Spirituality and John Coltrane Essay - 3937 Words

Spirituality and John Coltrane After being fired from Miles Daviss band in 1957 for his chronic use of heroin, John Coltrane was hurt tremendously. He decided it was time he quit using heroin. He took a month off from music while he went cold turkey. During this month in the early spring of 1957, Coltrane had a momentous religious experience (Nisenson, 40). Coltrane asked God to give him the means and privilege to make others happy through music (Coltrane, 1995, 2). As time went on, Coltrane felt that he was leading a life that was contradictory to the pledge and away from the esteemed path that he had made to God (Coltrane, 1995, 2). Starting with A Love Supreme (recorded in December, 1964), Coltrane stuck to†¦show more content†¦As Coltrane was starting to get introduced to the greats of jazz like Miles Davis and Charlie Parker, he started drinking heavily. Then, probably in 1953, he started doing heroin (Thomas, 52). By 1957, he had played with Dizzy Gillespie, Thelonious Monk, and twice with Miles Davis. Davis, a recovering heroin addict himself, said of Coltrane during this time that hed be playing in clothes that looked like he had slept in them for days . . . and when he wasnt nodding, [hed be] picking his nose and sometimes eating it (Davis, 212). Once, while on stage with Davis, Coltrane nodded out, and Davis punched him in the stomach. Eventually, Davis would kick him out of his band for the second time. While Coltrane was kicking his habit in early 1957, he was touched by God. How this came about was known only to Coltrane. But the transformation in him resulted in some of the most powerful music of the twentieth century. In late 1957, he started working on what was to be known as sheets of sound, a style in which Coltrane would play every note in chord as fast as he could, while starting and ending in different notes in a specific key. That year, he released his first acclaimed album on the Blue Note label, Blue Train, which was a record of jazz standards. Miles Davis loved the new Coltrane, and hired him back into his band for a third time. Davis came up with a new jazz concept, modal improvisation.Show MoreRelatedEssay on John Coltrane1679 Words   |  7 Pages John Coltrane: An Experimental Musician Jazz, which evolved from African American folk music, has developed and changed over the last century to become an art form in America. It places particular importance on inventive self interpretation. Rather than relying on a written piece, the artist improvises. Jazz has taken many forms over the past seventy years; there is almost always a single person who can be credited with the evolution of that sound. From Thelonius Monk, and his bebop, to Dizzy Gillespie’sRead MoreThe Influence Of Jazz Music2019 Words   |  9 Pagesthe musician (Larson 2). John Coltrane was one of many musicians that used jazz as this medium. Through his early works in the bebop and hard bop styles to free form and more spiritual styled music later in his career, Coltrane pursued deeper expression from his music (Wikipedia). John Coltrane’s upbringing and early interest in music led to a successful career of highly innovative works that have left a lasting legacy and influence on the jazz com munity. John William Coltrane was born September 23Read More John Coltrane Essay5593 Words   |  23 Pageslife and his search for the incorporation of his spirituality with his music. John Coltrane was not only an essential contributor to jazz, but also music itself. John Coltrane died thirty-two years ago, on July 17, 1967, at the age of forty. In the years since, his influence has only grown, and the stellar avant-garde saxophonist has become a jazz legend of a stature shared only by Louis Armstrong and Charlie Parker. As an instrumentalist Coltrane was technically and imaginatively equal to both;

Essay on Comparative Critique - 905 Words

As a journalist and critic for Time Magazine, James Poniewozik concentrates on how the classic fairytale of Cinderella has been reinvented multiple times to correspond with the viewpoints of feminist authors. Poniewozik claims in his article The Princess Paradox that girls choosing the fairy-tale ending is not such a bad thing (667). However Peggy Orenstein, a contributing writer for The New York Times, would completely disagree with that statement. Orenstein stresses in her article Cinderella and Princess Culture that the princess craze and girlie-girl culture is ruining young girls as they feel constantly pressured to be perfect (673). Poniewozik and Orenstein have conflicting claims in their articles as both define†¦show more content†¦The task that has been tried to achieve that Poniewozik is referring to is the earlier generation of women working to be able to do everything that men could (667). Both Poniewozik and Orenstein acknowledge the fact that young women need t o assert their independence, but in modern times it seems that is not a main focus for girls anymore. Even though Poniewozik is male he still notes some feminist views in his article that Orenstein would agree with. Poniewozik states the fact that reinventing fairy tales has been a favorite project of feminist authors (667). Another issue that Orenstein also hints at in her article by using the childrens program, Dora the Explorer as an example of how merchandise and shows are being changed to correspond with the princess craze (671) Orenstein has noticed the transition from the old story of princess movies to a newer more modern form of the princess. Some modern fairytale movies such as The Prince Me, which is mentioned in Poniewoziks article, have changed their story line to have a non-fairy-tale ending. Poniewozik then notes the fact that the director of the movie, Martha Coolidge, admitted she knew the ending was wrong after she watched it (667). Poniewozik states in his articl e that filmmakers are much more message conscious and by also noting that the girls fight to control theirShow MoreRelatedComparative Critique812 Words   |  4 PagesSeptember 27, 2011 Comparative Critique Draft of â€Å"My Problem with Her Anger† and â€Å"The Myth of Co-Parenting: How It Was Supposed to Be. How It Was† In the articles â€Å"My Problem with Her Anger† and The Myth of Co-Parenting: How It Was Supposed to Be. How It Was,† authors Eric Bartels, feature writer for the Portland Tribune in Portland, Oregon, and Hope Edelman, nonfictional writer whose work has appeared in the New York Times, Chicago Tribune, and Seventeen magazine, discuss the roles they playRead MoreComparative Critique Of Comparative Capitalism1214 Words   |  5 PagesCASE STUDY #4: COMPARATIVE CAPITALISM Case Study #4: Comparative Capitalism Florence F. Messi St Thomas University Miami Gardens, Florida Abstract The Merriam-Wester dictionary defines capitalism as an economic system characterized by private or corporate ownership of capital goods, by investments that are determined by private decision, and by prices, production, and the distribution of goods that are determined mainly by competition in a free market. (2015). 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Storm Born Chapter Seven Free Essays

I couldn’t believe it when Wil told me he wanted to go too. Why did everyone suddenly want in on what was probably the most dangerous trip of a lifetime? I sure as hell didn’t want to go. Why did they? If only I could have given up my spot. We will write a custom essay sample on Storm Born Chapter Seven or any similar topic only for you Order Now â€Å"No,† I told him. â€Å"You’ll get yourself killed.† I sounded just like Roland now. â€Å"Yeah, but you said I wouldn’t actually go in body. Only my spirit would go.† â€Å"Doesn’t matter. The spirit is still your essence, still tied to your being and body. Someone does enough damage to it, then your body’s toast too.† He didn’t seem to care, which I found ironic for a guy who seemed to be so afraid of everything else. His final argument was that Jasmine would be scared and traumatized; his presence would comfort her in the face of being carted off by more strangers. He had a point, I supposed, but I warned him he would only be a reflection in that world, bearing little resemblance to his human self. She might not know him. Accepting this, he remained undaunted, and I decided if he wanted to get himself killed, that was his problem. So long as he didn’t drag me down in the process. I also made sure he paid me beforehand. Best not to take chances. When the appointed night came, I brought Tim with me. Since Wil would not be able to go physically, we’d need someone to watch his body. Tim treated it like going to summer camp, bringing a tent and a drum and everything. I told him he was an idiot, but he had grand plans for how he could later tell his groupies he went on a vision quest. The way he saw it, he would only be half-lying. I could have brought Roland and had a little less absurdity, but I didn’t trust him not to sneak in after me. So Tim it was. We drove outside of town, traveling winding roads that snaked through the desert. Wil waited for us in a secluded spot, away from some of the more public access areas. It was a beautiful night, with the stars and moon crisp in the sky and saguaros standing watch. There were a few other thin spots between the worlds I could have used, but I chose this one because I liked the privacy and because it was one of the strongest. I wanted to waste as little power as possible in the transition over, particularly since I’d have to work to bring Wil along. As it was, we had enough trouble even getting him into a trance. â€Å"Jesus,† I said irritably, watching him in the dim lighting, â€Å"how much coffee did you drink today?† He probably didn’t even drink coffee. Too many carcinogens or something. â€Å"I’m sorry.† He attempted to stay still. â€Å"I’m just so worried about her.† He lay on a blanket near our small campfire, the smell of burning sage hanging in the air. Tim sat back near the tent with his iPod, smart enough to leave me alone and do my job. With the way Wil kept twitching, I doubted anything short of Valium would calm him down. Not that that ultimately would have done us any good. â€Å"Are there coyotes out here?† he demanded. â€Å"Some have been known to attack humans. Even with a fire. They could have rabies. And snakes – â€Å" â€Å"Wil! You’re wasting our time here. If you can’t calm down soon, I’m going without you.† Already the crescent moon had reached its zenith; I didn’t want to transition too long after its descent. At my wits’ end, I produced the pendulum and hung it before Wil’s face. I didn’t really go for hypnosis, but I’d had good results with it in the past for clients needing soul retrieval. Hoping it would work on him, I began walking him through the stages of unconsciousness. It worked. Or maybe just my threat to leave him behind did. Finally, I saw him fall into a waking sleep, the perfect time for his soul to loosen from his body. Holding out my wand, I drew his spirit to me so it clung like static, felt but not seen. Then, relaxing my own consciousness, I let my mind expand and touch the walls of this world, pushing its limits into the Otherworld as far as I could go. As I expanded out, I held on to an awareness of my body, working hard to bring it over in its entirety. Unlike so many others, I was even strong enough to bring other material things – my clothes, my weapons. At first nothing seemed to happen, then the landscape around me shimmered, almost like we were trapped in a heat mirage. My senses blurred, making me feel disoriented, and then my surroundings clarified. I found myself breathless, a wave of dizziness sweeping me. The effects passed quickly. I was pretty good at crossing worlds. â€Å"Oh my God,† breathed a voice that sounded vaguely like Wil’s. Looking to my side, I saw his Otherworldly representation. Not even powerful enough to come over in elemental form, he appeared beside me much like any spirit in my own world would have: vague shape, translucent, and smoky. â€Å"You did it. You really brought us over.† â€Å"Hey, I live to serve.† â€Å"Actually, mistress, that is our job.† I turned around and tried to hide my surprise. My minions stood before me but not as I knew them in the human world. In this world, the Otherworld, they were more corporeal, appearing in their natural forms and not as a projected sending. Nandi stood tall and rigid, a black woman in her mid-forties. Her face had hard lines and angles, beautiful in a regal and hawklike way. Iron-gray waves of hair framed a face as bleak and expressionless as her spirit version’s. As for Finn, I’d expected him to be small and spritelike. He, however, was almost as tall as me with shining, sun-bright hair that stuck up at odd angles. Freckles covered his face, and the grin he showed me mirrored the amusement I usually saw when we were together in my plane. Volusian looked the same as always. I didn’t exactly know what to say, seeing them like this. It was kind of startling. They watched me silently, waiting for orders. I cleared my throat, trying to appear haughty. â€Å"All right, let’s get this moving. Who knows the way to this guy’s place?† They all did, as it turned out. We stood at a crossroads, mirroring the one we’d left in my world. The country around us was beautiful, warm and balmy in the evening twilight, pleasant in a different way from Tucson. Cherry trees in full bloom lined the roads, shedding pink-white petals to the ground as the breeze rustled their leaves. â€Å"We stand in the Rowan Land, mistress,† explained Nandi flatly. â€Å"If we follow this road, we will eventually reach the part of the Alder Land where King Aeson lives.† I glanced at the road. â€Å"What, no yellow bricks?† Nandi didn’t get the joke. â€Å"No. The path is dirt. The journey will be long and must be taken on foot. Likely you will find it tedious and wearying, plunging you into misery and making you wish you had never set out on this quest.† â€Å"Quite the endorsement.† She stared at me, puzzled. â€Å"It was not an endorsement, mistress.† We set out, and I discovered in about five minutes that conversation with this group was pointless. So instead I focused on studying my surroundings, like any good soldier would. I had crossed over in body a few times, but I had never stayed long. Most of my jaunts had been to chase down wayward spirits. I’d always jumped in, done my duty, and jumped out. With such beauty, it seemed incredible the residents here would want to keep sneaking over to my world. Birds sang a farewell to the setting sun. The landscapes we passed were gorgeous and exquisitely colored, like a real-life Thomas Kinkade painting. It almost looked unreal, like Technicolor gone crazy. There was also magic here. Strong magic. It permeated the air, every blossom, every blade of grass. It set my hairs on end. I didn’t like magic, not this kind, not the magic that filled living things. That was a gentry thing. Humans had no magic within them. We took it from the world with tools and charms; it was not inborn with us. Feeling it so heavy in the air unnerved me, almost making it hard for me to breathe. Suddenly we crossed an invisible line, and cold wind blasted against my skin. Snow lay in drifts along the side of the road – which stayed miraculously uncovered – and icicles hung daintily on the trees like Christmas ornaments. â€Å"What the hell happened?† I exclaimed. â€Å"The Willow Land,† said Finn. â€Å"It’s winter right now. Here, I mean.† I glanced behind us. A chilly, white landscape stretched back as far as the eye could see, no cherry trees in sight. I wrapped my arms around my body. â€Å"Do we have to go this way? It’s freezing.† â€Å"You are the only who is cold, mistress,† noted Volusian. â€Å"Yeah,† said Wil brightly. â€Å"I can’t feel anything. How cool is that? I bet those boots of yours won’t protect you from hypothermia.† I rolled my eyes. Stupid spirits. All of them. Alive or otherwise. â€Å"How much farther through here?† â€Å"Longer if we keep standing around,† said Volusian. Sighing, I trudged along, pulling my coat tighter. I wore my usual one, the olive-green moleskin that went to my knees. I had put it on mainly to cover the arsenal underneath, and it had seemed too warm back in Tucson. Now it felt ridiculously thin. Teeth chattering, I followed the spirits, focusing mainly on putting one foot in front of the other. In only a short while, we crossed another unseen boundary, and thick humidity slammed down on me, much like my sauna. Heat boiled around us, and this time I took off my jacket. In the fading light, deep green leaves rustled together, and cicadas sang in the trees. The flowers here were different than the delicate ones in the Rowan Land. These had richer, deeper colors, and their perfume was cloying. The minions informed me we’d crossed into the Alder Land. I cheered up, happy to find it wasn’t winter here and that we were so near our goal. Until we crossed back into the pink-treed valleys of the Rowan Land. â€Å"What’s this? Are we going in circles?† â€Å"No, mistress,† said Nandi. â€Å"This is the way to King Aeson’s.† â€Å"But we just came out of the Alder Land. We need to turn around.† â€Å"Not unless you want to take days to get there. Your friend’s body wouldn’t survive that long.† Volusian inclined his head toward Wil’s ethereal form. â€Å"That doesn’t make any sense.† â€Å"The Otherworld doesn’t lie like yours,† explained Finn. â€Å"It’s hard to notice if you haven’t been here a lot. It’s more obvious when physical. The land folds in on itself, and sometimes what seems longer is shorter. And what’s shorter is longer. We’ve got to cut back through here to get to Aeson’s. Weird, but there you have it.† â€Å"It sounds like a wormhole,† I muttered as I walked again. â€Å"Worms do not travel this way,† said Nandi. I tried explaining what a wormhole was, how some physicists theorized space could wrinkle and fold, making it possible to travel through those folds and end up on the other side more quickly. As soon as I reached the word â€Å"physicist,† I gave up, realizing I fought a losing battle. We soon crossed into the Oak Land, a breathtaking landscape of fiery orange trees and scattered leaves, enhanced by the burning orange sunset. Here, it apparently was autumn. I swore I could smell wood smoke and cider on the wind. Something else also caught my attention. â€Å"Hey!† I stopped and stared off into the trees. I had just seen a sleek orange form dart by, its white-tipped tail flaring behind it. â€Å"It was that fox again. I swear it was.† â€Å"What fox?† asked Finn. â€Å"I don’t see anything.† â€Å"Neither did I,† added Wil. â€Å"My mistress has gone mad at last,† Nandi said on a sigh. â€Å"Long before this,† muttered Volusian. â€Å"There was a fox watching me back in my world†¦and now I just saw another one.† â€Å"The Otherworld has animals just like yours does,† said Finn. â€Å"It’s probably coincidence.† â€Å"But what if it’s not?† â€Å"Well, it could be a spirit fox. Was it really big? Sometimes they’re – â€Å" Volusian cried a warning just before the horses came crashing through the trees. I had my gun and athame out in a flash, firing without hesitation at the first assailant I saw. There were twelve of them, men and women, some armored and some not. Their clothing looked like something you might get if the cast from Lord of the Rings went to a rave. All of them rode horses. Charmingly archaic. The man I shot screamed. Steel bullets and gentry flesh don’t mix so well. Unfortunately, he had shifted position at the last minute, so I only took him in the arm. In my periphery, I saw Volusian flare with blue light; I hoped he was fighting on my side. One of the riders bore down on me with a copper sword alight with magic. My iron athame caught it, and we stood locked there for a moment. Iron, the emblem of technology, fought back against the metal it had supplanted, but in the end his magic was stronger. There was simply more of it, and the wielder had more brute force. He pushed me backward, and I stumbled into someone one of my minions must have unseated. In one fluid motion, I regained my balance and slashed at the man with my athame. Blood gleamed through his shirt, and then I clocked him in the head. He staggered, and then another hit took him down. Another rider came at me. I fired, and she jerked backward as the bullet hit her in the chest. Underneath her shirt, I saw leather armor and wondered how much that would have softened the blow. I took aim at another rider, and then a sharp female voice called out to me. â€Å"Stop, human. Unless you want your friend to die.† Glancing over, I saw a tall woman with long black hair worn in two braids. She inclined her head toward a young man whose arm extended gracefully outward. Above the palm of that hand, Wil’s spirit floated. A golden, viscous glow encased him, giving him the appearance of an insect stuck in amber. I had no clue what kind of magic it was, but I knew he was trapped. And at risk. Damn it. This was exactly the reason I hadn’t wanted him along. He had indeed succeeded in getting both of us killed. I glanced around. Seven of the riders were injured, unconscious, or possibly dead. Not bad for the four of us, I thought, as I assessed our odds of taking out the last five. My gun was still trained on my target. The woman gave me a thin smile as though reading my mind. â€Å"You could kill him, but your friend would be dead before your next eye blink. As would you.† â€Å"What’s it matter? You’ll just kill us both anyway. At least this way I’ll take company to the next world.† A new voice spoke: â€Å"No one’s sending you to the next world. Not yet anyway.† One of the unhorsed riders clambered to his feet. Presumably one of my spirits had fought him, because I didn’t recognize him. Yet†¦something about him struck me as vaguely familiar. White-blond hair hung to his shoulders, and ice blue eyes studied me carefully. He approached slowly, a sly smile spreading over his face the closer he got. I didn’t know who he was and wondered what tactical advantage I’d gain or lose by turning the gun on him instead. Was he the bigger threat? When he was only a couple feet away, his face lit up, and he lost himself to great, booming laughs. â€Å"I don’t believe this. I don’t believe this! The mouse has walked right up to the cat. Unbelievable.† The black-haired woman fixed him with an irritated glare. â€Å"What are you rambling on about now, Rurik?† He could barely contain himself. â€Å"Do you know who this is? This is the Dark Swan herself. Eugenie Markham, right at our doorstep.† I flinched at the use of my given name, though I knew it shouldn’t surprise me anymore. â€Å"By the gods, I never expected this. I fought her only a week ago, and now here she comes, offering herself to me.† â€Å"If you consider me shoving my gun down your throat offering, then yeah, I suppose I am.† I eyed him curiously, and then I knew. â€Å"It was you. You’re the ice elemental from the hotel.† He sketched me a bow. â€Å"And now I’ll finish what I started. Happily, even. The sight of your naked body has haunted my dreams for many a night.† â€Å"Yeah? The only thing I remember about you is how easy it was to kick your ass.† Rurik grinned. â€Å"You’ll remember a lot more before I’m done.† Behind him, a few of the other men regarded me with renewed interest. I felt myself go rigid, despite my bold words. The black-haired woman eyed Rurik distastefully. â€Å"If you think I’ll let you give in to your†¦perversions here, you’re wrong. You’re as bad as them.† â€Å"Stop being so prim, Shaya. You know who she is.† â€Å"It doesn’t matter. You can have her later if the king says so, but you’re not doing anything while we’re on patrol. My patrol.† I didn’t quite take that as female solidarity, but it was better than nothing. I’d come expecting a grisly death, not a gentry gang bang. Wil might be a lost cause, but if I fired on one of the guys, my minions could probably do serious damage to the others. I tensed, ready to fire. â€Å"Stop,† Volusian suddenly said, moving forward. â€Å"Don’t touch her.† â€Å"We don’t take orders from you,† replied Shaya. Volusian was unfazed. â€Å"No, but you do take orders from your king, and my mistress has business with him.† I saw the men freeze. So did I. Business with their king? Ah, right. We were in the Oak Land where Dorian ruled, the king Volusian had originally wanted me to see. Suddenly I wondered if this winding way we’d taken had been a ploy of his to get us to Dorian after all. If so, I wondered if he’d imagined capture as part of the plan. Shaya regarded me coolly. â€Å"King Dorian has no business with her.† A few of the men looked like they doubted this, and I jumped on it, as well as what Volusian had said about Dorian earlier. â€Å"Are you so sure?† I smiled, portraying the same smug confidence I used with the minions, even as my heart pounded in my chest. Too many eyes on me. It was like public speaking. â€Å"I’ve come a long way to talk to him. How do you think he’ll react if he finds out you’ve killed me before I’ve delivered my message?† â€Å"Tell me your message,† she said impatiently. â€Å"I talk only to him. Alone. I don’t really think he’d like you getting the gossip before he did. Or not getting it at all if you kill me.† â€Å"We won’t kill you,† said Rurik cheerfully. â€Å"We have plenty of other things we can do. You’ll still get to the king†¦eventually.† Volusian fixed his red eyes on Rurik. â€Å"And how do you think Dorian will feel when he learns you’ve been at her before him? The king’s tastes are quite†¦particular.† In another situation, I would have decked Volusian. Whose side was he on anyway? Stupid question, I realized a moment later. He was on his own side. As always. The gentry all appeared put out. They looked like they really wanted to kill someone. The woman verified as much. â€Å"They’ve killed our people. We cannot let that go unpunished.† One of the other female riders strode forward. â€Å"No, actually. Everyone’s still alive. Some just barely†¦but if we can get a healer out here fast enough, they’ll live.† All alive? So much for Team Eugenie. I’d known gentry were stronger in their own world, but this†¦It didn’t bode well for our gallant attack on Aeson and his people. Next time I’d aim for the face. I doubted they’d come back from that. â€Å"Let’s kill the weak human anyway,† suggested one of the others, â€Å"just for fun. We can still bring her to the king.† â€Å"The king’s going to offer me hospitality,† I informed them, still talking out of my ass, â€Å"for my whole group. He’ll be pissed if you kill one of them. It’ll make him look bad.† I was lying, and Shaya looked like she knew it. â€Å"You seem very sure of yourself, Odile, but I’m less convinced.† The other woman crossed her arms. â€Å"We have to get a healer. We need to go back for help now.† Shaya thought about this and then gave a sharp nod. She delegated people to stay with the wounded and others to escort my party back. Before she did, she ordered me disarmed. Rurik made a great show of this, touching me a lot more than was really necessary as he took away the athames – handle first, of course – and wand. When he wrapped his fingers around the butt of the gun, a look of shock crossed his face and he recoiled. â€Å"Damn it!† he swore, cradling his hand. â€Å"It’s†¦I don’t know what it is. But it doesn’t feel†¦right.† I smiled sweetly. Thank God for polymers. Almost as effective as iron. The commanding woman’s eyes flashed. â€Å"Someone take it from her.† No one moved. â€Å"All right, then, one of you spirits. You take it.† My minions didn’t move. â€Å"They don’t take orders from you,† I said, parodying her earlier words. â€Å"They do from you. Order one of them to do it now, or I will have the life squeezed out of your friend, regardless of King Dorian’s anger.† I studied her, trying to decide if she bluffed. Wil suddenly made a piteous sound as the golden aura around him tightened. God, I hoped Volusian was right about this Dorian ridiculousness. â€Å"Nandi,† I said simply. She strode forward and removed the gun from me. One of the riders offered up a cape so she could bundle it up. When it looked like a smothered baby, he reluctantly took it. As for me, I was hoisted onto Rurik’s horse for the trip back to Dorian’s. The spirits needed no such transportation. He wrapped his arms around me, ostensibly to reach the reins, but I was pretty sure he didn’t need to touch my breasts to do it. His hold tightened. â€Å"I wouldn’t want you to fall off,† he explained. â€Å"I’m going to cut your balls off the first chance I get,† I informed him. â€Å"Ah,† he laughed, urging the horse into motion. â€Å"I can’t wait for you to meet the king. He’s going to love you.† How to cite Storm Born Chapter Seven, Essay examples

Muscular System Essay Example For Students

Muscular System Essay Do you think muscles are important? Do you have an idea of what they are made of? Well, here is some food for thought: your muscles make up forty percent of your body weight. If you like that interesting fact maybe you’ll learn some more. The muscular system has three main types of muscles. These are: smooth, skeletal and cardiac muscles. Your smooth muscles are what line most hollow organs and these are involuntary muscles. If you are wondering what involuntary muscles are, these muscles automatically move without having to think about it. Some examples of smooth muscles are your stomach, intestines and bladder. Skeletal muscles are muscles that are connected to your limbs and all of your other bones. These muscles are voluntary. Voluntary muscles are the direct opposite of involuntary muscles, meaning you have to think to move them. A few examples of skeletal muscles are your biceps, triceps and quadriceps. Cardiac muscles are like skeletal muscles, but like smooth muscles, they are controlled involuntarily. These muscles form the thick walls of the heart. An example of a cardiac muscle is your heart. Some functions of muscles are pushing, pulling and moving. Pushing and pulling take the same muscles. These muscles are your deltoids, triceps, biceps, and pectorals. Moving muscles are the ones that make your legs move to walk. These muscles are your quadriceps, satorius, tendons, gastrocnemius and your gluteus maximus. Your muscular system is directly related to the following systems: your respiratory system, digestive system, skeletal system, circulatory system, and excretory system. Your muscular system is related to the respiratory system, because when you breath you use muscles to expand your chest. The muscular system is related to the digestive system because when you digest your food in your stomach, the stomach is a smooth muscle. The muscular system is related to the skeletal system because of your skeletal muscles which cling to your bones and move them. The circulatory system is related to the muscular system because the main organ is the heart. The excretory system is related to the muscular system because your intestines are like your stomach, both being smooth muscles. The muscular system has lots of part as you have learned. I wish I could tell you more, but there are a lot of parts, more than I have mentioned. I hope you continue your interests about the muscles by reading other people’s reports. Thank you for reading!

A Review of Stolen Continents by Ronald Wright Essay Example

A Review of Stolen Continents by Ronald Wright Essay In Stolen Continents: The Americas Through Indian Eyes, 1992.(Boston: Houghton Mifflin, A Peter Davison Book) Ronald Wright explores the history of five different Native American groups, the Aztec, the Maya, the Inca, the Cherokee, and the Iroquois, from the time of the landing of Columbus in 1492 until the time the book was published in 1992. This book was written to correspond with the five hundredth anniversary of the arrival of Columbus in the New World.Ronald Wright is a trained historian and experienced travel writer who taught history in Britain and became bored with the European emphasis the curriculum required. He began to explore other areas of history and ultimately concentrated his work on the Native North, South, and Central Americans. In addition to Stolen Continents, Wright has written Cut Stones and Crosswords: A Journey in Peru, On Fiji Islands, Quechua Phrasebook (a phrasebook of the language used by the Incas), and Time Among the Mayas.The book is organized into th ree sections: Part One: Invasion, Part Two: Resistance, and Part Three: Rebirth. Within each section Wright includes one chapter for each of the five tribal groups. Maps of the Americas are included for each of the five areas Wright discusses. In addition, he provides extensive endnotes, an ample bibliography and a most useful guide to pronunciation that helps the reader attempt to pronounce names that are likely to be unfamiliar. Due to the limited space for this book review, the writer will focus solely on the chapters dealing with the Aztecs, but the chapters about the other tribal communities are equally interesting and important.Wrights main thesis is that the arrival of Columbus in the Americas is not a discovery as much as an invasion. Wright quotes Dehatkadons, a traditional chief of the Onondaga Iriquois, You cannot discover an inhabited land. Otherwise I could cross the Atlantic and discover America(Wright, 15). According to Wright, at the time the Europeans became aware o f the land they would call the Americas there were approximately 100 million Native Americans living throughout the Americas. To put this in perspective one must recognize that this number represents about 20 percent of the worlds population at that time. The British Isles had only 5 million people and Spain had about 8 million inhabitants. This number is equivalent to 1,310,770,385 compared to the world population today. By 1600 less than one tenth of the original population (10 million) existed. In todays terms 1,048,616,308 would be killed in a little more than one hundred years. (Wright, 4, 11, 14).In the first section Wright discusses the arrival of Europeans among the Aztecs. He first writes about the Aztecs and their ultimate defeat by Cortà ©s. The city now known as Mexico City was the heart of the Aztec Empire. According to Wright the city was far more advanced than Spain. It contained buildings painted with bright colorful murals. There were schools and shops. The city wa s clean. Wastes were removed and composted to be used as fertilizer. The streets were swept and washed each day. The people bathed daily, unlike the Europeans who made a point of being filthy   (Wright, 21). Despite this more advanced civilization and superior numbers the Spanish were able to conquer the Aztecs in 1521 just 29 years after the initial arrival of Columbus.In Part Two: Resistance, Wright explains the occupation of the Aztec lands for 300 years until Mexico achieved independence in 1810. Shortly after conquering the Aztec people Cortà ©s invited Franciscan missionaries to come to New Spain and conquer the people religiously. Until that time, the Aztecs practiced their native religion openly but without the human sacrifice. Their religion was not absolutist like Christianity. The Aztec gods did not claim to be the only gods. It is likely the Aztecs would have added the Christian gods to their belief system, but they were not willing to give up their old gods. This pos ition was unsatisfactory to the Franciscans who sought to destroy the culture and rebuild it more in line with European culture. Oddly enough the Aztec priests challenged the Franciscans to a debate. The event was recorded in the Aztec language and was sent to the Vatican where it lay in storage for four hundred years. Wright provides a translation of some of the debate. In the translation, the Aztec priests are remarkably scholarly, polite and eloquent speakers (Wright, 145-148). Unable to convince the Aztecs by debating the Franciscans turned to violence. They drove the Aztec priests from their temples and they converted thousands with mass baptisms. Consequently, the Aztec people were divided into two groups: those who genuinely converted to Christianity and those who worshipped their traditional gods secretly. A number of those who were discovered participating in the old religion were burned alive. In 1550 King Charles V ordered that all Indians in Mexico learn to speak Castili an. In the 1570s all work in the native language Nahuatl was forbidden. Ove rtime each culture influenced the other. Ultimately the growing together of old and new beliefs would provide a synthesis that allowed the Franciscans to believe that had won and still allowed the Aztecs to believe their culture would survive. (Wright, 148-150).In part three, Wright discusses the rebirth of the Native American cultures. For the Aztecs their syncretic resistance that allowed them to survive did away with much of their original culture. It is difficult to determine if there are any pure Aztecs today. The definition of what constitutes a real Aztec is often one of semantics. Gaining independence in 1812 did not bring about a return to the tribal communities of the Native Americans. During the next one hundred years Mexico would suffer under the rule of dictators, become a part of France under the Austrian Duke Maximilian who had been appointed by Napoleon, fight a war with the United States onl y to see a good portion of their northern land taken from them and annexed by the United States, and numerous rebel attempts to assume control of the government. Throughout the twentieth century there was a great influx of aggressive European migrants fleeing Franco, Hitler and Stalin (Wright, 241-252). This led to intermarriages and a further dilution of the Aztec blood. Appearing to reduce the possibility of the Aztecs reestablishing themselves as a tribal community. There are positive signs however. Archeological discoveries are revealing much of their previously lost history. It appears unlikely that a pure Aztec tribe will ever reestablish itself. The Aztecs have compromised and adjusted to change for more than 500 years. They will continue to survive but into a metamorphosed people.In conclusion, Wrights book was an interesting treatment of the Native Americans. It is disturbing to anyone living in the Americas who has been taught history from the Euro-American victors viewpoi nt. Wright points out that unlike the colonies in Africa and Asia, but like Australia, the colonizers left the colony and returned to the motherland. Although this writer knew that the settlers killed many Indians, he had no idea that so many Native Americans were killed. The writer had no idea how sophisticated the Native Americans lives were prior to the arrival of the Europeans. Assuming Wrights numbers are correct, the genocide committed in the European settlement of the Americas totals 90 million people. These are staggering numbers equaling more than eight times the number of Jews tragically killed by Nazis in World War II. Although the information Wright reveals is often tragic, he does not appear to have an axe to grind. He is not embittered. His point of view is surprisingly neutral considering he was writing about the Native Americans when he is British. This book is highly recommended and is an important book that should be read.

How to Prepare for the CCNA Exam

How to Prepare for the CCNA Exam Cited consistently by recruiters and hiring managers as one of the most sought-after certifications in the IT industry, the CCNA is one of the most valuable certifications you can have on your resume. Moreover, it’s required for most higher-level Cisco certifications like the CCNP and CCDP (and, by extension, the CCIE). Earning the CCNA demonstrates that you have the ability to configure and support a range of Cisco network devices, along with a strong general knowledge of networking, network security, and wireless networking- all of which are required to support the modern enterprise network. But before you can become a CCNA, you need to pass Cisco exam 640-802 (or, alternately, exams 640-822 and 640-816 together), which is required in order to earn the certification. The CCNA exam is challenging, and passing it definitely requires a lot of work and effort. But with the right focus and preparation, passing the CCNA exam is an achievable goal. To get you started, here are some tips to use in preparing for your CCNA examination. Set a Course of Study The first order of business should be to set the direction for your individual study. Cisco offers a syllabus for the CCNA certification, with a list of topics that are covered. Review this list, print it out and post it, and use it as your guide in crafting your personal course of study. Remember- if its not on the syllabus, its not on the exam, so limit your studies to the topics that Cisco highlights. Identify Your Weaknesses A good next step is to identify those areas where you’re weakest (hint: try a practice exam to help identify those areas)  and make them the focus of your study and practice. Highlight those areas, and set a specific goal towards gaining a good understanding of each. Don’t necessarily neglect your areas of strength completely (you don’t want to forget what you’ve already learned!), but by turning your weaknesses into strengths you can dramatically increase your chances of passing the CCNA exam. Make Time for Study The CCNA isn’t an easy exam to pass, and it covers a lot of ground. And, like any technical discipline, if you don’t work at it on a consistent basis, your knowledge and skills will fade. Set aside a consistent, regular time for study, and make sure that you keep to it. Granted, it can be hard to keep this time blocked out, especially with all of the daily responsibilities and distractions that we all deal with. But the key to passing the CCNA is frequent and consistent study and practice, so it’s critical that you set this time aside, limit your distractions, and stick to the task at hand. Focus on the Details It’s not enough to know the theory behind the concepts presented in the CCNA curriculum. To successfully pass the CCNA exam, you need to how to complete tasks and understand how things get done in the world of Cisco. That’s an important point  because general networking concepts and the way Cisco does things are not always the same- so it’s important to understand the details and specific methods and procedures for implementing different networking technologies, within the Cisco environment. Get Access to Gear This point cant be stressed enough. A big portion of the CCNA exam consists of completing tasks on simulated routers and switches, just as you’ll do them in real life. That’s why it’s critical that you get practice time (preferably a lot of it) on Cisco equipment  so that you can implement what you study within the actual Cisco IOS environment. You can buy or rent pre-configured sets of actual Cisco routers and switches that contain all of the equipment you’ll need to practice for the exam, and these sets are not as expensive as you might think. Also, there are also some excellent simulators out there, that let you configure virtual routers and switches from your personal computer. Take a look at Packet Tracer, which is an excellent tool available from the Cisco Academy, and Graphical Network Simulator 3 (GNS3), which is a free open-source tool that provides a simulated Cisco IOS environment (you can also use it to simulate the Juniper JunOS platform as well). Practice All of the Topics on the Exam, Firsthand Once your practice environment is up and running, make sure you take full advantage of it and practice implementing every protocol and configuration possible, so that you can see how everything works on the actual gear. Remember, things in real life don’t always work the same as they do on paper, and just because a book or guide tells you that a given configuration will produce a given result, nothing beats seeing it for yourself, especially on those (hopefully rare) occasions when the books get it wrong. The key to passing the CCNA exam is preparation  and lots of it. To pass the test, you’ll need to understand networking theory, facts, and practice, and be able to readily utilize the Cisco IOS interface, including specific commands and syntax. But, if you take the time to truly learn the material and get to know your way around Cisco routers and switches beforehand, you should find the test relatively easy to pass.

Are cloud storage solutions irrelevant for a large organisation of Essay

Are cloud storage solutions irrelevant for a large organisation of 1,500 staff - Essay Example Among these technology products and services, Information Technology (IT) forms a key part, with organisations, irrespective of the sector they are operating, have been incorporating IT in a strong manner, by having a separate IT infrastructure inside the organisation. Although, in-house IT infrastructure is the norm in many large organisations, due to advent of advancing technology services like Cloud Computing and their resultant benefits, virtual IT infrastructure are being considered and also favoured. That is, to complement the in-house infrastructure and even also to maximally replace it, Cloud Computing is being utilized. As this service appears to be a cost-effective, secure, quality enriched, operational effective, etc., it is being used by varied organisations from large ones to the small ones. Thus, the discussion will be on how these Cloud computing solutions can be relevant to a large organisation of 1500 staffs. Cloud computing is the term given to the web-based virtual computer structure, which can host data, softwares as well as other applications, with the organisational employees accessing and utilizing it without the need for the organisation to have an in-house IT structure. â€Å"Cloud computing encompasses any subscription-based or pay-per-use service that, in real time over the Internet, extends ITs existing capabilities by increasing capacity or by adding capabilities on the fly without investing in new infrastructure, training new personnel, or licensing new software.† (Knorr and Gruman 2010).The Cloud architecture that is needed for delivering Cloud Computing to an organisation consist of various hardwares as well as softwares, and these cloud components are categorized as front end and back end. The front end will be set up in the organisation, and includes employees’ computer, servers and the other applications that run in the computer particularly web browser.

W8 Exemption PT2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

W8 Exemption PT2 - Essay Example As such, it is crucial for one to understand the exact job that they would like to pursue and that is in line with their interests. Any person who wishes to pursue a lucrative career in this field has no alternative other than majoring in business management. It is both profitable and rewarding in so far as career fulfillment is concerned (Cronje & Du Toit, 2004). As a person with an undergraduate degree in business management, I am firmly convinced that the groundwork for my career in business management has been done. Consequently, it all falls back to me to pursue additional strategies that will guide my career paths within companies so that I can advance and move further upwards on the corporate ladder. In addition, this degree has offered me substantial knowledge and skills on starting, operating and running my own business portfolio. Essentially, there are several other dimensions I can choose to utilize the skills so far acquired in my undergraduate studies. This factor is rei nforced by the fact that management skills are needed virtually in all professions. For instance, engineering or healthcare sectors require a manager to run the day-to-day activities of their organizations. In general, professional engagement in business management equips one with skills of marketing and sales, interpersonal skills, co-ordination, personal relations, budget and finance, and security. In this vein, a student in this career must learn or enhance their qualities in aspects such as planning, organizing, leadership, communication, policy making and formulation, and staffing (Needle, 2010). Based on my experience in undergraduate studies, it is undeniable that a career in business calls for diligence and sufficient period of preparation. It demands specialized training for effective mastery of the various conditions that characterize the world of business. This training is offered in various universities through regular degree programs. In addition to the undergraduate de gree, a significant proportion of the graduates opt for an associate degree that takes a maximum of two years. This extra degree enhances their chances of joining the field of business management easily. However, there are other critical training programs offered by private organizations in this particular field. This is to simply imply that training grounds or avenues for business management are readily available. Whereas such training programs provide a quicker means for someone to venture into professional management fields, it is those who have gone through universities that are regarded as having an upper hand in terms of credibility (Magdaline, Place, & Baratz, 1998). My experience in the business management course has taught me a number of lessons, some of which are far-fetched from professional engagement. For instance, I have realized that any person who wishes to succeed in any profession must be willing to spend considerable time learning. In addition, just the same way b usiness studies have a branch referred to as business ethics, work life equally demands for solid work ethics. Several businesses are rolled out every year with the hope of clinching the most coveted top market positions. Unfortunately, not all of these entities manage to attain their goals. The big question that then begs for answers is what differentiates successful and unsuccessful businesses. According to findings

The Life and Works of S.E. Hinton Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Life and Works of S.E. Hinton - Essay Example S.E. Hinton boasts of seven bestselling novels (The Outsiders (1967), That Was Then, This Is Now (1971), Rumble Fish (1975), Tex (1979), Taming the Star Runner (1988), Puppy Sister (1995) and Hawkes Harbor (2004)), three classified as omnibus of novels (Outsiders / Rumble Fish / That Was Then, This Is Now (1995), An S.E. Hinton Collection (2001), and Some of Tim's Stories (2007)), one picture book (Big David, Little David (1995)), and one upcoming omnibus of a novel Some of Tim’s Stories in paperback which consists of â€Å"fourteen original stories depicting adults trapped in lives of missed connections and opportunities†. From among her seven novels, four were made into movies depicting the appeal of their themes to the masses. Most of her themes center on loyalty, transformation accorded through age, identity search, and abandonment. She was able to depict real-life situations written in the point of view of the audience in context. Peck averred in his book review wr itten in New York Times, â€Å"The Outsiders† shocked readers with its frank depictions of adolescent smoking, drinking and â€Å"rumbling†. Although other pop culture offerings had dealt with themes – most notably â€Å"Rebel Without a Cause† and â€Å"West Side Story† – their intended audience was an adult. By contrast, â€Å"The Outsiders† was a story â€Å"for teenagers, about teenagers, written by a teenager†. (Peck par. 1). However, the success of The Outsiders was measured by Hinton in terms of its ability to bring back the joys of reading to children.

How Starbucks Can Reduce Risks Marketing Essay

How Starbucks Can Reduce Risks Marketing Essay Multi National Companies go through severe research process before enlarging their business activities to other countries. By opting the appropriate mode of entry to international market companies can capture the market easily and reduce the risk associated with it. Starbucks, being one of the largest coffee shop in the world has opted Joint ventures, licensing and wholly owned subsidiaries to expand their business globally. They started expanding their activities in 1996 by entering through Joint ventures in Japan and through wholly owned subsidiary in Canada followed by Southeast Asia, Europe and Middle east. These strategies along with product innovations are the main reason for the success of Starbucks coffee globally. They have modified their product line up and offer 30 blends of coffee, bottled Starbucks Frappuccino, Green Tea Frappuccino, curry puffs, meat buns, sandwiches and salads to meet the needs and requirements of the consumers in particular market. Starbucks have opted a better and efficient way to expand their international activities. They expanded their business activities through Joint ventures in huge market of Japan, Greece and other big countries where as they have owned subsidiaries in some of the low risk countries like Canada and Ireland. They have also expanded their activities through licensing in countries like Malaysia and New Zealand. Starbucks studies the market first and then open few stores at trendy places. After successful marketing test and training of brew masters, it also ensures that similar coffee beverages and No Smoking rules are applied all over. They have been growing rapidly from 17 stores in Seattle to 19,972 stores worldwide mainly attracting youngsters. Their expenses on marketing is very less as they mainly rely on word of mouth advertising. They have come up with different kind of services like Starbucks Express, Automated espresso machines, and self service for their customers, which are also the reason for their huge success worldwide. Sources: International Management, Managing Across Borders and Cultures, Sixth Edition, Helen Deresky, ISBN: 0-13-614326 Careful analysis and management of risks not only mitigate losses but also provide superior returns. In the light of this statement do you think Starbucks did not analyze and manage the risks involved in the different markets it entered? Yes, I believe that Starbucks did not analyze and manage the risk involved while operating in different markets. They have mainly focused on increasing the number of stores worldwide to achieve market dominance but ignored the fact that most of their stores are running in losses. They are facing many challenges in US and overseas market by their competitors like Nestle, Tim Hortons and Dunkin Donuts. Starbucks is facing many internal and external issues like change in economic conditions, change in taste and preferences of customers, huge competition, high business development costs, etc. They also have been facing several problems due to economic crisis in several countries and had serious political problems in Middle East, which led in closure of their several stores in Iraq and Israel. Starbucks mainly focused on its expansion and ignored the competitors around them. They are facing stiff competition in Germany and France from local coffee shops. Their prices were high as compared to the local shops offering the same taste of coffee. It is right that they have come up with different range of products for different markets but failed to come up with appropriate strategies for same market. They were not able to analyze properly the opportunities and threats available in a particular market and failed to relate them with their strengths and weaknesses. They lacked product differentiation from competitors thus were not able to capture the target market. Political, Environmental, Social and Technological factors had also its impact on Starbucks internal business activities. Thus I feel, Starbucks could have done better with their expansion strategy If they would have focused on SWOT analysis and PEST factors influencing their business activities. They have to do immense research on market growth and market share of their future projects and opt for the beast available option. Sources: International Management, Managing Across Borders and Cultures, Sixth Edition, Helen Deresky, ISBN: 0-13-614326 Question 3 A company faces diverse set of risks in international markets. What were the risks faced by Starbucks in its international operations? Explain how Starbucks can reduce risks in its international business. Companies operating on international level faces several risks while doing business. Starbucks, being one of the largest chain of coffee shop is also facing several problems in home as well as in abroad. Although Starbucks has expanded enormously during its earlier stage is facing now stiff competition from its competitors. They also have employees disappointment and are not able to provide satisfaction to them. Payments made to the employees does not match with the work load they have to suffer at work. Due to their aggressive marketing strategies they have grown their rivalry and lost potential customers. Japan, which was the largest overseas market for Starbucks followed by United Kingdom started facing decline in their profit rates. The main reason for the declining profit rate for Starbucks is due to mismatch of their policies with customers expectations. Starbucks thinks that they can increase their profit by increasing their stores day by day but they fail to provide customers satisfaction. Their prices are still high than of the competitors and they failed to satisfy the newer generation. According to me Starbucks have to adjust its policies and reposition its product line up according to the market in which they are dealing. They also have to come up with new and better line up for customers as their taste and preferences keeps on changing. Starbucks have to try to increase the level of employees satisfaction by increasing their salaries, providing initiatives, bonus and other allowances. They have to study the controllable and uncontrollable factors that they face while entering global market. Innovations and Investment are the key factors for them in the long run. Through study of PEST and SWOT analysis can be very effective in maintaining their leadership worldwide. Sources: International Management, Managing Across Borders and Cultures, Sixth Edition, Helen Deresky, ISBN: 0-13-614326

Genitourinary Disorder Alteration in Fluid Elimination UTI Essay

Genitourinary Disorder Alteration in Fluid Elimination UTI Introduction Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) is a bacterial infection that affects the various parts of the urinary system such as the urethra, bladder, ureters, and kidneys. In young children, this disease is common and potentially serious. Statistics show that approximately 1% of boys and 3-5% of girls are affected by UTI. While most cases of UTI in boys usually occur within the first year, the age at which the first case of UTI is diagnosed in girls varies greatly. There are many factors that predispose young children to UTI including vesicoureteral reflux (VUR), incomplete emptying of the bladder, sexual abuse, pinworms, and fecal incompetence (Berreman, 2002). Correct diagnosis of UTI is paramount in order to avoid prescribing the wrong medication. In addition, correct diagnosis is critical in developing effective management and care plans for the patient which would go a long way in improving patient outcomes. During diagnosis, various diagnostic methods are used and the patient’s medical history as well as signs and symptoms ought to be a central focus by the clinician. This is important because as opposed to the more clear symptoms in older children and adults, UTI symptoms tend to be less specific and thus hard to detect in young children and infants. In fact, fever may turn out to be the only sign pointing to the possible presence of UTI in infants. In this case study, a case of UTI in a four month old female is examined with a special focus on the medical history, signs and symptoms, diagnosis, etiology, treatment, and management and care of the patient. Medical history and physical assessment of the patient A female infant aged 4 months presents with chi... ...t should be taken. If they appear nontoxic, oral antibiotics and fluids can be used for treatment. However, for patients who appear toxic, parenteral antibiotics and intravenous fluids should be aggressively administered. Most patients with uncomplicated UTI respond well antibiotic treatments in outpatient care without further problems. However, patients with severe or chronic infections require close follow-up, imaging, and appropriate treatment to prevent further sequelae in the long term. If a patient’s condition responds well to therapy, repeated urinalysis and urine cultures are not necessary. Before choosing a particular empiric therapy, clinicians should be aware of antibiotic resistance due to previous exposure of some uropathogens to antibiotics such as in cases of otitis media (Fisher, Pediatric Urinary Tract Infection Treatment & Management, 2011).