Friday, November 29, 2019

Sistine Chapel Essay Example

Sistine Chapel Essay The Frescos in the Sistine Chapel Michelangelo was an amazing painter and sculptor, who made an impact on the Renaissance Era. The Renaissance focused immense passion towards the arts, religion, and individual experience and development. The Renaissance Era came after the Middle Ages, which possessed a completely opposite lifestyle and different art techniques and characteristics. The Middle Ages was a dark, depressing time where art had very little importance outside the art in the church. As Italy evolved from the Middle Ages into the Renaissance, specific attention was placed on humanism, realism, a transformation in art, and a different focus on biblical aspects that would forever characterize this time period as seen in Michelangelo’s work, The Sistine Chapel. With Michelangelo living during the Renaissance, humanism and realism had an effect on how he painted, and what profession he chose. Michelangelo’s father, Ludovico Buonarrotiwith, was a Florentine official with strong connections to the Medici family. In his childhood, Michelangelo was constantly around the Medici household, and surrounded himself with humanists like Marsilio Ficino and Angelo Poliziano, which influenced his way of thinking. Humanism is a philosophy or practice that focuses on how great humans can be. Man should gain the most knowledge possible, and become the finest they can be physically and mentally. Humanism is all about studying, learning, thinking, and becoming better as a man. Clearly embracing the idea of humanism, Michelangelo painted every character as strong and flawless. We will write a custom essay sample on Sistine Chapel specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Sistine Chapel specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Sistine Chapel specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Every human painted on the walls of the Sistine Chapel has chiseled muscles, with clear six-pack chests and abs. Michelangelo illustrates how humans are the best thing God has created, and portrays them as great. The human body is considered the â€Å"noblest living form† by humanist, and humans have full potential physically and mentally. Humanism creates a universal man who is intellectually and physically excellent and who is always honorable and virtuous. On the walls of the Sistine Chapel, the realism of humans is depicted with scenes full of human emotion and expression. Embracing the â€Å"Enlightenment† by exploring his world around him, Michelangelo moved away from a static, lifeless art style to one that highlighted human feelings and movement. Realism at this time led to the later Realism of the 19th century, where the greatness of the ordinary man became the focus of artwork. During the Renaissance, the idea of expression and emotion infiltrated the culture changing the people’s way of thinking and also the art. Michelangelo’s Sistine chapel illustrations relate to Biblical stories, and show more of a natural and authentic human perspective. The new style of art in Michelangelo’s life gave him the opportunity to paint the Sistine Chapel in a very natural and real way with all the focus on man. In the medieval times, art was abstract, dark, and heavy. Art was viewed with a completely different perspective. The medieval time was not focused on artwork, and members of the upper class were not willing to pay for artists to paint. Most artists worked for the church because the church was the only one who would pay. The church wanted art dealing with Christian aspects, so most art was religious. Medieval art typically didn’t use shading as a tool to enhance paintings. The art was normally not too colorful, and was often very dull. Unlike Michelangelo’s work on the Sistine Chapel, Medieval art was not focused on human qualities. During the Renaissance, many upper class citizens had a sudden interest for art, and many of them would hire artists to paint for them. With the new interest in art, new styles were formed, creating more unique styles and new ways of thinking. With the change to the Renaissance art style, Michelangelo’s showed the body in movement, and illustrated the nature of humans. Michelangelo used new techniques like perspective and more detail in humans to make his frescos more emotional to the viewer. He illustrated characters with little to no clothing, which was not a style in medieval art. His paintings on the walls are a great example of the Renaissance art, and show the evolution, and how far art came in such a quick time. The Sistine Chapel is home to one of the most famous pictorial artworks ever made. The walls are breathtaking, and create such an astounding Biblical presence. Pope Julius II called Michelangelo into Rome in hopes to paint the Sistine chapel. He was trying to rebuild after destruction in the city, and also worked on repairing St. Peter’s Basilica. Michelangelo was hesitant to accept the offer because he was more into sculptures, but he was left with no other choice but to accept. The walls in the Chapel hold 9 scenes from Genesis, the first book in the Bible. The frescos show God separating light and darkness, creating Adam and Eve, and more Biblical stories. Each human painted on the wall shows emotion and truly represents the stories properly. Michelangelo used new Renaissance tools and a new Renaissance way of hinking to paint a new style that has attracted people from all over the world. An average of 10,000 people travel to see the Sistine Chapel a day. Michelangelo spent years preparing for this task, and drew out each scene before it was painted. Each part of the Sistine Chapel is natural in reality, and shows more of a realistic side to Bible scenes and people than previous art. Michelangelo was considered to be the best High Renaissance artist, along with Leonardo Da Vinci. With the fame he had, many citizens would travel to see his work. With the immense amount of viewers each day, it allowed for more to see Christianity in a visual way, and helped convert countless people. People would have a strong connection to his art, and grow closer to God with seeing such beauty. Michelangelo’s work created a new way of viewing Christian art, and it allowed some to put more faith in God. Pope Julius II brought Michelangelo in to paint the Sistine Chapel in hopes that it would help restore Rome to its former glory. Michelangelo’s hard work paid off with its gigantic popularity when he first painted it, and that is still as strong today. Michelangelo is considered to be the â€Å"Renaissance Man,† and used his new styles and techniques to illustrate such beautiful scenes onto the walls and ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. He used a very real and natural body to portray realism. He showed every character with clear and strong muscles with very little clothing to show how strong and valiant humans are. His style is very unique and different from artists who had come before him. Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel is still today a very beautiful and breath-taking scene that helped separate modern artwork from the medieval art.

Monday, November 25, 2019

Immigration Rules for Cuban Nationals

Immigration Rules for Cuban Nationals For years, the United States was chided for giving migrants from Cuba special treatment that no other group of refugees or immigrants had received with the former wet foot/dry foot policy. As of January 2017, the special parole policy for Cuban migrants was discontinued. The discontinuation of the policy reflects the reestablishment of full diplomatic relations with Cuba and other concrete steps toward the normalization of U.S.-Cuba relations that President Barack Obama initiated in 2015. Storied Past of the "Wet Foot/Dry Foot" Policy The former â€Å"wet foot/dry foot policy† put Cubans who reached U.S. soil on a fast track to permanent residency. The policy expired on January 12, 2017. The U.S. government had initiated the policy in 1995 as an amendment to the 1966 Cuban Adjustment Act that Congress passed when  Cold War tensions ran high between the U.S. and the island nation of Cuba. The policy stated that if a Cuban migrant was apprehended in the water between the two countries, the migrant was considered to have â€Å"wet feet† and was sent back home. However, a Cuban who made it to the U.S. shore can claim â€Å"dry feet† and qualify for legal permanent resident status and U.S. citizenship. The policy had made exceptions for Cubans who were caught at sea and could prove they were vulnerable to persecution if sent back. The idea behind the â€Å"wet foot/dry foot policy† was to prevent a mass exodus of refugees such as the Mariel boatlift in 1980 when some 125,000 Cuban refugees sailed to South Florida. Over the decades, untold numbers of Cuban migrants lost their lives at sea making the perilous 90-mile crossing, often in homemade rafts or boats. In 1994, the Cuban economy was in dire straits after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Cuban President Fidel Castro threatened to encourage another exodus of refugees, a second Mariel lift, in protest of the U.S. economic embargo against the island. In response, the U.S. initiated the â€Å"wet foot/dry foot† policy to discourage Cubans from leaving. The U.S. Coast Guard and Border Patrol agents intercepted roughly 35,000 Cubans in the year leading up to the policy’s implementation. The policy was wrought with extreme criticism for its preferential treatment. For example, there were migrants from Haiti and the Dominican Republic who had arrived on U.S. land, even on the same boat with Cuban migrants, but were returned to their homelands while Cubans were allowed to stay. The Cuban exception had originated in Cold War politics from the 1960s. After the Cuban Missile Crisis and the Bay of Pigs, the U.S. government viewed migrants from Cuba through a prism of political oppression. On the other hand, officials view migrants from Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and other nations in the region as economic refugees who almost always would not qualify for political asylum. Over the years, the â€Å"wet foot/dry foot† policy had created some bizarre theater along Florida’s coasts. At times, the Coast Guard had used water cannons and aggressive interception techniques to force boats of migrants away from land and prevent them from touching U.S. soil. A television news crew shot video of a Cuban migrant running through the surf like a football halfback trying to fake out a member of law enforcement by touching down on dry land and sanctuary in the United States. In 2006, the Coast Guard found 15 Cubans clinging to the defunct Seven Mile Bridge in the Florida Keys but since the bridge was no longer used and cut off from land, the Cubans found themselves in legal limbo over whether they were considered dry foot or wet foot. The government ultimately ruled the Cubans were not on dry land and sent them back to Cuba. A court decision later criticized the move. Despite the expiration of the former policy, Cuban nationals have several options to apply for green card or permanent resident status. These options include the general immigration laws afforded all non-Americans seeking immigration to the U.S. through the Immigration and Nationality Act as well as the Cuban Adjustment Act, the Cuban Family Reunification Parole Program, and the Diversity Green Card lottery held every year. The Cuban Adjustment Act The Cuban Adjustment Act (CAA) of 1996 provides for a special procedure under which Cuban natives or citizens and their accompanying spouses and children may get a green card. The CAA gives the American Attorney General the discretion to grant permanent residence to Cuban natives or citizens applying for a green card if they have been present in the United States for at least 1 year, they have been admitted or paroled, and they are admissible as immigrants. According to U.S. Citizen and Immigration Services (USCIS), Cuban applications for a green card or permanent residence may be approved even if they do not meet the ordinary requirements of Section 245 of the Immigration and Nationality Act. Since the caps on immigration do not apply to adjustments under the CAA, it is not necessary for the individual to be the beneficiary of an immigrant visa petition. Additionally, a Cuban native or citizen who arrives at a place other than an open port-of-entry may still be eligible for a green card if USCIS has paroled the individual into the United States. The Cuban Family Reunification Parole Program Created in 2007, the Cuban Family Reunification Parole (CFRP) Program allows certain eligible U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents to apply for parole for their family members in Cuba. If granted parole, these family members may come to the United States without waiting for their immigrant visas to become available. Once in the United States, CFRP Program beneficiaries may apply for work authorization while they wait to apply for lawful permanent resident status. Diversity Lottery Program The U.S. government also admits about 20,000 Cubans each year through a visa lottery program. To qualify for the Diversity Via Program lottery, an applicant must be a foreign citizen or national not born in the United States, from a country with a low immigration rate to the U.S. People born in countries with high U.S. immigration are excluded from this immigration program. Eligibility is determined only by the country of your birth, it is not based on country of citizenship or current residence which is a common misperception that applicants make when applying for this immigration program.

Friday, November 22, 2019

Greek Parthenon, the Roman Pantheon, and Chartres Cathedral Essay

Greek Parthenon, the Roman Pantheon, and Chartres Cathedral - Essay Example The opening of the report consists of the background information about the Pantheon that is designated to all of the roman gods which is a remarkable depiction of roman architecture. It is located in the 14 regions of Augustan in the contemporary Rome. The Parthenon, on the other hand, was primarily designated to the Greek goddess Athena who is also considered as the goddess of wisdom. This temple is located in Athens which is the capital of Greece and its name is extracted from the Greek goddess Athena and the famous Greek Doric. The French Chartres Cathedral is medieval architecture designated to the Catholics. The location of this cathedral is in Chartres which is the capital of Eure-et-Loir department of France. The characteristics of Pantheon is contained with ancient Roman ideals and religious aspects in which the great dome was utilized as the presidency for official decisions for the Roman empire. The architectural invention of concrete assisted the Romans to build this histo rical dome. Whereas, Parthenon was considered was a holy temple due to its association with the deity, i.e. Athena, by the ancient Greeks. Greeks invented the possibility of stone arches by which the practical existence of Parthenon came to existence. Chartres Cathedral describes its significance of being a holy place by its name. The innovation of flying buttresses played an essential role in the successful deliverance of this gothic architectural design.

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Toyota Motor Company Marketing Plan Research Paper

Toyota Motor Company Marketing Plan - Research Paper Example January 2013: After the budget has been identified and team research tasks have been allocated, the teams will conduct their research and compile reports for top management and for marketing decisions and product management and decisions. At this point the planning stage begins. As Moorman and Miner (1998) inform, a marketing strategy beings with a â€Å"careful review of environmental and firm information† which is then followed by planning (p. 1). At this point all of the necessary research would have been completed and the budget identified for execution of the launch of the product. The month of January 2013 will therefore be set aside for planning marketing, production/manufacturing, promotion and distribution strategies and time tables will be established for each process. Teams will be formed for managing and putting these strategies into action. February 2013: At this stage, Toyota will have to appoint a design and mechanic team who will design and plan the mechanics o f the super car respectively. The design team will plan and design the physical architecture of the car. The mechanic team will plan the engine and other mechanical functions of the car. At this point the design and engineering/mechanic teams will also have information from technological experts informed by research and development as to the desired specifications for the super car. Technological, mechanical knowledge and knowledge of all the specifications that appeal to super car enthusiast will go into the design and mechanics of the new Toyota super car. After all when Ferrari Maserati Group launched its new Maserati MC in 2004, it was Ferrari’s knowledge in the construction of super cars and its knowledge of Formula 1 technology that drove the design and mechanics of the Maserati MC (Arema, 2010). March 2013: The finished vehicle will have to be tested for durability, safety, efficiency, speed and generally whether or not the super car is fit for purpose (Weitz & Wensley , 2002). Obviously, if there are any defects in the product design, those defects will have to be rectified. Thus the month of March is set aside for identifying any defects and rectifying defects and otherwise ascertain whether or not the design, style and performance of the super car can be improved before putting the car on the market. April 2013: Once a model is satisfactorily built, the marketing team will likely decide that they would like to test the market. This is usually the case with the launching of a new automobile (Weitz & Wensley, 2002). Thus the marketing team will be required to know, what needs to be done in order to sell the new super car. Thus an estimation of the funds and other resources needed for advertising, creating incentives for dealers, and promotions generally. Although, a research was conducted in the initial stages, this research was done in advance of an actual car. Now that a car has been designed and it is ready to be launched the promotional and m arketing aspects can be planned more specifically. It will be necessary to know how many cars will be produced with specific features such as mapping, colors, sound systems, etc. Toyota might want to conduct a search of global markets to determine compatibility of features to specific markets (Wietz & Wensley, 2002

Monday, November 18, 2019

Administering the questionnaire survey Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Administering the questionnaire survey - Essay Example phical limitations they may put into effect on the surveys and the vast resources needed if such surveys need to be done nationally or internationally. The cost of training interviewers in questioning methods, traveling cost, and interpretation of response is also high. In addition, respondents might feel apprehensive about the ambiguity of their responses when they interact face-to-face interviews. In long interviews, either tiredness or edginess can affect the quality of responses as the interview progresses. Interviewers must be willing to face potentially unlikable and risky situations alone, be able to come up to strangers and need to have the personal skills to conduct an interview. Face-to-face interview can be negatively affected by the noticeable characteristics (gender, race, class) of an interviewer. For example, there might be different responses on questions such as abortion and attitudes to sexual mores if there is gender difference. However, the advantage of face-to-face interview is that the interviewer has got the flexibility of adjusting questions as per the situation, clarify doubts, if any, and ensure that the responses are properly understood by repeating the questions. Moreover, the interviewer can also use non-verbal cues from the respondent. Any embarrassment or stress experienced by the respondent can be felt through frowns, and other body language, unconsciously exhibited by any person. Telephone interviews are interviews that are held over the phone. Telephone interviews involve making telephone contact with selected sample members and asking the questions over the phone. Telephone interview methods allow skilled interviewers to build rapport yet maintain considerable respondent anonymity. The main disadvantage of telephone interview is that the respondent could unilaterally terminate the interview without warning or explanation by hanging up the phone. It requires skilled professionals who could interact with the respondent in a

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Stationary Phase In Gas Chromatography Engineering Essay

Stationary Phase In Gas Chromatography Engineering Essay Stationary phase in Gas Chromatography (GC) is the part of the chromatographic system where the mobile phase will flow and distribute the solutes between the phases. Stationary phase plays a vital role in determining the selectivity and retention of solutes in a mixture. There are two major types of GC which are gas-solid chromatography and gas-liquid chromatography. In gas-solid chromatography, same material is used as both the stationary phase and support material. The common adsorbents used include alumina, molecular sieve such as zeolite and clay, silica and active carbon. In gas-liquid chromatography, the stationary phase is a liquid which is immobilized or adsorbed on a solid support material such as silica particles. The material of stationary phase ranges from polymers such as polysiloxanes, polyesters, polyethylene glycols to fluorocarbons, and liquid crystals. In addition, the stationary phase may consist of either porous particles, solid particles or a fibrous material such as paper. There are various types of stationary phases available because the choice of stationary phase being the most suitable one depends on the polarity of components. The primary rule of separation is like dissolved like where non-polar analytes will partition strongly into non-polar stationary phases and polar analytes partition into polar phases. Polysiloxanes, for instance are the most common stationary phases. They possess the greatest variety and are stable, robust and versatile. Besides that, they can resist oxidation and offer high solute diffusivitites into the polymer coupled with excellent chemical and thermal stability. 100% methyl substituted is the most basic polysiloxane being used and is non polar. The diagram below shows the basic structure of 100% dimethyl substituted polysiloxane. Because a variety of groups can be incorporated into the structure, polysiloxane exhibit a wide range of polarities ranging from non polar to polar. This can be done by replacing the methyl groups with other functional groups in the polymer structure. The structure below is a general representation of substituted polysiloxane. The R groups can be methyl(-CH3), phenyl(-C6H5), trifluoropropyl(-CH2CH2CF3) or cyanopropyl(-CH2CH2CH2CN). X and Y indicate the percentage of an aggregate in the overall polymeric stationary phase composition. The increase in the percentage of substitution of these polar groups increases the polarity of the liquid phase to various degree. For instance, 5% diphenyl-95% dimethyl polysiloxane. In this structure, R1 and R2 are phenyl groups and R3 and R4 are methyl groups. M and N have the value of 5% and 95% respectively. Table below shows some of the common stationary phases used in gas-liquid chromatography. Stationary Phase Common Trade Name Temperature ÃÅ'Ã…  C Applications Polydimethyl siloxane OV-1, SE-30 350 hydrocarbons, drugs, steroids Poly(phenylmethyldimethyl) siloxane (10% phenyl) OV-3, SE-52 350 Fatty acid methyl esters, alkaloids, drugs Poly(phenylmethyl) siloxane (50% phenyl) OV-17 250 Drugs, steroids, pesticides, glycols Poly(trifluoropropyldimethyl) siloxane OV-210 200 Chlorinated aromatics, nitroaromatics,alkyl substituted benzene Methyl-5% phenyl polysiloxane SE-54, OV-23, DB-5, SPB-5, BP-5, HP-5, ULTRA 2, RTx-5, CPSil-8 50-325 Similar to methyl polysiloxane. Slightly more selective due to phenyl content. Excellent thermal stability. Methyl 50% Phenyl Polysiloxane OV-17, DB-17, SPB-7, BP-10, HP-17, RTx-17, AT-50, 40-325 Added selectivity-higher phenyl content.Retains similar compounds longer than methyl silicone.Efficient separations of drugs, sugars and steroids. Good thermal stability. 6% Cyanopropylphenyl 94% Methylpolysiloxane DB-1301, RTx-1301, HP-1301 30-320 Selectivity for polarizable and polar compounds. Exhibits less retention of polyaromatic compounds.Good thermal stability. Methyl 7% Cyanopropyl 7% Phenyl Polysiloxane DB-1701, CPSil-19, RTx-1701, AT-1701 280 Unique selectivity of cyanopropyl and phenyl groups.Not truly a polar phase.Good thermal stability Methyl 25% Cyanopropyl 25% Phenyl Polyciloxane DB-255, HP-255, CPSil-43, RTx-225, AT-255 40-240 Polar phase.Efficient separations of fatty acids and alditol acetate derivatives of sugars.Fair thermal stability Silicone Oil DC-550 180-200 Moderately polar substrate,used for alkylbenzenes and naphthalene homologs Silicone Gum Rubber SE-30 400 Non polar,for highest temperature work. Used for steroids and polycyclic aromatics For polydimethyl siloxane, the -R groups are all hydrophobic giving liquid the least polarity and has the following general structure. Poly(cyanopropylphenyldimethyl) siloxanes are another polar stationary phases. They are used in separating compounds which contain several hydroxyl groups such as steroids. Another type of stationary phase is polyethylene glycols (PEGs) which is shown below. This stationary phase is non-silicon-containing stationary phase and is most widely used after siloxanes in the analysis of polar solutes. They are moderately polar and was considered the most polar stationary phase available due to the difficulty in coating and cross-linking of polar siloxane on the stationary phase. Besides, they are well known for their unique selectivity and high polarity as a liquid phase. The polyethylene backbone of these columns is different than polysiloxane phases. Strong polar dispersive interaction in the phase is imparted by the oxygen group in the polymer backbone. It also provides a very strong dipole interaction as the phase itself is capable of hydrogen bonding which is the bonding between a strong polar group (OH, NH) and a compound with strong electronegativity (F, O, N)]. Stationary phases with wax or FFAP in their names also belong to polyethylene glycol. Polyethylene glycols stationary phases have 100% of the stated material because they are not substituted. They have several disadvantages such as less stable, less robust and limited maximum temperature compared to most siloxanes. In addition, they exhibit shorter lifetimes and have high susceptibility to damage upon over-heating or exposure to oxygen. However, the unique separation properties of polyethylene glycol have made these liabilities tolerable. Also, cross-linked PEG phase is able to overcome these deficiencies. Under GC temperature condition, PEG stationary phases must be liquids. For example, alcohols, ethers, aldehydes and other compounds with low boiling points can be separated by a suitable sorbent called PEG 400. Carbowax 20M can be used for the separation of polar compounds with higher boiling points. Other polar compounds such as amino alcohols, hydroxyl acids, dibasic acids, amines, nitrile, fatty acids, fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs), aromatic volatile compounds, and nitrosamines can also be separated using PEG columns. Arylene-modified polysiloxanes are also known as aryl-poly or arylene stationary phase. They are similar to standard polysiloxane except having phenyl groups in the polymer backbone. This stationary phase has several advantages including lower column bleed and higher temperature limits than their polysiloxane counterparts. Diagram 1 : Structure of arylene-modified polysiloxane In order to prevent column bleed during GC analysis, most of the stationary phases used today are of arylene-modified polysiloxane. These stationary phases have been designed to be equivalent to a familiar stationary phase such as 5% phenylmethyl polysiloxane (BD-5ms and DB-5). They have slight differences although both the stationary phases have similar separation characteristics. Chiral stationary phases are also used in Gas Chromatography analysis. These stationary phases are typically used to separate individual enantiomers, stereoisomers which only differ in the spatial arrangement of their atoms and in their ability to rotate the plane of polarized light. Separation of two substances can only occur when their standard energy of distribution differ, which means that their standard enthalpies and/or their standard entropies of distribution also differ. In general, the standard enthalpy indicates the difference in the interactive forces such as polar, dispersive and ionic interactive on the molecule in the two phases whereas the standard entropy indicates their spatial disposition. Hence, to separate chiral solutes, the stationary phase chosen must differ significantly in the spatial arrangement of its composite atoms results in the probability or proximity of interaction between the two enantiomers to be separated. Many chiral compounds are used in the prep aration of chiral stationary phase (CSP). Cyclodextrin (CD) and their derivatives are the most commonly used chiral compounds. Cyclodextrin is a cyclic oligomer substituted into a conventional siloxane stationary phase. A strong interaction with the cavity in the CD is achieved when organic molecules of correct size and shape are present. Hence, these organic molecules will be more strongly retained on the capillary column. Furthermore, modified CDs are used since they are capable of resolving chiral solutes over a high range of GC temperatures. Chiral stationary phase plays a vital role in separation especially in pharmaceutical industry because pharmaceutical compounds usually exist as enantiomers. Some rough estimations about the target compounds that are generally well dissolved into their enantiomers by using specific chiral stationary phase are illustrated below. Product Name Stationary Phase Analytes Cyclodextrin E 2,6-Pentyl-3-Butyryl-gamma-Cyclodextrin oxygenated terpenes, alcohols, epoxides Cyslodextrin G 6-Methyl-2,3-Pentyl-gamma-Cyclodextrin monoterpene hydrocarbons, volatile/low temperature Cyclodextrin H 2,6-Methyl-3-Pentyl-gamma-Cyclodextrin terpenes, alcohols, alkenes Cyclodextrin 3P 2,6-Methyl-3-Pentyl-beta-Cyclodextrin terpenes, alcohols, alkenes Cyclodextrin TM 6-TBDMS-2,3-Methyl-beta-Cyclodextrin PCB, polycyclic or chlorinated aromatics, pesticides Cyclodextrin TE 6-TBDMS-2,3-Ethyl-beta-Cyclodextrin pharmacopeia separations of essential oils Cyclodextrin TA 6-TBDMS-2,3-Acetyl-beta-Cyclodextrin oxygenated terpenes, aromatics, low volatile Cyclodextrin PM 2,3,6-Methyl-beta-Cyclodextrin legacy phase for many analytes . In Gas Chromatography, there are generally two different types of column used which are packed columns and capillary columns. Packed columns contain finely divided inert solid support material that is densely packed in the inside of the column in which the material is coated with a liquid stationary phase. This stationary phase is 3-10% by weight of the solid support and will form a thin liquid film on the surface of the material where the mobile phase will flow over and around the coated material as it travels down the column. The solid support material used is usually diatomaceous earth. To improve resolution and speed, the particles size should be small enough, ranging from less than 100-300mm and are uniform in size. Small size of particles is necessary as it increases the surface area for easier partition and separation of solutes. Besides that, the material should be inert to avoid any chemical reaction between the solutes and solid support material. However, packed columns have limited resolution where N Diagram 2 : Cross section of packed column Solid support material Packed columns are 1.5 10 m in length and have an internal diameter of 2 4Â  mm. They are normally constructed from stainless steel but can be glass such as Pyrex glass if a less reactive surface is desired. Pyrex glass is chosen when thermally labile solutes are being separated. Unfortunately, glass has pressure limitations and for long packed columns, stainless steel columns are chosen since they possess high pressure tolerance. The nature of the coating material which is the liquid stationary phase determines what type of solutes will be most strongly adsorbed onto it. Hence, various columns are available that are designed to separate specific types of compounds. Open tubular columns or rather known as capillary columns are characterized by a small narrow opening in the centre of the column through which the mobile phase will travel as it moves past the stationary phase. There is no packing of solid support material unlike packed columns. Capillary column is constructed by fused silica which is a highly purified and inert material. There is a protective coating on the outside of the column, called polyamide that affords strength and flexibility in order to wind into small coil. Diagram 3 : Cross-section of capillary column Capillary columns have a very small internal diameter, on the order of a few tenths of millimeters, are between 25-60 meters in length. Capillary columns can be divided into three classes which are wall-coated open tubular (WCOT) columns, support-coated open tubular (SCOT) columns and porous layer open tubular (PLOT) columns. For WCOT columns, the inner column walls are coated with a thin layer of liquid stationary phase. The thickness of liquid coating is 0.25 0.5 Â µm thick leading to very fast and efficient separations (up to 300,000 plates). Other types of capillary columns exist with the stationary phase contained in different formats. These columns are typically efficient but they have a small sample capacity due to their low surface area. For SCOT columns, the inner wall of capillary columns are lined with approximately 30ÃŽÂ ¼m of a porous support material in order to allow a higher loading of stationary phase, resulting higher column capacity. Then, a thin film of liqui d stationary phase is then coated on this layer of support material, providing SCOT columns a larger surface area. For PLOT columns, they are similar to SCOT columns except solid support materials are attached to the inner column wall where the particles themselves are the stationary phase. There support materials can be glass powder or microcrystalline materials rather than particulate support. Diagram 4 : cross section of WCOT, SCOT and PLOT columns Generally, capillary columns are favored over packed columns and WCOT columns are more efficient than SCOT columns in Gas Chromatography. The table below shows further comparison of capillary (WCOT) and packed columns. Parameter Capillary Column Packed column Efficiency (plates/m) >100000 Sample size (ng) 10-75 10-1000000 Realtive pressure Low High Relative speed Fast Slow Chemical inertness Best Poorest Column flexibility Yes No Resolution Good Poor

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Free Euthanasia Essays: Oregon, Assisted Suicide and Right to Life :: Free Euthanasia Essay

Oregon, Assisted Suicide and Right to Life The reader of this paper will learn how the Right to Life movement is getting involved in a dramatic way in the assisted suicide battle in the state of Oregon. The NRLC(National Right to Life Committee), as well as the state RTL group, is participating in the court battle resulting from Oregon's November, 2001 judicial challenge to Ashcroft's decision -- initiated to keep assisted suicide practices functioning smoothly in Oregon. The National Right to Life Committee and Oregon Right to Life filed a friend of the court brief in the case challenging the recent decision of U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft that the Controlled Substances Act does not permit the use of federally controlled drugs for assisted suicide. Under the Ashcroft decision, physicians who prescribe controlled drugs for assisted suicide could lose their licenses to prescribe any federally controlled drugs, which would effectively end the medical practice of many doctors. The brief supports the position of the United States, arguing that the Ashcroft decision should be upheld. (Oregon) In November of 2001, the State of Oregon brought suit against the Ashcroft ruling charging that it effectively nullifies Oregon's law permitting physician-assisted suicide for the terminally ill. Oregon is the only state to have legalized physician-assisted suicide. Oregon was joined in the suit, Oregon v. Ashcroft, by a number of persons seeking assisted suicide, a physician, a pharmacist, and an assisted suicide advocacy organization. Federal district court judge Robert E. Jones in Portland, Oregon, enjoined enforcement of the Ashcroft ruling pending prompt resolution of the case in his court. The National and Oregon Right to Life brief argues that Ashcroft's decision was fully justified because the federal government can choose to protect all human life through its laws even if the State of Oregon has chosen not to do so. "Just because Oregon allows its doctors to prescribe lethal drug overdoses to patients doesn't mean that the federal government has to agree that this is a legit imate medical use of the drugs," said James Bopp, Jr., General Counsel of the National Right to Life Committee. "The Oregon tail doesn't wag the federal dog. The U.S. government can protect all human lives even if Oregon turns its back on some of them." The brief also argues that the Ashcroft decision avoids constitutional problems by refusing to discriminate against terminally ill persons in enforcement of federal drug laws.

Monday, November 11, 2019

Chapter 5 The Dementor

Tom woke Harry the next morning with his usual toothless grin and a cup of tea. Harry got dressed and was just persuading a disgruntled Hedwig to get back into her cage when Ron banged his way into the room, pulling a sweatshirt over his head and looking irritable. â€Å"The sooner we get on the train, the better,† he said. â€Å"At least I can get away from Percy at Hogwarts. Now he's accusing me of dripping tea on his photo of Penelope Clearwater. You know,† Ron grimaced, â€Å"his girlfriend. She's hidden her face under the frame because her nose has gone all blotchy†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"I've got something to tell you,† Harry began, but they were interrupted by Fred and George, who had looked in to congratulate Ron on infuriating Percy again. They headed down to breakfast, where Mr. Weasley was reading the front page of the Daily Prophet with a furrowed brow and Mrs. Weasley was telling Hermione and Ginny about a love potion she'd made as a young girl. All three of them were rather giggly. â€Å"What were you saying?† Ron asked Harry as they sat down. â€Å"Later,† Harry muttered as Percy stormed in. Harry had no chance to speak to Ron or Hermione in the chaos of leaving; they were too busy heaving all their trunks down the Leaky Cauldron's narrow staircase and piling them up near the door, with Hedwig and Hermes, Percy's screech owl, perched on top in their cages. A small wickerwork basket stood beside the heap of trunks, spitting loudly. â€Å"It's all right, Crookshanks,† Hermione cooed through the wickerwork. â€Å"I'll let you out on the train.† â€Å"You won't,† snapped Ron. â€Å"What about poor Scabbers, eh?† He pointed at his chest, where a large lump indicated that Scabbers was curled up in his pocket. Mr. Weasley, who had been outside waiting for the Ministry cars, stuck his head inside. â€Å"They're here, he said. â€Å"Harry, come on.† Mr. Weasley marched Harry across the short stretch of pavement toward the first of two old-fashioned dark green cars, each of which was driven by a furtive-looking wizard wearing a suit of emerald velvet. â€Å"In you get, Harry,† said Mr. Weasley, glancing up and down the crowded street. Harry got into the back of the car and was shortly joined by Hermione, Ron, and, to Ron's disgust, Percy. The journey to King's Cross was very uneventful compared with Harry's trip on the Knight Bus. The Ministry of Magic cars seemed almost ordinary. though Harry noticed that they could slide through gaps that Uncle Vernon's new company car certainly couldn't have managed. They reached King's Cross with twenty minutes to spare; the Ministry drivers found them trolleys, unloaded their trunks, touched their hats in salute to Mr. Weasley, and drove away, somehow managing to jump to the head of an unmoving line at the traffic lights. Mr. Weasley kept close to Harry's elbow all the way into the station. â€Å"Right then,† he said, glancing around them. â€Å"Let's do this in pairs, as there are so many of us. I'll go through first with Harry.† Mr. Weasley strolled toward the barrier between platforms nine and ten, pushing Harry's trolley and apparently very interested in the InterCity 125 that had just arrived at platform nine. With a meaningful look at Harry, he leaned casually against the barrier. Harry imitated him. In a moment, they had fallen sideways through the solid metal onto platform nine and three-quarters and looked up to see the Hogwarts Express, a scarlet steam engine, puffing smoke over a platform packed with witches and wizards seeing their children onto the train. Percy and Ginny suddenly appeared behind Harry. They were panting and had apparently taken the barrier at a run. â€Å"Ah, there's Penelope!† said Percy, smoothing his hair and going pink again. Ginny caught Harry's eye, and they both turned away to hide their laughter as Percy strode over to a girl with long, curly hair, walking with his chest thrown out so that she couldn't miss his shiny badge. Once the remaining Weasleys and Hermione had joined them, Harry and Mr. Weasley led the way to the end of the train, past packed compartments, to a carriage that looked quite empty. They loaded the trunks onto it, stowed Hedwig and Crookshanks in the luggage rack, then went back outside to say goodbye to Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. Mrs. Weasley kissed all her children, then Hermione, and finally Harry. He was embarrassed, but really quite pleased, when she gave him an extra hug. â€Å"Do take care, won't you Harry?† she said as she straightened up, her eyes oddly bright. Then she opened her enormous handbag and said, â€Å"I've made you all sandwiches. Here you are, Ron†¦no, they're not corned beef†¦ Fred? Where's Fred? Here you are dear†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Harry,† said Mr. Weasley quietly, â€Å"come over here for a moment.† He jerked his head towards a pillar, and Harry followed him behind it, leaving the others crowded around Mrs. Weasley. â€Å"There's something I've got to tell you before you leave –† said Mr. Weasley in a tense voice. â€Å"It's all right, Mr. Weasley,† said Harry, â€Å"I already know.† â€Å"You know? How could you know?† â€Å"I — er — I heard you and Mrs. Wesley talking last night. I couldn't help hearing,† Harry added quickly. â€Å"Sorry –â€Å" â€Å"That's not the way I'd have chosen for you to find out,† said Mr. Weasley looking anxious.. â€Å"No — honestly it's OK. This way, you haven't broken your word to Fudge and I know what's going on.† â€Å"Harry, you must be scared — â€Å" â€Å"I'm not,† said Harry sincerely. â€Å"Really,† he added, because Mr. Weasley was looking disbelieving. â€Å"I'm not trying to be a hero, but seriously, Sirius Black can't be worse than Lord Voldemort, can he?† Mr. Weasley flinched at the sound of the name, but overlooked it. â€Å"Harry, I knew you were, well, made of stronger stuff than Fudge seems to think, and I'm obviously pleased that you're not scared, but –â€Å" â€Å"Arthur!† called Mrs. Weasley, who was now shepherding the rest onto the train. â€Å"Arthur, what are you doing? It's about to go!† â€Å"He's coming Molly!† said Mr. Weasley, but he turned back to Harry and kept talking in a lower and more hurried voice, â€Å"Listen, I want you to give me your word –â€Å" † — that I'll be a good boy and stay in the castle?† said Harry gloomily. â€Å"Not entirely,† said Mr. Weasley, who looked more serious than Harry had ever seen him. â€Å"Harry, swear to me you won't go looking for Black.† Harry stared, â€Å"What!† There was a loud whistle. Guards were walking along the train, slamming all the doors shut. â€Å"Promise me, Harry,† said Mr. Weasley, talking more quickly still, â€Å"that whatever happens –â€Å" â€Å"Why would I go looking for someone I know wants to kill me?† said Harry blankly. â€Å"Swear to me that whatever you might hear –â€Å" â€Å"Arthur, quickly!† cried Mrs. Weasley. Steam was billowing from the train it had started to move. Harry ran to the compartment door and Ron threw it open and stood back to let him on. They leaned out of the window and waved at Mr. and Mrs. Weasley until the train turned a corner and blocked them from view. â€Å"I need to talk to you in private,† Harry muttered to Ron and Hermione as the train picked up speed. â€Å"Go away, Ginny,† said Ron. â€Å"Oh, that's nice,† said Ginny huffily, and she stalked off. Harry, Ron, and Hermione set off down the corridor, looking for an empty compartment, but all were full except for the one at the very end of the train. This had only one occupant, a man sitting fast asleep next to the window. Harry, Ron, and Hermione checked on the threshold. The Hogwarts Express was usually reserved for students and they had never seen an adult there before, except for the witch who pushed the food cart. The stranger was wearing an extremely shabby set of wizard's robes that had been darned in several places. He looked ill and exhausted. Though quite young, his light brown hair was flecked with gray. â€Å"Who d'you reckon he is?† Ron hissed as they sat down and slid the door shut, taking the seats farthest away from the window. â€Å"Professor R. J. Lupin.† whispered Hermione at once. â€Å"How'd you know that?† â€Å"It's on his case,† she replied, pointing at the luggage rack over the man's head, where there was a small, battered case held together with a large quantity of neatly knotted string. The name Professor R. J. Lupin was stamped across one corner in peeling letters. â€Å"Wonder what he teaches?† said Ron, frowning at Professor Lupin's pallid profile. â€Å"That's obvious,† whispered Hermione. â€Å"There's only one vacancy, isn't there? Defense Against the Dark Arts.† Harry, Ron, and Hermione had already had two Defense Against the Dark Arts teachers, both of whom had lasted only one year. There were rumors that the job was jinxed. â€Å"Well, I hope he's up to it,† said Ron doubtfully. â€Å"He looks like on, good hex would finish him off, doesn't he? Anyway†¦Ã¢â‚¬  he turned to Harry, â€Å"what were you going to tell us?† Harry explained all about Mr. and Mrs. Wesley's argument and the warning Mr. Weasley had just given him. When he'd finished, Ron looked thunderstruck, and Hermione had her hands over her mouth. She finally lowered them to say, â€Å"Sirius Black escaped to come after you? Oh, Harry†¦you'll have to be really, really careful. don't go looking for trouble, Harry†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"I don't go looking for trouble,† said Harry, nettled. â€Å"Trouble usually finds me.† â€Å"How thick would Harry have to be, to go looking for a nutter who wants to kill him?† said Ron shakily. They were taking the news worse than Harry had expected. Both Ron and Hermione seemed to be much more frightened of Black than he was. â€Å"No one knows how he got out of Azkaban,† said Ron uncomfortably. â€Å"No one's ever done it before. And he was a top-security prisoner too.† â€Å"But they'll catch him, won't they?† said Hermione earnestly. â€Å"I mean, they've got all the Muggles looking out for him too†¦.† â€Å"What's that noise?† said Ron suddenly. A faint, tinny sort of whistle was coming from somewhere. They looked all around the compartment. â€Å"It's coming from your trunk, Harry,† said Ron, standing up and reaching into the luggage rack. A moment later he had pulled the Pocket Sneakoscope out from between Harry's robes. It was spinning very fast in the palm of Ron's hand and glowing brilliantly. â€Å"Is that a Sneakoscope?† said Hermione interestedly, standing up for a better look. â€Å"Yeah†¦mind you, it's a very cheap one,† Ron said. â€Å"It went haywire just as I was tying it to Errol's leg to send it to Harry.† â€Å"Were you doing anything untrustworthy at the time?† said Hermione shrewdly. â€Å"No! Well†¦I wasn't supposed to be using Errol. You know he's not really up to long journeys†¦but how else was I supposed to get Harry's present to him?† â€Å"Stick it back in the trunk,† Harry advised as the Sneakoscope whistled piercingly, â€Å"or it'll wake him up.† He nodded toward Professor Lupin. Ron stuffed the Sneakoscope into a particularly horrible pair of Uncle Vernon's old socks, which deadened the sound, then closed the lid of the trunk on it. â€Å"We could get it checked in Hogsmeade,† said Ron, sitting back down. â€Å"They sell that sort of thing in Dervish and Banges, magical instruments and stuff. Fred and George told me.† â€Å"Do you know much about Hogsmeade?† asked Hermione keenly. â€Å"I've read it's the only entirely non-Muggle settlement in Britain –â€Å" â€Å"Yeah, I think it is,† said Ron in an offhand sort of way. â€Å"but that's not why I want to go. I just want to get inside Honeydukes!† â€Å"What's that?† said Hermione. â€Å"It's this sweetshop,† said Ron, a dreamy look coming over his face, â€Å"where they've got everything†¦Pepper Imps — they make you smoke at the mouth — and great fat Chocoballs full of strawberry mousse and clotted cream, and really excellent sugar quills, which you can suck in class and just look like you're thinking what to write next?C† â€Å"But Hogsmeade's a very interesting place, isn't it?† Hermione pressed on eagerly. â€Å"In Sites of Historical Sorcery it says the inn was the headquarters for the 1612 goblin rebellion, and the Shrieking Shack's supposed to be the most severely haunted building in Britain –â€Å" â€Å"?C and massive sherbet balls that make you levitate a few inches off the ground while you're sucking them,† said Ron, who was plainly not listening to a word Hermione was saying. Hermione looked around at Harry. â€Å"Won't it be nice to get out of school for a bit and explore Hogsmeade?† â€Å"‘Spect it will,† said Harry heavily. â€Å"You'll have to tell me when you've found out.† â€Å"What d'you mean?† said Ron. â€Å"I can't go. The Dursleys didn't sign my permission form, and Fudge wouldn't either.† Ron looked horrified. â€Å"You're not allowed to come? But — no way — McGonagall or someone will give you permission –â€Å" Harry gave a hollow laugh. Professor McGonagall, head of Gryffindor house, was very strict. â€Å"?C or we can ask Fred and George, they know every secret passage out of the castle –â€Å" â€Å"Ron!† said Hermione sharply. â€Å"I don't think Harry should be sneaking out of the school with Black on the loose –â€Å" â€Å"Yeah, I expect that's what McGonagall will say when I ask of permission,† said Harry bitterly. â€Å"But if we're with him,† said Ron spiritedly to Hermione. â€Å"Black wouldn't dare –â€Å" â€Å"Oh, Ron, don't talk rubbish,† snapped Hermione. â€Å"Black's already murdered a whole bunch of people in the middle of a crowded street, do you really think he's going to worry about attacking Harry just because we're there?† She was fumbling with the straps of Crookshanks's basket as she spoke. â€Å"Don't let that thing out!† Ron said, but too late; Crookshanks leapt lightly from the basket, stretched, yawned, and sprang onto Ron's knees; the lump in Ron's pocket trembled and he shoved Crookshanks angrily away. â€Å"Get out of it!† â€Å"Ron, don't!† said Hermione angrily. Ron was about to answer back when Professor Lupin stirred. They watched him apprehensively, but he simply turned his head the other way, mouth slightly open, and slept on. The Hogwarts Express moved steadily north and the scenery outside the window became wilder and darker while the clouds overhead thickened overhead. People were chasing backwards and forwards past the door of their compartment. Crookshanks had now settled in an empty seat, his squashed face turned towards Ron, his yellow eyes on Ron's top pocket. At one o'clock the plump witch with the food cart arrived at the compartment door. D'you think we should wake him up?† Ron asked awkwardly, nodding towards Professor Lupin. â€Å"He looks like he could do with some food.† Hermione approached Professor Lupin cautiously. â€Å"Er — Professor?† she said. â€Å"Excuse me — Professor?† He didn't move. â€Å"Don't worry, dear,† said the witch, as she handed a large stack of cauldron cakes. â€Å"If he's hungry when he wakes, I'll be up front with the driver.† â€Å"I suppose he is asleep?† said Ron quietly, as the witch slid the compartment door closed. â€Å"I mean — he hasn't died, has he?† â€Å"No, no, he's breathing,† whispered Hermione, taking the cauldron cake Harry passed her. He might not be very good company, but Professor Lupin's presence in their compartment had its uses. Mid-afternoon, just as it had started to rain, blurring the rolling hills outside the window, they heard footsteps outside in the corridor again, and their three least favorite people appeared at the door: Draco Malfoy, flanked by his cronies, Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle. Draco Malfoy and Harry had been enemies ever since they had met on their very first journey to Hogwarts. Malfoy, who had a pale, pointed, sneering face, was in Slytherin house; he played Seeker on the Slytherin Quidditch team, the same position that Harry played on the Gryffindor team. Crabbe and Goyle seemed to exist to do Malfoy's bidding. They were both wide and muscly; Crabbe was taller, with a pudding-bowl haircut and a very thick neck; Goyle had short, bristly hair and long, gorilla arms. â€Å"Well, look who it is,† said Malfoy in his usual lazy drawl, pulling open the compartment door. â€Å"Potty and the Weasel.† Crabbe and Goyle chuckled trollishly. â€Å"I heard your father finally got his hands on some gold this summer, Weasley,† said Malfoy. â€Å"Did your mother die of shock?† Ron stood up so quickly he knocked Crookshanks's basket to the floor. Professor Lupin gave a snort. â€Å"Who's that?† said Malfoy, taking an automatic step backward as he spotted Lupin. â€Å"New teacher,† said Harry, who got to his feet, too, in case he needed to hold Ron back. â€Å"What were you saying, Malfoy?† Malfoy's pale eyes narrowed; he wasn't fool enough to pick a fight right under a teacher's nose. â€Å"C'mon,† he muttered resentfully to Crabbe and Goyle, and they disappeared. Harry and Ron sat down again, Ron massaging his knuckles. â€Å"I'm not going to take any crap from Malfoy this year,† he said angrily. â€Å"I mean it. If he makes one more crack about my family, I'm going to get hold of his head and –â€Å" Ron made a violent gesture in midair. â€Å"Ron,† hissed Hermione, pointing at Professor Lupin, â€Å"be careful†¦Ã¢â‚¬  But Professor Lupin was still fast asleep. The rain thickened as the train sped yet farther north; the windows were now a solid, shimmering gray, which gradually darkened until lanterns flickered into life all along the corridors and over the luggage racks. The train rattled, the rain hammered, the wind roared, but still, Professor Lupin slept. â€Å"We must be nearly there,† said Ron, leaning forward to look past Professor Lupin at the now completely black window. The words had hardly left him when the train started to slow down. â€Å"Great,† said Ron, getting up and walking carefully past Professor Lupin to try and see outside. â€Å"I'm starving. I want to get to the feast†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"We can't be there yet,† said Hermione, checking her watch. â€Å"So why're we stopping?† The train was getting slower and slower. As the noise of the pistons fell away, the wind and rain sounded louder than ever against the windows. Harry, who was nearest the door, got up to look into the corridor. All along the carriage, heads were sticking curiously out of their compartments. The train came to a stop with a jolt, and distant thuds and bangs told them that luggage had fallen out of the racks. Then, without warning, all the lamps went out and they were plunged into total darkness. â€Å"What's going on?† said Ron's voice from behind Harry. â€Å"Ouch!† gasped Hermione. â€Å"Ron, that was my foot!† Harry felt his way back to his seat. â€Å"D'you think we've broken down?† â€Å"Dunno†¦Ã¢â‚¬  There was a squeaking sound, and Harry saw the dim black outline of Ron, wiping a patch clean on the window and peering out. â€Å"There's something moving out there,† Ron said. â€Å"I think people are coming aboard†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The compartment door suddenly opened and someone fell painfully over Harry's legs. â€Å"Sorry! D'you know what's going on? Ouch! Sorry –â€Å" â€Å"Hullo, Neville,† said Harry, feeling around in the dark and pulling Neville up by his cloak. â€Å"Harry? Is that you? What's happening?† â€Å"No idea! Sit down –â€Å" There was a loud hissing and a yelp of pain; Neville had tried to sit on Crookshanks. â€Å"I'm going to go and ask the driver what's going on,† came Hermione's voice. Harry felt her pass him, heard the door slide open again, and then a thud and two loud squeals of pain. â€Å"Who's that?† â€Å"Who's that?† â€Å"Ginny?† â€Å"Hermione?† â€Å"What are you doing?† â€Å"I was looking for Ron –â€Å" â€Å"Come in and sit down –â€Å" â€Å"Not here!† said Harry hurriedly. â€Å"I'm here!† â€Å"Ouch!† said Neville. â€Å"Quiet!† said a hoarse voice suddenly. Professor Lupin appeared to have woken up at last. Harry could hear movements in his corner. None of them spoke. There was a soft, crackling noise, and a shivering light filled the compartment. Professor Lupin appeared to be holding a handful of flames. They illuminated his tired, gray face, but his eyes looked alert and wary. â€Å"Stay where you are.† he said in the same hoarse voice, and he got slowly to his feet with his handful of fire held out in front of him. But the door slid slowly open before Lupin could reach it. Standing in the doorway, illuminated by the shivering flames in Lupin's hand, was a cloaked figure that towered to the ceiling. Its face was completely hidden beneath its hood. Harry's eyes darted downward, and what he saw made his stomach contract. There was a hand protruding from the cloak and it was glistening, grayish, slimy-looking, and scabbed, like something dead that had decayed in water†¦. But it was visible only for a split second. As though the creature beneath the cloak sensed Harry's gaze, the hand was suddenly withdrawn into the folds of its black cloak. And then the thing beneath the hood, whatever it was, drew a long, slow, rattling breath, as though it were trying to suck something more than air from its surroundings. An intense cold swept over them all. Harry felt his own breath catch in his chest. The cold went deeper than his skin. It was inside his chest, it was inside his very heart†¦ Harry's eyes rolled up into his head. He couldn't see. He was drowning in cold. There was a rushing in his ears as though of water. He was being dragged downward, the roaring growing louder†¦ And then, from far away, he heard screaming, terrible, terrified, pleading screams. He wanted to help whoever it was, he tried to move his arms, but couldn't†¦a thick white fog was swirling around him, inside him — â€Å"Harry! Harry! Are you all right?† Someone was slapping his face. â€Å"W-what?† Harry opened his eyes; there were lanterns above him, and the floor was shaking — the Hogwarts Express was moving again and the lights had come back on. He seemed to have slid out of his seat onto the floor. Ron and Hermione were kneeling next to him, and above them he could see Neville and Professor Lupin watching. Harry felt very sick; when he put up his hand to push his glasses back on, he felt cold sweat on his face. Ron and Hermione heaved him back onto his seat. â€Å"Are you okay?† Ron asked nervously. â€Å"Yeah,† said Harry, looking quickly toward the door. The hooded creature had vanished. â€Å"What happened? Where's that — that thing? Who screamed?† â€Å"No one screamed,† said Ron, more nervously still. Harry looked around the bright compartment. Ginny and Neville looked back at him, both very pale. â€Å"But I heard screaming –â€Å" A loud snap made them all jump. Professor Lupin was breaking an enormous slab of chocolate into pieces. â€Å"Here,† he said to Harry, handing him a particularly large piece. â€Å"Eat it. It'll help.† Harry took the chocolate but didn't eat it. â€Å"What was that thing?† he asked Lupin. â€Å"A Dementor,† said Lupin, who was now giving chocolate to everyone else. â€Å"One of the Dementors of Azkaban.† Everyone stared at him. Professor Lupin crumpled up the empty chocolate wrapper and put it in his pocket. â€Å"Eat,† he repeated. â€Å"It'll help. I need to speak to the driver, excuse me†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He strolled past Harry and disappeared into the corridor. â€Å"Are you sure you're okay, Harry?† said Hermione, watching Harry anxiously. â€Å"I don't get it †¦ what happened?† said Harry, wiping more sweat off his face. â€Å"Well — that thing — the Dementor — stood there and looked around (I mean, I think it did, I couldn't see its face) — and you — you –â€Å" â€Å"I thought you were having a fit or something,† said Ron, who still looked scared. â€Å"You went sort of rigid and fell out of your seat and started twitching –â€Å" â€Å"And Professor Lupin stepped over you, and walked toward the Dementor, and pulled out his wand,† said Hermione, â€Å"and he said, ‘None of us is hiding Sirius Black under our cloaks. Go.' But the Dementor didn't move, so Lupin muttered something, and a silvery thing shot out of his wand at it, and it turned around and sort of glided away†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"It was horrible,† said Neville, in a higher voice than usual. â€Å"Did you feel how cold it got when it came in?† â€Å"I felt weird,† said Ron, shifting his shoulders uncomfortably. â€Å"Like I'd never be cheerful again†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Ginny, who was huddled in her corner looking nearly as bad as Harry felt, gave a small sob; Hermione went over and put a comforting arm around her. â€Å"But didn't any of you — fall off your seats?† said Harry awkwardly. â€Å"No,† said Ron, looking anxiously at Harry again. â€Å"Ginny was shaking like mad, though†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Harry didn't understand. He felt weak and shivery, as though he were recovering from a bad bout of flu; he also felt the beginnings of shame. Why had he gone to pieces like that, when no one else had? Professor Lupin had come back. He paused as he entered, looked around, and said, with a small smile, â€Å"I haven't poisoned that chocolate, you know†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Harry took a bite and to his great surprise felt warmth spread suddenly to the tips of his fingers and toes. â€Å"We'll be at Hogwarts in ten minutes,† said Professor Lupin. â€Å"Are you all right, Harry?† Harry didn't ask how Professor Lupin knew his name. â€Å"Fine,† he muttered, embarrassed. They didn't talk much during the remainder of the journey. At long last, the train stopped at Hogsmeade station, and there was a great scramble to get outside; owls hooted, cats meowed, and Neville's pet toad croaked loudly from under his hat. It was freezing on the tiny platform; rain was driving down in icy sheets. â€Å"Firs' years this way!† called a familiar voice. Harry, Ron, and Hermione turned and saw the gigantic outline of Hagrid at the other end of the platform, beckoning the terrified-looking new students forward for their traditional journey across the lake. â€Å"All right, you three?† Hagrid yelled over the heads of the crowd. They waved at him, but had no chance to speak to him because the mass of people around them was shunting them away along the platform. Harry, Ron, and Hermione followed the rest of the school along the platform and out onto a rough mud track, where at least a hundred stagecoaches awaited the remaining students, each pulled, Harry could only assume, by an invisible horse, because when they climbed inside and shut the door, the coach set off all by itself, bumping and swaying in procession. The coach smelled faintly of mold and straw. Harry felt better since the chocolate, but still weak. Ron and Hermione kept looking at him sideways, as though frightened he might collapse again. As the carriage trundled toward a pair of magnificent wrought iron gates, flanked with stone columns topped with winged boars, Harry saw two more towering, hooded Dementors, standing guard on either side. A wave of cold sickness threatened to engulf him again; he leaned back into the lumpy seat and closed his eyes until they had passed the gates. The carriage picked up speed on the long, sloping drive up to the castle; Hermione was leaning out of the tiny window, watching the many turrets and towers draw nearer. At last, the carriage swayed to a halt, and Hermione and Ron got out. As Harry stepped down, a drawling, delighted voice sounded in his ear. â€Å"You fainted, Potter? Is Longbottorn telling the truth? You actually fainted?† Malfoy elbowed past Hermione to block Harry's way up the stone steps to the castle, his face gleeful and his pale eyes glinting maliciously. â€Å"Shove off, Malfoy,† said Ron, whose jaw was clenched. â€Å"Did you faint as well, Weasley?† said Malfoy loudly. â€Å"Did the scary old Dementor frighten you too, Weasley?† â€Å"Is there a problem?† said a mild voice. Professor Lupin had just gotten out of the next carriage. Malfoy gave Professor Lupin an insolent stare, which took in the patches on his robes and the dilapidated suitcase. With a tiny hint of sarcasm in his voice, he said, â€Å"Oh, no — er — Professor,† then he smirked at Crabbe and Goyle and led them up the steps into the castle. Hermione prodded Ron in the back to make him hurry, and the three of them joined the crowd swarming up the steps, through the giant oak front doors, into the cavernous Entrance Hall, which was lit with flaming torches, and housed a magnificent marble staircase that led to the upper floors. The door into the Great Hall stood open at the right; Harry followed the crowd toward it, but had barely glimpsed the enchanted ceiling, which was black and cloudy tonight, when a voice called, â€Å"Potter! Granger! I want to see you both!† Harry and Hermione turned around, surprised. Professor McGonagall, Transfiguration teacher and head of Gryffindor House, was calling over the heads of the crowd. She was a stern looking witch who wore her hair in a tight bun; her sharp eyes were framed with square spectacles. Harry fought his way over to her with a feeling of foreboding: Professor McGonagall had a way of making him feel he must have done something wrong. â€Å"There's no need to look so worried — I just want a word in my office,† she told them. â€Å"Move along there, Weasley.† Ron stared as Professor McGonagall ushered Harry and Hermione away from the chattering crowd; they accompanied her across the entrance hall, up the marble staircase, and along a corridor. Once they were in her office, a small room with a large, welcoming fire, Professor McGonagall motioned Harry and Hermione to sit down. She settled herself behind her desk and said abruptly, â€Å"Professor Lupin sent an owl ahead to say that you were taken ill on the train, Potter.† Before Harry could reply, there was a soft knock on the door and Madam Pomfrey, the nurse, came bustling in. Harry felt himself going red in the face. It was bad enough that he'd passed out, or whatever he had done, without everyone making all this fuss. â€Å"I'm fine,† he said, â€Å"I don't need anything –â€Å" â€Å"Oh, it's you, is it?† said Madam Pomfrey, ignoring this and bending down to stare closely at him. â€Å"I suppose you've been doing something dangerous again?† â€Å"It was a Dementor, Poppy,† said Professor McGonagall. They exchanged a dark look, and Madam Pomfrey clucked disapprovingly. â€Å"Setting Dementors around a school, she muttered, pushing back Harry's hair and feeling his forehead. â€Å"He won't be the last one who collapses. Yes, he's all clammy. Terrible things, they are, and the effect they have on people who are already delicate –â€Å" â€Å"I'm not delicate!† said Harry crossly. â€Å"Of course you're not,† said Madam Pomfrey absentmindedly, now taking his pulse. â€Å"What does he need?† said Professor McGonagall crisply. â€Å"Bed rest? Should he perhaps spend tonight in the hospital wing?† â€Å"I'm fine!† said Harry, jumping up. The thought of what Draco Malfoy would say if he had to go to the hospital wing was torture. â€Å"Well, he should have some chocolate, at the very least,† said Madam Pomfrey, who was now trying to peer into Harry's eyes. â€Å"I've already had some,† said Harry. â€Å"Professor Lupin gave me some. He gave it to all of us.† â€Å"Did he, now?† said Madam Pomfrey approvingly. â€Å"So we've finally got a Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher who knows his remedies?† â€Å"Are you sure you feel all right, Potter?† Professor McGonagall said sharply. â€Å"Yes,† said Harry. â€Å"Very well. Kindly wait outside while I have a quick word with Miss Granger about her course schedule, then we can go down to the feast together.† Harry went back into the corridor with Madam Pomfrey, who left for the hospital wing, muttering to herself. He had to wait only a few minutes; then Hermione emerged looking very happy about something, followed by Professor McGonagall, and the three of them made their way back down the marble staircase to the Great Hall. It was a sea of pointed black hats; each of the long House tables was lined with students, their faces glimmering by the light of thousands of candles, which were floating over the tables in midair. Professor Flitwick, who was a tiny little wizard with a shock of white hair, was carrying an ancient hat and a three-legged stool out of the hall. â€Å"Oh,† said Hermione softly, â€Å"we've missed the Sorting!† New students at Hogwarts were sorted into Houses by trying on the Sorting Hat, which shouted out the House they were best suited to (Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, or Slytherin). Professor McGonagall strode off toward her empty seat at the staff table, and Harry and Hermione set off in the other direction, as quietly as possible, toward the Gryffindor table. People looked around at them as they passed along the back of the hall, and a few of them pointed at Harry. Had the story of his collapsing in front of the Dementor traveled that fast? He and Hermione sat down on either side of Ron, who had saved them seats. â€Å"What was all that about?† he muttered to Harry. Harry started to explain in a whisper, but at that moment the headmaster stood up to speak, and he broke off. Professor Dumbledore, though very old, always gave an impression of great energy. He had several feet of long silver hair and beard, half-moon spectacles, and an extremely crooked nose. He was often described as the greatest wizard of the age, but that wasn't why Harry respected him. You couldn't help trusting Albus Dumbledore, and as Harry watched him beaming around at the students, he felt really calm for the first time since the Dementor had entered the train compartment. â€Å"Welcome!† said Dumbledore, the candlelight shimmering on his beard. â€Å"Welcome to another year at Hogwarts! I have a few things to say to you all, and as one of them is very serious, I think it best to get it out of the way before you become befuddled by our excellent feast†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Dumbledore cleared his throat and continued, â€Å"As you will all be aware after their search of the Hogwarts Express, our school is presently playing host to some of the Dementors of Azkaban, who are here on Ministry of Magic business.† He paused, and Harry remembered what Mr. Weasley had said about Dumbledore not being happy with the Dementors guarding the school. â€Å"They are stationed at every entrance to the grounds,† Dumbledore continued, â€Å"and while they are with us, I must make it plain that nobody is to leave school without permission. Dementors are not to be fooled by tricks or disguises — or even Invisibility Cloaks,† he added blandly, and Harry and Ron glanced at each other. â€Å"It is not in the nature of a Dementor to understand pleading or excuses. I therefore warn each and every one of you to give them no reason to harm you. I look to the prefects, and our new Head Boy and Girl, to make sure that no student runs afoul of the Dementors,† he said. Percy, who was sitting a few seats down from Harry, puffed out his chest again and stared around impressively. Dumbledore paused again; he looked very seriously around the hall, and nobody moved or made a sound. â€Å"On a happier note,† he continued, I am pleased to welcome two new teachers to our ranks this year. â€Å"First, Professor Lupin, who has kindly consented to fill the post of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher.† There was some scattered, rather unenthusiastic applause. Only those who had been in the compartment on the train with Professor Lupin clapped hard, Harry among them. Professor Lupin looked particularly shabby next to all the other teachers in their best robes. â€Å"Look at Snape!† Ron hissed in Harry's ear. Professor Snape, the Potions master, was staring along the staff table at Professor Lupin. It was common knowledge that Snape wanted the Defense Against the Dark Arts job, but even Harry, who hated Snape, was startled at the expression twisting his thin, sallow face. it was beyond anger: it was loathing. Harry knew that expression only too well; it was the look Snape wore every time he set eyes on Harry. â€Å"As to our second new appointment,† Dumbledore continued as the lukewarm applause for Professor Lupin died away. â€Å"Well, I am sorry to tell you that Professor Kettleburn, our Care of Magical Creatures teacher, retired at the end of last year in order to enjoy more time with his remaining limbs. However, I am delighted to say that his place will be filled by none other than Rubeus Hagrid, who has agreed to take on this teaching job in addition to his gamekeeping duties.† Harry, Ron, and Hermione stared at one another, stunned. Then they joined in with the applause, which was tumultuous at the Gryffindor table in particular. Harry leaned forward to see Hagrid, who was ruby red in the face and staring down at his enormous hands, his wide grin hidden in the tangle of his black beard. â€Å"We should've known!† Ron roared, pounding the table. â€Å"Who else would have assigned us a biting book?† Harry, Ron, and Hermione were the last to stop clapping, and as Professor Dumbledore started speaking again, they saw that Hagrid was wiping his eyes on the tablecloth. â€Å"Well, I think that's everything of importance,† said Dumbledore. â€Å"Let the feast begin!† The golden plates and goblets before them filled suddenly with food and drink. Harry, suddenly ravenous, helped himself to everything he could reach and began to eat. It was a delicious feast; the hall echoed with talk, laughter, and the clatter of knives and forks. Harry, Ron, and Hermione, however, were eager for it to finish so that they could talk to Hagrid. They knew how much being made a teacher would mean to him. Hagrid wasn't a fully qualified wizard; he had been expelled from Hogwarts in his third year for a crime he had not committed. It had been Harry, Ron, and Hermione who had cleared Hagrid's name last year. At long last, when the last morsels of pumpkin tart had melted from the golden platters, Dumbledore gave the word that it was time for them all to go to bed, and they got their chance. â€Å"Congratulations, Hagrid!† Hermione squealed as they reached the teachers' table. â€Å"All down ter you three,† said Hagrid, wiping his shining face on his napkin as he looked up at them. â€Å"Can' believe it†¦great man, Dumbledore†¦came straight down to me hut after Professor Kettleburn said he'd had enough†¦It's what I always wanted†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Overcome with emotion, he buried his face in his napkin, and Professor McGonagall shooed them away. Harry, Ron, and Hermione joined the Gryffindors streaming up the marble staircase and, very tired now, along more corridors, up more and more stairs, to the hidden entrance to Gryffindor Tower, where a large portrait of a fat lady in a pink dress asked them, â€Å"Password?† â€Å"Coming through, coming through!† Percy called from behind the crowd. â€Å"The new password's Fortuna Major!† â€Å"Oh no,† said Neville Longbottom sadly. He always had trouble remembering the passwords. Through the portrait hole and across the common room, the girls and boys divided toward their separate staircases. Harry climbed the spiral stair with no thought in his head except how glad he was to be back. They reached their familiar, circular dormitory with its five four-poster beds, and Harry, looking around, felt he was home at last.

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Case Study on Organizational Behavior Essay

How will Tony Stark deal and cope with the new environment in the Reece Company? Solution: In my own opinion, since Tony is new in the company, feeling of indifference and resentment from other co-workers is inevitable. He already accepted Reece’s offer, so there’s no turning back now. Second thoughts won’t really help him with his situation. There really is a big difference with O’Grady’s and Reece’s working environment. He probably got so used to the previous company that’s why he’s having issues with the new one he’s in. There are no companies are extremely alike. What he has to do now is accept whatever is happening and exude effort in trying to make things better. He should continue interacting and reaching out to his colleagues. He should also learn to adapt to his new environment by finding out what kind of processes and procedures that the company carries out, do some background researches on what Reece has been a ccomplishing these past few years, etc. By doing such, the indifference he’s been feeling will hopefully diminish and he’ll be able to cope and adapt well. Case Questions: 1. Identify several concepts and characteristics from the field of organizational behavior that this case illustrates. 2. What advice can you give Tony? How would this advice be supported or tempered by behavioral concepts and processes? 3. Is it possible to find an ideal workplace? Answers: 1. Several concepts and characteristics from organizational behavior were illustrated in the context of this case. First, let me start with the O’Grady Company. Their technical, human, and conceptual skills seem to collide on very good terms. But their valuable human skill is the one most profound and evident in the work environment. The leadership style manifested here is positive leadership. This approach is focused on â€Å"rewards-economic†. This can be seen when it was stated in the text that Tony received three promotions and many pay increases while in the company. Now, let’s proceed to Power Styles. In here, the authorities of the leaders can be classified as â€Å"participative leaders†. They decentralize authority. They are not unilateral, and arise from consultation with followers’ participation by them. They inform their employees about conditions affecting their jobs and they are very much encouraged to express their ideas and make sugg estions. On the aspect of Leadership styles, O’Grady is practicing â€Å"Participative Leadership†. The management welcomes employees’ Inputs in decision-making and gives their suggestions great attention in making final decisions. On the other hand, Reece is practicing something very different from O’Grady. First, their human skills seem to be lacking. But their technical and conceptual skills are in good terms. When it comes to Power Styles, Autocratic leaders are very evident in this company. The power is centralized and decision making is up to the top management. They take full responsibility and authority over the company. This is evident when it was mentioned in the case that Reece was structured much more bureaucratically. No one was allowed to make any sort of decision without getting three signatures from higher up, and these signatures were very hard to get. On Leadership Styles, the company is manifesting â€Å"Directive Leadership†. Leaders focus on clear task assignments, standards of successful performance and work schedules. 2. Since Tony came from a company very different to the one he’s now in, he should learn to cope and adapt to his new environment. He should make an effort to learn how things are run in the new company in order to become familiarized and will be able to manage himself well. Also, he needs to network with others within the company. This may allow him to assist in areas of the company which and enabling him to earn recognition from your colleagues and other managerial figures. This will make your positive contributions to the company more apparent, and may cause people to question your supervisor if he fails to discuss your work in a positive light. Although this may be a difficult task to accomplish because of the behavior that his colleagues are exhibiting towards him. They seem to be indifferent and very apathetic. This may pose a challenge to Tony as to how he’ll be able to make this kind of environment work for him. Adapting and easing in to the company may take awhile due to such circumstances. 3. I wouldn’t really say that a person can find a very ideal workplace, but one can make the place you work ideal through risk and reward strategies , as well as figuring out how to apply your skills and passions to the field that you’re in. It’s the whole â€Å"love the one you’re with† scenario. But it is definitely possible. Also, if the workplace isn’t working out for you, don’t go rushing out the door. You shouldn’t expect to find everything that you are looking in a work place. There’s no such thing as a perfect company. There will always be something that will come up and make things uneasy or uncomfortable for you. Therefore, be the change that you are looking for. Make these anxieties and worries as an opportunity for one’s self improvement and development. In conclusion, there is a possibility to find something close to an ideal work place, but it is up to you to if you can make the disadvantages turn into advantages. Recommendation: In conclusion to all what’s been said and done, it is up to Tony Stark to make all of the inconveniences and disadvantages he’s been experiencing in the new company work for him. It’s all about adapting, coping, and being the change himself. He must consider this as a challenge for him to overcome. Running away should not be an option. Indifferent or apathetic colleagues can make your working life difficult or ineffective. These people may routinely fail to notice your accomplishments, or may quickly undermine your work without much hesitation. Although this can seriously disrupt your professional output, it’s possible to minimize the effect which your co-worker’s behavior will have on your career by deciding to emotionally detach from the situation and seek positive support from others within the company. It’s very ideal to stay calm. Although it will be tempting to argue with your supervisor, you should avoid this impulse; you need to remain professional and polite in order to prevent the situation from damaging your reputation. This will also make you appear more reasonable and focused in the event that problems do occur later on. It is also advisable to maintain positivity. Although you may have a professional problem with your negative work environment, it’s important not to take the issue personally. If you remain on friendly terms, the issue may naturally resolve itself over time as the quality of communication between you and your colleagues improves. A positive attitude will also assist you in understanding if your own behavior can be improved to successfully motivate other people into action.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

The Life and Works of Honoré de Balzac, French Novelist

The Life and Works of Honorà © de Balzac, French Novelist Honorà © de Balzac (born Honorà ©Ã‚  Balssa, May 20, 1799 – August 18, 1850) was a novelist and playwright in nineteenth-century France. His work formed part of the foundation of the realist tradition in European literature, with particular focus on his remarkably complex characters. Fast Facts: Honorà © de Balzac Occupation: WriterBorn: May 20, 1799 in Tours, FranceDied: August 18, 1850 in Paris, FranceKey Accomplishments: Groundbreaking French novelist whose realist style and complex characters shaped the modern novelSelected Work: Les Chouans  (1829), Eugà ©nie Grandet (1833), La Pà ¨re Goriot (1835), La Comà ©die humaine (collected works)Quote: There is no such thing as a great talent without great will power.† Family and Early Life Honorà ©Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s father, Bernard-Francois Balssa, was from a large lower-class family. As a young man, he worked hard to climb up the social ladder and eventually did so, working for the governments of both Louis XVI and, later, Napoleon. He changed his name to Francois Balzac to sound more like the aristocrats he now interacted with, and eventually married the daughter of a wealthy family, Anne-Charlotte-Laure Sallambier. The age gap was considerable – thirty-two years – and was arranged in gratitude for Francois’s assistance to the family. It never was a love match. Despite this, the couple had five children. Honorà © was the eldest to survive infancy, and was closest in age and affection to his sister Laure, born a year later. Honorà © attended the local grammar school, but struggled with the rigid structure and consequently was a poor student, even once he was returned to the care of his family and private tutors. It was not until he entered university at the Sorbonne that he began to thrive, studying history, literature, and philosophy under some of the great minds of the day. After college, Honorà © began a career as a law clerk on the advice of his father. He was intensely dissatisfied with the work, but it did provide him with the opportunity to come into contact with and observe people of all walks of life and the moral dilemmas inherent in the practice of the law. Leaving his law career caused some discord with his family, but Honorà © held firm. Early Career Honorà © began his attempts at a literary career as a playwright, then, under a pseudonym, as a co-writer of â€Å"potboiler† novels: quickly-written, often scandalous novels, the equivalent of modern-day â€Å"trashy† paperbacks. He tried his hand at journalism, commenting on the political and cultural state of the post-Napoleon era in France, and failed miserably at his business venture when he tried to make a living as a publisher and printer. In this literary era, two specific subgenres of novels were in vogue both critically and popularly: historical novels and personal novels (that is, those which narrate a specific person’s life in detail). Honorà © embraced this style of writing, bringing his own experiences with debtors, the printing industry, and the law into his novels. This experience set him apart from the bourgeois novelists of the past and many of his contemporaries, whose knowledge of other ways of life was entirely gleaned from previous writers’ depictions. La Comedie Humaine In 1829, he wrote Les Chouans, the first novel he published under his own name. This would become the first entry into his career-defining work: a series of intertwined stories depicting various facets of French life during the Restoration and July Monarchy periods (that is, from about 1815 to 1848). When he published his next novel, El Verdugo, he again used a new name: Honorà © de Balzac, rather than just â€Å"Honorà © Balzac.† The â€Å"de† was used to denote noble origins, so Honorà © adopted it in order to better fit into respected circles of society. In many of the novels that make up La Comedie Humaine, Honorà © moved between sweeping portraits of French society as a whole and the small, intimate details of individual lives. Among his most successful works were La Duchesse de Langeais, Eugenie Grandet, and Pere Goriot. The novels ranged hugely in length, from the thousand-page epic Illusions Perdues to the novella La Fille aux yeux d’or. The novels in this series were notable for their realism, particularly when it came to their characters. Rather than writing characters who were paragons of good or evil, Honorà © depicted people in a much more realistic, nuanced light; even his minor characters were shaded with different layers. He also gained a reputation for his naturalistic depictions of time and place, as well as driving narratives and intricate relationships. Honorà ©Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s writing habits were the stuff of legend. He could write for fifteen or sixteen hours a day, with copious amounts of coffee to fuel his concentration and energy. In many instances, he became obsessed with perfecting the smallest details, often making change after change. This didn’t necessarily stop when the books were sent off to the printers, either: he frustrated many a printer by rewriting and editing even after the proofs were sent to him. Social and Family Life Despite his obsessive work life, Honorà © managed to have a thriving social life. He was popular in society circles for his storytelling prowess, and he counted other famous figures of the day – including fellow novelist Victor Hugo – among his acquaintance. His first love was Maria Du Fresnay, a fellow writer who was unhappily married to a much older man. She bore Honorà ©Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s daughter, Marie-Caroline Du Fresnay, in 1834. He had also had an earlier mistress, an older woman by the name of Madame de Berny, who had saved him from financial ruin prior to his novelistic success. Honorà ©Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s great love story, though, began in a way that seems like something from a novel. He received an anonymous letter in 1832 that criticized the cynical depictions of faith and of women in one of his novels. In response, he posted an advertisement in a newspaper to attract his critic’s attention, and the pair began a correspondence that lasted fifteen years. The person on the other side of these letters was Ewelina Hanska, a Polish countess. Honorà © and Ewelina were both highly intelligent, passionate people, and their letters were full of such topics. They first met in person in 1833. Her much-older husband died in 1841, and Honorà © traveled to St. Petersburg, where she was staying, in 1843 to meet her again. Because they both had complicated finances, and Ewelina’s family was mistrusted by the Russian tsar, they were unable to marry until 1850, by which time they were both suffering health issues. Honorà © had no children with Ewelina, although he did father children from other earlier affairs. Death and Literary Legacy Honorà © only enjoyed his marriage for a few months before he fell ill. His mother arrived in time to say goodbye, and his friend Victor Hugo visited him on the day before his death. Honorà © de Balzac died quietly on August 18, 1850. He is buried in Pere Lachaise Cemetery in Paris, and a statue of him, the Balzac Monument, sits at a nearby intersection. The greatest legacy Honorà © de Balzac left behind was the use of realism in the novel. The structure of his novels, in which the plot is presented in sequential order by an omniscient narrator and one event causes another, was influential for many later writers. Literary scholars have also focused on his exploration of the links between social standing and character development, as well as a belief in the strength of the human spirit that has endured to this day. Sources Brunetiere, Ferdinand. Honorà © de Balzac. J. B. Lippincott Company, Philadelphia, 1906.â€Å"Honore de Balzac.† New World Encyclopedia, 13 January 2018, newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Honore_de_Balzac.â€Å"Honore de Balzac.† Encyclopaedia Brittanica, 14 August 2018, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Honore-de-Balzac.Robb, Graham. Balzac: A Biography. W. W. Norton Company, New York, 1994.

Monday, November 4, 2019

Improve my english Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Improve my english - Essay Example Some of the types of learners include: auditory, visual, kinesthetic and tactile. I am definitely a visual learner because I tend to remember more of what I see rather than what I hear. More specifically, if there is an image drawn with the text, I tend to remember that text in association with that image. This means that I am better at grasping those difficult grammatical points which can be diagrammed or have some pictorial information written with them. I also tend to remember those grammar or language points which are available in the form of a video. Moreover, I like texts having a lot of pictures. This means that if I have to improve my English, then the dull novels would not do me any good as I would lose concentration easily. Instead I should go for magazines which are generally colorful. We all have our own learning styles and one should get accustomed to the learning style that is suitable for

Saturday, November 2, 2019

E-mails to Different Type of Readers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

E-mails to Different Type of Readers - Essay Example And here is where I will need your huge help, as always. The fifteen university libraries have agreed to place their orders a month prior to the delivery date. This is for them to fully ascertain the number and specification of bookshelves required for their new acquisitions. Thus, I will only be able to put the additional orders a month before they are delivered to the libraries. I will be forwarding them to you as soon as the customer places their orders to give you time to source your inputs and manufacture. For purposes of quality control however, I would like the bookshelves to be delivered in our warehouse 25 days after they are ordered. I hope that you can bear with this change. I sincerely appreciate the mutually beneficial partnership your company has with Custom Furniture. The first year of our partnership has gone well without any problems. Thus, I was surprised to receive a complaint from our warehouse manager regarding Order Number 15647 which was delivered two days ago. The desks delivered did not comply with the specifications spelled out in the order form sent to you last month. Due to this, Custom Furniture wishes to return these desks to you and we require a replacement as soon as possible. We have already informed the customer about the delay and they are only willing to wait in within a week for the desks to be delivered. Thus, we want to receive the order after six days at the latest. Our company also wants the 20% discount in the order price as stipulated in our memorandum of agreement in cases of non-compliance with the specification. I hope that this matter can be sorted out as soon as possible. I will be waiting for a response from you. Thanks. Sincerely, Your Name Your name@exe.custom-furniture.com To: marshaellington@hues.com Cc: Bcc: Subject: Important: Rush Orders Dear Marsha, Our company will need 50 pieces of BlueRidge fabrics for conference room chairs within the week. I understand that it will put much pressure on you to source this rush order but Custom Furniture will be willing to offer 5% above the price in order to compensate for the inconvenience. Thank you so much and I will be waiting for your prompt and favorable response. All the best, Your Name Your n