Wednesday, November 27, 2019
Free Movement of Persons Within the European Union essays
Free Movement of Persons Within the European Union essays Free movement of persons rights can be seen as a tiered level of packages rotating around the fundamental concept of the worker. Rights and obligations arise out of the basic need to ensure the free movement of one of the main factors of production in the community. Illustrate this statement with case law and an analysis of the main regulation in this field. In what areas does the link with the worker concept no longer need to be so strong? Freedom of movement for persons and the abolition of controls at internal frontiers forms part of a wider concept, that of the internal market, in which it is not possible for internal frontiers to exist or for individuals to be hampered in their movements. The concept of the free movement of persons has changed in meaning since its inception. The first provisions on the subject referred merely to the free movement of individuals considered as economic agents, either as employees or providers of services. The original economic concept has gradually widened to take on a more general meaning connected with the idea of Union citizenship, independent of any economic activity or distinctions of nationality. Article 2: The Union shall set itself the following objectives (...)to maintain and develop the Union as an area of freedom, security and justice, in which the free movement of persons is assured in conjunction with appropriate measures with respect to external border controls, asylum, immigration and the prevention and combating of crime, Article 14 ECT: Establishing the internal market including the free movement of persons. The internal market shall comprise an area without internal frontiers in which the free movement of goods, persons, services and capital is ensured in accordance with the provisions of this Treaty. Article 18 ECT: Union citizens have the right to move and reside freely within the territory of the Member States. Every citizen of the Union shall h...
Saturday, November 23, 2019
Timeline from 1820 to 1830
Timeline from 1820 to 1830 Decade By Decade: Timelines of the 1800s 1820: Harriet Tubman is believed to have been born about 1820. As was the case with many slaves, the date of her birth was thought unimportant and was not recorded.January 24, 1820: Henry J. Raymond, political activist, journalist, and founder of the New York Times, was born in Livingston County, New York.January 29, 1820: George IV became the King of England upon the death of George III.February 8, 1820: William Tecumseh Sherman, Union general in the Civil War, was born in Lancaster, Ohio.February 15, 1820: Susan B. Anthony, leader of the American suffrage movement, was born in Adams, Massachusetts.March 1820: The Missouri Compromise became law in the United States. The landmark legislation effectively pushed the issue of slavery aside for the next few decades.March 22, 1820: American naval hero Stephen Decatur was fatally wounded in a duel fought near Washington, D.C.May 12, 1820: Florence Nightingale, English nurse and reformer, was born in Italy.September 26, 1820: American frontiersma n Daniel Boone died in Missouri at the age of 85. He had pioneered the Wilderness Road, which led many settlers westward to Kentucky. October 6, 1820: Jenny Lind, whose American tour was a sensation promoted by Phineas T. Barnum in 1850, was born in Sweden.November 1820: James Monroe faced virtually no opposition and was reelected president of the United States. 1821: February 22, 1821: The Adams-Onis Treaty, by which the United States obtained Florida, went into effect.March 4, 1821: James Monroe was sworn in for his second term as president of the United States.May 5, 1821: Napoleon Bonaparte died in exile on the island of St. Helena.July 24, 1821: Bill Poole, who became notorious as Bill the Butcher, was born in New Jersey.September 3, 1821: A devastating hurricane struck New York City, and the study of its path would lead to the understanding of rotating storms.October 17, 1821: Photographer Alexander Gardner was born in Scotland. He would become noteworthy for photographing the dead at Antietam during the Civil War as well as taking notable portraits of President Abraham Lincoln.December 25, 1821: Clara Barton, Civil War nurse and founder of the American Red Cross, was born in Oxford, Massachusetts.A childrens book published in New York City referred to a character named Santeclaus, which may have been the first printed reference to Santa Cla us in the English language. American traders began using the Santa Fe Trail. 1822: April 22, 1822: Ulysses S. Grant, Civil War general and later president of the United States, was born at Point Pleasant, Ohio.April 26, 1822: Frederick Law Olmsted, designer of Central Park, was born in Hartford, Connecticut.May 30, 1822: Arrests in Charleston, South Carolina, prevented a slave uprising which had been planned by Denmark Vesey.October 4, 1822: Rutherford B. Hayes, who would become president in the disputed election of 1876, was born in Delaware, Ohio.Charles Babbage designed the â€Å"difference engine,†an early computing machineHieroglyphs were deciphered using the Rosetta Stone.The first group of freed slaves being resettled in Africa by the American Colonization Society arrived in Liberia and founded the town of Monrovia, named for President James Monroe. 1823: April 3, 1823: William Marcy Boss Tweed, the leader of notorious New York political machine Tammany Hall, was born in New York City.December 23, 1823: The poem A Visit From St. Nicholas by Clement Clarke Moore was published in a newspaper in Troy, New York.December 1823: President James Monroe introduced the Monroe Doctrine as part of his annual message to Congress. 1824: January 21, 1824: Thomas J. Stonewall Jackson, Confederate general in the Civil War, was born in Virginia.March 2, 1824: The landmark Supreme Court decision Gibbons v. Ogden ended a monopoly of steamboats in the waters around New York City. The case opened up the steamboat business to competition, which made great fortunes possible for entrepreneurs such as Cornelius Vanderbilt. But the case also established principles regarding interstate commerce which apply to the present day.May 23, 1824: Ambrose Burnside, Civil War general, was born in Indiana.August 14, 1824: The Marquis de Lafayette, French hero of the American Revolution, returned to America for a grand tour. He had been invited by the federal government, which wanted to show off all the progress the nation had made in the 50 years since its founding. Over the course of a year Lafayette visited all 24 states as an honored guest.November 1824: The U.S. presidential election of 1824 was deadlocked with no clear winner and would become known as The Corrupt Bargain. With the controversial election of 1824, a period of American politics known as The Era of Good Feelings came to an end. 1825: February 9, 1825: The election of 1824 was settled by a vote in the U.S. House of Representatives, which elected John Quincy Adams as president. Supporters of Andrew Jackson claimed a Corrupt Bargain had been struck between Adams and Henry Clay.March 4, 1825: John Quincy Adams was inaugurated as president of the United States.October 26, 1825: The entire length of the Erie Canal was officially opened across New York, from Albany to Buffalo. The engineering feat had been the brainchild of DeWitt Clinton. 1826: January 30, 1826: The Menai Suspension Bridge opened in Wales, ushering in an age of great bridges.July 4, 1826: American songwriter Stephen Foster was born in Pennsylvania.July 4, 1826: John Adams died in Massachusetts and Thomas Jefferson died in Virginia, on the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Their deaths left Charles Carroll of Carrollton as the last surviving singer of the nations founding document.December 3, 1826: George B. McClellan, Civil War general and commander of Union forces at the Battle of Antietam, was born in Philadelphia.Josiah Holbrook founded the American Lyceum Movement in Massachusetts.Irish immigrant John Hughes, future archbishop and political force in New York, was ordained a priest. 1827: March 26, 1827: Composer Ludwig van Beethoven died in Vienna, Austria, at the age of 56.August 12, 1827: English poet and artist William Blake died in London, England at the age of 69.Artist John James Audubon published the first volume of Birds of America. 1828: February 8, 1828: Writer Jules Verne was born in France.Summer-Fall 1828: The election of 1828 was preceded by perhaps the dirtiest campaign ever, with supporters of Andrew Jackson and John Quincy Adams hurling shocking accusations.November 1828: Andrew Jackson was elected president of the United States. 1829: March 4, 1829: Andrew Jackson was inaugurated as president of the United States, and raucous supporters nearly wreck the White House.Cornelius Vanderbilt began operating his own fleet of steamboats in New York Harbor.Religious freedom increased in Ireland, thanks to the Catholic Emancipation movement of Daniel O’ConnellThe Metropolitan Police Service was founded in London, England, with its headquarters at Scotland Yard. Decade By Decade: 1800-1810 | 1810-1820 | 1830-1840 | 1840-1850 | 1850-1860 | 1860-1870 | 1870-1880 | 1880-1890 | 1890-1900 | The Civil War Year By Year
Thursday, November 21, 2019
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
Wednesday, November 20, 2019
Comparison of Martin Scorsese's On-screen adaptation and Edith Essay
Comparison of Martin Scorsese's On-screen adaptation and Edith Wharton's Age of Innocence - Essay Example The partners are thrown into a depth of intimacy no one can imagine who has not experienced it. Thesis The film treats the theme of innocence as a minor one while the novel treats innocence as core of moral values and social traditions. Both film and novel concentrates on the theme of marriage and its relation to innocence and moral values. Marriage is dangerous precisely because it can release and feed as many urges as it satisfies  one reason, perhaps, that divorce is rarely the simple matter it promises to be. theme are governed by the strong sense - common to many writers at the time - that one must be sacrificed to the other, that art can only be bought at the price of life. Like the novel, the film directors saw art as at once the extinction and the glory of existence. Wharton depicts Newland’s marriage as: Of course such a marriage was only what Newland was entitled to; but young men are so foolish and incalculable--and some women so ensnaring and unscrupulous--that it was nothing short of a miracle to see ones only son safe past the Siren Isle and in the haven of a blameless domesticity (Wharton 22). Martin Scorsese creates vivid and bright image of the main characters and follows Wharton’s feelings and passion related to innocence. In both works, the central figure in The Age of Innocence is Newland Archer. Like Lily Bart, Archer is by no means altogether likeable or admirable - and it is one of Whartons greatest strengths that she makes us respond to such characters by presenting them with a sort of luminous completeness. Wharton describes his family: "Ah, how your grandfather Archer loved a good dinner, my dear Newland!" he said, his eyes on the portrait of a plump full-chested young man in a stock and a blue coat, with a view of a white-columned country-house behind him (Wharton 17). Fundamentally amiable, Archer is also snobbish, vain, lazy and at times almost fatuous. If the coincidence of names with
Sunday, November 17, 2019
Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard by Thomas Gray Essay Example for Free
Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard by Thomas Gray Essay Thomas Gray’s poem, Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard, was first published in 1751. Gray’s idea of rustic life as describe in this poem is agrarian and devoted to the land. He talks of the plow turning the sod and of the sickle mowing down the grain. He mentions the plowmen driving their team of draught animals from the fields. He tells of straw sheds and of people awaking to the crow of the rooster.            Gray uses the metaphor of sleep to describe death. He says that those asleep no longer hear the voices of children or the touch and the kisses of those loved ones. He describes death as lending a cold ear and those dead as no longer hearing a call to honor nor does it hear any words of flattery.            Gray comments on the deaths of the rich and powerful, saying that those dead are no better off than the poor dead rustics. He says that the fact that the rich man’s bones are in some fine urn does not allow him to enjoy his mansion any more than the farmer enjoys the humble earth in which his bones are placed.            Gray takes on the issue of class as a rhetorical device to get his point across that the rewards for both are equal and that death is a leveler of the playing field. He impresses upon the reader the fact that in the humble churchyard may lie the remains of a life that had potential for greatness. He says that many sweet blossoms bloom, live and crumble to dust unseen and unknown by anyone.            If I were to be lying in the graveyard of the country church I would like to have Gray say of me that I was a friend of heaven, of course, and that I saw and enjoyed the dawns of my days and lived my life to the fullest. Now that I am dead left me sleep in peace and forgive and forget the frailties I displayed on earth.                                                 Works Cited            Gray, T. Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard 1751
Friday, November 15, 2019
METAPHORS :: Essays Papers
METAPHORS I have usually found writing papers to be a stuggle, but this paper was different. At first I was intimidated by the fact that it had to be an analysis of ones own writing pertaining to a specific discourse, but then once I saw the opportunity for creativity, the paper seemed fun and interesting. It gave me an opportunity to focus on the things I like about writing, the things that to me make writing an art form containing beauty and freedom. Words are groups of mixed and matched letters which create sentences. The above words and analagous words are silly-putty that one can maneuver into any shape, size, or form one chooses. Manueuvering these words to express ideas in a different way would describe a metaphor. Metaphors can help convey a thought, or make a transition among ideas smoother; like a football that glides through the air from one player to the next. I find there is an excitement in taking words, as Webster's Dictionary puts it, taking, "units of language...typically seen as the smallest such units of space...distinguished phonetically...", and making metaphors; creating words into brief moments for someone else to experience. Everyone in his/her life, at one time or another has had a moment when they have been left speechless. A moment on a cliff overlooking fierce, untamed waters, a sunset that sends blinding sparks off urban buildings, or a basketball game in which the underdog triumphs in the final seconds -- there is at least one time that everyone sees or perceives a sight that to them, is awesome. Something that in one's mind is distinguishable from any other moment and is too breathtaking, scary, or cool to describe in common vocabulary or phrasiology, for the emotions or feelings involved in that moment would not recieve due justice. People behold scenes differently, so metaphors can vary greatly in the degree of imagery and the amount of emotion they elicit. This implies that they appeal to a larger discourse community rather than academic writing, unlike Jennifer Gebelein's term paper, "Giardia", which because of its nature has a more selective community. The discourse community, the writers and reader of metaphors may range from a seventh grade reading class to the C.E.O. of an international company. This emphasizes the freedom that is allowed with metaphors, the fact that metaphors hold no boundaries on audience or creativity. As with any form of freedom, risk is involved.
Tuesday, November 12, 2019
Lauching a Lebanese Beer Company Essay
Introduction 961 Beer has a fascinating history which illustrates to aspiring entrepreneurs that with hard work and determination, even crazy business ideas are able to succeed. At a time when building were being destroyed and the city of Beirut, Lebanon was in shambles, the founders of 961 Beer decided to move forward with founding Lebanon’s first craft brewing company – a surprising fact because this region of the world begin the tradition of brewing beer. As discussed below within the framework of a SWOT analysis, several factors contributed to the success of the company, and will play an integral part in the company’s future as it expands to meet demand. SWOT Analysis A SWOT analysis is meant to drive a company into meaningful action to capitalize on its strengths to seize opportunities as well as protect itself from outside threats or internal weaknesses. Strengths 961 Beer is fortunate in that it benefits from several internal strengths. Organizationally, the company is simplistic: with few employees and condensed management, the company is able to benefit from the strong direction of a select few. In addition, the few people involved, particularly Hajjar and Henrik, have a passion for food and drink and enjoy the process of providing high quality wine to their customers. In addition, with less â€Å"baggage†the company is able to quickly innovate and adapt to changes in the customers tastes. Hajjar is also very passionate about food and wines of the region, leading to his dedication to the success of 961 Beer. He provides leadership that focuses more on the product itself, in order to ensure that it will be a beer that the Lebanese will be 1 proud off. As a recent CEO, Hajjar also appears to bring a substantial amount of capital to initially invest in the business. However, money runs out quickly, and now 961 Beer must pay for itself. The 961 Beer product line also has several strengths. The beer is of high quality because it was produced using only fresh ingredients and in small batches. The company is able to produce several new beer styles, and it heavily uses Lebanese products in brewing its beer. This gives 961 Beer a unique advantage over other beer options, and it attracts customers who are looking to try something new, all while support Lebanese products. Several areas of marketing also have specific strengths. 961 Beer was able to coin the catchphrase â€Å"Are you resistant to change? †which took off in a time when the country was suffering from the effects of war. â€Å"Change†is a simple idea that is very popular in a downtrodden country, and by associating itself with such a concept, 961 Beer is able to appeal to a large group of potential customers. To further this concept, the packaging is deliberately â€Å"under-designed†and meant to be seen as simplistic, pure, and natural, which will attract customers interested in such aesthetic characteristics. The pub is also strategically placed in Beirut’s bustling nightlife scene. This helps to increase 931 Beer recognition and build brand loyalty among new customers. The pub also helps to provide as a gathering place for people to come and education themselves about the brewing process and try various types of beer. Weaknesses Like most entrepreneurs, 961 Beer was started by founders who had very little idea of what they were doing. By trial and error, Hajjar was able to brew batches of beer in his kitchen for several months until the beer began to improve. Although 2 Organizationally, the company is operating at capacity and is simply unable to produce any more for its additional customers. Also, it does not appear that 931 Beer is able to adequately predict how much demand is set to grow. Because the company is still new, there is little money for expensive advertising. This means that customers will be less mainstream, and more trendy, with the ability to follow the latest trends on the internet. Opportunities 961 Beer is the first craft beer in Lebanon in recent memory, even though Lebanon has a history in beer brewing. Education of customers leads to a fun, exciting experience that allows customers to â€Å"experience change†by trying more types of 961 Beer. This opportunity to provide a personal touch will give customers a lasting positive impression of 961 Beer. Personal interaction with customers allows the company to collect feedback on its beers and make adjustments. Customers are interested in supporting companies that heavily use Lebanese products. Particularly when the country is plagued by war, providing people the opportunity to work and be part of 931 Beer is a great way to create loyal customers. Advertising on social media is an effective way of reaching the younger, trendier crowd that is more along the lines of who is frequenting the bars and drinking on a regular basis. Threats Clearly, the colossal threat to the company’s survival is the place of its headquarters. Lebanon is routinely in wartimes, and has been through several wars with neighboring countries ever since 961 Beer began in 2006. Unfortunately, visitor levels to the 961 Bar decrease when conflict increases, which makes sales plummet. The competitive environment is monopolistic. The local beer market was monopolized by Almaza, which was acquired in 2002 by Heineken. In total, Heineken 3 controlled about 70% of the local beer market at the time 961 Beer was founded. With so much power, Heineken has pricing power that 961 Beer cannot match. Other bars became more reluctant to sell 961 Beer because the bar was seen as a threat to their own business. 961 Beer will need to befriend these bars and show them that the bars can enjoy more success by joining 961 rather than going against them. Many customers are not accustomed to drinking anything besides commercially processed, mass-produced beer from large competitors. This means that 961 Beer must educate their customers about the different types of beers and convince them to try 961 Beer. Evaluation Plan: Expand outside of Lebanon Based on the analysis performed above, it is clear that 961 Beer must expand out of Beirut, Lebanon in order to remain successful. While this will increase the risk of lesser quality or require the use of non-Lebonese products, expansion is required to ensure the company’s long-term success. Several steps must be taken before the expansion, all while 961 Beer continues to grow business in Beirut and manage bar operations. First, 961 Beer must address its capacity issues. 961 Beer seems to have had some difficulty in predicting the amount of beer it needs to brew in order to meet the growing demand. An analysis of their books will be helpful to garner a better idea of what demand will look like in the future, accounting for their company’s growth rate. Next, 961 Beer needs to establish relationships with businesses in neighboring cities and countries. Bottling and shipping beer from Lebanon is unrealistic with high likelihood of war, so 961 Beer will need to establish microbreweries within these other locations. Quality can still be maintained by ensuring that Lebanese ingredients are still used in the brew, but costs can be recuperated by charging customers in those 4 countries a higher premium for the same beer. Finally, 961 Beer needs to join international beer festivals in other countries in order to garner worldwide interest and to further increase recognition and demand among worldwide customers. There are several major risks that could undermine this plan for expansion. Clearly, the largest threat to 961 Beer is the ongoing threat of war in Lebanon and neighboring countries. Unfortunately, there is little to nothing that can be done to stop this threat. Without expanding into other countries, a war in Lebanon could wipe out the entire company. However, as discussed above, 961 Beer can minimize this risk by establishing separate microbreweries in other countries so that there is no single source where 961 Beer is brewed. Nonetheless, establishing other microbreweries increases another risk: the risk of uneven and unequal quality. 961 Beer can lessen this risk by brewing its â€Å"brewmaster’s select†along with seasonal beers to appeal to customers in the new countries. 5.
Sunday, November 10, 2019
Angels Demons Chapter 20-23
20 Phase two, the Hassassin thought, striding into the darkened tunnel. The torch in his hand was overkill. He knew that. But it was for effect. Effect was everything. Fear, he had learned, was his ally. Fear cripples faster than any implement of war. There was no mirror in the passage to admire his disguise, but he could sense from the shadow of his billowing robe that he was perfect. Blending in was part of the plan†¦ part of the depravity of the plot. In his wildest dreams he had never imagined playing this part. Two weeks ago, he would have considered the task awaiting him at the far end of this tunnel impossible. A suicide mission. Walking naked into a lion's lair. But Janus had changed the definition of impossible. The secrets Janus had shared with the Hassassin in the last two weeks had been numerous†¦ this very tunnel being one of them. Ancient, and yet still perfectly passable. As he drew closer to his enemy, the Hassassin wondered if what awaited him inside would be as easy as Janus had promised. Janus had assured him someone on the inside would make the necessary arrangements. Someone on the inside. Incredible. The more he considered it, the more he realized it was child's play. Wahad†¦ tintain†¦ thalatha†¦ arbaa, he said to himself in Arabic as he neared the end. One†¦ two†¦ three†¦ four†¦ 21 â€Å"I sense you've heard of antimatter, Mr. Langdon?†Vittoria was studying him, her dark skin in stark contrast to the white lab. Langdon looked up. He felt suddenly dumb. â€Å"Yes. Well†¦ sort of.†A faint smile crossed her lips. â€Å"You watch Star Trek.†Langdon flushed. â€Å"Well, my students enjoy†¦Ã¢â‚¬ He frowned. â€Å"Isn't antimatter what fuels the U.S.S. Enterprise?†She nodded. â€Å"Good science fiction has its roots in good science.†â€Å"So antimatter is real?†â€Å"A fact of nature. Everything has an opposite. Protons have electrons. Up-quarks have down-quarks. There is a cosmic symmetry at the subatomic level. Antimatter is yin to matter's yang. It balances the physical equation.†Langdon thought of Galileo's belief of duality. â€Å"Scientists have known since 1918,†Vittoria said, â€Å"that two kinds of matter were created in the Big Bang. One matter is the kind we see here on earth, making up rocks, trees, people. The other is its inverse – identical to matter in all respects except that the charges of its particles are reversed.†Kohler spoke as though emerging from a fog. His voice sounded suddenly precarious. â€Å"But there are enormous technological barriers to actually storing antimatter. What about neutralization?†â€Å"My father built a reverse polarity vacuum to pull the antimatter positrons out of the accelerator before they could decay.†Kohler scowled. â€Å"But a vacuum would pull out the matter also. There would be no way to separate the particles.†â€Å"He applied a magnetic field. Matter arced right, and antimatter arced left. They are polar opposites.†At that instant, Kohler's wall of doubt seemed to crack. He looked up at Vittoria in clear astonishment and then without warning was overcome by a fit of coughing. â€Å"Incred†¦ ible†¦Ã¢â‚¬ he said, wiping his mouth, â€Å"and yet†¦Ã¢â‚¬ It seemed his logic was still resisting. â€Å"Yet even if the vacuum worked, these canisters are made of matter. Antimatter cannot be stored inside canisters made out of matter. The antimatter would instantly react with – â€Å" â€Å"The specimen is not touching the canister,†Vittoria said, apparently expecting the question. â€Å"The antimatter is suspended. The canisters are called ‘antimatter traps' because they literally trap the antimatter in the center of the canister, suspending it at a safe distance from the sides and bottom.†â€Å"Suspended? But†¦ how?†â€Å"Between two intersecting magnetic fields. Here, have a look.†Vittoria walked across the room and retrieved a large electronic apparatus. The contraption reminded Langdon of some sort of cartoon ray gun – a wide cannonlike barrel with a sighting scope on top and a tangle of electronics dangling below. Vittoria aligned the scope with one of the canisters, peered into the eyepiece, and calibrated some knobs. Then she stepped away, offering Kohler a look. Kohler looked nonplussed. â€Å"You collected visible amounts?†â€Å"Five thousand nanograms,†Vittoria said. â€Å"A liquid plasma containing millions of positrons.†â€Å"Millions? But a few particles is all anyone has ever detected†¦ anywhere.†â€Å"Xenon,†Vittoria said flatly. â€Å"He accelerated the particle beam through a jet of xenon, stripping away the electrons. He insisted on keeping the exact procedure a secret, but it involved simultaneously injecting raw electrons into the accelerator.†Langdon felt lost, wondering if their conversation was still in English. Kohler paused, the lines in his brow deepening. Suddenly he drew a short breath. He slumped like he'd been hit with a bullet. â€Å"Technically that would leave†¦Ã¢â‚¬ Vittoria nodded. â€Å"Yes. Lots of it.†Kohler returned his gaze to the canister before him. With a look of uncertainty, he hoisted himself in his chair and placed his eye to the viewer, peering inside. He stared a long time without saying anything. When he finally sat down, his forehead was covered with sweat. The lines on his face had disappeared. His voice was a whisper. â€Å"My God†¦ you really did it.†Vittoria nodded. â€Å"My father did it.†â€Å"I†¦ I don't know what to say.†Vittoria turned to Langdon. â€Å"Would you like a look?†She motioned to the viewing device. Uncertain what to expect, Langdon moved forward. From two feet away, the canister appeared empty. Whatever was inside was infinitesimal. Langdon placed his eye to the viewer. It took a moment for the image before him to come into focus. Then he saw it. The object was not on the bottom of the container as he expected, but rather it was floating in the center – suspended in midair – a shimmering globule of mercurylike liquid. Hovering as if by magic, the liquid tumbled in space. Metallic wavelets rippled across the droplet's surface. The suspended fluid reminded Langdon of a video he had once seen of a water droplet in zero G. Although he knew the globule was microscopic, he could see every changing gorge and undulation as the ball of plasma rolled slowly in suspension. â€Å"It's†¦ floating,†he said. â€Å"It had better be,†Vittoria replied. â€Å"Antimatter is highly unstable. Energetically speaking, antimatter is the mirror image of matter, so the two instantly cancel each other out if they come in contact. Keeping antimatter isolated from matter is a challenge, of course, because everything on earth is made of matter. The samples have to be stored without ever touching anything at all – even air.†Langdon was amazed. Talk about working in a vacuum. â€Å"These antimatter traps?†Kohler interrupted, looking amazed as he ran a pallid finger around one's base. â€Å"They are your father's design?†â€Å"Actually,†she said, â€Å"they are mine.†Kohler looked up. Vittoria's voice was unassuming. â€Å"My father produced the first particles of antimatter but was stymied by how to store them. I suggested these. Airtight nanocomposite shells with opposing electromagnets at each end.†â€Å"It seems your father's genius has rubbed off.†â€Å"Not really. I borrowed the idea from nature. Portuguese man-o'-wars trap fish between their tentacles using nematocystic charges. Same principle here. Each canister has two electromagnets, one at each end. Their opposing magnetic fields intersect in the center of the canister and hold the antimatter there, suspended in midvacuum.†Langdon looked again at the canister. Antimatter floating in a vacuum, not touching anything at all. Kohler was right. It was genius. â€Å"Where's the power source for the magnets?†Kohler asked. Vittoria pointed. â€Å"In the pillar beneath the trap. The canisters are screwed into a docking port that continuously recharges them so the magnets never fail.†â€Å"And if the field fails?†â€Å"The obvious. The antimatter falls out of suspension, hits the bottom of the trap, and we see an annihilation.†Langdon's ears pricked up. â€Å"Annihilation?†He didn't like the sound of it. Vittoria looked unconcerned. â€Å"Yes. If antimatter and matter make contact, both are destroyed instantly. Physicists call the process ‘annihilation.' â€Å" Langdon nodded. â€Å"Oh.†â€Å"It is nature's simplest reaction. A particle of matter and a particle of antimatter combine to release two new particles – called photons. A photon is effectively a tiny puff of light.†Langdon had read about photons – light particles – the purest form of energy. He decided to refrain from asking about Captain Kirk's use of photon torpedoes against the Klingons. â€Å"So if the antimatter falls, we see a tiny puff of light?†Vittoria shrugged. â€Å"Depends what you call tiny. Here, let me demonstrate.†She reached for the canister and started to unscrew it from its charging podium. Without warning, Kohler let out a cry of terror and lunged forward, knocking her hands away. â€Å"Vittoria! Are you insane?†22 Kohler, incredibly, was standing for a moment, teetering on two withered legs. His face was white with fear. â€Å"Vittoria! You can't remove that trap!†Langdon watched, bewildered by the director's sudden panic. â€Å"Five hundred nanograms!†Kohler said. â€Å"If you break the magnetic field – â€Å" â€Å"Director,†Vittoria assured, â€Å"it's perfectly safe. Every trap has a failsafe – a back-up battery in case it is removed from its recharger. The specimen remains suspended even if I remove the canister.†Kohler looked uncertain. Then, hesitantly, he settled back into his chair. â€Å"The batteries activate automatically,†Vittoria said, â€Å"when the trap is moved from the recharger. They work for twenty-four hours. Like a reserve tank of gas.†She turned to Langdon, as if sensing his discomfort. â€Å"Antimatter has some astonishing characteristics, Mr. Langdon, which make it quite dangerous. A ten milligram sample – the volume of a grain of sand – is hypothesized to hold as much energy as about two hundred metric tons of conventional rocket fuel.†Langdon's head was spinning again. â€Å"It is the energy source of tomorrow. A thousand times more powerful than nuclear energy. One hundred percent efficient. No byproducts. No radiation. No pollution. A few grams could power a major city for a week.†Grams? Langdon stepped uneasily back from the podium. â€Å"Don't worry,†Vittoria said. â€Å"These samples are minuscule fractions of a gram – millionths. Relatively harmless.†She reached for the canister again and twisted it from its docking platform. Kohler twitched but did not interfere. As the trap came free, there was a sharp beep, and a small LED display activated near the base of the trap. The red digits blinked, counting down from twenty-four hours. 24:00:00†¦ 23:59:59†¦ 23:59:58†¦ Langdon studied the descending counter and decided it looked unsettlingly like a time bomb. â€Å"The battery,†Vittoria explained, â€Å"will run for the full twenty-four hours before dying. It can be recharged by placing the trap back on the podium. It's designed as a safety measure, but it's also convenient for transport.†â€Å"Transport?†Kohler looked thunderstruck. â€Å"You take this stuff out of the lab?†â€Å"Of course not,†Vittoria said. â€Å"But the mobility allows us to study it.†Vittoria led Langdon and Kohler to the far end of the room. She pulled a curtain aside to reveal a window, beyond which was a large room. The walls, floors, and ceiling were entirely plated in steel. The room reminded Langdon of the holding tank of an oil freighter he had once taken to Papua New Guinea to study Hanta body graffiti. â€Å"It's an annihilation tank,†Vittoria declared. Kohler looked up. â€Å"You actually observe annihilations?†â€Å"My father was fascinated with the physics of the Big Bang – large amounts of energy from minuscule kernels of matter.†Vittoria pulled open a steel drawer beneath the window. She placed the trap inside the drawer and closed it. Then she pulled a lever beside the drawer. A moment later, the trap appeared on the other side of the glass, rolling smoothly in a wide arc across the metal floor until it came to a stop near the center of the room. Vittoria gave a tight smile. â€Å"You're about to witness your first antimatter-matter annihilation. A few millionths of a gram. A relatively minuscule specimen.†Langdon looked out at the antimatter trap sitting alone on the floor of the enormous tank. Kohler also turned toward the window, looking uncertain. â€Å"Normally,†Vittoria explained, â€Å"we'd have to wait the full twenty-four hours until the batteries died, but this chamber contains magnets beneath the floor that can override the trap, pulling the antimatter out of suspension. And when the matter and antimatter touch†¦Ã¢â‚¬ â€Å"Annihilation,†Kohler whispered. â€Å"One more thing,†Vittoria said. â€Å"Antimatter releases pure energy. A one hundred percent conversion of mass to photons. So don't look directly at the sample. Shield your eyes.†Langdon was wary, but he now sensed Vittoria was being overly dramatic. Don't look directly at the canister? The device was more than thirty yards away, behind an ultrathick wall of tinted Plexiglas. Moreover, the speck in the canister was invisible, microscopic. Shield my eyes? Langdon thought. How much energy could that speck possibly – Vittoria pressed the button. Instantly, Langdon was blinded. A brilliant point of light shone in the canister and then exploded outward in a shock wave of light that radiated in all directions, erupting against the window before him with thunderous force. He stumbled back as the detonation rocked the vault. The light burned bright for a moment, searing, and then, after an instant, it rushed back inward, absorbing in on itself, and collapsing into a tiny speck that disappeared to nothing. Langdon blinked in pain, slowly recovering his eyesight. He squinted into the smoldering chamber. The canister on the floor had entirely disappeared. Vaporized. Not a trace. He stared in wonder. â€Å"G†¦ God.†Vittoria nodded sadly. â€Å"That's precisely what my father said.†23 Kohler was staring into the annihilation chamber with a look of utter amazement at the spectacle he had just seen. Robert Langdon was beside him, looking even more dazed. â€Å"I want to see my father,†Vittoria demanded. â€Å"I showed you the lab. Now I want to see my father.†Kohler turned slowly, apparently not hearing her. â€Å"Why did you wait so long, Vittoria? You and your father should have told me about this discovery immediately.†Vittoria stared at him. How many reasons do you want? â€Å"Director, we can argue about this later. Right now, I want to see my father.†â€Å"Do you know what this technology implies?†â€Å"Sure,†Vittoria shot back. â€Å"Revenue for CERN. A lot of it. Now I want – â€Å" â€Å"Is that why you kept it secret?†Kohler demanded, clearly baiting her. â€Å"Because you feared the board and I would vote to license it out?†â€Å"It should be licensed,†Vittoria fired back, feeling herself dragged into the argument. â€Å"Antimatter is important technology. But it's also dangerous. My father and I wanted time to refine the procedures and make it safe.†â€Å"In other words, you didn't trust the board of directors to place prudent science before financial greed.†Vittoria was surprised with the indifference in Kohler's tone. â€Å"There were other issues as well,†she said. â€Å"My father wanted time to present antimatter in the appropriate light.†â€Å"Meaning?†What do you think I mean? â€Å"Matter from energy? Something from nothing? It's practically proof that Genesis is a scientific possibility.†â€Å"So he didn't want the religious implications of his discovery lost in an onslaught of commercialism?†â€Å"In a manner of speaking.†â€Å"And you?†Vittoria's concerns, ironically, were somewhat the opposite. Commercialism was critical for the success of any new energy source. Although antimatter technology had staggering potential as an efficient and nonpolluting energy source – if unveiled prematurely, antimatter ran the risk of being vilified by the politics and PR fiascoes that had killed nuclear and solar power. Nuclear had proliferated before it was safe, and there were accidents. Solar had proliferated before it was efficient, and people lost money. Both technologies got bad reputations and withered on the vine. â€Å"My interests,†Vittoria said, â€Å"were a bit less lofty than uniting science and religion.†â€Å"The environment,†Kohler ventured assuredly. â€Å"Limitless energy. No strip mining. No pollution. No radiation. Antimatter technology could save the planet.†â€Å"Or destroy it,†Kohler quipped. â€Å"Depending on who uses it for what.†Vittoria felt a chill emanating from Kohler's crippled form. â€Å"Who else knew about this?†he asked. â€Å"No one,†Vittoria said. â€Å"I told you that.†â€Å"Then why do you think your father was killed?†Vittoria's muscles tightened. â€Å"I have no idea. He had enemies here at CERN, you know that, but it couldn't have had anything to do with antimatter. We swore to each other to keep it between us for another few months, until we were ready.†â€Å"And you're certain your father kept his vow of silence?†Now Vittoria was getting mad. â€Å"My father has kept tougher vows than that!†â€Å"And you told no one?†â€Å"Of course not!†Kohler exhaled. He paused, as though choosing his next words carefully. â€Å"Suppose someone did find out. And suppose someone gained access to this lab. What do you imagine they would be after? Did your father have notes down here? Documentation of his processes?†â€Å"Director, I've been patient. I need some answers now. You keep talking about a break-in, but you saw the retina scan. My father has been vigilant about secrecy and security.†â€Å"Humor me,†Kohler snapped, startling her. â€Å"What would be missing?†â€Å"I have no idea.†Vittoria angrily scanned the lab. All the antimatter specimens were accounted for. Her father's work area looked in order. â€Å"Nobody came in here,†she declared. â€Å"Everything up here looks fine.†Kohler looked surprised. â€Å"Up here?†Vittoria had said it instinctively. â€Å"Yes, here in the upper lab.†â€Å"You're using the lower lab too?†â€Å"For storage.†Kohler rolled toward her, coughing again. â€Å"You're using the Haz-Mat chamber for storage? Storage of what?†Hazardous material, what else! Vittoria was losing her patience. â€Å"Antimatter.†Kohler lifted himself on the arms of his chair. â€Å"There are other specimens? Why the hell didn't you tell me!†â€Å"I just did,†Vittoria fired back. â€Å"And you've barely given me a chance!†â€Å"We need to check those specimens,†Kohler said. â€Å"Now.†â€Å"Specimen,†Vittoria corrected. â€Å"Singular. And it's fine. Nobody could ever – â€Å" â€Å"Only one?†Kohler hesitated. â€Å"Why isn't it up here?†â€Å"My father wanted it below the bedrock as a precaution. It's larger than the others.†The look of alarm that shot between Kohler and Langdon was not lost on Vittoria. Kohler rolled toward her again. â€Å"You created a specimen larger than five hundred nanograms?†â€Å"A necessity,†Vittoria defended. â€Å"We had to prove the input/yield threshold could be safely crossed.†The question with new fuel sources, she knew, was always one of input vs. yield – how much money one had to expend to harvest the fuel. Building an oil rig to yield a single barrel of oil was a losing endeavor. However, if that same rig, with minimal added expense, could deliver millions of barrels, then you were in business. Antimatter was the same way. Firing up sixteen miles of electromagnets to create a tiny specimen of antimatter expended more energy than the resulting antimatter contained. In order to prove antimatter efficient and viable, one had to create specimens of a larger magnitude. Although Vittoria's father had been hesitant to create a large specimen, Vittoria had pushed him hard. She argued that in order for antimatter to be taken seriously, she and her father had to prove two things. First, that cost-effective amounts could be produced. And second, that the specimens could be safely stored. In the end she had won, and her father had acquiesced against his better judgment. Not, however, without some firm guidelines regarding secrecy and access. The antimatter, her father had insisted, would be stored in Haz-Mat – a small granite hollow, an additional seventy-five feet below ground. The specimen would be their secret. And only the two of them would have access. â€Å"Vittoria?†Kohler insisted, his voice tense. â€Å"How large a specimen did you and your father create?†Vittoria felt a wry pleasure inside. She knew the amount would stun even the great Maximilian Kohler. She pictured the antimatter below. An incredible sight. Suspended inside the trap, perfectly visible to the naked eye, danced a tiny sphere of antimatter. This was no microscopic speck. This was a droplet the size of a BB. Vittoria took a deep breath. â€Å"A full quarter of a gram.†The blood drained from Kohler's face. â€Å"What!†He broke into a fit of coughing. â€Å"A quarter of a gram? That converts to†¦ almost five kilotons!†Kilotons. Vittoria hated the word. It was one she and her father never used. A kiloton was equal to 1,000 metric tons of TNT. Kilotons were for weaponry. Payload. Destructive power. She and her father spoke in electron volts and joules – constructive energy output. â€Å"That much antimatter could literally liquidate everything in a half-mile radius!†Kohler exclaimed. â€Å"Yes, if annihilated all at once,†Vittoria shot back, â€Å"which nobody would ever do!†â€Å"Except someone who didn't know better. Or if your power source failed!†Kohler was already heading for the elevator. â€Å"Which is why my father kept it in Haz-Mat under a fail-safe power and a redundant security system.†Kohler turned, looking hopeful. â€Å"You have additional security on Haz-Mat?†â€Å"Yes. A second retina-scan.†Kohler spoke only two words. â€Å"Downstairs. Now.†The freight elevator dropped like a rock. Another seventy-five feet into the earth. Vittoria was certain she sensed fear in both men as the elevator fell deeper. Kohler's usually emotionless face was taut. I know, Vittoria thought, the sample is enormous, but the precautions we've taken are – They reached the bottom. The elevator opened, and Vittoria led the way down the dimly lit corridor. Up ahead the corridor dead-ended at a huge steel door. HAZ-MAT. The retina scan device beside the door was identical to the one upstairs. She approached. Carefully, she aligned her eye with the lens. She pulled back. Something was wrong. The usually spotless lens was spattered†¦ smeared with something that looked like†¦ blood? Confused she turned to the two men, but her gaze met waxen faces. Both Kohler and Langdon were white, their eyes fixed on the floor at her feet. Vittoria followed their line of sight†¦ down. â€Å"No!†Langdon yelled, reaching for her. But it was too late. Vittoria's vision locked on the object on the floor. It was both utterly foreign and intimately familiar to her. It took only an instant. Then, with a reeling horror, she knew. Staring up at her from the floor, discarded like a piece of trash, was an eyeball. She would have recognized that shade of hazel anywhere.
Friday, November 8, 2019
Losing the Dark
Losing the Dark Have you ever heard of light pollution? Its the overuse of light at night. Nearly everyone on Earth has experienced it. Cities are bathed in light, but lights also encroach on the wilderness and rural landscapes as well. A study of light pollution around the world made in 2016 showed that at least a third of people on Earth have skies that are so light-polluted they cant see the Milky Way from their locations. One of the most astonishing discoveries the astronauts on the International Space Station share with us is the widespread light pollution that covers our landscapes with the yellowish-white glow of lights. Even at sea, fishing boats, tankers, and other ships light up the darkness. The Effects of Light Pollution Because of light pollution, our dark skies are disappearing. This is because lights on homes and businesses are sending light up to the sky. In many places, all but the brightest stars are washed out by the glare of lights. Not only is this simply wrong, but it also costs money. Shining them UP to the sky to light the stars wastes electricity and the energy sources (mainly fossil fuels) we need to create electrical power. In recent years, medical science has also looked into the link between light pollution and too much light at night. The results show that human health and wildlife are being harmed by the glare of lights during the night time hours. Recent studies have linked exposure to too much light at night to several serious diseases, including breast cancer and prostate cancer. In addition, the glare of light pollution interferes with a persons ability to sleep, which has other health consequences. Other studies show that the glare of lights at night, particularly on city streets, can result in accidents for both drivers and pedestrians blinded by the light of electronic billboards and superbright headlights on other cars. In many areas, light pollution is contributing to tragic loss of wildlife habitat, interfering with bird migrations and affecting reproduction of many species. This has reduced some populations of wildlife and threatens others. For astronomers, light pollution is a tragedy. No matter whether you are a beginning observer or an experienced professional, too much light at night washes out the view of stars and galaxies. In many places on our planet, people have rarely seen the Milky Way in their night skies. What Can All of us Do to Prevent Light Pollution? Of course, we all know that lighting is needed in some places at night for safety and security. No one is saying to turn off ALL the lights. To solve the problems caused by light pollution, smart people in industry and science research have been contemplating ways to have our safety but also eliminate the waste of light and power. The solution theyve come up with sounds simple: to learn proper ways to use lighting. These include lighting places that only need illumination at night. People can reduce a LOT of light pollution by shining lights DOWN to the places where they are needed. And, in some places, if light isnt needed, we CAN just simply switch them off. In most cases, proper lighting not only preserves safety and reduces the harm to our health and to wildlife, but it also saves money in lower electrical bills and lowers the use of fossil fuels for power. We CAN have dark skies and safe lighting. Learn more about what YOU can do to light safely and reduce light pollution from the International Dark Sky Association, one of the worlds foremost groups seeking to solve light pollution issues and preserve safety and quality of life. The group has many useful resources for city planners, and both urban and country dwellers interested in reducing the glare of lights at night. They also sponsored the creation of a video called Losing the Dark, which illustrates many of the concepts discussed here. Its available free for download by anyone wishing to use it in their planetarium, classroom, or lecture hall.
Tuesday, November 5, 2019
Writing Habits to Jumpstart Your Creativity and Keep You Focused - Freewrite Store
Writing Habits to Jumpstart Your Creativity and Keep You Focused - Freewrite Store I don’t know about you, but for me, I find that creativity and inspiration are two of the hardest things to come by as a writer. Random flashes of ideas for stories are great when they happen, but what about all those times you need to intentionally create an idea for a story or an article? Today’s guest post is by Matt Grant. Matt is a Brooklyn-based writer and editor. His work has appeared in Literary Hub, Book Riot, HuffPost, and BookBrowse. Find Matt online, or follow him on Twitter and Facebook. I don’t know about you, but for me, I find that creativity and inspiration are two of the hardest things to come by as a writer. Random flashes of ideas for stories are great when they happen, but what about all those times you need to intentionally create an idea for a story or an article? As humans, we’re all creatures of habit. But our habits are always doing one of two things: helping us or hurting us. The good news for writers is that we can leverage our tendency toward the habitual to aid us in the writing process. Good writing habits, when used correctly, can help us get into a regular rhythm that cultivates inspiration and keeps us focused during our writing time. Below are some of the best habits you can start today that will jumpstart your creativity and make sure your writing time is fruitful and rewarding. Before the Process Practice Morning Pages Morning pages were first introduced in Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity.The idea of morning pages is simple: the first thing in the morning, write three full pages in a journal or notebook, longhand, as stream-of-consciousness. It’s not supposed to be great writing, and you’re not to self-edit. The main purpose for practicing morning pages is to clear your mind of all distracting thoughts, tasks, and moods that might hinder your creativity that day. When it comes time to write, you won’t be thinking about the laundry you have to do or the conversation with a friend you need to have that day, because you’ve already written it out and set it aside for later. Do writing prompts I’ve recently discovered the huge benefit of writing prompts after being skeptical of them for many years. Often writers don’t think they need to do prompts because they prefer to come up with their own ideas.  But the right prompt can open up new ideas and ways of looking at things you aren’t able to see on your own. You can find writing prompts a variety of ways. Many are free online, you can buy a book of them, or come up with them yourself. Write them down to use at a later time. Try writing sprints Often the challenge for writers is to finish a piece of writing without worrying about it being perfect. That’s where sprints come in. Sprints are short bursts of writing, about 15 minutes at a time. They’re like doing repetitions at the gym. You do a sprint, then rest and do something else, then do another sprint, then rest again, and so on, for as long as you like. Similar to morning pages, you shouldn’t stop writing or try to edit your work during the sprint. Just pick a topic and write for fifteen minutes straight. When you’re done, you’ll have a finished thought or a piece of flash fiction that can then be edited and shaped into something more significant. Check out this free sprinting program by the Freewrite team to help you! Read voraciously I know, I know, I probably should have put this one first. It can sometimes be hard to see how reading directly affects your creativity, especially when you’re anxious to get a work in progress done, and you’d rather be writing. But the adage â€Å"a writer is first and foremost a reader†is absolutely true, so read widely anything you can get your hands on, any chance you get. Read different genres in different forms – novels, articles, essays, short stories, poetry and flash fiction. You never know when something you read will strike you as inspiring, and the more you absorb the words of others, the better your own words will get. To get started, try this reading challenge that forces you to read diversely. During the Process Pick the right time of day Once you’ve had that flash of inspiration and are settling in to get started on your work, it’s important to implement the right habits to keep you on track and focused. One of the first steps is figuring out when you’re likely to get your best work done. I’ve personally found that waking up extremely early and writing first thing in the morning has opened up the rest of my day. After I get home from work, I don’t feel as energized or as focused. Of course, not everyone is a morning person. For you, it might be at night, or in the afternoon. Pick which time of day you’re at your most alert and creative, and block out that time to write. And once it’s scheduled, stick to it! Change locales If you’re in a rut, one of the best things you can do is get a change of scenery. Often, finding a coffee shop or a nice library, surrounded by books or soothing music, can be a real boon to getting those creative juices flowing again. If you don’t have a place nearby where that’s possible, go for a walk to clear your head and come back to your work with fresh eyes. Put away distractions However, these locations can only be helpful if you’re not distracted, so be ruthless about putting distractions away! Buy a pair of noise-cancelling headphones, turn the wireless off on your computer, put away your cell phone, and stay away from your inbox. We all know the Internet is a black hole – one minute you’re looking something up for your project, and the next, you’ve spent an hour on Facebook. Set aside another time for planning and researching. Keep your writing time sacred for just that – writing.  Bonus Question: Do you really need to write every day? This suggestion is usually at the top of most writing advice lists. To be honest, I’m inclined to distrust it. I’m wary of anything that’s touted as a â€Å"must†or some mystical talisman. Of course, it’s a good idea to get into a habit of writing on a regular basis. Of course, you should often write and for long periods of time. But I firmly believe, as with everything, writing should be done in moderation to maximize its effectiveness. More and more research is pointing out how, paradoxically, working less actually leads to more productivity. People who are constantly working are more tired, more anxious, and less inspired – all of which are deathblows to creativity. I regularly take vacations from writing, where I don’t do any kind of work at all. At the end of these breaks, I always come back to my work with a renewed sense of enthusiasm and motivation.  So, by all means, write as often as you can, but if you miss a day, give yourself some grace. When it comes to inspiration, there’s a lot to be said for being out in the world, doing other activities and experiencing things that will fuel your stories. For a writer, there’s no better inspiration than just living life. There’s no doubt that writing is work – hard, grueling, sweat-inducing work. Just as with everything, there are working behaviors and practices you can put in place to help you be more productive and less distracted. Obviously, not everything on this list is going to work for you, and there might be something I left out that’s even better. If so, please leave a comment and let me know what behaviors and practices you have that help keep you inspired! What writing habits do you swear by? Do you have any habits or routines that you love and would recommend to others? Let us know in the comments!  Matt Grant is a Brooklyn-based writer whose work has appeared in BookRiot, The Huffington Post, BookBrowse, and Pop Matters. When he's not writing or reading, he works in youth development as an after-school program director for one of the largest middle schools in Manhattan. You can find him online at www.mattgrantwriter.com or on Twitter: @mattgrantwriter.
Sunday, November 3, 2019
Compare Jenny in Lawns to Louise in The Fat Girl Essay
Compare Jenny in Lawns to Louise in The Fat Girl - Essay Example Self identity is the basic theme of both the stories. Louise is a fat girl who is constantly nagged by her mother to lose weight; otherwise she will never be able to attract any guy. This creates a complex in her personality and she starts pretending to go on a diet. She doesn’t eat in public or in front of her mother. She wants to please her mother and improve her image in the eyes of her friends that she doesn’t eat- yet she is fat. She eats when she is alone and derives pleasure from her secret for many years. This habit develops into a complex that gets deeper and deeper until she reaches college and remains fat as ever. She notices the disapproving expressions of her mother, old friends and relatives but she doesn’t want to change herself. She believes that she is much more than just a fat girl. This is a very important characteristic which is comparable to Jenny in ‘Lawns’ who is aware of the fact that she is sexually abused by her father. She learns to keep this secret from her mother and everyone else. She is an intelligent student and enjoys sexual relationships with other guys unlike Louise- but she doesn’t fall in love with any of them until she meets Glenn. Jenny also develops a psychological disorder of stealing things: mails, cookies, money. So, both girls develop a habit of stealing or hiding something from the rest of the world. Both are also lucky in friendship. Carrie, Louise’s friend helps her lose weight by being very supportive and as a result, Louise finds Richard who marries her and they apparently start living a happy life. Strangely, Louise feels that she had lost her soul along with her weight. She doesn’t feel like herself anymore and once she gets pregnant she finds the true meaning of her life and accepts herself the way she is. She decides that she doesn’t want to change herself for anyone and happily seeks comfort in motherhood. She starts eating secretly and despite Ri chard’s reaction to her gaining weight, she indulges in her secret habit of eating. One decisive evening, when the two are quarreling over her weight issue, she decides it is time to stand for her. She realizes that she made the wrong choice of going against her will and losing weight for the sake of finding a nice guy and for the approval of others- like her mother. â€Å"She thought of Carrie telling her of smelling chocolate in the dark and, after that, watching her eat it night after night. She smiled at Richard, teasing his anger.†(Dubus 139) She accepts her identity the way she is and faces Richard in the final scene with a candy bar in her hand. This shows that she asserts her choice and refuses to bow down to social pressure. This is an indication of the freedom of choice that she exercises and decides for herself, regardless of what her husband might think of her. Jenny is a victim of sex abuse by her father since she was nine. She accepted it as her fate and let him do it for many years. In fact she enjoyed it or perhaps she found it a way of getting her wishes fulfilled. Her parent is responsible for creating a psychological problem of stealing things- just like Louise, whose mother’s obsession with her weight develops her secret eating habits. She steals mails and the gifts that are meant for other people. The reason why she reads letters of other people is perhaps to know about their secret lives. She might want to know if there are others
Friday, November 1, 2019
Literacture review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words
Literacture review - Essay Example However, critics have noted that, it is only by allowing ethnicity to thrive and be respected, that some measure of equality can be achieved – since it is difficult for people to completely separate themselves from their ethnic roots and take to a foreign culture (Salvidar 27). Furthermore, Rodriguez links his views of the Affirmative Action Program to a critique of bilingual education, claiming that â€Å"all children must abandon the[ir] language of origin in order to enter public society.†(Rodriguez 27). In this essay I will firstly outline the difficulties of integration faced by ethnic minority groups, in addition to taking into account the complexities of learning English as a second language. Secondly I will consider Rodriguez’s justification for assimilation, before assessing critiques of his work, which simultaneously serve to support the rationale on which approaches to combat racial discrimination, such as the Affirmative Action Program, are based. As a Korean bilingual student, learning English as a second language, to me Rodriguez’s views appear unrealistic and impractical for everyone to achieve. The difficulties that second language students face in learning English are a function of the differences in their own native tongues. There may be three major aspects that affect a student’s ability to learn English : (a) their low level of understanding and self esteem, (b) the different systems of sounds in different languages and (c) differences in grammar. When a student has continuously spoken and studied one language before trying to learn English, the native language tends to interfere with the learning of English. However, this cannot form the basis for completely rejecting the native tongue and bilingual education, as Rodriguez suggests. Instead, there may be a need to reform teaching and learning methods. Similarly, when taking into account the Affirmative Action
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