Monday, December 30, 2019

Project Management Life Cycle Models - 1241 Words

Before I start discussing the five project management life cycle models, it is very important to understanding below project management landscape and its four Quadrants: Quadrants 1: Contains Traditional Project Management (TPM), this approach has a clear project goal and clear project solution. Quadrants 2: Contains Agile Project Management (APM), this approach has a clear project goal and not clear project solution. Quadrants 3: Contains Extreme Project Management (xPM), in this approach both project goal and project solution are not clear solution. Quadrants 4: Contains Emertxe Project Management (PMx), this approach has not clear project goal and clear project solution. According to (Wysocki, 2012) there are five Project†¦show more content†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¢ The Incremental PMLC model takes longer than linear PMLC model which increase the cost, time, and effort required to execute the project. To mitigate this risk we should have a powerful monitoring and control tools. Those tools should help to keep the project on track with respect to project scope, budget, and schedule. 3) Iterative PMLC: This model follows APM approach. According to (Wysocki, 2012) An Iterative PMLC model consists of a number of process groups that are repeated sequentially within an iteration with a feedback loop after each iteration is completed. At the discretion of the client, the last process group in an iteration may release a partial solution . Risks, failures, and mitigation strategy: According to (Wysocki, 2012) below are the risks and mitigation plan for this model: †¢ The client involvement in this model is more than linear and incremental PMLC models. If the required degree of client s involvement and ownership is not available then the project will be on risk. To mitigate this risk we should have a clear definition of the client s roles, responsibilities, and availabilities. †¢ The Iterative PMLC model requires co-located teams. This is very difficult requirement because most of the projects have design offices and project consultants all over the world and the co-located teams are not possible. To mitigate this risk a well defined communication plan must beShow MoreRelatedVulnerability of Project Management Life Cycle (Pmlc) Model1351 Words   |  6 PagesThe five PMLC models according to Wysocki are as follows: 1. Linear PMLC model 2. Incremental PMLC model 3. Iterative PMLC model 4. Adaptive PMLC model 5. Extreme PMLC model Linear PMLC Model: This is one of the Traditional Project Management (TPM) method, it consist of the five process group, each performed once in the sequence: Scoping Planning Launching Monitoring and Controlling Closing. The final deliverable is not released until the closing process group is executed. (Wysocki, 2009:345)Read MoreVulnerability of Project Management Life Cycle (Pmlc) Model1366 Words   |  6 PagesThe five PMLC models according to Wysocki are as follows: 1. Linear PMLC model 2. Incremental PMLC model 3. Iterative PMLC model 4. Adaptive PMLC model 5. Extreme PMLC model Linear PMLC Model: This is one of the Traditional Project Management (TPM) method, it consist of the five process group, each performed once in the sequence: Scoping Planning Launching Monitoring and Controlling Closing. The final deliverable is not released until the closing process group is executed. (Wysocki, 2009:345)Read MoreProject Management Life Cycle1218 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿ Project Management Life Cycle Chi Zhang Herzing University MBA 631 Operations and Projects Management Dr. Gary Hanney Abstract To control the process of a project and manage the operation of a project, the theory of project management life cycle is widely used in nowadays business administration. Treating the whole time dimension of the project as a life cycle, project management life cycle separates the project to some steps and uses checkpoint, milestone andRead MorePredictive And Adaptive Models Life Cycle Models854 Words   |  4 PagesPredictive or adaptive models life cycle models used by project managers for software development. These models describe the work completed and identify the next phase of the chosen life cycle. In software development, project managers may use either adaptive modeling if the requirements are not clearly known or predictive if there is accurate forecasting available in scope, time or budget. In systems development life cycle, a predictive model has systemic work done consecutively or congruentlyRead MoreAgile And Agile Software Development1099 Words   |  5 PagesAgile Agile software development refers to a group of software development methodologies e.g. Dynamics System Development Model, Crystal Methods and Extreme programming (XP methodology). Agile methods attempt to minimise the risk in software in short time boxes called iterations. Every iteration includes all the tasks necessary to release the mini increment of new functionality: planning, requirements analysis, design coding, testing and documentation. At the end of every iteration the prioritiesRead MoreSystem Development Life Cycle ( Sdlc ) Methodologies1448 Words   |  6 PagesBusinesses rely heavily on their information systems for decision making, an essential component of organization management. Information systems serves several purposes in a business, ranging from transactions and assisting leadership with difficult strategy formulation. Advances in computer-based information technology in recent years have led to a widely variety of systems that managers are now using to make and implement decisions (Alter, 1976). In today’s businesses, systems development isRead MorePerformance1552 Words   |  7 PagesTHE MEANING OF PROJECT: A project is a unique venture with specific start and end dates. This is different from an ongoing task that doesnt have an end date. Projects often involve different parts of an organization. Constraints on project include cost, schedule, resources, and quality. There is a give and take between these items i.e. you cant have it all. Usually projects are divisible into stages or phases each with their own set of priorities and goals. A project is an important and carefullyRead MoreComparative Study Of Waterfall And Rad1465 Words   |  6 PagesTitle: Comparative study of waterfall and RAD in context to PMBOK key management areas. Executive Summary: Software development life cycle is a methodology for designing, building, maintaining information and industrial systems. (waterfall) The research report here covers brief understanding of waterfall and RAD model. Later on comparison of both the project management methodologies are done in context to the key nine management areas of pmbok. Based on the comparative study recommendations is givenRead MoreThe Agile Software Development Methods904 Words   |  4 Pagesindustries also force to make the changes in concepts and techniques they were using traditionally. The traditional models like waterfall, Incremental model, RAID model are not useful for most of the current project requirement. Nowadays project requirements depend on many other unstable concepts, which make the project less predictable. Because of these entire unpredictable project, agile becomes the first choice of most of the clients. The agile software development methods are more adaptive approachRead MoreEffective Project Planning And Control At This Stage Project Management1349 Words   |  6 Pages Level 3: Managed Stage At this stage project related datas are collected across the organisation for proper project planning and control. More systematic approach is carried out to plan and control at this stage. Level 4: Integrated Stage The gathered information is carefully evaluated and analysed. PM data and processes are integrated. PM steps and regulation are used throughout the organization with all projects, which help to handle multiple project control and success in a professional manner

Sunday, December 22, 2019

International Business Case Study Communication Across...

| Charles Foster Sends and Email | Exam 1 | | Richard Greer | 9/26/2012 | | The case, Charles Foster sends an email, is a perfect example of the how globalization and increased cross cultural interaction is increasing the complexity and ambiguity facing the managers of large multinational companies. The specific focus of this case is to address the repercussions that can occur by using inadequate communication methods, given the importance and complexity of a situation. Also, the case addresses the possibility of cross cultural communication misinterpretation leading to confusion and confrontation amongst the parties involved. The objective of this qualitative analysis is to utilize both theory and practical†¦show more content†¦Foster stresses these concerns with the intension of addressing, in a professional and acceptable manner, to importance to of fixing the issues he sees as having a potential impact lack of supply. Foster first chooses to send the email to fellow American, Richard Howe, the Senior Vice President of HPT. Foster reports d irectly to Richard Howe. Given the professional relationship between the two men, Howe trusts that Foster’s concerns are valid and he decides they are important enough to pass along the to, Maurice Leblanc, the head of the Strategic Business Unit for HTC. Howe’s decisions are typical of a western style management, he addresses that concerns Foster presents to him, understands the issues are important, realizes it is not his area of expertise, and forwards the email to the appropriate individual that can handle the issues. Maurice Leblanc’s appears, as the head of the strategic business unit of HTP, and the individual responsible for assuring a successful JV, interprets the email with serious concern. He and immediately reaches out to Ahmed Hassan, president of the JV, to address the issues and to confirm the severity of the situation. Lablanc is concerned over the quality and control issues of the JV and specifically seeks information as to whether the JV is conforming to the Standard Protocol for the US safety standards. Ahmed Hassan, the president of the JV, is the final person to receive the email composed by Foster.Show MoreRelatedCross Cultural Relationships1105 Words   |  5 Pagesmore internationally connected, the need to understand people from different cultures and how to interact appropriately with them also increases. Managers and leaders need to develop intercultural competences that can help them be more aware of their own culturally-based perceptions, norms, and patterns of thinking, and consequently adapt their behaviors according to specific cultural contexts. Managing people across cultures  offers solid theoretical frameworks and practical insights to handle the culturalRead MoreGlobal Strategy and Its Impact on Local Operations; Lessons from Gillette Singapore830 Words   |  4 PagesGlobal strategy and its impact on local operations Lessons from Gillette Singapore * * * By Eric Aussmann amp; Amalia Insani Universitas Gadjah Mada International Human Resource Management Lecturer: Dr. Budi Santoso ------------------------------------------------- Case Background The case Global strategy and its impact on local operations - Lessons from Gillette Singapore† underlines the difficulties of finding an adequate global strategy, which can tighten localRead MoreGlobal Business Cultural Analysis Of Japan Essay1627 Words   |  7 Pages Global Business Cultural Analysis: Japan James Hendricks Liberty University Global Business Cultural Analysis: Japan Technological advancement has made globalization an inevitable factor that businesses of the future will need to consider in order to be successful. Increasingly, companies that have been solely domestic are branching out internationally for a wide variety of reasons, but in the end, it’s all about making profits from previously inaccessible market segments. Read MoreAnalysis: The Benefits and Challenges of Improving Intercultural Communication912 Words   |  4 Pageschallenges of improving intercultural communication in international business. Their article functions as an overview of some key issues, and is fairly well-researched, but ultimately treads no new ground. The article first outlines the case for improved intercultural communication, noting that business is becoming increasingly globalized. As nations come together, there is the risk that ventures and deals could fail as the result of errors in intercultural communication. 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However for the individual to fit in, they have to embrace the new found culture or a new culture might have evolved combining the core values and the current society’s value. Literature Review In KelleyRead MoreTheory of Values: Crossvergence930 Words   |  4 PagesIntroduction Cross cultural studies has great impact especially to business managers. National culture or core culture that developed the individual before it is influenced by other factors in the environment and society is subject to change depending on how strong the influences would be. However for the individual to fit in, they have to embrace the new found culture or a new culture might have evolved combining the core values and the current society’s value. Literature Review In KelleyRead MoreCase Study: Go Global or No1091 Words   |  5 PagesCase study: Go Global or No Abstract Greg McNally, the CEO of the DataClear had owned the data analysis market for two years to itself. But British VisiDat had starting to compete by producing beta testing of data analysis package. DataClear had the potential to expand their business in other industries such as the chemical, petrochemical and pharmaceutical or expand overseas to prevent their business from going down and beaten by the competitor. Issues As the British VisiDat starting to sellRead MoreBusiness Communication Is Different in Pakistan Compared to Western Countries! Agree/Disagree?1519 Words   |  7 PagesBusiness Communication is different in Pakistan compared to western countries Communication is any behaviour, verbal or nonverbal, that is perceived by another. (Dwyer 2006) business communications are purposive interchanges of ideas, opinions, information, instructions and the like, presented personally or impersonally by symbol or signal as to attain the goods of organization. (Rosenblatt, Cheatham Watt 1992) Today, the organization is growing more complex and the business is growing larger,Read MoreSucceed The Negotiation Process And How The Participants Can Curb The Challenges Leading For Successful Transactions1491 Words   |  6 PagesSucceeding in International Business Negotiations. Denise C Matowa Corpus Christi College BUSN 204 1.1 Introduction International business can be defined as the exchange of goods and services across borders through the use of negotiators. It can be thought of as the deliberate investment into another country with the gain of a commodity in the transaction. Through the fast paced train known as globalization, many companies have found international business transactions to be quite fruitful

Saturday, December 14, 2019

Blood Promise Chapter Sixteen Free Essays

string(53) " It was important that we not attract any attention\." Denis and his two unpromised friends, Artur and Lev, were ecstatic that I was going to be part of their posse. But if they expected me to share their crazy enthusiasm for reckless Strigoi hunting, they were about to be sorely disappointed. In fact, it didn’t take long after I joined them before they realized that I was approaching the hunt very differently than they were. We will write a custom essay sample on Blood Promise Chapter Sixteen or any similar topic only for you Order Now Denis’s friend Lev had a car, and we took turns driving to Novosibirsk. The drive was about fifteen hours, and even though we stopped at a hotel for the night, it was still a lot of continuous time to be cooped up in a small space with three guys who couldn’t stop talking about all the Strigoi they were going to kill. In particular, they kept trying to draw me out. They wanted to know about how many Strigoi I’d slain. They wanted to know what the battle at the Academy had been like. They wanted to know my methods. Anytime my mind turned to those topics, though, all I could think of was blood and grief. It was nothing I wanted to brag about, and it took about six hours on the road for them to finally figure out that they weren’t going to get much information from me. Instead, they regaled me with tales of their own adventures. To be fair, they’d slain several Strigoi-but they’d lost a number of their friends, all of whom had been in their teens, like these guys. My experiences weren’t that dissimilar; I’d lost friends too. My losses had been a result of being outnumbered, though. Denis’s group’s casualties seemed to have been more due to rushing in to without thinking. Indeed, their plan once we got to Novosibirsk wasn’t really that solid. They reiterated that Strigoi liked to hunt at places that were crowded at night, like dance clubs, or in remote places like alleys, that made for easy pickings. No one noticed as much when people disappeared from those kinds of places. So Denis’s plans mostly involved trolling those hot spots in the hopes that we’d run into Strigoi. My initial thought was to immediately ditch this group and strike out on my own. After all, my main goal had been to simply get to Novosibirsk. With everything I’d learned now, it seemed logical that Siberia’s largest city would be the next best place to look. Then, the more I thought about it, the more I realized that jumping into the Strigoi scene alone would be as stupid as one of the unpromised gang’s plans. I could use their backup. Plus, since I didn’t actually know where Dimitri was yet, I had to come up with a method of getting some information. I’d need help for that. We made it to Novosibirsk at the end of the second day of driving. Despite hearing about its size, I hadn’t imagined it would be anything like Moscow or Saint Petersburg. And true, it turned out to be not quite as large as they were, but it was still just as much a city, complete with skyscrapers, theaters, commuters, and the same beautiful architecture. We crashed with a friend of theirs who had an apartment downtown, a dhampir named Tamara. Her English wasn’t very good, but from the sounds of it, she was another unpromised one and just as excited as everyone else to rid the world of Strigoi. She was a little older than the rest of us, which was why she had her own place, and was a cute brunette with freckles. It sounded as though she waited until whenever the guys came to town to hunt, which I took as a small blessing. At least she didn’t go out alone. She seemed particularly excited to have another girl around, but like the others, she quickly picked up that I didn’t share their enthusiasm. When our first night of Strigoi hunting came around, I finally stepped up into a leadership position. The sudden change in behavior startled them at first, but they soon listened with rapt attention, still caught up in my superstar reputation. â€Å"Okay,† I said, looking from face to face. We were in Tamara’s tiny living room, sitting in a circle. â€Å"Here’s how it’s going to work. We’re going to hit the nightclub scene as a group, patrolling it and the alleys behind it for-â€Å" â€Å"Wait,† interrupted Denis. â€Å"We usually split up.† â€Å"Which is why you get killed,† I snapped. â€Å"We’re going as a group.† â€Å"Haven’t you killed Strigoi by yourself, though?† asked Lev. He was the tallest of the group, with a long and lanky figure that was almost Moroi-like. â€Å"Yes, but I got lucky.† That, and I also just thought I was a better fighter than any of them. Call me arrogant, but I was a damned good guardian. Or near-guardian. â€Å"We’ll do better with all five of us. When we find Strigoi, we’ve got to make sure we take care of them in an isolated place.† I hadn’t forgotten Sydney’s warnings. â€Å"But before we kill them, I need to talk to them. It’ll be your job to restrain them.† â€Å"Why?† asked Denis. â€Å"What do you have to say to them?† â€Å"Actually, it’s what they have to say to me. Look, it won’t take long. And you’ll get to make your kill in the end, so don’t worry about it. But†¦Ã¢â‚¬  This next part went against my grand plans, but I knew I had to say it. I wouldn’t get them killed for the sake of my own quest. â€Å"If we get ourselves in a situation where you’re trapped or in immediate danger, forget the talking and restraining. Kill. Save yourself.† Apparently, I seemed confident and badass enough that they decided to go along with whatever I said. Part of our plan involved going â€Å"undercover,† so to speak. Any Strigoi who was close or got a good enough look would immediately recognize us as dhampirs. It was important that we not attract any attention. You read "Blood Promise Chapter Sixteen" in category "Essay examples" We needed a Strigoi scanning for victims to pass right over us. We needed to look like other human club-goers. So we dressed the part, and I was a bit astonished at how well the guys cleaned up. Denis, crazy or not, was particularly good-looking, sharing the same dark gold hair and brown eyes that his brother Nikolai had. My few changes of clothes weren’t quite up to partying standards, so Tamara delved into her wardrobe for me. She seemed to take a lot of delight in finding things for me to wear. We were actually similar in size, which was kind of amazing. With her tall, super-slim build, Lissa and I had never been able to share clothes. Tamara was my height and had a similar body type. She first offered me a short, tight dress that was so similar to the one Viktoria had worn that I just shook my head and handed it back. The memories of our argument still hurt, and I wasn’t going to relive that night or in any way play blood whore dress-up. Instead, Tamara settled for dressing me in black jeans and a black tank top. I consented to hair and makeup too, and studying myself in the mirror, I had to admit she did a good job. As vain as it was, I liked looking good. I especially liked that the guys looked at me in a way that was admiring and respectful-but not like I was some piece of meat. Tamara offered me jewelry too, but the only thing I’d wear was the nazar around my neck. My stake required a jacket, but she found a sexy leather one that didn’t take away from the rest of the outfit’s appeal. Setting out around midnight, I couldn’t help shaking my head. â€Å"We’re the goddamned hottest vampire hunters ever,† I muttered. Denis led us to a club where they’d found Strigoi before. It was also apparently where one of their unpromised friends had been killed. It was in a seedy part of town, which I guess added to its appeal for Strigoi. A lot of the people there were middle- and upper-class young people, apparently drawn in by the â€Å"dangerous† aspect. If only they’d known just how dangerous it was. I’d made a lot of jokes to Dimitri about Russia and Eastern Europe being ten years behind in music, but when we entered, I discovered the ground-thumping techno song playing was something I’d heard in the U.S. just before leaving. The place was crowded and dark, with flashing lights that were actually a little annoying to dhampir eyes. Our night vision would adapt to the darkness and then be blasted when a strobe light kicked on. In this case, I didn’t need my sight. My shadow-kissed senses didn’t feel any Strigoi in the area. â€Å"Come on,† I said to the others. â€Å"Let’s dance for a while and wait. There are no Strigoi nearby.† â€Å"How do you know?† asked Denis, staring at me in wonder. â€Å"I just do. Stay together.† Our little circle moved to the dance floor. It had been so long since I’d danced, and I was a bit surprised at how quickly I found myself getting into the rhythm. Part of me said I should have stayed ever vigilant, but my Strigoi alarm system would immediately snap me awake if any danger came. That nausea was kind of hard to ignore. But after an hour of dancing, no Strigoi had appeared. We left the dance floor and started circling the club’s edges, then moved outside to sweep that area too. Nothing. â€Å"Is there another club nearby?† I asked. â€Å"Sure,† said Artur. He was stocky, with close-shaved hair and a ready smile. â€Å"A couple blocks over.† We followed him and found a similar scene: another secret club hidden in a run-down building. More flashing lights. More crowds. More pounding music. Disturbingly, what started to bother me first was the smell. That many people generated a lot of sweat. I had no doubt even the humans could smell it. To us, it was cloying. Tamara and I exchanged looks and wrinkled our noses, needing no words to convey our disgust. We moved to the dance floor again, and Lev started to leave to get a drink. I punched him in the arm. He exclaimed something in Russian that I recognized as a swear word. â€Å"What was that for?† he asked. â€Å"For being stupid! How do you expect to kill something that’s twice as fast as you while drunk?† He shrugged, unconcerned, and I resisted the urge to hit him in the face this time. â€Å"One won’t hurt. Besides, there aren’t even any-â€Å" â€Å"Be quiet!† It was creeping over me, that weird stirring in my stomach. Forgetting my cover, I stopped dancing, scanning the crowd for the source. While I was relying on my senses to feel Strigoi, spotting them in the crowd was a bit harder. I took a few steps toward the entrance, and my nausea lessened. I moved toward the bar, and the feeling increased. â€Å"This way,† I told them. â€Å"Act like you’re still into the music.† My tension was contagious, and I saw the anticipation sweep them-as well as a little fear. Good. Maybe they’d take this seriously. As we headed in the bar’s direction, I tried to keep my body language oriented toward it, like I was seeking a drink. All the while, my eyes swept the crowd’s periphery. There. I had him. A male Strigoi was standing off in a corner, his arm around a girl close to my age. In the dim lighting, he almost seemed attractive. I knew closer examination would reveal the deathly pale skin and red eyes that all Strigoi had. The girl might not have been able to see them in the darkened club, or the Strigoi might have been using compulsion on her. Probably both, judging from the smile on her face. Strigoi were able to compel others just as well as a spirit user like Lissa could. Better, even. Before our eyes, I saw the Strigoi lead the girl down a small, unnoticed hallway. At the end, I could just make out a glowing exit sign. At least, I presumed it was an exit sign. The letters were Cyrillic. â€Å"Any idea where that door goes?† I asked the others. The guys shrugged, and Denis repeated my question to Tamara. She answered back, and he translated. â€Å"There’s a small alley out back where they keep trash. It’s between this building and a factory. No one’s usually there.† â€Å"Can we get to it by going around the club?† Denis waited for Tamara’s response. â€Å"Yes. It’s open on both sides.† â€Å"Perfect.† We hurried out of the club by the front door, and I divided our group into two. The plan was to come at the Strigoi from both sides and trap him in the middle-provided he and his victim were still out back. It was possible he could have led her elsewhere, but I thought it more likely he’d want to subdue her and get his blood right there, particularly if it was as deserted as Tamara said it usually was. I was right. Once my group had split off and peered around behind the club, I saw the Strigoi and the girl lurking in the shadow of a trash can. He was leaning over her, mouth near her neck, and I silently swore. They didn’t waste any time. Hoping she was still alive, I came charging down the alley, the others on my heels. From the alley’s other side, Denis and Lev also came running. As soon as he heard the first footfall, the Strigoi reacted instantly, his staggeringly fast reflexes kicking in. He immediately dropped the girl, and in the space of a heartbeat, he chose Denis and Lev over Artur, Tamara, and me. Not a bad strategy, really. There were only two of them. Because he was so fast, he probably hoped to incapacitate them quickly and then turn on us before we could flank him. And it almost worked. A powerful hit sent Lev flying. To my relief, a couple of trash cans blocked him from the building’s wall. Hitting them wouldn’t feel good, but if I had the choice, I’d rather hit metal cans than solid bricks. The Strigoi pounced on Denis next, but Denis proved remarkably fast. Unfairly, I’d assumed none of these unpromised had any real fighting skills. I should have known better. They’d had the same training as me; they just lacked discipline. Denis dodged the blow and struck out low, aiming for the Strigoi’s legs. The hit landed, though it wasn’t strong enough to knock him over. A flash of silver showed in Denis’s hands, and he managed to partially swipe the Strigoi’s cheek just before a backhanded slap knocked the dhampir into me. A cut like that wouldn’t be lethal to the Strigoi, but the silver would hurt, and I heard him snarl. His fangs gleamed with saliva. I sidestepped Denis quickly enough that he didn’t knock me over. Tamara grabbed his arm, holding him so that he wouldn’t fall either. She was fast too and had barely steadied him before leaping up at the Strigoi. He swatted her away but didn’t manage to hit her hard enough to push her far. Artur and I were on him by that point, our combined force knocking him against the wall. Still, he was stronger and the pinning was brief before he broke free. A responsible voice in my head-that sounded suspiciously like Dimitri’s-warned me that that had been my window to kill him. It would have been the smart and safe thing to do. I’d had the opening, and my stake was in my hand. If my crazy interrogation plan failed, the others’ deaths would be on my head. As one, Artur and I leapt out again. â€Å"Help us!† I yelled. Tamara threw herself against the Strigoi, landing a swift kick to the stomach as well. I could feel him starting to shake us off, but then Denis joined in too. Between the four of us, we wrestled the Strigoi down so that he lay back-first on the pavement. But the worst wasn’t over. Keeping him down wasn’t easy. He thrashed around with incredible strength, limbs twisting everywhere. I heaved myself up, trying to throw my body’s weight across his torso while the others restrained his legs. Another set of hands joined us, and I looked up to see Lev lending his strength too. His lip was bleeding, but his face was determined. The Strigoi hadn’t stopped moving, but I felt satisfied he wouldn’t break away anytime soon, not with all five of us holding him. Shifting forward, I placed the point of my stake at his neck. It gave him pause, but he soon resumed his struggle. I leaned over his face. â€Å"Do you know Dimitri Belikov?† I demanded. He shouted something incomprehensible at me that didn’t sound very friendly. I pressed the stake in harder and drew a long gash against his throat. He screamed in pain, pure evil and malice shining out from his eyes as he continued swearing in Russian. â€Å"Translate,† I demanded, not caring who did it. â€Å"What I said.† A moment later, Denis said something in Russian, presumably my question since I heard Dimitri’s name in there. The Strigoi growled back a response, and Denis shook his head. â€Å"He says he isn’t going to play games with us.† I took the stake and slashed at the Strigoi’s face, widening the gash Denis had made earlier. Again, the Strigoi cried out, and I prayed club security wouldn’t hear any of this. I gave him a smile filled with enough malice to match his own. â€Å"Tell him we’re going to keep playing games with him until he talks. One way or another, he dies tonight. It’s up to him whether it happens slowly or quickly.† I honestly couldn’t believe those words had come out of my mouth. They were so harsh†¦ so, well, cruel. I’d never in my entire life expected to be torturing anyone, even a Strigoi. The Strigoi gave Denis’s translation another defiant response, and so I kept on with the stake, making gashes and cuts that would have killed any human, Moroi, or dhampir. Finally, he shot off a string of words that didn’t sound like his usual insults. Denis immediately translated. â€Å"He said he’s never heard of anyone named that and that if Dimitri’s a friend of yours, he’ll be sure to kill him slowly and painfully.† I almost smiled at the Strigoi’s last effort at defiance. The problem with my strategy here was that the Strigoi could be lying. I’d have no way of knowing. Something in his response made me think he wasn’t. He’d sounded like he thought I was referring to a human or a dhampir, not a Strigoi. â€Å"He’s useless then,† I said. I leaned back and glanced at Denis. â€Å"Go ahead and kill him.† It was what Denis had been dying to do. He didn’t hesitate, his stake striking hard and swift through the Strigoi’s heart. The frantic struggling stilled a moment later. The evil light faded from the red eyes. We stood up, and I saw my companions’ faces watching me with apprehension and fear. â€Å"Rose,† asked Denis at last. â€Å"What are you hoping to-â€Å" â€Å"Never mind that,† I interrupted, moving over to the unconscious human girl’s side. Kneeling down, I examined her neck. He’d bitten her, but not much blood had been taken. The wound was relatively small and bled only a little. She stirred slightly and moaned when I touched her, which I took as a good sign. Carefully, I dragged her away from the trash can and out into the light where she’d be most noticeable. The Strigoi, however, I dragged into as dark a place as I could, almost completely obscuring him. After that, I asked to borrow Denis’s cell phone and dialed the number I’d kept crumpled in my pocket for the last week. After a couple of rings, Sydney answered in Russian. She sounded sleepy. â€Å"Sydney? This is Rose.† There was a slight pause. â€Å"Rose? What’s going on?† â€Å"Are you back in Saint Petersburg?† â€Å"Yes†¦ where are you?† â€Å"Novosibirsk. Do you guys have agents here?† â€Å"Of course,† she said warily. â€Å"Why?† â€Å"Mmm†¦ I’ve got something for you to clean up.† â€Å"Oh dear.† â€Å"Hey, at least I’m calling. And it’s not like me ridding the world of another Strigoi is a bad thing. Besides, didn’t you want me to let you know?† â€Å"Yes, yes. Where are you?† I put Denis on the phone briefly so that he could explain our specific location. He handed the phone back to me when he finished, and I told Sydney about the girl. â€Å"Is she seriously injured?† â€Å"Doesn’t look like it,† I said. â€Å"What should we do?† â€Å"Leave her. The guy who’s coming will make sure she’s okay and doesn’t go telling stories. He’ll explain it when he gets there.† â€Å"Whoa, hey. I’m not going to be here when he arrives.† â€Å"Rose-â€Å" â€Å"I’m out of here,† I told her. â€Å"And I’d really appreciate it if you didn’t tell anyone else that I called-say, like, Abe.† â€Å"Rose-â€Å" â€Å"Please, Sydney. Just don’t tell. Or else†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I hesitated. â€Å"If you do, I’ll stop calling when this happens. We’re going to be taking down a few more.† God, what next? First torture, now threats. Worse, I was threatening someone I liked. Of course, I was lying. I understood why Sydney’s group did what they did, and I wouldn’t risk the exposure. She didn’t know that, though, and I prayed she’d think I was just unstable enough to risk revealing us to the world. â€Å"Rose-† she tried yet again. I didn’t give her the chance. â€Å"Thanks, Sydney. We’ll be in touch.† I disconnected and handed Denis the phone. â€Å"Come on, guys. We’re not done tonight.† It was clear they thought I was crazy to be interrogating Strigoi, but considering how reckless they were sometimes, my behavior wasn’t quite weird enough for them to lose their faith in me. Soon they grew enthusiastic again, high on the idea of our first kill on this trip. My uncanny ability to sense Strigoi made me even cooler in their eyes, and I grew confident they’d pretty much follow me anywhere. We caught two more Strigoi that night and managed to repeat the procedure. The results were the same. Lots of insults in Russian. No new information. Once I was convinced a Strigoi had nothing to offer us, I’d let the unpromised go in for the kill. They loved it, but after that third one, I found myself growing weary both mentally and physically. I told the group we were going to go home-and then, while cutting around the back of a factory, I sensed a fourth Strigoi. We jumped him. Another scuffle occurred, but we eventually managed to pin him as we had the others. â€Å"Go ahead,† I told Denis. â€Å"You know what to-â€Å" â€Å"I’m going to rip your throat out!† the Strigoi snarled. Whoa. This one spoke English. Denis opened his mouth to begin the interrogation, but I shook my head. â€Å"I’ll take over.† Like the other Strigoi, he swore and struggled, even with the stake against his neck, making it hard for me to talk. â€Å"Look,† I said growing impatient and tired, â€Å"just tell us what we need to know. We’re looking for a dhampir named Dimitri Belikov.† â€Å"I know him.† The Strigoi’s voice was smug. â€Å"And he’s no dhampir.† Without realizing it, I’d called Dimitri a dhampir. I was tired and had slipped up. No wonder this Strigoi was so pleased to talk. He assumed we didn’t know about Dimitri turning. And like any arrogant Strigoi, he was happy to tell us more, clearly in the hopes of causing us pain. â€Å"Your friend has been awakened. He stalks the night with us now, drinking the blood of foolish girls like you.† In a split second, a thousand thoughts raced through my head. Holy crap. I’d come to Russia thinking it would be easy to find Dimitri. I’d had those hopes dashed in his hometown, nearly causing me to give up, and I’d swung the other way, resigning myself to the near impossibility of my task. The thought that I might be close to something here was staggering. â€Å"You’re lying,† I said. â€Å"You’ve never seen him.† â€Å"I see him all the time. I’ve killed with him.† My stomach twisted, and it had nothing to do with the Strigoi’s proximity. Don’t think about Dimitri killing people. Don’t think about Dimitri killing people. I said the words over and over in my head, forcing myself to stay calm. â€Å"If that’s true,† I hissed back, â€Å"then I’ve got a message for you to deliver to him. Tell him Rose Hathaway is looking for him.† â€Å"I’m not your errand boy,† he said, glowering. My stake slashed out, drawing blood, and he grimaced in pain. â€Å"You’re anything I want you to be. Now go tell Dimitri what I told you. Rose Hathaway. Rose Hathaway is looking for him. Say it.† I pressed the point to his neck. â€Å"Say my name so I know you’ll remember.† â€Å"I’ll remember it so I can kill you.† The stake pressed harder, spilling blood. â€Å"Rose Hathaway,† he said. He spit at me but missed. Satisfied, I leaned back. Denis watched me expectantly, stake poised and ready. â€Å"Now we kill him?† I shook my head. â€Å"Now we let him go.† How to cite Blood Promise Chapter Sixteen, Essay examples

Thursday, December 5, 2019

Reflection on Indigenous Health Samples †MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Reflection on Indigenous Health. Answer: For the person of this assignment, I decided to interview my aunt and assess how her life differs with mine. Before interviewing her, I sought her consent and assured her that her story would be as confidential as possible. She agreed to take part in the interview and below is the account of her story. Jane (not her real name) is an Australian by birth whose family migrated to Afghanistan when she was very young because her father (my grandpa) was working there. She narrated that, back in 2000, she had to flee Afghanistan simply because there is too much persecution and war in the country. She narrated that her father lived among the Hazara ethnicity. Hazara is one of the most marginalized ethnicities in Afghanistan (Barfield, 2007). For over a long time in history, Hazara ethnicity has been greatly persecuted (Barfield, 2007). According to Chiovenda (2014), the officials from Afghanistan have been executing massacres on in Hazara and depriving them essential social amenities like electricity. Because of this reason, Jane, in the company of his family had to escape the country and settle in a country that would be safer. Well, with a giggle, Jane reported that when she and the family left Afghanistan, they did not know that Australia would be their final destination. Apparently, their life was hell after they left the country. She and her family did not have a means of transport and thus had to hide in trucks, ware on bare feet and even trek in the dangerous darkness of the night. After the long and treacherous journey, they made their way and were now out of Afghanistan. But that was not the end of the journey to Australia because at this point they got into Pakistan. Since Pakistan was not their best place either, they proceeded into Indonesia and finally, by means of a boat they sailed into Australia. Jane recounted that they arrived in Darwin and front there; the authorities transferred them to Curtain where they ended up being detained. According to Jane, the detention was a big surprise because while making their way into Australia in search of safety never did they think that they would instead be put into prison. The main reason, according to Jane, for moving to Australia was to find a safer, secure home that could afford them the human value and dignity they deserved and so the imprisonment thing was a big shock to them. In Curtin, they were in the middle of the desert with fences all around them and hardly enough food to eat. The security guards were all over holding guns and other weapons escorting them around. They wondered why this would be done to them bearing in mind that there was not a single crime they had actually committed to warrant this treatment. By then, Jane was a young a girl and the fact that she was put in an environment that looked more of a prison coupled with the memories of the persecution she and her family underwent while in their country traumatized her too much. Jane recounted that, she and her family were lucky enough to just stay in Curtin for two months as they were offered temporary protection visas that allowed them to get into community. They stayed in Tasman ia for a while then, moved to Sydney. After the release and subsequent relocation to Sydney, Jane faced many hardships as everything was new there. She did not know how to be part of the society. She did not have friends. She was not used to the food culture there. This was a great social-cultural shock she faced. However, Jane was able to adapt after sometime. Unlike what used to happen in Afghanistan, Australia was different. One of the values that Jane holds is the value of education. Back in Afghanistan, Jane reported that most people from her ethnicity were not allowed to have access to education. However, she is amazed at the fact that Australia allowed her access to farther her education and get employment. The other personal value that Jane reported to hold dear is safety and peace. In Afghanistan, persecution was the order of the day. According to Barfield (2010) Afghanistan has been historically known to be the very unsecure and unsafe as bombs would strike any day. By moving to Australia, Jane was happy that Australia is safe and secure. Also, Jane values relationships so much. She narrated that in Afghanistan, there is no interaction among the people and thus no one hears the voice of another regarding any problems they may have hence no harmony unlike it is the case in Australia. Jane recounted that also unlike it is the case i n Afghanistan, in Australia there is much respect and love among the people regardless of race, culture or even religion. In her final remarks, Jane explained that, despite the many problems she encountered while moving to Australia including long hours of trekking, the boat sails and being imprisoned in Curtin, she finally found Australia her a haven she was looking for. Not until I had the chance to hear the story about her life, I have always thought, Jane, the now fairly old women in my neighborhood, has had a pretty smooth and peaceful life as she always looks joyous, sociable and welcoming. I thought that I have been the only person who has gone through much in life and had social problems. I would like to acknowledge the fact that there is a big rift between Janes life and my life. Firstly, I have never been subjected to social injustices that are quite traumatizing like ethnic persecution unlike Jane. Secondly, while Jane was imprisoned, I have never spent a day in prison. The third difference is that Jane was denied access as a child but for me, I have had full access to education all my life since my very young age. The next difference between us is the fact that, while Jane values building relationships by way of being an extrovert, I believe in being an introvert or simply put: I do not believe in relationships. According to Jones (2014) personal values, beliefs and attitudes are essential in a person life as they act as guiding principles. I must agree that Jane, to a great extent influenced my life, personal values, beliefs and attitudes. My personal values and beliefs have always been limited to love, tranquility, family and education. However, her life story made me to develop other values and beliefs. Apparently, value for other people not just family, belief in networking and building relationships, understanding and respect for all as well as value for humanity are critical values for on to have as reiterated by Moss, Wilson (2010). Back when she was living in Afghanistan, it is clear that there was inhumanity as evidenced in the persecution that the warlords and officials meted out on them. Basically, inhumanity is bad as it may lead to severe consequences like death of persons. It is saddening to hear about this inhumanity caused her traumas. From her story, I have developed a strong conviction that people must be treated with humanity. From Jane experiences, I have also learned that building relationships and networking is an essential personal value. When Jane arrived in Sydney, she knew no one around. However, through her extrovert nature, Jane was able to quickly interact, connect and build relationships with the people around and soon adapted into the society. Basically, the value of understanding and respect for other peoples culture is important. From Janes story, I have learned to develop this value in my life. For instance, Jane arrived in Sydney, place with a completely new cultural beliefs and religion from her previous place. However, Jane respected each persons religion as well as cultural beliefs something that created peace and tranquility between her and the rest of the people around and perhaps prevent ethnicity and racism. References Barfield, T. (2007). MARTIN EWANS, Conflict in Afghanistan: Studies in Asymmetric Warfare (London/New York: Routledge, 2005). Pp. 198. $63.00 cloth ALESSANDRO MONSUTTI, War and Migration: Social Networks and Economic Strategies of the Hazaras of Afghanistan (London/New York: Routledge, 2005). Pp. 346. $90.00 cloth.International Journal of Middle East Studies,39(03), 494. doi:10.1017/s0020743807070778 Barfield, T. (2010).Afghanistan: A cultural and political history. Princeton University Press. Chiovenda, M. K. (2014). The illumination of marginality: how ethnic Hazaras in Bamyan, Afghanistan, perceive the lack of electricity as discrimination.Central Asian Survey,33(4), 449-462. doi:10.1080/02634937.2014.987967 Jones, I. (2014). Varieties of personal theology: charting the beliefs and values of American young adults.Journal of Beliefs Values,35(3), 381-383. doi:10.1080/13617672.2014.980075 Moss, S. A., Wilson, S. (2010). Integrating the most unintuitive empirical observations of 2007 in the domain of personality and social psychology into a unified framework.New Ideas in Psychology,28(1), 1-27. doi:10.1016/j.newideapsych.2009.02.011

Thursday, November 28, 2019

5 Strategies to Prepare for the ISEE and SSAT

5 Strategies to Prepare for the ISEE and SSAT If you are thinking of applying to a private school in the fall, its never too early to get started addressing items on the admissions checklist.  For example, in addition to beginning work on the application and the candidate’s and parents’ statements, the applicant can study for the ISEE or SSAT, which are the required admissions tests at most private schools for students in grades 5-12. While the scores on these tests will likely not, in and of themselves, make or break a candidate’s application, they are an important part of the application portfolio, along with the applicant’s grades, statement, and teachers’ recommendations. Check out this article for  more information about how the SSAT and ISEE are scored. Taking the test doesnt have to be a nightmare, and doesnt require expensive tutoring or prep sessions. Check out these simple ways in which you can best prepare for the ISEE or SSAT and for the work that lies ahead in private middle and high school: Tip #1: Take Timed Practice Tests The best strategy to prepare for test day is to take practice tests- whether you are taking the ISEE or SSAT (the schools you are applying to will let you know which test they prefer)- under timed conditions. By taking these tests, you will know which areas you need to work on, and you will feel more comfortable taking the tests when it counts.  It also can help you get more accustomed to what is expected and the strategies you need to really excel, like how much a wrong answer might affect your score and what you can do about it.  Here is an article with some strategies to prepare for the tests. Tip #2: Read as Much as You Can In addition to broadening your horizons, independent reading of high-quality books is the best preparation not only for the ISEE and SSAT but also for the complicated reading and writing that most college-preparatory private schools demand. Reading builds your understanding of the nuances of difficult texts and your vocabulary. If you are unsure about where to start, begin with the 10 most commonly read books in private high schools. While it’s not necessary to have read this whole list before applying to a private high school, reading a few of these titles will expand your mind and vocabulary and acquaint you with the kind of reading- and thinking- that lie ahead of you. By the way, it’s fine to read contemporary novels, but try to tackle a few of the classics as well. These are books that have withstood the test of time because they have broad appeal and are still relevant to today’s readers. Tip #3: Build Your Vocabulary as You Read The key to building your vocabulary, which will help you on the ISEE and SSAT and with reading, is to look up unfamiliar vocabulary words as you read. Try to use common word roots, such as â€Å"geo† for â€Å"earth† or â€Å"biblio† for â€Å"book† to expand your vocabulary more quickly. If you recognize these roots in words, you will be able to define words you didn’t realize that you knew. Some people suggest taking a quick crash course in Latin to better understand most root words.   Tip #4: Work on Remembering What you Read If you find that you are unable to remember what you read, you may not be reading at the right time. Try to avoid reading when you are tired or distracted. Avoid dimly lit or loud areas when trying to read. Try to pick the right time to read- when your concentration is at a maximum point- and try to mark up your text. Use a post-it note or highlighter to mark key passages, moments in the plot, or characters. Some students will also find it helpful to take notes on what theyve read, so they can go back and refer to key points later on.   Here are more tips about how to improve your recall of what you read. Tip #5: Don’t Save Your Studying until the Last Minute Its important to note that studying shouldnt be a once and done thing when it comes to preparing for your test. Get to know the sections of the test well in advance, and practice. Take online practice tests, write essays regularly, and find out where you need the most help. Waiting until the week before the ISEE or SSAT test date isnt going to give you any sort of benefit when it comes to excelling. Remember, if you wait until the last minute, you won’t be able to discover and improve your weaker areas.   Article edited by  Stacy Jagodowski

Monday, November 25, 2019

Free Essays on Conflict

Throughout one’s life, one establishes many relationships. Some are built upon, and become strong and unshakable, some are broken and left to dissolve. While some are paved slowly and with love, blossoming to become something wonderful, others are blown apart : George, a co-owner of a small coffee shop has noticed that there are fewer customers coming in to his store. He is worried about his profit, and is reluctant to change anything about the store due to the cost. Max, the other owner, is more concerned with the quality... Free Essays on Conflict Free Essays on Conflict Unit 2: Cognition, Thinking, Problem Solving A.) Apply the Working Memory and Long-Term Memory of the Information-Processing model: In the case study â€Å"Endangered Species,† the teacher, Ms. Dennison, demonstrates utilizing the working memory and long-term memory while introducing new information to her fifth-grade class. She introduces the lesson with an informational video about an endangered species and begins a discussion using the students working memory of what they had just learned from the video combined with information students already have in their long-term memories. Ms. Dennison uses elaborative rehearsal, cues the students to create mental representations, and uses symbolic representation through prepositional networks, categorizing the different species and their characteristics, to effectively transfer the new information into the students’ long-term memories. B.) Apply Meaningful Learning: A good example of a teacher using meaningful learning to aid students’ understanding of new information and concepts is shown in the case study â€Å"Endangered Species.† Ms. Dennison uses visual and mental imagery to relate the size and characteristics of a manatee from images her students already know (relating manatee to a cow). She also organizes the new material for her students on a matrix in a structured, meaningful fashion. C.) Apply the way to Encode Declarative Knowledge: Ms. Dennison, of the case study â€Å"Endangered Species,† demonstrates the way to encode declarative knowledge by using the students mental image of a cow to relate to the characteristics of a manatee, a species not encountered by the students. They use their episodic memories of observing and identifying cows, comparing and contrasting physical traits to develop and comprehend concepts about the unfamiliar species. D.) Apply strategies to help students develop and refine metacognitive skills: The critical thinking activity Mr. Man... Free Essays on Conflict Throughout one’s life, one establishes many relationships. Some are built upon, and become strong and unshakable, some are broken and left to dissolve. While some are paved slowly and with love, blossoming to become something wonderful, others are blown apart : George, a co-owner of a small coffee shop has noticed that there are fewer customers coming in to his store. He is worried about his profit, and is reluctant to change anything about the store due to the cost. Max, the other owner, is more concerned with the quality...

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Business & Project Creation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Business & Project Creation - Essay Example equently observe a variety of aspects concerned in entering, or not entering, a market, together with the markets structural blockades to entry and the probable response of competitors. Market Analysis can work out a study using a mixture of surveys, focus groups, questionnaires and/or telephone interviews. This before time analysis will make one more conscious of companys strengths and weaknesses and progress chances of gaining an aggressive benefit and increasing market share. The Market Analysis Team has foundation abilities in performing market assessments and public strategy impact assessments using an analysis model. Any cost-effective model — which reproduces a detailed nominal cash flow for fresh products — estimates earnings, cash flows, and debt payment to estimate a projects leveled cost-of-launch, nominal Internal Rate of Return, and annual Debt-Service-Coverage-Ratios. The Market Analysis Team encourages and facilitates greater acceptance of new technologies in the market by functioning with services and other stakeholders to recognize suitable technologies and to deal with system incorporation matters. The Market Analysis Team fosters improved understanding of the role of markets by identifying market barriers and opportunities, and promoting market-based solutions, when possible, to achieve greater development. The Market Analysis Team informs and guides the key conclusion makers in order to optimistically manipulate progress decisions. This contains developing the establishment of nationwide and regional electorates through work with a range of interest groups, and given that support to client and stakeholder groups to widen and execute market-based plans for its products. The Market Analysis Team carries out assessments of the insinuations of industry reorganization for its new products technologies. One has to execute analyses of diverse suggestions for a normal, transmission pricing, and autonomous system operators; as well as analyses

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Is P&G a world-class organization Research Paper

Is P&G a world-class organization - Research Paper Example   Being a small soap and candle preparing company, P&G became a multinational organization dealing in consumer goods industry. P&G became successful in maintaining such a huge change mainly due to the core strengths such as consumer understanding, innovation, brand building, go-to-market capabilities and scale. Consumer understanding helped the organization to attain a detailed analysis about the preferences and demands of the customers with changing times. After knowing the changed preferences, the organization also tries to develop varied types of innovative products. This strategy helped the organization to enhance its brand image and portfolio in the market among other rival players. Moreover, the organization also developed the products as per the rules and regulations of the industry so as to enhance the reliability and trust of the customers. P& G also enhanced the operations, technologies and inner knowledge of the employees in order to satisfy the demands of the customers effectively. P&G does not concentrate in one market but the organization always tries to expand into new markets so as to amplify its brand value and market share. In order to do so, P&G always tried to offer high attention over consumer understanding. Consumer understanding helped to analyze the changed preferences of the customers and innovation satisfies them entirely. Moreover, with the help of innovation, numerous inventive products and services are developed that may amplify the profitability and loyalty of the organization among others and, by inventing varied types of new products, a wide range of customers might get attracted towards the brand that may enhance the demand and portfolio as compared Johnson & Johnson, Kimberly-Clark etc. Hence, innovation helped to improve the operating income and total revenue of P&G by US$ 14.48 billion in 2014 and US$ 84.17 billion in 2013.

Monday, November 18, 2019

SHORT PRIMARY SOURCE ESSAY Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

SHORT PRIMARY SOURCE ESSAY - Assignment Example Despite being a leader in the military, artistic works portray him appreciating himself for the glory he gives to France (Dwyer, 2004). In addition, Napoleon’s passion for his work and country comes out in the letters and utterances he makes to his brothers and soldiers. Napoleon has affection towards his friends and family. Despite the distances between them, he keeps writing to his elder brother Joseph. On June 29th 1795, he writes to his elder brother concerning his travel to a far place. Napoleon wishes to have the memory of his brother whom he refers to as a dear friend, thus he requests for his portrait. Though they are of age and free to achieve different goals in life, Napoleon does not wish that his brother depart. This makes him sad as he fears that it would be long before he sees his brother. Almost a month letter; Napoleon writes to Joseph again, informing him about a job he receives as a general of the army in the west. However, he is unhappy because Joseph is prudent and laconic. Though he is free to make his decisions, Napoleon shows interest in having his brother give him direction concerning the job offer (Headley, 1858). Napoleon seeks to expand France after losing a battle for America. He thus sells Louisiana to the American government and moves to conquer more land in Europe. Napoleon’s determination to make France the world’s most powerful nation is clear, as he shows no fear of the third coalition. This coalition comprised of Britain, Russia, Austria and Sweden whom he defeats with help from Rhine, Italy and Holland. Napoleon expresses his happiness for his soldiers; he congratulates them for winning the battle against Austria and again doing the same to Britain. He is proud of his country and wishes to forge good relations between France and other countries. Thus, he says that France will be proud to have her partners help fight war another time (The French Revolution and Napoleon,

Friday, November 15, 2019

Genre Study: The Romance Comedy

Genre Study: The Romance Comedy The thesis introduces some basic conceptions of genre and then generally analyzes the features of the US and UK film genre especially in terms of romance comedy of US and UK film. The author uses Love Actually and Pretty Woman as two examples to represent UK and US romance comedy respectively. Love Actually was acted by many outstanding actors and actresses like Hugh Grant, Emma Thompson, Mr. Bean (Rowan Atkinson), Alan Rickman, etc, which makes the movie an all-star lineup. However, pretty Woman doesnt fall behind. It was acted by Hollywood movie star Richard Gere and Julia Roberts. By comparing the two representatives, it is not difficult to arrive at the conclusion that UK romance comedy is more realism while the other is more idealism. I believe it more or less has something related to their different cultures and national characters. British people are more conservative than Americans so their romance is closer to life, its better for audience to find the real love in reality be cause some plot of the movie just like a familiar one happened in neighborhood. It reflects some true situation in real life. Pretty Woman is a bit like the realization of American Dream to American people; the movie makes the fairy tale dream become true. Thats why these two movies are excellent learning materials for romance genre study. When talking about film genre, there is no reason not to mention the etymology of genre, which comes from French (originally Latin) word meaning type or kind. With the word genre coming into use of English, it is not hard to come across literacy genre, genres in painting etc, however, this paper mainly emphasizes on film genre. How we define genre is depending on our purposes. Film genre is closely connected with the aspect of audiences common knowledge and their expectations, that is, how audience recognizes and understands movie. As Alastair Fowler said that readers learn genres gradually, usually through unconscious familiarization, I put forward the idea that audience use genre to distinguish a particular movie and it makes a genre a code between producers and viewers in the text of a specific movie. When I start to analyze US film genre, I cant ignore the impact of Hollywood, which produces a large amount of blockbuster through the whole world, to name but a few, Gone With the Wind, The Sound of Music, Titanic, The Lord of the King, Avatar In Hollywood movie, the leading genres are action-adventure, comedy, science fiction, teenpics, war films, westerns, melodrama and so on. It is universally acknowledged that love is indispensable in humans lifeà ¯Ã‚ ¼Ã…’so its always the source material for literature and art creation. There is no doubt that love is always the eternal theme of movie, thats why the box of romance story is on the glory trail for long years. In some other film genre, romance is supposed to be the sub-genre, which makes romantic thriller, romantic drama, action romance and romantic comedy. And even in Titanic this kind of disaster film, romance is an important element which runs through the whole movie. At different time peoples outlook of love reflect their mo ral value at that time. The production of movie is usually based on the characteristic temper of an age to highlight the theme of the time. During the Second World War period, Gone with the Wind, Casablanca, For Whom the Bell Tolls are popular films because they shoot at the real background of the society, which reveals the changing life brought by the war. While in the period of 90th century, Youve Got a Mail, Message in a Bottle, A Walk in the clouds these new time romance come into the big screen. Especially in Youve Got a Mail internet has become a bridge between the hero and heroine, besides that the film also reflects cyber romance in real life. As it goes to nowadays romance, it becomes much more incredible and extraordinary just like Across the Universe, Sliding Doors, twilight. When I continue to analyze the UK film genre, there are three main characteristics going as follows. First of all it inherits and develops the realistic tradition of English drama. For instance, Gandhi, A Passage to India, Gosford Park represent the introspection of the history and culture of colonial domination; the Bridge on the River Kwai, the Private Life of Henry VIII, the Queen criticize the corrupt customs of old value and national characters; the Land Girls, Love Actually promote the standard civilization of mainstream society; Four weddings and a Funeral, Mr. Bean advocate the optimistic attitude towards life. Secondly, UK movie is keen on the artistic characteristics of English drama, leading to the high artistic value in either shooting or performance, especially the gentleman style in acting. It also explains why many English films win the Academy Award such as The English patient, Shakespeare in Love. The last but not least, it adapts some literary masterpiece and many o f them stay famous with the original work. Tess is revised from Hardy; Oliver Twist is revised from Charles Dickens; Sense and Sensibility is converted from Jane Austin. When all the above-mentioned factors are taken into consideration, a conclusion could be drawn that UK films are more traditional and retain some features of English drama. Hereinafter I will illustrate Love Actually and Pretty Woman to analysis the features of UK and US romance comedy respectively and compare their similarities and distinctions. Love actually is one of the most successful English romance comedies which breaks the record of Bridget Joness Diary and wins the top-grossing movie release in ever. It is made up of ten separate stories but also there are small connections among those stories at the background of traditional festival-Christmas. In fact the name of the movie love actually means Love is actually around, so the whole melody of the movie is immersed in warm and love. The beginning and ending part take place at Heathrow Airport where passengers part or reunite with their family or friends. Fathers and sons, mothers and daughters, husband and wife, boyfriends, girlfriends and old friends, they smile, embrace or kiss each other, making the airport cozy beautiful place. Love is found everywhere. Our eyes do not show a lack of sense of love, but lack of observation. This film reflects different kind of outlook of love in UK society. Love is around no matter who you are and what social class you come from. Even you are the prime minister of the United Kingdom; you may fall in love with your assistant. The director just suggests that there is no hierarchy, no stratum in love, everyone is equal at the front of love; love makes people closer to each other and makes them come together no matter what their identities are. Love is around no matter which country you are from and what language you are speaking. Love has no boundaries. The little boy confesses his feelings to the African-American girl at the encouragement of his stepfather. Love is brave, there are neither skin colors nor races in love, and we all cheer for the little boy because of his braveness. Totally there are ten stories and everyone can find some touching details in some stories because they are closely related to our life and I believe thats why it s not the same as Hollywood romance comedy, its special gentleman style humor and lightly moving plot are not like a raging flame but can still give us warm and power. It makes audience feel comfortable and full of confidence that love is everywhere. Be generous and gratitude to life because love is always around us. It is a movie but it is also like what happened in our own life. Apart from the romance story in the film, we can find the epitome of British politics and the relationship between British and American. A friend who bullies us is no longer a friend. Bring out their opinion that they dont want to be an attendant of America. We can still catch the satire that Englishman used to show disagreement with American and their pop culture. They laugh at Americans arbitrariness and their open culture. Satire is one way of English humor. As is known to us, comedy is very influential in English film industry because the nation feels proud of their sense of humor. Mr. Bean has become the stereotype of comedy and Rowan Atkinsons face represent funny and humor. When he showed up in a movie we can predict that something interesting will happen. So even he shows up several minutes in Love Actually, he still creates happiness to the audience. On the other hand, Pretty Woman is a typical Cinderella Hollywood style romance comedy. Hao Jian claims Pretty Woman is a romantic film and studies how this movie leads the audience to enjoy the visual and ideological pleasure through inserting typical movie language. He argues the directors use of movie language and the like zero cut is a strategy to remove barriers between the characters and the audience. (Hao Jian,2002) Since there is no denying that characters are the souls of movie, this paper mainly focuses on characters personalities to conclude the genre features instead of the angle from shooting methods like montage etc. Edward represents prototype of the upper class while Vivian represents the working class in US. From my point of view, American romance comedy is more idealized just like a fairy tale and a wonderful dream because girls are eager to encounter her prince of charming like Edward and boys want to be successful and have the social status as Edward. That is to s ay, American romance story is more idealism so that the heroes and heroine are so glorious that audience wish they could become them. Vivian, the pretty woman in the movie, though she doesnt have a decent occupation, she still has her own qualities, which attract the perfect hero and win his love. I analyzed the heroine and find she has four qualities that makes she become the princess. To start with, she is frank and honest, so that she always expresses her feelings directly and doesnt hide her opinions. Next, although she is a prostitute, she still has self-respect. When she lives a comfortable life provided by Edward she still prepares to leave because all she wants is not just material things. Thirdly, she is a lovely woman, which can be drawn from her cute actions and innocent dialogue. At last, she creates her own idealism when she is a street girl and luckily her dreams come true. In real life its hard to imagine a millionaire falls in love with a prostitute, but just because of the mode of Cinderella and the prince of modern time makes audiences wish come true, the film becomes a very popular one even until today. Pretty Woman still makes sense in our society; the vision of love differs in our time. Now it seems that status, fortune and appearance have become some necessaries in matching love. Love is no longer pure love; people become together with clear intensions, for instance, the insurance of life, the standard of consumptionà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦It seems that people now regard marriage as a relationship instead of an institution. In the movie it tells us that family background, job, features are not so important, the most important thing is ones inner world, pure soul and warm heart. Pretty Woman inherits the traditional mode of US romance comedy, which contains handsome man, hot figure woman and happy ending story. However, this movie also praises female while some other US film would show sympathy of female like Thelma and Louise, the Color Purple and so on. All in all, Pretty Woman is a very classic Hollywood movie which is beneficial for us to study film genre of romance comedy of American. Conclusion Through the further discovery of genre study, it helps us obtain some fundamental conception of film genre in terms of romance comedy. Film genre is a long journey that in this paper I only underline a small aspect of film genre. As far as I am concerned, romance comedy is so popular that this film genre can always attract audiences attention and sit in the cinema to enjoy the movie. However, Love actually and Pretty Woman are just two stereotypes of romance comedy. There are numerous films of this type, if we want to draw more conclusions we always have many options since If Only, Five first dates, Sleepless in Seattle,etc, are classic romance story worth watching. Bibiliography: UK Film Council. http://sy10.ukfilmcouncil.ry.com/Default.asp An introduction to genre theory. Daniel Chandler. American Film Genres: Approach to a critical theory of Popular Film. Kaminsky, Stuart M. Media Semiotics: An Introduction. Bignell, Jonathan. Manchester University Press. 1997 Film Genre Study. HaoJian. Beijing University Press. 2002 The Film Genre Book. John Sanders. Auteur Publishing. 2009 Film Genre 2000:New Critical Essays. Wheeler Winston Dixon. State University of New York Press.2000 Film Genre:Hollywood and Beyond. Barry Langford. Edinburgh University Press. 2005 Romance Fiction: A guide to the genre. Kristin Ramsdell. Englewood,Colo. 1999

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

My Style? :: Writing Eglish Education Papers

My Style? Students crammed the Superlab on Friday trying to finish the assignment for English Class. The assignment was to write a paper about styles of writing and how the students fit into them. The students must finish the paper and send it by E-mail to the professor by Saturday morning. Short and to the point. That's how I'm supposed to write for my news reporting class. Use short sentences and action verbs. Start with the most important facts, answer any questions raised by the lead, then fill in the details. I've been told that it is very difficult to major in both English and mass communication because they have two very different approaches to writing. So what's the big deal? Well, it's not easy switching back and forth between the styles these classes require, especially since one class immediately follows the other. This is just one problem I've run into concerning style, switching between the two that are expected of me in both classes. Another problem is that there is a specific set of rules to follow when writing for the media. I feel as if I'm writing using someone else's style. I don't normally talk or write using short, to the point sentences, and I definitely don't use the inverted pyramid style. So when I write news stories, can I say that is my own style since how I write is almost dictated? Or is it someone else's that I'm just borrowing? But if that's the case, is there such a thing as my own style? Is everything I say or write dictated by a set of rules, like news writing? Or can I manipulate someone else's stylistic rules to make my own? Is there any way to change things so that I can write how I want to? We discussed in class how decorum dictates how we are supposed to talk or write. I can personally attest to that. When I worked at my dad's welding shop this summer, I noticed that because I was a secretary, I was expected to talk to customers differently than my dad or any of the other workers. I was supposed to sound professional and courteous. "Good afternoon, CAP Enterprise," was the proper way to answer the phone. But when my dad got on the phone, he would talk to the customer or salesperson almost like he talks to his buddies.