6 Financial Benefits of a College Degree

6 Financial Benefits of a College Degree A college degree takes a lot of hard work - and often costs a lot of money. As a result, you may wonder if going to college is worthwhile, but its an investment that nearly always pays off. Here are some of the many financial benefits often enjoyed by college graduates. 1. Youll Have Higher Lifetime Earnings People with a bachelors degree earn about 66 percent more than their peers with only a high school diploma, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. A masters degree can net you twice as much as  someone with a high school education. But you dont have to take on that degree of academic investment to see the benefits: Even those with an associates degree tend to earn 25 percent more than those with high school diplomas. Figures vary by occupation, but your earning potential is highly likely to increase with your level of education. 2. Youre More Likely to Have a Job at All Unemployment rates are lowest among Americans with advanced degrees. Even two years of extra education can make a big difference, as people with associates degrees have a significantly lower unemployment rate than people with high school diplomas. Keep in mind its very important to actually get your degree in order to increase your earning potential and chances of employment because people with some college and no degree dont fare much better than people with just a high school diploma. 3. Youll Have Access to More Resources Going to college means you can take advantage of your schools career center or internship programs, which can help you land your first post-graduate job. 4. Youll Have a Professional Network Before You Start Working Dont underestimate the value of connections. You can leverage the relationships youve made in college and your schools alumni network well after youve graduated, like when youre looking for new job opportunities. Thats decades of value from an investment of just a few years. 5. Youll Experience Indirect Financial Benefits While having a degree wont automatically improve your credit rating, for example, having a good job that you got because of your degree can  indirectly increase your credit score. How? Earning more money means youre more likely to be able to meet your financial obligations, like regular bills and loan payments. That can help you avoid paying bills late or having a debt go to collections, which can hurt your credit. On top of that, increasing your earning potential can also improve your ability to save money, which can help you avoid debt. Of course, earning more money doesnt guarantee youll manage it well, but it can certainly help. 6. Youll Have Access to Jobs With Better Benefits Theres more to any job than just the take-home pay. Better-paying jobs, most of which require a college degree, can also offer better perks, like retirement contribution matching, health insurance, health savings accounts, childcare stipends, tuition reimbursement and commuter benefits.

Mothers Day Quotes - What Writers Say About Mothers

Mothers Day Quotes - What Writers Say About Mothers What do the writers have to say about Mothers Day? From Edgar Allan Poe to Washington Irving, read what famous writers have written about their mothers. Writers Quotes The heart of a mother is a deep abyss at the bottom of which you will always find forgiveness. - Honore de Balzac (1799-1850) Youth fades; love droops, the leaves of friendship fall; A mothers secret hope outlives them all. - Oliver Wendell Holmes (1809-1894) The real religion of the world comes from women much more than from men - from mothers most of all, who carry the key of our souls in their bosoms. - Oliver Wendell Holmes (1809-1894) Where we love is homehome that our feet may leave, but not our hearts. - Oliver Wendell Holmes (1809-1894) A mother is the truest friend we have, when trials, heavy and sudden, fall upon us; when adversity takes the place of prosperity; when friends who rejoice with us in our sunshine, desert us when troubles thicken around us, still will she cling to us, and endeavour by her kind precepts and counsels to dissipate the clouds of darkness, and cause peace to return to our hearts. - Washington Irving (1783-1859) Whatever else is unsure in this stinking dunghill of a world a mothers love is not. - James Joyce (1881-1941) Let us be grateful to people who make us happy, they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom. - Marcel Proust (1871-1922) Mother is the name for God in the lips and hearts of little children. - William Makepeace Thackeray (1811-1863) All women become like their mothers. That is their tragedy. No man does. Thats his. - Oscar Wilde (1854-1900), The Importance of Being Earnest, 1895 How have mothers influence the lives of writers? How have women writers balanced the demands of motherhood with the need to write? And, what have authors written about their mothers? Celebrate mothers in literature! Mothers in LiteratureTo My Mother - Edgar Allan PoeMother o Mine - Rudyard KiplingMother and Babe - Walt WhitmanMothers Day Proclamation - Julia Ward HoweAh, Woe is Me, My Mother Dear - Robert BurnsLittle Women - Louisa May AlcottEmilys Mother  - Emily Dickinson

Concepts of Supply and Demand Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Concepts of Supply and Demand - Essay Example Figure 1.0 below shows in detail what the elasticity of demand portends for the price and quantity of a given item as a function of graphic analysis. Of course it cannot always be understood that price elasticity of demand will be a primal motivating factor (Fouquet, 2012). Due to the fact that the market for many goods and services has a very inelastic price elasticity of demand, the actual level of demand that consumers express bears little relation to the price that is being offered for the commodity. Figure 1.0 Source: Marban, Zwaan, Grigoriev, Hiller, & Vredeveld, 2012 This particular graph is indicative of an elastic demand curve. It is important to bear in mind that the demand curve is not steeply sloping; rather, it exhibits a gradual decline as price fluctuates. Naturally, determinants such as consumer time horizon will greatly impact the total elasticity that is represented in the above representation by elongating and flattening the demand curve as a result of the fact tha t the consumer believes that the cost is likely to change within the near future (Chai & Moneta, 2010). Similar changes to the demand curve will also be noted if/when changes to the consumer’s income are noted and/or if the availability of substitutes weakens or strengthens the demand that has hitherto been illustrated. Cross price elasticity Similarly, â€Å"cross price elasticity† is a term that is used to measure the responsiveness of the demand for a given good to the change in price of a competing good. This level of change is given as a percentage point and is derived as a function of measuring the percentage change in price of the secondary good/commodity (Marban, Zwaan, Grigoriev, Hiller & Vredeveld, 2012). As a quick example, if the price of shipping were to increase by 10% and the price of the finished good itself were to decrease by 25%, the following formula would be used to calculate the cross price elasticity of the given good: -25/10= -2.5. In this way, the reader can see the level to which competing goods/commodities play with relation to the elasticity of demand for a given product within the marketplace (Khan, 2012). An important fact to note is that the question of whether the cross price elasticity is positive or negative denotes whether or not the given good/commodity in question is either complimentary or supplementary of the primary good. Negative cross elasticity means that two products are compliments whereas a positive means that they are supplementary to each other. Figure 2.0 represents the graphical interpretation of cross price elasticity. Figure 2.0 Source: Arak & Spiro, 1973 Income elasticity Thirdly, this brief analysis will consider the term â€Å"income elasticity.† This can be described as the responsiveness of demand for a given good or service to the change in the overall income of the individuals who are demanding the item. In much the same way as the previous term was calculated, income elasticity is calculated as the percentage change in the demand as compared to the percentage change in the income of the affected consumer base (Fouquet, 2012). In this way, the observer could calculate a 10% increase in income as compared to the demand for a good increasing by 20% as 20%/10%=2. Figure 3.0 illustrates the decreasing demand for a product as a function of reducing incomes of the affected population that would otherwise serve as the primary consumers of the given good/service/commodity. Figure 3.0 Sources: Fouquet, 2012 Increases in consumer spending/income would

Bibliography Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Bibliography - Essay Example At the age of 11, in 1607, he was sent to the boarding school, La Fleche, a Jesuit institution. He studied many subjects, including, mathematics, science, rhetoric, verbal arts, philosophy, and astronomy. However it was mathematics that most attracted the young Descartes. Although is believed to have received his degree from University of Poiters in civil and canon law between 1615 and 1616, there is a period on and off throughout 1614-1618, where Descartes fell out of the world, many believe that he may have some sort of emotional or mental break-down and was in seclusion n Paris, France (Skirry ). Descartes earliest accomplishments included contributions to the Scientific Revolution. It was he that established the â€Å"principle of inertia.† He presented the thinking that the universe, all of nature, and human beings are all a part of one great machine. He, also, established a philosophy called â€Å"the mind-body dichotomy† Descartes believed that a person’s mind is a separate entity from the physical body and enters in and out of the body through the pineal gland. This work took Descartes away from mathematics and hard science and into the world of philosophy. He would publish four books that are extremely significant. The first was titled â€Å"The Discourse on the Method, published in 1637. It was followed, in 1641, by â€Å"The Meditations on First Philosophy† and, â€Å"The Principles of Philosophy,† in 1644. The final major volume titled, â€Å"The Passions of the Soul,† was completed in 1649 (Weisstein). However, Descartes, most well-known and often referenced concept was, â€Å"I think therefore I am.† This statement always garners great philosophical debate. It is a phrase that can be perceived in many ways, depending on the user. However, it verifies the relevance of individuality and the power will. All of these works helped to form a unique perspective and perception of the world that would ultim ately earn Descartes’ the title of â€Å"The father of modern philosophy.† He changed many of the traditional perspectives on nature, the natural world, and humanity’s relationship to it. Unfortunately, not all of those living in Descartes time were inspired and pleased with Descartes philosophies, theories, and principles. The Catholic Church was not a supporter of Descartes. They felt that much of his work could be perceived as directly challenging church doctrines and practices. In fact, Descartes work would eventually find itself added to the lists of books not considered approved reading by the Church. Interestingly enough Descartes believed his works, in fact, proved the likely existence of God; all the same the Church would never be a supporter of his work (Correas ). Rene Descartes continued his work but would eventually retire in the Netherlands. He met a maid in the house of a friend with whom he had a relationship. However, he did not marry this woman and they shared one daughter. Sadly she died from a fever around the age of five. He had agree to join the Court of Queen Kristina of Sweden and remained in the Netherlands for the last 20 years of his life. However, the health problems of his childhood never really left him. Rene Descartes died in February of 1650, at the age of 54 from complications related to pneumonia; no doubt contributed to by the cold Scandinavian weather (Skirry). This was the

Juvenile Statistics Paper Essay Example for Free

Juvenile Statistics Paper Essay Crimes are committed by juvenile offenders every day and to gain a better understanding as to why they commit such crimes the trends have to be evaluated. The following statistics are findings made in 2008. These findings will give a clear understanding of the overall decrease in juvenile arrests made, touch base on the increase in drug offenses and simple assaults, provide implications for juvenile females and members of ethnic and racial minorities, examine the increase in arrests of juvenile females and the decrease in arrests of male juvenile offenders for violent crimes, and assess the tracking of juveniles arrests as a method of measuring the amount of and trends in juvenile crime. In 2008, there were about 2.11 million juveniles arrested. Overall, there were three percent fewer juvenile arrests in 2008 than in 2007 and violent crime arrests fell two percent. These findings are made by local law enforcement agencies throughout the country who report to the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR). From 1990-1997 the juvenile arrest rate for drug abuse violations increased 145%. The rate declined 28% from 1997-2008 but the 2008 rate was 78% more than the 1990 rate. From 1980-1997 the juvenile arrest rate for simple assault increased 156%. This number declined a small amount in 2002 and raised a small amount through 2006. Following the decline over those two years, the 2008 arrest rate for simple assault was greater than the 1980 rate for most racial groups. In 2008, females accounted for 30% of juvenile arrests. There were a total of 629,800 females under the age of 18 who were arrested in 2008. Racial composition of the U.S. juvenile population ages 10-17 in 2008 was 78% white, 16% black, 5% Asian/Pacific Islander and 1% American Indian with Hispanics being included in the white racial category. Of all juvenile arrests for violent crimes in 2008, 47% were white/Hispanic, 52% were black, and 1% Asian and 1% were American Indian. Juvenile female arrests increased for simple assault, larceny theft, and DUI while male arrests decreased. â€Å"From the mid-1980s to the peak in 1993, the juvenile arrest rate for murder more than doubled. Then, the juvenile arrest rate for murder declined through the mid-2005, reaching a level in 2004 that was 77% less than the 1993 peak. The growth in the juvenile murder arrest rate that began in 2004 was interrupted in 2008 as the rate fell 6% over the past year, resting at a level that was 74% below its 1993 peak.† (Puzzanchera, Charles. 2009. Juvenile Arrests 2008.) Juveniles have certain protections under the law but the Uniform Crime Report (UCR) allows us to keep track of what crimes, known to the police, and arrests made during the reporting calendar year. Based on the information provided by the UCR, the FBI prepares its annual Crime in the United States statistical compilation. This information is used to provide details on the extent and nature of juvenile crimes and if there are any trends being made. Some of the findings from the UCR Program is that â€Å"juveniles accounted for 16% of all violent crime arrests and 26% of all property crime arrests in 2008.† Another interesting finding by the UCR is that â€Å"between 1999 and 2008, juvenile arrests for aggravated assault decreased more for males than for females (22% vs. 17%). During this period, juvenile male arrests for simple assault declined 6% and female arrests increased 12%†. The UCR also found that â€Å"the juvenile murder arrest rate in 2008 was 3.8 arrests per 100,000 juveniles ages 10 through 17. This was 17% more than the 2004 low of 3.3, but 74% less than the 1993 peak of 14.4. In 2008, 11% (1,740) of all murder victims were younger than age 18. More than one-third (38%) of all juvenile murder victims were younger than age 5, but this proportion varied widely across demographic groups.† (Puzzanchera, Charles. 2009. Juvenile Arrests 2008.) The conclusion is simple, the overall juvenile arrests made for violent crimes only fell two percent than the year before and more juvenile females are committing more violent crimes. All of the statistics that were discussed have been analyzed and examined. Criminal Justice and Juvenile Justice Professionals should be able to identify and organize these statistics to structure a preventative system within a community to deter such delinquent acts. The UCR reports and findings allow Americans to understand the crime trends within the juvenile justice system. References (Puzzanchera, Charles. 2009. Juvenile Arrests 2008.)

Imperialism and Its Effects :: History Essay

Imperialism is the policy by which one country takes control of the land of another region. The Age of Imperialism lasted from 1870 to 1914. The development of imperialism mirrors that of industrialization. This is because the two reflect growth and progress. The US was more focused on competing for resources and new markets during this era. Concerns for the US were the economic situations of the Pacific and Caribbean, along with the strategic importances of these areas. Imperialism was inevitable with the growth of industry. In need of materials, countries would take control of other lands. Ethno-centrism became a part of the European state of mind. They felt driven to impose European beliefs and ideas on the conquered territories. This was deemed the "White Man's Burden" by Rudyard Kipling, who was very much against this movement. India was very affected by Europe. Europeans created a scramble for Africa and formed spheres of influence in China. Today, imperialism is much subtler, often in the form of foreign aid to create favorable relations between the two countries. Many nations benefited from imperialistic practices in that they provided an opportunity to modernize. Much of the infrastructure, educational facilities, and hospitals in these countries were built by the imperialist nations controlling them. Along with the positive changes came negative. People were repressed and their cultures were left behind. Because of this, the nationalist movement was sparked.

Managing a Holistic Marketing Organization for Long Run

CHAPTER 22 Managing a Holistic Marketing organization for Long Run Trends in Marketing Practices Reengineering: Appointing teams to manage customer-value-building processes and break down walls between departments. Outsourcing: Greater willingness to buy more goods and services from outside domestic or foreign vendors. Benchmarking: Studying â€Å"best practice companies† to improve performance. Supplier partnering: Increased partnering with fewer but better value-adding suppliers. Customer partnering: Working more closely with customers to add value to their operations.Merging: Acquiring or merging with firms in the same or complementary industries to gain economies of scale and scope. Globalizing: Increased effort to â€Å"think global† and â€Å"act local. † Flattening: Reducing the number of organizational levels to get closer to the customer. Focusing: Determining the most profitable businesses and customers and focusing on them. Accelerating: Designing the organization and setting up processes to respond more quickly to changes in the environment. Empowering: Encouraging and empowering personnel to produce more ideas and take more initiative. Internal MarketingOrganizing the Marketing Department Functional Organization Geographic Organization Product or Brand management organization Some of the tasks that product or brand managers may perform include: ? Developing a long-range and competitive strategy for the product. ? Preparing an annual marketing plan and sales forecast. ? Working with advertising and merchandising agencies to develop copy, programs, and campaigns. ? Increasing support of the product among the sales force and distributors. ? Gathering continuous intelligence on the product's performance, customer and dealer attitudes, and new problems and opportunities. Initiating product improvements to meet changing market needs. This organization has some disadvantages too: ? Product managers and specifically brand managers are not given enough authority to carry out their responsibilities. They have to rely on persuasion to get the cooperation of other departments. ? Product and brand managers become experts in their product area but rarely achieve functional expertise. They vacillate between acting as experts and having to defer to real experts. ? The product management system often turns out to be costly.One person is appointed to manage each major product or brand and soon managers are appointed to manage even minor products and brands. ? Brand managers normally manage a brand for only a short time. Short-term involvement leads to short-term planning and plays havoc with building long-term strengths. ? The fragmentation of markets makes it harder to develop a national strategy from headquarters. ? Brand managers must increasingly please regional and local sales groups, resulting in a transfer of power from marketing to sales. Product and brand managers cause the company to focus on building market shar e rather than building the customer relationship. Yet the customer relationship, not the brand, may be the primary lever for value creation. MARKET-MANAGEMENT ORGANIZATION ? When customers fall into different user groups with distinct buying preferences and practices, a market-management organization is desirable. ? A market manager supervises several market managers (also called market-development managers, market specialists, or industry specialists). ? The market managers draw on functional services as needed.MATRIX-MANAGEMENT ORGANIZATION ? A matrix organization would seem desirable in a multiproduct, multimarket company. ? This system is costly and often creates conflicts. ? There is the cost of supporting all the managers. ? There are also questions about where authority and responsibility should reside. Relation with other departments Building a Creative Marketing Organization ? Developing a company-wide passion for customers. ? Organizing around customer segments instead of around products. ? Developing a deep understanding of customers through qualitative and quantitative research.Socially Responsible Marketing Corporate Social Responsibility Legal behavior ? Society must use the law to define, as clearly as possible, those practices that are illegal, antisocial, or anticompetitive. ? Organizations must ensure that every employee knows and observes any relevant laws. ? For example, sales managers can check that sales representatives know and observe the law, such as the fact that it is illegal for salespeople to lie to consumers or mislead them about the advantages of buying a product. Ethical behaviorCompanies must adopt and disseminate a written code of ethics, build a company tradition of ethical behavior, and hold its people fully responsible for observing ethical and legal guidelines. Social Responsibility Behavior Sustainability The importance of meeting humanity’s needs without harming future generations. Socially Responsible Business Mo dels ? The future holds a wealth of opportunities for companies. ? Technological advances in solar energy, online networks, cable and satellite television, biotechnology, and telecommunications promise to change the world as we know it. At the same time, forces in the socioeconomic, cultural, and natural environments will impose new limits on marketing and business practices. ? Companies that are able to innovate new solutions and values in a socially responsible way are the most likely to succeed. Cause-Related Marketing ? Cause-related marketing is marketing that links the firm's contributions to a designated cause to customers' engaging directly or indirectly in revenue producing transactions with the firm. ? Cause marketing has also been called a part of corporate societal marketing (CSM) which Drumwright and Murphy define as marketing efforts â€Å"that have at least one on-economic objective related to social welfare and use the resources of the company and/or of its partners . † ? They also include other activities such as traditional and strategic philanthropy and volunteerism as part of CSM. CAUSE MARKETING BENEFITS AND COSTS A successful cause marketing program can produce a number of benefits: ? Improving social welfare ? Creating differentiated brand positioning ? Building strong consumer bonds ? Enhancing the company's public image with government officials and other decision makers; ? Creating a reservoir of goodwill Boosting internal morale and galvanizing employees; and driving sales Choosing a cause Many companies choose to focus on one or a few main causes to simplify execution and maximize impact. One of the more focused cause marketers is McDonald's. Ronald McDonald Houses in more than 20 countries offer more than 5,000 rooms each night to families needing support while their child is in the hospital. Ronald McDonald House program has provided a â€Å"home away from home† for nearly 4 million family members since its beginning in 1974. Social MarketingCognitive campaigns ? Explain the nutritional value of different foods ? Explain the importance of conservation. Action campaigns ? Attract people for mass immunization. ? Motivate people to vote â€Å"yes† on a certain issue. ? Motivate people to donate blood. ? Motivate women to take a pap test. Behavioral campaigns ? Demotivate cigarette smoking. ? Demotivate hard-drug usage. ? Demotivate excessive consumption of alcohol. Value campaigns ? Alter ideas about abortion. ? Change attitudes of bigoted people. Evaluation and Control Annual plan control Sales AnalysisMarket Share Analysis Needs to track its market share in one of three ways Overall market share/Served market share/Relative market share A useful way to analyze market share movements is in terms of four components: Overall market share=Customer penetration (% of all the customers who buy from the company)XCustomer loyalty X Customer selectivity (average customer purchase from the company co mpared to average company)X Price selectivity(Average price of the company with others) Marketing expense to sales analysis Financial analysis Profitability ControlMarketing Profitability Analysis Step: 1: Identifying functional expense Step: 2: Assessing functional expenses to marketing entities Step: 3: Preparing a profit and loss statement for each marketing entity Determining corrective actions Direct versus full costing Efficiency control Strategic control The Marketing audit Comprehensive The marketing audit covers all the major marketing activities of a business, not just a few trouble spots. It would be called a functional audit if it covered only the sales force, pricing, or some other marketing activity.Systematic The marketing audit is an orderly examination of the organization's macro-and micromarketing environments, marketing objectives and strategies, marketing systems, and specific activities. The audit indicates the most-needed improvements, which are then incorporat ed into a corrective action plan involving both short-run and long-run steps to improve overall effectiveness. Independent A marketing audit can be conducted in six ways: self-audit, audit from across, audit from above, company auditing office, company task force audit, and outsider audit.Self-audits, in which managers use a checklist to rate their own operations, lack objectivity and independence Periodic Typically, marketing audits are initiated only after sales have turned down, sales force morale has fallen, and other problems have occurred. Companies are thrown into a crisis partly because they failed to review their marketing operations during good times. A periodic marketing audit can benefit companies in good health as well as those in trouble. THE MARKETING EXCELLENCE REVIEWCompanies can use another instrument to rate their performance in relation to the best practices of high-performing businesses. The Future of Marketing In these ways, modern marketing will continue to ev olve and confront new challenges and opportunities. As a result, the coming years will see: ? The demise of the marketing department and the rise of holistic marketing. ? The demise of free-spending marketing and the rise of ROI marketing. ? The demise of marketing intuition and the rise of marketing science, ? The demise of manual marketing and the rise of automated marketing. The demise of mass marketing and the rise of precision marketing. Proficiency will be demanded in areas such as: ? Customer relationship management (CRM). ? Partner relationship management (PRM). ? Database marketing and data-mining. ? Contact center management and telemarketing. ? Public relations marketing (including event and sponsorship marketing), ? Brand-building and brand-asset management. ? Experiential marketing ? Integrated marketing communications ? Profitability analysis by segment, customer, channel.

Paris description

Like any other day, the sun rose In Paris. It as the beginning of May, when spring blew Its last breezes and the heat of summer started to spread around. The weather could not get any better. The sky was crystal clear and It wasn't too sunny. The sun made the whole city looked Like It was covered with a thin, light and golden layer of apple dust. I could tell the weather was perfect since I could open the windows and Just leave It there. It was probably the best time In pans for traveling, when the freezing cold and the depressing rain were all gone.Like any Parisian, my morning started with a crunchy exterior and soft Interior resistant, some slices of crispy honey coated French toasts but my breakfast was definitely incomplete without a creamy cup of cappuccino. Sitting by the windows, those flowery balconies, the cobblestone road, those old black poles on the sidewalk, those classy street lamps had never seemed so real. Along the pavement, plenty of cars were parked in an organizi ng order even though the parking spaces looked a little bit too small. Excitement took over my whole body.I could not wait to jump out of the window and go on my Paris adventure but those soft noises along with such denude silence in the early morning kept pulling me back to the chair. That peaceful atmosphere absolutely gave me the definition of Zen. It was a typical Parisian Monday. Walking down the street, everyone seemed so busy. The street was crowded with people walking, bicycling, and driving their ways to work. Some stopped along the way to grab a cup of coffee. All of sudden the smell of everyday coffee wasn't the same.The warm and bittersweet aroma of roasted coffee combined with the buttery and yeasty smell of fresh baked pastries filled the air. At the corner, people walked UT of the billionaires with bags baguette and pastries on their hands. Then, an earthy scent of fresh-from-the-garden flower and a faintly sweet smell of blooming flowers gently spread around. Flower stalls with radiant and vibrant colors glowing under the early morning sun caught my eyes. Even the homeless on the street woke up and got ready for a new day. So I Joined In the flow of people and continued living my dream in Paris. Paris is oozing with art and culture.Artists were almost everywhere and love was In the air. It's not difficult to spot a Parisian cafe © on the street. The word â€Å"cafe ©Ã¢â‚¬  said It all. It's so original that there Is so equivalent for Its name In the English language. The cafe © was so adorable with round tables and flimsy chairs on a shady pavement terrace. There were dancing people on the street. People played music with accordions, cellos or even trumpets for money. A man with a beret hat would probably paint a portrait of you In no time. Souvenir stores were filled with tiny Eiffel towers, postcards and â€Å"I heart Paris† t-shirts. The crowds of people were inside the metro station.Graffiti and paintings were all over the wa ll. Unlike others unique beauty. For centuries, this city has been the laboratory for new ideas of architects and artists, which explains why Paris has bits of everything. Seeing all the historic and majestic buildings would give you a definite aspect of European architecture. Furthermore, a large number of monumental churches were built in Paris. During the French revolution, many churches were burnt down and destroyed but fortunately some of them survived and renovated. To be specific, the Notre Dame looked like a massive masterpiece. I took a closer look from the outside of the cathedral.Every detail of the carvings was so sophisticate and amazing that it left me speechless. The interior was wonderfully classy with all the colorful stained glass, the painted ceilings and everything else in that gothic treasure. If there were a medal for the best-preserved city, Paris would probably win the first place. Along the Seine River, key locks were easily found on bridges, it's considered as a symbol of love. Lovebirds were holding hands and the music were playing. The scenery would brighten your day right away. And French people were lovely as they spoke softly and the elegant gesture they made.The laughter and conversations mingled with the music melody, created a euphonious chorus of life. The highlight of the day didn't happen until sunset. It was summer so the sun didn't go down until nine. Standing from Pont Alexander Ill, the bridge that spans the Seine River, I got the perfect spot to watch twilight in Paris. As the sun began to set, a celestial glow appeared in the sky. As it went darker, the sky turned yellow, orange with a little shades of coral and magenta and the clouds looked like giant marshmallows floating in a gigantic punch bowl with layers of colors. The Eiffel tower was all lit up.The lights started to blink like the stars were playing hide and seek. Just a few moments, the city of lights was in front of me. The attractive golden lights from the Eiffel, the yellow lights from the street, everything was exquisitely amazing. Then, those shimmering lights drew itself onto the Seine River. The reflection started to vibrate like it was trying to send a message as the river flow slowly moved. I Just stood there and did nothing but stared at every centimeter of that stunning scenery. Rambling through the streets, the Paris during the day transformed itself into the Paris that took my breath away.Every corner, every avenue was Just pure magic. On the other hand, not everything about Paris is lovable. This city can get a bit touristy and crowded during summer. If you were too busy enjoying the view, you might be the victim of a pickpocket in Just a blink of an eye. Since this city attracts so many people, the lines in most places were too long and it would probably waste your time. The queue at an ice cream cart on the street took me thirty minutes but it was all worth it. I had a strawberry sorbet. It was a blast of freshness. The sorbet tasted really Juicy and deliciously tangy.It instantly melted in my mouth then a cool smooth liquid flowed down my throat as it cleared away all my feebleness in that boiling afternoon. So, as long as you are careful with your belongings and enjoy Paris to the fullest, the pickpockets and the lengthy lines would be no problems. There goes every beautiful piece of Paris that etched into my memory. As I wandered through the street of this city, splendid works of art were gently unfolding in front of me. The whole experience was priceless. I could throw in more adjectives to describe how surreal Paris was but this city would always be more than that.

Cultural shock essays

Cultural shock essays The day was finally here. It was November 11, 1990, the day that our family was to go to  ¡Land Of Liberty. ¡Ã‚ ¯ I heard so many different things about this country called United States of America and I was warned that it would be nothing you ¡Ã‚ ¯ve expected. The plane ride did not seem as long as it was; partly because I was lost in my own thoughts with hopes and anxiety. I thought about what I will become in this massive country I was headed and how soon I will adapt to this new culture and people. Every bits of hope I had faded as we drove to our new house after the plane landed. All I saw was open space and emptiness; something I did not expect or was prepared for. I lived in urban part of Korea all my 9 years of life and I was never aware that there could be any place as empty as I was now. I was a bit relieved when we reached our 2 floors, 6 rooms house in Northbrook. It was like a castle to me. My father told me that this house cost as much as the little 1 bathroom, 3 rooms apartment we had in Korea. As I was getting used to the castle we have just bought, the emptiness filled my heart again. I looked outside and saw houses across the street. For a week, I thought those houses were stores. Living in Korea, everywhere you look out, there are myriad number of stores everywhere. I could not get used to this suburban life that nobody ever warned me about. My next cultural shock came when I attended my uncle ¡Ã‚ ¯s Thanksgiving dinner. For the first time, I encountered what seemed like a gigantic chicken: turkey. There were many other foods besides the turkey, but overall, I was overwhelmed by the abundance of food at such low price. I began to understand why there are so many cases of obesity in America. I couldn ¡Ã‚ ¯t escape the abundance of food either. I gained so much weight as I got used to American food. I got so chubby to a point where my relatives did not recognize me when they came to visit us f...

Cord vs. Chord

Cord vs. Chord Cord vs. Chord Cord vs. Chord By Maeve Maddox Latin chorda referred to catgut used to make the strings of a musical instrument. Chorda entered French with the spelling corde and the meaning â€Å"string for a musical instrument.† English took the word from French, but eventually dropped the e and spelled it cord. In English, cord came to mean different kinds of string or rope. The earliest illustration in the OED (1305) shows that â€Å"a cord† could be used to bind a person hand and foot; by 1330, cord could refer to the hangman’s rope. In modern usage, cord is string composed of several strands twisted or woven together. By cord, modern speakers usually mean a light rope–the kind used for a clothesline–or a thick string–the sort used to wrap a parcel for mailing. In earlier usage, cord could refer to the ropes of a ship. The OED shows that cord was used as a medical term for a body part that resembles a string, for example, a ligament. The homophones cord and chord are often confused–with good reason. As most of the readers of DWT know by now, some of our oddest spellings were born in the 16th century thanks to helpful grammarians who wanted to â€Å"restore† Latin spellings that weren’t missing. My favorite example is the alteration of the perfectly practical English spelling dette (â€Å"something owed†) to debt, to make it â€Å"accord† with Latin debitum. The 16th century tinkerers decided that the spelling chord should replace cord because that was closer to Latin chorda. For a time, medical writers wrote about â€Å"spermatic chords,† â€Å"spinal chords,† and â€Å"umbilical chords,† but modern medical usage prefers the spelling cord. For a time, the spelling cord was also applied to the musical term that meant â€Å"agreement of musical sounds,† or â€Å"a combination of three or more simultaneous notes according the rules of musical harmony.† The musical term was spelled cord for a very good reason: it was a clipping of the word accord, a verb meaning â€Å"to bring into agreement.† Musical â€Å"cords† were sounds that agreed. As it turns out, having different spellings for each term is quite useful. The current usage is: cord: string chord: agreement of musical sounds Unfortunately, some speakers get mixed up when it comes to the anatomical term â€Å"vocal cords†: Do you want to strengthen your weak vocal chords, so you can become an amazing singer? How to Keep Your Vocal Chords in Good Condition Although used to sing, vocal cords are not spelled â€Å"vocal chords.† I’ve two more factoids to share before leaving the fascinating subject of cord: The smokeless explosive called cordite got its name from its â€Å"curiously string-like appearance.† A quantity of wood is called a cord because it was originally measured with a string. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Misused Words category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:How Many Tenses in English?Confusing "Passed" with "Past"How Many Sentences in a Paragraph?

American Gothic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

American Gothic - Essay Example American Gothic is a highly expressive painting which captures the spirit of an age. Depicting a Midwestern farmer and his daughter, the dour expressions of the faces of both father and daughter, their highly modest clothing and the conservatism which they exude, communicate the hardship of the times. Whether from the modesty of their clothing, the utter dourness of their expression or the plainness of the house in the background, the picture tells the story of an age. It is an age where people lived by their own labor and had to work long hours, leaving hardly any room for pleasurable pursuits, just to survive and make ends meet. Certainly, the picture does not tell a tale of poverty but it tells one of a life of work with no pleasure in order to satisfy the basic requirements of livelihood, decent clothing and shelter. The painting further provides readers with an understanding of male-female relations and roles during the age in question. In this picture, the farmer is pictured holding a large pitchfork and dominates the painting. His daughter is standing just behind him and while he is looking straight ahead, gazing at onlookers, her eyes are averted. The pitchfork is a symbol of the manual labor for which men were responsible and the fact that the daughter is standing behind the father is indicative of the subservient status of females. Added to that, the fact that the man is looking straight ahead and the daughter’s eyes are averted could be interpreted as evidencing the public role of men versus the private role of females. It is, thus, that the male figure is boldly looking at the painter and, hence, directly at us while the female figure is not.