. The student / nurse called an ambulance. As per unit protocol an accident/incident form was filled. Chest pain is a common occurrence with older patients. In the Emergency Department, chest pain needs to be isolated as cardiac or non-cardiac in origin. Physical assessment and proper history taking is very important in identifying the type of chest pain the patient is experiencing. This will also help the health care provider prioritize the plan of care. Proper assessment and history taking through detailed interview could have helped greatly in avoiding errors and reducing incidence reporting. This also indicates that the quality of care is improving. Pain is a very subjective matter. McCaffre y defined pain as whatever the person experiencing pain says it is, existing whenever the person communicates or demonstrates it does (McCaffrey, 1986). Chest pain is one of the most common complaints in emergency departments of hospitals and acute care centers, so common that immediate evaluation and correct diagnosis is very important in the patient’s survival. The situation describes a 44 year old Anglo-Saxon male client presenting with crushing chest pain. History shows long term use of alcohol, obesity, diabetic with insulin infusion, diaphoresis and shortness of breath. The Registered Nurse who first assessed the patient missed critical information such as taking the vital signs of the patient. Vital signs, particularly blood pressure is very important in the assessment of pain. Increased blood pressure usually indicates severe pain (Cox). High blood pressure and tachycardia are symptoms of a heart attack. These symptoms plus the crushing chest pain, diaphoresis and s hortness of breath are warning signs of heart attack and is should be considered a medical emergency. Clinical Governance Clinical governance is a term used by the National Health Service to describe a systematic approach in maintaining high standards of care and aims to continually improve the quality of services delivered in the clinical practice environment. Clinical governance is defined as a framework which helps all clinicians – including nurses – to continuously improve quality and safeguard standards of care (Royal College of Nursing). The role of clinical governance in this situation is to correct any mistakes that the drug and alcohol detoxification unit failed to detect. The purpose of clinical governance is to maintain and improve standards of patient care. In this scenario, it will improve the inadequate partenership between and among health care professionals dealing with the patient. It will also improve delivery of health care in other elements of clini cal governance such as education and training, clinical audit, clinical effectiveness, research and development, openness and risk management. In education and training, the staff of the unit are equipped for drug and alcohol detoxification but they also need to continually update themselves with regards to medical cases in order for them to promptly idnetify life threatening symptoms such as mentioned in

A Taste of Honey Essay Example for Free

A Taste of Honey Essay A Taste of Honey is a kitchen sink drama, set in the late 1950s. It follows the volatile relationship of a mother and daughter, and the problems that they have to overcome. A Taste of Honey presents the harsh reality of what life was like for the working classes. The play explores a variety of controversial issues, which especially in the 1950s, only happened behind closed doors, and would have raised serious questions in society. In A Taste of Honey Helen is portrayed as a bad mother, she cares more about drink and men than her own child and there are several preferences to Helens alcoholism throughout the play. In a strict and traditional society, it would have been almost unforgivable for a teenage girl to have a child and raise it on her own as Jo ends up doing and Helen did before her. Racism also plays a factor in the play as the father of Jos unborn child was black and people felt very strongly about this sort of thing at this time, including Jos mother. A Taste of Honey shows an insight to the problems and strains that can be brought on by the above issues and those that the working class suffered. In the opening scene of A Taste of Honey you are introduced to Jo and Helens new flat. It is a run down, dingy, old place and is all that Helen can afford. The optimism that Helen carries is shown right away as when Helen first walks in she is optimistic about the situation by saying, Well! This is the place. Which shows she has quite an easy-going approach to life as long as she has the necessities in life. Jo then replies with, I dont like it, which straight away shows the conflict between the pair and how different their personalities are from one another. You can clearly see form the dialogue between the pair that Helen has never taken care of Jo properly, Jo: I dont owe you a thing, and Helen: Do you want me to carry you about? which is basically saying look after yourself. At this point Helen is already drinking and Jo says, You make me sick, in reference to her drinking, which shows that, she disapproves and that it sickens her. It also makes you ask the question, why does Helen drink? Jo also addresses her mum as Helen, this shows us that there is nothing maternal between the two and Jo obviously doesnt see her as a motherly figure. They also both talk to the audience in third person about one another saying things such as, Helen: Wouldnt she get on your nerves and Jo: Shed lose her head if it was loose, you cannot see an inch of respect between them and although some people dont always have a very good mother and daughter relationship there isnt a trace of any bonding or caring between them. However you do see Helen show a genuine interest in Jo when she sees how good her art work is, although as she stumbles upon it by mistake it shows the distance they have from one another as Jo has never shown her the work before and Jo is quite taken aback by the interest from her mother and says, Why are you so suddenly interested in me anyway? which reflects the lack of support that Jo has received. Though language, humor and sarcasm used between them you can see the lack of respect and their clear differences such as Helen being a lot more optimistic and wild to Jos more realistic and practical approach to life. You can see Helens wild side through her drinking problem, references to men, Handsome, long-legged creature just the way I like em, her outbursts of singing and the basic fact that she was obviously out doing her own thing when she should have been taking care of her daughter and not kicking her out of bed when she had male company! Also when Helen finds out that her daughter stole the bulbs she is happy and approves, this shows Helens true colours and how she goes about life; she doesnt mind taking things that arent hers as long as she gets what she wants. Helens life runs along the same lines as you only live once, as she lets nothing set her back and she also makes regular comments about death and doesnt look upon it as a big thing really. This contrasts to Jos comment in Act 2, scene 2 where she says, We dont ask for life, we have it thrust upon us. I think that Jos out look on life is that it is hard and unfair; she has always had to fight for her self as Helen has never been there for her, and so she doesnt expect the good things to happen in her life. Jo and Helens relationship about men in Act 1, scene 1 is also very strange, as Helen has clearly had many men in her life as when Peter is introduced Jo says in a very matter of fact way, Whats this one called? Jo doesnt seem to think of men as a necessary object in life and seems to think of men in a more romantic way than Helen and mentions love as well. However in Act 2, scene 2 she has Geoff and although she isnt linked to him in a romantic way at all she still likes the stability of a man looking after her in her life and would rather have a man than a woman present at the birth of her child. In Act 2, scene 2 where the birth of Jos child is looming, Helen isnt there but comes back before she has it and she shows a different approach towards Jo. Although she shows her true side by being nasty to Geof for no reason when she owes it to him to be nice as he has been taking care of her daughter, she does show genuine concern for Jo, How are you, love? and makes enquires about the birth and her pregnancy. She has also made an effort to buy things for the baby and seems to be a lot more motherly towards Jo now. This time round it is Helen making the effort to make the place look nice, and Jo doesnt seem to care about her living arrangements which is a mirror to the attitude of Helen in Act 1, scene 1. Helens effort that she puts into her relationship with Jo is much more motherly and dong things such as, stroking her hair, caring for her, also by saying things such as, well get morbid, this is showing a different side to Helen as in Act 1, scene 1, she is very open about death and talks about it on a regular basis. This is also ironic as she is usually the one that is being morbid, not Jo. Also by talking about the children outside shows a total change in character and you see the nice side of Helen. Whereas Jo seems to have turned more like her mum, by not really caring and expecting others to do things for her, such as Geof; although Jo is never nasty towards him. Although Jo and Helen dont get on with one another in Act 1, scene 1 and Act 2, scene 2 you can see the differences between them. In Act1, scene 1, Helen is very distant from Jo, which Delaney shows through the dialogue and language used between them. She also shows this through the use of talking in the third person, wouldnt she get on your nerves? However in Act 2, scene 2 she seems to be trying to come closer to her daughter, by taking an interest in her and just genuinely being more caring. You also see a change in character with Jo, who in Act 1, scene 1 Delaney portrays her as the parent, with her doing things such as cleaning, but by Act 2, scene 2 when she is about to become a mother herself she is more childlike, this can be shown through the stage directions of Jo throwing the pretend doll that Geof gets her because its the wrong colour. She acts like a spoilt child who comes across as ungrateful and shows no maturity in her at all. I think that in Act 2, scene 2 their relationship has progressed form Act 1, scene 1 as Helen is more of a mother figure towards Jo. However I dont think that they will have a good relationship, as Helen isnt very supporting when she finds out about the colour of the baby. When she is asked what shell do she replies, drown it, and she goes back to her old ways of drinking. This also suggests that she drinks to drown her sorrows. Also she leaves Jo on her own at a time that she needs her and there is some uncertainty about whether or not she is coming back. This sums up their relationship as one that is rocky and that there is no stability at all.

Abbey Road Essays -- essays research papers

â€Å"Abbey Road† By The Beatles Abbey Road is heralded as one of the greatest rock ‘n roll albums ever. It grinds with hard rock and sways with soft guitar. The variety of the tracks provides something for everyone. It was created in 1969 at the famous Abbey Road studios. George Martin and Geoff Emerick, who had produced many other Beatles’ albums, contributed to this work. This album is one of the more famous albums of the Beatles, who are one of the most popular bands ever. Almost every piece of this album, even the cover, is art works in themselves. The album begins with the hard-rocker â€Å"Come Together†. The song is a perfect example of John Lennon’s rock influence in the Beatles. â€Å"Come Together† is a song that’s popularity has been revived due to its appearances in many commercials. Its trademark chorus, â€Å"Come together right now over me†, is known just about everywhere. Ringo’s heavy drums and John’s deep poetic lyrics drive the song, while Paul’s voice and George’s sharp guitar contribute to the body of this song. John Lennon was well known for his creative lyrics. His mind provided lyrics for such insightful songs such as â€Å"Across the Universe† and â€Å"A Day in the Life†. The third track is â€Å"Maxwell’s Silver Hammer†. This song is a humorous tune about a boy who enjoys attacking people with a silver hammer. It is a playful piano jingle that reflects on Paul’s influence on the album. Paul McCartney’s songs usually presented the lighter, more friendly side of the Beatles. Pau...

Evaluation to organisational learning practices

Organisation make decisions which are routine, daily in nature, operational or strategic in nature; which has to do with the corporate or organisational plan on how to operate and carry out its function in order to effectively and efficiently attain its objectives and goals. These decisions sometimes result in consequences that are not favourable to the organisation. Sometimes the organisation stands to pay dearly for embarking on the wrong decision, or making a nice decision at the wrong time.Thus, organisational learning is a way out and a field, which contemporary organisations have adopted in learning to detect and make corrections to erroneous decisions in the operational strategy of the organisation. The context and content of the organisation’s operations are studied; the vicissitude associated with it is taking into cognisance. And how this affects the organisational managerial functions of Planning, Organising, Staffing, co-ordinating, Reporting and Budgeting, is also studied so as to bring about effective and efficient decision making in the organisation.What role does evaluation play in the organisational learning practices? Since evaluation is a useful tool in the hands of managers of administration, it is seen that evaluation approaches set good record at providing accurate, valid and appropriate information in individual and the organisational successful decision making. Thus, the kernel of this write up is to peruse and critically analyse the contribution of evaluation to organisational learning practices. CONCEPTUALISATION OF TERMS What Is Organisational Learning?A prominent scholar that has contributed immensely in the field of organisational learning is Prof. Chris Argyris. He has to his credit several books on organisational learning. And also the works of Don Schon is highly recognised. Learning accordion to Argyris and Schon (1978:2), involves the detection and correction of error. Organisational learning concerns on how organisation s learn to be positioned effectively in detecting and making correction to unfavourable decision and organisational strategy.The rapid changing environment that most organisations assume had made the acquisition of new knowledge difficult and problematic. â€Å"Even if change is endemic this is questionable. As well as being proactive or simply passive, organisations may also be victims of excessive change† (Mande, 2005). As a way of carrying out organisational learning, Argyris and Schon (1974), came up with the Single-Loop Learning and Double-Loop Learning. In Single-Loop learning, given or chosen goals, values, plans and rules are operationalised rather than questioned.According to smith (2001), single-loop learning seems to be present when goals, values, frameworks and to a significant, extent strategies are taken for granted. In single-loop learning the underlying programme is not questioned; the overwhelming amount of learning done in an organisation is single-loop lear ning, since it is designed to identify and correct errors so that the job gets done and the action remains within stated policy, guidelines. (Argyris, 1993). Single-loop learning is described as a thermostat that learns when it is hot or too cold and turns the heat on or off.This is performed with the information received by the thermostat regarding the room temperature and take corrective measures. The Double-loop learning gives question to governing variables themselves, to subject them to critical scrutiny. Such learning may them lead to an alteration in the governing variables and, thus, a shift in the way in which strategies and consequences are framed. (Argyris and Schon, 1974). To Usher and Bryant (1989:87), â€Å"Double-loop learning involves questioning the role of framing and learning systems which underlie actual goals and strategies.Argyris (1974; 1982; 1990) argues that double –loop learning is necessary if practitioners and organisations are to make informed de cisions in rapidly changing and often uncertain contexts Edmondson and Moingeon (1990:160) puts it that; The underlying theory, supported by years of empirical research, is that the reasoning processes employed by individuals in organisations inhibit the exchange of relevant information in ways that make double-loop learning difficult and all but impossible in situations in which much is at stake. This create a dilemma as these are the very organisational situations in which double-loop learning is most needed.The diagram below illustrate and represent the process of organisational single and double-loop learning. Source: Mark K. smith 2001, Chris Argyris: Theories of action, double – loop learning and organisational learning. The diagram illustrates that consequences from the organisational decisions and strategies that are unfavourable under the single-loop learning, these are modified in line with organisation’s actions and strategy, but under the double-loop learni ng there is an over all change and revert to other governing variables that seem better and operationalisable in effective attainment of the organisational goal.What Is Evaluation ? In the process of making decisions about organisation practices and strategies many alternatives are forgone for a chosen one. And it become necessary to assess the chosen option so as to know if really it meets its target or in other words, if the choice for choosing it is not a wrong choice. In this same vain, Fadeyi (1999:74), has it that â€Å"Once appropriate alternatives have been isolated, the next step in decision making is to evaluate them and select the one that will best contribute to the goal.This is the point of ultimate decision making†. Evaluation, according to Williams (2005), is a field that accurately, validly, and rigorously explores the values or worth of human activities. The term is most commonly applied to the assessment of publicly funded social programs, but can cover just about any to include many elements which make it useful in decision making. However, to Oksanen (2005), â€Å"evaluation is not a magic cure for all situations; rather, the launch of an evaluation has to be well-planned and it must be based on clear goals.Evaluation is an assessment of set plan, decision or strategy of an organisation or individual, or a group etc, to see if they are able to effectively meet the target, objectives or goals to which they are drawn to meet. Thus, evaluation enables any organisation to know whether to modify and existing organisation an existing organisation plan or strategy, or to put it aside and choice another alternative, or better still to keep on adopting the same strategy and plan if there is no variance between its expected result and actual result.Though, sometimes evaluation has not successfully bring together individual and organisational decision making. As Williams (2005) puts it â€Å"Established evaluation approaches have a good recor d at providing accurate, valid and appropriate insights, but have had mixed success in getting these incorporated into individual and organisation decision making†. Nevertheless evaluation has been an effective tool in better decision making in organisation. METHODS OF EVALUATION According to Williams (2005), the methods of evaluation have been drawn from the applied social sciences.Interview, survey and small group processes have been the dominant data collection tool, written reports and oral presentation have been the dominant reporting tools. The inherent assumption that underpins most evaluates data leads to reliable information; and reliable information influences appropriate organisational and individual behaviour. In the view of Fadeyi (1999:74), two major methods of evaluation are; 1. Marginal Analysis: This is an evaluation system whereby the additional revenue and the additional costs are compared.This can be used where the objective is profit maximisation, which ma y require optimum use of machines that can be achieved when additional input equal output. 2. Cost Effectiveness Analysis: Cost effectiveness, in its simplest form, is a technique for choosing from among alternatives, by identify a preferred choice when objectives are far less specific than those expressed by such clear quantities as analysis does is to force the decision maker to see various alternatives, by identifying a preferred choice when objectives are far less specific than those expressed by such clear quantities as sales, costs or profits.All cost effectiveness analysis does is to force the decisions makers to see various alternative in light of their effectiveness versus their costs. CONTRIBUTION OF EVALUATION TO ORGANISATIONAL LEARNING PRACTICES. Evaluation, as discussed earlier, is an effective tool for decision making and choosing the right and feasible options among given alternative choices. Through it an organisation is able to receive an operating strategy for the organisation that would make it attain its objectives and goals, not only effectively, but also efficiently.Thus, evaluation plays a significant and key role in an organisational learning practice. Evaluation ahs a prominent role in the extensive organisations such as ministries and research institutes, evaluation practices has enhanced the capability of this organisation to make extensive reforms. Thus, institutional evaluation become more potent than research and development programme which is indirect and takes place within a longer time span â€Å"institutional evaluation, on the other hand is easier to detect compared to the potential effects that an R & D programme evaluation can have on the evaluated activity† (Oksanen 2005).Another contribution of evaluation to organisational learning practice is that it makes an organisation to be in a position to choose and make decision on the corrective measure to adopt on policy plans and organisation strategy that its consequenc es are not effective enough to meet the set goals and objectives. Hence, an organisation would be in a better position, after conducting its evaluation, whether to adopt the single-loop or double-loop learning method.â€Å"Evaluation information is seen to be closely intertwined with other relevant sources at the decision makers disposal†. (ibid. ) Here, evaluation makes the task of choosing he mode for organisational learning easy; since assessment would have being made to see what the organisation ahs done, and what it is suppose to do. This will place them in a better position to make better decision in this regard. Evaluation stands as a management tool that plays several functions in the organisation management and learning practices.According to Oksanen (2005), â€Å"a recurring view associated evaluation with cost awareness both at the level of an individual research organisation. Programme, and at the level of the national R & D. system as a whole† As a managem ent tool evaluation is not only seen as a tool of ensuring the accountability and relevance of development activity in an organisation, but also as a procedure closely linked with internal development and learning. Hence, evaluation is a tool to conscientise and makes organisation staff to reflect on what they do and the role they play in the organisation.As Oksanen (2005), put it, â€Å"evaluation process offered the staff an opportunity to pause for a moment and to reconsider what they are doing, why they are doing it, and how they are doing it†. This way evaluation brings out the week points of stays and through the organisation learning practice corrective measures are taken to strengthen and armed these lapses in the organisation. Closely related to the above point is that evaluation makes an organisation know its strengths and weaknesses. Thus giving it the opportunity to correct and strengthen its weaknesses.Illustrating this with ALNAP, annual review in 2001, with the aid of its evaluation reports, the report has it that, â€Å"it would appear that in some areas at least, co-ordination being a case in point, this year’s results are better †¦ this year’s sample provides a more positive picture than last year’s†¦ the ability of the ALNAP Annual Review series to highlight recurring problem areas within the Humanitarian Sector represents in itself a positive contribution†. (ALNAP Annual Review, 2003). Evaluation has helped the ALNAP organisation to know: ? Which organisations, and co-ordination bodies that are best placed to tackle the recurring problems.? If they consciously own the problem, i. e. are the issues being actively considered by key bodies within the sector. ? What progress is being made each year in the effort to tackle such problems (Ibid. ) Evaluation as a management tool, also stands to trigger a desired self-steering process in the organisation. Here, the organisation is made to be focus on tho se objectives and long term goals it seeks to achieve. And through evaluation in the organisation learning practices, the organisation is spurred and triggered towards the attainment of these targets and any observed variance is adequately taken care of.Also, evaluation helps to clarify the mutual expectations of partners and other interested parties. Outside the institution can turn out to be a learning process for a wider institutional environment, including agencies higher in the hierarchy, such as ministries and other partners† (Oksanen, 2005). Illustrating this, an evaluation of a research institute has offered the ministry concerned an opportunity to review the institute more thoroughly; its functioning, its position within the administrative field, and its role in the development of the sector in question.In addition, some interviewees at the ministry level felt that institutional evaluations have succeeded in pointing out weaknesses, which would demand internal changes even within ministries. (Ibid. ) In the view of Williams (2005) evaluation is germane in the arriving at a common ground for the diverging groups in an organisation. Evaluation approaches generally seek to get to the core issues, and as a result often explore ‘undiscussibles’ and raises issues that expose deep division within the community it is investigating. Evaluation stands as a tool for persuasion in the organisational learning practices.Here, evaluation offers general support of assurance in decision-making situation. Among decision – makers’ evaluation gives them a valued support in their decision-making. â€Å"Evaluation is seen as an important external ‘second opinion’, in relation to which decision-makers can reflect their own ideas. This ‘second opinion gives management the opportunity to assure itself that planned actions and strategic choices are also reasonable from an external point of view. â€Å"(Ibid. ). Evaluation i s valuable for justifying and convincing others about the necessity of proposed decisions.Within the organisation evaluation provides support tot he decision – makers in relation tot he staff. Here, the decision maker can not stand alone, but point out someone from the outside who has objectively assessed the situation and has arrived at a conclusion that such decision are inevitable to put aside. Evaluation also contributes to an organisational learning practice by positioning the organisation to have the willingness to improve on its observed results. When evaluation is carried out, if the result that the organisation gets is unfavourable, it tends to strive to improve upon this, so as to obtain a better result next time.To Udell and Baker (1977), cited in Sexton, et al (1989), advantages of innovative evaluation to inventors, when their innovation and ideas are subject to it, includes; 1. A general idea of a commercial viability of their new product idea. 2. Input concerni ng potential problems likely to be encountered during the innovation process. 3. Unbiased opinions from individuals who have the expertise to evaluate a new product ideas or invention. 4. Pertinent information that will be useful in presenting the concept to others 5. Direction regarding additional information needed for a more thorough evaluation of the product.6. Opportunity, based on the information provided, to make a more informed decision about whether to drop or proceed with the product. 7. Information that may help attracts investors. It is seen that these highlighted advantages of evaluation to innovative ideas are similar to those that an organisation derives when evaluation are linked up with the organisation learning practices. HINDRANCES TO ORGANISATION’S EVALUATION A major hindrance to effective evaluation is when the objectives and goals of an organisation are not clearly stated and straightforward and explicit.It makes the evaluation of such goals and objectiv e very difficult. This tends to hamper the results of the evaluation process. As the ALNAP annual review (2003) has it â€Å"The potential contribution of evaluation genres to learning is often hampered by a lack of clarity as to the purpose, the under-use of approaches and techniques likely to increase learning at the individual and team level and the under use of evaluation materials and case studies in training. According to Oksanen (2005), the most often mentioned weak points to evaluation includes:1. Lack of time for evaluations which may lead to inaccuracies and superficiality in results; 2. Evaluators’ competencies and in particular, their insufficient knowledge of local circumstances. CONCLUSION From the write-up it is seen that evaluation plays a significant role in organisational learning practices, through evaluation the learning practice is made feasible and effective. This make the decisional aspect of the organisational practice to be generally supported and ac cepted in the attainment of set goals and objectives for the organisation.Through evaluation, the organisation strengths and weaknesses are observed and corrective measures are better put in place to correct these weaknesses BIBLIOGRAPHY ALNAP Annual Review (2003), –Chapter Five. (www. alnap. org/AR2002/chapter5a. htm) (19th August2005) Argyris, Chris (1982) Reasoning Learning and Action: Individual and Organisational, San Franciso: Jossey-Bass Argyris Chris (1990), Overcoming Organisational Defences, Facilitating Organisation Learning; Boston: Allyn and Bacon. Argyris, Chris (1993, Knowledge for Action a Guide to Overcoming Barriers to Organisational Change.San Francisco: Jossey Bass Argyris C. and Schon D. (1974), Theory in Practice Increasing Professional Effectiveness San Francisco: Jossey Bass. Argyris C. and Schon D. (1978), Organisational Learning: A theory of Action Perspective, Reading Mass: Addison Wesley Edmondson, A and Moingeon, B (1999) â€Å"Learning, Trust an d Organisational Change† in M. Easterby-Smith, L. Aranjo and J. Burgoyne (eds. ) Organisational Learning and the Learning Organisation, London: Sage Fadeyi, R. M (1999), Management Principles and Practices, Lagos, Foresythe Media Ltd.IFRA (2005), â€Å"Evaluation and Organisational Learning† (www. ifrc. org/docs/appeals/annual01/01790101. pdf) (20th August, 2005) Mande (2005), â€Å"Overcoming Organisational defences: Chris Argyris† (www. mande. co. uk/docs/chapter4. htm) (28 June, 2005. Oksanen, Juha (2005), â€Å"Does Evaluation Contribute to decision Making? † (www. evaluationcanada. ca/distribution/200005_oksanen_juha. pdf. ) (19th August, 2005. Sexton, Donald L. et al (1989) â€Å"Innovation Evaluation Programs: Do they Help the Investors? â€Å"In Journals of Small Business Management Vol.27, Issue 3. Smith, K. Mark (2001), â€Å"Chris Argyris: Theories of action, double-loop learning and organisational learning†, the encyclopaedia of inform al education, (www. infed. org/thinkers/argyris. htm. ) (20th August, 2005). Usher, R and Bryant, I (1989) Adult Education as theory, Practice and Research, London: Routledge. Williams Bob (2005), â€Å"The contribution of Evaluation to Program and Orgnaisational Development- The use of’ Whole System’ Groups Processes†. (http://users. actrix. co. nz/bobwill/elg. doc) (19th August, 2005.

The Twilight Saga 2: New Moon Chapter 5 CHEATER

â€Å"BELLA, WHY DON'T YOU TAKE OFF,† MIKE SUGGESTED, his eyes focused off to the side, not really looking at me. I wondered how long that had been going on without me noticing. It was a slow afternoon at Newton's. At the moment there were only two patrons in the store, dedicated backpackers from the sound of their conversation. Mike had spent the last hour going through the pros and cons of two brands of lightweight packs with them. But they'd taken a break from serious pricing to indulge in trying to one-up each other with their latest tales from the trail. Their distraction had given Mike a chance to escape. â€Å"I don't mind staying,† I said. I still hadn't been able to sink back into my protective shell of numbness, and everything seemed oddly close and loud today, like I'd taken cotton out of my ears. I tried to tune out the laughing hikers without success. â€Å"I'm telling you,† said the thickset man with the orange beard that didn't match his dark brown hair. â€Å"I've seen grizzlies pretty close up in Yellowstone, but they had nothing on this brute.† His hair was matted, and his clothes looked like they'd been on his back for more than a few days. Fresh from the mountains. â€Å"Not a chance. Black bears don't get that big. The grizzlies you saw were probably cubs.† The second man was tall and lean, his face tanned and wind-whipped into an impressive leathery crust. â€Å"Seriously, Bella, as soon as these two give up, I'm closing the place down,† Mike murmured. â€Å"If you want me to go† I shrugged. â€Å"On all fours it was taller than you,† the bearded man insisted while I gathered my things together. â€Å"Big as a house and pitch-black. I'm going to report it to the ranger here. People ought to be warnedthis wasn't up on the mountain, mind youthis was only a few miles from the trailhead.† Leather-face laughed and rolled his eyes. â€Å"Let me guessyou were on your way in? Hadn't eaten real food or slept off the ground in a week, right?† â€Å"Hey, uh, Mike, right?† the bearded man called, looking toward us. â€Å"See you Monday,† I mumbled. â€Å"Yes, sir,† Mike replied, turning away. â€Å"Say, have there been any warnings around here recentlyabout black bears?† â€Å"No, sir. But it's always good to keep your distance and store your food correctly. Have you seen the new bear-safe canisters? They only weigh two pounds† The doors slid open to let me out into the rain. I hunched over inside my jacket as I dashed for my truck. The rain hammering against my hood sounded unusually loud, too, but soon the roar of the engine drowned out everything else. I didn't want to go back to Charlie's empty house. Last night had been particularly brutal, and I had no desire to revisit the scene of the suffering. Even after the pain had subsided enough for me to sleep, it wasn't over. Like I'd told Jessica after the movie, there was never any doubt that I would have nightmares. I always had nightmares now, every night. Not nightmares really, not in the plural, because it was always the same nightmare. You'd think I'd get bored after so many months, grow immune to it. But the dream never failed to horrify me, and only ended when I woke myself with screaming. Charlie didn't come in to see what was wrong anymore, to make sure there was no intruder strangling me or something like thathe was used to it now. My nightmare probably wouldn't even frighten someone else. Nothing jumped out and screamed, â€Å"Boo!† There were no zombies, no ghosts, no psychopaths. There was nothing, really. Only nothing. Just the endless maze of moss-covered trees, so quiet that the silence was an uncomfortable pressure against my eardrums. It was dark, like dusk on a cloudy day, with only enough light to see that there was nothing to see. I hurried through the gloom without a path, always searching, searching, searching, getting more frantic as the time stretched on, trying to move faster, though the speed made me clumsy Then there would come the point in my dreamand I could feel it coming now, but could never seem to wake myself up before it hitwhen I couldn't remember what it was that I was searching for. When I realized that there was nothing to search for, and nothing to find. That there never had been anything more than just this empty, dreary wood, and there never would be anything more for me n othing but nothing That was usually about when the screaming started. I wasn't paying attention to where I was drivingjust wandering through empty, wet side roads as I avoided the ways that would take me homebecause I didn't have anywhere to go. I wished I could feel numb again, but I couldn't remember how I'd managed it before. The nightmare was nagging at my mind and making me think about things that would cause me pain. I didn't want to remember the forest. Even as I shuddered away from the images, I felt my eyes fill with tears and the aching begin around the edges of the hole in my chest. I took one hand from the steering wheel and wrapped it around my torso to hold it in one piece. It will be as if I'd never existed. The words ran through my head, lacking the perfect clarity of my hallucination last night. They were just words, soundless, like print on a page. Just words, but they ripped the hole wide open, and I stomped on the brake, knowing I should not drive while this incapacitated. I curled over, pressing my face against the steering wheel and trying to breathe without lungs. I wondered how long this could last. Maybe someday, years from nowif the pain would just decrease to the point where I could bear itI would be able to look back on those few short months that would always be the best of my life. And, if it were possible that the pain would ever soften enough to allow me to do that, I was sure that I would feel grateful for as much time as he'd given me. More than I'd asked for, more than I'd deserved. Maybe someday I'd be able to see it that way. But what if this hole never got any better? If the raw edges never healed? If the damage was permanent and irreversible? I held myself tightly together. As if he'd never existed, I thought in despair. What a stupid and impossible promise to make! He could steal my pictures and reclaim his gifts, but that didn't put things back the way they'd been before I'd met him. The physical evidence was the most insignificant part of the equation. I was changed, my insides altered almost past the point of recognition. Even my outsides looked differentmy face sallow, white except for the purple circles the nightmares had left under my eyes. My eyes were dark enough against my pallid skin thatif I were beautiful, and seen from a distanceI might even pass for a vampire now. But I was not beautiful, and I probably looked closer to a zombie. As if he'd never existed? That was insanity. It was a promise that he could never keep, a promise that was broken as soon as he'd made it. I thumped my head against the steering wheel, trying to distract myself from the sharper pain. It made me feel silly for ever worrying about keeping my promise. Where was the logic in sticking to an agreement that had already been violated by the other party? Who cared if I was reckless and stupid? There was no reason to avoid recklessness, no reason why I shouldn't get to be stupid. I laughed humorlessly to myself, still gasping for air. Reckless in Forksnow there was a hopeless proposition. The dark humor distracted me, and the distraction eased the pain. My breath came easier, and I was able to lean back against the seat. Though it was cold today, my forehead was damp with sweat. I concentrated on my hopeless proposition to keep from sliding back into the excruciating memories. To be reckless in Forks would take a lot of creativitymaybe more than I had. But I wished I could find some way I might feel better if I weren't holding fast, all alone, to a broken pact. If I were an oath-breaker, too. But how could I cheat on my side of the deal, here in this harmless little town? Of course, Forks hadn't always been so harmless, but now it was exactly what it had always appeared to be. It was dull, it was safe. I stared out the windshield for a long moment, my thoughts moving sluggishlyI couldn't seem to make those thoughts go anywhere. I cut the engine, which was groaning in a pitiful way after idling for so long, and stepped out into the drizzle. The cold rain dripped through my hair and then trickled across my cheeks like freshwater tears. It helped to clear my head. I blinked the water from my eyes, staring blankly across the road. After a minute of staring, I recognized where I was. I'd parked in the middle of the north lane of Russell Avenue. I was standing in front of the Cheneys' housemy truck was blocking their drivewayand across the road lived the Markses. I knew I needed to move my truck, and that I ought to go home. It was wrong to wander the way I had, distracted and impaired, a menace on the roads of Forks. Besides, someone would notice me soon enough, and report me to Charlie. As I took a deep breath in preparation to move, a sign in the Markses' yard caught my eyeit was just a big piece of cardboard leaning against their mailbox post, with black letters scrawled in caps across it. Sometimes, kismet happens. Coincidence? Or was it meant to be? I didn't know, but it seemed kind of silly to think that it was somehow fated, that the dilapidated motorcycles rusting in the Markses' front yard beside the hand-printed FOR SALE, AS IS sign were serving some higher purpose by existing there, right where I needed them to be. So maybe it wasn't kismet. Maybe there were just all kinds of ways to be reckless, and I only now had my eyes open to them. Reckless and stupid. Those were Charlie's two very favorite words to apply to motorcycles. Charlie's job didn't get a lot of action compared to cops in bigger towns, but he did get called in on traffic accidents. With the long, wet stretches of freeway twisting and turning through the forest, blind corner after blind corner, there was no shortage of that kind of action. But even with all the huge log-haulers barreling around the turns, mostly people walked away. The exceptions to that rule were often on motorcycles, and Charlie had seen one too many victims, almost always kids, smeared on the highway. He'd made me promise before I was ten that I would never accept a ride on a motorcycle. Even at that age, I didn't have to think twice before promising. Who would want to ride a motorcycle here? It would be like taking a sixty-mile-per-hour bath. So many promises I kept It clicked together for me then. I wanted to be stupid and reckless, and I wanted to break promises. Why stop at one? That's as far as I thought it through. I sloshed through the rain to the Markses' front door and rang the bell. One of the Marks boys opened the door, the younger one, the freshman. I couldn't remember his name. His sandy hair only came up to my shoulder. He had no trouble remembering my name. â€Å"Bella Swan?† he asked in surprise. â€Å"How much do you want for the bike?† I panted, jerking my thumb over my shoulder toward the sales display. â€Å"Are you serious?† he demanded. â€Å"Of course I am.† â€Å"They don't work.† I sighed impatientlythis was something I'd already inferred from the sign. â€Å"How much?† â€Å"If you really want one, just take it. My mom made my dad move them down to the road so they'd get picked up with the garbage.† I glanced at the bikes again and saw that they were resting on a pile of yard clippings and dead branches. â€Å"Are you positive about that?† â€Å"Sure, you want to ask her?† It was probably better not to involve adults who might mention this to Charlie. â€Å"No, I believe you.† â€Å"You want me to help you?† he offered. â€Å"They're not light.† â€Å"Okay, thanks. I only need one, though.† â€Å"Might as well take both,† the boy said. â€Å"Maybe you could scavenge some parts.† He followed me out into the downpour and helped me load both of the heavy bikes into the back of my truck. He seemed eager to be rid of them, so I didn't argue. â€Å"What are you going to do with them, anyway?† he asked. â€Å"They haven't worked in years.† â€Å"I kind of guessed that,† I said, shrugging. My spur-of-the-moment whim hadn't come with a plan intact. â€Å"Maybe I'll take them to Dowling's.† He snorted. â€Å"Dowling would charge more to fix them than they'd be worth running.† I couldn't argue with that. John Dowling had earned a reputation for his pricing; no one went to him except in an emergency. Most people preferred to make the drive up to Port Angeles, if their car was able. I'd been very lucky on that frontI'd been worried, when Charlie first gifted me my ancient truck, that I wouldn't be able to afford to keep it running. But I'd never had a single problem with it, other than the screaming-loud engine and the fifty-five-mile-per-hour maximum speed limit. Jacob Black had kept it in great shape when it had belonged to his father, Billy Inspiration hit like a bolt of lightningnot unreasonable, considering the storm. â€Å"You know what? That's okay. I know someone who builds cars.† â€Å"Oh. That's good.† He smiled in relief. He waved as I pulled away, still smiling. Friendly kid. I drove quickly and purposefully now, in a hurry to get home before there was the slightest chance of Charlie appearing, even in the highly unlikely event that he might knock off early. I dashed through the house to the phone, keys still in hand. â€Å"Chief Swan, please,† I said when the deputy answered. â€Å"It's Bella.† â€Å"Oh, hey, Bella,† Deputy Steve said affably. â€Å"I'll go get him.† I waited. â€Å"What's wrong, Bella?† Charlie demanded as soon as he picked up the phone. â€Å"Can't I call you at work without there being an emergency?† He was quiet for a minute. â€Å"You never have before. Is there an emergency?† â€Å"No. I just wanted directions to the Blacks' placeI'm not sure I can remember the way. I want to visit Jacob. I haven't seen him in months.† When Charlie spoke again, his voice was much happier. â€Å"That's a great idea, Bells. Do you have a pen?† The directions he gave me were very simple. I assured him that I would be back for dinner, though he tried to tell me not to hurry. He wanted to join me in La Push, and I wasn't having that. So it was with a deadline that I drove too quickly through the storm-darkened streets out of town. I hoped I could get Jacob alone. Billy would probably tell on me if he knew what I was up to. While I drove, I worried a little bit about Billy's reaction to seeing me. He would be too pleased. In Billy's mind, no doubt, this had all worked out better than he had dared to hope. His pleasure and relief would only remind me of the one I couldn't bear to be reminded of. Not again today, I pleaded silently. I was spent. The Blacks' house was vaguely familiar, a small wooden place with narrow windows, the dull red paint making it resemble a tiny barn. Jacob's head peered out of the window before I could even get out of the truck. No doubt the familiar roar of the engine had tipped him off to my approach. Jacob had been very grateful when Charlie bought Billy's truck for me, saving Jacob from having to drive it when he came of age. I liked my truck very much, but Jacob seemed to consider the speed restrictions a shortcoming. He met me halfway to the house. â€Å"Bella!† His excited grin stretched wide across his face, the bright teeth standing in vivid contrast to the deep russet color of his skin. I'd never seen his hair out of its usual ponytail before. It fell like black satin curtains on either side of his broad face. Jacob had grown into some of his potential in the last eight months. He'd passed that point where the soft muscles of childhood hardened into the solid, lanky build of a teenager; the tendons and veins had become prominent under the red-brown skin of his arms, his hands. His face was still sweet like I remembered it, though it had hardened, toothe planes of his cheekbones sharper, his jaw squared off, all childish roundness gone. â€Å"Hey, Jacob!† I felt an unfamiliar surge of enthusiasm at his smile. I realized that I was pleased to see him. This knowledge surprised me. I smiled back, and something clicked silently into place, like two corresponding puzzle pieces. I'd forgotten how much I really liked Jacob Black. He stopped a few feet away from me, and I stared up at him in surprise, leaning my head back though the rain pelted my face. â€Å"You grew again!† I accused in amazement. He laughed, his smile widening impossibly. â€Å"Six five,† he announced with self-satisfaction. His voice was deeper, but it had the husky tone I remembered. â€Å"Is it ever going to stop?† I shook my head in disbelief. â€Å"You're huge.† â€Å"Still a beanpole, though.† He grimaced. â€Å"Come inside! You're getting all wet.† He led the way, twisting his hair in his big hands as he walked. He pulled a rubber band from his hip pocket and wound it around the bundle. â€Å"Hey, Dad,† he called as he ducked to get through the front door. â€Å"Look who stopped by.† Billy was in the tiny square living room, a book in his hands. He set the book in his lap and wheeled himself forward when he saw me. â€Å"Well, what do you know! It's good to see you, Bella.† We shook hands. Mine was lost in his wide grasp. â€Å"What brings you out here? Everything okay with Charlie?† â€Å"Yes, absolutely. I just wanted to see JacobI haven't seen him in forever.† Jacob's eyes brightened at my words. He was smiling so big it looked like it would hurt his cheeks. â€Å"Can you stay for dinner?† Billy was eager, too. â€Å"No, I've got to feed Charlie, you know.† â€Å"I'll call him now,† Billy suggested. â€Å"He's always invited.† I laughed to hide my discomfort. â€Å"It's not like you'll never see me again. I promise I'll be back again soonso much you'll get sick of me.† After all, if Jacob could fix the bike, someone had to teach me how to ride it. Billy chuckled in response. â€Å"Okay, maybe next time.† â€Å"So, Bella, what do you want to do?† Jacob asked. â€Å"Whatever. What were you doing before I interrupted?† I was strangely comfortable here. It was familiar, but only distantly. There were no painful reminders of the recent past. Jacob hesitated. â€Å"I was just heading out to work on my car, but we can do something else† â€Å"No, that's perfect!† I interrupted. â€Å"I'd love to see your car.† â€Å"Okay,† he said, not convinced. â€Å"It's out back, in the garage.† Even better, I thought to myself. I waved at Billy. â€Å"See you later.† A thick stand of trees and shrubbery concealed his garage from the house. The garage was no more than a couple of big preformed sheds that had been bolted together with their interior walls knocked out. Under this shelter, raised on cinder blocks, was what looked to me like a completed automobile. I recognized the symbol on the grille, at least. â€Å"What kind of Volkswagen is that?† I asked. â€Å"It's an old Rabbit1986, a classic.† â€Å"How's it going?† â€Å"Almost finished,† he said cheerfully. And then his voice dropped into a lower key. â€Å"My dad made good on his promise last spring.† â€Å"Ah,† I said. He seemed to understand my reluctance to open the subject. I tried not to remember last May at the prom. Jacob had been bribed by his father with money and car parts to deliver a message there. Billy wanted me to stay a safe distance from the most important person in my life. It turned out that his concern was, in the end, unnecessary. I was all too safe now. But I was going to see what I could do to change that. â€Å"Jacob, what do you know about motorcycles?† I asked. He shrugged. â€Å"Some. My friend Embry has a dirt bike. We work on it together sometimes. Why?† â€Å"Well† I pursed my lips as I considered. I wasn't sure if he could keep his mouth shut, but I didn't have many other options. â€Å"I recently acquired a couple of bikes, and they're not in the greatest condition. I wonder if you could get them running?† â€Å"Cool.† He seemed truly pleased by the challenge. His face glowed. â€Å"I'll give it a try.† I held up one finger in warning. â€Å"The thing is,† I explained, â€Å"Charlie doesn't approve of motorcycles. Honestly, he'd probably bust a vein in his forehead if he knew about this. So you can't tell Billy.† â€Å"Sure, sure.† Jacob smiled. â€Å"I understand.† â€Å"I'll pay you,† I continued. This offended him. â€Å"No. I want to help. You can't pay me.† â€Å"Well how about a trade, then?† I was making this up as I went, but it seemed reasonable enough. â€Å"I only need one bikeand I'll need lessons, too. So how about this? I'll give you the other bike, and then you can teach me.† â€Å"Swee-eet.† He made the word into two syllables. â€Å"Wait a secare you legal yet? When's your birthday?† â€Å"You missed it,† he teased, narrowing his eyes in mock resentment. â€Å"I'm sixteen.† â€Å"Not that your age ever stopped you before,† I muttered. â€Å"Sorry about your birthday.† â€Å"Don't worry about it. I missed yours. What are you, forty?† I sniffed. â€Å"Close.† â€Å"We'll have a joint party to make up for it.† â€Å"Sounds like a date.† His eyes sparkled at the word. I needed to reign in the enthusiasm before I gave him the wrong ideait was just that it had been a long time since I'd felt so light and buoyant. The rarity of the feeling made it more difficult to manage. â€Å"Maybe when the bikes are finishedour present to ourselves,† I added. â€Å"Deal. When will you bring them down?† I bit my lip, embarrassed. â€Å"They're in my truck now,† I admitted. â€Å"Great.† He seemed to mean it. â€Å"Will Billy see if we bring them around?† He winked at me. â€Å"We'll be sneaky.† We eased around from the east, sticking to the trees when we were in view of the windows, affecting a casual-looking stroll, just in case. Jacob unloaded the bikes swiftly from the truck bed, wheeling them one by one into the shrubbery where I hid. It looked too easy for himI'd remembered the bikes being much, much heavier than that. â€Å"These aren't half bad,† Jacob appraised as we pushed them through the cover of the trees. â€Å"This one here will actually be worth something when I'm doneit's an old Harley Sprint.† â€Å"That one's yours, then.† â€Å"Are you sure?† â€Å"Absolutely.† â€Å"These are going to take some cash, though,† he said, frowning down at the blackened metal. â€Å"We'll have to save up for parts first.† â€Å"We nothing,† I disagreed. â€Å"If you're doing this for free, I'll pay for the parts.† â€Å"I don't know† he muttered. â€Å"I've got some money saved. College fund, you know.† College, schmollege, I thought to myself. It wasn't like I'd saved up enough to go anywhere specialand besides, I had no desire to leave Forks anyway. What difference would it make if I skimmed a little bit off the top? Jacob just nodded. This all made perfect sense to him. As we skulked back to the makeshift garage, I contemplated my luck. Only a teenage boy would agree to this: deceiving both our parents while repairing dangerous vehicles using money meant for my college education. He didn't see anything wrong with that picture. Jacob was a gift from the gods.

Oedipus Essays

Oedipus Essays Oedipus Essay Oedipus Essay The worship of Gods was important in Greek culture. I knew the Gods played an important role in Greek stories, but through this presentation, I learned of the connection between the Gods and irony. Apollo gave prophecies to the Greeks through his oracle at Delphi. The Greeks do everything the Gods tell them through prophecy, so dramatic irony is caused through the Gods because the audience may know the prophecy while the characters may not. This gave me another way to understand the many applications of irony in Greek mythology. From prior knowledge, I knew Zeus killed his father, Croons, and Oedipus killed his father Alias. The presentation let me make the connection between Alias and Croons, which was terribly intriguing. Both Alias and Croons tried to get rid of their sons so they could keep power. However, both Zeus and Oedipus came back to kill their fathers. This allows me to compare them and give Oedipus the same prestige Zeus had for killing his father. Susann spoke of Gods being allowed to incest, but the humans werent. I knew humans werent allowed to express incest because other religions, such as mine, dont allow it. I thought it was interesting how the Gods could do it because they were all related to each other. She also spoke of the humans being punished for trying to be too much like the Gods, so now understand why the Gods would punish Oedipus for sleeping with his mother. Also, another Justification for incest for the Gods was their need to reproduce. This treatment gave me a new understanding of the prestige the Gods had over the humans and how they kept that prestige.

Overview and Explanation of ZIP Codes

Overview and Explanation of ZIP Codes ZIP Codes, five-digit numbers that represent small areas of the United States, were created by the United States Postal Service in 1963 to aid in the efficiency of delivering the ever-increasing volume of mail. The term ZIP is short for Zone Improvement Plan. The First Mail Coding System During World War II, the United States Postal Service (USPS) suffered from a shortage of experienced laborers who left the country to serve in the military. In order to deliver mail more efficiently, the USPS created a coding system in 1943 to divide delivery areas within the 124 largest cities in the country. The code would appear between the city and the state (e.g., Seattle 6, Washington). By the 1960s, the volume of mail (and population) had dramatically increased as a vast majority of the nations mail was no longer personal correspondence but business mail such as bills, magazines, and advertisements. The post office needed a better system to manage the huge quantities of material that moved through the mail each day.   Creating the ZIP Code System The USPS developed major mail processing centers on the outskirts of major metropolitan areas to avoid the transportation problems and delays of transporting mail directly to the center of cities. With the development of the processing centers, the  United States Postal Service established ZIP (Zone Improvement Program) Codes. The idea for a ZIP Code System originated with Philadelphia postal inspector Robert Moon in 1944. Moon thought that a new coding system was needed, believing that the end of mail by train was soon to come and instead, planes were to be a huge part of the mails future. Interestingly, it took nearly 20 years to convince the USPS that a new code was needed and to implement it. ZIP Codes, which were first announced to the public on July 1, 1963, were designed to help better distribute the growing amount of mail in the United States. Every address in the United States was assigned a specific ZIP Code. At this time, however, the use of ZIP Codes was still optional. In 1967, the use of ZIP Codes was made mandatory for bulk mailers and the public caught on quickly. In order to further streamline mail processing, in 1983 the USPS added a four-digit code to the end of ZIP Codes, the ZIP4, to break ZIP Codes into smaller geographic regions based on delivery routes. Decoding the Code The five-digit ZIP Codes begin with a digit from 0-9 that represents a region of the United States. 0 represents the northeastern U.S. and 9 is used for the western states (see list below). The next two digits identify a commonly linked transportation region and the last two digits pinpoint the correct processing center and post office.   ZIP Codes were created to expedite mail processing, not to identify neighborhoods or regions. Their boundaries are based on the logistical and transportation needs of the United States Postal Service and not on neighborhoods, watersheds, or community cohesion. It is troubling that so much geographic data is based and available based only on ZIP Codes.   Using ZIP Code-based geographic data is not an excellent choice, especially since ZIP Code boundaries are subject to change at any time and do not represent true communities or neighborhoods. ZIP Code data is not appropriate for many geographic purposes, but has, unfortunately, come to be the standard for dividing up cities, communities, or counties into different neighborhoods. It would be wise for data providers and mapmakers alike to avoid the use of ZIP Codes when developing geographic products but there is often no other consistent method of determining neighborhoods within the diverse geographies of the local political boundaries of the United States. The Nine ZIP Code Regions of the United States There are a handful of exceptions to this list where parts of a state are in a different region but for the most part, the states lie within one of the following nine ZIP Code regions: 0 - Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire,  Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and New Jersey. 1 - New York, Pennsylvania, and Delaware 2 - Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Washington D.C., North Carolina and South Carolina 3 - Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, and Florida 4 - Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, and Kentucky 5 - Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, and Wisconsin 6 - Illinois, Missouri, Nebraska, and Kansas 7 - Texas, Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Louisiana 8 - Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, Arizona, Utah, New Mexico, and Nevada 9 - California, Oregon, Washington, Alaska, and Hawaii Fun ZIP Code Facts Lowest: 00501 is the lowest numbered ZIP Code, which is for the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) in Holtsville, New York Highest: 99950 corresponds to Ketchikan, Alaska 12345: The easiest ZIP Code goes to the headquarters of General Electric in Schenectady, New York Total Number: As of June 2015, there are 41,733 ZIP Codes in the U.S. Number of People: Each ZIP Code contains approximately 7,500 people Mr. Zip: A cartoon character, created by Harold Wilcox of the Cunningham and Walsh advertising company, used by USPS in the 1960s and 70s to promote the ZIP Code system. Secret: The President and the first family have their own, private ZIP Code that is not publicly known.

Jetpropulsion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Jetpropulsion - Essay Example problem that was created by the Hurricane Katrina, it is important for the supply Chain Manager to have a comprehensive plan having studied and known the details concerning seasons and the environment in which the Hurricane was expected. The problem can solved using various methods that are recommended in the supply chain management field. Using the required measure ensures that the Chain store does not run out of stock even in the time of need in response to the disaster. However, there are measures that may be used to achieve and maintain the flow of business as usual, these include the make to order strategy, make to stock, and assemble to order in that sequence. Both the strategies are useful to the supply chain but not all are effective. In the stores, in this case, it is the supply chain that needs a lot for distribution and also need to take more to consumers. Therefore, make to order strategy is more effective in comparison to other strategies. In relation to location of the store or warehouse, the determinant factor is the availability of consumers. There are some questions that the supplies management ought to ask themselves, for examples, who are our customers? What do they need? How far is the distance from the store to the manufacturing point? These questions will help in the understanding of some critical issues that may lead to lose of cash through bigger expenditures on transport and other useful activities. However, location sometimes may be not a problem depending on the product or services that are being produced or distributed to consumers. The rise of technology has enabled the world to be like a one market place. In the chain supply, the inventories are more important to the business. They help with checking and keeping the records. The records help the managers to check whether they are making profit or loss. It also helps in knowing rate of output and analyzing the progress of the business. The inventory not only help the chain supply