Phenomenon :: essays research papers

John Travolta. Those two words used to send millions of women (and men) all around the world into a dancing frenzy back in the seventies. He could claim credit for the modern equivalent of the estrogen brigades (for the net crazy "X-philes") of Fox Mudler and Assistant Director Skinner. But nowadays, equipped with a paunch and that same disarming smile, he is proving himself to be more than a passing fever. Together with the great cast of this latest offering from the Disney studios, Travolta lifts "Phenomenon" (tele-kinetically, no less) above the mass of mediocre summer releases. For doubting thomases who thought his brilliant gun-slinging portrayal in "Pulp Fiction" was just "luck of the draw", his portrayal of a simpleton with nothing but heart should re-categorise Travolta from "comeback kid" to "talented actor"; he did not allow "Phenomenon" to degenerate into "Forrest Gump Part 2". The similarities are obvious: a nice, simple fellow earns the favour of Lady Luck and does extraordinary things. Yet, that's all there is. "Phenomenon" packs a higher reality-density than "Gump". Countless scenes in "Gump" had me trying to pull wool over my eyes just to stop myself from laughing at the sheer ludicrousness. Despite the fact that going to the movies is about the suspension of disbelief, it should never be equated with treating the audiences as hoards after hoards of idiots. George Malley (Travolta), on the other hand, comes across very naturally (and believably) as a small town simpleton who doesn't know what to make of his very strange birthday "present". One flash of light and he flips through calculus books in a flash. It's not heavenly intervention, but unleashing the possibility of what the mind is truly capable of. Yet, George quickly learns that he isn't capable of something: affecting what other people think. Small-town insecurities and parochialism soon turn once friends into dumber-than-simpleton fools; with the exception of three very well casted characters. Kyra Sedgwick plays Lace, George's love interest. The agony of having gone through the loss of her perfect family show through her smiles. Despite being intent on keeping George at arms' length, head-strong Lace falls in love with George, with no small help from her two precocious kids. Gerard Dipego's choice of the two kids as parallels and inversions of the adults' relationship is simply brilliant. It is the little girl who extends herself to George when Lace plays the silent, "I want to keep my life simple" girl.

By the River

The story of Harry Howdy living In a small country town and his growth Into a young man Is a ‘bloodcurdling'. That Is, It describes his coming of age, a process that moves children, sometimes quite roughly, into the adult world. The death of his mother and the loss of a dear childhood friend certainly force Harry to enter this adult world, as they teach him the importance of close and supporting relationships. Harry has to take on adult responsibilities earlier than expected after the loss of his mother to a fatal disease.Both he and his brother Keith, take over the housework â€Å"my rather and me shared the duties our mother left us† to help their father, who Is busy In full time employment, providing for the family. It is Harry and Keith who keep the household running by â€Å"cooking† and keeping â€Å"the bathroom shining like a medal†. Harry has to combine these adult responsibilities with the grief that he feels, not only with the death of his mother , but also the death of his close friend Linda Mahoney. Linda Mahoney was Harry close school friend and her support enabled him to cope with the death of his mother and the small mindedness of his town.She shared her levels, ambitions, and her delouses orange cake with Harry. â€Å"She held out an orange cake and a card† and â€Å"l sat in the shade, enjoying her dreams and the sound of her eager voice until she stopped, closed her book, look up at me and ask, ‘What do you want to be Harry? ‘ â€Å". This highlights Land's kindness to Harry and the way that she wants to encourage his dreams. When Linda drowned in a flood when Harry was 14, he grieved for her. From then on, Harry visited her memorial cross â€Å"so that our town had something worth remembering†, to tell her stories and to be close to her.He kept the area tidy In memory of Linda. Just like his father looked after his mother's memorial. His school friend, Johnny Barlow, also grieved Land's d eath. As the story in By the River progresses, Johnny Barlow became Harry close friend. This was despite the Barlow family having a bad reputation in town. The father â€Å"lines up empty beer bottles†; the eldest brother â€Å"received two years Jail, for beating up a businessman†, the other brother Wayne, â€Å"motorbikes, the pub and girls†. The youngest son Johnny suffered as a result of the poor reputation of his family.He'll turn up Like his brother, locked In Jail'. In Harry corning of age, his father teaches him to form his own opinions of people and not to rely on other people's misjudgment. While everyone in their town judges Johnny, Harry becomes friends with him. Harry discovers a ring on Linda Mahogany grave and learns that Johnny cared for Linda and that he is actually capable of emotionally hurting despite what some people might think, â€Å"she sat between us, remember? † Together they grieve for Linda and live through the judgment of the town.By the River' Is a powerful Illustration of the life of a young boy who grows up following the death of his mother and close friend Linda Mahoney. It provides vivid examples of the difficulties of living in a small country town. Through Harry experiences in assuming adult responsibilities, through his coping with grief and through his reassessment of people's characters, Harry transitions from childhood Into adulthood. In the beginning, Harry only wants to escape his town. Through his becoming of an adult, Harry realizes that, If he Is going to leave this

A Game of Thrones Chapter Fifty-two

Jon Othor,† announced Ser Jaremy Rykker, â€Å"beyond a doubt. And this one was Jafer Flowers.† He turned the corpse over with his foot, and the dead white face stared up at the overcast sky with blue, blue eyes. â€Å"They were Ben Stark's men, both of them.† My uncle's men, Jon thought numbly. He remembered how he'd pleaded to ride with them. Gods, I was such a green boy. If he had taken me, it might be me lying here . . . Jafer's right wrist ended in the ruin of torn flesh and splintered bone left by Ghost's jaws. His right hand was floating in a jar of vinegar back in Maester Aemon's tower. His left hand, still at the end of his arm, was as black as his cloak. â€Å"Gods have mercy,† the Old Bear muttered. He swung down from his garron, handing his reins to Jon. The morning was unnaturally warm; beads of sweat dotted the Lord Commander's broad forehead like dew on a melon. His horse was nervous, rolling her eyes, backing away from the dead men as far as her lead would allow. Jon led her off a few paces, fighting to keep her from bolting. The horses did not like the feel of this place. For that matter, neither did Jon. The dogs liked it least of all. Ghost had led the party here; the pack of hounds had been useless. When Bass the kennelmaster had tried to get them to take the scent from the severed hand, they had gone wild, yowling and barking, fighting to get away. Even now they were snarling and whimpering by turns, pulling at their leashes while Chett cursed them for curs. It is only a wood, Jon told himself, and they're only dead men. He had seen dead men before . . . Last night he had dreamt the Winterfell dream again. He was wandering the empty castle, searching for his father, descending into the crypts. Only this time the dream had gone further than before. In the dark he'd heard the scrape of stone on stone. When he turned he saw that the vaults were opening, one after the other. As the dead kings came stumbling from their cold black graves, Jon had woken in pitch-dark, his heart hammering. Even when Ghost leapt up on the bed to nuzzle at his face, he could not shake his deep sense of terror. He dared not go back to sleep. Instead he had climbed the Wall and walked, restless, until he saw the light of the dawn off to the cast. It was only a dream. I am a brother of the Night's Watch now, not a frightened boy. Samwell Tarly huddled beneath the trees, half-hidden behind the horses. His round fat face was the color of curdled milk. So far he had not lurched off to the woods to retch, but he had not so much as glanced at the dead men either. â€Å"I can't look,† he whispered miserably. â€Å"You have to look,† Jon told him, keeping his voice low so the others would not hear. â€Å"Maester Aemon sent you to be his eyes, didn't he? What good are eyes if they're shut?† â€Å"Yes, but . . . I'm such a coward, Jon.† Jon put a hand on Sam's shoulder. â€Å"We have a dozen rangers with us, and the dogs, even Ghost. No one will hurt you, Sam. Go ahead and look. The first look is the hardest.† Sam gave a tremulous nod, working up his courage with a visible effort. Slowly he swiveled his head. His eyes widened, but Jon held his arm so he could not turn away. â€Å"Ser Jaremy,† the Old Bear asked gruffly, â€Å"Ben Stark had six men with him when he rode from the Wall. Where are the others?† Ser Jaremy shook his head. â€Å"Would that I knew.† Plainly Mormont was not pleased with that answer. â€Å"Two of our brothers butchered almost within sight of the Wall, yet your rangers heard nothing, saw nothing. Is this what the Night's Watch has fallen to? Do we still sweep these woods?† â€Å"Yes, my lord, but—† â€Å"Do we still mount watches?† â€Å"We do, but—† â€Å"This man wears a hunting horn.† Mormont pointed at Othor. â€Å"Must I suppose that he died without sounding it? Or have your rangers all gone deaf as well as blind?† Ser Jaremy bristled, his face taut with anger. â€Å"No horn was blown, my lord, or my rangers would have heard it. I do not have sufficient men to mount as many patrols as I should like . . . and since Benjen was lost, we have stayed closer to the Wall than we were wont to do before, by your own command.† The Old Bear grunted. â€Å"Yes. Well. Be that as it may.† He made an impatient gesture. â€Å"Tell me how they died.† Squatting beside the dead man he had named Jafer Flowers, Ser Jaremy grasped his head by the scalp. The hair came out between his fingers, brittle as straw. The knight cursed and shoved at the face with the heel of his hand. A great gash in the side of the corpse's neck opened like a mouth, crusted with dried blood. Only a few ropes of pale tendon still attached the head to the neck. â€Å"This was done with an axe.† â€Å"Aye,† muttered Dywen, the old forester. â€Å"Belike the axe that Othor carried, m'lord.† Jon could feel his breakfast churning in his belly, but he pressed his lips together and made himself look at the second body. Othor had been a big ugly man, and he made a big ugly corpse. No axe was in evidence. Jon remembered Othor; he had been the one bellowing the bawdy song as the rangers rode out. His singing days were done. His flesh was blanched white as milk, everywhere but his hands. His hands were black like Jafer's. Blossoms of hard cracked blood decorated the mortal wounds that covered him like a rash, breast and groin and throat. Yet his eyes were still open. They stared up at the sky, blue as sapphires. Ser Jaremy stood. â€Å"The wildlings have axes too.† Mormont rounded on him. â€Å"So you believe this is Mance Rayder's work? This close to the Wall?† â€Å"Who else, my lord?† Jon could have told him. He knew, they all knew, yet no man of them would say the words. The Others are only a story, a tale to make children shiver. If they ever lived at all, they are gone eight thousand years. Even the thought made him feel foolish; he was a man grown now, a black brother of the Night's Watch, not the boy who'd once sat at Old Nan's feet with Bran and Robb and Arya. Yet Lord Commander Mormont gave a snort. â€Å"If Ben Stark had come under wildling attack a half day's ride from Castle Black, he would have returned for more men, chased the killers through all seven hells and brought me back their heads.† â€Å"Unless he was slain as well,† Ser Jaremy insisted. The words hurt, even now. It had been so long, it seemed folly to cling to the hope that Ben Stark was still alive, but Jon Snow was nothing if not stubborn. â€Å"It has been close on half a year since Benjen left us, my lord,† Ser Jaremy went on. â€Å"The forest is vast. The wildlings might have fallen on him anywhere. I'd wager these two were the last survivors of his party, on their way back to us . . . but the enemy caught them before they could reach the safety of the Wall. The corpses are still fresh, these men cannot have been dead more than a day . . . .† â€Å"No,† Samwell Tarly squeaked. Jon was startled. Sam's nervous, high-pitched voice was the last he would have expected to hear. The fat boy was frightened of the officers, and Ser Jaremy was not known for his patience. â€Å"I did not ask for your views, boy,† Rykker said coldly. â€Å"Let him speak, ser,† Jon blurted. Mormont's eyes flicked from Sam to Jon and back again. â€Å"If the lad has something to say, I'll hear him out. Come closer, boy. We can't see you behind those horses.† Sam edged past Jon and the garrons, sweating profusely. â€Å"My lord, it . . . it can't be a day or . . . look . . . the blood . . . â€Å" â€Å"Yes?† Mormont growled impatiently. â€Å"Blood, what of it?† â€Å"He soils his smallclothes at the sight of it,† Chett shouted out, and the rangers laughed. Sam mopped at the sweat on his brow. â€Å"You . . . you can see where Ghost . . . Jon's direwolf . . . you can see where he tore off that man's hand, and yet . . . the stump hasn't bled, look . . . † He waved a hand. â€Å"My father . . . L-lord Randyll, he, he made me watch him dress animals sometimes, when . . . after . . . † Sam shook his head from side to side, his chins quivering. Now that he had looked at the bodies, he could not seem to look away. â€Å"A fresh kill . . . the blood would still flow, my lords. Later . . . later it would be clotted, like a . . . a jelly, thick and . . . and . . . † He looked as though he was going to be sick. â€Å"This man . . . look at the wrist, it's all . . . crusty . . . dry . . . like . . . â€Å" Jon saw at once what Sam meant. He could see the torn veins in the dead man's wrist, iron worms in the pale flesh. His blood was a black dust. Yet Jaremy Rykker was unconvinced. â€Å"If they'd been dead much longer than a day, they'd be ripe by now, boy. They don't even smell.† Dywen, the gnarled old forester who liked to boast that he could smell snow coming on, sidled closer to the corpses and took a whiff. â€Å"Well, they're no pansy flowers, but . . . m'lord has the truth of it. There's no corpse stink.† â€Å"They . . . they aren't rotting.† Sam pointed, his fat finger shaking only a little. â€Å"Look, there's . . . there's no maggots or . . . or . . . worms or anything . . . they've been lying here in the woods, but they . . . they haven't been chewed or eaten by animals . . . only Ghost . . . otherwise they're . . . they're . . . â€Å" â€Å"Untouched,† Jon said softly. â€Å"And Ghost is different. The dogs and the horses won't go near them.† The rangers exchanged glances; they could see it was true, every man of them. Mormont frowned, glancing from the corpses to the dogs. â€Å"Chett, bring the hounds closer.† Chett tried, cursing, yanking on the leashes, giving one animal a lick of his boot. Most of the dogs just whimpered and planted their feet. He tried dragging one. The bitch resisted, growling and squirming as if to escape her collar. Finally she lunged at him. Chett dropped the leash and stumbled backward. The dog leapt over him and bounded off into the trees. â€Å"This . . . this is all wrong,† Sam Tarly said earnestly. â€Å"The blood . . . there's bloodstains on their clothes, and . . . and their flesh, dry and hard, but . . . there's none on the ground, or . . . anywhere. With those . . . those . . . those . . . † Sam made himself swallow, took a deep breath. â€Å"With those wounds . . . terrible wounds . . . there should be blood all over. Shouldn't there?† Dywen sucked at his wooden teeth. â€Å"Might be they didn't die here. Might be someone brought 'em and left 'em for us. A warning, as like.† The old forester peered down suspiciously. â€Å"And might be I'm a fool, but I don't know that Othor never had no blue eyes afore.† Ser Jaremy looked startled. â€Å"Neither did Flowers,† he blurted, turning to stare at the dead man. A silence fell over the wood. For a moment all they heard was Sam's heavy breathing and the wet sound of Dywen sucking on his teeth. Jon squatted beside Ghost. â€Å"Burn them,† someone whispered. One of the rangers; Jon could not have said who. â€Å"Yes, burn them,† a second voice urged. The Old Bear gave a stubborn shake of his head. â€Å"Not yet. I want Maester Aemon to have a look at them. We'll bring them back to the Wall.† Some commands are more easily given than obeyed. They wrapped the dead men in cloaks, but when Hake and Dywen tried to tie one onto a horse, the animal went mad, screaming and rearing, lashing out with its hooves, even biting at Ketter when he ran to help. The rangers had no better luck with the other garrons; not even the most placid wanted any part of these burdens. In the end they were forced to hack off branches and fashion crude slings to carry the corpses back on foot. It was well past midday by the time they started back. â€Å"I will have these woods searched,† Mormont commanded Ser Jaremy as they set out. â€Å"Every tree, every rock, every bush, and every foot of muddy ground within ten leagues of here. Use all the men you have, and if you do not have enough, borrow hunters and foresters from the stewards. If Ben and the others are out here, dead or alive, I will have them found. And if there is anyone else in these woods, I will know of it. You are to track them and take them, alive if possible. Is that understood?† â€Å"It is, my lord,† Ser Jaremy said. â€Å"It will be done.† After that, Mormont rode in silence, brooding. Jon followed close behind him; as the Lord Commander's steward, that was his place. The day was grey, damp, overcast, the sort of day that made you wish for rain. No wind stirred the wood; the air hung humid and heavy, and Jon's clothes clung to his skin. It was warm. Too warm. The Wall was weeping copiously, had been weeping for days, and sometimes Jon even imagined it was shrinking. The old men called this weather spirit summer, and said it meant the season was giving up its ghosts at last. After this the cold would come, they warned, and a long summer always meant a long winter. This summer had lasted ten years. Jon had been a babe in arms when it began. Ghost ran with them for a time and then vanished among the trees. Without the direwolf, Jon felt almost naked. He found himself glancing at every shadow with unease. Unbidden, he thought back on the tales that Old Nan used to tell them, when he was a boy at Winterfell. He could almost hear her voice again, and the click-click-click of her needles. In that darkness, the Others came riding, she used to say, dropping her voice lower and lower. Cold and dead they were, and they hated iron and fire and the touch of the sun, and every living creature with hot blood in its veins. Holdfasts and cities and kingdoms of men all fell before them, as they moved south on pale dead horses, leading hosts of the slain. They fed their dead servants on the flesh of human children . . . When he caught his first glimpse of the Wall looming above the tops of an ancient gnarled oak, Jon was vastly relieved. Mormont reined up suddenly and turned in his saddle. â€Å"Tarly,† he barked, â€Å"come here.† Jon saw the start of fright on Sam's face as he lumbered up on his mare; doubtless he thought he was in trouble. â€Å"You're fat but you're not stupid, boy,† the Old Bear said gruffly. â€Å"You did well back there. And you, Snow.† Sam blushed a vivid crimson and tripped over his own tongue as he tried to stammer out a courtesy. Jon had to smile. When they emerged from under the trees, Mormont spurred his tough little garron to a trot. Ghost came streaking out from the woods to meet them, licking his chops, his muzzle red from prey. High above, the men on the Wall saw the column approaching. Jon heard the deep, throaty call of the watchman's great horn, calling out across the miles; a single long blast that shuddered through the trees and echoed off the ice. UUUUUUUOOOOOOOOOOOOOOooooooooooooooooooooooo. The sound faded slowly to silence. One blast meant rangers returning, and Jon thought, I was a ranger for one day, at least. Whatever may come, they cannot take that away from me. Bowen Marsh was waiting at the first gate as they led their garrons through the icy tunnel. The Lord Steward was red-faced and agitated. â€Å"My lord,† he blurted at Mormont as he swung open the iron bars, â€Å"there's been a bird, you must come at once.† â€Å"What is it, man?† Mormont said gruffly. Curiously, Marsh glanced at Jon before he answered. â€Å"Maester Aemon has the letter. He's waiting in your solar.† â€Å"Very well. Jon, see to my horse, and tell Ser Jaremy to put the dead men in a storeroom until the maester is ready for them.† Mormont strode away grumbling. As they led their horses back to the stable, Jon was uncomfortably aware that people were watching him. Ser Alliser Thorne was drilling his boys in the yard, but he broke off to stare at Jon, a faint half smile on his lips. One-armed Donal Noye stood in the door of the armory. â€Å"The gods be with you, Snow,† he called out. Something's wrong, Jon thought. Something's very wrong. The dead men were carried to one of the storerooms along the base of the Wall, a dark cold cell chiseled from the ice and used to keep meat and grain and sometimes even beer. Jon saw that Mormont's horse was fed and watered and groomed before he took care of his own. Afterward he sought out his friends. Grenn and Toad were on watch, but he found Pyp in the common hall. â€Å"What's happened?† he asked. Pyp lowered his voice. â€Å"The king's dead.† Jon was stunned. Robert Baratheon had looked old and fat when he visited Winterfell, yet he'd seemed hale enough, and there'd been no talk of illness. â€Å"How can you know?† â€Å"One of the guards overheard Clydas reading the letter to Maester Aemon.† Pyp leaned close. â€Å"Jon, I'm sorry. He was your father's friend, wasn't he?† â€Å"They were as close as brothers, once.† Jon wondered if Joffrey would keep his father as the King's Hand. It did not seem likely. That might mean Lord Eddard would return to Winterfell, and his sisters as well. He might even be allowed to visit them, with Lord Mormont's permission. It would be good to see Arya's grin again and to talk with his father. I will ask him about my mother, he resolved. I am a man now, it is past time he told me. Even if she was a whore, I don't care, I want to know. â€Å"I heard Hake say the dead men were your uncle's,† Pyp said. â€Å"Yes,† Jon replied. â€Å"Two of the six he took with him. They'd been dead a long time, only . . . the bodies are queer.† â€Å"Queer?† Pyp was all curiosity. â€Å"How queer?† â€Å"Sam will tell you.† Jon did not want to talk of it. â€Å"I should see if the Old Bear has need of me.† He walked to the Lord Commander's Tower alone, with a curious sense of apprehension. The brothers on guard eyed him solemnly as he approached. â€Å"The Old Bear's in his solar,† one of them announced. â€Å"He was asking for you.† Jon nodded. He should have come straight from the stable. He climbed the tower steps briskly. He wants wine or a fire in his hearth, that's all, he told himself. When he entered the solar, Mormont's raven screamed at him. â€Å"Corn!† the bird shrieked. â€Å"Corn! Corn! Corn!† â€Å"Don't you believe it, I just fed him,† the Old Bear growled. He was seated by the window, reading a letter. â€Å"Bring me a cup of wine, and pour one for yourself.† â€Å"For myself, my lord?† Mormont lifted his eyes from the letter to stare at Jon. There was pity in that look; he could taste it. â€Å"You heard me.† Jon poured with exaggerated care, vaguely aware that he was drawing out the act. When the cups were filled, he would have no choice but to face whatever was in that letter. Yet all too soon, they were filled. â€Å"Sit, boy,† Mormont commanded him. â€Å"Drink.† Jon remained standing. â€Å"It's my father, isn't it?† The Old Bear tapped the letter with a finger. â€Å"Your father and the king,† he rumbled. â€Å"I won't lie to you, it's grievous news. I never thought to see another king, not at my age, with Robert half my years and strong as a bull.† He took a gulp of wine. â€Å"They say the king loved to hunt. The things we love destroy us every time, lad. Remember that. My son loved that young wife of his. Vain woman. If not for her, he would never have thought to sell those poachers.† Jon could scarcely follow what he was saying. â€Å"My lord, I don't understand. What's happened to my father?† â€Å"I told you to sit,† Mormont grumbled. â€Å"Sit,† the raven screamed. â€Å"And have a drink, damn you. That's a command, Snow.† Jon sat, and took a sip of wine. â€Å"Lord Eddard has been imprisoned. He is charged with treason. It is said he plotted with Robert's brothers to deny the throne to Prince Joffrey.† â€Å"No,† Jon said at once. â€Å"That couldn't be. My father would never betray the king!† â€Å"Be that as it may,† said Mormont. â€Å"It is not for me to say. Nor for you.† â€Å"But it's a lie,† Jon insisted. How could they think his father was a traitor, had they all gone mad? Lord Eddard Stark would never dishonor himself . . . would he? He fathered a bastard, a small voice whispered inside him. Where was the honor in that? And your mother, what of her? He will not even speak her name. â€Å"My lord, what will happen to him? Will they kill him?† â€Å"As to that, I cannot say, lad. I mean to send a letter. I knew some of the king's councillors in my youth. Old Pycelle, Lord Stannis, Ser Barristan . . . Whatever your father has done, or hasn't done, he is a great lord. He must be allowed to take the black and join us here. Gods knows, we need men of Lord Eddard's ability.† Jon knew that other men accused of treason had been allowed to redeem their honor on the Wall in days past. Why not Lord Eddard? His father here. That was a strange thought, and strangely uncomfortable. It would be a monstrous injustice to strip him of Winterfell and force him to take the black, and yet if it meant his life . . . And would Joffrey allow it? He remembered the prince at Winterfell, the way he'd mocked Robb and Ser Rodrik in the yard. Jon himself he had scarcely even noticed; bastards were beneath even his contempt. â€Å"My lord, will the king listen to you?† The Old Bear shrugged. â€Å"A boy king . . . I imagine he'll listen to his mother. A pity the dwarf isn't with them. He's the lad's uncle, and he saw our need when he visited us. It was a bad thing, your lady mother taking him captive—† â€Å"Lady Stark is not my mother,† Jon reminded him sharply. Tyrion Lannister had been a friend to him. If Lord Eddard was killed, she would be as much to blame as the queen. â€Å"My lord, what of my sisters? Arya and Sansa, they were with my father, do you know—† â€Å"Pycelle makes no mention of them, but doubtless they'll be treated gently. I will ask about them when I write.† Mormont shook his head. â€Å"This could not have happened at a worse time. If ever the realm needed a strong king . . . there are dark days and cold nights ahead, I feel it in my bones . . . † He gave Jon a long shrewd look. â€Å"I hope you are not thinking of doing anything stupid, boy.† He's my father, Jon wanted to say, but he knew that Mormont would not want to hear it. His throat was dry. He made himself take another sip of wine. â€Å"Your duty is here now,† the Lord Commander reminded him. â€Å"Your old life ended when you took the black.† His bird made a raucous echo. â€Å"Black.† Mormont took no notice. â€Å"Whatever they do in King's Landing is none of our concern.† When Jon did not answer, the old man finished his wine and said, â€Å"You're free to go. I'll have no further need of you today. On the morrow you can help me write that letter.† Jon did not remember standing or leaving the solar. The next he knew, he was descending the tower steps, thinking, This is my father, my sisters, how can it be none of my concern? Outside, one of the guards looked at him and said, â€Å"Be strong, boy. The gods are cruel.† They know, Jon realized. â€Å"My father is no traitor,† he said hoarsely. Even the words stuck in his throat, as if to choke him. The wind was rising, and it seemed colder in the yard than it had when he'd gone in. Spirit summer was drawing to an end. The rest of the afternoon passed as if in a dream. Jon could not have said where he walked, what he did, who he spoke with. Ghost was with him, he knew that much. The silent presence of the direwolf gave him comfort. The girls do not even have that much, he thought. Their wolves might have kept them safe, but Lady is dead and Nymeria's lost, they're all alone. A north wind had begun to blow by the time the sun went down. Jon could hear it skirling against the Wall and over the icy battlements as he went to the common hall for the evening meal. Hobb had cooked up a venison stew, thick with barley, onions, and carrots. When he spooned an extra portion onto Jon's plate and gave him the crusty heel of the bread, he knew what it meant. He knows. He looked around the hall, saw heads turn quickly, eyes politely averted. They all know. His friends rallied to him. â€Å"We asked the septon to light a candle for your father,† Matthar told him. â€Å"It's a lie, we all know it's a lie, even Grenn knows it's a lie,† Pyp chimed in. Grenn nodded, and Sam clasped Jon's hand, â€Å"You're my brother now, so he's my father too,† the fat boy said. â€Å"If you want to go out to the weirwoods and pray to the old gods, I'll go with you.† The weirwoods were beyond the Wall, yet he knew Sam meant what he said. They are my brothers, he thought. As much as Robb and Bran and Rickon . . . And then he heard the laughter, sharp and cruel as a whip, and the voice of Ser Alliser Thorne. â€Å"Not only a bastard, but a traitor's bastard,† he was telling the men around him. In the blink of an eye, Jon had vaulted onto the table, dagger in his hand. Pyp made a grab for him, but he wrenched his leg away, and then he was sprinting down the table and kicking the bowl from Ser Alliser's hand. Stew went flying everywhere, spattering the brothers. Thorne recoiled. People were shouting, but Jon Snow did not hear them. He lunged at Ser Alliser's face with the dagger, slashing at those cold onyx eyes, but Sam threw himself between them and before Jon could get around him, Pyp was on his back clinging like a monkey, and Grenn was grabbing his arm while Toad wrenched the knife from his fingers. Later, much later, after they had marched him back to his sleeping cell, Mormont came down to see him, raven on his shoulder. â€Å"I told you not to do anything stupid, boy,† the Old Bear said. â€Å"Boy,† the bird chorused. Mormont shook his head, disgusted. â€Å"And to think I had high hopes for you.† They took his knife and his sword and told him he was not to leave his cell until the high officers met to decide what was to be done with him. And then they placed a guard outside his door to make certain he obeyed. His friends were not allowed to see him, but the Old Bear did relent and permit him Ghost, so he was not utterly alone. â€Å"My father is no traitor,† he told the direwolf when the rest had gone. Ghost looked at him in silence. Jon slumped against the wall, hands around his knees, and stared at the candle on the table beside his narrow bed. The flame flickered and swayed, the shadows moved around him, the room seemed to grow darker and colder. I will not sleep tonight, Jon thought. Yet he must have dozed. When he woke, his legs were stiff and cramped and the candle had long since burned out. Ghost stood on his hind legs, scrabbling at the door. Jon was startled to see how tall he'd grown. â€Å"Ghost, what is it?† he called softly. The direwolf turned his head and looked down at him, baring his fangs in a silent snarl. Has he gone mad? Jon wondered. â€Å"It's me, Ghost,† he murmured, trying not to sound afraid. Yet he was trembling, violently. When had it gotten so cold? Ghost backed away from the door. There were deep gouges where he'd raked the wood. Jon watched him with mounting disquiet. â€Å"There's someone out there, isn't there?† he whispered. Crouching, the direwolf crept backward, white fur rising on the back of his neck. The guard, he thought, they left a man to guard my door, Ghost smells him through the door, that's all it is. Slowly, Jon pushed himself to his feet. He was shivering uncontrollably, wishing he still had a sword. Three quick steps brought him to the door. He grabbed the handle and pulled it inward. The creak of the hinges almost made him jump. His guard was sprawled bonelessly across the narrow steps, looking up at him. Looking up at him, even though he was lying on his stomach. His head had been twisted completely around. It can't be, Jon told himself. This is the Lord Commander's Tower, it's guarded day and night, this couldn't happen, it's a dream, I'm having a nightmare. Ghost slid past him, out the door. The wolf started up the steps, stopped, looked back at Jon. That was when he heard it; the soft scrape of a boot on stone, the sound of a latch turning. The sounds came from above. From the Lord Commander's chambers. A nightmare this might be, yet it was no dream. The guard's sword was in its sheath. Jon knelt and worked it free. The heft of steel in his fist made him bolder. He moved up the steps, Ghost padding silently before him. Shadows lurked in every turn of the stair. Jon crept up warily, probing any suspicious darkness with the point of his sword. Suddenly he heard the shriek of Mormont's raven. â€Å"Corn,† the bird was screaming. â€Å"Corn, corn, corn, corn, corn, corn.† Ghost bounded ahead, and Jon came scrambling after. The door to Mormont's solar was wide open. The direwolf plunged through. Jon stopped in the doorway, blade in hand, giving his eyes a moment to adjust. Heavy drapes had been pulled across the windows, and the darkness was black as ink. â€Å"Who's there?† he called out. Then he saw it, a shadow in the shadows, sliding toward the inner door that led to Mormont's sleeping cell, a man-shape all in black, cloaked and hooded . . . but beneath the hood, its eyes shone with an icy blue radiance . . . Ghost leapt. Man and wolf went down together with neither scream nor snarl, rolling, smashing into a chair, knocking over a table laden with papers. Mormont's raven was flapping overhead, screaming, â€Å"Corn, corn, corn, corn.† Jon felt as blind as Maester Aemon. Keeping the wall to his back, he slid toward the window and ripped down the curtain. Moonlight flooded the solar. He glimpsed black hands buried in white fur, swollen dark fingers tightening around his direwolf's throat. Ghost was twisting and snapping, legs flailing in the air, but he could not break free. Jon had no time to be afraid. He threw himself forward, shouting, bringing down the longsword with all his weight behind it. Steel sheared through sleeve and skin and bone, yet the sound was wrong somehow. The smell that engulfed him was so queer and cold he almost gagged. He saw arm and hand on the floor, black fingers wriggling in a pool of moonlight. Ghost wrenched free of the other hand and crept away, red tongue lolling from his mouth. The hooded man lifted his pale moon face, and Jon slashed at it without hesitation. The sword laid the intruder open to the bone, taking off half his nose and opening a gash cheek to cheek under those eyes, eyes, eyes like blue stars burning. Jon knew that face. Othor, he thought, reeling back. Gods, he's dead, he's dead, I saw him dead. He felt something scrabble at his ankle. Black fingers clawed at his calf. The arm was crawling up his leg, ripping at wool and flesh. Shouting with revulsion, Jon pried the fingers off his leg with the point of his sword and flipped the thing away. It lay writhing, fingers opening and closing. The corpse lurched forward. There was no blood. One-armed, face cut near in half, it seemed to feel nothing. Jon held the longsword before him. â€Å"Stay away!† he commanded, his voice gone shrill. â€Å"Corn,† screamed the raven, â€Å"corn, corn.† The severed arm was wriggling out of its torn sleeve, a pale snake with a black five-fingered head. Ghost pounced and got it between his teeth. Finger bones crunched. Jon hacked at the corpse's neck, felt the steel bite deep and hard. Dead Othor slammed into him, knocking him off his feet. Jon's breath went out of him as the fallen table caught him between his shoulder blades. The sword, where was the sword? He'd lost the damned sword! When he opened his mouth to scream, the wight jammed its black corpse fingers into Jon's mouth. Gagging, he tried to shove it off, but the dead man was too heavy. Its hand forced itself farther down his throat, icy cold, choking him. Its face was against his own, filling the world. Frost covered its eyes, sparkling blue. Jon raked cold flesh with his nails and kicked at the thing's legs. He tried to bite, tried to punch, tried to breathe . . . And suddenly the corpse's weight was gone, its fingers ripped from his throat. It was all Jon could do to roll over, retching and shaking. Ghost had it again. He watched as the direwolf buried his teeth in the wight's gut and began to rip and tear. He watched, only half conscious, for a long moment before he finally remembered to look for his sword . . . . . . and saw Lord Mormont, naked and groggy from sleep, standing in the doorway with an oil lamp in hand. Gnawed and fingerless, the arm thrashed on the floor, wriggling toward him. Jon tried to shout, but his voice was gone. Staggering to his feet, he kicked the arm away and snatched the lamp from the Old Bear's fingers. The flame flickered and almost died. â€Å"Burn!† the raven cawed. â€Å"Burn, burn, burn!† Spinning, Jon saw the drapes he'd ripped from the window. He flung the lamp into the puddled cloth with both hands. Metal crunched, glass shattered, oil spewed, and the hangings went up in a great whoosh of flame. The heat of it on his face was sweeter than any kiss Jon had ever known. â€Å"Ghost!† he shouted. The direwolf wrenched free and came to him as the wight struggled to rise, dark snakes spilling from the great wound in its belly. Jon plunged his hand into the flames, grabbed a fistful of the burning drapes, and whipped them at the dead man. Let it burn, he prayed as the cloth smothered the corpse, gods, please, please, let it burn.

Score Card Essay

Score Card Essay Score Card Essay PERSONAL APPLICATION PORTFOLIO Eyasu Theodros 1. Provide a brief introductory statement highlighting your strength and supporting your application for this overseas assignment First of all I would like to express my gratitude for the consideration. I welcome the opportunity to be considered for the lead recruiting and training consultant role at our newly created office in United Arab Emirates. I have more than 10 years of experience in the recruitment and development of technical talent; Five (5) years of experience have been obtained in my current role. I have had direct responsibility for recruiting technical talent and assessing their need for additional training and certifications. Although I have not travelled internationally for business purpose , I traveled quite a lot to Africa, Asia and Europe. My positions had taken me to many cities throughout the U.S. where I had a chance to work with different kind of people with different social,economical and cultural background. I had a privilege to work with department heads to ensure that appropriate training and certification classes are arranged to meet specified employee and corporate goals. My current job responsibility requires me to overseas our upward mobility and career development programs. Specifically I am responsible to make sure that are clearly defined and communicated to all employees, and regularly evaluated to ensure that they are applicable to company goals as well as to the industry at large. I understand Every international venture it has its own benefits and challenges. Working with people from different backgrounds is not always straightforward It can be the source of the challenge and opportunity. Being lead recruiting and training consultant in the newly created office in United Arab Emirates requires more than professional skills and experience it will require a unique set of personal, cross cultural and intercultural communication skills. I believe that I have the personality and the professional dimensions required to serve successfully as an expatriate in United Arab Emirates. 2. Discuss the likely implications of the key similarities and differences in cultural values and how they will either serve as relative strength for you or as areas upon which you are likely to need support. (Use Hofstede, Project GLOBE, and other research to help with the challenges and ideas for overcoming them). Based on my research on the I have learned the following cultural values : * United Arab Emirates is an Arab country in the Southeast of the Arabian Peninsula on the Persian Gulf. * Islam is the official religion and Arabic is the official language. * UAE oil reserves are ranked as the world’s seventh-largest and is one of the most developed economies in Western Asia. * Many human rights issues for non-citizens exist with companies’ and employers’ non-compliance with labor laws. * The culture mainly revolves around the religion of Islam and traditional Arab and Bedouin culture * Women are not highly regarded in the UAE * Highly disciplined society * Believe in team spirit and support each other It is obvious there is a clear difference in cultural values. The most notable difference in cultural value is women right. In The U.S. women not only expect to be a part of the workforce but they also look forward to serving in leading roles and at very high levels. Islam shaped the overall beliefs and shared value system in United Arab Emirates,as a result of that women do not hold high esteem. Generally speaking the United Arab Emirates society is a musclinely oriented society. Furthermore, a cultural study of United Arab Emirates Hofstede, revealed that the society score very high on power distance, Masculinity, collectivist and uncertainty avoidance categories . Hofstede’s

How Can the Work Setting Encourage Children and Young Peoples Positive Behaviour Essays

How Can the Work Setting Encourage Children and Young Peoples Positive Behaviour Essays How Can the Work Setting Encourage Children and Young Peoples Positive Behaviour Paper How Can the Work Setting Encourage Children and Young Peoples Positive Behaviour Paper There are many ways in which the work setting can encourage childrens and you peoples positive behavior, they are as follows: 1. Developing positive relationships All children will crave attention from an early age, as babies we coo and smile. This is why its important to build positive relationships from an early age or as soon as possible the reason for this is children need support and attention from us, if the relationships are not good the children may feel they can not get positive attention easily so are more likely to show unwanted behaviour to get negative attention. Taking time to talk and have fun with children is therefore important. 2. Listening to children and valuing their opinion It is important for children to feel they can express their feelings and opinions, sometimes children may need help in doing this. If they feel they cant express them they may become frustrated and show unwanted behavior. This is why its important to listen to what the children want to do, the reason why they are showing unwanted behavior and ideas is because these are all ways of helping children to develop confidence. 3. Providing a challenging and stimulating environment Children and young people enjoy having fun and learning provided that the environment is a stimulating one. With this in mind we have to think about what type of equipment, resources and layout is on offer. Children may have the same toys at home so it is worth having a wide variety to choose from and rotate them to provide the children with a challenge. 4. Planning experiences well Boredom is often a key factor in unwanted behavior Children and young people will often find things to do that may not always be desirable to entertain themselves if nothing is in place to keep them busy or the ctivities that are in place are too easy or of no interest to the child. Planning experiences are linked to understanding childrens development and also the individual needs and interests of the child. 5. Giving children choices It is important to give children choices, this allows them to learn about having some responsibility. As it can be very frustrating being a child as you dont have much control over where you go and who you may see. Given children choices also means that they will be less frustrated which may prevent unwanted behaviour. The choices given need to be appropriate for the age and stage of development of the child and must also be genuine. For example saying to a child do you want to go outside if there isnt any choice. 6. Meeting the individual needs of a child For children to show positive behavior, their basic needs need to be met. These need include, food, love attention, stimulation and sufficient sleep. There is a link between childrens behaviour, language skills and their stage of development. 7. Being inclusive Each child is unique and some may need more attention then others at some point, they may need extra support or reminding more often. As every child is an individual and each child should feel valued and cared for in each practice, the heart of every practice should be inclusive. When settings show an inclusive practice children tend to show positive behaviour. 8. Acting as role models Children can pick up on adults behaviour and this is one way where they can learn positive behaviour and also unwanted behaviour such as swearing this is why any adult working with children must act as a good role model and show positive behaviour at all times such as kindness, taking turns and gentleness. 9 Setting clear boundaries for children. Each child needs boundaries. They wont know them straight away and will take a while to fully understand what is expected of them. This is why it is important for adults to set fair boundaries that are appropriate for the childs age and explain to the child why they are in place e. g we walk not run to prevent accidents. 10. Reinforcing positive behavior All children need encouragement. Praise, encouragement and rewards are great ways of showing positive behaviour. For this to be most effective, it is important that children understand why praise is given. And that the praise is given when the child has done something right like sharing. 11. Encourage children to resolve conflict When children get to a certain age they begin to play cooperatively which means by the age of about four alot of children start to resolve conflict on their own. As adults we still need to show children how to do this in a positive way. As children grow older adults need to step back and see if children can resolve conflicts on their own. It is also important to give praise when this is done, if the children are still finding it difficult, it may be useful to act as a guide rather then tell them exactly what to do. 12. Looking for reasons for inappropriate behavior If children are happy they will generally show positive behaviour unless they are tired, poorly or hungry. When children start showing unwanted behaviour it is important to figure out why they are behaving in that way. This may mean talking to parents along with observing the child closely. Event recordings can be useful when monitoring a childs behaviour as you can usually tell how long a child has been showing a certain type of behaviour and also when and why. 13. Following your behavior policy All settings that follow the EYFS should have a behavior policy in place. This policy should set out how a setting intends to manage unwanted behavior, it should also show that practitioners encourage positive behavior. 14. Following plans for individual behavior Some children may need additional support to learn positive behavior. for example if they have a learning difficulty. To support these children a plan should be drawn up and show what strategies the adult needs for certain situations. The parents should be involved in then plans so there is consistency.

The Expert Guide to the Columbia Supplement

The Expert Guide to the Columbia Supplement SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Only 6% of applicants are admitted to Columbia every year. Do you want to be one of them? If so, you’ll need to write amazing Columbia essays as part of your application. In this article, we’ll outline the different types of essays you need to write for your Columbia Supplement and teach you how to write an essay that will help you stand out from the thousands of other applicants. What Does the Columbia Supplement Include? Like many major colleges and universities, Columbia University requires its applicants to submit essays as part of their application for admission. Columbia requires that you write a total of three essays and answer five short answer questions. You’ll need to answer a prompt provided by the Common Application or Coalition Application, depending on which one you use to submit your Columbia application through. You’ll also need to respond to two Columbia-specific short essay questions. The Columbia essay prompts offer you plenty of opportunities to show off your qualifications as an applicant and wow the admissions committee. The first, and longest, essay that you’ll write for Columbia will be based on one of the essay prompts provided by the Common App or the Coalition App, depending on which application you use to apply to Columbia. If you want to learn how to write a great essay for the Common App or Coalition App, check out our dedicated blog posts on each topic. Columbia Essays, Analyzed In this section, we’ll be looking at both of the Columbia supplemental essays in depth. Remember, every applicant must answer both essay prompts, so you don’t get to choose which essay you would like to write. You’ll need to answer each essay prompt strongly if you want to be admitted to Columbia. Let’s take a look at each of the two Columbia supplement questions and see how to write something meaningful for each. Columbia Essay Prompt #1 Please tell us what you value most about Columbia and why. (300 words or fewer) This prompt is deceptively simple. While the question is brief, you should take care to answer it with specific information about Columbia and why it is the best university for you. The admissions committee is interested in learning about your curiosity inside and outside of the classroom, so don’t feel like you have to limit your expressed interest in Columbia to its academic resources. For instance- how are you planning to utilize Columbia’s location? That being said, remember that the most important thing here is to be specific. Although the fact that Columbia is in NYC can certainly be a draw, do not use "city life" as your topic- it’s too broad and will sound insincere. A better answer would be to talk about the partnerships Columbia has with the many companies that are in New York City or to discuss how certain Columbia classes integrate with the world-class museums nearby. The committee is looking for students who will take advantage of all that Columbia has to offer them as an institution- so be honest in your response, and do some research. Instead of simply saying that Columbia has great academics, go into detail about a professor you admire or a class you are excited to take. Maybe there is an internship or specific program that you only have access to through Columbia. Being specific is more powerful than speaking in generalized platitudes. Don’t feel limited to your potential major. You don’t have to write solely about your predicted course of study. In fact, this prompt is an opportunity to diversify your academic portfolio, so to speak, and show the committee that you’re curious and open to new ideas. Columbia Essay Prompt #2 The third essay that you’ll write for Columbia will depend on the college that you’re applying to. Columbia’s application has different prompts for Columbia College and The Fu Foundation School of Engineering And Applied Sciences. While the prompts are basically the same, the strategies will differ a bit based on the school to which you’re applying. Columbia houses different fields of study under each of the colleges. If you’re interested in the Arts, Life Earth Sciences and Humanities, you’ll apply to Columbia College. If you’re interested in Engineering, you’ll apply to the Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. The colleges are not the same- each reviews its applicants separately and you’ll take different curriculum depending on the school that you’re accepted to. While you can have the freedom to talk about different academic interests in this prompt, you should make sure that you’re talking about experiences that are at related to the school you’re applying to. Don’t wax on about how you want to write like Keats if you’re applying to the engineering school. Columbia College Prompt If you are applying to Columbia College, tell us what from your current and past experiences (either academic or personal) attracts you specifically to the field or fields of study that you noted in the Member Questions section. If you are currently undecided, please write about any field or fields in which you may have an interest at this time. (300 words or fewer) Although this essay gives you a chance show yourself as a well-rounded person who has a variety of different interests and talents, make sure that you are describing a real, true experience from your life that inspired you to pursue your projected major in college. If you have absolutely no clue what you’re going to major in, it’s still crucial to describe an experience that inspired you to care about and study something. It can be simple, but it has to be genuine. Columbia’s committee is more likely to take notice of a real interest in something you actually care about than an exaggerated account of your experience serving soup at a shelter that one time with your school’s National Honors Society chapter. Essays are a great opportunity to present yourself as a well-rounded person. Don’t repeat information that the committee can find elsewhere on your application. Take the time to share fun, personal details about yourself. Be specific- the committee wants to get a real picture of you as a person. Don’t just say that you love to play video games, say exactly which video games you love and why. This essay is also a great time to show off your community- the friends, family, teammates, etc. who make up your current life. Since the prompt asks about personal experiences, you can talk about the deep bonds you have and how they have affected you. What the admissions committee mainly wants to see is that you’re an intellectually curious student. Whatever your passion is, elaborate on how it has become an intellectual pursuit. For instance, if you’re interested in studying Classics, you can talk about how you’ve researched the origins of different myths. If you care about studying journalism, talk about why you’re so passionate about an impartial press. Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science Prompt If you are applying to The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science, please tell us what from your current and past experiences (either academic or personal) attracts you specifically to the field or fields of study that you noted in the Member Questions section. (300 words or fewer) This Columbia essay prompt is exactly the same as the prompt for Columbia College, with one big caveat: there’s no room for being undecided here. If you’re applying to The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science, you’ll need to select a field or fields of study. Because you’re required to select your potential field of study, your essay needs to be related to that selection. You need to relate your course of study to your personal interests, not what you think the admissions committee wants to hear. Don’t say that you want to engineer an issue the world’s clean drinking water shortage just because you think it sounds good to the people reading your essay. That’s not to say you can’t talk about providing more people clean drinking water- you just have to have a personal connection to issue. Want to get into Columbia or your personal top choice college? We can help. PrepScholar Admissions is the world's best admissions consulting service. We combine world-class admissions counselors with our data-driven, proprietary admissions strategies. We've overseen thousands of students get into their top choice schools, from state colleges to the Ivy League. Learn more about PrepScholar Admissions to maximize your chance of getting in. Columbia Short Answer Questions Analyzed In 150 words or fewer, please list a few words or phrases that describe your ideal college community. This question asks you to describe what you are looking for from your college community. The word "community" is key here- you’re not just talking about academic experience. You should also mention what you want from your peers and out-of-class life, too. The other key to this prompt is brevity- you need to cover a lot of ground in less than 150 words. You don’t want to waste words here. You’ll need to get your point across quickly and clearly. You should describe a community that reflects Columbia’s values: a place where academic curiosity and rigor are prioritized. That being said, you don’t want to sound trite or like you’re over exaggerating. Don’t say that you want to participate in endless literary salons just to sound smart. Instead, say things that actually ring true: e.g., you want a community where people are excited to create art or talk about what they’re learning in class. Don’t try to cover your entire college experience in less than 150 words. It’s better to paint a vivid picture of a small portion of your ideal college life than a blurry one of your entire experience. For the four list questions that follow, we ask that you list each individual response using commas or semicolons; the items do not have to be numbered or in any specific order. No narrative or explanatory text is needed. It is not necessary to italicize or underline titles of books or other publications. Author names may be included, but are not required. You do not need to fill the entire space or use the maximum number of words; there is no minimum word count in this section, so please respond to the extent that you feel is appropriate. Please list the following (150 words or fewer for each question): the titles of the required readings from courses during the school year or summer that you enjoyed most in the past year; the titles of books read for pleasure that you enjoyed most in the past year; the titles of print or electronic publications you read regularly; and the titles of the films, concerts, shows, exhibits, lectures and other entertainments you enjoyed most in the past year. This question can be intimidating! It’s normal to be nervous to share what you’re reading or enjoying outside of class. That being said, you should opt for honesty here, rather than impressiveness. Don’t feel like you need to say that enjoyed reading Hind Swaraj if you actually vastly preferred your English class’ foray into Tolkien. Be truthful and real. This question is also a great opportunity to share different interests that you have. If you love Miyazaki films, but also love documentaries about climate change, feel free to share! The more information you give, the more fleshed out you’ll be as a person. It’s important to note the directions here: don’t justify your responses or give any commentary. Simply list the works you’ve enjoyed and leave it at that. You can choose to list the works in a number of ways: alphabetically, chronologically, or in order of interest. I’d suggest going chronologically or in order of interest, but there’s not a right or wrong way to go here. How to Write a Great Columbia Essay: 3 Key Tips Regardless of which Columbia essay prompt you’re responding to, you should keep in mind the following tips for how to write a great Columbia essay. #1: Use Your Own Voice The point of a college essay is for the admissions committee to have the chance to get to know you beyond your test scores, grades, and honors. Your admissions essays are your opportunity to make yourself come alive for the essay readers and to present yourself as a fully fleshed out person. You should, then, make sure that the person you’re presenting in your college essays is yourself. Don’t try to emulate what you think the committee wants to hear or try to act like someone you’re not. If you lie or exaggerate, your essay will come across as insincere, which will diminish its effectiveness. Stick to telling real stories about the person you really are, not who you think Columbia wants you to be. #2: Avoid Cliches and Overused Phrases When writing your Columbia essays, try to avoid using cliches or overused quotes or phrases. These include quotations that have been quoted to death and phrases or idioms that are overused in daily life. The college admissions committee has probably seen numerous essays that state, â€Å"Be the change you want to see in the world.† Strive for originality. Similarly, avoid using cliches, which take away from the strength and sincerity of your work. Columbia’s admissions committee will see hundreds, if not thousands, of essays that talk about how much the applicant loves New York City. Saying that you want to study amongst the bright lights of the Big Apple is trite and overdone. If you are excited about going to school in New York City, make sure that you have a really specific reason that also ties to Columbia’s opportunities. #3: Check Your Work It should almost go without saying, but you want to make sure your Columbia essays are the strongest example of your work possible. Before you turn in your Columbia application, make sure to edit and proofread your essays. Your work should be free of spelling and grammar errors. Make sure to run your essays through a spelling and grammar check before you submit. It’s a good idea to have someone else read your Columbia essays, too. You can seek a second opinion on your work from a parent, teacher, or friend. Ask them whether your work represents you as a student and person. Have them check and make sure you haven’t missed any small writing errors. Having a second opinion will help your work be the best it possibly can be. Recap: Writing the Columbia Supplemental Essays Your Columbia essays cover a lot of ground! You'll have the opportunity to share why you want to attend Columbia, as well as about your academic interests and potential pursuits. You'll also get to talk about Columbia's community and the art and literature that interests you. Be honest and sincere in your Columbia essays. Make sure your essays are a great representation of who you are as a person, not just a What’s Next? Wondering how to excel on the "Why Columbia" essay?We break down this essay prompt and specific examples on our blog. You might be wondering what kind of test scores you need to get into Columbia and other similar schools. We tell you what good scores are for Ivy League schools plus MIT, Stanford, and UChicago here. 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Statistical Tool for Financial Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Statistical Tool for Financial - Research Paper Example However IPOs problems affect not simply corporations but also start-up companies facing plenty of obstacles, including the cost of Compliance with Sarbanes Oxley. Modern corporate finance however unanimously points to a formidable hurdle: Portfolio executives. Considering that the timing of an IPO will be driven by company growth and market conditions, we have based our assumptions for an efficient portfolio strategy on improving capital markets with IPOs hoping to maximise their wealth. With a rapid growth of issuers' activity on the cable markets, expected to continue in the next few years, we have used Time Warner Cable unit for this case study. If Section 1 illustrates and develops the implications of a newly created portfolio detailing executive level strategic financial decisions for the following year, Section 2 is more focused on the concept of decision planning as well as on its effects in case of poor corporate governance decisions. We have based the risk-return characteris tics of our rolling portfolio investment strategy on stocks bought and held for up to one year. Although the average long-run portfolio return is low and in line with market reactions to security offer announcements, this IPO stocks appear as long-shots, securing a buy-and-hold returns of 1,000 percent. In line with average NASDAQ market capitalization our IPO firm exhibits relatively high stock turnover and low leverage, contributing to lower systematic risk exposures. To analyse the implications of these strategic decisions, we have based our assessment on globally acknowledged peer-reviewed research and theory. Our conclusions are finally presented in Section 3. 1. Newly created portfolio strategy and executive-level strategic financial decision making The acknowledgement that flipping is useful in helping to create liquidity may convince an executive team that focusing resources almost exclusively on a few late-stage assets is a wise move. Measuring value and risk at portfolio level can contribute to appropriately capture the portfolio strategic risk and induce executives dissatisfied with the current status quo to analyse if they intend to leave corporate strategic risk management and diversification completely to shareholders and markets or how an independent growth path can be possible in their high-risk business. To analyse these issues it is important to develop a structured approach that helps senior executives better understand the impact of portfolio decisions on risk and value of the corporate or therapy area level portfolios. Therefore we have based our approach on assessing a strategy of purchasing and holding successive IPO stocks receives an expected return commensurable with risk. Usually this can be achieved by crea ting different market scenarios reflecting uncertainty around the product profile and resulting in a Risk and Value plot at the portfolio level. In consideration of the above, we have assessed this portfolio by using the Markowitz two assets portfolio model. Clearly when managing a very active investment portfolio against a well-defined benchmark, the goal of the manager should be to generate a return that exceeds that of the benchmark while minimizing the portfolio's return volatility relative to the benchmark. Assuming a portfolio of assets