A Long Way From Chicago by Richard Peck :: A Long Way From Chicago Richard Peck

â€Å"A Long Way From Chicago† by Richard Peck The book â€Å"A Long Way From Chicago† is an adventurous and funny story. The story takes place at Joey Dowdel’s Grandmothers farm house in the country. Joey and his sister Mary Alice were sent to their Grandma’s house during the summer because their parents had to go to Canada for their work. At first, Joey felt uncomfortable with his Grandmother because he had never met her before but eventually he got to know her and they became close friends. On the first week at Grandma’s, a man named Shotgun Cheatman died. Everyone in the town went to the funeral because he was the well known assistant to the Mayor. The funeral was held in Grandma’s house and a creepy thing happened that night when Tom the cat crawled inside the casket. The next day, Joey, Mary Alice and Grandma left the house and walked across fields of tall grass and â€Å"cow pies aplenty† to Salt Creek to go fishing. They found an old wooden boat and Grandma rowed the boat out into the creek. While on their fishing adventure, they encountered a cottonmouth snake that fell into the boat and a party of drunken men on land dancing in their underwear. Strange things began to happen the next couple days. First, Joey was in the living room of Grandma’s house making a jig saw puzzle. He heard the sound of a horses hooves walking slowly on the street then the sound stopped in front of the house and heard someone put something in Grandma’s mail box. Joey heard the horse walk away and a little while later Grandma’s mailbox blew up. Next, Ms. Wilcox’s outhouse was destroyed by a cherry bomb. Then, a dead mouse was found floating in the bottle of milk that was delivered to the front

Great Balls of Flowers Essay

Throughout Steve Abees’s book Great Balls of Flowers the reoccurring themes that arise are sex, love, family and life. Within each poem he threads in a minimum of two themes, interweaving them so all the themes eventually overlap. The themes of sex, love and family are each representative of a major component of his life. His book gives readers insight as to what Abee is thinking and feeling within each poem, making them extremely personal for the reader. The title of the book was seemingly derived from Jerry Lee Lewis’s Song â€Å"Great Balls of Fire† which was written in 1957 on the movie based on Jerry Lee Lewis which was released in 1989. The movie discusses Lewis’ controversial life and his rise and fall as a rock star. Lewis suffered from substance abuse and resorted to alcoholism when times got bad. His song â€Å"Great Balls of Fire† is purely sexual discussing the arousal of a man, this song was one of Lewis’ major hits. Abee’s title â€Å"Great Balls of Flowers† is so appropriate especially with his replacement of fire with flowers. Flowers hold the softer connotation of love and peacefulness as Abee explains how he’s overcome his issues with the love he feels and receives from his family. Within select poems his love for his wife and children are startlingly apparent. He portrays himself with raw emotions that seem unbreakable. In the poem â€Å"Poem to my Wife†, he states, â€Å"I love you so much that when I touch you my fingers turn into miniature suns shining. † His portrayal of everlasting love and lust for his wife gives the reader insight as to his most personal and inner thoughts and emotions. Because of the rawness and bluntness of his emotions It is evident his poetry was used as an escape for Abee. His attachment to his wife leads the reader to think as a child there were issues with his family. Romance isn’t the only type of love Abee discusses, as he also mentions the love he has for his children. For his youngest daughter, Abee states â€Å"her voice opens me like breath. † He continues on to state â€Å"I’m trying to be good now I’m trying not to be bad†, this gives the reader the idea that his children are now the motivation for him. It seems as if he had previously struggled with a personal issue that has disappeared because of the arrival of his children. Substance abuse seems appropriate as he refines it in the poem â€Å"Sucks† when he says â€Å"beer sucks. It’s good but it sucks. Marijuana sucks†¦ Crystal Meth sucks so bad. † His allusions to these substances would tie in as a strong connection to the title, â€Å"Great Balls of Flowers. † Abee never fails to insert a sexual innuendo within the majority of his poems. One example of his sexual references arise in the poem â€Å"Gas†, Abee states â€Å"when I lick your secrets, bombs begin to fall from your thighs. † His continual sexual references tie in greatly with the title, Great Balls of Flowers because it alludes to the 1957 hit song discussing sex. Sex seems to be a dominant theme throughout the book, as it was throughout many of Jerry Lee Lewis’ songs as well. Abee’s continuous blunt sexual references free him from the shackle soft society as he isn’t scared to discuss topics that seem controversial. His direct statements give the book a potent feel and, honest take on life. As the book goes on you can see the meniscal details in life that are typically overlooked are what Abee thrives upon. His poems are real portrayals of his daily routine and it gives the reader a personal connection with him and his mindset. Great Balls of Flowers consists of poems covering the themes of sex, love, family and life. His title is so appropriate these four themes are the pieces of Abee’s life which he discusses in his poetry giving readers in insight into his alternative perspective on life and love. Throughout Great Balls of Flowers Steve Abee uses imagery to help develop his tone and themes in his various poems. His use of imagery creates a clear picture that the reader can connect with. Those images, which are typically familiar to the reader help the reader, better understand the point Abee is trying to make. Abee uses a mix of concrete imagery alongside symbolic imagery, creating numerous layers for the reader to divulge in as the poems go on. One example of the imagery used is in the poem â€Å"Hail to the Things I Can Not See. † Abee states â€Å"Oh wind keeping seagulls aloft, squawking and hovering over my daughters and my hot dogs at Santa Monica Pier. † His use of imagery in this quote sets the setting for this poem. Along with it building a setting, it gives the poem a nostalgic feel because that’s where the author grew up. The familiar sounds he describes connect the reader to the beach, which carries light and happy connotations, reinforcing the nostalgic feel while integrating the positive tone. The city scape imagery portrays Abee as a city boy, giving readers an image of him. His juxtaposition of the city scene with more symbolic imagery gives the reader insight to what he sees life as helping him break free from the connotations that come with â€Å"city boy†. The stanza after the one previously stated says, â€Å"oh the gravity that holds the trees up and my bones together†, using imagery in more of a symbolic sense. Although gravity is something not visible to the human eye, Abee portrays it in a way that is viable to the reader. The contrast of the tangible with the symbolic give the poem a deeper feel. Another example of imagery can be seen in the poem, â€Å"Poem to My Wife†, Abee states â€Å"the innocent sea shore of our kiss, where hippies play on tambourine brain fried ukulele and we dance on crab grass sand†. His use of imagery in this quote not only sets the scene for this particular stanza but sets the mood for the entire poem. His use of the word ukulele gives the reader the view of the upbeat instrument that plays purely cheerful melodies, while the sand gives the reader an image of the beach giving the poem a bright tone. As he explains how they dance to the upbeat tunes, the reader can feel the joy radiating off the happy couple. This portrayal of why Abee is so infatuated with this wife, not only gives readers an insight into his marriage but an insight to his heart and what makes him happy. Within the poem previously discussed Abee states, â€Å"words†¦ rising up into a ball of Christmas lights, poof, explosion of holiday love. † This use of imagery is purely symbolic; words are personified to express his love for his wife giving the reader an idea of how extreme his passion is for his mate. His use of the image â€Å"Christmas Lights† give off the connotations of the holiday which is centered on love and happiness. These connotations give the poem an upbeat and warm tone, while the reader starts to see Abee in a different more loving sort of light. Along with the holiday connotations, his use of words like explosion give the poem a more passionate and yearning sort of feel, giving readers visuals of the intensity of his love. Abee’s use of imagery greatly constructs the tone and theme of the poem. Throughout the book there are instances where symbolic and tangible imagery contrast, following the same sort of pattern showed in this poem. This contrast sets the setting then divulges into Abee’s inner thoughts, giving readers a better perception of the author and a deeper understanding of his poetry. Throughout Great Balls of Flowers Steve Abee uses personification, similes and metaphors in various poems. Each of these devices holds a different effect over the reader, emphasizing and creating different images for the reader. Each example of figurative language holds a different effect on the reader but in all the point of the insertions of the figurative language is to accentuate the purpose of each poem. Steve Abee uses various similes in the poem, â€Å"Poem to my Wife†, one example of this can be seen in the quote, â€Å"loving you is like surfing the wave of benevolent impulse. † In this poem he is describing the intese love he feels for his wife and uses a simile to explain to the reader the extensity of his overwhelming emotions for her. Using the word benevolent describes the gentleness of the love the duo share while impose gives readers a sense of the intensity that kindness carries. Abee compares the love they share to surfing a wave giving readers a familiar image to compare the ‘ride† he feels with her. The insertion of a metaphor adds another layer to the poem , leaving room for interpretation from there reads, which contrasts well as Abee is explaining like his poetry , his love for his wife has numerous layers. Within the poem previously discussed, Abee uses personification to further explain the love he feels for his wife. The quote goes as follows, â€Å"But it (poem) wouldn’t be able to help itself. † Abee is explaining what a poem to his wife would consist of, and that is where he inserts the above quote. The use of personifications gives the reader a sense of how alive his love for his wife is. The intensity of his love can’t be explained with the used of an inanimate object so personifying the poem gives his love an image. Along with the aspect of imagery rat personification brings, it sets a tone for the entire poem. The personification of the â€Å"poem† gives the literal poem a loud but allusive tone. In the poem â€Å"Gas Station†, the entire first stanza consists of metaphors, Abee states, â€Å"Steve Abee is a gas station. † To start things off the first impression this holds on the reader is a whirlwind of thoughts in hope to analyze what he could possibly mean by this statement. As he continues on he states numerous other figures are â€Å"gas stations† such as Jesus Christ, and Jack Kerouac. Continuing on he states how gas stations are â€Å"lonesome and lovely† and sit on the â€Å"edge of a sandy skirt desert†. His descriptions of gas stations set the tone for the poem as morbid and sad  as the reader is visualizing a delegate area that people use then leave. Both Fries and Christ underwent great suffering throughout their lives which ultimately resulted in their deaths, which connects to the end of the stanza where Abee states, â€Å"As we move from seashore to graveyard. † Using the metaphor not only on himself but on other figures not only gives readers an image to connect his emotions to but it also shows readers that personally this is what he perceives life as, a journey where humans are used and abused , then die. His metaphor emphasizes his main idea for that poem while accentuating the tone that is apparent throughout the rest of the poem. Abee uses all these forms of figurative language to emphasize are ideas and highlight the tones that are seen in his various poems. They also all help connect back to the main themes which can be seen throughout the poem. In all each device helps give readers the image in which Abee intends from them to see, while showing readers how he personally feels. If I was to write a poem to you it would go something like this As I sit and reminisce, a wave of nostalgia overcomes me, leaving me choking and gasping for relief, as I drown in memories of forgotten promises faded secrets Next, id talk about how your laugh was like the church bells ringing on Sunday morning, clear and crisp in the sunny sky, particles of sound dancing with the rhythm of love If I were to write you a poem I would use words like gifted and good, the gentle gem in a mound of rocks, something like that. I would have pointless passages explaining the magnetic pull we felt between us, I would illuminate the page with the sparks we once shared, fireworks over a lake of washed out feelings, calmly disappearing into a an abyss of darkness If I was going to write you a poem it would have words It would have words describing our love, words only cupid knows, words of joy and happiness. Words to explain how you make me feel , words that would flow out of my mouth into my hand and onto paper like a stream flows into the ocean, twisting and turning then eventually colliding with the salty sea water, slowly integrating themselves till they are one. To be honest the poem I would write would have a dark side, a side of sadness and longing, unreasonably irrational and unhealthily attached. I would say things like I miss you and come back. I love you more than you could ever know; I need you more than the grass needs rain. Your love warms me and keeps me alive, your love completed me. The poem would say you can’t love another, you can only love me. I would say please come back, I would say I’m sorry. I would say we were perfect together, we were soul mates. I would say no one else can hold you; no one else can touch you or call you theirs. The poem would say how could you? How could you love another, how could you be with another or kiss another. How could you leave me? The poem would be like that, angry. Yes angry, sad, mournful and dark, with flashes of light flickering in the darkness. The poem would be sealed in a bottle, and thrown into space, where it only company would be the sun, until eventually it would fade away, never to be read by my forgotten love.

Apollo Shoe Inc

Date: 19 Jan 1:30:27 From: Dennis Reese Subject: Revenue Cycle Problems I have looked over Bradley’s report and yes we do have some issues with the Sales, and Account Receivables. The fourth quarter deviations overstated are the worst because they can have the most effect on the Financial Statements. The controls need to be more uniform as Bradley stated because then they would even out through the months instead of hitting us mostly on the fourth quarter.The company reports financial Statements each quarter and they are the months: March, June, September, and December. In their last quarter they are facing financial problems because of incorrect record sales. Some of the sales records are missing bills of lading. Also the credit approval controls are not emplaced our lack of them will cause a greater liability for collection. Will need to verify all the charges to the customer because there is many overcharge and undercharge amounts.The overcharge delay from invoice date and credit memo averages 24 days to correct the mistake. Apollo’s controls are un-reliable and we will need to follow up on all Revenue and Accounts Receivable. Also positive confirmations need to be sent to customers with accounts greater than 1,000,000 and negative confirmations need to be sent to customers with less than 1,000,000. But all the customers need to be verified that their information is correct before they are sent. Also we need to ask the customers to verify all sales they made from us for the year.

Spectroscopy Introduction

Spectroscopy Introduction Spectroscopy is a technique that uses the interaction of energy with a sample to perform an analysis. What Is a Spectrum? The data that is obtained from spectroscopy is called a spectrum. A spectrum is a plot of the intensity of energy detected versus the wavelength (or mass or momentum or frequency, etc.) of the energy. What Information Is Obtained? A spectrum can be used to obtain information about atomic and molecular energy levels, molecular geometries, chemical bonds, interactions of molecules, and related processes. Often, spectra are used to identify the components of a sample (qualitative analysis). Spectra may also be used to measure the amount of material in a sample (quantitative analysis). What Instruments Are Needed? Several instruments are used to perform spectroscopic analysis. In simplest terms, spectroscopy requires an energy source (commonly a laser, but this could be an ion source or radiation source) and a device for measuring the change in the energy source after it has interacted with the sample (often a spectrophotometer or interferometer). What Are Some Types of Spectroscopy? There are as many different types of spectroscopy as there are energy sources! Here are some examples: Astronomical Spectroscopy Energy from celestial objects is used to analyze their chemical composition, density, pressure, temperature, magnetic fields, velocity, and other characteristics. There are many energy types (spectroscopies) that may be used in astronomical spectroscopy. Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy Energy absorbed by the sample is used to assess its characteristics. Sometimes absorbed energy causes light to be released from the sample, which may be measured by a technique such as fluorescence spectroscopy. Attenuated Total Reflectance Spectroscopy This is the study of substances in thin films or on surfaces. The sample is penetrated by an energy beam one or more times, and the reflected energy is analyzed. Attenuated total reflectance spectroscopy and the related technique called frustrated multiple internal reflection spectroscopy are used to analyze coatings and opaque liquids. Electron Paramagnetic Spectroscopy This is a microwave technique based on splitting electronic energy fields in a magnetic field. It is used to determine structures of samples containing unpaired electrons. Electron Spectroscopy There are several types of electron spectroscopy, all associated with measuring changes in electronic energy levels. Fourier Transform Spectroscopy This is a family of spectroscopic techniques in which the sample is irradiated by all relevant wavelengths simultaneously for a short period of time. The absorption spectrum is obtained by applying mathematical analysis to the resulting energy pattern. Gamma-ray Spectroscopy Gamma radiation is the energy source in this type of spectroscopy, which includes activation analysis and Mossbauer spectroscopy. Infrared Spectroscopy The infrared absorption spectrum of a substance is sometimes called its molecular fingerprint. Although frequently used to identify materials, infrared spectroscopy also may be used to quantify the number of absorbing molecules. Laser Spectroscopy Absorption spectroscopy, fluorescence spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy commonly use laser light as an energy source. Laser spectroscopies provide information about the interaction of coherent light with matter. Laser spectroscopy generally has high resolution and sensitivity. Mass Spectrometry A mass spectrometer source produces ions. Information about a sample may be obtained by analyzing the dispersion of ions when they interact with the sample, generally using the mass-to-charge ratio. Multiplex or Frequency-Modulated Spectroscopy In this type of spectroscopy, each optical wavelength that is recorded is encoded with an audio frequency containing the original wavelength information. A wavelength analyzer can then reconstruct the original spectrum. Raman Spectroscopy Raman scattering of light by molecules may be used to provide information on a samples chemical composition and molecular structure. X-ray Spectroscopy This technique involves excitation of inner electrons of atoms, which may be seen as x-ray absorption. An x-ray fluorescence emission spectrum may be produced when an electron falls from a higher energy state into the vacancy created by the absorbed energy.

History of the Omagh Bombing in Northern Ireland

History of the Omagh Bombing in Northern Ireland On August 15, 1998, the Real IRA committed the most lethal act of terrorism in Northern Ireland to date. A car bomb set off in the center of town in Omagh, Northern Ireland, killed 29 and wounded hundreds. Who Real IRA (Real Irish Republican Army) Where Omagh, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland When August 15, 1998 The Story On August 15, 1998, members of the paramilitary Real Irish Republican Army parked a maroon car packed with 500 lbs of explosives outside a store on the main shopping street of Omagh, a town in Northern Ireland. According to later reports, they intended to blow up the local courthouse, but could not find parking close to it. RIRA Members then made three warning phone calls to a local charity and a local television station warning that a bomb would go off shortly. Their messages about the bombs location were ambiguous, though, and the police effort to clear the area ended up moving people nearer to the bombs vicinity. RIRA denied accusations that they had deliberately provided misleading information. RIRA took responsibility for the attack on August 15. People around the attack described it as akin to a war zone or killing field. Descriptions were collected from television and print statements by Wesley Johnston: I was in the kitchen, and heard a big bang. Everything fell on me - the cupboards blew off the wall. The next thing I got blasted out into the street. There was smashed glass everywhere - bodies, children. People were inside-out. –Jolene Jamison, worker in nearby shop, Nicholl Shiels There were limbs lying about that had been blown off people. Everyone was running round, trying to help people. There was a girl in a wheelchair screaming for help, who was in a bad way. There were people with cuts on their heads, bleeding. One young boy had half of his leg completely blown off. He didnt cry or anything. He was just in a complete state of shock. –Dorothy Boyle, witness Nothing could have prepared me for what I saw. People were lying on the floor with limbs missing and there was blood all over the place. People were crying for help and looking for something to kill the pain. Other people were crying out looking for relatives. You could not really be trained for what you had seen unless you were trained in Vietnam or somewhere like that. –Volunteer nurs on the scene at Tyrone County Hospital, Omaghs main hospital. The attack so horrified Ireland and the UK that it ended up pushing forward the peace process. Martin McGuiness, the leader of the IRAs political wing Sinn Fein, and party president Gerry Adams condemned the attack. UK Prime Minister Tony Blair said it was an appalling act of savagery and evil. New legislation was also immediately introduced in the UK and Ireland that made it easier to prosecute suspected terrorists. Investigations in the immediate aftermath of the bombing did not turn up individual suspects, although the Real IRA was an immediate suspect. The RUC arrested and questioned about 20 suspects in the first six months following the attack, but could not pin responsibility on any of them. [RUC stands for Royal Ulster Constabulary. In 2000, it was renamed the Police Service of Northern Ireland, or PSNI]. Colm Murphy was charged and found guilty of conspiring to cause harm in 2002, but the charge was overturned on appeal in 2005. In 2008, families of the victims brought a civil suit against five men they charge were instrumental in the attacks. The five included Michael McKevitt, who was convicted in a case brought by the state of directing terrorism; Liam Campbell, Colm Murphy, Seamus Daly and Seamus McKenna.

Discussion AUTHORSHIP & GUIDELINES Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Discussion AUTHORSHIP & GUIDELINES - Assignment Example Since nursing practice is universal, the practice documented for a particular region can effectively be used by a different group of people. This is one reason practicing nurses need to publish. With the current technological advancements, the documented or published positive and effective practice in one place can be implemented in a wide range of settings for the benefit of the profession and the communities. Advancement in education should be tied closely to the need for publishing (Broome, Riner, & Allam, 2013). The knowledge gained should allow for professional development and the expansion of the knowledge base of the profession. It is, therefore, recommended that the nurses, pursuing higher education such as doctoral programs should publish and contribute to the body of knowledge. Daily nursing practices derives greatly from the published literatures. This implies that for nursing practice to be updated and in line with the current requirements, the practicing nurses should not only do research but also make sure that this research is available for others to use in practice (Lake, Moss, & Duke, 2009). This is possible through embracing of publishing for practicing nurses. Broome, M. E., Riner, M. E., & Allam, E. S. (2013). Scholarly publication practices of Doctor of Nursing Practice-prepared nurses. The Journal of Nursing Education, 52, 429–34. doi:10.3928/01484834-20130718-02 Lake, S., Moss, C., & Duke, J. (2009). Nursing prioritization of the patient need for care: A tacit knowledge embedded in the clinical decision-making literature. International Journal of Nursing Practice, 15, 376–388.

IKEA Growth and Sustainability Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

IKEA Growth and Sustainability - Essay Example He opened the chain’s first store in Almhult, Sweden in 1953. Located in the Smaland region, one of the poorest regions in the country where the young Kamprad developed his characteristic Spartan work ethic and austere management style typical of the province. The company is intimately infused with the personality of Kamprad; the very name is derived from the initials of his name (I and K), and the first letter of the farm Elmtaryd and the village Agunnaryd where Kamprad was raised (IKEA website, 2011). Ikea’s products are characterised by self-assembly, which means that the customer purchases the product components with instruction on how it is to be assembled. The broken-down product is sold in flat packs that save on space and are easy to transport in the customer’s van or car, without the need for delivery service. The core strategy of the company is the creation of furniture of high value in terms of workmanship and aesthetics, at the lowest possible cost to the customer. Its overriding philosophy remains unchanged from Kamprad’s initial vision, that people of all walks of life are entitled to affordable and beautiful furniture. The company constantly explores emerging efficiencies in its value chain, allowing it to realize an average 2-3% reduction in its prices for each year over the last 10 years (Thomas White Global Investing, 2011). The company’s growth from the time it was established has been consistent and steady. Annual turnover has risen from the equivalent of about 1 million euro in 1954 to 13.6 billion in 2004 (see diagram below). Even through the recent economic recession from 2007 to the present, the group’s sales turnover improved from 17.7 billion euros in 2006 to 23.8 billion euros in 2010, with a yearly positive increment. Visitors to Ikea stores through the years have increased from a mere 50,000 in 1954 to 401 million in 2004, to a recent 699 million in 2010, again with constant positive year-on-year growth. The growth in visitors is driven by a continuous growth in the number of Ikea stores worldwide. In 1954 there was the lone Ikea store opened by Kamprad, and by 2004 the total stores numbered 201. Ikea store continued opening while others were closing, from 237 in 2006 to 316 in 2010 (Ikea Website, 2011). Ikea turnover history. (Source: Boscor & Bratucu, 2009:55) Concerning its s ustainability, Ikea has adopted several initiatives which promise to enhance the company’s operations to a level of minimal waste and maximum productivity. According to green design advocate Inhabitat (2011), Ikea has committed to use 100% renewable energy, banned the sale of incandescent bulbs, and promises to use only sustainable cotton. The company has also been reported to install charging stations for electric vehicles at its US stores, and in Sweden it has built a company-owned wind farm to power 17 of its stores. Undoubtedly, the company’s growth and sustainability are synergistically intertwined, such that one cannot prosper without the other. This study shall thus analyse the drivers of growth and sustainability of the Ikea Group using Bolman and Deal’