Wednesday, October 30, 2019

What does the prophet Tiresias mean when he says to Oedipus This day Essay

What does the prophet Tiresias mean when he says to Oedipus This day will bring your birth and your destruction - Essay Example er, asked the prophet for clarification; and that is when Teiresias proclaimed: â€Å"This day shall be thy birth-day, and thy grave† – therefore, I presumed that the phrase referred to Oedipus discovery of who his real parents are. Of course, this seems pretty much obvious as we know how the tragedy ends, and even if we had not read it we all certainly heard about Oedipus complex that the psychoanalysts describe as the man’s (boy’s) desire to perform incest with his mother and to emiminate (i.e. â€Å"kill†) his father. However, although the â€Å"grave† (or â€Å"desctruction†) part of the prophecy is pretty clear, why is Teiresias speaking about the â€Å"birth†, and which is more – why is he putting the two notions together and linking them, how can they happen on the same day, and how are they interrelated? This is the issue I am going to speculate upon in this paper. First of all, I strongly believe that the words of Teiresias the prophet â€Å"This day shall be thy birth-day, and thy grave† can, and should, be viewed in at least two different contexts: (1) the exact and direct meaning of these words with regard to the plot of Sophocle’s tragedy and (2) the meaning of this phrase in the context of Sophocle’s philosophy and his views on the issues of power of fortune and human choice. The direct meaning of the prophet’s words is more obvious. As we can further see from the tragedy’s plot, the same day when Oedipus got to know his real parentage brought his destruction: hence, the â€Å"birth† and the â€Å"grave† happened simultaneously. The concept of â€Å"birth†, however, can also be regarded in its figurative meaning – since by discovering the person guilty of Laius’ death the King of Thebes was supposed to regain and strengthen his authority among the citizens. These last lines of the choir in Sophocle’s tragedy symbolize that Oedipus’ destiny is by no means unique, and that pretty much any human being can experience the same

Monday, October 28, 2019

Architectural Design Considerations of a Light Warehouse Essay Example for Free

Architectural Design Considerations of a Light Warehouse Essay Warehousing warehousing is the receiving, storage, and delivery of goods. Receiving – receiving is the acceptance of goods with a degree of accountability therefor. Storage – storage is the safekeeping of goods in a warehouse or other depository. Delivery – delivery is the transfer of goods to the transportation carrier or customer. Distribution – distribution is a function of warehousing which includes the preparation and delivery of goods according to plan or special order. Supply chain efficiencies depend upon the efficiency of logistics including transportation and warehousing operations. Warehouse efficiencies depend upon a combination of warehouse design, layout, infrastructure, systems, process and people. Warehouse Design element aims to maximize the utility of space, equipment and efficiency of operations. We will briefly cover the various elements of a warehouse design and understand their importance. In basic functional aspects, a warehouse function consists of Material receipts including unloading, unpacking and inspection, put away and Storage of materials in various categories of storage locations, systems updating, pull materials for dispatch and delivery of materials after processing. Warehouse Location, Layout and Building The location of a warehouse should ideally be situated in a flat ground. The location should be easily approachable and in a area suited for this nature of business. Locations closer to markets or to national highways would be ideal. Public transportation and communication infrastructure should also be available. The layout of the building should be designed to accommodate fleet parking, and enable containers to drive in and drive out easily. Any time two containers should be able to pass through on the path without any interruption. There should be enough free space for vehicles to maneuver. The layout should also provide for other utility, safety and security operations. Building is normally constructed using galvanized metallic sheets mounted on C Section girdles. The flooring should be RCC concrete with weight bearing capacity as per requirement of the load to be calculated in each case. The ground should be flat, even and smooth surface to facilitate MHE movements and dust free. The roof height would be a major consideration to be able to install multi vertical storage racking installation. The walls and roof should be designed with suitable lighting panels and ventilators for air exchange fitted with bird cages. The number of loading and unloading docs and placement of these docs play an important role in the design of operations and efficiency of operation. All weather docks and the facility should enable 24 hours operations. Dock Levels. The docks should be equipped with dock levelers and all these have to be installed during construction phase itself. Ramps have to be provided to facilitate movement of forklift etc. Lighting design will depend upon the layout and the racking design. Internal Layout Internal layout design will be built taking into account the operational process, nature of goods, volumes of transactions both inbound and outbound, storage types, in house operations involving put away and pull sequences and process requirements including packing, kitting etc and the availability of floor space coupled with building layout design of inbound and outbound docks. The design aims to maximize space utilization, minimize MHE movement and Manpower movement. Types of Storage Types of storage are determined by the nature of cargo. Depending upon the cargo whether finished goods, raw material parts etc, the types of storage can vary from bulk stock, block stock, racking, pallet racking, shelf racking, binning, unit pick or loose pick face, carton pick etc. The storage types vary with nature of materials with different types of storage designs for drums, pallets, tires, cartons, tube and rods etc. Racking Designs Material Handling Equipment Racking Design takes into account the storage type, storage unit, volume and weight coupled with the available floor space and roof height to design system which maximizes the storage capacity. Put away and picking process and transactional volumes are also taken into consideration. The inventory profile study would include detailing of number of SKUs in each category of fast moving, slow moving or other criteria as per the nature of business and the storage type would be designed as per the inventory profile and the process. Racking designs are very many and varies with the type of industries and nature of inventory. Normal racking designs include pallet racking on multiple levels. You can have shelving, binning or combination of bulk stock and forward pick face racking designs. Block stack racking and other types of high density racking can be found in FG warehouses. Mezzanine store binning and shelving rack designs are normally designed for spare parts and small parts. Highly automated racking designs can have automatic retrieval systems and conveyors in the warehouse. Material Handling Equipments are specified based on rack design coupled with pallet design, nature of cargo, weight and the warehouse layout etc. Forklifts, reach trucks, hand pallet jacks, trolleys are normal Material handling equipments in normal warehousing operations. Warehouse Layout Design Sizing the Space Requirements Warehouse layout sizing is a critical aspect of planning a new facility or re-designing an existing building. Many times organisations start from a fixed view of what size the facility will be, and most times the square footage is based on affordability. The problem with this, is that the building may end up be to big, and therefore more expensive or to small and put operational constraints into the facility before the design even gets off the ground. Warehouse Layout and Sizing: The correct way to size the facility is from the inside, that way the actual size required will fit the operational requirements, and will ensure that all available space is used and you are not paying for unused space. Estimating Space Requirements: Short and long term, based upon forecasts, historical usage patterns, and projected changes. Developing new layouts to maximize usage of space. Short- and long-range sizing of individual areas: racks, shelving, automated systems, docks, staging, offices, and support. The final sizing needs to come from the operational requirements of the building, this can only come from modelling the design. Key Factors to Consider during Warehouse Sizing Order Picking: Methods for Piece Pick, Case Pick, and Pallet Pick Operations. Deciding on the amount of space you will need is not just about how much product you wish to store. The type of picking you intend carrying out is a fundamental part of the decision process. The methods for order picking vary greatly and the level of difficulty in choosing the best method for your operation will depend on the type of operation you have. The characteristics of the product being handled, total number of transactions, total number of orders, picks per order, quantity per pick, picks per SKU, total number of SKUs, value-added processing such as private labelling, and whether you are handling piece pick, case pick, or full-pallet loads are all factors that will affect the decision on how much space will be required. Therefore when you have:- Full pallet picking you will need more racking space than open floor space. Lots of case picking you will need more ground floor pick faces, than you will need for full pallet picking and you may also need a case to pallet consolidation floor area. Lots of small quantity piece picking you will need packing pallet consolidation areas on the floor. Holding requirements include defining the physical size of the inventory on hand. Unless the on-hand total is fairly stable across the year, it is usually preferable to plan for a high but not peak inventory level. To fully utilize the space, it is important to determine how product needs to be stored (e. g. , floor stacked, pallet rack, shelving, case flow) and how much of each fixture type will be required. Cube data (length ? width ? height) for each product is a very useful kind of information for many aspects of capacity planning. Workflow requirements encompass everything from how product arrives to how it leaves the facility and everything in between. The objectives of this aspect of planning are to minimize product handling, to reduce travel as much as possible, and to minimize the resource requirements (labor, packaging, transportation) to move the product to the customer. Among the factors to consider are the following: (1) Link the way product arrives with where it is to be stored (location capacity). If possible, store all of a product in one location and pick from that location as well. This does not work if stock rotation matters (expiration dates, serial number, or lot control issues). 2) Locate the highest-volume products (greatest number of orders, not physical size) closest to the outbound shipping area to minimize the travel required to pick and ship orders for them. (3) Because vertical travel is always slower, locate as many products as possible on or close to the floor. (4) Allow for staging space to handle product that is in transit, such as items waiting to be put away. Warehousing was supposed to disappear with L ean Manufacturing. This has rarely occurred but the nature of warehousing often does change from storage-dominance to transaction dominance. Warehousing buffers inbound shipments from suppliers and outbound orders to customers. Customers usually order in patterns that are not compatible with the capabilities of the warehouse suppliers. The amount of storage depends on the disparity between incoming and outbound shipment patterns. In addition, the trend to overseas sourcing has increased the need for warehousing and its importance in the supply chain. | Design StrategiesOne key to effective design is the relative dominance of picking or storage activity. These two warehouse functions have opposing requirements. Techniques that maximize space utilization tend to complicate picking and render it inefficient while large storage areas increase distance and also reduce picking efficiency. Ideal picking requires small stocks in dedicated, close locations. This works against storage efficiency. Automation of picking, storage, handling and information can compensate for these opposing requirements to a degree. However, automation is expensive to install and operate. The figure below shows how different transaction volumes, storage requirements and technologies lead to different design concepts.

Saturday, October 26, 2019

The Impact of the Industrial Revolution on the Life and Health of the British People :: Free Essays

The Impact of the Industrial Revolution on the Life and Health of the British People Trade and industry changed dramatically during the Victorian period. The invention of new machines and the growth of factories affected the working lives of many people. The invention of steam power meant that many jobs could now be done by machines and steam powered machines meant that more goods could be made and much faster than before, when they were made by hand. When manufacturers realised this, they put their machines into huge factories so that all the work could be done in one place. Coal was needed to help make steam to power the machines. Many Victorian factories were built near coalmines to make it easier to get the coal to the factory. The coal mining industry grew. Many workers were needed to keep the new machines running in the factories and more workers were needed to work in the coalmines. Huge industrial towns grew around the factories as people moved to factory areas to look for work. In 1800, 75000 people lived in Manchester. By 1850, more than 300 000 people lived there. This made more goods for sale at home and abroad. The revolution had many impacts on Victorian life and many people benefited from industrialization but many people did not. For most people the Industrial Revolution was a good thing. Farm workers now had machines to help them and owners of the new factories and mills were making lots of money from the goods, made in their factories, being exported and sold. New inventions such as the telegraph and the typewriter created different kinds of jobs. However, for many people, life was made much more difficult. Factory workers had no rights and had to work long hours in dreadful conditions for a very low pay. The new machines were often not very safe and the workers' lives were at risk when they were running them. Factory owners exploited their workers, especially women and children. But people were desperate for work and those without jobs were not

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Television and Radio Is Important to Social Media Today

Television and radio is important to social media today Anthony D. Alexander, Jr COM155 Nov 24, 2012 Instructor Iaccino Television and radio has been the engines for all social media invention today. Some argue that television and radio is no longer important to social media, people believe they don’t have a need for television and radio since the Internet, cell phones and many more. Television and radio play’s a sufficient role in everyday life, rather if you use it or not.Without, television and radio there would be more people not employed. Television and radio have many of the same capabilities, but they are also different in many ways, both are very important for today social media. Television and radio has been the source to allow the many social inventions to happen today. There couldn’t be any Internet, cell phones, and smart phones, smart TV, broadcasting news, and many more. Television and radio has paved the ways for many other media today.There are pe ople who get up every morning preparing to go to work, which they would get dress and brew their coffee and hope in the car and turn on the radio: rather if it for news, weather, and nationwide morning shows: or while getting dress they turn on the television to catch some of the local or nationwide news, entertainment, and the reality show they recorded last night. Although, many don’t do this, but some do and that’s why television and radio still have the same value today as the past years.Some argue that television and radio is no longer important to social media, people believe they don’t have a need for television and radio since the Internet, cell phones and many more. Some believe the value of television and radio has extinct and no one needs it for social media today. I have asked many people if they feel this way and the majority responses where â€Å"I don’t watch TV that often and some said they â€Å"don’t have a care to listen to rad io†.Many people don’t think of how much they really use television and radio while completing my resource and asking people question about television and radio and them to compare and contrast was very interesting. By asking them these question it brought up how important both are, and how they compare and contrast. Television and radio play’s a sufficient role in everyday life, rather if you use it or not.Television and has many comparisons: they both open the door for many other social media, they both have electrical cords that plugs into a outlet, both can be use portable, both give you news, entertainment, live broadcasting, both can be used by a remote, both have speakers, both plays music, and many more. Television and radio both are also very different like: television shows a picture with voice which radio only have the voice, radio has sound waves that could be pick up anywhere and television can’t.This is what makes radio so important, many of u s has family and friends that’s fighting for our county and who is not able to watch the television to see what going on in the news, politics, sports or weather reports. Television allows a person to watch and listen, once a pond a time this was far fetch. Years ago you couldn’t tell people that we would be able to watch a picture on a little box (now big boxes). Television shows you different events, entertainment, also news and live broadcasting from all over the world. Radio works in underwater ships, and in the rain forest where there is no television.Television is one of the most expensive ways of social media, and radios are giving away free if you are able to find the right place. We would be nowhere without television and radio. If it wasn’t for television and radio, we would not know who the president is and doing for our country, if not for radio how would we known when Martin Luther King, Malcolm X, President Kennedy where killed, if it wasn’t for television how would we known and seen the OJ Simpson, D. C. murder trails, the massacre that took place at Columbine high school or the killing of Osama Bin Laden.Without, television and radio there would be more people not employed. Television and radio formed the word â€Å"celebrity† there would not be one if not for television and radio. Today there are many of actors and actress, sports players, musicians, advertisement companies, Wall Street or inventions such as computers, smart phones, Internet, cable, satellite television and radio, game systems. These items came from the root of television and radio, without these we would have no social media today. From the root of television and radio we have one of the largest social media sites there is Facebook.Facebook still incorporates television and radio every day, with advertisement on the radio and television, plus Facebook also filmed a movie about how Facebook started. Facebook would not have been what it is tod ay if it had not utilized the pioneers which are television and radio. Now, you can connect with all social media through your smart phone. Smart phone has a radio, television, and the Internet. Smart phone allows you to select application where you can do much more than a television and radio, but all are stems to the root of television.Television and radio have many of the same capabilities, but they are also different in many ways, both are very important for today social media. Television and radio has shown why they are the pioneers of social media, no social media could have ever been possible without television and radio. Television and radio should be important to your social media, The lack of television and radio means no information for use. I was one who never cared about television or radio, until I went a week without the booth and I thought I was clueless to the world.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

The Twilight Saga 2: New Moon Chapter 9 THIRD WHEEL

TIME BEGAN TO TRIP ALONG MUCH MORE QUICKLY than before. School, work, and Jacobthough not necessarily in that ordercreated a neat and effortless pattern to follow. And Charlie got his wish: I wasn't miserable anymore. Of course, I couldn't fool myself completely. When I stopped to take stock of my life, which I tried not to do too often, I couldn't ignore the implications of my behavior. I was like a lost moonmy planet destroyed in some cataclysmic, disaster-movie scenario of desolationthat continued, nevertheless, to circle in a tight little orbit around the empty space left behind, ignoring the laws of gravity. I was getting better with my bike, which meant fewer bandages to worry Charlie. But it also meant that the voice in my head began to fade, until I heard it no more. Quietly, I panicked. I threw myself into the search for the meadow with slightly frenzied intensity. I racked my brain for other adrenaline-producing activities. I didn't keep track of the days :hat passedthere was no reason, as I tried to live as much in the present as possible, no past fading, no future impending. So I was surprised by the date when Jacob brought it up on one of our homework days. He was waiting when I pulled up in front of his house. â€Å"Happy Valentine's Day,† Jacob said, smiling, but ducking his head as he greeted me. He held out a small, pink box, balancing it on his palm. Conversation hearts. â€Å"Well, I feel like a schmuck,† I mumbled. â€Å"Is today Valentine's Day?† Jacob shook his head with mock sadness. â€Å"You can be so out of it sometimes. Yes, it is the fourteenth day of February. So are you going to be my Valentine? Since you didn't get me a fifty-cent box of candy, it's the least you can do.† I started to feel uncomfortable. The words were teasing, but only on the surface. â€Å"What exactly does that entail?† I hedged. â€Å"The usualslave for life, that kind of thing.† â€Å"Oh, well, if that's all† I took the candy. But I was trying to think of some way to make the boundaries clear. Again. They seemed to get blurred a lot with Jacob. â€Å"So, what are we doing tomorrow? Hiking, or the ER?† â€Å"Hiking,† I decided. â€Å"You're not the only one who can be obsessive. I'm starting to think I imagined that place† I frowned into space. â€Å"We'll find it,† he assured me. â€Å"Bikes Friday?† he offered. I saw a chance and took it without taking time to think it through. â€Å"I'm going to a movie Friday. I've been promising my cafeteria crowd that I would go out forever.† Mike would be pleased. But Jacob's face fell. I caught the expression in his dark eyes before he dropped them to look at the ground. â€Å"You'll come too, right?† I added quickly. â€Å"Or will it be too much of a drag with a bunch of boring seniors?† So much for my chance to put some distance between us. I couldn't stand hurting Jacob; we seemed to be connected in an odd way, and his pain set off little stabs of my own. Also, the idea of having his company for the ordealI had promised Mike, but really didn't feel any enthusiasm at the thought of following throughwas just too tempting. â€Å"You'd like me to come, with your friends there?† â€Å"Yes,† I admitted honestly, knowing as I continued that I was probably shooting myself in the foot with my words. â€Å"I'll have a lot more fun if you're there. Bring Quil, and we'll make it a party.† â€Å"Quil's gonna freak. Senior girls.† He chortled and rolled his eyes. I didn't mention Embry, and neither did he. I laughed, too. â€Å"I'll try to get hin a good selection.† I broached the subject with Mike in English. â€Å"Hey, Mike,† I said when class was over. â€Å"Are you free Friday night?† He looked up, his blue eyes instantly hopeful. â€Å"Yeah, I am. You want to go out?† I worded my reply carefully. â€Å"I was thinking about getting a group†I emphasized the word†together to go see Crosshairs.† I'd done my homework this timeeven reading the movie spoilers to be sure I wouldn't be caught off guard. This movie was supposed to be a bloodbath from start to finish. I wasn't so recovered that I could stand to sit through a romance. â€Å"Does that sound like fun?† â€Å"Sure,† he agreed, visibly less eager. â€Å"Cool.† After a second, he perked back up to near his former excitement level. â€Å"How about we get Angela and Ben? Or Eric and Katie?† He was determined to make this some kind of double date, apparently. â€Å"How about both?† I suggested â€Å"And Jessica, too, of course. And Tyler and Conner, and maybe Lauren,† I tacked on grudgingly. I had promised Quil variety. â€Å"Okay,† Mike muttered, foiled. â€Å"And,† I continued, â€Å"I've got a couple of friends from La Push I'm inviting. So it sounds like we'll need your Suburban if everyone comes.† Mike's eyes narrowed in suspicion. â€Å"These are the friends you spend all your time studying with now?† â€Å"Yep, the very ones,† I answered cheerfully. â€Å"Though you could look at it as tutoringthey're only sophomores.† â€Å"Oh,† Mike said, surprised. After a second of thought, he smiled. In the end, though, the Suburban wasn't necessary. Jessica and Lauren claimed to be busy as soon as Mike let it slip that I was involved in the planning. Eric and Katie already had plansit was their three-week anniversary or something. Lauren got to Tyler and Conner before Mike could, so those two were also busy. Even Quil was outgrounded for fighting at school. In the end, only Angela and Ben, and, of course Jacob, were able to go. The diminished numbers didn't dampen Mike's anticipation, though. It was all he could talk about Friday. â€Å"Are you sure you don't want to see Tomorrow and Forever instead?† he asked at lunch, naming the current romantic comedy that was ruling the box office. â€Å"Rotten Tomatoes gave it a better review.† â€Å"I want to see Crosshairs† I insisted. â€Å"I'm in the mood for action. Bring on the blood and guts!† â€Å"Okay.† Mike turned away, but not before I saw his maybe-she's-crazy-after-all expression. When I got home from school, a very familiar car was parked in front of my house. Jacob was leaning against the hood, a huge grin lighting up his face. â€Å"No way!† I shouted as I jumped out of the truck. â€Å"You're done! I can't believe it! You finished the Rabbit!† He beamed. â€Å"Just last night. This is the maiden voyage.† â€Å"Incredible.† I held my hand up for a high five. He smacked his hand against mine, but left it there, twisting his fingers through mine. â€Å"So do I get to drive tonight?† â€Å"Definitely,† I said, and then I sighed. â€Å"What's wrong?† â€Å"I'm giving upI can't top this one. So you win. You're oldest.† He shrugged, unsurprised by my capitulation. â€Å"Of course I am.† Mike's Suburban chugged around the corner. I pulled my hand out of Jacob's, and he nude a face that I wasn't meant to see. â€Å"I remember this guy,† he said in a low voice as Mike parked across the street. â€Å"The one who thought you were his girlfriend. Is he still confused?† I raised one eyebrow. â€Å"Some people are hard to discourage.† â€Å"Then again,† Jacob said thoughtfully, â€Å"sometimes persistence pays off.† â€Å"Most of the time it's just annoying, though.† Mike got out of his car and crossed the road. â€Å"Hey, Bella,† he greeted me, and then his eyes turned wary as he looked up at Jacob. I glanced briefly at Jacob, too, trying to be objective. He really didn't look like a sophomore at all. He was just so bigMike's head barely cleared Jacob's shoulder; I didn't even want to think where I measured next to himand then his face was older-looking than it used to be, even a month ago. â€Å"Hey, Mike! Do you remember Jacob Black?† â€Å"Not really.† Mike held out his hand. â€Å"Old family friend,† Jacob introduced himself, shaking hands. They locked hands with more force than necessary. When their grip broke, Mike flexed his fingers. I heard the phone ringing from the kitchen. â€Å"I'd better get thatit might be Charlie,† I told them, and dashed inside. It was Ben. Angela was sick with the stomach flu, and he didn't feel like coming without her. He apologized for bailing on us. I walked slowly back to the waiting boys, shaking my head. I really hoped Angela would feel better soon, but I had to admit that I was selfishly upset by this development. Just the three of us, Mike and Jacob and me, together for the eveningthis had worked out brilliantly, I thought with grim sarcasm. It didn't seem like Jake and Mike had made any progress towards friendship in my absence. They were several yards apart, facing away from each other as they waited for me; Mike's expression was sullen, though Jacob's was cheerful as always. â€Å"Ang is sick,† I told them glumly. â€Å"She and Ben aren't coming.† â€Å"I guess the flu is making another round. Austin and Conner were out today, too. Maybe we should do this another time,† Mike suggested. Before I could agree, Jacob spoke. â€Å"I'm still up for it. But if you'd rather to stay behind, Mike† â€Å"No, I'm coming,† Mike interrupted. â€Å"I was just thinking of Angela and Ben. Let's go.† He started toward his Suburban. â€Å"Hey, do you mind if Jacob drives?† I asked. â€Å"I told him he couldhe just finished his car. He built it from scratch, all by himself,† I bragged, proud as a PTA mom with a student on the principal's list. â€Å"Fine,† Mike snapped. â€Å"All right, then,† Jacob said, as if that settled everything. He seemed more comfortable than anyone else. Mike climbed in the backseat of the Rabbit with a disgusted expression. Jacob was his normal sunny self, chattering away until I'd all but forgotten Mike sulking silently in the back. And then Mike changed his strategy. He leaned forward, resting his chin on the shoulder of my seat; his cheek almost touched mine. I shifted away, turning my back toward the window. â€Å"Doesn't the radio work in this thing?† Mike asked with a hint of petulance, interrupting Jacob mid-sentence. â€Å"Yes,† Jacob answered. â€Å"But Bella doesn't like music.† I stared at Jacob, surprised. I'd never told him that. â€Å"Bella?† Mike asked, annoyed. â€Å"He's right,† I mumbled, still looking at Jacob's serene profile. â€Å"How can you not like music?† Mike demanded. I shrugged. â€Å"I don't know. It just irritates me.† â€Å"Hmph.† Mike leaned away. When we got to the theater, Jacob handed me a ten-dollar bill. â€Å"What's this?† I objected. â€Å"I'm not old enough to get into this one,† he reminded me. I laughed out loud. â€Å"So much for relative ages. Is Billy going to kill me if I sneak you in?† â€Å"No. I told him you were planning to corrupt my youthful innocence.† I snickered, and Mike quickened his pace to keep up with us. I almost wished that Mike had decided to bow out. He was still sullennot much of an addition to the party. But I didn't want to end up on a date alone with Jacob, either. That wouldn't help anything. The movie was exactly what it professed to be. In just the opening credits, four people got blown up and one got beheaded. The girl in front of me put her hands over her eyes and turned her face into her date's chest. He patted her shoulder, and winced occasionally, too. Mike didn't look like he was watching. His face was stiff as he glared toward the fringe of curtain above the screen. I settled in to endure the two hours, watching the colors and the movement on the screen rather than seeing the shapes of people and cars and houses. But then Jacob started sniggering. â€Å"What?† I whispered. â€Å"Oh, c'mon!† he hissed back. â€Å"The blood squirted twenty feet out of that guy. How fake can you get?† He chuckled again, as a flagpole speared another man into a concrete wall. After that, I really watched the show, laughing with him as the mayhem got more and more ridiculous. How was I ever going to fight the blurring lines in our relationship when I enjoyed being with him so much? Both Jacob and Mike had claimed the armrests on either side of me. Both of their hands rested lightly, palms up, in an unnatural looking position. Like steel bear traps, open and ready. Jacob was in the habit of taking my hand whenever the opportunity presented itself, but here in the darkened movie theater, with Mike watching, it would have a different significanceand I was sure he knew that. I couldn't believe that Mike was thinking the same thing, but his hand was placed exactly like Jacob's. I folded my arms tightly across my chest and hoped that both their hands fell asleep. Mike gave up first. About halfway through the movie, he pulled his arm back, and leaned forward to put his head in his hands. At first I thought he was reacting to something on the screen, but then he moaned. â€Å"Mike, are you okay?† I whispered. The couple in front of us turned to look at him as he groaned again. I could see the sheen of sweat across his face in the light from the screen. Mike groaned again, and bolted for the door. I got up to follow him, and Jacob copied me immediately. â€Å"No, stay,† I whispered. â€Å"I'll make sure he's okay.† Jacob came with me anyway. â€Å"You don't have to come. Get your eight bucks worth of carnage,† I insisted as we walked up the aisle. â€Å"That's okay. You sure can pick them, Bella. This movie really sucks.† His voice rose from a whisper to its normal pitch as we walked out of the theater. There was no sign of Mike in the hallway, and I was glad then that Jacob had come with mehe ducked into the men's bathroom to check for him there. Jacob was back in a few seconds. â€Å"Oh, he's in there, all right,† he said, rolling his eyes. â€Å"What a marshmallow. You should hold out for someone with a stronger stomach. Someone who laughs at the gore that makes weaker men vomit.† â€Å"I'll keep my eyes open for someone like that.† We were all alone in the hallway. Both theaters were halfway through the movie, and it was desertedquiet enough for us to hear the popcorn popping at the concession counter in the lobby. Jacob went to sit on the velveteen-upholstered bench against the wall, patting the space beside him. â€Å"He sounded like he was going to be in there for a while,† he said, stretching his long legs out in front of him as he settled in to wait. I joined him with a sigh. He looked like he was thinking about blurring more lines. Sure enough, as soon as I sat down, he shifted over to put his arm around my shoulders. â€Å"Jake,† I protested, leaning away. He dropped his arm, not looking bothered at all by the minor rejection. He reached out and took my hand firmly, wrapping his other hand around my wrist when I tried to pull away again. Where did he get the confidence from? â€Å"Now, just hold on a minute, Bella,† he said in a calm voice. â€Å"Tell me something.† I grimaced. I didn't want to do this. Not just not now, but not ever. There was nothing lett in my life at this point that was more important than Jacob Black. But he seemed determined to ruin everything. â€Å"What?† I muttered sourly. â€Å"You like me, right?† â€Å"You know I do.† â€Å"Better than that joker puking his guts out in there?† He gestured toward the bathroom door. â€Å"Yes,† I sighed. â€Å"Better than any of the other guys you know?† He was calm, sereneas if my answer didn't matter, or he already knew what it was. â€Å"Better than the girls, too,† I pointed out. â€Å"But that's all,† he said, and it wasn't a question. It was hard to answer, to say the word. Would he get hurt and avoid me? How would I stand that? â€Å"Yes,† I whispered. He grinned down at me. â€Å"That's okay, you know. As long as you like me the best. And you think I'm good-lookingsort of. I'm prepared to be annoyingly persistent.† â€Å"I'm not going to change,† I said, and though I tried to keep my voice normal, I could hear the sadness in it. His face was thoughtful, no longer teasing. â€Å"It's still the other one, isn't it?† I cringed. Funny how he seemed to know not to say the namejust like before in the car with the music. He picked up on so much about me that I never said. â€Å"You don't have to talk about it,† he told me. I nodded, grateful. â€Å"But don't get mad at me for hanging around, okay?† Jacob patted the back of my hand. â€Å"Because I'm not giving up. I've got loads of time.† I sighed. â€Å"You shouldn't waste it on me,† I said, though I wanted him to. Especially if he was willing to accept me the way I wasdamaged goods, as is. â€Å"It's what I want to do, as long as you still like to be with me.† â€Å"I can't imagine how I could not like being with you,† I told him honestly. Jacob beamed. â€Å"I can live with that.† â€Å"Just don't expect more,† I warned him, trying to pull my hand away. He held onto it obstinately. â€Å"This doesn't really bother you, does it?† he demanded, squeezing my fingers. â€Å"No,† I sighed. Truthfully, it felt nice. His hand was so much warmer than mine; I always felt too cold these days. â€Å"And you don't care what he thinks.† Jacob jerked his thumb toward the bathroom. â€Å"I guess not.† â€Å"So what's the problem?† â€Å"The problem,† I said, â€Å"is, that it means something different to me than it does to you.† â€Å"Well.† He tightened his hand around mine â€Å"That's my problem, isn't it?† â€Å"Fine,† I grumbled. â€Å"Don't forget it, though.† â€Å"I won't. The pin's out of the grenade for me, now, eh?† He poked me in the ribs. I rolled my eyes. I guess if he felt like making a joke out of it, he was entitled. He chuckled quietly for a minute while his pinky finger absently traced designs against the side of my hand. â€Å"That's a funny scar you've got there,† he suddenly said, twisting my hand to examine it. â€Å"How did that happen?† The index finger of his free hand followed the line of the long silvery crescent that was barely visible against my pale skin. I scowled. â€Å"Do you honestly expect me to remember where all my scars come from?† I waited for the memory to hitto open the gaping hole. But, as it so often did, Jacob's presence kept me whole. â€Å"It's cold,† he murmured, pressing lightly against the place where James had cut me with his teeth. And then Mike stumbled out of the bathroom, his face ashen and covered in sweat. He looked horrible. â€Å"Oh, Mike,† I gasped. â€Å"Do you mind leaving early?† he whispered. â€Å"No, of course not.† I pulled my hand free and went to help Mike walk. He looked unsteady. â€Å"Movie too much for you?† Jacob asked heartlessly. Mike's glare was malevolent. â€Å"I didn't actually see any of it,† he mumbled. â€Å"I was nauseated before the lights went down.† â€Å"Why didn't you say something?† I scolded as we staggered toward the exit. â€Å"I was hoping it would pass,† he said. â€Å"Just a sec,† Jacob said as we reached the door. He walked quickly back to the concession stand. â€Å"Could I have an empty popcorn bucket?† he asked the salesgirl. She looked at Mike once, and then thrust a bucket at Jacob. â€Å"Get him outside, please,† she begged. She was obviously the one who would have to clean the floor. I towed Mike out into the cool, wet air. He inhaled deeply. Jacob was right behind us. He helped me get Mike into the back of the car, and handed him the bucket with a serious gaze. â€Å"Please,† was all Jacob said. We rolled down the windows, letting the icy night air blow through the car, hoping it would help Mike. I curled my arms around my legs to keep warm. â€Å"Cold, again?† Jacob asked, putting his arm around me before I could answer. â€Å"You're not?† He shook his head. â€Å"You must have a fever or something,† I grumbled. It was freezing. I touched my fingers to his forehead, and his head was hot. â€Å"Whoa, Jakeyou're burning up!† â€Å"I feel fine.† He shrugged. â€Å"Fit as a fiddle.† I frowned and touched his head again. His skin blazed under my fingers. â€Å"Your hands are like ice,† he complained. â€Å"Maybe it's me,† I allowed. Mike groaned in the backseat, and threw up in the bucket. I grimaced, hoping my own stomach could stand the sound and smell. Jacob checked anxiously over his shoulder to make sure his car wasn't defiled. The road felt longer on the way back. Jacob was quiet, thoughtful. He left his arm around me, and it was so warm that the cold wind felt good. I stared out the windshield, consumed with guilt. It was so wrong to encourage Jacob. Pure selfishness. It didn't matter that I'd tried to make my position clear. If he felt any hope at all that this could turn into something other than friendship, then I hadn't been clear enough. How could I explain so that he would understand? I was an empty shell. Like a vacant housecondemnedfor months I'd been utterly uninhabitable. Now I was a little improved. The front room was in better repair. But that was alljust the one small piece. He deserved better than thatbetter than a one-room, falling-down fixer-upper. No amount of investment on his part could put me back in working order. Yet I knew that I wouldn't send him away, regardless. I needed him too much, and I was selfish. Maybe I could make my side more clear, so that he would know to leave me. The thought made me shudder, and Jacob tightened his arm around me. I drove Mike home in his Suburban, while Jacob followed behind us to take me home. Jacob was quiet all the way back to my house, and I wondered if he were thinking the same things that I was. Maybe he was changing his mind. â€Å"I would invite myself in, since we're early,† he said as we pulled up next to my truck. â€Å"But I think you might be right about the fever. I'm starting to feel a little strange.† â€Å"Oh no, not you, too! Do you want me to drive you home?† â€Å"No.† He shook his head, his eyebrows pulling together. â€Å"I don't feel sick yet. Just wrong. If I have to, I'll pull over.† â€Å"Will you call me as soon as you get in?† I asked anxiously. â€Å"Sure, sure.† He frowned, staring ahead into the darkness and biting his lip. I opened my door to get out, but he grabbed my wrist lightly and held me there. I noticed again how hot his skin felt on mine. â€Å"What is it, Jake?† I asked. â€Å"There's something I want to tell you, Bella but I think it's going to sound kind of corny.† I sighed. This would be more of the same from the theater. â€Å"Go ahead.† â€Å"It's just that, I know how you're unhappy a lot. And, maybe it doesn't help anything, but I wanted you to know that I'm always here. I won't ever let you downI promise that you can always count on me. Wow, that does sound corny. But you know that, right? That I would never, ever hurt you?† â€Å"Yeah, Jake. I know that. And I already do count on you, probably more than you know.† The smile broke across his face the way the sunrise set the clouds on fire, and I wanted to cut my tongue out. I hadn't said one word that was a lie, but I should have lied. The truth was wrong, it would hurt him. I would let him down. A strange look crossed his face. â€Å"I really think I'd better go home now,† he said. I got out quickly. â€Å"Call me!† I yelled as he pulled away. I watched him go, and he seemed to be in control of the car, at least. I stared at the empty street when he was gone, feeling a little sick myself, but not for any physical reason. How much I wished that Jacob Black had been born my brother, my flesh-and -blood brother, so that I would have some legitimate claim on him that still left me free of any blame now. Heaven knows I had never wanted to use Jacob, but I couldn't help but interpret the guilt I felt now to mean that I had. Even more, I had never meant to love him. One thing I truly knewknew it in the pit of my stomach, in the center of my bones, knew it from the crown of my head to the soles of my feet, knew it deep in my empty chestwas how love gave someone the power to break you. I'd been broken beyond repair. But I needed Jacob now, needed him like a drug. I'd used him as a crutch for too long, and I was in deeper than I'd planned to go with anyone again. Now I couldn't bear for him to be hurt, and I couldn't keep from hurting him, either. He thought time and patience would change me, and, though I knew he was dead wrong, I also knew that I would let him try. He was my best friend. I would always love him, and it would never, ever be enough. I went inside to sit by the phone and bite my nails. â€Å"Movie over already?† Charlie asked in surprise when I came in. He was on the floor, just a foot from the TV. Must be an exciting game. â€Å"Mike got sick,† I explained. â€Å"Some kind of stomach flu.† â€Å"You okay?† â€Å"I feel fine now,† I said doubtfully. Clearly, I'd been exposed. I leaned against the kitchen counter, my hand inches from the phone, and tried to wait patiently. I thought of the strange look on Jacob's face before he drove away, and my fingers started drumming against the counter. I should have insisted on driving him home. I watched the clock as the minutes ticked by Ten. Fifteen. Even when I was driving, it took only fifteen minutes, and Jacob drove faster than I did. Eighteen minutes. I picked up the phone and dialed. It rang and rang. Maybe Billy was asleep. Maybe I'd dialed wrong. I tried again. On the eighth ring, just as I was about to hang up, Billy answered. â€Å"Hello?† he asked. His voice was wary, like he was expecting bad news. â€Å"Billy, it's me, Belladid Jake make it home yet? He left here about twenty minutes ago.† â€Å"He's here,† Billy said tonelessly. â€Å"He was supposed to call me.† I was a little irritated. â€Å"He was getting sick when he left, and I was worried.† â€Å"He was too sick to call. He's not feeling well right now.† Billy sounded distant. I realized he must want to be with Jacob. â€Å"Let me know if you need any help,† I offered. â€Å"I could come down.† I thought of Billy, stuck in his chair, and Jake fending for himself â€Å"No, no,† Billy said quickly. â€Å"We're fine. Stay at your place.† The way he said it was almost rude. â€Å"Okay,† I agreed. â€Å"Bye, Bella.† The line disconnected. â€Å"Bye,† I muttered. Well, at least he'd made it home. Oddly, I didn't feel less worried. I trudged up the stairs, fretting. Maybe I would go down before work tomorrow to check on him. I could take soupwe had to have a can of Campbell's around here somewhere. I realized all such plans were canceled when I woke up earlymy clock said four thirtyand sprinted to the bathroom. Charlie found me there a half hour later, lying on the floor, my cheek pressed against the cold edge of the bathtub. He looked at me for a long moment. â€Å"Stomach flu,† he finally said. â€Å"Yes,† I moaned. â€Å"You need something?† he asked. â€Å"Call the Newtons for me, please,† I instructed hoarsely. â€Å"Tell them I have what Mike has, and that I can't make it in today. Tell them I'm sorry.† â€Å"Sure, no problem,† Charlie assured me. I spent the rest of the day on the bathroom floor, sleeping for a few hours with my head on a crumpled up towel. Charlie claimed that he had to work, but I suspected that he just wanted access to a bathroom. He left a glass of water on the floor beside me to keep me hydrated. It woke me up when he came back home. I could see that it was dark in my roomafter nightfall. He clumped up the stairs to check on me. â€Å"Stillalive?† â€Å"Sort of,† I said. â€Å"Do you want anything?† â€Å"No, thanks.† He hesitated, clearly out of his element. â€Å"Okay, then,† he said, and then he went back down to the kitchen. I heard the phone ring a few minutes later. Charlie spoke to someone in a low voice for a moment, and then hung up. â€Å"Mike feels better,† he called up to me. Well, that was encouraging. He'd only gotten sick eight hours or so before me. Eight more hours. The thought made my stomach turn, and I pulled myself up to lean over the toilet. I fell asleep on the towel again, but when I woke up I was in my bed and it was light outside my window. I didn't remember moving; Charlie must have carried me to my roomhe'd also put the glass of water on my bedside table. I felt parched. I chugged it down, though it tasted funny from sitting stagnant all night. I got up slowly, trying not to trigger the nausea again. I was weak, and my mouth tasted horrible, but my stomach felt fine. I looked at my clock. My twenty-four hours were up. I didn't push it, eating nothing but saltine crackers for breakfast. Charlie looked relieved to see me recovered. As soon as I was sure that I wasn't going to have to spend the day on the bathroom floor again, I called Jacob. Jacob was the one who answered, but when I heard his greeting I knew he wasn't over it. â€Å"Hello?† His voice was broken, cracking. â€Å"Oh, Jake,† I groaned sympathetically. â€Å"You sound horrible.† â€Å"I feel horrible,† he whispered. â€Å"I'm so sorry I made you go out with me. This sucks.† â€Å"I'm glad I went.† His voice was still a whisper. â€Å"Don't blame yourself. This isn't your fault.† â€Å"You'll get better soon,† I promised. â€Å"I woke up this morning, and I was fine.† â€Å"You were sick?† he asked dully. â€Å"Yes, I got it, too. But I'm fine now.† â€Å"That's good.† His voice was dead. â€Å"So you'll probably be better in a few hours,† I encouraged. I could barely hear his answer. â€Å"I don't think I have the same thing you did.† â€Å"Don't you have the stomach flu?† I asked, confused. â€Å"No. This is something else.† â€Å"What's wrong with you?† â€Å"Everything,† he whispered. â€Å"Every part of me hurts.† The pain in his voice was nearly tangible. â€Å"What can I do, Jake? What can I bring you?† â€Å"Nothing. You can't come here.† He was abrupt. It reminded me of Billy the other night. â€Å"I've already been exposed to whatever you have,† I pointed out. He ignored me. â€Å"I'll call you when I can. I'll let you know when you can come down again.† â€Å"Jacob† â€Å"I've got to go,† he said with sudden urgency. â€Å"Call me when you feel better.† â€Å"Right,† he agreed, and his voice had a strange, bitter edge. He was silent for a moment. I was waiting for him to say goodbye, but he waited too. â€Å"I'll see you soon,† I finally said. â€Å"Wait for me to call,† he said again. â€Å"Okay Bye, Jacob.† â€Å"Bella,† he whispered my name, and then hung up the phone.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Attorney Lameys Court Decision Recently Published

Attorney Lameys Court Decision Recently Published Attorney Lameys Decision in HARDVILLE v. Commissioner of Social Security Case Recently Published In the recently published decision, HARDVILLE v. Commissioner of Social Security, Civil Action No. 18-CV-12882 (E.D. Mich. Mar. 6, 2019), Attorney Wesley Lamey successfully represented a valued client of the Disability Attorneys of Michigan in front of Senior District Judge Bernard A. Friedman.   This case was remanded due to a flawed residual functional capacity (RFC) evaluation by the Administrative Law Judge (ALJ).Specifically, the ALJ â€Å"failed to consider the side effects of the plaintiff’s medications† and â€Å"failed to adequately explain why she dismissed the severity of plaintiffs cervical pain and why she gave no apparent allowance for this impairment in the RFC evaluation†.A published decision, such as this, is considered persuasive and thus can influence rulings in similar cases within the same district. Disability Attorneys, Michigan disability attorneys, Social Security Disability

Monday, October 21, 2019

8 Most Common IELTS Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

8 Most Common IELTS Mistakes and How to Avoid Them Here is a list of eight most common IELTS pitfalls that cost test takers precious points. More is less. A very common mistake is to answer in more words than instructed. If the task says Not more than 3 words, answering in 4 or more words will definitely cost marks.Less is less. The length of a written task is crucial. When instructions mention a minimal number of words (250 for an essay, 150 for report or letter), it means that any work shorter than required will be penalized.A longer essay doesnt mean a better mark. Another common misconception is that longer essays score better in IELTS. Not only is this a myth, but also a dangerous one. Writing a long essay can indirectly cost marks because the chances of making mistakes increase with the number of words and sentences.Changing the subject is unacceptable. Every so often a student is asked to write on a topic, that he doesnt understand. To avoid the disaster of missing a whole task they decide to write on a slightly – or entirely - different topic. The sad fact is that no matter how beautiful the submitted work is, the wrong topic means a zero score. Another similar pitfall is to omit parts of the given topic or ignore the guidelines in your work. Every point the topic refers to needs to be covered because the examiners will be actually counting them. A good memory can get you in trouble. Having seen that the topics sometimes repeat, smart students with good memory decide to memorize essays. This is a terrible mistake to make because the examiners are trained to look for memorized essays and have firm instructions to disqualify such works on the spot.An accent is not important. Pronunciation is. IELTS, being a test for non-native English speakers cant penalize people for having an accent. The problem here is that not everyone knows the difference between speaking with an accent and mispronouncing the words. No matter how strong an accent a person has, the words are to be pronounced correctly or it will cost marks.It is not the ideas that are important, but the way they are described in. Many students think that expressing the wrong ideas (whether it is an essay, letter or discussion) can harm their score. The truth is that no idea can be wrong and the ideas are not important on their own, it is the way they are expressed in that i mportant. Connective words: the more is not always the better. Smart students know that one of the essays marking criteria is coherence and cohesion, and what better way is there to demonstrate cohesion than to use lots of connective words, right? Wrong. Overuse of connective words is a known problem, which is easily recognized and penalized by the examiners. A word of advice: to stay out of trouble, it is equally important to be aware of the pitfalls and to practice enough before the exam. Being familiar with the structure and the procedure of the test will build up confidence and that will reflect in your score. This article was kindly provided by Simone Braverman who runs an excellent IELTS blog full of useful information and tips on taking the IELTS exam.

Sunday, October 20, 2019

How to Survive NaNoWriMo in 2018 17 Top Tips for Success

How to Survive NaNoWriMo in 2018 17 Top Tips for Success How to Survive NaNoWriMo in 2018: 17 Top Tips for Success You might not like to hear this.But NaNoWriMo can often take a toll on you mentally and even creatively.It might not make sense to you now, but you’ll understand just how much NaNoWriMo can affect you in a little bit.First, let’s talk about what makes NaNoWriMo unique and special.What is NaNoWriMo?NaNoWriMo is short for National Novel Writing Month.It’s an event that takes place over the course of November where writers from all over commit to writing 50,000 words during the month. That’s the main goal and if you accomplish this, that’s how you WIN NaNoWriMo.So unfortunately, no, NaNoWriMo not some sort of nanobotthat you can implant in your mind to write your book for you.The entire point is to help writers have a month of very high productivity so they can get the first draft out of the way in order to pave the way for editing, rewriting, and overall polishing.What can take writers months to accomplish (50,000 words) only needs to take one so the book gets finished faster.Here are your daily, weekly, and total goals for NaNoWriMo. If youre someone who likes to work on a weekly basis instead of a daily, this will help you.How to Prepare for NaNoWriMoOne of the best things you can do if you want to win NaNoWriMo is to prepare properly. There’s a reason those who participate dub October as Preptober. Here are a few things you can do to make sure you’re ready when NaNoWriMo comes to town.#1 Download your survival guide!When it comes to making it through NaNoWriMo, you might need help. It’ll be a tough month and that’s why we put together this survival guide for you to follow.It covers expanded preparation steps as well as resources to help you get through the month.Make sure to download this if you want to win NaNoWriMo this year! #2 Pick a storyIf you haven’t already, you have to decide which story you’re going to write. If you’re anything like me, you might have tons of book ideas bouncing around inside your head.So how do you choose which to write and which to save for later?Here are a few questions I like to ask myself when deciding which story to try first:Which do you think about the most?Which is developed the most?Which one is a book you’d be most likely to pick up and read yourself?Which one have you been thinking of as you read these questions?Chances are, there’s one idea that stands out to you above all the rest. Even if the others are good, the story you’re most connected to and think about the most is the one you’ll actually enjoy writing the most.And since you’ll be spending a great deal of time on this book over the next month, actually enjoying it is very important.Pick the one that has your passion and run with it.#3 OUTLINEI’m a personal advocate of outlining. My outlines are very detailed and I want to basically have an instruction manual for my book.That being said, it’s understandable that not everyone works well with an outline. Maybe it’s not for you.However, going into NaNoWriMo completely blind is a mistake.You at least want to have an overview of the plot and the major plot points figured out so you have a direction in which to write.For those of you who need outlining, make sure it’s done before November starts!That clear, step-by-step overview of your book will be extremely helpful for saving time. You’ll be able to sit down and get to writing instead of spending so much time trying to figure out where your story is going.#4 Join support groupsGoing through something as arduous as NaNoWriMo requires some backuppreferably in the form of friends or just other people participating as well.You all know that it’s going to be hard and therefore, you can count on sup port groups to help propel you through the tough times.Support groups are your best bet to stay motivated throughout the entire month. Plus, anyone who’s a part of those groups is usually more than willing to help when you get stuck on your story, too.So where do you find groups like these?You can follow specific hashtags or accounts on Twitter, or you can join Facebook groups dedicated to NaNoWriMo.Here are a few Facebook groups you can join right now to help you make it through:Official NaNoWriMo PageNaNoWriMoNaNoWriMo 20182018 NaNoWriMo Support Encouragement#5 Get in the right mindsetThe reason NaNoWriMo is so difficult isn’t because of the fact that you’re writing a book; it’s because you’re writing so much of your book in such a short amount of time. It’s scary.And that can be intimidating to a number of people most of us, I’d wager to bet.That means one of your biggest obstacles isn’t plotting your novel or making sure you’re physically prepared, it’s making sure you’re mentally ready to complete such a tough goal.That means focusing on your inspiration, motivation, and staying positive!You can find other methods of maintaining the right mindset in our NaNoWriMo survival guide.#6 Schedule your writing time This is one of the absolute best ways to ensure you actually make it through NaNoWriMo in one piece and even win!It’s as simple as making a schedule for yourself and then sticking to it.Anyone can mark their days to write on a calendar but it takes a special kind of writer to sit down daily and hit those word count goals.We actually put together a progress tracking and planning spreadsheet that calculates your percentage completed in our NaNoWriMo survival guide! You can find what that looks like below.You can use this all year round, not just in November. Give it a download if you want to make some real progress this month.NaNoWriMo-Winning HabitsBeing able to win NaNoWriMo is the entire goal of entering. You want to complete 50,000 words in a single month. But that’s much easier said than done.I decided to pull out the big guns and ask for some help from my personal Twitter followers since I know many of them participate in this yearly.I tweeted out asking for help, and they did NOT disappoint.I NEED YOUR HELP: #Nanowrimo writers, what are some of your tips for surviving the month of November to win NaNoWriMo? Im putting together a blog post for @self_pub_school and need your help.Whether you won or have not yet completed it, I still want your help!- Bella Rose Pope (@BellaRosePope) October 15, 2018Here are some of the tips I received on the thread of this tweet along with some extended tips to help you make the most of NaNoWriMo this month.#1 Pick a daily word count and focus on hitting that onlyWhen you think about the overall goal of writing 50,000, you might begin to sweat, get anxious, and even feel discouraged.Because it is a lot of words to write in a single month.But one of the biggest tips experienced NaNoWriMo-ers have for anyone venturing to accomplish such an audacious goal is to only focus on hitting your daily goal.So instead of thinking about it as 50,000 words a month, think of it as 1667 words a day.This helps your mind process the amount better so you don’t get so overwhelmed.#2 Put together writing playlistsInspiration doesn’t just exactly come around whenever you want it to. Sometimes it hides away like you might when winter comes around (just me?).But the thing is, if every writer waited for inspiration to find them in order to write, hardly any of us would get our books done and we’d definitely not make it through NaNoWriMo with 50,000 words accomplished.So instead, you might have to coax inspiration from the outskirts of your mind and one way many writers do this is through music.Create a playlist that fits with the style of your story and turn it on whenever you s it down to write. It can serve as inspiration and a mental cue for your mind to get ready to work.#3 Have writing motivation and inspiration handyJust like I mentioned above, you won’t always want to write but in order to hit your goal for November, you need to write daily (unless you want to sit and write huge chunks of words a couple days a week).When you keep visuals, quotes, and even other novels that have inspired your own writing journey handy, it’s much easier to get in the mood to crank out some high-quality words.#4 Commit to NOT editing at allThis is one of the hardest parts for many who’ve done NaNoWriMo before.They can get the words down, but only if they don’t stop to edit as they go.Your first draft is better done than perfect, which is the entire point of NaNoWriMo in the first place. So put the editor part of your mind on hold and let your writer-brain take full ownership over the next month.#5 Ask friends/family to leave you aloneI rea lize this might sound harsh but NaNoWriMo is a commitment. You can’t have friends and family bugging you when it’s your designated writing time.In order to succeed with NaNoWriMo, it’s best to make it clear to everyone around you that you’ll be unreachable for a specific amount of time whenever you write.If you set that expectation early on and be stern about it, it’ll be easier to avoid this type of distraction throughout the month.#6 Recruit a close accountability partnerIf writing groups don’t work for you because your posts get lost in the mix, pairing up with someone for one-on-one accountability might be a better option for you.You can check-in daily and give each other support and encouragement when it gets tough.And trust me, by the second week, you’ll need someone there to push you along and remind you why you started this lofty task in the first place.#7 Use a distraction-free writing appThere are a ton of writing software and apps out there designed to help you write and write faster.One of the best to use is an app called Freedom.What this app does is cut off access to certain websites or apps for a determined amount of time. Whenever you try to visit those sites (like Twitter) during the time you have scheduled to write, you’ll receive this message:This prevents you from procrastinating or getting too distracted, which hinders your word count progress.The idea here is that this app â€Å"frees† you from the addiction and distraction of sites you know you get sucked into easily.#8 Turn your notifications offThis is for your phone, social media, email, and any other notifications that might pop up during your writing time.If you use the app mentioned above, this will be a little easier, but you also have to manually keep your phone far away from you so even text messages won’t break through your concentration.Just me, those messages will still be there by the time you’r e done with writing.#9 Never guilt-shame yourselfThis will be very hard if, for whatever reason, you don’t end up hitting your word count goal daily. You’ll start to shame yourself, even if only internally.This isn’t productive in any way, shape, or form and it’ll only slow you down further.Instead, you should recognize when you’re behind, and then schedule the time to catch up if hitting that 50,000 words is truly important to you.And if you need a little bit more to help you out with this one, just remember that no matter what, you’re making progress on your book and that alone is a major accomplishment.#10 Just writeNaNoWriMo is all about just making progress. That progress doesnt have to be the best version of what you can do, it just has to be progress.You can forget all about making your manuscript all shiny and perfect. Instead, just focus on pumping out those words.Write to the best of your ability given the time you have to hit th ose words.After all, the large majority of us tend to write best once we get into the groove of just writing anyway. And that means if you shut off the self-critical part of your brain for a while, you can make some major strides.#11 Go easy on yourselfCut yourself some slack. You’re not perfect and writing can be very difficult.If something comes up and you’re not able to write for a day, just forget about it and get back on track the next.There’s no point in driving yourself crazy over missing a few thousand words because like I said above, you’re still making progress on your book and that’s the entire point of NaNoWriMo in the first place.What to do Next Only if You’re SeriousWriting a book isn’t for those who just choose to do it on a whim. Those people aren’t serious and therefore, these next steps won’t help them.But if you are completely serious about writing and completing a book, we have a few next steps that will help you get there.#1 Your free trainingIf you haven’t taken advantage of this free training offered by Chandler Bolt, you’re making a mistake.

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Development and Poverty Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Development and Poverty - Term Paper Example The concept, however, has been in existence in the West for centuries. Modernization, Westernization, and especially Industrialization are other terms people have used when discussing economic development. Although no one is sure when the concept originated, most people agree that development is closely bound up with the evolution of capitalism and the demise of feudalism.† (University of Iowa's Center for International Finance and Development) To improve the economic stability, the government of a country must aims at directing its policies in the right directions. It should endeavor to achieve some basic objectives, such as price control, increasing employment and trade opportunities. The government should strive hard to improve the civil and social infrastructure, like highways, affordable housing for its people, so that the overall economy of the country booms and its benefit is transferred to the people at grass root level. The Human Development Index (HDI) is a compound a nd complex guide to rank the countries of the world by their level of human development. It differentiates the countries into four categories, which are "very high human development", "high human development", "medium human development", and "low human development" countries. ... Poverty The unavailability of material possession, finances and basic human need such as shelter, food etc refers to the poverty of the people of a particular country. Basic human necessities, such as food, water, shelter, education, health, nutrition etc are the responsibility of the government. But when the government fails to provide its people these facilities then the people are forced to live a life of poverty. The poverty threshold or the poverty line is the minimum level of income which is required to access these basic needs. People who are not even able to access these fundamental needs are said to be living a life below the poverty line. It is estimated that about 1.7 billion people across the globe are living their lives below the poverty line. Poverty is the worst form of violence. (Mohandas Gandhi)   There are many ways of measuring the poverty of the people of a particular region. Among them are the Gini Coefficient and the Headcount Index. The Gini Coefficient was d eveloped by an Italian statistician Corrado Gini. It is a measure of the statistical dispersion and measures the inequality of a distribution. It tells how wealth is distributed in a particular region, or among the different classes living in the society. The Headcount Index gives the proportion of the people who are forced to live a life below the poverty line. If â€Å"p† people are considered to be living below the poverty line in a population of â€Å"n†, then the Headcount Index â€Å"H† can be calculated as H=p/n. To calculate the Headcount Index, the estimates of the individual economic condition and the poverty line of that particular region is required. Poverty in South America South America is a region of the world which has a very high poverty rate even

Friday, October 18, 2019

Discuss the effects of MEMS on product design, giving detailed Essay - 1

Discuss the effects of MEMS on product design, giving detailed examples of at least two product histories - Essay Example product design in industrial application systems and in the manufacturing of accelerometers is very elaborate, being evidenced by developments in iPhone and TAHE refrigerators, as shall be seen in the discussion which ensues forthwith. The reason behind iPhone and TAHE refrigerators increased volume of sales is because of the integration of MEMS technology into their operating systems, since this approach highly promotes effective and finer product design. MEMS technology has greatly promoted iPhone technology and product design by incorporating the gyroscope technology into its product design, since 2008. A gyroscope is a device that is used for measuring and maintaining orientation, based on the fundamental principles of the conservation of angular momentum. The applicability of the MEMS technology when using the gyroscope in order to further iPhone product designs is underscored by the fact that these gyroscopes use spinning rotors at the centre, in order to read changes that have taken place in orientation. It is for this reason that this kind of gyroscope is referred to as MEMS gyroscope (ADI, 2013, 1). The MEMS technology specifically achieves this feat through the process of integration. Specifically, MEMS does this by integrating electronic and mechanical components, and embedding the same into the entire system, at a very small scale. This feat can easily be achieved through the use of micro-machined silicon sensors and ASIC. For instance, the AGDI 2022 FP6AQ chip is found in the iPhone 4 and it also serves as the MEMS gyroscope which is reputed for having been designed by STMicroelectronics (Kolesar, 1998, 1). There is also the use of chip work which helps embed the gyroscope into the entire MEMS system. The same chip work is found in iPhone 4 and is identical to an off-the-shelf STMicroelectronics which is known as the L3G4200D. Since 2008, the use of GK10A also came in handy, since it oscillates or vibrates when the drive signal is triggered or

La Noche Triste (the night of sorrows) Term Paper

La Noche Triste (the night of sorrows) - Term Paper Example Due to the fact that the Cortes letters to Charles V were the only written sources of information available then, the conquistador’s words were mostly credited as the truth. The description that the Spanish army was just victims of treachery committed by the Aztecs and that it fought bravely and wisely under the able leadership of Cortes were concepts that were widely considered as accurate. However, as an increasing number of historians came to explore further the details of La Noche Triste, it was soon found out that the letters sent by Cortes to the king of Spain may not be the most accurate source of information regarding the events that took place prior to it. One observation is that made by Jonathan Loesberg, who points out that that Cortes actually used a style of writing that puts him in position to influence instead of just obeying the king. In the letter Segunda Relacion, he used a style in which the king would develop support and sympathy for Cortes and his troops. This would naturally serve Cortes’s self-interests later. ... According to Inga Clendinnen in his book Aztecs: An Interpretation, â€Å"the traditional tale being too much in accord with European preferences to be easily surrendered, and the story the victors told continues to for truth.†2 To base the an analysis of an important historical event on the narratives of one man who happens to have a vested interest related to it would certainly produce inaccuracies that may be upheld as truths in the end. This is the reason why, in order to objectively appreciate such event, it is necessary to seek information from other sources as well. Cortes’s accounts are the bases of the theory that Spain intention of exploring the New World and colonizing it is to the introduce Christianity to pagan natives. Under such pretext, all actions Spaniards in the Caribbean as well as in the mainland of what is now known as Latin America were made with missionary work as the excuse. However, as mentioned earlier, Cortes has his own selfish intentions of gaining political power by getting the favor of the king as well as discovering gold for the crown and for himself. These alone are already powerful motivations that drove Cortes to lead his outnumbered but well-equipped army into the Mexican interior. Prior to this, Cortes had heard about the existence of a relatively advanced civilization among the natives. The city-state of Tenochtitlan was the seat of Aztec power in Mexico and its capture could mean the unquestionable dominance of Cortes’s army. The expedition towards Tenochtitlan proved to be productive for the small Spanish army. They met native tribes who happen to be enemies of the Aztecs, such as the Tlaxcaltecas and the people of Tliliuquitepec. Cortes treated these natives as friends although this was all according

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Sonnet Poetry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Sonnet Poetry - Essay Example The poem has fourteen rhymed lines. Each of the lines consists of ten syllables. Per se, this is the basic form of the sonnet. It also has a variety of rhymes that count to seven pair’s altogether (Raymond & Alden). The poem is printed as an unbroken fourteen-liner rather than two sections of the eight lines and six lines. However, it is still possible to observe an octave and a sestet in the poem with a definite turn between them. The main introductory word between them is the word ‘but’. Sonnet 18 follows the structure of many English poems where it is divided lines of roughly ten syllables with five stresses (Raymond & Alden). The sonnet is also written in iambic form. It is observable that there are lines of poetry that repeatedly use an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable. Shakespeare utilized rhythm in his works. The rhythm often conditions the manner in which the reader reads the poem. Per se, it also shapes the meaning within which, a reader deduces from the poem. Sonnet 18 has three ways it can be red, an octave, a sestet and also a three quatrains. Three quatrains mean three units of four lines followed by a closing couplet of two rhymed lines (Raymond & Alden). Sonnet 18 makes an immediate comparison between the poet’s friend and the beauty of a summer’s day. The poet uses the simile technique of comparing items. There are other lines that make use of metaphor to bring out the meaning such s line five. In line five, the sun becomes the eye of heaven (Raymond & Alden). The metaphor is also extended to line six where the sun becomes a human face with a good complexion. He also talks about summer and says that it is not going to fade away. ‘But thy eternal summer shall not fade. Comparing summer with youth is a perfect method of depicting optimism. It should be noted that winter is considered as a bad weather in which the sky is bleak; the wind is cold while summers are its

Gender and Sexual Studies - Female Masculinity Research Paper

Gender and Sexual Studies - Female Masculinity - Research Paper Example The issue of masculinity brings out notions of power, privilege and legitimacy. It symbolizes the power of state and unequal distribution of property. It represents the inheritance and social privileges across gender and sexuality. Culture and society tends to ignore and discourage female masculinity and yet is highly attentive on male femininity. â€Å"Issues of gender inequality are perpetuated by the patriarchal nature of our society that permits male domination and female subordination† (Kambarami, 2006). This has largely been influenced throughout the process of socialization. Researchers, community organizers and law enforcers who concern themselves with anti-LGB (-lesbian, -gay and –bisexual) prejudice and discrimination tend to conflate those aspects that target sexual orientation with other issues of gender non nonconformity (Gordon, 2007). Gender nonconformity is defined as â€Å"An outward appearance or gender expression that does not conform to the traditio nal laws of gender† (Gordon, 2007). It is attributed with experiences of sexual minority and behaviors that deviate from the expected gender roles. The gender nonconformity incidences were discovered to occur in the societal set up and were mostly perpetrated in the family, in schools, religious settings like a church and in the corporate world like in a public retail setting (Gordon, 2007). This gives evidence of the roles played by the society through its basic institutions on the issues of gender and sexuality. There are various contexts in which the society shapes women to femininity. It sets boundaries for women that are morally acceptable according to cultural norms and customs. There is interplay between femininity, sexuality and culture (Kambarami, 2006). Culture impacts feminine sexuality negatively by imprisoning women to subordination of patriarchy which consequently renders them powerless to control their sexuality. Feminists define patriarchy as â€Å"A social sy stem in which men tend to over rule all the social responsibilities as women remain in subordination† (Kambarami, 2006). An example of a social setting where feminism is highly displayed and culturally manipulated is in the family. The socialization process differentiates the boy and girl child at a very tender age. The boys are oriented to view themselves as the family heads and breadwinners whereas the girls are trained to be obedient and submissive housekeepers (Kambarami, 2006). This consequently displays women as sexual beings and not human beings, where they are being defined in relation to men therefore dependent to them always. The society instills in women qualities such as gentleness, passivity and submission in order to always please men (Kambarami, 2006). In our culture for example when a girl attains the puberty age, she receives endless teachings on how to please and maintain her future husband by being a submissive wife. She is further exposed to issues of her s exuality and how best to utilize it for male’s benefit. The teachings encourage dependency where a woman ultimately cannot support themselves in absence of the husband. They observe a male figure with great awe for provision and cannot survive alone in the case of the husband’s death but have to remarry. The society values the male child more than the female. The foundation of this is in the family where a boy child rules a girl child by the right of birth. He

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Sonnet Poetry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Sonnet Poetry - Essay Example The poem has fourteen rhymed lines. Each of the lines consists of ten syllables. Per se, this is the basic form of the sonnet. It also has a variety of rhymes that count to seven pair’s altogether (Raymond & Alden). The poem is printed as an unbroken fourteen-liner rather than two sections of the eight lines and six lines. However, it is still possible to observe an octave and a sestet in the poem with a definite turn between them. The main introductory word between them is the word ‘but’. Sonnet 18 follows the structure of many English poems where it is divided lines of roughly ten syllables with five stresses (Raymond & Alden). The sonnet is also written in iambic form. It is observable that there are lines of poetry that repeatedly use an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable. Shakespeare utilized rhythm in his works. The rhythm often conditions the manner in which the reader reads the poem. Per se, it also shapes the meaning within which, a reader deduces from the poem. Sonnet 18 has three ways it can be red, an octave, a sestet and also a three quatrains. Three quatrains mean three units of four lines followed by a closing couplet of two rhymed lines (Raymond & Alden). Sonnet 18 makes an immediate comparison between the poet’s friend and the beauty of a summer’s day. The poet uses the simile technique of comparing items. There are other lines that make use of metaphor to bring out the meaning such s line five. In line five, the sun becomes the eye of heaven (Raymond & Alden). The metaphor is also extended to line six where the sun becomes a human face with a good complexion. He also talks about summer and says that it is not going to fade away. ‘But thy eternal summer shall not fade. Comparing summer with youth is a perfect method of depicting optimism. It should be noted that winter is considered as a bad weather in which the sky is bleak; the wind is cold while summers are its

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Freedom of Religion in the Bill of Rights Research Paper

Freedom of Religion in the Bill of Rights - Research Paper Example Moreover, the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment prevents the government from making laws that establish any religion as the state religion. This clause ensures the secular nature of the US Constitution. The First Amendment to the US Constitution deals with religious freedom. Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances...Amendment 1 (The United States Constitution, 2009). The First Amendment also provides the right of Freedom of expression. These rights cannot be interfered with by the government. Freedom of expression includes the rights of Freedom of speech, press, and assembly. It also includes the freedom to petition the government for a redressal of a grievance. The Supreme Court and the lower courts have interpreted the definition of the freedoms provided by the First Amendment to the Constitution, through their case law. These freedoms and rights apply to all the people who live in the US, and not just its citizens (Citizen Rights). The Establishment Clause precludes the government from enacting legislation that accords any religion the status of the state religion. It also prohibits the government from treating any religion with greater preference than the other religions. This clause has been interpreted by the courts to engender separation of Church and State. The Free Exercise Clause restricts the government from interfering with any individual’s religious practices. All the same, civil and federal laws are permitted to restrict religious acts and ceremonies, wherever warranted (Citizen Rights).

Monday, October 14, 2019

Tata Motors - Innovation Strategy Essay Example for Free

Tata Motors Innovation Strategy Essay For decades, the automotive industry in India lagged behind those of the United States and Japan. However, after the nineties, things changed dramatically, fostered by different means including Indian trends, credit access to customers, highly trained professionals and comparably low labour cost. Improvements were especially due to the Indian Government’s enabling policies that eased regulations on foreign trade and restrictions on private companies, thereby attracting investment and growth in a country whose population is around 1 billion. India – nowadays home to more than 40 million vehicles has one of the lowest ratios of cars-to-people according UN Statistics (see table 1). In conjunction with this statistic, the twin factors of low car penetration and rising incomes are likely to trigger increased demand for automobiles in coming years in India (Indian Business News). Table 1. Number of motor vehicles per 1,000 people, by country Country | Motor vehicles per 1,000| United States| 765| Australia| 619| Canada| 563| Germany| 546| Japan| 543| United Kingdom| 426| India| 12| China| 10| Source: UN World Statistics Pocketbook and Statistical Yearbook, 2007 (cited in Farres et al. 2009) The low car penetration and high demand of the Indian new middle class is the focus of different global companies like General Motors, Honda Motor, Mitsubishi Motors, Fiat, Ford and Maruti Udyog (See table 2). Competition is expected to intensify further as Indian automotive manufacturers obtain greater access to debt and equity financing in the international capital markets or gain access to more advanced technology through alliances. Table 2.

Sunday, October 13, 2019

Overview Of Mergers And Acquisitions

Overview Of Mergers And Acquisitions The literature has observed and increasing investigation about MA in the las two decades Appelbaum et al., 2007 in response to a lot of MA activities along side with the complex situation that appear from the interaction of two parties (Gaughan, 2002). Definition of MA, in a broad sense, may be implied to many different type of transactions from alliences, purchase, cooperation, joint ventures, management buy-out nad buy-in, change of legal form and even restructuring (Picot, 2002, p.15). However, , Nakamura (2005) argues that using broad definitions could cause confusion and incorrectly comprehend everything from strategic alliances to pure mergers. Therefore, a narrower sense of MA definition is adopted as below. Merger is the creation of new holding company by combining of two firms (European Central Bank, 2000, Gaughan, 2002, Jagersma, 2005). Acquisition is purchasing shares or assets from another company in order broaden the influence of the management(European Central Bank, 200 0, Chunlai Chen and Findlay, 2003), when mutual agreement might not be necessary. Types of MA According to Nakamura (2005, p.18) Mergers are referred to as two types of merger by absorption or merger by establishment (Chunlai Chen and Findlay, 2003, Nakamura, 2005). The absorbing merger happens when one company buys all the stocks of another and the absorbed company stops from existing whereas Establishment merger happens when both firms merge to create a new one while the combined firms are dissolved (Chunlai Chen and Findlay, 2003). Moreover, Nakamura (2005) considered the merger by absorption as as de facto acquisition. Thus the term consolidation could also be used to refer to merger by an establishment (Gaughan, 2002). In acquisition, the acquiring company may try to acquire certain shares or assets of the target company. As a result, here are two type of acquisitions: Firstly, the assets acquisition (Chunlai Chen and Findlay, 2003) which occurs when a firm buys all or part of the target firms assets while the target firm stays as a legal entity after the process. Secondly, the share acquisition when a firm buys a significant share of stocks in the target firm which provides them managerial influence in the target company. Moreover, depending on the amount of acquired share of stocks then the acquisition is again classified into three types: (1) majority (50-99%), (2) minority (less than 50%) and (3) complete take over (100% of targets issued shares) (Chunlai Chen and Findlay, 2003, Nakamura, 2005). In fact, acquisitions and mergers are distinct with different outcomes regarding tax liabilities, legal obligations and acquisition procedures (Marren, 1993). However, there is not attempt to separate the acquisition transaction from the merger when speaking about the final outcomes when companies combine together. MA can be named Vertical, Horizontal o r Conglomerate (Gaughan, 2002, Chunlai Chen and Findlay, 2003). In horizontal mergers and acquisitions, the acquiring firms and the target firms are competing companies in the same field. Chunlai Chen and Findlay (2003) argues, because of the international restructuring of many industries, horizontal MA observed a rapid growth in recent years in response to liberalization and technological change. These figures are seen in industries like automobile, petroleum and pharmaceutical. A good example of mergers and acquisition in this category is the US76 Billion Dollars Merger between two enormous pharmaceutical companies, Smithkline Beecham and Glaxo (MANDA, 2007). Smithkline Beechams former CEO Jan Leschly, said, the aim of this transaction was RD synergy in order grab opportunities to drive high revenues since new technologies are emerging rapidly in this particular industry (Carey, 2000 in Harvard Business Review, 2001). However, the combination of companies in buyer-seller or client -supplier relationships is the Vertical merger and acquisition. Transaction cost and uncertainty is being reduced when the two involved firms downstream and upstream linkage within the value chain and to create benefits in the economic scope (Chunlai Chen and Findlay, 2003). Lastly, firms may try to reduce risks and achieve economies of scope by practicing conglomerate MA where the involving firms have different types of businesses. A good example is when General Foods in 1985 was acquired by Philip Morris for value of US5.6 Billion Dollars (Gaughan, 2002). Furthermore, Mergers and acquisitions can be called hostile or friendly'(Chunlai Chen and Findlay, 2003). The transaction is friendly when the board of executive of the target firm agrees to it. On the contrary, the transaction is considered hostile when it is done against the wishes of the target company board. Last but not least, MA can be also classified as cross-border or domestic with regards to where the involved firms are based or operate their work. In Domestic MA the involved companies come from the same country and operate within that same economical region or country. Accordingly, the cross-border MA are two companies are situated in different economies, or the two companies are working in the same economy but they belong to different countries (Chunlai Chen and Findlay, 2003). Appelbaum, S.H., Lefrancois, F., Tonna, R., and Shapiro, B.T., 2007. Mergers 101 (part two): training managers for culture, stress, and change challenges. Industrial and Commercial Training, 39 (4), 191-200 Gaughan, P. A., 2002. Mergers, Acquisitions, and Corporate restructuring. 3rd ed. New York: Picot, G., 2002. Handbook of international mergers and acquisitions: Preparation, Implementation and Integration Nakamura, H.R., 2005. Motives, Partner Selection and Productivity Effects of MAs: The Pattern of Japanese Mergers and Acquisition. Thesis (Ph.D.), Institute of International Business, Stockholm School of Economics. European Central Bank, 2000. Mergers and Acquisitions involving the EU Banking industry Facts and Implications [online]. Available at www.ecb.int/pub/pdf/other/eubkmergersen.pdf [Accessed 1 October 2007] Gaughan, P. A., 2002. Mergers, Acquisitions, and Corporate restructuring. 3rd ed. New York Jagersma, P. K., 2005. Cross-border acquisitions of European multinationals. Journal of General Management. 30 (3), 13-34 Chunlai Chen, Z., and Findlay, C., 2003. A Review of Cross-border Mergers and Acquisitions in APEC. Asian-Pacific Economic Literature, 17 (2), 14-38. Marren, H., 1993. Mergers and Acquisitions: a valuation handbook, Business One Irwin, Homewood, Illinois Institute of Mergers, Acquisitions and Alliances Research, 2007. Top Mergers Acquisitions (MA) Deals [online]. Available at http://www.mandainstitute.org/en/statistics-top-ma-deals-transactions.htm [Accessed 10 October 2007]. Investopedia ULD, [no date]. Advisor [online]. Available at http://www.investopedia.com/terms/a/advisor.asp. [Accessed 15 October 2007] Harvard Business Review, 2001. Harvard Business Review on Merger and Acquisition. U.S.A: Harvard Business school Publishing Corporation Motives and objectives of MA: Understanding the objectives of an MA can be shown in two perspective. These objectives are to fulfill managerial influence or to maximize the shareholders wealth. In the perspective of maximizing the shareholders wealth, the main target behind the transaction between the two companies is to create a maximization of wealth for the shareholders. This happens when the net current value of the investment is in a positive trend. Thus, the other managerial perspective of the MA can happen in order to maintain growth, risk diversification, use of previous skills and abilities and to avoid being taken over (Sudarsanam, 1995). The literature on MA has a significant effort in analyzing the motive behind its transaction. ON the other hand Trautwein (1990) and later Cox (2006) they made a good summary with different theories that you can see in the table below. The suggested motive under different theories, Trautwein (1990) mentioned that MA creators refer to value creation and the synergy in order to justify the MA action. Trautwein (1990) also mentioned that is little evidence found about the implied motive in both research and practice by the raider theory process. He also taped into the disturbance theory but it has no consideration for this dissertation as it is on macro-economic level rather that micro-economic. However, Gaughan (2002) explains MA motives in a more practical way by referring many theories supported with multiple case studies. So Gaughan has four main motive for the MA: MA is a mean for the companies to grow rapidly. Economic gains and return are hoped to be achieved by the MA firms Creating a large firm with the MA to gain a better market access which can promise lower capital cost and other financial benefits. Creating gains by applying a more superior managerial influence on the target business. Thus, it can be concluded that all the authors had common sense that motives can vary between different MA deals and it is difficult to simply justify with a singe theory or approach. Sudarsanam, S. (1995). The essence of mergers and acquisitions. Hemel Hampstead: Prentice hall Cox, R. A. K., 2006. Merger and Acquisition: A Review of the Literature. Corporate Ownership Control, Spring, 3 (3), 55-59 Trautwein, F., 1990. Merger Motives and Prescriptions. Strategic Management Journal, 11 (4), 283-295 Gaughan, P. A., 2002. Mergers, Acquisitions, and Corporate restructuring. 3rd ed. New York C:UsersJohabDesktopimage.png Challenges and problems of MA: According to Smith (2003),after analyzing many cases he argues that many MA s fail to achieve their objectives. Every firm has a unique culture, but there can be similar things between two firms depending on the company management, vision, size and objectives. However, when two firms will merge under one management, the organizational culture becomes a serious problem that needs to be dealt with. Challenges arise in MA from leadership,communication and cultural differences and not only from legal or financial problems. However, tremendous studies suggest that the success factors of MA mainly depend on culture. Moreover, managers should have awareness about the difference in culture between organizations and avoid the problems by maintaining good communication with the employees, stakeholders and customers (Dell et al. 2001, Kelly et al. 1999, Kearney 1999, Booz-Allen Hamilton 2001 inPautler 2003). Thus, many mergers fail during the integration process. This normally results due to cultural differences, management, strategy, lack of clear vision and communication delays (Nguyen, Kleiner 2003). So the challenges can be in three different parts: 1-Individuals: Whatever is the change in a company like routine or drastic like a merger, is always about the people(Todnem, 2005). The human factor in mergers and acquisitions in recognized as a very important base for it success (Boaten, 2006). The reason is that these individuals are the breathing and living organisms who bring life and prosperity into the company. They create the firms unique culture which is in its industry, management and nationality etc. Thus, this is a reason why persuading these people is very important to achieve the organizational goals and the desired synergy by the MA. Accordingly, Individual face many challenges during the MA. Some of the staged based on Fishers work the personal transition curve can be identified as follows. A-Fear of the unknown and anxiety: When the the short-term plans for the future are not clear, that brings anxiety for the employees which creates the fear of the unknown. Therefore, they will try to resist the change. B-Stress and threat leading to the depression: The lack of communication makes the individual feel lost and makes it impossible for them to understand their standing. Feeling ill or doing it as an excuse for a long absence from the company. Fear of the change and the involved uncertainty makes the employees feel threatened from the future and their job security. This even makes the employee look for different jobs instead of focusing on their own. Eventually the production goes down rapidly and the synergies start to dissolve. c-Integration and Acceptance: When the employees start accepting the facts and change gradually, integration takes place incrementally. Thus, through the process there will be increasing in the employee turnover which also causes a decrease in the intellectual capital and can lead to MA failure. 2-Lack of effective leadership: Starting from top level management to lower level employees, they all become worried about their job security. This can cause a decrease in the employee commitment to their job and the company they work for and reduced satisfaction at work which leads to a weak performance. The managers also lose their trust and start hesitating to take decisions. Lack of trust leads to isolation from other teams and managers. This leads to breakdowns in communications and creating more anxiety for the employees who need a good confidence and leadership from the executives. Moreover, the doubt in the managerial abilities leads to more resistance to any change that happens during the MA. 3-Cultural clash: As mentioned above, the culture is a very important aspect in any MA.the cultural differences in managerial system and values cause many problems for the employee to adapt successfully which result a culture clash. The culture problem is a phenomenon that created the bases of all the resistance Nguyen and Kleiner(2003) from the commitment problems, increasing turnover of the staff, company structure and reduces productivity which ultimately leads to the failure of the MA. Pautler, P.A. (2003) The Effects of Mergers and Post-Merger Integration: A Review of Business Consulting Literature, Bureau of Economics Federal Trade Commission Nguyen, H., Kleiner, B.H. (2003), The Effective Management of Mergers, Leadership Organisation Development Journal, 24(8), pp. 447-454 Todnem, R. (2005), Organisational Change Management: A Critical Review, Journal of Change Management, 5(4), pp. 369-380 Londros, G., Boateng, A. (2006) The role of culture in the merger and acquisition process. Evidence from the European chemical industry, Management Decision, 44(10), pp.1405-1421 Banal-Estanol, A., Seldeslachts, J. (2011) Merger Failures, Journal of Economics and Management Strategy, 20(2), p.589-624