Human Resources Staffing Plan with Three Year Forecast by Quarter Essay

Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 8

Showcasing - Essay Example The corporate system assumes a huge job at building a scaffold between the company’s internal approaches and the endeavors it has with the different partners, who could be from the outer advertising settings. (Korzeniowski, 2001) In the realm of today, outer showcasing condition has increased a great deal of embodiment because of the way that it brings into picture the genuine job of the channel individuals, center line chiefs and wholesalers just as other staff who do their bit towards finishing various exercises and undertakings, coming legitimately under the protection of the organization’s hold. (Applbaum, 2004) What is in this way vital in such a circumstance is to be available to all types of reactions which could be raised by the different partners and gatherings hailing from the outer advertising condition and the related systems. This will give the said association a large group of alternatives when it devises an arrangement to counter the issues which it is looking on account of the outer advertising condition and the various players present inside exactly the same natural settings. Issues unearthed by the business at one district or at a nearby establishment would imply that the organization ought to be prepared to hold up under misfortunes of an impossible expense. More than that, the organization will lose its self-won regard and pride around which investors and proprietors, and so on are spinning near. The enormous organizations that are universally advertised can't contend with everybody. They need to set their own rivals in the specific field and afterward approach contending with one another. Antagonistic discretion and advertising ought to not the slightest bit make change and choppiness for the individuals to raise fingers upon. Or maybe the organization should discover and choose certain organizations, which will help it in its smooth running (of business). (Wells, 1998) There can be various components, which can realize

How to Write a Movie Analysis Essay

How to Write a Movie Analysis Essay What is movie analysis essay and what is its goal? Movies can open a whole new world for their viewers, make them think about possible and impossible situations in life and come to different ideas. Movies can arouse different feelings and blow your mind (or not), but if you need to make a written assignment on a film, you may just not know how to get down to it and express your mind. If you need to know how to write a film analysis essay, this article is for you. A movie analysis essay is a kind of assignment your professor gives you. It should be formal, very structured and organized. You will have to write 3 or 4 pages of content plus cover and reference pages, so your total paper will be 5 to 6 pages. A movie analysis is different from a movie review. A movie review is more subjective, contains the author’s personal opinions, and a movie analysis looks at a movie more scientifically. Professors give their students the assignments to write a movie analysis essay to develop their minds, critical thinking and the perception of art. If you have watched only commercial blockbusters all of your life, this will be your chance to try out classical and arthouse movies. What is described in the movie analysis essay? In your essay, you should write about different aspects of the movie that you analyze: direction, cinematography, editing, sound, etc. There are different approaches as well: narrative, structural, iconic, and historic. You should include the history of the movie, as a lot of things depend on it. Structure of a movie analysis essay So, how to write an analysis essay on a movie? One very important thing is that your essay must have a structure. Introduction. An introduction should not be long. You need to write the background information: the movies director, main actors, main characters and other important stuff. The movie’s summary should be included as well. The introduction has to have a thesis statement and the reason why you decided to analyze it. Main body. Here you need to analyze and evaluate the film. The body of your essay has to have an organized form and include the discussion of technical and non-technical sides of the movie. Conclusion Here you need to include your opinion on the movie, whether it has changed after watching (or re-watching) it. Then you should rate the movie and tell the audience if you recommend it or not. Examples of steps of writing essay When you learn how to write an analysis essay on a film, you need to know what steps you should take. For example, you have chosen Hitchcock’s ‘Vertigo’ to analyze. First of all, you watch this movie and take notice of everything: plot, visuals, music, lighting, editing, etc. You write the outline of your essay: introduction, main body, conclusion and all the secondary things you want to cover. You research the information on it: Who is Alfred Hitchcock and what is he famous for? What type of movies did he direct? What are the features of his style in general and of the movie in particular? Why is Vertigo considered to be an important film? You write a draft using your outline and the information you’ve learned. If you look at some movie analysis essay example, it may give you some ideas you could use. You revise everything and review your work multiple times with the requirements in your mind. How to choose a movie for analysis? If your teacher asked to analyze a specific movie, you have no chance, just get down to business. But if you have the luxury to choose any film you like, what would you choose? Probably, your favorite one that you have already watched thousands of times, and as a result know everything about it. Just don’t choose Transformers or Twilight, that would be embarrassing. If you don’t know what to pick, we will advise you to google some list of the best movies of all times (not some cheesy flicks popular at the moment). If you are a newbie in the art cinema world, look through IMDb Top 250 list (the movies with the highest ratings), and you’ll surely find something for you: timeless classics like ‘Gone with the Wind’, ‘City Lights’ or ‘Casablanca’; awesome animation like Hayao Miyazaki’s ‘My Neighbor Totoro’ or ‘Spirited Away’, and Disney’s ‘The Lion King’ or ‘Beauty and the Beast’; more recent popular movies like ‘La La Land’ and ‘12 Years of Slavery’and many more. If you are a viewer who is pickier and who is interested in great film directors, the history of the cinema and everything indie, art house or just unusual, the IMDb list will be mostly too pop for you. Try out the Sight Sound magazine’s The 50 Greatest Films of All Time list. The movies there are chosen by more than 800 critics and other professionals from the cinema world. How to write an essay outline + example If you have to write a movie analysis essay for assignment, you need to have an outline. An outline is structured guidance that will help you in drafting and in actually writing your essay. When you look at your outline, you should see what you intend to write. Here is an example how it may look: Introduction Main information about the film. Who directed it and who are the main characters? The statement of your thesis and why you analyze it. Main body Summarize the movie’s plot briefly. Provide savvy (technical etc.) information about the movie. What is the main theme of the film? The theme’s significance. What are the visuals of the movie â€" camera work, editing, angles, costumes, lighting, etc. Conclusion What is your final opinion of the movie? What are your ratings for the movie? Do you recommend it? To whom? How to write a movie analysis essay step-by-step Here is the step-by-step guide how to write an analytical essay on a movie: The first and foremost step is actually to watch the movie you have chosen. One important part is that watching it just one time may be not enough, so watch it several times. Let’s say it would be the first time before the beginning of your essay, the second time when you are in the middle of your work and the last one just before writing a conclusion you have enough time, of course. Write an outline. Before writing your analysis essay, you should have in your mind (and on paper/computer screen) the structure you need to follow. It will help you to organize your work and write essays more professionally. Search the information you need â€" the history of the movie or genre, the style of the director, etc. Write a draft â€" every essay needs one. First of all, write everything that you have in your mind (but remember the structure and the requirements), you can polish and make it perfect later. Revise, revise and revise. Make sure all the requirements are met and that the final essay is structured, well written and makes sense. When you are completely sure that you like the final product, the movie analysis essay is finished. Tips for writing Here are the tips for writing a movie analysis essay: If you want to understand the movie well and see everything the movie director wanted you to see, watching your film just one time is just not enough. When you see the movie once, almost everything that you take notice is a plot. Maybe some visual characteristics as well, who knows. The more times you watch a movie, the more you’ll see and understand, especially if you watch an art movie. Every little detail may have a special meaning. When you watch a movie, don’t do other stuff. Concentrate on the screen and try to catch the meaning, what’s going on, what the director had in mind, what details do you see, etc. If you eat a pizza, clean your room or talk on the phone at that time, you won’t be able to do it. Study the style of the movie’s director, the history of the genre and the place your movie takes in it. Maybe it was an important movie that changed the genre completely or made an important contribution to the cinema world. Enjoy your movie, learn new things, but stick to the requirements! Make sure that your essay has everything that your professor wants to find there because finally, your grade will depend on it. The structure and the formatting are very important as well. You may take a look at some film analysis essay example to see how it can look. Obviously, don’t postpone writing your essay to the last day! You won’t be able to write a good movie analysis if you didn’t do enough research and didn’t revise well your work. Some useful examples When you have this kind of assignment, you may want to see an example of analysis essay on a film beforehand, to make sure that you’ve understood how to write it. Sometimes students take a sample movie analysis essay from the Internet and just give it to their professor without making any changes, or only small ones. The result is predictable. Here you will not find a complete example of movie analysis essay, so that you won’t have the temptation to copy and paste, however, you can look at some examples how the tips that you have already read in this article will help you in writing your assignment. An example of the importance of re-watching the movie. When X. watched Kim Ki-Duk’s film ‘Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter… and Spring’, he understood that it has Buddhist philosophy, different seasonal parts, awesome visuals, and music. When he watched it for the second time, he noticed that there is an idea of redemption. As for the third time, X. finally saw all the technical features and even found Zen. An example of the importance of researching. Y. had to watch ‘Battleship Potemkin,’ and she wasn’t sure she was happy about it. She never saw a silent film before and thought it would be boring. But after she googled the information about it, she knew that it is considered one of the best movies of all time and that it is a real masterpiece. So when Y. finally watched the movie, she could truly appreciate it. An example of the importance of sticking to the requirements. Z. chose his favorite movie ‘The Green Mile’ to analyze. He knew everything about it, so the work was easy. However, he didn’t structure the essay and completely forgot about a reference page. The result was that Z. got a grade lower than he thought and deserved. Taking into consideration the issues mentioned above, you can make the best example of analysis essay on a movie. Writing a film analysis essay is maybe the most fun assignment you can get. Everybody loves movies. But if you want to write a successful essay and get a good grade for it, you need to follow the rules of academic writing. And you can learn a lot on this path too. We hope that this article provided you some help and that you learned something on your way to good grades.

The Production of a Manga Culture in France a...

THE PRODUCTION OF A â€Å"MANGA CULTURE† IN FRANCE: A SOCIOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF A SUCCESSFUL INTERCULTRAL RECEPTION Olivier VANHEE Communication à   la Confà ©rence Internationale Asia Culture Forum 2006 Mobile and Pop Culture in Asia Gwangju, Corà ©e, octobre 2006 Introduction Manga and anime are now part of the cultural habits of different generations of French readers, and they are a major cultural space where images and meanings about Japan and Asia circulate. From the end of the 1970’s, intercultural relations with Japan developed mainly through this Japanese media culture1. The success of manga and anime contributed to a strong interest in different aspects of Japanese culture, but there are still few studies of this successful intercultural†¦show more content†¦In a second moment, at the turn of the century, the sophisticated cultural capital accumulated by fans became more visible and produced new forms of legitimacy for manga, thanks to several factors: fans’ â€Å"professionalization†, the viability of the manga and anime markets, the opportunities offered by new participatory media technologies, the blurring of traditional cultural hierarchies. A whole set of competences was involved in the reception of manga, and the process of its legitimization took multiple forms. 1. Media panic† and underground fan organization in France between 1988 and 1997 The â€Å"manga boom† in France was largely based on the success of some anime on French private TV channels engaged in a fierce competition to attract young audiences with cheap programs, between 1988 and 1997: Saint Seyia, Dragon Ball, Hokuto no Ken, Sailor Moon were broadcasted on the major French commercial channel, â€Å"TF1†; Captain Tsubasa, Kimagure Orange Road on â€Å"La Cinq†, a private channel owned by Silvio Berlusconi. An increase in mangas popularity has taken place mostly since 1994-1995, when the original manga linked to these popular anime were published. Manga was then visible as a distinct cultural product. Previously, since the middle of the 1970’s, there had been anime on French TV in the first programs targeting

The New Negro Summary Essay - 1412 Words

Precious Whitley October 17, 2012 English II Summary In the beginning Locke tells us about â€Å"the tide of Negro migration†. During this time in a movement known as the Great Migration, thousand of African Americans also known as Negros left their homes in the South and moved North toward the beach line of big cities in search of employment and a new beginning. They left the South because of racial violence such as the Ku Klux Klan and economic discrimination not able to obtain work. Their migration was an expression of their changing attitudes toward themselves as Locke said best From The New Negro, and has been described as something like a spiritual emancipation. Many African Americans moved to Harlem, a neighborhood located in†¦show more content†¦Hughes placed a particular emphasis on Harlem, an area in New York that was predominately Black, which became a Mecca for many hopeful blacks in the first half of the 1900s. Hughes has a theme in most of his poetry, in other words his writing style was to write poetry t hat is called dream deferred. His use of a dream deferred focus in several poems paints a vivid picture of the disappointment and dismay that blacks in America faced in Harlem. Furthermore, as each his poems develop, so does the feeling behind a dream deferred, his words make the reader feel the growing anger and seriousness even more at each new stanza. In order to understand Hughes idea of the dream deferred, one must have a working knowledge of the history of Harlem. It was first intended to be the home of an upper class white community, many fancy brownstones attracted wealthy whites. Between 1906 and 1910, when whites were forcing blacks out of their own homes and neighborhoods in uptown Manhattan, the blacks began to move into Harlem to create their communities again. Due to absurd racial fears, the whites in the area began to move out. Between 1910 and the early 1940s, more blacks began flooding into the area for a safe harbor from all over the world, fleeing from the racial intolerance of the South and the economic problems of the Caribbean and Latin America. At this point, Harlem became an entirely black area where comfort was created for all of them. Although it seemed to beShow MoreRelatedThe Mis Education Of The Negro787 Words   |  4 Pages The Mis-Education of the Negro in Review Carter G Woodson, the oldest of nine in a poor coal mining family found his love of learning early. Earning a Masters’ degree only one year after earning a bachelor’s degree, he quickly followed in the footsteps of great minds and earned his PhD from Harvard University. He had a very well rounded and multifaceted educational journey according to the text, but felt most connected to furthering the pursuit of excellence for all African Americans through theRead MoreThe Negro Digs Up His Past920 Words   |  4 Pagesinstructed over the years, whether it is fiction of facts. Living in a world, where only certain race can be seen as superior to others. Schomburg was a pioneer beyond his times. In the article â€Å"The Negro Digs up His Past†. The beginning of this essay revealed a powerful statement, â€Å"The American Negro must remake his past in order to make his future† (Arthur Schomburg). It is very clear, Schomburg realized the importance of being knowle dgeable on your true history. â€Å"History must restore what slaveryRead MoreEssay Mlk Speech995 Words   |  4 Pagesand assassinations were all a part of everyday news. On August 28, 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King a Civil Rights Leader delivered a speech at the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. This speech was given at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. 100 years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation by President Lincoln. The location is referred to as symbolic in Dr. Kings speech as he addresses the inequalities of the American Negro of the present day. When I first started readingRead MoreSingson vs. Sawmill1714 Words   |  7 PagesJerold I. Saddi SP LAWBUS 34 Case Summary Manuel G. Singsong, Jose Belzunce, Agustin E. Tonsay, Jose L. Espinos, Bacolod Southern Lumber Yard, and Oppenm Esteban Inc., (Plaintiffs-Appellees) VS. Isabela Sawmill, Margarita G. Saldajeno and her husband Cecilio Saldajeno, Leon Garibay, Timoteo Tubungbanua, and the Provincial Sheriff of Negros Occidental, (defendants) Margarita G. Saldajeno and her husband Cecilio Saldajeno, defendants-appellants. Nature: An appeal to the Court of Appeals fromRead MoreThe Harlem Renaissance : The New Negro Movement843 Words   |  4 Pages The Harlem Renaissance, also known as the New Negro Movement, was an important time period for African American culture in the United States. It was an innovating period where many unknown artists became prominent for their talent and ethnic heritage, and brought upon many new connections between races. As a cultural movement, the Harlem Renaissance brought changes to America that would have long term effects on how art is created, viewed, and accepted. â€Å"The Renaissance was more than a literaryRead MoreFactors Contributing to the Poor Education of Minorities754 Words   |  3 Pagesthat has past is tremendous but today’s schools are similar to the ones from the past. Minority children are still stuck in second-rate learning environments while their white students enjoy the comforts of first-class school buildings and new textbooks. In summary, this pu rposed review will discuss the factors that contribute to the educational gap among African-American, Latino, Asian, and white students. Purpose of the Study: Educators use the term, â€Å"achievement gap,† to describe the educationalRead MoreHarlem Renaissance Essay1341 Words   |  6 Pagesworld and in the white world. The ritual of repudiation is part of hip hop culture and it appears to reek of historical amnesia. In the previous chapters Harlem Renaissance generation gave up most of sociopolitical and sexual etiquette of black and Negros movement. Harlem Renaissance studies in 1926 about W.E.B. Du Bois organization. They also had an issues with Black Arts movement member. They criticized Harlem Renaissance in a racist way. In African American cultural they have interracial and intraracialRead MoreColor Runs Deep868 Words   |  4 PagesThe word â€Å"Negro† was a self-identification that the black community gave themselves. It showed the degrading era of America towards African Americans. Langston Hughes is an African American man who uses the literary device of allusion to talk about the treatmen t of the black community in the early 20th century up until the present. Darkness and shadows usually speak of the past or looking to past. Hughes digs deep into the dirt of African land where his ancestors are buried and shares the historyRead MoreFor Years, The United States Has Stood As A Role Model1181 Words   |  5 Pagesdifferent stores, live in different towns, and even take different modes of transportation if whites were aboard. As shown in the Washburn document about the new advertisement of the railroad cars, the announcement read, â€Å"Daniel M. Fox declares himself in opposition to all such privileges†¦ against all social and political equality with the Negro race, and in favor of cars exclusively for themselves.† This shows how open the poor treatment of blacks were. They were spoke of as if they were just someRead MoreSonny s Blues By James Baldwin Essay1745 Words   |  7 Pagesstate through his virtuoso of storytelling. To put it inanely, Baldwin ha s such a fine grasp of the linguistic and such great urge to interpret that he can move even his stoutest detractors to emotion and response. Walter Dean Myers (2014), a famous New York Times journalist wrote that â€Å"†¦I read a story by James Baldwin: â€Å"Sonny’s Blues.† I didn’t love the story, but I was lifted by it, for it took place in Harlem, and it was a story concerned with black people like those I knew. By humanizing the people

Jane Addams †Biography Free Essays

The argument Addams makes that â€Å"educational matters are more democratic in their political than in their social aspect† (197), I believe she is referring to the long struggle between the teachers and the Chicago School Board. The Chicago School Board was politically corrupt. Many of the teachers and custodial engineers were friends of politicians who secured their positions in exchange for certain kickbacks. We will write a custom essay sample on Jane Addams – Biography or any similar topic only for you Order Now The school board maintained control over the school administration for many years. During which they restricted the types of children that were able to attend the public schools and they restricted the amount of freedom and authority the teachers were able to use in their classrooms. On several different occasions the â€Å"Dunne† members of the board attempted to lower the restriction on the teachers side but were warned-off with tales of the politicians and the difficulties previous attempts encountered. Addams’ describes the situation between the superintendent and the Teachers’ Federation as â€Å"an epitome of the struggle between efficiency and democracy† (171). She clearly understood both standpoints and why they both felt compelled to make their argument, although she does mention that they both â€Å"inevitably exaggerated the difficulties of the situation† (171). As a member of the school board, Addams tried to influence the Federation to make changes that would be in the best interest of the children, but after the legal struggle and following months of constant change, many of the important measure were withdrawn. Although she did have an opportunity to debate these measures in a democratic way, they were dismissed because of (more or less) political reasons. Jane Addams’ role for education in an effort to reform the city was to take the disruptive delinquents the public schools rejected and accept them unconditionally into the settlement. Give them the opportunity to learn domestic training and trade teachings. She felt that even people of lesser means were interested in the same topics as the â€Å"well-to-do† people of society. She also thought that if you give a child encouragement and a sense of self-worth combined with an opportunity to become something in society that they would try to become productive. Hull-House offered educational opportunities for anyone who wanted to attend with no political or economic restrictions. Hull-House also offered the opportunity for recreation, such as supervised sports matches, which hundreds of youths seemed to prefer. Jane Addams’ makes an important statement that â€Å"The educational activities of a Settlement, as well as its philanthropic, civic, and social undertakings, are but differing manifestations of the attempt to socialize democracy, as is the very existence of the Settlement itself,† (206). That illustrates her idea of education, which I believe is what she wanted for the public school system, but was unable to achieve while she was a member of the board. How to cite Jane Addams – Biography, Papers

Kudler Fine Foods Technology Solutions Essay Example

Kudler Fine Foods Technology Solutions Essay Kidders human resources department focuses on employment policies, training, payroll functions, and hiring processes. The purpose of this paper is to view the potential technology solutions and needed software that may add value to Judder Fine Foods and their human resources department. Analysis of Judder Fine Foods As an information technology director Awaken is recommending Kathy Judder to up- date and improve their human resources software systems. Resource Management Information Systems are necessary for analyzing employees information. Resource Management Information Systems usually provide the capability to much effective business plans, control costs, and improved the quality in HRS decision making, and improving employee productivity (Dresser ; Associates, 2013, Para. 2). Kidders human resources and payroll functions are much Important concerning employee hire dates and work hours. Kidders uses Quick Books and outsource their payroll process to track hire dates and employees pay rates. Kidders Potential Technology Solutions Awaken recommends possible software solutions that include Visual Staff Scheduler, and Human Resources Data Manager. Human Resources Software Staff Files 8. Lowell assist Judder Find Foods with employees records, performance reviews, and employee safeguard protection. The NOW solutions product, [emailprotected], Is a web- based Human Resources Management offers solution that integrates human resources, payroll, administrative capabilities as well as employee self-service. The NOW Solutions product also provides employee tracking information, such as salaries, benefits, absences, and performance reviews (NOW Solutions, 2010). Muckrake web-based resource management software is much needed for Kidders. Muckrake can automate much of Kidders functions In their HRS department and any parts of Kidders organization (Muckrake, 2013). Vista Human resources Management Systems includes recruiting, self-service, Family Medical Leave Act Administration (Vista HRS, 2013). The Human Resources Management Software allows employees to review their pay roll history. We will write a custom essay sample on Kudler Fine Foods Technology Solutions specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Kudler Fine Foods Technology Solutions specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Kudler Fine Foods Technology Solutions specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer HRS delivers information to recipients online at any time and place (HID System Technologies, 2013). Genealogy Pro Ana cons The advantage of the Human Resources Staff Files 8. 0 software is the software is flexible and can track employee wages and benefits. The present system used by Judder Fine Foods present system consists of the Retail Enterprise Management System (REAMS). Kidders would benefit from the Human Resources Management System (HRS) because the software system would enable Kidders to maintain his or her employee records at his or her main headquarters. The use of an HRS would also allow Kidders to complete payroll and workers compensation functions. Vista Human Resources Management Systems would help Kidders communicate across border in a database. The Cons is no one software product is designed to handle every business need. Centralization of Employee Records Kidders human resources department employee assistants keeps records and information about employees complaints, grievances, and harassment issues. Much of the employee records are maintained in Kidders individual stores. Kidders human resources department has no centralization concerning their employee records. Much of the companys workers compensation process is handled by vendors and their time sheets are done manually (Judder, 2012). Awaken recommends that Kidders uses Bamboo web-based HRS management system software to track and centralize employees data. Automation of Time Tracking Judder Fine Foods is responsible for tracking employees request for sick and other time off hours, such as employee vacations. Time tracking tools help Kidders to operates more productive in a highly automated environment with employee online connectivity. Kidders Fine Foods must have time tracking and time sheet submittal software to track employee information. Timeshare Submittal Kidders employees are presently filling out time sheets manually and the time sheets are faxed to Kidders accounting department. Timeshare submittal software may be much helpful for Judder Find Foods because employee will have easy online access of logging in and completing time sheets. This will help managers and employees improve their communications and missed connections concerning worked hours. Kidders has no automated system for tracking vacation hours. Device Software products provides comprehensive features and tools so that Kidders can accurately and efficiently track employees information and manage his or her time. Mutants web-based timeshare software will also help Kidders track employee hours and payroll information. Tracking Applicants Judder uses Quick Books to keep track of their employee payroll process. Keller also outsource and the outsourcing company has employee information, including tax information and pay rates. Employees can interact with a Kiosk Machine and manage his or her human resources information, and Kidders managers can use Kiosk software to track applicants. Employee Self-Service Cookware offers a secure kiosk browser where employees can receive instant feedback and self-service. According to Cookware (2003-2013) Internet Kiosk software converts computer into self-service kiosk. It prevents hacking and downtime, blocks the system keys like (Para. 1). Internet Technology Sealers computer systems Tort can store nave a stand-alone network Ana Internet components.

Narrowing the Thesis Essays

Narrowing the Thesis Essays Narrowing the Thesis Essay Narrowing the Thesis Essay Essay Topic: Thesis Name: Instructor: Course: Date: Narrowing the Thesis A thesis statement shows the position of a writer. The goal of the statement is to give a general overview of the writer’s point of persuasion. A concise thesis statement not only communicates the writer’s main point but also sparks the curiosity of the reader. This will give the reader moral to read the rest of the essay. A reader is always faced with the challenge of narrowing his thesis within the scope of his argument. The aspect of narrowing the thesis statement refers to a writer’s ability to make a claim that aptly represents the ideas expressed in the essay. A writer’s inability to narrow his thesis statement influences his ability to communicate to the reader. A writer should be able to create an argument in his claim in order to give a narrow thesis statement. My thesis statement should not be a cliche. A narrow thesis statement carries the weight of persuading the reader to a particular perspective. Cliches water down the argumentative aspect of a claim. This is because they are familiar statements that provide no new angle to the subject matter of the essay. Such a thesis statement makes no effort to complicate the subject matter. As a writer, I should be able to look at the subject matter from more than one perspective. This will require creativity and innovation. This will enable me to come up with a strong claim that is devoid of conventional wisdom. Such a thesis statement will complicate the subject matter and subsequently give it a new perspective that represents my point of argument. Narrow thesis statements should be objective. This implies that a writer should not express personal opinions. The challenge of personal opinions is that they create no basis for arguments. This is because an individual’s opinion is hard to prove. As an effective writer, I should give a factual thesis statement. This means that I should treat my opinion as a hypothesis that is yet to be tested. This will eliminate the aspect of treating my ideas as infallible facts. However, I feel that it is important to strike the balance between one’s opinions and facts. This suggests that the facts represented in the thesis statement should not be devoid of one’s personal opinion. My personal opinion will help me to present the truth in a creative manner. One’s thesis statement should not make a broad claim. A general thesis statement is one that does not make a specific claim. This statement does not show the stand of the writer. The effect of this kind of statement is the creation of ambiguity in a reader’s mind. Various measures can assist in the avoidance of such ambiguity, as a writer. I feel that the best way to avoid making a general claim is by identifying a specific claim. This involves selecting a particular issue and showing my stand on the issue. Avoidance of complexities also leads a writer to give general claims. I can avoid giving a general thesis by converting my claim to one that makes a bold stand on the subject matter. A narrow thesis statement will not only represent facts but it will show the perspective of the writer. This kind of thesis statement should show the writer’s argument. While writing a thesis statement, I should be able to make an assertion on the subject matter. The assertion should be one with the ability to raise controversies. The claim should not be a fact that many will easily agree with but it should be one that people are likely to disagree with. A writer’s essay represents his argument. This then implies that in writing my thesis statement I should be able to bring out my point of argument. The thesis statement is the vessel through which a writer gives a reflection of the rest of the essay. It is an important part of the essay as it is the point where a writer expresses his point of argument. In making an effectives expression of one’s argument, a writer can be said to have narrowed his thesis. I have learnt that it is important to represent my argument in a manner that is not only concise but also creative. This will ensure that my thesis statement deliberately controls the rest of my essay.

The 5 Conservative Women Most Likely to Become President

The 5 Conservative Women Most Likely to Become President Four women are early frontrunners to be part of a 2016 presidential ticket. As voters and the media continue to obsess over the next first in national electoral politics, these four Republican women make a strong case to be part of such a ticket. The Democrats will likely throw down with failed First Lady-turned-Failed-Senator-turned-failed-Secretary-of-State Hillary Clinton. But Republicans have a diverse group of candidates with compelling stories and strong records of success. Condoleezza Rice Many had hoped that the former Secretary of State and National Security adviser would have been Mitt Romneys pick in 2012. Though she was passed over for Paul Ryan, Condi Rice remains popular with Republican voters and the general public at-large. She was easily the most well-regarded figure in the George W. Bush administration. Rice would have seemed an unlikely selection prior to 2012 as many within the Republican Party stepped back and re-evaluated their foreign policy thinking. But after watching the isolationist, weak, indecisive and rogue foreign policy decisions of the Obama administration, a candidate Rice is starting to look quite appealing. With Russia, Iran, China, Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, and ISIS being a much bigger issue now than they were in 2008 and 2012, Rices experience and knowledge could not be matched by many others. And as almost none of the frontrunners for the Republican nomination have any in-depth foreign policy experience, she could provide that in a year where it will matter. And if Hillary were to be the Democratic nominee in 2016, who better to explain the world as it was left to Hillary, and the world Hillary let it become? Seeing Rice picked as Jeb Bushs running-mate is no stretch given her ties to the family. But she could also be a compelling pick for Rand Paul, someone who clearly has a different foreign policy perspective but who is a candidate who needs to satisfy the concerns of foreign policy conservatives. It would be an interesting and compelling ticket. It could be an unexpectedly brilliant ticket as well. [Potential: Vice-Presidential Nominee] Nikki Haley The Governor of South Carolina should cruise to second term in 2014.   By 2016, she will have 6 years of executive experience on her resume that includes a solid record of job creation and a drastic reduction in the unemployment rate. She has worked tirelessly to improve the business climate of the state and attract major businesses to relocate. Should she run for President, she would also have the clear upper-hand in the South Carolina primary, one of the 4 premier battlegrounds with a designation as the first-in-the-south contest. She is the daughter or Indian immigrants and her husband did a full-year tour in Afghanistan in 2013. She also appointed the popular Tim Scott to the US Senate seat vacated by Jim DeMint. [Potential: Presidential or Vice-Presidential Nominee] Susana Martinez The Governor of New Mexico makes sense as a Presidential of Vice-Presidential pick for many reasons. She is a female Latina Governor in a world obsessed with checking off boxes of firsts, and she would be a two-for-one deal. But beyond the identity politics, Martinez has proven a practical and tough figure. Her electoral accomplishments have come in New Mexico, a bluish-purple state that voted for President Obama in 2008 and 2012 by double-digit margins, proving she has broad appeal. As the GOP struggles to convince minority and women voters to give the Republican Party a chance, Martinez is a pretty effective voice in that regard: Martinez was a Democrat who shifted to the Republican Party after being personally convinced that her states values were conservative ones. Its an argument that Republicans will need if they want to broaden their support base. [Potential: Presidential or Vice-Presidential Nominee] Carly Fiorina Fiorina has never held political office, but the first female CEO of a Fortune 50 company proved to be a very smart and disciplined politician in her 2016 run for President. Conservatives took to Fiorinas aggressive style, but she never had a base to draw from with a dozen other established candidates in the field. However, look for her to be a top option for US Senator Ted Cruz if he somehow upends Trump for the GOP nomination in 2016. Kelly Ayotte The US Senator from New Hampshire will be up for re-election in 2016. This presents a problem for her and many other Republicans from the 2010 Senate class such as Rand Paul, Marco Rubio, Rob Portman, and Ron Johnson: to run for re-election in a tough state; quit and run for President; or do both. So far, only Rand Paul has indicated that he wants to both run for President and re-election to the US Senate. Unlike the other candidates, his Senate seat will likely not be competitive so it is less of an issue. For Ayotte, doing both is not practical and she would be a long-shot as a Presidential contender in such a crowded field. But as a VP prospect she brings a lot to the table. She is a fairly popular US Senator and the only female contender with Northeastern credentials, an geographic region of struggle for Republicans. However, she lacks the foreign policy experience of Dr. Rice and the executive experience of Haley and Martinez, so her selection could appear more optics than exper ience. [Potential: Presidential or Vice-Presidential Nominee]

Carry out a critical and comparative analysis of early chidhood Essay

Carry out a critical and comparative analysis of early chidhood education and care in the united kingdom and Denmark or Sweden - Essay Example Different areas of early education will be critically analyzed, and a concluding solution will also be given. Statements supporting different early education systems will also be provided along with its limitations. Differences in curriculum, welfare, readiness for school, learning for school and construction of early education institutions will be discussed. How childhood is constructed in both these areas will be the main discussion, in which different arguments will be supported or refuted using various sources. When two years of age, a child starts developing attachment with parents or guardian. Therefore, early childhood care and education carries great importance. At the same time, the child starts learning after he is seven months of age. Thus, providing children with right blend of education and care in early ages can help mould them in well educated and nurtured individuals. UK and Sweden, both countries provide pre-school nursing and education. However, differences lie in other factors such as curriculum, structure, welfare, family care and society. Comparative analysis is made of both the countries based on various articles by BBC, national and UNESCO reports, national surveys, journals and views/comments and articles of residents of UK and Sweden. Reports and surveys by authorized and trusted sources are used as they are authentic. While articles of residents and their views are considered as they provide first hand knowledge. Where national reports have a tendency to be biased, articles by individuals are expected to show a more realistic picture. While carrying out Comparative analysis, difficulties are involved, such as authenticity, relevance and contradictions among different sources. Some case studies used are quite old and there relevance maybe questioned, however, they are used in order to support other arguments. Childcare in Sweden makes up the children belonging to the

Dialogues in Virtual Environment Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Dialogues in Virtual Environment - Term Paper Example Numerous researches have been conducted on the application of virtual environments. Animesh et al.’s MIS QUARTELY described it as below. Virtual environments refer to interactive, head-referenced computer displays that are enhanced by special processing and nonvisual display modalities such as auditory and haptic, they convince users that they are in a computer simulated space. Organizations working on virtual environments have a virtual team and office. The popularity of working in a virtual office is becoming common. Many businesses, organizations, and institutions are not run from a central office with set hours. The workforce in the current world is more flexible,. mobile, preferable and more convenient trend with the help of the modern portable technology and wifi. One can work in a coffee shop, in another state, in airports, beaches,...just to mention but a few; all what they need is a laptop and access to internet to connect to workplace, clients and team members. As we ’ve already stated, organizations may work with a virtual team on global levels. These teams operate autonomously with directions from a manager. The major advantage of these teams is that they try to maximize geographic talents to focus on key elements of the organization. The economists believe that the virtual office will change the way our economy works as well as the nature of work. Working from home or places where we are more comfortable exerts less stress on individuals, which can adversely affect the quality of work being produced. Dialogue is a most important proponent of virtual office. It is more efficient to avoid unnecessary meetings, dealing with office chatter, gossip and commutes. Dialogue supports a wide range of applications of virtual environments in businesses, education, healthcare, government and entertainment. The usefulness is in customer service, selling, help desk, technical support, and personalized service, training, education, website navigation and simple dialogue systems. The virtual office involves space utilization, however, a the actual application requires live communications or dialogue. This is possible through various methods. First, workers can use high-tech computer telephone integration software, a voicemail, mailing, business meeting space, and many other applications for communication. Systems Theory A set of interacting, interrelated, and interdependent components that form a complex and a unified whole is known as a system. Systems are everywhere- example is functional departments in any organization, the human circulatory system, and so on. They have several defining characteristics: First, every system has a role to play within a larger system. Second, all parts of a system must be present for a system to carry out its purposes optimally. Third, system’s parts must be arranged in a particular manner, if they are rearranged, the whole system would have trouble executing its purpose. Fourth, Systems c hange in response to a feedback, and finally, they maintain their balance by making changes based on the feedback (Pokharel, 2011). Systems theory, therefore, is a trans disciplinary study of systems in general, irrespective of their kind, type, or nature of existence. It focuses on the relations and arrangement of parts which connect them into a whole rather than reducing an entity into parts like organs or cells. Systems theory as a trans disciplinary study addresses a problem regardless of discipline in diverse fields like engineering, biology, sociology, psychology, and organizational theory. There are two versions of systems theory: closed systems and open systems. Closed systems originated in classical physics which deals with relatively few variables. Its modern version is exemplified by

How to Organize and Run Effective Meetings Essay -- Workplace Meetings

INTRODUCTION Workplace meetings can be considered as essential but one of the most inefficient components of a corporate environment. Project managers can significantly influence the project performance by proactively influencing and controlling the dynamics of project meetings. This can ultimately generate highly valuable outputs in achieving team integration and consensus. ISSUES WITH MEETINGS Experts widely concur that there are too many meetings than required and most meetings are a waste of valuable time (American Marketing Association, 2011). Meetings can tend to get long and futile. Unfortunately, most of the meetings are hampered by vague agendas and directionless discussions. An attitude of low commitment creeps in and leads to dwindling participation. POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS Detrimental effects of unproductive meetings on a project are generally overlooked. In this essay I will attempt to examine meeting dynamics, including the five Ps (purpose, product, participants, process, and probable issues) and develop a reference cookbook for organizing and running meetings. INITIATION PHASE Strategy Meeting: The purpose is to analyze if a suggested business need fits with the organization’s strategic framework and vision (Tammy Adams, 2008). Products of this meeting include developing an initial draft of the business case, aligning it to overall organizations strategies. The participants should be low in number and include senior executives, sponsors and business process experts who would analyze the direction of the project. The process should focus on dividing the meeting in short segments and focus on individual items at a time. The possible issues could stem from to not presenting the complete data for the busine... ...p://www.the-program-manager.com/project-management/how-to-organize-an-effective-meeting/ PMI. (2004). Quickbooks. (2009, December 16). Project Closeout Meeting Agenda - DOC. Retrieved 4 12, 2014, from docstoc: http://www.docstoc.com/docs/19614443/Project-Closeout-Meeting-Agenda Schwalbe, K. (2012). Information Technology Project Management. Boston MA: Cengage Leaning. Tammy Adams, J. M. (2008). Project Meeting Facilitator: Facilitation Skills to Make the Most of Project Meetings. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. UGM Consulting. (2009, July 23). Strategy Design and Facilitation: The UGM Consulting Approach. Retrieved 4 12, 2014, from UMGConsulting: http://www.ugmconsulting.com/Effective%20strategy%20design.pdf Vick, J. (2012, January 12). Project Management: How to Run Team Meetings. Retrieved 4 12, 2014, from Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xW0CjH95K3Q

The Vampire Diaries: The Struggle Chapter Seven

â€Å"Next time,† Stefan said quietly, â€Å"I won't leave.† Elena knew he meant it, and it terrified her. But just now her emotions were quietly coasting in neutral, and she didn't want to argue. â€Å"He was there,† she said. â€Å"Inside an ordinary house full of ordinary people, just as if he had every right to be. I wouldn't have thought he would dare.† â€Å"Why not?† Stefan said briefly, bitterly. â€Å"I was there in a ordinary house full of ordinary people, just as if I had every right to be.† â€Å"I didn't mean that the way it sounded. It's just that the only other time I've seen him in public was at the Haunted House when he was wearing a mask and costume, and it was dark. Before that it was always somewhere deserted, like the gym that night I was there alone, or the graveyard†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She knew as soon as she said that last part that it was a mistake. She still hadn't told Stefan about going to find Damon three days ago. In the driver's seat, he stiffened. â€Å"Or the graveyard?† â€Å"Yes†¦ I meant that day Bonnie and Meredith and I got chased out. I'm assuming it must have been Damon who chased us. And the place was deserted except for the three of us.† Why was she lying to him? Because, a small voice in her head answered grimly, otherwise he might snap. Knowing what Damon had said to her, what he had promised was in store, might be all that was needed to send Stefan over the edge. Then he'll never know, she promised herself. No matter what I have to do, I'll keep them from fighting each other over me. No matter what. For a moment, apprehension chilled her. Five hundred years ago, Katherine had tried to keep them from fighting, and had succeeded only in forcing them into a death match. Butshe wouldn't make the same mistake, Elena told herself fiercely. Katherine's methods had been stupid and childish. Who else but a stupid child would kill herself in the hope that the two rivals for her hand would become friends? It had been the worst mistake of the whole sorry affair. Because of it, the rivalry between Stefan and Damon had turned into implacable hatred. And what's more, Stefan had lived with the guilt of it ever since; he blamed himself for Katherine's stupidity and weakness. Groping for another subject, she said, â€Å"Do you think someone invited him in?† â€Å"Obviously, since hewas in.† â€Å"Then it's true about – people like you. You have to be invited in. But Damon got into the gym without an invitation.† â€Å"That's because the gym isn't a dwelling place for the living. That's the one criterion. It doesn't matter if it's a house or a tent or an apartment above a store. If living humans eat and sleep there, we need to be invited inside.† â€Å"But I didn't invite you intomy house.† â€Å"Yes, you did. That first night, when I drove you home, you pushed the door open and nodded to me. It doesn't have to be a verbal invitation. If the intent is there, that's enough. And the person inviting you doesn't have to be someone who actually lives in the house. Any human will do.† Elena was thinking. â€Å"What about a houseboat?† â€Å"Same thing. Although running water can be a barrier in itself. For some of us, it's almost impossible to cross.† Elena had a sudden vision of herself and Meredith and Bonnie racing for Wickery Bridge. Because somehow she had known that if they got to the other side of the river they'd be safe from whatever was after them. â€Å"Sothat's why,† she whispered. It still didn't explain how she'd known, though. It was as if the knowledge had been put into her head from some outside source. Then she realized something else. â€Å"You took me across the bridge. You can cross running water.† â€Å"That's because I'm weak.† It was said flatly, with no emotion behind it. â€Å"It's ironic, but the stronger your Powers are, the more you're affected by certain limitations. The more you belong to the dark, the more the rules of the dark bind you.† Stefan looked at her. â€Å"Yes,† he said, â€Å"I think it's time you knew. The more you know about Damon, the more chance you'll have of protecting yourself.† Of protecting herself? Perhaps Stefan knew more than she thought. But as he turned the car onto a side street and parked, she just said, â€Å"Okay. Should I be stocking up on garlic?† He laughed. â€Å"Only if you want to be unpopular. There are certain plants, though, that might help you. Like vervain. That's an herb that's supposed to protect you against bewitchment, and it can keep your mind clear even if someone is using Powers against you. People used to wear it around their necks. Bonnie would love it; it was sacred to the Druids.† â€Å"Vervain,† said Elena, tasting the unfamiliar word. â€Å"What else?† â€Å"Strong light, or direct sunlight, can be very painful. You'll notice the weather's changed.† â€Å"I've noticed,† said Elena after a beat. â€Å"You mean Damon's doing that?† â€Å"He must be. It takes enormous power to control the elements, but it makes it easy for him to travel in daylight. As long as he keeps it cloudy, he doesn't even need to protect his eyes.† â€Å"And neither do you,† Elena said. â€Å"What about – well, crosses and things?† â€Å"No effect,† said Stefan. â€Å"Except that if the person holding onebelieves it's a protection, it can strengthen their will to resist tremendously.† â€Å"Uh†¦ silver bullets?† Stefan laughed again shortly. â€Å"That's for werewolves. From what I've heard they don't like silver in any form. A wooden stake through the heart is still the approved method for my kind. There are other ways that are more or less effective, though: burning, beheading, driving nails through the temples. Or, best of all – â€Å" â€Å"Stefan!† The lonely, bitter smile on his face dismayed her. â€Å"What about changing into animals?† she said. â€Å"Before, you said that with enough Power you could do that. If Damon can be any animal he likes, how will we ever recognize him?† â€Å"Not any animal he likes. He's limited to one animal, or at the most two. Even with his Powers I don't think he could sustain any more than that.† â€Å"So we keep looking out for a crow.† â€Å"Right. You may be able to tell if he's around, too, by looking at regular animals. They usually don't react very well to us; they sense that we're hunters.† â€Å"Yangtze kept barking at that crow. It was as if he knew there was something wrong about it,† Elena remembered. â€Å"Ah†¦ Stefan,† she added in a changed tone as a new thought struck her, â€Å"what about mirrors? I don't remember ever seeing you in one.† There was nothing to do but hold on to him, and Elena did. â€Å"I love you,† she whispered. It was the only comfort she could give him. It was all they had. His arms tightened around her; his face was buried in her hair. â€Å"You're the mirror,† he whispered back. It was good to feel him relax, tension flowing out of his body as warmth and comfort flowed in. She was comforted, too, a sense of peace infusing her, surrounding her. It was so good that she forgot to ask him what he meant until they were at her front door, saying good-bye. â€Å"I'm the mirror?† she said then, looking up at him. â€Å"You've stolen my soul,† he said. â€Å"Lock the door behind you, and don't open it again tonight.† Then he was gone. â€Å"Elena, thank heavens,† said Aunt Judith. When Elena stared at her, she added, â€Å"Bonnie called from the party. She said you'd left unexpectedly, and when you didn't come home I was worried.† â€Å"Stefan and I went for a ride.† Elena didn't like the expression on her aunt's face when she said that. â€Å"Is there a problem?† â€Å"No, no. It's just†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Aunt Judith didn't seem to know how to finish her sentence. â€Å"Elena, I wonder if it might be a good idea to†¦ not see quite so much of Stefan.† Elena went still. â€Å"You, too?† â€Å"It isn't that I believe the gossip,† Aunt Judith assured her. â€Å"But, for your own sake, it might be best to get a little distance from him, to – â€Å" â€Å"To dump him? To abandon him because people are spreading rumors about him? To keep myself away from the mudslinging in case any of it sticks on me?† Anger was a welcome release, and the words crowded in Elena's throat, all trying to get out at once. â€Å"No, Idon't think that's a good idea, Aunt Judith. And if it were Robert we were talking about, you wouldn't either. Or maybe you would!† â€Å"Elena, I will not have you speaking to me in that tone – â€Å" â€Å"I'm finished anyway!† Elena cried, and whirled blindly for the stairs. She managed to keep the tears back until she was in her own room with the door locked. Then she threw herself on the bed and sobbed. She dragged herself up a while later to call Bonnie. Bonnie was excited and voluble. What on earth did Elena mean, had anything unusual happened after she and Stefan left? The unusual thing was their leaving! No, that new guy Damon hadn't said anything about Stefan afterward; he'd just hung around for a while and then disappeared. No, Bonnie hadn't seen if he left with anybody. Why? Was Elena jealous? Yes, Elena immediately deduced that Alaric Saltzman's eyes were hazel. She got off the phone at last and only then remembered the note she'd found in her purse. She should have asked Bonnie if anyone had gone near her purse while she was in the dining room. But then, Bonnie and Meredith had been in the dining room part of the time themselves. Someone might have done it then. The very sight of the violet paper made her taste tin at the back of her mouth. She could hardly bear to look at it. But now that she was alone shehad to unfold it and read it again, all the time hoping that somehow this time the words might be different, that she might have been mistaken before. But they weren't different. The sharp, clean block letters stood out against the pale background as if they were ten feet high. I want to touch him. More than any boy I've ever known. And I know he wants it, too, but he's holding back on me. Her words. From her diary. The one that had been stolen. The next day Meredith and Bonnie rang her doorbell. â€Å"Stefan called me last night,† said Meredith. â€Å"He said he wanted to make sure you weren't walking to school alone. He's not going to be at school today, so he asked if Bonnie and I could come over and walk with you. â€Å"Escort you,† said Bonnie, who was clearly in a good mood. â€Å"Chaperone you. I think it's terribly sweet of him to be so protective.† â€Å"He's probably an Aquarius, too,† said Meredith. â€Å"Come on, Elena, before I kill her to shut her up about Alaric.† Elena walked in silence, wondering what Stefan was doing that kept him from school. She felt vulnerable and exposed today, as if her skin were on inside out. One of those days when she was ready to cry at the drop of a hat. On the office bulletin board was tacked a piece of violet paper. She should have known. Shehad known somewhere deep inside. The thief wasn't satisfied with letting her know her private words had been read. He was showing her they could be made public. She ripped the note off the board and crumpled it, but not before she glimpsed the words. In one glance they were seared onto her brain. I feel as if someone has hurt him terribly in the past and he's never gotten over it. But I also think there's something he's afraid of, some secret he's afraid I'll find out. â€Å"Elena, what is that? What's the matter? Elena, come back here!† â€Å"Okay,† said Meredith loudly, â€Å"senior privilege. You!† She rapped on the only closed door. â€Å"Come out.† Some rustling, then a bewildered freshman emerged. â€Å"But I didn't even – â€Å" â€Å"Out. Outside,† Bonnie ordered. â€Å"Andyou ,† she said to the girl washing her hands, â€Å"stand out there and make sure nobody comes in.† â€Å"But why? What are you – â€Å" â€Å"Move, chick. If anybody comes through that door we're holding you responsible.† When the door was closed again, they rounded on Elena. â€Å"Okay, this is a stickup,† said Meredith. â€Å"Come on, Elena, give.† Elena ripped the last tiny shred of paper, caught between laughter and tears. She wanted to tell them everything, but she couldn't. She settled for telling them about the diary. They were as angry, as indignant, as she was. â€Å"It had to be someone at the party,† Meredith said at last, once they had each expressed their opinion of the thief's character, morals, and probable destination in the afterlife. â€Å"But anybody there could have done it. I don't remember anyone in particular going near your purse, but that room was wall-to-wall people, and it could have happened without my noticing.† â€Å"But why would anyonewant to do this?† Bonnie put in. â€Å"Unless†¦ Elena, the night we found Stefan you were hinting around at some things. You said you thought you knew who the killer was.† â€Å"I don't think I know; Iknow. But if you're wondering if this might be connected, I'm not sure. I suppose it could be. The same person might have done it.† Bonnie was horrified. â€Å"But that means the killer is a student at this school!† When Elena shook her head, she went on. â€Å"The only people at that party who weren't students were that new guy and Alaric.† Her expression changed. â€Å"Alaric didn't kill Mr. Tanner! He wasn't even in Fell's Church then.† â€Å"I know. Alaric didn't do it.† She'd gone too far to stop now; Bonnie and Meredith already knew too much. â€Å"Damon did.† â€Å"That guy was thekiller ? The guy thatkissed me?† â€Å"Bonnie, calm down.† As always, other people's hysteria made Elena feel more in control. â€Å"Yes, he's the killer, and we all three have to be on guard against him. That's why I'm telling you. Never, never ask him into your house.† Elena stopped, regarding the faces of her friends. They were staring at her, and for a moment she had the sickening feeling that they didn't believe her. That they were going to question her sanity. â€Å"Yes. I'm sure. He's the murderer and the one who put Stefan in the well, and he might be after one of us next. And I don't know if there's any way to stop him.† â€Å"Well, then,† said Meredith, lifting her eyebrows. â€Å"No wonder you and Stefan were in such a hurry to leave the party.† Caroline gave Elena a vicious smirk as Elena walked into the cafeteria. But Elena was almost beyond noticing. One thing she noticed right away, though. Vickie Bennett was there. Vickie hadn't been to school since the night Matt and Bonnie and Meredith had found her wandering on the road, raving about mist and eyes and something terrible in the graveyard. The doctors who checked her afterward said there was nothing much wrong with her physically, but she still hadn't returned to Robert E. Lee. People whispered about psychologists and the drug treatments they were trying. She didn't look crazy, though, Elena thought. She looked pale and subdued and sort of crumpled into her clothing. And when Elena passed her and she looked up, her eyes were like a startled fawn's. It was strange to sit at a half-empty table with only Bonnie and Meredith for company. Usually people were crowding to get seats around the three of them. â€Å"We didn't finish talking this morning,† Meredith said. â€Å"Get something to eat, and then we'll figure out what to do about those notes.† â€Å"I'm not hungry,† said Elena flatly. â€Å"And whatcan we do? If it's Damon, there's no way we can stop him. Trust me, it's not a matter for the police. That's why I haven't told them he's the killer. There isn't any proof, and besides, they would never†¦ Bonnie, you're not listening.† â€Å"Sorry,† said Bonnie, who was staring past Elena's left ear. â€Å"But something weird is going on up there.† Elena turned. Vickie Bennett was standing at the front of the cafeteria, but she no longer seemed crumpled and subdued. She was looking around the room in a sly and assessing manner, smiling. â€Å"Well, she doesn't look normal, but I wouldn't say she was beingweird , exactly,† Meredith said. Then she added, â€Å"Wait a minute.† Vickie was unbuttoning her cardigan. But it was theway she was doing it – with deliberate little flicks of her fingers, all the while looking around with that secretive smile – that was odd. When the last button was undone, she took the sweater daintily between forefinger and thumb and slid it down over first one arm and then the other. She dropped the sweater on the floor. â€Å"Weird is the word,† confirmed Meredith. Students crossing in front of Vickie with laden trays glanced at her curiously and then looked back over their shoulders when they had passed. They didn't actually stop walking, though, until she took off her She did it gracefully, catching the heel of one pump on the toe of the other and pushing it off. Then she kicked off the second pump. â€Å"She can't keep going,† murmured Bonnie, as Vickie's fingers moved to the simulated pearl buttons on her white silk blouse. Heads were turning; people were poking one another and gesturing. Around Vickie a small group had gathered, standing far enough back that they didn't interfere with everyone else's view. The white silk blouse rippled off, fluttering like a wounded ghost to the floor. Vickie was wearing a lacy off-white slip underneath. There was no longer any sound in the cafeteria except the sibilance of whispers. No one was eating. The group around Vickie had gotten larger. Vickie smiled demurely and began to unfasten clasps at her waist. Her pleated skirt fell to the floor. She stepped out of it and pushed it to one side with her foot. Somebody stood up at the back of the cafeteria and chanted, â€Å"Take itoff! Take itoff!† Other voices joined in. â€Å"Isn't anybody going to stop her?† fumed Bonnie. Elena got up. The last time she'd gone near Vickie the other girl had screamed and struck out at her. But now, as she got close, Vickie gave her the smile of a conspirator. Her lips moved, but Elena couldn't make out what she was saying over the chanting. â€Å"Come on, Vickie. Let's go,† she said. Vickie's light brown hair tossed and she plucked at the strap of her slip. Elena stooped to pick up the cardigan and wrap it around the girl's slender shou lders. As she did, as she touched Vickie, those half-closed eyes opened wide like a startled fawn's again. Vickie stared about her wildly, as if she'd just been awakened from a dream. She looked down at herself and her expression turned to disbelief. Pulling the cardigan around her more tightly, she backed away, shivering. The room was quiet again. â€Å"It's okay,† said Elena soothingly. â€Å"Come on.† At the sound of her voice, Vickie jumped as if touched by a live wire. She stared at Elena, and then she exploded into action. â€Å"You're one of them! I saw you! You're evil!† She turned and ran barefoot out of the cafeteria, leaving Elena stunned.

Shirley Graham Du Bois Activist, Composer, Writer

Shirley Graham Du Bois is known for her  civil rights work and for her writings especially about African American and African historical figures. Her second husband was W.E.B. Du Bois. She became something of a pariah in American civil rights circles with her later association with communism, leading to much neglect of her role in black American history Early Years and First Marriage Shirley Graham was born in Indianapolis, Indiana, in 1896, daughter of a minister who held positions in Louisiana, Colorado and the state of Washington. She developed an interest in music, and often played piano and organ at her father’s churches. After she graduated from high school in 1914 in Spokane, she took business courses and worked in offices in Washington.   She also played organ in music theatres; the theatres were whites-only but she remained backstage. In 1921, she married and soon had two sons. The marriage ended – according to some accounts, she was widowed in 1924, though other sources have the marriage ending in divorce in 1929. Evolving Career Now a single mother of two young boys, she traveled with her parents to Paris in 1926 when her father was en route to a new job in Liberia as president of a college there. In Paris, she studied music, and when she came back to the states, she briefly attended Howard University to study music there.   From 1929 to 1931 she taught at Morgan College, then returned to her studies at Oberlin College. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in 1934 and earned her master’s degree in 1935. She was hired by the Tennessee Agricultural and Industrial State College in Nashville to lead their fine arts department. After a year, she left to join a project of the Works Project Administration’s Federal Theatre Project, and served as director in 1936 to 1938 of the Chicago Negro Unit where she taught and directed plays. With a creative writing scholarship, she then began a Ph.D. program at Yale, writing plays that saw production, using that medium to explore racism.   She did not complete the program, and instead went to work for the YWCA.   First she directed theatre work in Indianapolis, then went to Arizona to supervise a theatre group sponsored by the YWCA and USO at a base with 30,000 black soldiers. Racial discrimination at the base led to Graham becoming involved in activism for civil rights, and she lost her job over that in 1942.   The next year, her son Robert died at an army recruiting station, receiving poor medical treatment, and that increased her commitment to work against discrimination. W.E.B. Du Bois Looking for some employment, she contacted civil rights leader W.E.B. Du Bois whom she’d met through her parents when she was in her twenties, and who was almost 29 years older than she was.   She had been corresponding with him for a few years, and hoped that he could help her find work.   She was hired as the NAACP field secretary in New York City in 1943.   She wrote magazine articles and biographies of black heroes to be read by young adults. W.E.B. Du Bois had married his first wife, Nina Gomer, in 1896, the same year Shirley Graham was born.   She died in 1950.   That year, Du Bois ran for Senator in New York on the American Labor Party ticket.   He had become an advocate of communism, believing it was better than capitalism for people of color globally, while recognizing that the Soviet Union also had faults.   But this was the era of McCarthyism, and government, beginning with the FBI keeping track of him in 1942, pursued him aggressively.   In 1950, Du Bois became chairman of an organization to oppose nuclear weapons, the Peace Information Center, which advocated for petitions to governments globally.   The U.S. Justice Department considered the PIC as an agent of a foreign state and when Du Bois and others refused to register the organization as such, the government filed charges.   W.E.B. Du Bois was indicted on February 9 as an unregistered foreign agent.   On February 14, he secretly married Shirl ey Graham, who took his name; as his wife, she could visit him in jail if he was jailed, though the government decided not to jail him.   On February 27, their marriage was repeated in a formal public ceremony.   The groom was 83 years old, the bride 55.   She had, at some point, begun giving an age about ten years younger than her real age;   her new husband talked of a marrying a second wife â€Å"forty years† younger than he was. Shirley Graham Du Bois’ son, David, became close to his stepfather, and eventually changed his last name to Du Bois and worked with him.   She continued to write, now under her new married name. Her husband had been prevented from attending a 1955 conference in Indonesia of 29 non-aligned nations that was the result of years of his own vision and efforts, but in 1958, his passport was restored.   The couple then traveled together, including to Russia and China. McCarthy Era and Exile When the U.S. upheld the McCarran Act in 1961, W.E.B. Du Bois formally and publicly joined the Communist Party as a protest. The year before, the couple had visited Ghana and Nigeria. In 1961, the government of Ghana invited W.E.B. Du Bois to head up a project to create an encyclopedia of the African diaspora, and Shirley and W.E.B. moved to Ghana.   In 1963, the United States refused to renew his passport; Shirley’s passport was also not renewed, and they were unwelcome in their home country.   W.E.B. Du Bois became a citizen of Ghana in protest.   Later that year, in August, he died in Accra in Ghana, and was buried there.   The day after his death, the 1963 March on Washington held a moment of silence in honor of Du Bois. Shirley Graham Du Bois, now widowed and without a U.S. passport, took a job as director of Ghana Television.   In 1967 she moved to Egypt.   The United State government permitted her to visit the U.S. in 1971 and 1975.   In 1973, she sold her husband’s papers to the University of Massachusetts to raise funds.   In 1976, diagnosed with breast cancer, she went to China for treatment, and died there in March of 1977. Background, Family: Mother: Etta BellFather: Rev. David A. Graham, minister in the African Methodist Episcopal churchSiblings: Education: Public schoolsBusiness schoolHoward University, musicOberlin College, A.B. in music, 1934, M.A. in 1935Yale Drama School 1938-1940, Ph.D. program, left before completing the degree Marriage, Children: Husband: Shadrach T. McCanns (married 1921; divorced in 1929 or widowed in 1924, sources differ).   Children: Robert, DavidHusband: W.E.B. Du Bois (married February 14, 1951, with a public ceremony February 27; widowed 1963). No children. Occupation:  writer, musical composer, activist  Dates:  November 11, 1896 – March 27, 1977Also known as:  Shirley Graham, Shirley McCanns, Lola Bell Graham