The Last Leaf O.Henry

The Last Leaf O.Henry â€Å"The Last Leaf† The Hope That Heals. The Last Leaf by O. Henry is an interesting short story about a sick girl named Johnsy, who is deeply affected by a bare vine tree. Johnsy has decided she will not get well and has reconciled herself with the fact that she is going to die when the last leaf falls off the ivy bush outside her bedroom window. Johnsys hopelessness and willingness to accept the worst without a fight is a major statement about the emotional state of the character. In his wonderful short-story â€Å"the last leaf†, using sacrificial themes, fear of pneumonia and a twist on the fatalistic tone, O.Henry depicted a really meaningful goal: Life must have hope. In brief, I love this story very much. Its plot and its characters are simply, but it is a very touching story that makes I recognize many things in life. Life is meaningful only for people who have hope and love. The hope helps us live better and heals our body and spirit. Hope is the foundation of our personal futures; each of us would probably suicide without hope. It is the virtue that helps us overcome obstacles. Without hope, we seem to give up easily like Johnsy in the story. Without hope, there is nothing. Another important thing in life is love. O. Henry, through the story, advices us should love ourselves and other people. The love between three persons, Johnsy, Sue and old Behrman makes a moving story. Johnsy had sometimes forgotten loving herself and cause the worry for Sue, but the biggest love is the love of the old Behrman for Johnsy. He was self sacrifice to save the life of Johnsy. Despite being a old man, he didnt hesitate to go out in a cold weather, climb up the ladder and paint the last leaf, because he know that it is the leaf of hope, a hope for a life that is giving up . In addition, I never see that life and death seem to be close like that. The fate is â€Å"decided† just through the last faint ivy leaf, it was such an â€Å"idiotic imaginings† (Henry 49). Life and death link together by the revivification of Johnsy and the death of the old Behrman. It is a familiar method in O. Henrys stories: everything has its own worth. The meaning of masterpiece in this story makes me change my mind. Before that, I think a masterpiece should be a large, a big, and an imposing picture. In the story, the last leaf picture of Behrman is very simple, but it is really a masterpiece by the meaning. He spent all the night under the terrible weather to draw it, and pay his life for it. Eventually, all of the leaves fall from the vine, save the one last leaf. All readers easily understand that how much effort, how much love contained in that leaf picture. More than that, the most important thing, â€Å"the last leaf† saved a life of a poor mind girl, who gave up life too easily. The end being the surprise ending that make the story feel sad.. The reader then finds out that O. Henry wrote a character that is obviously so void of passion about anything that at the first illness she gets, plans to die. Behrman, the man who will become her savior, seems to have the same lack of interest with his art. He is described as â€Å"a failure in art† (Henry 46). .†He had been always about to paint a masterpiece, but had never yet begun it† (Henry 48). If he was motivated or inspired to be an artist, he would have found something to paint in all of his years instead of waiting for the one inspiration that would create his masterpiece. Although he died, he did become what he had always claimed to be, an artist â€Å"had been waiting there for twenty-five years to receive the first line of the masterpiece† (Henry 49), his final masterpiece, which saved Johnsys uninspired life, was nothing more than a simple leaf painted upon a drab brick wall. All the things that our doctors tell us to do and undergo may not be easy, but they are meant to make us well. All the things that our love ones do to us, for us, they do for one reason: To keep us alive! We may not be living a very easy life, but all these tribulations, if surpassed, will make us stronger. They make life more meaningful and significant. â€Å"It is a sin to want to die† (Henry 51). Most of the times we are trying to be Johnsy just fearing about the last leaf, we often forget to love the life God has given us. Being Bermans is quite not possible for everyone, but at least we can live our life not just waiting for that â€Å"last leaf†. Let us, at all cost, dare to dream, dare to live, †¦ Live the life that God want us to live, no matter how short it be. Works Cited O.Henry. â€Å"The last leaf† The best story of O.Henry. New York, Modern Library.

Aims and Objectives Of A Business :: Business Management Strategy

Business aims Every business has aims, these are long-term goals of a business. They are designed to provide a focus for staff and to help a business achieve its key purpose. The aims in the privately owned business usually are to provide goods and/or services to the best of the business ability and to make enough profit to survive. The aims of a public sector business usually are to provide essential and efficient services for the state. A business can have more than one aim but it is sensible for them not to have too many so they can focus on the aims which are most appropriate to the main purpose of their business. Business Objectives Business objectives are more detailed goals than business aims, they are targets which get set to accomplish the business aims. Generally, business objectives are easier to achieve than business aims as they are broken down into smaller and easier steps. The objectives of a privately owned business would usually be to increase sales, to increase the number of customers or to reduce costs so that more customers are interested in their business. The objectives of a public sector business would usually be to meet customer targets (an example of this would be to reduce waiting times or to employ more staff) or to keep costs low. Mission statement Every large business has a mission statement. A mission statement is the main purpose that the business is working towards. It is often short and catchy. Mission statements that privately owned businesses create often mention increasing customers, improving employees, lowering or increasing the cost of their products and making their products better value for money whilst publicly owned organisations mention improving the service they provide by concentrating on the quality of their service, the efficiency and especially the customer service. Survival When in a business we talk about “survival” we refer to when a business is facing a hard time and whether or not they can get out of it or whether they will have to close down. This happens when trading becomes difficult. A method by which businesses survive is to aim to break-even (make enough money to cover the total costs involved in producing, selling goods or services and running the business) over a certain period. This doesn’t make the business any profit but neither does the business lose any money, and therefore they are able to survive.

Jonathan Edwards – Sinners in the hands of an Angry God!

Jonathan Edward’s most recognizable sermon was entitled â€Å"Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God†. This was a very stimulating and reassuring speech containing religious instruction because as you read it you will be able to engage yourself easily. He used some statement that may be used to evoke strong feelings or to create a strong impression, but it is rarely meant to be taken literally. Just like the sinners that he spoke of briefly was illustrated as one that stood or walked in slippery places. We will never know the instantaneous or abrupt devastation waiting ahead of us because of the things or situations that might happen.He never threatened anyone but he tried his best to imply the possible consequence or consequences. One more thing that he wanted to share with us was that the sinners that stood or walked on slippery ground needed nothing but their own weight to throw them down. They were liable to fall of themselves, without being thrown down by the hand of another. The sinners must decide on their own without being pushed or influenced by other. I never thought introducing fear gradually through sharing can be an effect means of bringing people to God. It was a matter of choosing the right strategy of convincing them.I admired Edwards because during his time he delivered the sermon effectively. In my opinion, he wasn’t constraint the people or the listener to believe him but he just showed them the reality of what might happen if the wrath of God would not be suspended. On Calvinistic doctrine of predestination, it accented that humans were unqualified of adding anything to obtain redemption and that God alone was the initiator at every stage of salvation, including the formation of faith and every decision to follow Christ. Calvinism stressed the sovereignty or rule of God in all things — in salvation but also in all of life.In this belief, the only choice that we have is to accept and have faith in God because he is t he one and only way for us to be saved from hell. Because of God’s love, he gave his only begotten son so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16). Thus, we must believe and follow Christ because He is the only way for us not to go to hell. There was no contradiction between the concept of predestination, central to Calvinism and Edward’s Covenant of Grace because both of them signify that salvation was not bestowed to us upon any condition, but freely and for nothing.We were to do nothing for it; we were only to take it. This taking and receiving was faith. It is very improper to say that a covenant is made with men, any otherwise than in Christ; for there is an immeasurable difference between a free offer and a covenant. The promise was made with Christ, and in him with his mystical body; and the condition of the covenant is Christ’s perfect obedience and sufferings. The Covenant of Grace was described by Christâ€⠄¢s open and free offer of life, whereby he holds it out in his hand to sinners, and offers it without any condition.Faith cannot be called the condition of receiving, for it is the receiving itself: That’s why, the only reason why Christ died on the cross was for our salvation. God loved us so much that He won’t allow us to go to hell. He offered the salvation freely just believe and have faith. I think Calvinistic Doctrine is popular because in the history of America, two-thirds of the colonial population was trained in the school of Calvin. It means most of the individuals were fascinated and knew the teaching of Calvinism. Never in the world's history had a nation been founded by such people as these.Furthermore, these people came to America not primarily for commercial gain or advantage, but because of deep religious convictions. It seems that the religious persecutions in various European countries had been providentially used to select out the most progressive a nd enlightened people for the colonization of America. Until now, the Christianity that spreads in America was born through the existence also of Calvinism. That’s why I was convinced that Calvinism is not dead but accepted and widely practiced by many. Jonathan Edwards – Sinners in the hands of an Angry God! Jonathan Edward’s most recognizable sermon was entitled â€Å"Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God†. This was a very stimulating and reassuring speech containing religious instruction because as you read it you will be able to engage yourself easily. He used some statement that may be used to evoke strong feelings or to create a strong impression, but it is rarely meant to be taken literally. Just like the sinners that he spoke of briefly was illustrated as one that stood or walked in slippery places. We will never know the instantaneous or abrupt devastation waiting ahead of us because of the things or situations that might happen.He never threatened anyone but he tried his best to imply the possible consequence or consequences. One more thing that he wanted to share with us was that the sinners that stood or walked on slippery ground needed nothing but their own weight to throw them down. They were liable to fall of themselves, without being thrown down by the hand of another. The sinners must decide on their own without being pushed or influenced by other. I never thought introducing fear gradually through sharing can be an effect means of bringing people to God. It was a matter of choosing the right strategy of convincing them.I admired Edwards because during his time he delivered the sermon effectively. In my opinion, he wasn’t constraint the people or the listener to believe him but he just showed them the reality of what might happen if the wrath of God would not be suspended. On Calvinistic doctrine of predestination, it accented that humans were unqualified of adding anything to obtain redemption and that God alone was the initiator at every stage of salvation, including the formation of faith and every decision to follow Christ. Calvinism stressed the sovereignty or rule of God in all things — in salvation but also in all of life.In this belief, the only choice that we have is to accept and have faith in God because he is t he one and only way for us to be saved from hell. Because of God’s love, he gave his only begotten son so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16). Thus, we must believe and follow Christ because He is the only way for us not to go to hell. There was no contradiction between the concept of predestination, central to Calvinism and Edward’s Covenant of Grace because both of them signify that salvation was not bestowed to us upon any condition, but freely and for nothing.We were to do nothing for it; we were only to take it. This taking and receiving was faith. It is very improper to say that a covenant is made with men, any otherwise than in Christ; for there is an immeasurable difference between a free offer and a covenant. The promise was made with Christ, and in him with his mystical body; and the condition of the covenant is Christ’s perfect obedience and sufferings. The Covenant of Grace was described by Christâ€⠄¢s open and free offer of life, whereby he holds it out in his hand to sinners, and offers it without any condition.Faith cannot be called the condition of receiving, for it is the receiving itself: That’s why, the only reason why Christ died on the cross was for our salvation. God loved us so much that He won’t allow us to go to hell. He offered the salvation freely just believe and have faith. I think Calvinistic Doctrine is popular because in the history of America, two-thirds of the colonial population was trained in the school of Calvin. It means most of the individuals were fascinated and knew the teaching of Calvinism. Never in the world's history had a nation been founded by such people as these.Furthermore, these people came to America not primarily for commercial gain or advantage, but because of deep religious convictions. It seems that the religious persecutions in various European countries had been providentially used to select out the most progressive a nd enlightened people for the colonization of America. Until now, the Christianity that spreads in America was born through the existence also of Calvinism. That’s why I was convinced that Calvinism is not dead but accepted and widely practiced by many.

When the Recession of the Late 2000s Began and Ended

When the Recession of the Late 2000s Began and Ended The recession that began in the late 2000s was, to date, the worst economic downturn in the United States since the Great Depression. They didnt call it the Great Recession for nothing. So how long did the recession last? When did it begin? When did it end? How did the length of the recession compare to previous recessions? See more: Even in Recession, Congress Pay Grew Heres a brief Q and A on the recession. When did the Great Recession begin? December 2007, according to the National Bureau of Economic Research, a private, nonprofit research group. When did the Great Recession end? June 2009, though lingering effects such as high unemployment continued to plague the United States well beyond that date. In determining that a trough occurred in June 2009, the committee did not conclude that economic conditions since that month have been favorable or that the economy has returned to operating at normal capacity, the NBER reported in September 2010. Rather, the committee determined only that the recession ended and a recovery began in that month. And a slow recovery it would be. How does the committee define a recession and a recovery? A recession is a period of falling economic activity spread across the economy, lasting more than a few months, normally visible in real GDP, real income, employment, industrial production, and wholesale-retail sales, NBER said. The trough marks the end of the declining phase and the start of the rising phase of the business cycle. Economic activity is typically below normal in the early stages of an expansion, and it sometimes remains so well into the expansion. How does the length of the Great Recession compare to past downturns? The recession lasted 18 months, making it the longest of any recession since World War II, according to the committee. Previously the longest postwar recessions were those of 1973-75 and 1981-82, both of which lasted 16 months. When and for how long did the other modern recessions occur? The recession of 2001 lasted eight months, from March through November of that year. The recession of the early 1990s also lasted eight months, from July 1990 through March 1991. The recession of the early 1980s lasted 16 months, from July 1981 through November 1982. How did the government deal with the Great Recession? In order to deal with the nation’s worst economic downturn since the Great Depression, Congress passed legislation that increased discretionary government spending in order to stimulate the economy. This legislation created programs ranging from financial assistance to large banks and car manufacturers to direct tax rebates for low-income households. In addition, Congress funded a series of massive â€Å"shovel-ready† public works projects, such as highway construction and improvement. At its peak, in early 2009, total discretionary government spending reached about $1.2 trillion in annual terms, or 7% of the nation’s total Gross Domestic Product (GDP). In other words, ending the Great Recession required spending a lot of money the government simply had not planned to spend. How did the Great Recession affect taxpayers? Recessions, especially â€Å"Great† ones, can be costly affairs for taxpayers. According to the Federal Reserve Board, the Great Recession raised the U.S. federal debt and fiscal deficit to record peacetime levels. The federal debt increased from 62% of the GDP in 2007 before the recession to over 100% in 2013, five years after the supposed end of the recession. Indeed, the effects of the Great Depression of 2008 will linger for years to come. Updated by Robert Longley

Placement of Spanish Adverbs

Placement of Spanish Adverbs As a general rule, Spanish adverbs  and adverbial phrases  are placed near the word they modify, generally right before or after. English is more flexible in this regard- it is common in English to see an adverb placed further away from the word it modifies, often tacked on the end. Examples of Adverbial Placement Note, for example, the differences in these two equivalent sentences: Aprobà ³ facilmente el examen de geometrà ­a euclidiana.She passed the Euclidian geometry test easily. In Spanish the adverb, facilmente, comes immediately after the verb, aprobà ³. In English, however, easily comes at the end of the sentence, with four words coming between it and the verb. Although it would be possible to place easily immediately before passed, it also would be acceptable to place an additional description after test and still keep easily at the end. In Spanish, it is possible to place the adverb after the object of a verb, but only if the object is made up of just a word or two. For example, either of these sentences would be an acceptable translation for The county issued two licenses previously: El condado emitià ³ dos licencias previamente.El condado emitià ³ previamente dos licencias. Emitià ³ here is the verb in the sentence, and previamente is the adverb. Previamente couldnt be placed at the end if licensias were followed by a description. For example, if the sentence were talking about business licenses, licencias de empresa, previamente would have to be placed next to emitià ³: El condado emitià ³ previamente dos licensias de empresa. If many words had followed the verb, the adverb would not be able to used at the end. An example using a variation on the last sentence would be: El condado emitià ³ previamente dos licencias de matrimonio para parejas jovenes.  The adverb previamente has to go close to the verb emitià ³. Otherwise, native speakers would not immediately connect the meaning of the adverb with the verb. Before or After the Word Being Modified? Depending on how the adverb is used, it can be placed before or after the word being modified. For example, is the adverb modifying a verb, another adverb, or an adjective? The type of word being modified usually determines where the adverb is placed in the sentence. Usually, an adverb that modifies a verb is placed after the verb. For example, The economy is based principally on three businesses, is translated as,  La economà ­a se basa principalmente en tres empresas.  Basa is the verb and principalmente is the adverb. Adverbs of Negation Exceptions to this rule are adverbs of negation such as no  or nunca, meaning no or never. Negating adverbs always precede the verb. For example, No quiero ir al cine, means,  I dont want to go to the movies. The adverb, no, comes before the verb, quiero.  Another example,  Marà ­a nunca habla de su vida personal, means, Marà ­a never talks about her personal life. The placement of the adverb is exactly the same as in English. The adverb, never or nunca, goes immediately before the verb, talks or habla. Modifying Another Adverb An adverb that modifies another adverb comes before the adverb being modified. For  example,  Pueden moverse tan rpidamente como la luz, means,They can move as quick as light. The literal translation of the sentence is, They can move really fast like the light. Tan, meaning really, is modifying  rpidamente, meaning,fast. Adverbs Modifying Adjectives An adverb that modifies an adjective comes before the adjective. Estoy muy contento, means, I am very happy.  Muy is an adverb that means, very, and contento is the adjective, meaning happy.   Adverbs Modifying an Entire Sentence An adverb that modifies an entire sentence often comes at the beginning of the sentence, but there is some flexibility, and it can be  placed in different spots in the sentence. For example, take a look at the sentence, Possibly, Sharon will postpone her trip. There are three possible placements of the adverb, posiblemente, and they are all correct: Before the verb:  Ã¢â‚¬â€¹Sharon  posiblemente  retrasar su viaje.After the verb:  Sharon retrasar  posiblemente  su  viaje.At the beginning of the sentence:  Posiblemente, Sharon retrasar su viaje.   Key Takeaways Spanish adverbs are placed close, and usually next to, the words they modify.Descriptive Spanish adverbs usually come after the verbs they modify but before adjectives they modify.When an adverb modifies the meaning of the entire sentence, its placement is flexible.

Assignment (primary research required) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 1

Assignment (primary research required) - Essay Example The current paper, therefore, aims to look into the working environment of ADM Building and Property Services, a small-sized business in London, and identify their business behaviours and practises in relation to small business management. Primary Research: Interviews with ADM Building and Property Services Employees The following interviews were conducted among 5 employees, 4 managers, and the owner himself, and aimed to determine how business management has been integrated into their overall system, particularly their actual practises and attitudes. Opportunities and Challenges Presented by Small Business Management The first two questions were, however, focused on both the opportunities and challenges that are brought about by being in a small business. According to their responses: â€Å"Small businesses can be established at a low cost and even on a part-time basis. Because these businesses that are smaller in size, such as ours, have begun to adopt Internet marketing and have taken full advantage of the benefits that this offers, we have been to respond to specialized niches. Thus, we have been able to take action for what the marketplace demands of us†. â€Å"We have established strong relationships with our clients and customers; we have also been capable of identifying their needs and preferences so we can provide more individualized services. Due to such, we have attained a significant increase in development and accountability as well†. â€Å"Independence is a very important factor to consider when establishing a small business; this comes with the freedom to make our own decisions, take our own risks, and obtain the rewards for our efforts. There is the lack of constraints that are brought about by economic and other external factors. Nonetheless, allocating long hours for work and understanding that our clients are our bosses have always been a top priority†. â€Å"Most often, the problems we encounter are brought about by the pressures from competing with larger businesses. For instance, to find new customers has always been a great challenge for us. To establish a continual flow of business, it has always been very important to focus on marketing the services that we offer†. The Importance of Branding to Small Businesses The next questions focused on the actual management of business, including the importance of branding and the strategies that they use to develop their brand. Their responses included: â€Å"Branding is the image that the public has of our business; it does not necessarily refer to the brand that we aim to create but rather the perception of what others have of us. This perception can be affected by various aspects of our business, from the products and services that we offer to the marketing tools that we use†. â€Å"Internet usage has been of great importance to us, such as through social media and online search engines. Aside from reinforcing our brand, we also provide clear, relevant, and engaging information to our target audience. Marketing and advertising activities should always be integrated

Methods, Problems and Issues in Maritime Policy Essay

Methods, Problems and Issues in Maritime Policy - Essay Example The liner cargo-carrying service sector, on the other hand, carries out its operations on regular scheduled services between ports which have been advertised. These advertised ports are known as the liner trades, and they operations are based on the principle of common carriage. In this sector, cargoes are transported for a number of shippers simultaneously, unlike in the bulk sector. It is worth noting that the liner cargo-carrying service sector is ordinarily subjected to a wide scope of regulatory constraints in matters of safety and commercial nature. In a majority of the countries, to be particular, some of the liner shipping practices do enjoy conditional exemptions from the anti-trust laws application. Resultantly, this ability to take part in co-operative practices has been contributory to the organisation and the shape of the sector (Starer & Mayerson 2009, p.1). The bulk cargo-carrying sector, on its part, covers a number of primary sub-divisions whose basis is the specific types of vessels while liquid cargoes are shipped in chemical tankers, crude oil tankers, liquefied gas tankers and refined petroleum product tankers, non-liquid cargoes are shipped in dry bulk carriers and other multipurpose carriers. Ordinarily, vessels operating in the bulk cargo-carrying sector hardly operate on services which have been scheduled. Nevertheless, these vessels operate on precise expeditions in fulfilment of either short- or long-term contracts, in which the entire cargo transported on a particular voyage is property of an individual owner (Hubner n.d., p.24). Furthermore, carriers may be operating a number of routes as per the local demand in certain ports and can be shipping different bulk cargoes. These are habitually known as a tramp shipping sector- which is a separate sector within the shipping industry. The impromptu open market mode of operation distinguishes