Act 2 of Reasons to Be Pretty

Act 2 of Reasons to Be Pretty Reasons to Be Pretty is a hard-edged comedy written by Neil LaBute. It is the third and final installment of a trilogy. The trio of plays (which also include The Shape of Things and Fat Pig) are connected not by characters or plot but by the recurring theme of body image within American society. Reasons to Be Pretty premiered on Broadway in 2008. It was nominated for three Tony Awards (Best Play, Best Leading Actress, and Best Leading Actor). The following is a summary and analysis of the events in Act Two. Read the synopsis and character outline of Act One. Scene One - After the Break Up Act Two of Reasons to Be Pretty begins in the lobby of a restaurant. Steph and Greg unexpectedly encounter each other. Steph is on a date, and the former couple awkwardly make small talk, attempting to be pleasant. The conversation segues to nostalgia for their good times together, which then transitions into the familiar argument about body image and their break up. She smacks him, then just as suddenly tries to apologize. However, Greg has had enough. He tells her that her date will eventually hurt her feelings too, and that he wont be there to help her. Somehow, they cool down and wish each other well on their lives without one another. Scene Two Carly visits Greg (who is yet again reading some classic literature). He comments that has not seen Kent lately. After trying to flatter him, Carly then wants to ask him an important question about Kent. Before the question, Carly reveals that she is three months pregnant. She suspects that Kent is cheating on her. At first, Greg contends that he does not believe that Kent is unfaithful. Carly continues to pressure him, asking Greg to look her in the eye and say he doesnt know anything. She asks if Greg was out with Kent and girls, but Greg lies and says that it was just guys from work. This relieves Carly for the time being. She tells him: I dont know why God made it so hard for us to trust you guys but he did, and it sucks. Scene Three Greg and Kent prepare for work-related softball game. Kent says that he expects Carly to hit the gym the day after the baby is born. He thanks Greg for covering up his affair, and begins to recount his recent sexual exploits with Crystal, the hot girl from the office. Greg tries to explain that he no longer lie about Kents affair. This irks Kent, who feels that Greg is being judgmental. He repeatedly calls Greg a pussy. Greg tries to get the upper hand, hinting that he might tell Carly the truth, but Kent believes that he is bluffing. He claims that Greg would never tell because he is afraid of people disliking him. Kent bullies him, wrestles him to the ground, and then calls his ex-girlfriend ugly. Greg finally stands up to Kent, not just because he is obnoxious, not just because he is an adulterer, and not just because of his comments about Steph. Before he beats Kent up, Greg explains that he is doing it Because you need it, okay? For who you are and what you have done, and for all the sh*t you will no doubt perpetrate for the rest of your life. After over-powering his ex-friend, Greg leaves Kent, who fumes in rage. Scene Four Carly and Greg are hanging out in the break room. She chats about her pregnancy. In hopes of showing Carly the truth about her husband, Greg strongly suggests that she takes the evening off and go home to her husband. She follows his advice. Although we never see the confrontation between Carly and Kent, it is implied that Carly will discover the truth about her husbands affair, and will move onto a new chapter in her life. Immediately after Carly leaves, Stephanie stops by to share the news: she is engaged to be married. Steph has become a manager at her hair salon. Greg has plans to go to college, realizing that he doesnt want to work at a warehouse for the rest of his life. Steph admits that she cannot stop thinking about Greg, yet at the same time believes that she will be much happier with her soon-to-be husband. Greg apologizes and is very understanding. He emphasizes that she has a pretty face, making her feel better. He also admits that he is simply drifting, and that their four years together may never have turned into marriage. She leaves, but not before kissing him good bye one last time. Although they do not rekindle the relationship, the characters in Reasons to Be Pretty represent a rather optimistic view on relationships and young, middle class Americans. In comparison to the protagonist in Fat Pig, Greg exhibits both courage and selflessness by the end of the play.

Proper Use of Entrez-vous in French

Proper Use of Entrez-vous in French The comic strip Non Sequitur  by Wiley Miller held a  Great Non-Sequitur Sign-Off Contest, where readers were invited to send in suggestions for the sign in front of the Au Naturel Deli, behind the door of which lurked a bear with a cleaver. The winning entry, from Mary Cameron of Leander, Texas, had text scrawled on the sign outside that read Entrà ©e:  Vous. Most people might apply a double-entendre to the phrase in this context, which might be translated as Todays Entrà ©e: You.  This is a very cute and clever realization of the comic!  Ã¢â‚¬â€¹ Confusion of Entrà ©e and Entrez But to understand the double-meaning of this suggested comic, the reader would need to understand the  homophonous entrez vous, which is often used by non-native French speakers to mean Come in. So the sign in this comic would be read with a homonymic understanding as both Come in and Todays Main Dish: You.   Language Use Differences The problem is that entrez  vous  in French doesnt quite mean what non-native French speakers use as its literal translation.  When the phrase is broken down, the French verb  entrer is not reflexive; the correct way to say Come in is simply entrez  in the formal and plural you conjugation of the verb. So if the sign in this comic were to indicate that a passerby should enter the shop, itd simply read Entrez, and as a result lose its comedic nature. Neither of these words should be confused with  entre which translates to in or between in English and doesnt have the same pronunciation because the e at the end is essentially silent.  An example of the use of this word might be ...à §a reste entre nous,  meaning this stays between us, perhaps implicative of a confidential conversation.   When to Use Entrez-Vous For non-native French speakers, this begs the question if there is ever an appropriate use of  the phrase entrez vous  in the French language. The only time you might use entrez vous in French would be in the case of a question. Saying Entrez-vous? is similar to asking Are you coming in?  or even What about coming in? and is more casual and conversational in nature.   If youre thinking of using entrà ©e vous or entrez-vous  interchangeably, even for humor, bear in mind that it will likely not be understood by native French speakers as very humorous. Rather, its typically seen as a grammatical error.

(Principle of sport) - Grant funding application assignment Essay

(Principle of sport) - Grant funding application assignment - Essay Example We aim at engaging the children in activities such as obstacle races and wheelchair football. We have helped other groups of sporting enthusiasts before in building strong sporting skills and expect to extend this gratitude to the disabled children in London. Our motivation is driven by the fact that a greater percentage of disabled children languish in poverty and dejection due to their condition. We expect to host approximately 100 disabled children for two months, with a close contact session of five to six hours each day. We expect to host our project at the Goals Soccer Centre located in Northampton and the key sports officials in London are expected to join us in the delivery of the key activities. Through this project, we expect that other organizations will be inspired to take responsibility of their society and help the disabled enjoy their life more through sporting activities. Statistics from the United Kingdom government indicate that over 11 million people are limited to long term illness, disability and impairment. Around 6% of this population represents children. Also, a substantially large proportion of the individuals who live with the disabled members live in poverty as compared to families with no single case of disability (Barnes & Mercer, 2009, p. 119). More likely, these children do not consider using emergency care whenever particular health problems arise and we seek to enlighten them and their parents on how to deal with the situation in the right manner. Thus, the project is useful since it provides more education to disabled children on how to exercise and deal with related risks and diseases (Pitts, et al., 2014). Over the period of the implementation, our project should reach over 100 disabled children and each one of them on how to solve the depression that pins them down in most cases

Underground mining, Coal Prep Plant, and Strip Mining Essay

Underground mining, Coal Prep Plant, and Strip Mining - Essay Example However, there are commons methods and techniques used to access underground. Accessing underground is done through declines, shafts, and adits (Hustrulid 318). Spiral tunnels that circle the deposit flanks or those that are sunk around the deposit being mines are referred to as the declines. These tunnels are sunk from the surface to allow access the underground. Declines can also be sunk where an open cut mine already exists, and the tunnels are made on the wall of the already open mine. Vertical excavations that are sunk close or adjacent to mineral deposits are referred to as the shafts. In most cases, they are sunk for both access to underground and shaft haulage purposes. On the other hand, adits refer to horizontal or near horizontal excavations made on hills or mountains (Hustrulid 403). Use of ramps is also common when it comes to accessing underground. Seams that are mined must be consistent with the set regulatory provisions enforced by mining regulating agencies. The mine r also assesses the mine and the deposit available for mining. The thickness of the seams must be significantly adequate to initiate the mining project. This means that the deposits being mined must be in a position to compensate all the mining costs and earn relevant profits for the mining firm. The properties of the deposits contained in the seams must at least meet the minimum requirement of the mining entity in terms of their composition and value. Different machines and equipment are used for underground mining. The equipment to be used is determined by the method of mining to be used and the form of underground access to be employed. Drills, excavators, and mining shovels are just but some of the equipment used for underground access. Trucks are also used for transport purposes whens soil dug from underground have to be moved. Cranes and lifts are used for different purposes, ranging from lifting machinery and mine workers during the mining process. Conveyor belts are also use d to move different materials to different locations, especially the mined minerals. Most importantly, tunnel boring machines are used for the purpose of sinking shafts or declines, and belt systems are fitted underground to facilitate different aspects of the mining process. Equipment used for underground mining can vary from one mine to another depending on the mineral being mined. Ventilating super sections requires an assessment of ground stability before the ventilation is undertaken. Hard and soft ground and underground surfaces are determined, and the right position of super section ventilation determined. Once this is complete, the plan is implemented bit by bit, while assessing the impact of the process on the mining site. This assessment relates to safety and position of the deposit to be mined. Machinery and equipment are then put in place and the ventilation is made, taking into account all risk factors in super section ventilation. Coal removed by miners is transported to the washing plant in various ways. This depends on whether the washing plant is installed on the surface or underground. Mined coal reaches the washing plant through conveyor belts or through track transportation. Deposits from continuous miners are collected and loaded on conveyor belts or on tracks that transport them to the washing plant. However, use of tracks is only employed under instances where the process is economical. Shaft haulage and belt systems are also used where the mined coal has to be taken from the mining point to a washing plant located on the surface (Hustrulid 551). The visit to the mine was informative and educative in terms of underground mining and preparation of plants to facilitate the process. The mining process encompasses

Nature And Nurture Influences On Child Essay Example for Free

Nature And Nurture Influences On Child Essay When it comes to child development there are two major influences. These influences are nature which are traits we inherit and nurture which are the traits we learn. Nature and nurture are different in several ways but they both play an important role in child development. Although they both influence development the topic of which has the greatest influence in frequently debated. This paper will describe the relationship between nature and nurture, explain the biological, environmental, societal, and cultural influences on child development in relation to nature and nurture, and discuss whether nature or nurture has the most influence on child development. Nature and nurture are different in several ways but share one similarity which is the fact that they both have an influence on child development. Both of them play an important role in how children develop as well as the type of people they will grow up to be. In the video â€Å"Nature vs. Nurture in Child Development† Shirael Pollack states that children are born with some traits and characteristics while they learn others (Pollack, S. n. d. ). Nature is one(s) genes. The traits and characteristics that they inherit such as skin tone, eye color, and hair color. Nurture is what they are taught or what they learn from the people around them such as manners; learning to say â€Å"please† and â€Å"thank you†. There are different influences on child development in relation to nature and nurture. These influences are biological, environmental, societal, and cultural. Nature is responsible for the biological influences. Biological influences are traits that are passed parents to their children. They include appearance, talents, and abilities, and also certain illnesses (Groark, C. , McCarthy, S. Kirk, A. , 2014). Nurture is responsible for environmental influences. These are things that are in a child(s) environment that they are exposed to or experience. Nurture can also be NATURE AND NURTURE 3 responsible for cultural and societal influences on child development which can be instilled subtly through natural interactions with others. The cultural and societal influences can be direct and indirect impacts of culture, race, and ethnicity as well as the powerful effects of economics, gender roles, marriage, divorce, single parenthood, and religion (Groark, C. , McCarthy, S. Kirk, A. , 2014). No matter what type of influence there is on child development it is either related to nature or nurture. Some people believe that nature and nurture are partners because of the fact that they both play a role in child development. However, theorists have different views about the two. Some theorists believe that nature is ultimately responsible for growth while other theorists believe that children become whatever their environment shapes them into (McDevitt, 2010). Regardless of what the different views of theorists are on the topic of nature versus nurture, the fact of the matter is that both of them play a role in how children develop and have some type of impact on what and how they will be when they grow up. Both nature and nurture play important roles in child development. Regardless of if one has more of an influence than the other, the fact is that they both impact how children develop. Truth of the matter is that they are different but share one important factor which is the fact that they help make children who they are. This paper described the relationship between nature and nurture, explained the biological, environmental, societal, and cultural influences on child development in relation to nature and nurture, and also discussed which of the two influences is more influential than the other. NATURE AND NURTURE 4 References Groark, C. , McCarthy, S. Kirk, A. (2014). Early child development: From theory to practice. Bridgepoint Education: San Diego, CA. McDevitt, T. M. (2010). Nature and nurture: Retrieved from http://www. education. com/reference/article/nature-nurture/ Pollack, S. (n. d. ). Nature vs. nurture in child development [Video file]. Retrieved from http://www. howcast. com/videos/513307-Nature-vs-Nurture-Child-Development.

Decrypting Cryptography Essay -- E-Commerce Internet Papers

Decrypting Cryptography Cryptography is the study of techniques and implementation dedicated to the solving of complex problems. Today, its primary use is to protect sensitive information by maintaining the privacy of communications. In general, the secret information is transformed into an altered text by a process referred to as encryption, thus preventing the message from being read by anyone besides the intended receiver. It is this cipher text that is transmitted to the intended recipient, who must use the proper key to reverse the process, that is convert the encoded message back into its plain text form. Cryptography has seen a recent rise in popularity due to the expanding nature of communications technology, the Internet, and the inherent security needs of such systems. Cryptography has many practical uses besides providing a code for secret communications. A major contributor to the many current applications of cryptology is the status of computers. Cryptology provides the tools to create a large-scale network of individuals who can communicate with each other confidentially without the threat of an unintended party being able to receive the transmission. The electronically intangible nature of e-mail messages makes them particularly susceptible to attack. Cryptography provides encryption for e-mails, so that only the intended recipient can access the plain text. Cryptographic applications have been augmented with the recent increase of business conducted over the Internet, otherwise known as e-commerce. Online banking, brokerage accounts, and shopping have increased the need for protection against fraud, theft and corruption of the vital information that is sent via the Internet with each electronic transa... ...lobe. Whether you are trading stocks at the office, talking on a cellular phone in the car, or just purchasing a CD at home, cryptography provides the necessary security to insure that your sensitive information will not fall into the wrong hands. Works Cited [1] Daepp, Ulrich. â€Å"Public Key Encryption Scheme.† 14 October 1999. [2] â€Å"Frequently Asked Questions About Today’s Cryptology.† RSA Security. [FTP] ftp://ftp.rsasecurity.com/pub/labsfaq/labsfaq4.pdf. 1 December 1999. [3] â€Å"Leonard Adleman.† The University of Southern California. [WWW] http://www-hto.usc.edu/people/Adleman.html. 3 December 1999. [4] McHugh, Josh. â€Å"People-Innovators, Smart People, Smart Ideas: Leonard Adleman.† Forbes 7 July 1997. [5] â€Å"RSA† [WWW] http://www.whatis.com/rsa.htm. 3 December 1999 [6] Shamir, Adi. â€Å"RSA for Paranoids.† CryptoBytes vol.1, no.3 Autumn 1995: 1-4.

Native American Essay

â€Å"During the second half of the 19th century, the United States Government took all appropriate actions to maintain peace with Native American tribes. Furthermore the United States was justified in its aggressive measures used to seize land from unruly Native American tribes during the era. † There little validity in this statement. During this time period American troops were interloping on Native American territory, starting violence, and forcing them out of their homes. The hostility of American Soldiers toward these people led to several tragedies, such as the Sand Creek Massacre, The Battle of Little Bighorn, and The Battle at Wounded Knee. It can be observed that the United States was clearly not, in any way, shape, or form, attempting to maintain peace. Insensitivities on behalf of the United States led to several tragedies, the Sand Creek Massacre being a major event. On November 29, 1864, General John Chivington ordered troops to attack Chief Black Kettle and his people, after the chief and his people did everything in their power to keep peace between the opposing sides. To top it all off, most of the warriors in this tribe were off hunting buffalo, and the tribe was left undefended. Between seventy and eighty Natives were killed. The fighting didn’t end there. Several years later, on December 29, 1890, a great disaster occurred at nearby Wounded Knee Creek, South Dakota. James W. Forsyth and his men massacred the people of Chief Spotted Elk. Around 300 casualties were suffered. The Natives, however, hadn’t always suffered such devastating losses. Between the Sand Creek Massacre and Wounded Knee, at the Battle of Little Bighorn, Colonel George Custer was one of the leaders of the American soldiers who attacked Crazy Horse, Sitting Bull, and their people. On June 25-26, 1876, American Soldiers fought the Lakota, Cheyenne, and Arapaho tribes, suffering a severe loss. Although it may seem as though the Native Americans were ruthless savages, this proves how persistent they were and their ability to overcome. The persistence of these people was also proven by a single man. In 1876, the United States Government was beginning to force Chiricahua from their reservation in New Mexico. A man named Geronimo fueled the fire of the Native Americans against the American forces. Over a period of ten years, Geronimo aided his people in many raids on white settlements, to prove their unwillingness to leave their home. Geronimo may have surrendered, but his bravery Although many may view these as acts of violence, in reality, US Soldiers were no better. The slaughter and removal of hundreds of Native Americans caused them to react in such a violent way. In other words, America brought this upon itself. The Dawes Act was a set of laws enacted to assist Native Americans in their land disputes with American settlers. These laws gave the president the right to survey Indian land and distribute it to individual Natives. The Dawes Act was detrimental to Native Americans because those who weren’t awarded land became homeless, unlike the previous tribal community they had lived in, where every person had shelter, but no single person owned the land. The president also had the right to purchase land he had allotted to be used for white settlers. Assimilation also played a large role in whether Natives would be forced out of their homes. If the Natives would â€Å"Americanize† (so to speak) everything about their lifestyle, they would be permitted to stay on US soil. In conclusion, it can be observed that Native Americans were truly the victim in this situation. They were slaughtered mercilessly, forced out of their homes, made to change their lifestyles, and even considered to be the cause of the violence. Any person who claims Native Americans during this time period as savage murderers would be completely incorrect. These people were merely reacting out of defense and retaliation for what Americans had done to them. Americans frequently like to believe that the US is always justified in what they are doing; they are always the good guy. In this case Americans stooped to a low level to suggest that Indians were to blame for the violence.

Education Speech Essay

A Chinese proverb, â€Å" If you are planning for a year, sow rice; if you are planning for a decade, plant trees; if you are planning for a lifetime, educate people’’. Good morning to all. Knowing what a great impact education plays on the world, I decided to investigate the various education systems. Today, we look into the education systems of: Ghana, Finland, South Korea and Argentina I begin with Argentina. Argentina has the highest levels of education and literacy .The school year in Argentina runs from March to December and lasts about two hundred days. Schools are closed for national holidays and two weeks in July for vacation. Normally, public elementary schools are in session for four and a half hours each weekday. Saturdays are generally reserved for extracurricular school activities. Often, a school will have a morning and afternoon session, allowing pupils and teachers to choose their sessions. The country’s public university system is also free of charge and all students are required by law to complete thirteen years of schooling this is from pre-school up to twelfth grade. When researching into the Ghanaian education system I found a few really interesting facts. Education in Ghana from nursery school up to an undergraduate level takes about twenty years. Primary and secondary education is free and compulsory in Ghana. Children begin around the ages of six and end at seventeen. There is a unified national curriculum for the entire country. And lastly, there are â€Å"Culture† classes in nearly every school that involve students practicing African drumming and dancing. Now, moving on to South Korea. The school calendar has two semesters, the first extending from March through to July and the second from September through to February. There are summer and winter breaks. A typical day finds high school scholars studying before school begins at about 8 am Classes run for fifty minutes each. The afternoon session resumes at about 1 pm and classes continue until about 4 pm, followed by the cleaning of the classroom. Students may then take a short dinner break at home, or they may eat at school. Teachers typically move from room to room, while students stay in one place. Students return to the school library to study or attend private schools or tutoring sessions until between 10 pm, and midnight. And lastly, Finland. The education system which has been rated the most  innovative and unique education system in the world. Ninety three percent of Finnish students graduate from high school and education in Finland is a system with no tuition fee. In Finland, classes are small, seldom more than twenty pupils. Inside the school, the atmosphere is relaxed and informal, and the buildings are so clean that students often wear socks and no shoes. Outdoor activities are stressed, even in the coldest weather. Most commonly, pupils are issued a report card twice a year. Pupils are entitled to receive free books and materials and free school trips or even housing in the event that they have a long trip to school. In elementary school students get seventy five minutes of recess a day. Teachers only spend four hours a day in the classroom, and take two hours a week for â€Å"professional development†. All teachers in Finland must have a master’s degree, which is fully subsidized. And can you believe, Finnish teachers are actually given the same status as doctors and lawyers. So as we can see, education systems all around the world are different: however, each system succeeds in planning children for a career. And always remember Nelson Mandela’s wise words: â€Å"education is the most powerful weapon, which you can use to change the world†.

How to Write a Controversial Essay on Alfred Russel Wallace vs Charles Darwin

How to Write a Controversial Essay on Alfred Russel Wallace vs Charles Darwin Writing a controversial essay is often a challenge for students because of the delicate nature of the controversy itself; it can be difficult to present information that is both factual and well-balanced, especially when the issues are topics about which both sides feel strongly. Many of the most popular controversial essay topics are considered popular social issues about which people make their decisions based on personal religious affiliations or personal values. It is for this reason that people tie stronger emotional holds to their opinions and take any presentation of the opposition first and foremost as an attack on their related affiliation or values. For this reason primarily, it is imperative that such a writing assignment remain free from personal bias, be full of factual information to substantiate the points, and be critical and thoughtful in the analysis and not â€Å"preachy†. While the overall goal in a controversial essay is similar to any argumentative piece, such that you want to convince your reader with facts and evidence that your side is best, it is nonetheless imperative that you do so in so delicate and confident a fashion that you do not taunt the opposition, use name calling, or imply that it is inferior, but merely that it is not as well supported with evidence as your side. To begin such a piece you must include the following components: Select a topic you are confident you can defend with justification and valid arguments, especially if your overall goal is to persuade the reader to adopt your perspective at the end of the writing. To make your life easier you can choose among the suggested topics on Darwin’s vs Wallace’s theories. Prepare a thesis statement which should function as a stand alone single sentence representative of the point you are making. This thesis statement should be introduced to the reader in the first, introductory, paragraph. This paragraph should be laid out like a road map for your reader, telling them what stops to expect along the way and where your paper is headed. You want to assert your point of view right from the start. For each point you are making to substantiate your side of the controversial topic, you must start a new body paragraph. You must check out amazing facts on natural selection theories by Darwin and Wallace because they can give you clear statement for each paragraph. When you have presented everything, it is time to wrap up your work with a concluding paragraph. This is where you reiterate to your reader what support you provided for your argument and what you did to refute the opposing viewpoint. This should be similar in layout to the introduction, but rather than regurgitating verbatim the introduction, you want to remind the reader what evidence you presented in each of the body paragraphs. You see? It is not a complicated matter if you find the right source to enrich your knowledge about writing a controversial essay. So, read these tips, reflect on them and start writing a paper  now!

3 Common Comma Errors

3 Common Comma Errors 3 Common Comma Errors 3 Common Comma Errors By Mark Nichol The following sample sentences and the discussion that follows each point out three frequently found punctuation errors in which a comma is extraneously inserted or erroneously omitted. 1. â€Å"The giant, blue eyeball that washed up on a Florida beach likely came from a swordfish.† The adjectives giant and blue are noncoordinate, which means they’re not parallel in function. You can say, of course, that an eyeball is giant and that it is blue, but the second test of adjectival coordination, whether the words can gracefully be transposed, does not work; â€Å"the blue giant eyeball† is awkward. Why? A convention in English called the royal order of adjectives assigns specific starting positions to different types of descriptive words, and size precedes color. Therefore, â€Å"blue eyeball† becomes a temporary compound modified by giant, and therefore no intervening punctuation is required: â€Å"The giant blue eyeball that washed up on a Florida beach likely came from a swordfish.† 2. â€Å"Move over vampires, goblins and haunted houses, this kind of Halloween terror aims to shake up even the toughest warriors.† The introductory phrase in this sentence, a form of address to the subject that is increasingly common in lead paragraphs in journalistic contexts (to the point of becoming a tired clichà ©), is just that an introductory phrase. And though short introductory phrases are often inserted at the beginning of a sentence without following punctuation, in this case, â€Å"Move over vampires† is a miscue that readers might read to mean â€Å"proceed on top of bloodsucking beings.† I prefer consistency over inconsistency and recommend always punctuating introductory phrases; whether you follow that advice or not, do it here: â€Å"Move over, vampires, goblins, and haunted houses, this kind of Halloween terror aims to shake up even the toughest warriors.† 3. â€Å"The convention will be delayed until Tuesday because of the threat of the tropical storm Isaac now bearing down on Florida.† There are at least two effective solutions to the problem here, which is that â€Å"angry tropical storm† and Isaac are appositives, which means that one noun or noun phrase refers to the other. As written, without punctuation, the sentence implies that more than one angry tropical storm bearing down on Florida exists at this time, and one is called Isaac. But because only one storm, named Isaac (â€Å"one storm† and â€Å"named Isaac† are in apposition), is bearing down on Florida, the interchangeable noun and noun phrase are set off with an appositive comma: â€Å"The convention will be delayed until Tuesday because of the threat of Isaac, the tropical storm now bearing down on Florida.† Another option is to refer to Isaac with the modifying phrase â€Å"tropical storm† and follow the wording with a descriptive phrase, set off by a comma, that serves an appositive function: â€Å"The convention will be delayed until Tuesday because of the threat of the tropical storm Isaac, now bearing down on Florida.† Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Punctuation category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Writing Prompts 101What's a Male Mistress?Passed vs Past

Case Study - The Scent of Difference Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Case Study - The Scent of Difference - Essay Example Reference should be made primarily to the self-efficacy theory of Bandura (Steers et al. 2010, p.295). The above theory is based on the view that ‘motives are meaningful only if they are given to individuals who believe that they are able to succeed’ (Steers et al. 2010, p.295). In the specific case, Indian workers believe that they can respond to the demands of the work, as much as their American counterparts but their salary is too low so that there is no incentive for Indian workers to keep their performance at high levels. In other words, Indian workers believe to their capacities in regard to the tasks assigned to them but they are not treated fairly. If Indian workers would not feel confident for their skills they would have no problem with the highest rewarding of American workers. Therefore, self-efficacy in the particular case leads to the development of tensions between the two social groups, Americans and Indians. Another theory that would help to understand t he tensions appeared in Source One would be the theory of Reasoned Action, as developed by Fishbein and Azjen in 1980 (Larson 2009). The particular theory promotes the idea that the actions of each individual are highly influenced by the plans he had made in advance but also by his beliefs in regard to the action involved (Larson 2009). The above condition is commonly known as behavioral intention, showing the interaction between the human behavior and the intentions/ attitudes of each individual (Larson 2009). In the specific case, the managers of the organization have fired the American workers because they were old and were compensated with high salary. Therefore, the particular decision has been resulted by the plans of the firm to reduce its costs without taking into consideration the risks involved with the appearance of a new culture in the workplace. In this context, the theory of Reasoned Action can be used for highlighting the emphasis by the firm’s leaders on the a chievement of a particular target, the reduction of costs, and the lack of any concern for the potential cultural conflicts in the workplace. At this point, reference should be made to the social identity theory which states that in order for a social group ‘to achieve a positive social identity a group must be distinguished from other groups in regard to certain positive values’ (Tajfel 2010, p.209). If there are no such values, then tensions will appear between the particular group and the other social groups in its environment. It should be noted that conflicts among social groups are most likely to be caused because of the following two reasons: a) differences in culture and traditions, b) conflicting interests (Tajfel 2010, 302). In other words, because of the important differences in regard to the social identities of the two social groups, of Americans and Indians, tensions in Source One can be characterized as unavoidable, unless appropriate actions would have b een taken by the firm’s managers and leaders The Intergroup Contact theory of Allport (1954) could be also used for explaining tensions in the workplace. The specific theory proposes the idea that ‘there can be no harmony within a group if the intergroup contact is low’

Discuss the conflict between human intelligence and artificial Essay

Discuss the conflict between human intelligence and artificial intelligence - Essay Example These utopian societies tend to change what ‘human’ is all about. Technology has affected the way humans have lived to such an extent that normal functions, like sleep, eating or even reproduction, has been replaced by an artificial means† (â€Å"Utopia†, 2006). In this view, the robots are nearly indistinguishable from humans in the way they function and in their ability to respond in much the way humans might, with only slight differences circulating around the ability to feel emotion. Still other viewpoints hold that technology of this caliber would lead to a technological dystopia, in which all these advances lead instead to a decline in the quality of life led by the human citizens. â€Å"A dystopia is usually characterized by an authoritarian or totalitarian form of government, or some other kind of oppressive social control† (â€Å"Dystopia†, 2006). This question of whether or to what degree a man-made creation can feel human emotions pl ays a large role in the interpretation of how this society develops as well as the development of the creations themselves. In both cases, utopia or dystopia, the judgment call is made on the quality of life of the humans, with little to no regard for the lifestyle and options available to the robots who have achieved a higher level of existence. Several films have been created to illustrate these varying viewpoints, including Frankenstein, War Games, Blade Runner, The Terminator, Stepford Wives, I Robot and AI: Artificial Intelligence. Technology first allows man to create life out of nothing, without the interference of God, in the tale of Frankenstein, first written in the 1817 by Mary Shelley and made into film in 1931 (Irvine, 1997). In this instance, technology attempts utopia by conquering death but goes awry by bringing to life a creature that can find no acceptance and little understanding in the tiny German village