President James Buchanan and the Secession Crisis

5 Types of Usage Errors

5 Types of Usage Errors 5 Types of Usage Errors 5 Types of Usage Errors By Mark Nichol Words can be abused in an assortment of ways, as represented in the accompanying models, each followed by an illustrative conversation and an amendment. 1. An enormous diffused bomb sat in the yard. One type of wrong word use will be utilization of a comparative sounding word, as on account of impact instead of effect, or as appeared in this model: â€Å"A huge defused bomb sat in the courtyard.† 2. Passwords can be collected from keystroke lumberjacks and other malware on publically available PCs. Another kind of mistake with word use is incorrectly spelling of a curved consummation, similarly as with extention rather than expansion, or the incorrectly spelled verb-modifying type of open: â€Å"Passwords can be reaped from keystroke lumberjacks and other malware on freely available computers.† 3. This approach causes an unselfish comradery. A third class of slip-ups in word use is to incorrectly spell a word received from another dialect dependent on how it â€Å"should† be spelled comparably with set up English words-for instance, â€Å"per say† instead of â€Å"per se† or how the final say regarding this sentence was spelled: â€Å"This arrangement induces a selfless camaraderie.† 4. A shared methodology is included four phases. This sentence conveys the reference to the entire before that of the parts, which is right when involve is concerned, yet â€Å"is contained of,† however it has a passage in the word reference, isn't viewed as appropriate English. The in fact right wording is â€Å"A cooperative methodology involves four essential stage gates,† however for this situation (and numerous others), â€Å"consists of† works similarly too or far and away superior: â€Å"A communitarian approach comprises of four stages.† 5. Monetary conditions in business sectors we at present serve may altogether confine development open doors for our association. A few descriptors and verb modifiers are quite often superfluous. For instance, unique, as when it shows up in such expressions as â€Å"several distinctive factors,† is now inferred in the reference to a majority of elements, and a present state is commonly comprehended in such proclamations as â€Å"Economic conditions in business sectors we serve may essentially limit development open doors for our organization.† (Redundancy isn't a blunder, yet it is sufficiently irritating to procure privileged mistake status and along these lines incorporation in this post.) Need to improve your English quickly a day? Get a membership and begin getting our composing tips and activities day by day! Continue learning! Peruse the Style classification, check our famous posts, or pick a related post below:Avoid Beginning a Sentence with â€Å"With†Gratitude or Gratefulness?Charles' Pen and Jesus' Name

10 Ways to Become a Better Conversationalist

10 Ways to Become a Better Conversationalist You always have conversations. Right?But just what kind of conversations do you have? Of what quality are they?You go through an experience and you want to share it with someone. You get lonely and you want to spend time with someone. The first people you think of are your friends. Maybe your spouse or children. People you have a connection with.Why?These people make you feel good and life becomes better when they are around.You even wish you always had them around you at all times.Some people are better than others. They really brighten you up. Talking with them easily makes you happy and you enjoy the time spent together.But not so with others.There are those you would rather stay away from when you are not in your best moods.Any talk with them may as well make things worse for you. They are still around you anyway and you cannot wish them away.But you can avoid talking with them.And that is what you do.But have you considered what others think of talking with you?You talk to some people and you enjoy the time. But do all the people you talk with enjoy your company?Just as you don’t like conversing with some people, is it possible that some people don’t like conversing with you? Could it be that they are just acting polite by not walking away from you?If the answer is yes, then it could be a very saddening revelation. You would probably not want to believe it as true.This is because it hurts your sense of pride. Everyone has a sense of pride. It is what makes us love ourselves. It gives us confidence. Confidence, not arrogance.Conversations are a normal part of the human life. Human beings are social in nature and will always prefer living and operating around others like them. The human life is built around communities. Communities of people with common backgrounds or interests.Don’t we talk about the Christian community, Muslim community, the legal fraternity, even an online community? Not to mention that the online community is virtual. But it still exists and we passionately identify ourselves with it.No matter how advanced technology becomes, the community setup cannot end.With the high number of digital communication channels, face-to-face interactions are reducing by the day. People are now more likely to text their messages rather than meet and talk. Chat messages are becoming the more common way of communication.Is it just an issue of convenience?Well, there is definitely convenience being achieved but is there something being lost?Yes, there is.Human relations are becoming less authentic. Be it personal relationships or businesses interacting with their customers, conversations are losing the human touch.This is all in an effort to enhance productivity. We want to be able to do more in less time. Whereas this is a good thing to strive for, it would be best to seek out a balance. Balancing the traditional and modern modes of conversing.ARE PEOPLE INTERESTED IN CONVERSING WITH YOU?Being a good conversationalist can be an a rt that you need to learn.But it could also be an art that you excelled in only that technology taught you otherwise.How can you tell whether you have lost the art of making good conversations? Could it be that you didn’t have it in the first place? Maybe due to being born and brought up in the midst of technology?Here are some things you can check to find out whether people want to be in a conversation with you.Are they responding with only ‘Yes’ or ‘No?’This is one sure way of knowing whether the people you’re talking with are interested in talking.When they respond to your questions with these short words and add nothing else, take note. They are simply saying that they don’t want to push the conversation further. If they were interested in the conversation, they would give an answer that opens them up for more talking.For example, you could say to someone “It’s pretty hot today. Are you feeling it?” If his only response is “Yes” or “Sure,” then check how you progress. On the other hand, if he says something like “Yeah, I’ve been drinking cold water since morning to cool myself down,” then you know the conversation can continue.You can pick something from that response to push the conversation further.When gauging people’s interest in a conversation using this method, don’t use only one question.People could just be indicating a lack of interest in the current subject. Change the subject and see what their response is like. If you know some of their interest, engage them on those. If their response is cold, then you have a big clue. Politely excuse yourself and look for someone else to converse with.Are they asking you questions?When in a conversation with someone, you will mostly be speaking about yourself. The other person will then be listening and there is a way of knowing if he is interested.Asking questions helps you know more about a topic. When you encounter an interesting subject and you want to know more about it, you ask questions. Questions indicate that you are willing to spend more time learning.When you are talking with someone and he finds you to be interesting, he will naturally want to know more about you. If not you, then the subject you are talking about, which will lead him back to you. If he is not asking you questions, he is indicating a lack of interest.Continuing to talk with such a person is not going to change things. Instead, you will start becoming a real bother to them. The wisest thing to do is just leave them.Are they telling you about themselves?Conversations are two-way. There is no way one person will talk while others are silently listening throughout. There has to be responses coming from those listening. Everyone has something to talk about. It may not be much but there is definitely something to talk about.If you are telling someone about yourself but he is not doing the same, consider killing the conversation. If someone is not talking to you about himself, he doesn’t want you to know him.He is therefore willing to maintain silence so that everyone keeps to himself. Persisting in such a conversation will wear you out and make you a nuisance to the other person.This does not necessarily mean that you are the problem. The other person might be having personal reasons why he doesn’t want to engage in a conversation.Are they laughing at your jokes and stories?Jokes offer a great way of easing the tension between people or just getting someone to be more engaged.This is why public speakers always use them. You don’t have to be a talented comedian to tell funny jokes and stories.When someone finds you interesting, he opens himself up to be wowed by you.The smallest of funny stories regarding your childhood will be received with much liking.The jokes and stories you tell are simply narrations of your past experiences. Whether you are a good story teller or not, past experiences are usually funny since most of them paint you in cumbersom e situations.These are the kind of things you recall when talking with your childhood friends when going through your pasts.If the person you’re talking with isn’t finding your stories and jokes worth laughing at, then he is not interested in the conversation. Maybe he has a different background, different interests or lacks a sense of humor.Either way, it will be a tall order for you to make the conversation last.Do people get in touch after your first conversation?Conversations will end and you will part ways. The real test of the conversation’s success is the follow-up meeting. The person you met and talked with may call you after two weeks and request a meeting. This is a great sign that the conversation was interesting to him.If on the other hand, you are forgotten as soon as you part ways, then the conversation was not interesting. It is just like what happens to salesmen all over the world.They pitch to potential customers and at times, can only leave hoping to receive calls from them. If the customer was interested, there would be a call. If not, then no call would be coming.If you have experienced any of the above, then you have come to the right place.This article will teach you how to become better in conversations.10 WAYS TO BECOME A BETTER CONVERSATIONALISTHaving a good conversation is critical for everyone.You will feel the need for it especially when you are in the midst of strangers. You will be attending conferences, birthday parties, networking events, seminars etc.If things work well for you, you will find two or three people you already know.But those people also know others and they want to catch up with them. You are not going to spend all the time with them.So what do you do? You have to make new friends.Below you will get to know 10 simple ways which will help you become better in conversations. Start practicing these today and you will soon realize that starting and sustaining conversations is easy.Tip: You don’t have to be the one starting all conversations. If you however are in a networking meeting, rev up your confidence and approach someone for a conversation. If it’s not a networking meeting but there are people around you, go ahead and start the conversation.Below are the 10 ways to become a better conversationalist.Be yourselfThis is the most basic aspect of honesty. Still, some people prefer to stay away from it. Watch the below video to learn the importance of knowing and being yourself. With the widely-accepted philosophy of ‘fake it till you make it,’ many people lie about many things. Including their identity and personalities. This is the worst thing you can do when engaging in a conversation. You may gain someone’s trust quickly. You however start working to maintain the lie you built. Eventually, you will stand to lose the trust and friendship as you earn a tarnished name.Everyone is different in a unique way and you need to embrace that. What makes a conversation interesting is th e difference in thoughts, experiences, life visions etc.If you constantly seek to be like someone else in order to be interesting in a conversation, you will certainly not go very far. There will soon be a disconnect showing. You also stand the danger of forgetting the show you put up last time so as to support it further.Normal conversations are supposed to be easy-flowing and natural. This can only happen when you are being yourself. What are your likes? Which college did you attend? Which sport do you like?When you are yourself, it is easy to keep a conversation going without struggling. You are simply operating in the area of your expertise. Aren’t you an expert in yourself? Your words will also be consistent regardless of the situations you are explaining.Be genuinely interestedImagine what it could be like for someone to engage you in a conversation about your favorite subject.Be it holiday destinations, cars, fashion, movies etc. You could easily talk for hours. Why? Becaus e the person has shown interest in what you love. Whatever it is that you love, it forms a part of you. When someone wants to know a part of you, he essentially wants to know you. This makes you feel important to that person.When you show interest in someone, they tend to tell you more about themselves. This is important because all humans are always looking for someone to talk to. Even those who are introverted by nature. These mostly keep to themselves because they feel there is something inside them that’s not understandable by many. When they find someone who understands them however, they share deeply-personal things about themselves.Eventually, you will stand out in their lives as one who is likable because they can talk with you about themselves.Give and takeConversations are talks between two or more people. If you’re the only one talking, then you’re giving a lecture. If giving a lecture during a conversation, the other person is bound to lose interest and switch off. Giving and taking in a conversation is all about not talking too much. You should let the other person also speak.You may have a very interesting subject to discuss. Unfortunately for you, that does not guarantee that you will make an interesting conversation.The other person may also have something to say about it. If you dominate the conversation, even if you are an expert, you will cease being exciting.Ensure you let the other person talk too. Listen to their opinion, thoughts or knowledge then proceed on the common ground.Ask open-ended questionsAlways ask questions. Questions indicate that you want to know more. They show that you are interested in the life of the other person. This helps the conversation flow as someone opens up to you.All the same, you also need to be careful with questions. Do not ask probing questions. True, questions are meant to probe. It however matters how you ask them.Avoid asking questions like “Were you angry about that?” or “Did that make you uncomfortable?” Such questions are likely to attract monosyllabic responses. The person you are talking with may find this a quick way of disengaging from the conversation.Instead, ask open-ended questions like “How did you feel?” or “What was the experience like?” Such questions cannot be answered by a simple ‘Yes’ or ’No’ response. These will force the answer to be an explanation.This is exactly what you want so that the conversation flows. As they explain their feeling, let your interest show. Take their facial expressions and the changes in the tone of their voice as cues. These will provide for a natural way of progressing with the conversation.From the cues you have, ask follow-up questions or make follow-up comments. When responding to their explanations, both follow-up questions and comments can work.You however need to be more careful with the comments. Just like the questions, ensure they leave room for responses.For example, an answer to your question ma y be, “It felt so lonely being in that room all by myself. Everyone had left and I had to wait for two hours.” A good follow-up comment would be “Two hours? That must have felt like eternity.”This comment indirectly asks whether they felt like it was eternity. Note that the response only expressed the feeling of loneliness in an empty room. You are now building on the duration of loneliness.Alternatively, you can ask “Two hours? Why didn’t you go out even for a short walk?” At this, you can expect a response as to why there was a willingness to sit down in a room for two hours.As you ask questions, keep the tone of your voice in check and use your facial expressions accordingly.Focus on the conversationWhenever you are conversing with someone, you have to focus on the conversation. Whether it is your friend or someone you just met, this is very important.Although your friends might accommodate a bit of lack of focus from you, someone you’ve just met won’t. Someone you are meeting for the first time will interpret that as showing a lack of interest. It is also disrespectful. This will not earn you the marks you are looking for.Focusing on the conversation has to do with being attentive, responding accordingly and keeping distractions away. One of the biggest distractions is your mobile phone. In this digital age where you can conduct business from anywhere, you can receive email alerts at any time.More than that, you may remember that you needed to send a sales quotation to one of your clients.As much as this can be understandable, you cannot afford to make this a habit. The easiest way to avoid this is ensuring your phone’s alerts have no sound or vibration. Setting your phone to ‘silent mode’ shows the importance you place on your conversation.You will then be able to concentrate on what the other person is talking about.Do not argueConversations are all about sharing thoughts and opinions in a friendly environment. When someone tells you their thoughts about something, don’t rush to prove them wrong. Even if you are an expert and know better.In fact, such ‘correction’ will not be appreciated. The other person has not contracted you as his adviser. You are just supposed to know his opinion and share yours.While sharing your opinions, do not be authoritative or forceful. That is not friendly yet you intend to form friendship. You should be accommodative of their ideas and opinions. If the person is very wrong and you feel the need to correct them, then do so politely and wisely.You can start by asking them a question so you can understand the reason they hold the opinions they have. With that understanding, you will be able to know how best to make sense to them.Related to arguing is being judgmental. This is fatal to any conversation. Indeed it can even kill already-established friendships. When you become judgmental towards others, you are taking a higher position while lowering them. You are essentially t elling them how wrong they are and they need correction.Judging others also tells them that whatever they say to you, you are going to be examining it for mistakes.Since you are likely to find mistakes, people will be apprehensive to talk with you. Others will just not know what to say that is not contrary to your opinion.For this reason, they might prefer staying away from you.Give complimentsWe all like to be complimented, especially when we do something praiseworthy. This appreciation will make the person you are complimenting open up to you.It breaks some walls as the person sees you as keen enough to notice something good about them. Compliments are powerful tools that make people feel good about themselves.In a conversation setting, giving a compliment makes the person you’re talking with happy. They will then tell you more about themselves because happy people tend to talk more.Recognize their voices and ask them whether they sing in the choir. Appreciate the jokes they tel l and ask whether they are comedians. Such compliments go a long way in raising someone’s hopes and confidence.Since you make them feel appreciated, they will want to spend more time with you. They will also want to be more friendly towards you.Tell storiesAlways tell stories in the course of your conversations. As much as you may be trying to have a conversation with a stranger, just think of him as a friend. This way, it is easier to talk freely. Don’t you find it easy telling your friends stories about your life?Do not strive to tell stories which will be interesting. Story telling is easy and can flow very naturally. Keep the stories relevant to the subject of discussion.Are you talking about animals?Then tell a story about what happened when you slept with your cat in your bed. Have you had a hunting dog before? You can share some stories about the adventures. Did you maybe live in an area infested by snakes and you got attacked severally? Share some of the experiences.Thro ughout your story telling, gauge the interest levels in the person you are talking with. This will help you know whether to continue or change the subject. At the same time, remember that it’s a conversation. You should allow the person you’re talking with to interject and ask questions or make comments.If the person offers a story of his own, let yours die away and listen to his. Show genuine interest and be open to humor. Shared laughter goes a long way in building great friendships.Listen, listen, listenHave you ever tried talking to someone who is ignoring you? You definitely didn’t like it. You probably regretted getting into the conversation in the first place.When having a conversation with someone, the best thing you can do for both of you is listen to him. This not only shows that you are interested, it also creates room for a connection. Listening to someone talk enables you understand him.When he feels understood, he is ready to reciprocate. As you have understood h im, he will also want to understand you. This is how friendships are made. Not necessarily because two people share all the same values.The below video teaches some basic yet important tips on how to become a better listener. Watch it then read on to learn how listening impacts your conversations. It is important to note that listening is not for the purposes of replying correctly.You are listening to understand the other person. A common mistake many people make when trying to have a conversation is seeking to reply.This is as a result of focusing on the need for the conversation to flow. Do not burden yourself with the responsibility of keeping the conversation flowing.Conversations should not be mechanical. They don’t have to be predictable in their flows. Just allow yourself to go with the flow of things.Listening ranks very highly as one of the skills vital for communication. Learn how to listen and you will have better connections with the people you converse with.Listening is tied to the innate need to be heard and understood. When you listen to someone, you give him an opportunity to express himself and be understood. This touches them at the core.“Sometimes all a person wants is an empathetic ear; all he or she needs is to talk it out. Just offering a listening ear and an understanding heart for his or her suffering can be a big comfort.”  Roy T. BennettWhen you listen to people and understand their point of view, you are more likely to be sensitive to their opinions. This is what makes them want to talk with you more.Remember that you cannot say that you’re a good conversationalist unless people have said it about you.Since it is people who will say it, then let them be wowed by your ability to understand them then they will qualify you as such.Use non-verbal communication skillsNon-verbal communication is that which is not through spoken words. Communication does not happen only when you speak. In fact, non-verbal communication has a greate r impact than verbal.Primarily, this is communication through other parts of your body other than your mouth. This is why it is referred to as body language. This means that your body speaks. More correctly, your body helps you speak.Isn’t it said that actions speak louder than words? Non-verbal communication in most cases will reveal the truth that is hidden on the inside.For example, on a chilly morning you might say that you are doing well. Unexpectedly, your body shivers slightly and this is seen by the person you’re talking with. Would they believe your words or what your body communicated?When having conversations, make use of your hands, face, shoulders or any other body part as necessary. Non-verbal communication helps clarify what you are saying. An added benefit is that because people are visual, they may remember you from the actions you showed more than the words you spoke.You may for instance give a story about your pet and make sounds similar to those it makes. The person you’re talking with may remember these sounds more than anything else.This may be what pulls his attention to you for further engagement. Therefore, the sound you made made you memorable and that is a good thing. It interested the person you were talking with, giving you a better chance to talk with him again in the future.Body language also helps break the monotony of speaking. When you use words only, you are likely to become boring more quickly than when including body language. You cannot communicate effectively without the use of non-verbal communication.CONCLUSIONConversations are an everyday thing. They fill your life every day. At the grocery store, workplace, gas station and everywhere else you go. As long as you meet someone or some people, you will very likely have a conversation.Becoming a better conversationalist is not a difficult thing. As with all other things to be learned, the first step is to have the right mindset. Stop thinking that conversations are d ifficult and your mind will have an easier time learning. To make it easy to start a conversation, just start talking about something that is in the environment which both of you are in.As you practice the above tips, do not be too hard on yourself. Don’t expect perfection in a single day. There is no expertise that can be developed instantly. Take your time and look at these tips as lessons. You can learn them as topics in a course.If you follow through and improve your conversational skills, you will stand a better chance of influencing others through conversations.

The Blizzard of 1888 and its Effect on Immigrants Essay

The Blizzard of 1888 tested how much the human spirit could take. Stacking problems on problems, it was unforgiving to everybody in the area. Though the immigrants who came to the US all took different paths and ended up settling in different places of the Great Plains, in the end they both went through the same cold, unpredictable blizzard. The Rollag family, originating from Norway, came to the US because her husband, Ole, was assigned five years of military service, their farms were being reduced in size every generation, and for a better life for their children. In Norway, the firstborn son has a much easier life because he is granted a bonde gaard, allowing him to be given the valley parcels. Gro and Ole chose to settle at Decorah in†¦show more content†¦Eventually they chose to move to Yankton, which was in Dakota Territory, because letters from previous Schweizer families would talk about the vast and healthy land and how they would help newcomers get settled. Both the Norwegians and Schweizers dealt with the same three common problems, which were prairie fires, grasshoppers, and terrible weather. The Schweizers were victims of devastating fires that caused a good amount of immigrated folk to lose their homes and the entire luggage they had dragged with them from Ukraine. Unfortunately what the fires didn t destroy the now extinct species of locust, Melanoplus spretus, would, and their eyes were mainly targeting the crops that took all summer long to grow. The Rollags were in the same boat witnessing grasshoppers go for more than just crops; after they were done feeding on the crops they would attempt to go after fences, wooden material, furniture, and even clothing. It was the weather that was the root of all the problems that caused the fires and infestation, but it did more than that. The strong winds, disruptive lightning storms, and the merciless droughts were things the European immigrants werent prepared for. The difference between the blizzards and the other disasters was the amount of utilities and services that became useless from the blizzard along with the surprising longevity of the storms. The blizzards would last

April Greiman Essay - 1112 Words

Great things are not done by impulse, but a series of small things brought together.†¨ Vincent Van Gogh April Greiman is by far one of the most influential female artists in the history of Design. She was born in New York in 1948 and was raised in a very family oriented environment, her creativity was greatly influenced by her mother, father and aunt who shared a passion for art, music and encouraged her to be an independent, curious, adventurous woman. After acknowledging her great interest in art, she applied to several art schools and was accepted into the Kansas City Art Institute where she received a BFA in Graphic Design. Later on, with the influence of the principles of Modernism and exploration of technology, she†¦show more content†¦This new genre in art quickly confirmed Greiman’s position as the pioneer of visual communication and design. Her eagerness to learn and explore this new medium is what has gotten her the respect and appreciation for her work. Her ability to engage the audience and embrace spaces by providing a floating effect to her wor k, combining architecture and typographic forms allowed her to become one of the most prominent icons in the design world. In 1982, April Greiman was selected head of the design department at the California Institute of the Arts. Throughout her time in CalArts, she focused on her role as an educator and the importance of transforming design. Greiman was able to take advantage of the state of the art equipment that was provided by the institution and began to combine video and media images in her work. Her input in this field and her accomplishments successfully gave her the opportunity to make this department more focused in a variety of ideas other than design renaming this field as visual communication. The popularity and recognition April Greiman gained over the years is mostly because of of her creativity, experience working with graphics and implementation of visual communication with the use of technological devices. As an Artist and educator, she has been able to work in a number of posters and websites for her clientele, she is the author of several design books including Hybrid Imagery: TheShow MoreRelatedIs It A Popular Brand Of Soda Well Known? Essay1420 Words   |  6 Pagesgravitate people towards this product. People usually, but not all, can enjoy the times of the past as a sentimental time. With that said, together It can garner those feelings with a collaboration of April Greiman graphic design skills; with new wave ideas, simply with the use of your product Pepsi. April Greiman, was born on September 10, 1948, in New York City. She attended the Kansas City Art Institute for undergraduate graphic design. In the early 70 s she went to study in the Basel, Switzerland toRead MoreEssay about Summary of History of Graphic Design by Meggs14945 Words   |  60 Pagessystems. Weingart and his students†¦Dan Friedman, April Greiman, and Willi Kunz†¦introduced such ideas as letter spaced sansseriff type, stair-step fonts, ruled lines that punctuated space, diagonal type, italic type, and reversed type. Dan Friedman was perhaps one of them ore successful of Weingarts studies. His work were paradigms of the emerging postmodern currents and he explored texture, surface, layering, spacing, and geometric forms. April Greiman helped establish this new wave in LA, and Willi

Essay on Congress Free Essays

AP Essay- Congress The framers of the Constitution created a bicameral legislation where there were two chambers of congress made. There was the Senate and the House of Representatives and these two chambers split the necessary duties that congress needed to fulfill. The framers of the Constitution chose a bicameral legislature because they did not want all powers of the government concentrated in a single government institution as they would have been if a unicameral legislature was used. We will write a custom essay sample on Essay on Congress or any similar topic only for you Order Now They feared it would lead to rule by oppressive or impassioned majority. They believed that a bicameral legislature would balance powers in congress so that neither chamber would ever gain tyrannical power. When making congress, the framers also knew that the states were jealous of their independence and would not consent to a national constitution if it did not protect their interests and strike a reasonable balance between large and small states. There were many disputes between small and large states on how representation in congress should be gained by delegates at the Constitutional Convention. This was the reason a bicameral legislature was created, and this was known as â€Å"The Great Compromise†. This gave small states equal representation in the Senate and large states their proportional representation in the House. The House of Representatives is the lower house and it contains 435 members. Members are chosen by districts based on population. Some of the House of Representative’s powers are to impeach the president and initiate taxing and spending bills. One unique power the House of Representatives holds is that it gets to select the president for the country if no candidate wins the electoral vote. This was almost the case during the 2000 election between Bush and Gore, the winner was in question after the votes in Florida went uncounted. The framers of the Constitution gave the House of Representatives this power because this chamber is closer to the people than the Senate and is more informed on what the people want. The Senate is the upper house and it contains 100 members. Election time is on a rotating basis and 1/3 of the senate runs every 2 years. Some of the Senate’s powers are to accept or reject treaties and tries the president after the House of Representatives impeaches them (HIST). One unique power the Senate holds is that it can approve presidential appointments such as cabinet positions, Supreme Court judges, federal judges, and heads of agencies. The Senate approved Clarence Thomas as a Supreme Court judge. The framers gave the Senate this power because in order to carry out checks and balances, they wanted the congress to make sure that the President was not holding too much power. By approving or disapproving presidential appointments, the president’s power is weakened and the executive branch does not contain more power than the legislative branch. How to cite Essay on Congress, Essays

Janes experience in Lowood School is representative of life in Victorian England Essay Example

Janes experience in Lowood School is representative of life in Victorian England Paper Jane Eyre is a novel by Charlotte Bronte, set in the Victorian Era. It was during this time that the industrial revolution, in Great Britain, began. The Victorian period was the beginning of a severe system of labour. During this time power and money overran society. It was a phase of family unity, and principles. The Victorian age was dirty and unhygienic. The poor were disadvantaged and the rich had power. This was obvious and common in every aspect of life in the Victorian cities. The conditions were unsanitary and the life expectancy was very low compared to todays standards. Disease was everywhere and everyone was vulnerable to it especially the poor. The writers in those days, like Charlotte Bronte and Charles Dickens, were interested in showing people the injustices of the nation during this time, especially towards children. Children were neglected and uncared for. Most were treated this way; those who werent were rich. Some children got no education at all and had to work in a factory to stay alive. Ironically this factory work would most likely be the cause of their death. Others went to workhouses were they got accommodation or food, but they to had to work. We will write a custom essay sample on Janes experience in Lowood School is representative of life in Victorian England specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Janes experience in Lowood School is representative of life in Victorian England specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Janes experience in Lowood School is representative of life in Victorian England specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Those who were orphans were most unlucky. They had no place in society, they were poor but they had no class, they were more like animals, who could be farmed and used for others prosperity and benefit. Jane Eyre is an orphan she lives at her uncles estate, Gateshead. Her uncle however is dead and she lives with his wife, Mrs Reed. Even the name Gateshead suggests that she is trapped, it is uninviting. Jane is not considered a member of the family; her position is less than a maid. The reason for this is because she is poor and an orphan. She is a charity case. John Reed, heir to the estate and Gateshead, calls her a dependant. Jane lives in a male dominated environment, another social injustice in the Victorian society. Jane is courageous, through all of her abuse she always manages to stick up for herself. Jane longs for peace and freedom to be her own person. Jane is bright and imaginative. She knows that she is being mistreated, she refuses to accept this however and it lands her in trouble on many occasions, like when she is put in the Red Room. The Red Room is the room in which Mr Reed, Janes uncle, died. It is symbolic of terror, and her imagination suffers because of this history. Jane feels frightened in the room and wants to escape, she wants to get out of the room, and out of the house. Bronte makes us aware of Janes circumstances too. We feel sorry for Jane and her situation. Jane is misfortunate; her ill treatment is not really her own fault. After she faints she wakes up in the nursery, Mr Lloyd is there. He is the apothecary. He shows sympathy and affection. Jane feels relief protection and security. It is ironic that she should feel protected and safe with a total stranger. Kindness only came from a stranger someone who is not a part of Gateshead. Jane is very honest; this is evident when she speaks of poverty. She associates poverty with the workhouses and the dispossessed. Her views are those of a child. Jane likes the idea of a school and sees it as a chance to escape Gateshead. Soon after we learn that Bessie pities Jane, Abbot disagrees and says she is not so be pitied because she has no physical attractiveness. Jane is considered troublesome, wicked and iniquitous. As Christmas approaches, Jane is further abandoned. She is left alone in the nursery with her doll whilst all the festivities go on in the floors below her. This image produces compassion on our behalf. Christmas is a time of family unity and togetherness. Yet, Jane is left alone, without family, without love. When Jane is first introduced to Mr. Brocklehurst, Bronte uses phallic symbolism to describe him. She calls him a black pillar, standing erect. This is to create a sense of male supremacy. Mr Brocklehurst is head of Lowood Institution. The very name of the school Institution is daunting. It is not Lowood Academy or Lowood School for Girls it is an institution. This make me think of a prison or hospital, when in fact it is a place of learning and also youth. It is a harsh school, the girls femininity is kept to a minimum, because it is seen as shameful to be a feminine. Jane is to be sent there. Mr Brocklehurst has a grim face and is illustrated as a grotesque figure. He is like a figure from a nightmare or a villain from a fairytale. He has bushy brows, a great nose and prominent teeth. This makes me think of Little Red Riding Hood, with Mr Brocklehurst as the wolf. He is emotionless; his face is like a mask. Mr. Brocklehurst is later uncovered as a hypocrite; he dresses the pupils plainly, and cuts off their hair so as to conceal there womanhood. But when his children visit the school they have an abundance of curls, jewellery and wear luxurious clothing. Mrs Reed Calls Jane an artful, noxious child. She wants Jane to be kept humble, that she will always remember to keep her poor station in life, that she will always feel inferior. Jane already feels inferior, but she overcomes this and demonstrates courage when Mr Brocklehurst confronts her. He tries to use Christianity and its teaching methods for his own benefit. Really it is he who needs revision of the good will in the Christian Bible. He uses Christianity to humiliate the girls at his school. Jane defends herself, she feels misrepresented by Mrs Reed, and misinterpreted by Mr. Brocklehurst. She becomes very passionate you think I have no feelings, and that I can do without one bit of love or kindness: but I cannot live so. We sympathise with Jane, when her feelings are unleashed. Before Jane leaves for Lowood, Bessie confronts her telling her that she has been unjustly treated in the company of the Reeds. She also tells Jane that she is fonder of her than any of the others. Because of this honesty Jane is lapsed with peace and harmony. Mr Brocklehurst visit is not unlike the visit of Mr Bumble in Oliver Twist. Mr Brocklehurst is like Mr Bumble. He is the parish beadle, and a man of authority, however he considers himself to be a higher influence than he really is. He is a fat man and is ill tempered. He has no patience; he bangs his cane off the ground. In the rare event that he does respond to Mrs. Mann it is often with bitterness. When Mr. Bumble visits the home of Oliver Twist it is not a social call. He wishes to take Oliver to the workhouse. Like Jane Olivers youth has been lived for him, neither of them had a joyful youth, and they never got the chance to make their own decisions. This is an example of injustice in Victorian society, orphan children had no say in their own lives, and they had little or no opportunities to make a better life for themselves. Like Mrs. Reed Mrs. Mann appears to be a welcoming woman, kind and humane. But we know that she is not loving or considerate, and that she neglects the children to the point of death. Both Mrs. Reed and Mrs Mann blame their inhabitants for all wrong doings. Mrs Reed criticises Jane incessantly, Jane is a scapegoat. Oliver is neglected; Mrs Mann uses the money received to take care of the boys in the orphanage to her own advantage. Dickens uses caricature, and also irony, to exaggerate his characters by emphasizing certain personal qualities to produce a ridiculous effect. Dickens uses caricature not just to overstate what is on the surface, but also to resemble what was in the very inside of British civilization during this time. This effect is a way to remind us of how exceptional each person is. For example Mrs. Mann is a highly ironic character. Mr. Bumble commends her on how humane she is truthfully she is wicked. Mr. Bumble is also ironic, she acts like he is of extravagant importance, but he is just a minor, a messenger. Mr. Bumbles size suggests his ego. To bumble is to move awkwardly. Bumble suggests to me a lack of skill, this creates an image of a blundering fool. He gets frustrated when he cant open the gate, and then proceeds to place the blame on Mrs. Mann. The very name Mrs. Mann is paradoxical; she is hardly womanly at all. She is not maternal, nor motherly towards the children. She locks them in the basement and doesnt feed or clothe them properly. She is only interested in one thing and one thing only, herself. There arent any truthfully kind words of tenderness from this benevolent protectress. She is a figure of disgust, a despicable woman, resembling the low, degrading decadents of the social order at this time. By using caricature, irony, and humour in his stories we are entertained, but underneath this is the demoralizing truth of social inequality at this time. Lowood and the Workhouse are also alike. They are strict and enforce firm rules. They punish and humiliate the boys and girls for simple unnecessary reasons, and order them around like and army. The schools are run down pupils receive very little food or medical attention. They are unhygienic and disease spreads rapidly around the vulnerable children. Administers in both places have enough money to ensure that the places are not dilapidated and unhygienic but instead they immorally use the money for their own prosperity. One of Emily Brontes most dominant image patterns is the use of the traditional elements earth, fire, water, and air. Atmosphere plays a significant role in the novel. The pun of the name Eyre is suggestive of passion. Jane like the air is a wanderer, she is spiritual. Use of pathetic fallacy reflects Janes mood. During Janes journey to the Institution the weather is wet, windy, and has a hostile element. This emphasises Janes isolation. The symbolic landscape and foreboding weather, during her journey, sets the mood. On the day she leaves Gateshead it is a raw and chill morning. The weather does not predict a bright future for Jane. As the carriage nears the School they descended a valley, dark with wood. Lowood is concealed, by darkness. As Jane enters she calls it a cold, dimly lit school. When things are pessimistic for Jane, the weather and landscape is usually in the same style, dull and gloomy, like Janes journey to Lowood. When things appear hopeful the weather does to. For example the coming of spring in Lowood, her adjustment to the school and the promise of hope and renewal is reflected in the season. It is described as a metaphor for the awakening of the young girls life and maturity, And now vegetation matured with vigor; Lowood shook loose its tresses; it became all green and flowery. Bronte highlights the appalling conditions the girls have to endure. Even the food is insufficient and bland, a nauseous mess. The school sounds like misery, even the garden is depressing, and instead of being bright and beautiful it is dismal and uninviting. The uniform is unappealing; it encloses their bodies, so as not to reveal their femininity. The place is cold, empty, and lifeless, as though no one is even there. The girls are lifeless too. They are just bodies, there is no life inside them; none that we can see anyhow. The life is drained out of them, like in Hard Times the life and imagination is grinded out of the pupils. It seems like there is nothing to look forward at the school what so ever. When we are introduced to Mr Brocklehurst again, we realise that Jane is not the only one to despise him; everyone else in the school does too. Mr Brocklehurst wants to mortify in them the lust of the flesh, and to teach them to clothe themselves with shamefacedness and sobriety. Here he demonstrates hypocrisy, because the money he starves the student of is used to make his own girls more beautiful. They enter, splendidly attired in velvet, silk and furs. They can look as feminine as they want. The students are still and quiet, as Jane observes, the 80 girls sat motionless and erect. They are oppressed by the system. Their plain locks highlights the solemn nature of the girls, and furthermore that beauty is considered shameful. Mr Brocklehurst wants the girls to be without an identity, as in Hard Times the students are called by number, like an army. The students at both schools are plain and purposeful. They are not pretty or fancy. They are not to be accustomed to habits of luxury and indulgence, but to render hardy patient, self denying. In Lowood, the teacher Mrs Temple reminds me of Mr Lloyd. Mrs Temple represents all the good that is lost in the school. She is described as tall, fair and shapely: with a benignant light. She is a contrast to the murky and disheartening school. She shows kindness and caring to the pupils when she provides them with extra food when she sees the inadequate lunch served to them. It is in the garden that Jane meets Helen Burns. Helen is studious and a strong character. She victimised by the teachers. Unlike Jane, Helen doesnt stand up for herself; Helen takes the insults thrown at her by the teachers. She is never praised, nor shown pity. Helen is a victim of the system at Lowood. She accepts her punishments and humiliation with dignity, composed though grave she stood. Jane does not understand Helens stoic acceptance. Jane is passionate, and determined. Helen believes that she should not worry about the unkind attitude the teachers possess, she says, I live in calm looking to the end. Helens words have hidden implications; she is trying to tell Jane her life is drawing to and end. Jane and Helen are similar in many ways. Both are honest, and speak their minds. Yet they are also a contrast to each other as well. Where Jane is emotional and fervent, Helen can hold her feelings, she is rational. Where Jane longs to be adored and admired, Helen tells her you think too much of the love off human beings. Helen is wilful, she thinks logically. I believe Helen is an inspirational character, though she is very young she is incredibly mature. Helen is not a victim her quiet and dignified courage rises above the hardship of Lowood. She cannot be degraded. She is so much more than any of them. She is an example to Jane. Jane is fearful of Mr Brocklehurst. She awaits the day the day the Coming Man arrives. Bronte creates anticipation during this episode. As he enters Lowood the pupils and staff rose unmass, highlighting his dominant superiority. He is like the daunting figure we met before. He is the sole male figure in a female environment. He abuses his power and position. Jane dreads his presence. She is nervous at the very thought of him. She tries to hide her face, so he doesnt see her, but her plan fails and she drops her slate. She says, I was paralysed. Mr Brocklehurst intentionally humiliates Jane; she is mortified I knew it was all over now. Mr Brocklehurst calls her a careless girl. He calls her forward and orders her to stand on a tall stool. He directs harsh insults at her, servant to the Evil One and a little castaway and interloper and an alien. He demands that no one talks to Jane, to avoid her company, to exclude her. He calls her a sinner and lair. He tells those in the hall that he received the information off her benefactress, a pious and charitable lady. The information is false Mrs Reed is anything but a pious and charitable lady. When Helen smiles at her it gives her comfort, reassurance, and hope. Helen has the aspect of an angel. It is because of this gesture that Jane gains maturity. She becomes so much more understanding, following this. Mr Brocklehurst and Mr Gradgrind are alike. Both are idealistic, both believe in hard discipline. Mr Bumble is also very like Mr Brocklehust. He believes in Christian values and teachings. They are both hypocrites. Mr Brocklehurst tells the student that he believes in denying ones self, he says he does not want them to be accustomed to luxuries, and comforts, so they can become disciplined, and hard. However his daughters enter the scene in velvet, silk and furs. Mr Bumble does not care about the children or how Mrs Mann treats them. He is an egotistical man. He only cares about himself and his money, as does Mrs Mann. The authors I have studied, Charlotte Bronte and Charles Dickens document the unrighteousness of the Victorian period. In my opinion, people only cared about money. I believe this is the basis for cruelty in those days. People wanted money and would abuse every system to get money. It was an unjust time to live in, and especially to grow up in. Charles Dickens wants to inform the readers of the future all about the hard times that people endured. He wants to let them know all about the children like Oliver Twist, and their lives. Though it is fiction, it is a representation of reality. Dickens uses humour in his books to make them interesting and easily readable. He wants to shock the reader, and this would inform them all about the world he lived in. Hard Times is a moral Fable, it entertains but at the same time it educates us of the dangers and brutality in this society. Charlotte Bronte uses first person narrative, to get us closer with the character. She uses it to make us sympathise with Jane. Though not as informative as Dickens, it is very interesting. She draws us closer to the character of Jane, whereas Dickens wants to inform us about the society. Bronte wants to create a story, while Dickens also wishes to illustrate the ruthless reality of the time. The Victorian Era was a cruel time. The wool was pulled over peoples eyes. People gave false representations of themselves and others, like Mrs Reed and Mrs Mann. Children were the unluckiest of everyone children were victimised, neglected, and abused. Not necessarily the case for the rich but, mainly the poor, and especially orphans. As Jane says poverty looks grim to grown people: still more so to children.

Nurse Practitioner Schooling How Long Is It What Do You Learn

Nurse Practitioner Schooling How Long Is It What Do You Learn SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Are you thinking about becoming a nurse practitioner? It can be a great way to make more money and have more responsibility at your job.But what options are there for nurse practitioner schooling? How long does it take to become a nurse practitioner? How do you apply, and what do you do once you begin a nurse practitioner program? In this guide, we answer those questions and give you all the information you need to know about nurse practitioner school. What Are Nurse Practitioner Schools? To become a nurse practitioner, you’ll need to get one of two graduate degrees: a Master’s of Science in Nursing (MSN) or a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP).In this section we analyze both of the degrees and give advice on which program you should pursue. Master’s of Science in Nursing Degree The MSN is a master’s program, and the coursework will often be similar to the coursework required to become an RN, although more specialized and at a higher level. You’ll learn the skills needed for patient care and case management so that you’re prepared to handle patients on your own and prescribe medication (if the state you live in allows NPs to write prescriptions). There are MSN programs for all the main nurse practitioner specializations, such as neonatal, family, psychiatric, and women’s health nurse practitioner specializations, among others.The coursework is a mixture of core classes all nurse practitioners take, courses in your field of specialization, and clinical practicum hours. Doctor of Nursing Practice Degree The DNP program covers all the information and skills you’ll learn in an MSN program, but you’ll take additional courses that teach you more about leadership, health care policy, and using evidence-based care in clinical practice, among other areas. According to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), all DNP programs must have courses that prepare students in the following eight core areas: Scientific underpinnings for practice Organizational and systems leadership for quality improvement and systems thinking Clinical scholarship and analytical methods for evidence-based practice Information systems/technology and patient care technology for the improvement and transformation of health care Health care policy for advocacy in health care Interprofessional collaboration for improving patient and population health outcomes Clinical prevention and population health for improving the nation’s health Advanced nursing practice DNP students must also complete an original scholarly work, often known as the DNP project, that shows they can apply the knowledge they learned to an actual issue affecting nursing. The DNP is a doctorate and a terminal degree, and it provides a broader area of skills than an MSN degree. In addition to learning the skills needed to be an effective nurse practitioner, those who graduate from a DNP program also are better prepared for leadership positions because they have more background in health care policy and better understand how hospitals and other healthcare facilities are run. Which Nurse Practitioner Program Should You Do? Both programs will qualify you to be a nurse practitioner, so you can really do either. Additionally, there isn’t much of a salary difference between nurse practitioners who have their MSN versus those with their DNP (the average annual salary of nurse practitioners across the country is just over $100,000.) MSN programs are shorter and are typically offered by more schools, including more online programs, which can make balancing school and other commitments easier.However, if you’re looking to achieve the top level of nursing education and/or learn more leadership and management skills, a DNP is the better option.Additionally, the AACN recommends that nurses hoping to become nurse practitioners get their DNP instead of their MSN, but they accept both as proper qualification. The choice depends on which program you think works better for your schedule and career plans. Also, you get your MSN, you can later go back and get your DNP in a two-year program if you later decide that’s what you want. How Long Do Nurse Practitioners Go to School? How long does it take to become a nurse practitioner? This answer depends both on your background and which NP degree you want to get, though you can become a nurse practitioner in as little as two years. The length of the two NP programs are as follows: Master’s of Science in Nursing: 2 (sometimes 3) years Doctor of Nursing Practice: 3-4 years However, you need to be a registered nurse (RN) to begin nurse practitioner school. If you already have a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) or an Associate’s Degree in Nursing (ADN) and have worked for several years as an RN, then you can go directly into either of the graduate programs. If, on the other hand, you don’t have a background in nursing, nurse practitioner schooling will take significantly longer.A BSN degree can take four years, although if you already have a bachelor’s degree in another field, there are often shorter programs that only take about two to three years, while an Associate’s Degree in Nursing usually takes two years to complete. This means it could take you up to eight years to become a nurse practitioner, depending on which combination of degrees you get. There are also a few programs that combine either a BSN or an ADN with a nurse practitioner program (often known as â€Å"bridge programs†), which will take less time to complete. These are often about five years, although the exact length of each program will vary based on the school. How Do You Get Into Nurse Practitioner Schools? As mentioned above, to apply to nurse practitioner schools, you need to be an RN with either a BSN or (sometimes) an ADN degree.There are a few nurse practitioner schools that accept students without a nursing background and offer a combined BSN and NP program, but these are uncommon and will take significantly longer than standard nurse practitioner schooling. If you don’t have a background in nursing, you will likely have to complete prerequisites in several course areas before you can begin a joint BS/RN program. Prerequisites will often be in the following areas: Biology Biochemistry Chemistry Human biology Microbiology Nutrition Psychology Statistics If you are an RN, you will also need to have passed the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) exam administered by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) (which you’d need to pass anyway to work as an RN). Most nurse practitioner programs also require you to have some experience working as a nurse before you start your nurse practitioner degree. One to two years of experience is generally the minimum amount required, but, on average, nurses have ten years of experience before they go to school to become nurse practitioners. You’ll need solid grades, but they don’t need to be as high as they would be if you were applying to med school. Generally, a college GPA of 3.0 or higher is enough to get you into many nurse practitioner programs. Your grades in human biology/anatomy and other classes related to nursing will be the most important. Applying to nurse practitioner school is like a combination of applying to college and applying to a job. Similar to applying to other schools, you'll need to submit transcripts, letters of recommendation, GRE test scores, and personal statements. However, like a job, you'll also need to provide a resume and contact information for references, and you'll likely have at least one interview per school during which you'll discuss your employment history. What Do You Do at a Nurse Practitioner School? Many nurse practitioners describe nurse practitioner school as similar to getting their RN, but faster-paced and with less hand-holding than you may have experienced in undergrad.You’ll generally divide your time between three areas: core classes, classes that focus on the specialtyyou’ve chosen, and clinicals. The core classes will typically focus on issues all nurse practitioners face or need to know how to deal with, such as using evidence-based practices, advanced nursing practices, statistics, pharmacology, and community health. Specialized classes will vary depending on which area you choose to focus in. There are many specialties nurse practitioner students can choose, including acute care, family medicine, neonatal care, oncology, psychiatry, and women’s health.You’ll also typically have to complete 500-800 clinical hours to graduate. Your class grades will usually be based on your scores on both papers and tests, although you’ll likely write more papers in grad school than you did in undergrad.Online nurse practitioner programs as well as hybrid online/in-person programs are also growing in popularity, and more students are choosing this option since it allows for greater flexibility when studying and completing coursework. License requirements for nurse practitioners vary by state but, in general, once you’ve completed your classes, you can then sit for the nurse practitioner exam and, after passing, begin work as a nurse practitioner. Summary: Nurse Practitioner Schooling A nurse practitioner degree allows nurses to make more money and have more responsibilities.In order to become a nurse practitioner, you need to get one of two degrees: a Master’s of Science in Nursing (MSN) or a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP).Both qualify you to become a nurse practitioner, but the DNP is a terminal degree and makes you more qualified for leadership positions. How long does it take to become a nurse practitioner? If you already have your BSN, getting your nurse practitioner degree will take about two to four years, depending on which degree you get.If you don’t have your BSN, it’ll often take longer, up to eight years, to become a nurse practitioner. The application process for nurse practitioner schooling is similar to when you applied for college, although you’ll need to provide more information, such as a resume and references from past employers.Once you start the nurse practitioner program, most students find it similar to nursing school, but faster-paced and with more papers. After you’ve completed nurse practitioner school, you’re able to take your certification test, and, once you pass, you can begin working as a nurse practitioner. What's Next? Are you studying clouds in your science class? Get help identifying the different types of clouds with our expert guide. Writing a research paper for school but not sure what to write about?Our guide to research paper topics has over 100 topics in ten categories so you can be sure to find the perfect topic for you. Have trouble understanding what dynamic equilibrium is?We break this sometimes tricky concept down so it's easy to understand in our complete guide to dynamic equilibrium. (coming soon)

Dialogue Definition, Examples and Observations

Dialogue Definition, Examples and Observations (1) Dialogue is a verbal exchange between two or more people. (Compare with monologue.) Also spelled dialog. (2) Dialogue also refers to a  conversation reported in a drama or narrative. Adjective: dialogic. When quoting dialogue, put the words of each speaker inside quotation marks, and (as a general rule) indicate changes in speaker by starting a new paragraph. EtymologyFrom the Greek, conversation Examples and Observations Annina: Monsieur Rick, what kind of a man is Captain Renault?Rick: Oh, hes just like any other man, only more so.(Joy Page and Humphrey Bogart in Casablanca, 1942)How are you? I said.As you see, old Hernandez said, and he pushed his cap back on his forehead and smiled, alive.(Martha Gellhorn, The Third Winter, 1938) Eudora Welty on the Multiple Functions of Dialogue In its beginning, dialogues the easiest thing in the world to write when you have a good ear, which I think I have. But as it goes on, its the most difficult, because it has so many ways to function. Sometimes I needed a speech do three or four or five things at once- reveal what the character said but also what he thought he said, what he hid, what others were going to think he meant, and what they misunderstood, and so forth- all in his single speech. (Eudora Welty, interviewed by Linda Kuehl. The Paris Review, Fall 1972) Dialogue vs. Talk [T]he dialogue is selectivefinely polished, and arranged to convey the greatest possible amount of meaning with the least use of words. . . . [Dialogue] is not a phonographic reproduction of the way people actually talk. It’s the way they would talk if they had time to get down to it and refine what they wanted to say. (Robertson Davies, The Art of Fiction No. 107. The Paris Review, Spring 1989)Talk is repetitive, full of rambling, incomplete, or run-on sentences, and usually contains a lot of unnecessary words. Most answers contain echoes of the question. Our speech is full of such echoes. Dialogue, contrary to popular view, is not a recording of actual speech; it is a semblance of speech, an invented language of exchanges that build in tempo or content toward climaxes. Some people mistakenly believe that all a writer has to do is turn on a tape recorder to capture dialogue. What hed be capturing is the same boring speech patterns the poor court reporter has to record verbati m. Learning the new language of dialogue is as complex as learning any new language. (Sol Stein, Stein on Writing. St. Martins Griffin, 1995) Once captured, words have to be dealt with. You have to trim and straighten them to make them transliterate from the fuzziness of speech to the clarity of print. Speech and print are not the same, and a slavish presentation of recorded speech may not be as representative of a speaker as dialogue that has been trimmed and straightened. Please understand: you trim and straighten but you do not make it up. (John McPhee, Elicitation. The New Yorker, April 7, 2014) Harold Pinter on Writing Out Loud Mel Gussow: Do you read or talk your dialogue out loud when youre writing it? Harold Pinter: I never stop. If you were in my room, you would find me chattering away. . . . I always test it, yes, not necessarily at the very moment of writing but just a couple of minutes later. MG: And you laugh if its funny? HP: I laugh like hell.(Mel Gussows interview with playwright Harold Pinter, October 1989. Conversations With Pinter, by Mel Gussow. Nick Hern Books, 1994) Advice on Writing Dialogue There are a number of things that help when you sit down to write dialogue. First of all, sound your wordsread them out loud. . . . This is something you have to practice, doing it over and over and over. Then when youre out in the worldthat is, not at your deskand you hear people talking, youll find yourself editing their dialogue, playing with it, seeing in your minds eye what it would look like on the page. You listen to how people really talk, and then learn little by little to take someones five-minute speech and make it one sentence, without losing anything. (Anne Lamott, Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life. Random House, 1994)[A]lways get to the dialogue as soon as possible. I always feel the thing to go for is speed. Nothing puts the reader off more than a big slab of prose at the start. (P.G. Wodehouse, Paris Review Interview, 1975)Just as in fiction, in nonfiction dialogue- voices talking out loud on the page- accomplishes several important dramatic effects: It reveals personality, provides tension, moves the story along from one point to another, and breaks the monotony of the narrators voice by interjecting other voices that speak in contrasting tones, using different vocabularies and cadences. Good dialogue lends texture to a story, the sense that it is not all one slick surface. This is especially important in a blatantly first-person narrative, since it offers the reader relief from a single, narrow viewpoint. The voices in dialogue can enhance or contradict the narrators voice and contribute irony, often through humor. (Philip Gerard, Creative Nonfiction: Researching and Crafting Stories of Real Life. Story Press, 1996) Pronunciation: DI-e-log Also Known As: dialogism, sermocinatio

Economic and political integration in EU Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Economic and political integration in EU - Essay Example The first of course was the founding of the European Economic Union (EEU). The second was the witness of regime change; the emergence of a liberal substitute wherein the state was harnessed by a common economic rule. The third, thanks to globalisation, saw the revival of economic liberalism as a doctrine, and the fourth; saw during the final decade of the century, the integration process of states suffer a series of eventually correctable setbacks that still peril the Union (John Gillingham, p.xiii, Preface, 2003). The European Union is unique among international organisations, in that, it has a complex yet well developed system of law, directly affecting its member states. The EU constitutes a law that draws mutual social and economic benefit of the member states. European Union law has come a long way since its inception over the past 50 years. As of today, the EU has around 500 million citizens in 27 member states bound together by this law, making it one of the most encompassing and dynamic modern legal systems in the world (Wikipedia, 2007). It all started when, the heads of the member States of Belgium, Germany, France, Italy, Luxembourg, and Netherlands, agreed to lay the foundation of an ever closer union among the European Union members1. These included: The nature of the EC Treaty ensures that unelected individuals have had a greater impact on the development of EC Law than elected officials. This paper takes a look at three prominent laws that regulate the free movement of goods, people, and competition. 2.0 Executive Summary The free movement of persons between the Member States of the EU was at one time restricted to only the working class. This however changed with the economic development of all member states within the EU, and all people, citizens, students, dependents, and others who were no longer economically active were allowed to travel to any country in the EU and reside there if they wished. Since the integration of the

Response Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Response - Essay Example he globe may be different from that acquired in any other part of the world; hence people should be hired based upon the expertise that they have learned. People gain expertise and knowledge based upon the different culture and their native work environment hence they display their skills much better in those environments in which they have gained those skills. Equal opportunity employer will always be able to gain better employees because of lack of discrimination hence it is decisive that people with diverse backgrounds should be hired. Question: It is very important to have a diverse staff because everyone can communicate with their own race in case they dont understand the language and everyone could help each other out with the tasks and supports one another. The intern Im at is diverse with employees who are Hispanic, Polish, and Swedish. Everyone supports one another and gets along. So I think is a great idea that we should have a diversify place of unity and peace in the work environment.  Ã‚   Answer: Diverse staff helps in better communication through proper conveyance of objective being laid down by the top management; hence this helps in better goal congruence and much greater success for an organization. Question: International companies definitely hire people of different ethnicity so they can have translators. Many companies are expanding outside of their region to do business worldwide. This is why diversity is needed in the workplace. Answer: Multinational organizations hire people from different ethnic background because it helps in better deliverance of the goals to the different employees hired. Besides that, people from different ethnic backgrounds can be transferred to any office of the same country in any other region and this would also help in reduction of costs of hiring staff in that particular region (Expertise may also flow from one region to another with ease). Question: In todays world, everything is very cultural. People travel

A story to remember Essay -- Character Analysis, Irene and Clare

The two main characters of the story, Irene and Clare, leave the reader wanting to know more about the life that two very different cultures live. The racism, society, and views of all people have changed since the time period the book was based off of. Irene is left unaccepted into the world and ashamed to be a Negro, where Clare is fighting to keep her Negro past a secret to everyone around her. Reading Passing by Nella Larson is an eye opening experience that will have a lasting effect on the reader. There is a lasting anger throughout the story because of the racism of the people that are surrounding Clare and Irene. Clare’s husband, John Bellew throws around racial slurs as if blacks have no meaning in the world. Clare’s husband represents all whites and how they feel toward different cultures and races in the late 1900’s. In one part he is rudely joking with Clare about her skin color: â€Å"Well, you see, it’s like this. When we were first married, she was as white as – as—well as white as a lily. But I declare she’s getting darker and darker. I tell her if she don’t look out, she’ll wake up one of these days and find she’s turned into a nigger† (Larson 39). He is talking like being a colored person is the worst thing that could happen to someone. Whites are scared to associate with blacks because they are different from themselves, and they do not know the lives blacks live. All whites look down o n Irene and other colored people as if Ries 2 they could never be equal. Blacks were never to be treated as equal or given respect because of the color of their skin. John explains â€Å"â€Å"Oh no, Nig,† he declared. â€Å"Nothing like that with me. I know you’re no nigger, so it’s all right. You can get as black as you please as far as I’m c... ...ms with two different races dating or getting married but in one hundred years things will change. There will always be some group or some person that does not like another race but things have become better. Irene and Clare would have fit into today’s culture. Irene and Clare lived very different lives. During the time period of the book â€Å"passing† was the only way to be wanted. The late 1900’s was based off of racism, society and everyone being the same as one another. Society has changed since then and people are starting to have open eyes about the people surrounding them. Today Irene would have fit into society today without feeling discriminated against. Clare would not have been ashamed to be a Negro and live the culture that she wanted to live. After finishing, the reader understands the feelings and emotions that every one person has.

Religious and Ethnic Groups Essay

The religious group is chose was Jehovah’s Witnesses. I did some online research and also asked my children’s Foster Mother, Regina Metzger the questions. I wanted to see what the differences of what I found online and what she said the beliefs were. So this is a mixture of what I got from my online sources and what she said. Jehovah’s Witnesses differ from other religious groups because they believe that their entire bible is the inspired word of god, and instead of adhering to a creed based on human tradition, they hold to their bible as the standard for all their beliefs. Based on their bible, they believe that Jesus Christ is son of god, the first of god’s creations, that he had a pre-human existence and that his life was transformed from heaven to the womb of a virgin. They believe that god’s kingdom is the only hope for mankind. They are many different nationalities. They have no prejudices against any race or color. Their worship is through prayer, meetings and telling others about their bible. They believe that their bible is the inspired word of God, and instead of adhering to a creed based on human tradition, they hold their bible as the standard. The experience of the Jehovah’s Witnesses that other religious groups do not share is that they are viewed with moral standards that coincide with their bible. They are law abiding citizens that respect authority. They show, what they believe is, genuine Christian love to their neighbors. For example, let’s say there are two girls. One of which is a Jehovah Witness and one that is not. They both were asked to spit on the American Flag. In this situation, the Jehovah’s Witness won’t and the other would. One might ask â€Å"Why don’t you spit on the flag even though you don’t solute it? † The answer from the Johana’s Witness would be simply, â€Å"I don’t pledge my allegiance to the flag, but I wouldn’t disrespect it either. † They are neutral. Jehovah’s Witnesses contribute to the American Culture because they feel they are the advocates of their God’s kingdom. They are not of the political, economic, or social system of any nation of the old world. They did have their modern day start in the United States. They do pay taxes, which means they work regular jobs just like any other person. Jehovah’s Witnesses do not interfere with what others do about sharing in patriotic ceremonies. Like, sharing in the armed forces and joining a political party or even voting. They worship their god only. They believe that if Christians under one nation go to war against another nation they would be fighting against fellow believers. They believe that fighting against the same people who prayed for help to the same god is wrong. That is why they won’t go to war and will serve time in jail or prison to avoid killing their Christian brothers and sisters. However they are not afraid to die for their faith. If they are threatened with death or to renounce their faith, they will die for what they believe in. I know that before my children went into foster care I had limited information on what Jehovah’s Witnesses were all about. I was under the impression that they only went house to house on Saturdays knocking on doors. I thought they were annoying. Feeling like everywhere I went I was approached by one saying that they are the only true word of God, when I thought my god was. I learned quickly that everyone has a different idea of what their God was. Jehovah’s witnesses have been known to not celebrate holidays like birthdays, Christmas, or thanksgiving. I would use their religion as a type of threat toward my children saying â€Å"If you don’t knock it off we will become Jehovah’s Witness and then you won’t get presents during birthdays or holidays. † Since, my children are in a home with this as the main religion and belief system, I feel like I should apologize to them because I must have sounded like a bigot. I think that the discrimination and stereotyping that Jehovah’s Witnesses experience comes from a lack of understanding by anyone of a different belief. I think that what I have learned about this religious group did help me understand it. It helped me to realize that Jehovah’s Witnesses, like any other religion, just want to show everyone that what they believe is not bad. They want to show what their religion means. They want the same as others do, the belief that you can be saved by a god. The racial/ethnic group that I chose is the Pacific Islanders. I chose this group because I don’t know nothing about it. I think getting information on this group will be extremely interesting. Pacific Islanders are from many different places. American Samoa, Cook Islands, Fiji, French Polynesia, Guam, Hawaii, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, New Caledonia, Niue, Norfolk Island, Mariana Islands, Palau, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, Wallis and Futuna, and the Independent State of Western Samoa. (http://www. pica-org. org/websurf/websurf. html). In 2011 there were approximately 1,371,564 Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders who live within the United States. They significantly reside in California, Washington, Utah, Texas, New York, Texas, and Florida. They make up about . 4% of the U. S. Population (http://minorityhealth. hhs. gov/templates/browse. aspx? lvl=2&lvlID=71) On May 29, 2013 President Obama spoke about AAPI (Asian-American and Pacific Islander) Heritage Month. (http://www. whitehouse. gov/administration/eop/aapi/blog) I thought that was very interesting. He talked about his Pacific Islander ethnic background. He said: â€Å"We value these voices because from the very beginning, ours has been a nation of immigrants; a nation challenged and shaped and push ever forward by diverse perspectives and fresh thinking. And in order to keep our edge and stay ahead in the global race, we need to figure out a way to fix our broken immigration system-to welcome that infusion of newness, while still maintaining the enduring strength of our laws. And the service and the leadership of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have proved that point in time and again. † Listening to him give a speech about the greatness of Pacific Islanders made me appreciate that ethnic group even more. Pacific Islanders speak over 100 different languages and come from more than 56 ethnic groups. (http://www. cdc. gov/features/aapiheritagemonth/). They are parts of many different religions. Like the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Growing up in my church there were many Pacific Islanders members of our church. I can remember many of them having big families with many children. The Pacific Islanders do many things to contribute to American Culture. They contribute by working jobs. 7. 4 million Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are employed in the United States. They make up 5. 3% of the total workforce in the United States. About 300,000 workers are Pacific Islanders. (http://www. cepr. net/index. php/publications/reports/diversity-and-change July 2011, Hye Jin Rho, John Schmitt, Nicole Woo, Lucia Lin and Kent Wong) Like many other cultures, they bring their delicious foods. They have a multitude of food from different countries. They bring that all to the table here in the United States. Although some of them have changed their diets to a more of an American way of eating, some still eat the foods of their lands. Throughout history, there has been many instances of racism and sexism toward Pacific Islanders in the United States Pacific Islanders continue to face oppression, racism, and discrimination in the United States. Since Pacific Islanders have a higher rate of diabetes they were charged higher rates for health insurance. The Affordable Care Act Will be a very good change for Pacific Islanders. They are known to suffer from higher rates of all types of circular diseases like, stroke, hypertension, and coronary heart disease. They also have the highest rates of obesity. The Affordable Care Act will change it so that it will be easier to get health care for them. Some states have had an English-only type of initiative. They seem to be for people who only speak English. I had no idea they were even allowed by law. It seems as though that people find ways to discriminate even with the laws that have been put in place. Just because some people cannot speak any other language, besides English. For them everything needs to be in English and no other language. About a century before, European-Americans did not allow people who didn’t speak English to learn English because they were afraid that they would become a minority. They were afraid of being â€Å"out-smarted† by others. They didn’t want to have to compete for fear of losing. I don’t believe this is fair. That is why I am glad there are some many laws coming into effect as well as more to come to make this country an even better place. (http://aspe. hhs. gov/health/reports/2012/ACA&AsianAmericans&PacificIslanders/rb. shtml) Most European Americans have discriminated against Pacific Islanders because they didn’t know English. The European Americans were afraid that if the Pacific Islanders learned English they would exceed them in many ways. They would become the minority. Many of the European Americans were believed to be threatened by this. I think I now have a better understanding of what it is like to be a Pacific Islander. The discrimination they have faced has seemed to make them a stronger people. I am happy to have them as part of my country. In conclusion, both Jehovah’s Witnesses and The Pacific Islander, people have experienced a discrimination that seems to have happened because of people who do not understand what they go through daily. They both seem to succeed in their lives because of the discrimination they have experienced. The Jehovah’s Witnesses hold up to their beliefs like the Pacific Islanders stand strong with their ethnic background. They are different because one is a religion and one is an ethnic group. An ethnic group is a group of people who have the same customs or origin. A religion is a belief in a god or a group of gods. I think that both the Pacific Islanders and the Jehovah’s Witnesses get discriminated against because of a lack of understanding.

Gender Stereotypes In The Mid Twentieth Century - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 6 Words: 1714 Downloads: 10 Date added: 2019/04/12 Category Society Essay Level High school Tags: Stereotypes Essay Did you like this example? Social upheaval was prominent in the early to mid 1900s, especially in regards to men and women’s roles in society. Women played a crucial role in the workforce during the World War II era, while their male counterparts were off at war. They were increasingly employed to fill the jobs that were previously taken by men. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Gender Stereotypes In The Mid Twentieth Century" essay for you Create order However, this was short lived because once the men returned from war, women were forced back to their roles as housewives. While women were expected to perform housework and take care of the children, men were the financial support and backbone of the family. In his play, A Streetcar Named Desire, Tennessee Williams portrays women as victims of a patriarchal society that is centered around the concept of masculinity and emphasizes the struggle women had to face in which they were treated as men’s inferiors through physical and emotional abuse. Williams portrayal of gender roles in the mid twentieth century is evident through Stanley’s dominant personality, Stella’s subservience to Stanley, and Blanche’s affirmation of her own worth. A Streetcar Named Desire has two main male characters, both of which are drastically different from one another. Stanley, the egocentric macho man that finds pleasure in his independence, gambling, and sexual desires, is portrayed by Williams as violent and domineering. Mitch on the other hand is seen as a gentleman, someone who is kind and sensitive, and hopes to one day meet a woman he can bring home to his mother. However, the way in which he speaks about himself and his appearance, is evidence that he is also subject to the male stereotype. The way in which Williams has the male characters interact with the females makes it obvious they are being represented as the dominant sex. In the very first scene of the play, Stanley heaves a package of meat up to Stella, who is at their house, on his way to go bowling, proving that he is the breadwinner and family provider. Stella calls after him and says: STELLA: Stanley! Where are you going? STANLEY: Bowling! STELLA: Can I come wat ch? STANLEY: Come on. [He goes out.] (Williams 4-5) Not only does this prove the stereotype of the domineering male that Stanley is depicted as, but it also shows the submissiveness and loyalty Stella has towards him, which was expected during this time period. Throughout the play, Stanley goes from being initially seen as the embodiment of a working-class husband, to a violent, alpha male, who likes to prove his dominance. This is evident when Stella tells Stanley â€Å"Your face and your fingers are disgustingly greasy. Go and wash up and then help me clear the table† to which Stanley angrily throws his plate and replies â€Å"That’s how I’ll clear the table! [He seizes her arm] Don’t ever talk that way to me!† (Williams 131). This reflects Stanleys aggressive nature, as well as the physical abuse he inflicts upon Stella. In an analysis on gender roles in the mid 1900’s, Bailey Zukovich discusses the link between masculinity and violence. She states that â€Å"Violence and abuse makes these men feel as though they are dominant, as their gender role prescribes that they should be.† Furthermore, she adds â€Å"Trying to over-fulfill one’s manliness because of the fear of not being manly enough often times leads to violence† (Zukovich). These thoughts are most certainly evident in A Streetcar Named Desire considering that any threat to Stanley’s masculinity results in violence. Although Mitch, the sensitive gentleman that focuses more on traditional values of love and affection, seems like a better depiction of what a man’s values should align with, Stanley better represents the ideal of American masculinity during the 1940s, which is evident through his aggressive and brute nature towards Stella. Stella’s obedience and submission to Stanley throughout the play represents women’s lack of authority during the time period, as well as their expectancy to keep men happy and satisfied. In essence, Stella seems content to be with Stanley. She willingly cooks and cleans for him, and fulfills his sexual desires. However, her lack of authority in her relationship, and the emotional and physical pain Stanley inflicts upon her, is a constant reminder to Stella that she will always be vulnerable and inferior. When her sister Blanche arrives, she has no problem telling Stella how she feels about Stanley. Blanche describes him as an animal, saying â€Å"He acts like an animal, has an animal’s habits! Eats like one, moves like one, talks like one!† She then goes on to criticize Stella’s loyalty towards him, saying â€Å"And you you here waiting for him! Maybe he’ll strike you or maybe grunt and kiss you!† (Williams 83). At the end of the scene, Stanley returns home to which Stella embraces him, making sure to do so in front of Blanche. In this scene, it is clear that through fulfilling her matriarchal role in society, Stella has completely lost herself trying to maintain her relationship with Stanley. It seems as though the happy facade Stella exemplifies towards Stanley hides the fact that she feels trapped in her relationship. Williams makes sure to portray the gender inequality happening in society as well as emphasizing the needs that humans strive to obtain, whether it be sexual or emotional. In her book, The Way We Never Were: American Families and the Nostalgia Trap, Stephanie Coontz highlights the unhappiness that couples experienced in their relationships during the mid twentieth century. She states â€Å"National polls found that 20 percent of all couples considered their marriages unhappy, and another 20 percent reported only ‘medium happiness’† (Coontz 36). Coontz also makes sure to emphasize the fact that issues such as incest, abuse, and rape were prevalent behind closed doors and it was â€Å"Not until the 1970s, heartened by a supportive women’s movement, were many women able to speak out about the sexual abuse they had suffered† (35). It seems as though men had more pride in their image of a â€Å"perfect family† rather than actually fulfilling the needs to maintain one. These themes are increasingly apparent in each scene of A Streetcar Named Desire. It is safe to say that the arrival of Blanche throws off the whole dynamic, if that’s what you want to call it, of the Kowalski household. When Blanche met Stanley for the first time, she tried hard to get him to like her, even though she could clearly see his violent and domineering nature. Blanches affirmation of her own worth is a theme that is shown throughout the progression of the play, and plays a huge role in how her character succumbs to the influence of the gender roles that were imposed on women. Blanche lacks emotional and financial security, and often seeks it through others. Her need to feel young and beautiful is consistently evident throughout the play. In the opening scene, when Blanche and Stella reunite, Blanche tells her sister â€Å"And turn that over-light off! Turn that off! I won’t be looked at in this merciless glare!† (Williams 11). Throughout the entire play, we see Blanche trying to mask her physical insecurities by only allowing herse lf to be seen in dim or dark lighting. Along with masking her appearance, Blanche constantly searches for validation through others, even though she knows she’s living in an illusion. In scene two, Blanche says to Stanley â€Å"I know I fib a good deal. After all, a woman’s charm is fifty percent illusion† (Williams 41). Blanche’s innocent charm and self-image are both an illusion she gives off in order to feel better about herself. She knows she is full of it, but still continues to live in a fantasy world, seeking affirmation from the people around her. By giving her character a lack of self-image and a sense of illusion, Williams constructed Blanche to be a victim of society’s expectations of women. During this time, and still occurring today, women have certain expectations they are to uphold in order remain feminine, and these expectations usually come at a cost to the women’s mental health. Women are constantly forced to compare themselves to others and question their worth and appearance, and it is clear that Williams is shedding light on these expectations through the character of Blanche. On the other hand, Blanche also struggles with accepting her sexual desires and tendencies. She has a hard time dealing with these desires and is often unable to restrain herself. When she is called out about her past, she is seen trying to defend her actions and appears emotional, even embarrassed. This is another byproduct of society’s expectations of women. Men were allowed to be open and ostentatious about their sexu al encounters, whereas women were not expected to discuss them outside of their own husbands satisfaction. However, Blanche’s independence and sexual freedom, even though she often feels ashamed of it, is Williams way of portraying women in a different light and challenging society’s norms. Blanche’s nonconformity to social norms is more admirable to viewers as opposed to Stella’s lack of control over her own identity. By portraying the women in A Streetcar Named Desire as victims of a society that is largely centered around the concept of masculinity, Tennessee Williams is giving the audience a chance to conceptualize and acknowledge the idea of gender stereotyping. Through the character of Stanley Kowalski, he reveals to the audience the abusive and domineering nature not spoken of outside of the household. Through the character of Stella Kowalski, he reiterates that abuse and enlightens his audience to acknowledge the roles that women are forced to obtain, emphasizing the toll it takes on them. Finally, through the character of Blanche DuBois, he challenges his viewers to perceive women in a different light. The various social conflicts that were presented throughout the play gave relevance and meaning to the audience as well as questioned the social expectations society sets on women. Works Cited Coontz, Stephanie. The Way We Never Were: American Families And The Nostalgia Trap. New York, NY : Basic Books, 1992. Print. Williams, Tennessee. A Streetcar Named Desire. , 1974. Print. Zukovich, Bailey. â€Å"Masculinity, Gender Roles, and T.V. Shows from the 1950s.† The Artifice, the-artifice.com/masculinity-gender-roles-tv-1950s/.