Friday, January 24, 2020

Food Irradiation Essay -- essays research papers

Food Irradiation: Solution to Hunger or Killer Mutagen? People all over the world are starving for fresh, uncontaminated food. Insects, pests, and invisible microorganisms are not what the public want to find on their dinner plates. Throughout history, life has depended on ways of treating food to reduce or destroy these naturally occurring harmful contaminants and to enable foods to be stored after harvesting so that they can be saved for use at other times of the year. With increasing populations and the growth of cities, it is even more important to be able to preserve food so that it can be transported over considerable distances and stored for long periods before it reaches the consumer. The relentless pressure to supply safe foods to mass markets has led to major contamination problems arising in recent years. The food industry has responded by developing new methods to treat food, such as food irradiation. To some in the food industry, irradiation is a wonderful new technology that could solve many contamination problems without any apparent effects on the treated food. To the consumer, it is a new process that has unknown threats and benefits. Currently, 37 countries, including the United States, permit the use of irradiation and approximately 25 actually use it. Irradiation will remain an expensive and little used technology until there is general acceptance of irradiated foods by consumers. The modern food industry has to make certain choices as to how and when it treats food during the food production cycle. It can start by reducing the level of microorganisms and pests in food by using chemical treatments and pesticides during growth. For this to be effective the food must then be protected against fresh contamination during transport and storage. An alternative approach is to do very little to the food as grown and harvested, but to treat it nearer to the point of consumption. This is common with herbs and spices. The food industry will tend to choose the way it deals with contamination based on the economics of each case, in other words, the cheapest way possible. Even where food is produced relatively close to the point of consumption, it may have to be treated because contamination is inherent in the production process. This is why milk has to be pasteurized. Pasteurization is the most effective way of killing microorganisms with m... ...where the greed of people like Gustavus Swift turned meat-packing plants into death traps and sold ground cardboard, rats, and fingers to the public as ‘fresh meat’ while sweeping the floors of the plant to recover the sliced-off bits and package them as potted meat. Clearly the food industry is driven by capitalism, and not by concern for the consumer, and although I am wholeheartedly in favor of capitalist businesses, I do think federal regulation needs to come into play not just in the United states, but in other countries where most of the people have no legal recourse at all if they fall ill or die as the result of unclean food. Education of the consumer is the key to this problem, as is objective research. Governments around the world should be made to adhere to guidelines recommended by people whose main concern is the safe and healthy production of food, instead of the cheapest way to produce it, or what would be best for the businesses already irradiating fo od, as is the case for the federal government. Without measures taken during all aspect of food production to ensure cleanliness, the consumer is doomed to a lifetime of choices between dirty food, and dirtier food.

Thursday, January 16, 2020

Obesity and Dove Company

Case Study : Dove in global market. ‘We want to challenge the definition of beauty. We believe the beauty have become too narrow in definition. We want to defy the stereotype that only young, blond and tall are beautiful’ (Phillippe Harousseau, Dove’s Marketing Director) Dove profoundly runs their CFRB (Campaign For Real Beauty) over the world, whereby they choose to use real women, which define as non-setting up of image, or original natural beauty and use in the campaign advertisement, focus on cultural issue, US receive great feedback from the public, company believe US market are growth matured since consumer are able to take words easily, for an example, Dove recent advertisement in US, as below, The company design the advertisement in the sense of alternative, it’s consider a strategy to target female market, according to research which conducted by Dove Company (U. S. Obesity Trends, 2009), overweight and obesity problem is still slightly increasing every years, Dove define it as a good market opportunity, in order to fit into the market, campaign like ‘Stand for something big and deliver it’ actually running in United State, the main purpose is to telling their consumer, do not concern able the problem of overweight, do not hide, Dove are here to tell audience, they are beautiful because they are not pretend to be beautiful. Finally, the concept of the whole campaign by revealing the problem, get a very good respond from the public, Dove acting as personal caring to everyone, and prospectors are thinking Dove is stand on consumer side, feel and understand their problem, PR department does evaluated while post-event stage, generally Dove company concluded aiming obesity population will typically increasing their sale. The problem of translation and expression is still occur from years 2005-2008, advertisement below, European country opinion toward freckled skin do not receive pretty much positive value upon itself, the advertisement in the testing stage actually using the word freckled instead of flawed, but some kind of rejection appear on the market, PR and in-house agency for Dove company immediately conduct a focus group on differences country, they found out, the word ‘freckled’ ndirectly offending women who face the problem, instant consideration given to the translator to actually look for a suitable word to replace ‘freckled’, and finally came out with ‘flawed’, post-event group survey the market opinion, the campaign achieve higher value in the view of their perspective buyer, public think the word ‘flaw’ is acceptable because the word ‘freckled’ can indirect define as a illness for skin, but ‘flawed’ is still r epresent a healthy status compare to the previous word choice. Western and eastern country contain hundred and eighties degree of different upon cultural value, Dove Company realize the same event running in US can’t be apply in Japan, 2 factors affected the trend, one is the general opinion and stereotype on judging beauty for women is totally different, secondly, Japanese education is typically different in sense of how they can think as open as European does, other than that, media selection play important rule because Japan is developed and advance in technological device, population density is higher compare to US, meanwhile the accessibility must be as high as possible, CFRB event declined at Japan while the testing stage is running at years 2005 to 2006, local advertising agency Ogilvy & Mather ASIA Pacific adapting to the Japanese lifestyle, and came out with a event so call ‘ACTIVATION’ at September 2008 (Creative Director David Morgan, 2009), due to the existing problem, Japanese do not agree on voting or judging in some weakness point that clearly can be seen or tangibility, like freckled skin, or overweight problem, so ‘ACTIVATION’ is some kind of education base to telling viewer, think carefully, revealing is not a problem, Activate and generate your mind in no time! As a result, this event is still running in Japan, and it’s receiving a positive feedback from the public, and the concept of original beauty is still delivered successfully. Promotion part, Dove have more than 50 types of product launched in the market, several context and competition running in those country where Dove is able to reach the market, Malaysia promotion focus on convenience and discount or even free gift to attract buyers, and it’s work, sales is increasing, but same method failed in another country, Japan. Beside of education aspect, behavior or I’ll define it as psychological interfere issue, advisor from in-house expert, PR conjunction with psychiatrist, expert group believe the Japan market prototype ‘free’ as ‘no quality’, Dove company work with legal advisor in order to find out the principle for Japanese’s prototyping, Dove decided to evolutes the concept of free gift as complementary base of promotion, but they start focus on re-value or reposition the brand image into something slightly above the cost, but perfect value and quality, even though this promotion did not achieve highest climate of profit, but it is good enough to create awareness and enable consumer to differentiate Dove with competitor, due to the price set is clearly can be seen. Dove using standardization on running their campaign worldwide, but some facts have to bring in on how they standardize everything worldwide, difficulty on controlling everything is still one of the issue Dove company concern about, Dove company held the main official website at US, because Dove headquarter is locate in USA, sub ordinary company will refer changes on what does the headquarter will do, and what their plan will run worldwide, referring to this, management style for Dove company using centralization whereby headquarter will control organization management so it can consistence with the objective set by headquarter, but decentralization applicable for sub quarter so concept of adapting to local market helps to reach the market goal. The point briefly discuss on history, is because in the 20s century, Dove company face problem on management style for Dove soap and other product do not contain similar image, misleading consumer on Dove is a common product that look alike with others competitors, that period of time, consumer lack of ability to differentiate what is the uniqueness between Dove and competitor, Dove came out with a campaign that changed their destiny, ‘Dove Campaign For Real Beauty’ conducted at the years of 2004, at 1st running in US and Canada, where they receive high value of support from the public, Dove company decided to run the campaign for real beauty worldwide with the same kind of concept, no doubt, it work everywhere, slightly changes like language in the advertisement, color and level of women body disclosure still bothering creative team to come out with campaign without insulting talented buyer, but the main point focus on organization management style, Dove company using o ne kind of concept running in worldwide market successfully influence the market whereby information overload will never apply for buyer, consumer realize only one identity can be seen from Dove, which is real beauty, by using Dove product, you are one of them. For an example, Dove company headquarter in US have the strongest controlling power to communicate with others sub-corporation so sub-corporation will follow their plan to held any event, Phillippe Harousseau, creative director of Dove company in US, said that, challenging women basic perception require a consistency of strategy flow to exactly reinforce audience mind, once perception toward a brand, product or services consistence with the management style, it’s easier for them create a creative event which define the uniqueness of the product, eventually if the event will running worldwide. Appendix Article for Dove Company Its just some basic idea how does Dove Company discuss on the concept, article below observe discussion on ‘The Women’ as principle to running any campaign. Advertiser cash flows to indie film projects Business | Lorenza Munoz | June 1, 2007 Advertisers have long linked up with Hollywood by placing their products within films or trotting out stars as their official sponsors. But some companies are now going a step further, investing directly in movie productions in the hopes of striking even deeper connections with film audiences. In what could be the latest trend in the financing of independent films, Unilever brand Dove has agreed to invest $3 million — about one-fifth of the budget — into â€Å"The Women,† the first theatrical movie by Diane English, the creative force behind the hit television series â€Å"Murphy Brown. Dove look is real, but does it inspire? Entertainment | Robin Givhan | August 23, 2005 Popular culture is in a tizzy of a debate over the female physique and the way in which it is depicted. Much has been written about the broad concept of beauty and its role in cultural politics, but the current conversation has narrowed the focus, from the woman as a whole to her individual parts: thighs, rear end and stomach. Comparison Eastern and Western Print Ads Western Eastern †¢Level of disclosure is different. †¢Word Choice is different. †¢Different in women portrayals. (Sexy vs Beauty) Reference: DOVE online references †¢Pathamisra, ‘Dove Final Presentation’, Slide shows, retrieved from http://www. slideshare. et/parthamisra/dove-final-presentation-presentation, August 2, 2009. †¢Authen Bill. ‘U. S. Obensity Trend’, articles, retrieved from http://www. cdc. gov/obesity/data/trends. html, August 2, 2009. †¢Dove Pro-Age: ‘Activation’, Slide Show, http://www. colo ribus. com/adsarchive/prints/dove-cream-products-activation-275559/, August 2, 2009. Printed resources †¢McGraw. Hill, Contemporary Advertising Tenth Edition, ‘Chapter Summary’ page 263, August 2, 2009. †¢McGraw. Hill, Contemporary Advertising Tenth Edition, ‘The Important of Relationship’ page 242, August 2, 2009. †¢Paul. J Argenti, Corporate Advertising Fourth Edition, ‘Centralization and Decentralization’ page 183, August 2, 2009.

Wednesday, January 8, 2020

Leadership Theories Applied By Coach Carter - 1932 Words

INTRODUCTION This movie tells about a man by name â€Å"Ken Carter†, who was offered a job to be the coach of a high school basketball team in the same high school he graduated from with the challenge of getting the team winning, this man holds a ‘hall of fame’ record in that school and as such has a reputation to keep. He went on to not only improve the team’s performance on the court but also turn around their academic performance, this team is made up of teenage boys who had a misplaced passion to pursue just basketball and forsaking the importance of a good education. There is a huge followership or fan base of this basketball team which has a big influence on the team, these followers comprises of family, parents, friends, school staff and even the resident community which were densely black people, this basketball team happened to be the pride and hope of that community. This report will outline various leadership theories applied by â€Å"coach cart er† as he is fondly called to build up his team to success. VISION AND VALUES Coach Carter’s vision wasn’t limited to just ensuring his team succeed on the court but he had a burning passion to also see the team succeed at their academics and graduate into college, giving those who would love to take basketball to the college level an opportunity to maximize their potentials, and thus he wanted to effect the change that will bring about that. He wanted them to have an option of an academic career and not just a basketball careerShow MoreRelatedA Study on Leadership Strategy1385 Words   |  6 PagesLeadership Strategy There are many definitions of leadership propagated by many scholars in the leadership sector which further makes it difficult to fully define. The ever changing roles in the organizations and society in general keep twisting the meaning of leadership and its applicability. 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Moore The Citadel School of Business Administration, Sullivan’s Island, South Carolina, USA and DJM Consulting, Charleston, South Carolina, USA Abstract Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present six testable propositions to guide future research on the power of the trust building, interactive transformational leadership style women employ to succeed in corporate environmentsRead MoreThe USAF and Future Leaders3289 Words   |  13 Pagestoward developing its enlisted force at different levels of leadership. Those schools are the Airmen Leadership School (ALS), Non-commissioned Officer Academy (NCOA), and Senior Non-Commissioned Academy (SNCO), and the Chief School. All four schools focus on developing the leadership and management skills needed to supervise, manage, and lead people at each level of responsibility. The military as a whole has long history of leadership training and development (Gibson, 2005). 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Because emotions and moods can mutually influence each other, there will be many points throughout the chapter where emotions and moods will be closely connected. Although affect, emotions, and moods are separable in theory, in practice the distinction isn’t always crystal clear. In fact, in some areas, researchers have studied mostly moods, and in other areas, mainly emotions. So, when we review the OB topics on emotions and moods, you may see more information onRead MoreLibrary Management204752 Words   |  820 Pages. . . . . . . . . . . . 75 Environmental Assessment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76 Developing Standards and Guidelines . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76 Forecasting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76 Theory Applications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78 Management by Objectives (MBO) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78 Total Quality Management (TQM) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80 Policy Making . . . . . . . . . . . .

Monday, December 30, 2019

Intrinsic Property Definition (Chemistry)

In chemistry, an intrinsic property is a property of a substance that is independent of the amount of the substance present. Such properties are inherent qualities of the type and form of matter, mainly dependent on chemical composition and structure. Key Takeaways: Intrinsic Property of Matter An intrinsic property is independent of the size of a sample or the amount of matter that is present.Examples of intrinsic properties include density and specific gravity. Intrinsic Versus Extrinsic Properties In contrast to intrinsic properties, extrinsic properties are not essential qualities of a material. Extrinsic properties are affected by external factors. Intrinsic and extrinsic properties are closely related to intensive and extensive properties of matter. Examples of Intrinsic and Extrinsic Properties Density is an intrinsic property, while weight is an extrinsic property. The density of a material is the same, regardless of the conditions. Weight depends on gravity, so it is not a property of matter, but depends on the gravitational field. The crystal structure of a sample of ice is an intrinsic property, while the color of the ice is an extrinsic property. A small sample of ice may appear clear, while a large sample would be blue. Source Lewis, David (1983). Extrinsic Properties. Philosophical Studies. Springer Netherlands. 44: 197–200. doi:10.1007/bf00354100

Sunday, December 22, 2019

The Ugly Side Of Beauty - 1566 Words

Courtney 1 McKenna Courtney Mrs. Overberg Literature/Compositions 1 10 March 2017 The Ugly Side of Beauty Today women do not understand how much they are really spending for such little amount of makeup product. The products they are buying are not always beneficial for the skin and many women do not even know what is in the products they are buying. Many companies that sell makeup products do not include all of the harmful ingredients on their packaging. Not only can makeup be expensive at times and be unhealthy for women, some companies test the products on animals that could be hurt in the process. Courtney 2 What defines makeup? Makeup is a beauty product that can include cosmetics such as lipsticks or†¦show more content†¦To add up the amount of time women spend on getting ready throughout a whole year, it would be a total of 355 hours. That is a total of 14 days spent getting ready. Women spend all of this time primping because they say it makes them feel better about themselves (Thapoung). (5) At what age do women begin wearing makeup? At ages 10-12 most girls begin wearing very subtle makeup products such as lip glosses. Between the ages of 13-14 girls begin wearing much more noticeable products which include foundations, concealers, mascara, and types of powders (Grundy). (6) Why do most women choose to wear makeup? Most women choose to wear makeup because it makes hem feel confident, but many women choose not to wear makeup either out of rebellion, or because it takes too long. A study found that women who showed up to work wearing more makeup received higher tips from males, even more females gave higher tips when the waitress was wearing makeup. Better- looking workers bring in more for the employers, just as a more intelligent worker will (Donovan). Courtney 4 (7) What does makeup do to the skin? Makeup can be the cause of something as little as a headache to something more concerning such as cancer. Because of the fragrances and ingredients in some makeup, the product itself can cause allergic reactions. Makeup can also be the cause of acne. This has to do with the oils in the product clogging people s pores. Knowing this, it is probably best to investShow MoreRelatedThe Ugly Side of Beauty Pageants1365 Words   |  6 Pagesparlor is up a winding stair, and I’ve a many curious things to show when you are there.† Like the fly, young girls are lured into a fanciful web of illusion and false hope. Beauty pageants are a complex snare of mental and physical stress, financial burdens, time consuming hours, and unrealistic beauty features. Beauty pageants are unnecessary activities that possess a unique history. Atlantic City, New Jersey was always a popular vacation spot during the tourist season. Usually, the excursionistsRead MoreMore Than Skin Deep - Mad Shadows1285 Words   |  6 Pagesnovella illustrates a dysfunctional family, where outer beauty reflects status and is deemed more significant than inner beauty. Louise is a mother who loves her son Patrice solely based on his flawless physical beauty, which in essence portrays her vanity and superficiality. On the other hand, Isabelle-Marie, the daughter and a character that is unattractive on the exterior, is deprived of her mother’s love due to her lack of physical beauty. The author uses irony and imagery throughout the novellaRead MoreThe Daughters and Spirit of Harriet by Mirthell Bayliss Bazemore1196 Words   |  5 PagesBazemore No. of pages: 120 Publish date: October 16, 2012 (Edit post) The Ugly Side Of Beauty posted 22 hours ago by Terri Dorrell [ updated 2 hours ago ] The Ugly side of Beauty The Ugly Side of Beauty: Clarice by Mirthell Bazemore-Bayliss The ugly side of Beauty was Published in 2009. Being born into what looks to be the perfect family is not always as it seems. Clarice - with astonishing looks and beauty so incomprehensible, was betrayed not only once but twice by the one person whomRead MoreBeauty Definition Essay1126 Words   |  5 Pagestime? Most people judge beauty base on a person’s physical appearance. However, true beauty sis base on a person’s personality and a how a person treat someone else. The hardest thing is to describe beauty because everyone has their own views about beauty. In my opinion beauty has more to with the way someone see portray themselves. The expression â€Å"beauty† was first used in the 14th century as â€Å"physical attractiveness,† and also â€Å"goodness, courtesy.† The meaning of beauty also came from many placesRead MoreThe Search for Beauty in The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison Essay1218 Words   |  5 Pagesto Wilfred D. Samuels Toni Morrison (10). This perception of beauty leads Pecola to insanity because just as society cannot accept a little ugly black girl neither can she. Children will always be children and the playground will always be a place where they tease and taunt one another. Pecola is unlike the other children; she does not participate in the teasing, she is the brunt of all the criticism because she is not only black but ugly too. On the other hand, there is Maureen Peal. Maureen is notRead MoreEssay On The Bluest Eye1562 Words   |  7 PagesHowever, in the book, â€Å"The Bluest Eye† by Toni Morrison, they live up to their reputations for how they view themselves. Specifically, being focused on women like Pecola, and Claudia. They are often questioning their worth from society’s judgement of beauty. Though one character, Frieda embraces it despite being black. With having everything temporary, the desire of grasping and having something permanent increases. The women desires to be of a lighter skin tone with blue eyes, but will being privilegedRead MoreThe Characters Of Racism In Toni Morrison By William Morrison1190 Words   |  5 Pages Morrison takes experiences and characteristics, such as violence, love, family, hatred, race, beauty and ugliness and illustrates them in a way that is clear, but painful. These experiences are not toned down to seem less serious; they are heart breaking parts of life that are illustrated truthfully. To expose the harsh life lived by many, Morrison creates strong relatable characters. These characters create a need for empathy towards them, but the purpose is to take this love to traumatic victimsRead MoreThe Ugly and Beauty Inside Essay1118 Words   |  5 PagesThe Ugly and Beauty Inside The Book Thief by Markus Zusak is a story filled with many emotions that help to bring the characters to life with many of them going through hardships and feelings of great loss. Death states, â€Å"I’m always finding humans at their best and worst. I see their ugly and their beauty, and I wonder how the same thing can be both† (Zusak 491). The characters in The Book Thief such as Liesel, Hans, Rosa, Rudy, and Max find themselves in situations where they have to act a certainRead MoreBelonging Essay1279 Words   |  6 Pagesexplored in Emily Dickinson’s selected poetry I died for beauty, but was scarce and I had been hungry all the years , as well as Scott Westerfeld’s novel Uglies. These texts all depict a struggle between being recognised and accepted in society and the desire to remain true to one’s self, exploring the paradoxical nature of belonging which, on one hand, provides fulfilment, but also removes a sense of personal identity. Dickinson’s I died for beauty, but was scarce examines the struggle between opposingRead MoreThe Two Theorists Hume And Kent1718 Words   |  7 PagesThe Meaning of Arts Professor Brennan Beauty The two theorists Hume and Kent are basically talking about beauty and what is commonly done in order to enhance beauty. The argument therefore involves two theories, which are talking about the same thing, which is beauty even though they have different thoughts about beauty. They therefore provide a broad and wide definition and also reasons as to why different things are taking place in order to enhance beauty. The two theories are therefore opposing

Saturday, December 14, 2019

The Lost Duke of Wyndham Chapter Eighteen Free Essays

Three minutes,† Jack said, the moment he pulled the door shut. Because truly, he did not think he could last any longer than that. Not when she was dressed in her nightgown. We will write a custom essay sample on The Lost Duke of Wyndham Chapter Eighteen or any similar topic only for you Order Now It was an ugly thing, really, all rough and buttoned from chin to toe, but still, it was a nightgown. And she was Grace. â€Å"You will never believe what has happened,† she said. â€Å"Normally an excellent opening,† he acknowledged, â€Å"but after everything that has happened in the last two weeks, I find myself willing to believe almost anything.† He smiled and shrugged. Two pints of fine Irish ale had made him mellow. But then she told him the most amazing story. Thomas had given her a cottage and an income. Grace was now an independent woman. She was free of the dowager. Jack lit the lamp in his room, listening to her excitement. He felt a prickle of jealousy, though not because he did not think she should be receiving gifts from another man – the truth was, she’d more than earned anything the duke chose to portion off to her. Five years with the dowager – Good God, she ought to be given a title in her own right as penance for such as that. No one had done more for England. No, his jealousy was a far more basic stripe. He heard the joy in her voice, and once he’d banished the dark of the room, he saw the joy in her eyes. And quite simply, it just felt wrong that someone else had given her that. He wanted to do it. He wanted to light her eyes with exhilaration. He wanted to be the origin of her smile. â€Å"I will still have to go with you to County Cavan,† Grace was saying. â€Å"I can’t stay here by myself, and I wouldn’t want Amelia to be alone. This is all terribly difficult for her, you know.† She looked up at him, so he nodded in response. Truthfully, he hadn’t been thinking very much of Amelia, selfish as that was. â€Å"I’m sure it will be awkward with the dowager,† Grace continued. â€Å"She was furious.† â€Å"I can imagine,† Jack murmured. â€Å"Oh, no.† Her eyes grew very wide. â€Å"This was extraordinary, even for her.† He pondered that. â€Å"I am not certain if I am sorry or relieved that I missed it.† â€Å"It was probably for the best that you were not present,† Grace replied, grimacing. â€Å"She was rather unkind.† He was about to say that it was difficult to imagine her any other way, but Grace suddenly brightened and said, â€Å"But do you know, I don’t care!† She giggled then, the heady sound of someone who can’t quite believe her good fortune. He smiled for her. It was infectious, her happiness. He did not intend that she should ever live apart from him, and he rather suspected that Thomas had not given her the cottage with the intention that she live there as Mrs. Jack Audley, but he understood her delight. For the first time in years, Grace had something of her own. â€Å"I’m sorry,† she said, but she could not quite hide her smile. â€Å"I should not be here. I didn’t mean to wait up for you, but I was just so excited, and I wanted to tell you, because I knew you’d understand.† And as she stood there, her eyes shining up at him, his demons slipped away, one by one, until he was just a man, standing before the woman he loved. In this room, in this minute, it didn’t matter that he was back in Ireland, that there were so many bloody reasons he should be running for the door and finding passage on the next ship to anywhere. In this room, in this minute, she was his everything. â€Å"Grace,† he said, and his hand rose to touch her cheek. She curled into it, and in that moment he knew he was lost. Whatever strength he’d thought he possessed, whatever will to do the right thing – It was gone. â€Å"Kiss me,† he whispered. Her eyes widened. â€Å"Kiss me.† She wanted to. He could see it in her eyes, feel it in the air around them. He leaned down, closer†¦but not enough so their lips touched. â€Å"Kiss me,† he said, one last time. She rose on her toes. She moved nothing else – her hands did not come up to caress him, she did not lean in, allowing her body to rest against his. She just rose on her toes until her lips brushed his. And then she backed away. â€Å"Jack?† she whispered. â€Å"I – † He almost said it. The words were right there, on his lips. I love you. But somehow he knew – he had no idea how, just that he did – if he said it then, if he gave voice to what he was certain she knew in her heart, it would scare her away. â€Å"Stay with me,† he whispered. He was through being noble. The current Duke of Wyndham could spend his life doing nothing but the right thing, but he could not be so unselfish. He kissed her hand. â€Å"I shouldn’t,† she whispered. He kissed her other hand. â€Å"Oh, Jack.† He raised them both to his lips, holding them to his face, inhaling her scent. She looked at the door. â€Å"Stay with me,† he said again. And then he touched her chin, tipped her face gently up, and laid one soft kiss on her lips. â€Å"Stay.† He watched her face, saw the conflicted shadows in her eyes. Her lips trembled, and she turned away from him before she spoke. â€Å"If I – † Her voice was a whisper, shaky and unsure. â€Å"If I stay†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He touched her chin but did not guide her back to face him. He waited until she was ready, until she turned on her own. â€Å"If I stay†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She swallowed, and shut her eyes for a moment, as if summoning courage. â€Å"Can you†¦Is there a way you can make sure there is no baby?† For a moment he could not speak. Then he nodded, because yes, he could make sure there was no baby. He had spent his adult life making sure there would be no babies. But that had been with women he did not love, women he did not intend to adore and worship for the rest of their lives. This was Grace, and the idea of making a baby with her suddenly burned within him like a shining, magical dream. He could see them as a family, laughing, teasing. His own childhood had been like that – loud and boisterous, racing across fields with his cousins, fishing in streams and never catching a thing. Meals were never formal affairs; the icy gatherings at Belgrave had been as foreign to him as a Chinese banquet. He wanted all of that, and he wanted it with Grace. Only he hadn’t realized just how much until this very moment. â€Å"Grace,† he said, holding her hands tightly. â€Å"It does not matter. I will marry you. I want to marry you.† She shook her head, the motion fast and jerky, almost frenzied. â€Å"No,† she said. â€Å"You can’t. Not if you are the duke.† â€Å"I will.† And then, damn it all, he said it anyway. Some things were too big, too true, to keep inside. â€Å"I love you. I love you. I have never said that to another woman, and I never will. I love you, Grace Eversleigh, and I want to marry you.† She shut her eyes, looking almost pained. â€Å"Jack, you can’t – â€Å" â€Å"I can. I do. I will.† â€Å"Jack – â€Å" â€Å"I am so tired of everyone telling me what I cannot do,† he burst out, letting go of her hands to stalk across the room. â€Å"Do you understand that I don’t care? I don’t care about the bloody dukedom and I certainly don’t care about the dowager. I care about you, Grace. You.† â€Å"Jack,† she said again, â€Å"if you are the duke, you will be expected to marry a woman of high birth.† He swore under his breath. â€Å"You speak of yourself as if you were some dockside whore.† â€Å"No,† she said, trying to be patient, â€Å"I do not. I know exactly what I am. I am an impoverished young lady of impeccable but undistinguished birth. My father was a country gentleman, my mother the daughter of a country gentleman. We have no connections to the aristocracy. My mother was the second cousin to a baronet, but that is all.† He stared at her as if he hadn’t heard a word she’d said. Or as if he’d heard but hadn’t listened. No, Grace thought miserably. He’d listened but he hadn’t heard. And sure enough, the first words from his mouth were: â€Å"I don’t care.† â€Å"But everyone else does,† she persisted. â€Å"And if you are the duke, there will be enough of an uproar as it is. The scandal will be amazing.† â€Å"I don’t care.† â€Å"But you should.† She stopped, forcing herself to take a breath before she continued. She wanted to grab her head and press her fingers into her scalp. She wanted to make fists until her fingernails bit into her skin. Anything – anything that would eat away at this awful frustration that was pulling her inside out. Why wasn’t he listening? Why couldn’t he hear that – â€Å"Grace – † he began. â€Å"No!† She cut him off, perhaps more loudly than she ought, but it had to be said: â€Å"You will need to tread carefully if you wish to be accepted into society. Your wife does not have to be Amelia, but it must be someone like her. With a similar background. Otherwise – â€Å" â€Å"Are you listening to me?† he cut in. He grasped her shoulders, holding her in place until she looked up at him, directly into his eyes. â€Å"I don’t care about ‘otherwise.’ I don’t need for society to accept me. All I need is you, whether I live in a castle, a hovel, or anything in between.† â€Å"Jack†¦Ã¢â‚¬  she began. He was being naive. She loved him for it, nearly wept with joy that he adored her enough to think he could so thoroughly flout convention. But he didn’t know. He had not lived at Belgrave for five years. He had not traveled to London with the dowager and seen firsthand what it meant to be a member of such a family. She had. She had watched, and she had observed, and she knew exactly what was expected of the Duke of Wyndham. His duchess could not be a nobody from the neighborhood. Not if he expected anyone to take him seriously. â€Å"Jack,† she said again, trying to find the right words. â€Å"I wish – â€Å" â€Å"Do you love me?† he cut in. She froze. He was staring at her with an intensity that left her breathless, immobile. â€Å"Do you love me?† â€Å"It doesn’t – â€Å" â€Å"Do†¦you†¦love me?† She closed her eyes. She didn’t want to say it. If she did, she would be lost. She would never be able to resist him – his words, his lips. If she gave him this, she would lose her last defense. â€Å"Grace,† he said, cradling her face in his hands. He leaned down and kissed her – once, with aching tenderness. â€Å"Do you love me?† â€Å"Yes,† she whispered. â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"Then that is all that matters.† She opened her lips to try one last time to talk sense into him, but he was already kissing her, his mouth hot and passionate on her own. â€Å"I love you,† he said, kissing her cheeks, her brows, her ears. â€Å"I love you.† â€Å"Jack,† she whispered, but her body had already begun to hum with desire. She wanted him. She wanted this. She did not know what tomorrow would bring, but at this moment she was willing to pretend that she did not care. As long as – â€Å"Promise me,† she said urgently, grasping his face firmly in her hands. â€Å"Please. Promise me that there will be no baby.† His eyes shuttered and flared, but finally he said, â€Å"I promise you I will try.† â€Å"You will try?† she echoed. Surely he would not lie about this. He would not ignore her plea and later pretend that he’d â€Å"tried.† â€Å"I will do what I know how to do. It is not completely foolproof.† She loosened her grip and showed her acquiescence by allowing her fingers to trail along his cheeks. â€Å"Thank you,† she whispered, leaning up for a kiss. â€Å"But I promise you this,† he said, sweeping her into his arms, â€Å"you will have our baby. I will marry you. No matter who I am, or what my name is, I will marry you.† But she no longer had the will to argue with him. Not now, not when he was carrying her to his bed. He laid her down atop the covers and stepped back, quickly undoing the top buttons of his shirt so he could pull it over his head. And then he was back, half beside her, half atop her, kissing her as if his life depended upon it. â€Å"My God,† he almost grunted, â€Å"this thing is ugly,† and Grace could not help but giggle as his fingers attempted to do their magic on her buttons. He let out a frustrated growl when they did not comply, and he actually grasped the two sides of her nightgown, clearly intending to wrench it apart and let the buttons fly where they might. â€Å"No, Jack, you can’t!† She was laughing as she said it; she didn’t know why it was so funny – surely de-flowerings were meant to be serious, life-altering affairs. But there was so much joy bubbling within her. It was difficult to keep it contained. Especially when he was trying so hard to complete such a simple task and failing so miserably. â€Å"Are you sure?† His face was almost comical in its frustration. â€Å"Because I am fairly certain that I do a service to all mankind by destroying this.† She tried not to laugh. â€Å"It’s my only nightgown.† This, he appeared to find interesting. â€Å"Are you saying that if I tear it off, you will have to sleep naked for the duration of our journey?† She quickly moved his hand from her bodice. â€Å"Don’t,† she warned him. â€Å"But it’s so tempting.† â€Å"Jack†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He sat back on his heels, gazing down at her with a mixture of hunger and amusement that made her shiver. â€Å"Very well,† he said, â€Å"you do it.† She had been intending to do just that, but now, with him watching her so intently, his eyes heavy-lidded with desire, she felt almost frozen in place. How could she be so brazen as to strip before him? To peel her clothing from her body – to do it herself. There was a difference, she realized, in taking off her own clothing and allowing herself to be seduced. Slowly, fingers trembling, she reached for the top button of her nightgown. She couldn’t see it; it was far too high, almost to her chin. But her fingers knew the motions, knew the buttons, and almost without thinking, she slipped one free. Jack sucked in his breath. â€Å"Another.† She obeyed. â€Å"Another.† And again. And again, until she reached the one that lay between her breasts. He reached down then, his large hands slowly spreading the two sides of her gown open. It did not reveal her to him; she’d not unbuttoned enough for that. But she felt the cool air on her skin, felt the soft tickle of his breath as he leaned down to place one kiss on the flat plane of her chest. â€Å"You are beautiful,† he whispered. And when his fingers moved this time to the buttons on her nightgown, he mastered them with no difficulty at all. He took her hand and gave it a gentle tug, indicating for her to sit up. She did, closing her eyes as the nightgown fell away. With her vision dark, she felt more keenly, and the fabric – nothing but a plain, serviceable cotton – raised shivers of sensation as it slid along her skin. Or maybe it was just that she knew he was looking at her. Was this what it had felt like for that woman? The one in the painting? She must have been a woman of some experience by the time she’d posed for Monsieur Boucher, but surely there had to be a first time for her, as well. Had she, too, closed her eyes so she could feel a man’s gaze upon her body? She felt Jack’s hand touching her face, the tips of his fingers softly trailing along the line of her neck to the hollow of her shoulder. He paused there, but only for a moment, and Grace sucked in her breath, waiting for the intimacy that awaited her. â€Å"Why are your eyes closed?† he murmured. â€Å"I don’t know.† â€Å"Are you afraid?† â€Å"No.† She waited. She gasped. She even jumped, just a little, when his fingers slid along the outer curve of her breast. She felt herself arching. It was strange. She’d never thought about this, never even wondered what it might be like to have a man’s hands stroking her in this way, but now that the moment was upon her, she knew exactly what she wanted him to do. She wanted to feel him cupping her, holding her entirely in his palm. She wanted to feel his hand brushing against her nipples. She wanted him to touch her†¦dear God, she wanted him to touch her so badly, and it was spreading. It had moved from her breasts to her belly, to the hidden spot between her legs. She felt hot, and tingly, and searingly hungry. Hungry†¦ there. It was without a doubt the strangest and most compelling sensation. She could not ignore it. She didn’t want to ignore it. She wanted to feed it, indulge it, let him teach her how to quench it. â€Å"Jack,† she moaned, and his hands moved until he was cradling both of her breasts. And then he kissed her. Her eyes flew open. His mouth was on her now, on the very tip, and she actually clasped one of her hands to her mouth, lest she scream with the pleasure of it. She hadn’t imagined†¦She’d thought she’d known what she wanted, but this†¦ She hadn’t known. She clutched at his head, using him for support. It was torture, and it was bliss, and she was barely able to breathe by the time he dragged his mouth back up to hers. â€Å"Grace†¦Grace†¦Ã¢â‚¬  he murmured, over and over, his voice sliding into her skin. It felt as if he was kissing her everywhere, and maybe he was – one moment it was her mouth, and next her ear, and then her neck. And his hands – they were wicked. And relentless. He never stopped moving, never stopped touching her. His hands were on her shoulders, and then her hips, and then one of them started sliding down her leg, tugging at her nightgown until it slipped off her entirely. She should have been embarrassed. She should have felt awkward. But she didn’t. Not with him. Not when he was gazing down at her with such love and devotion. He loved her. He’d said he did, and she believed him, but now she felt it. The heat, the warmth. It shone from his eyes. And she understood now how a woman might find herself ruined. How could anyone resist this? How could she resist him? He stood then, breathing hard, working at the fastenings of his breeches with frantic fingers. His chest was already bare, and all she could think was – He’s beautiful. How could a man be so beautiful? He’d not led a life of leisure; this, she could see. His body was lean and firm, his skin marred here and there with scars and calluses. â€Å"Were you shot?† she asked, her eyes falling on a puckered scar on his upper arm. He looked down, even as he pushed off his breeches. â€Å"A French sniper,† he confirmed. He smiled, rather lopsidedly. â€Å"I am fortunate he was not better at his craft.† It should not have been so amusing. But the statement was so†¦ him. So matter of fact, so understated and dry. She smiled in return. â€Å"I almost died, too.† â€Å"Really?† â€Å"Fever.† He winced. â€Å"I hate fevers.† She nodded, pinching the corners of her lips to keep from smiling. â€Å"I should hate to be shot.† He looked back at her, his eyes alight with humor. â€Å"I don’t recommend it.† And then she did laugh, because it was all so ludicrous. He was standing there naked, for heaven’s sake, clearly aroused, and they were discussing the relative unpleasantness of gunshot wounds and fevers. He crawled onto the bed, looming over her with a predatory expression. â€Å"Grace?† he murmured. She looked up at him and nearly melted. â€Å"Yes?† He smiled wolfishly. â€Å"I’m all better now.† And with that, there were no more words. When he kissed her this time, it was with an intensity and fervor that she knew would carry them through to completion. She felt it, too – this desire, this relentless need – and when he nudged his leg between hers, she opened to him immediately, without reservation, without fear. How long he kissed her, she couldn’t possibly have known. It seemed like nothing. It seemed like forever. It felt like she had been born for this moment, with this man. As if somehow, on the day of her birth, this had all been preordained – on October the twenty-eighth, the year of our Lord 1819, she would be in Room 14 of the Queen’s Arms Inn, and she would give herself to this man, John Augustus Cavendish-Audley. Nothing else could possibly have happened. This was how it was meant to be. She kissed him back with equal abandon, clutching at his shoulders, his arms, anywhere she could gain purchase. And then, just when she thought she could handle no more, his hand slipped between her legs. His touch was gentle, but still, she thought she might scream from the shock and wonder of it. â€Å"Jack,† she gasped, not because she wanted him to stop, but because there was no way she could remain silent amidst the onslaught of sensation brought forth by that simple touch. He tickled and teased, and she panted and writhed. And then she realized that he was no longer just touching her, he was inside of her, his fingers exploring her in a manner so intimate it left her breathless. She could feel herself clench around him, her muscles begging for more. She didn’t know what to do, didn’t know anything except that she wanted him. She wanted him, and something only he could give her. He shifted position, and his fingers moved away. His body lifted off hers, and when Grace looked up at him, he seemed to be straining against some irresistible force. He was holding himself above her, supporting himself on his forearms. Her tongue moved, preparing to say his name, but just then she felt him at her entrance, pressing gently forward. Their eyes met. â€Å"Shhh,† he murmured. â€Å"Just wait†¦I promise†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"I’m not scared,† she whispered. His mouth moved into a lopsided smile. â€Å"I am.† She wanted to ask what he meant and why he was smiling, but he began to move forward, opening her, stretching her, and it was the strangest, most amazing thing, but he was inside of her. That one person could enter another seemed the most spectacular thing. They were joined. She could not think of any other way to describe it. â€Å"Am I hurting you?† he whispered. She shook her head. â€Å"I like it,† she whispered back. He groaned at that, and thrust forward, the sudden motion sending a wave of sensation and pressure through her. She gasped his name and grabbed his shoulders, and then she found herself in an ancient rhythm, moving with him, as one. Moving, and pulsing, and straining, and then – She shattered. She arched, she moaned, she nearly screamed. And when she finally came down and found the strength to breathe, she could not imagine how she could possibly still be alive. Surely a body could not feel that way and live to repeat it. Then, abruptly, he pulled out of her and turned away, grunting and groaning his own satisfaction. She touched his shoulder, feeling the spasms of his body. And when he cried out, she did not just hear it. She felt it, through his skin, through her body. To her heart. For a few moments he did not move, just lay there, his breathing slowly returning to normal. But then he rolled back over and gathered her into his arms. He whispered her name and kissed the top of her head. And then he did it again. And again. And when she finally fell asleep, that was what she heard in her dreams. Jack’s voice. Soft, whispering her name. Jack knew the exact moment she fell asleep. He was not sure what it was – her breathing had already softened to a slow, even sigh, and her body had long since stilled. But when she fell asleep, he knew. He kissed her one last time, on her temple. And as he looked down at her peaceful face, he whispered, â€Å"I will marry you, Grace Eversleigh.† It did not matter who he was. He would not let her go. How to cite The Lost Duke of Wyndham Chapter Eighteen, Essay examples

Friday, December 6, 2019

Reagan Essay Example For Students

Reagan Essay Andrew WeberMr. ScottAP U.S Government and Politics8 April 2002Book Review Reagan by Lou CannonPreliminary InformationThe book is titled Reagan. Lou Cannon is the author. There are 464 pages in the book, and it was published in 1982. Subject Matter/TopicReagan is a biography of former president Ronald Reagan, the 40th president of the United States. The book discusses in detail all the events of his life, from his birth to his election to presidency. Point of ViewCannon writes in the third person, largely objective narrator. He is writing not from the point of view of a Reagan supporter or and employee of his administration, but from the perspective of an objective reporter. Cannon was the White House corespondent for The Washington Post. Most of the book Cannon merely tells the facts of Reagans life without throwing in any of his own thoughts. While Reagan mostly deals with the positive aspects of Reagans life, Cannon doesnt shy away from talking about the negative parts of his life, such as his firing from his radio announcing job. Cannon also discusses Reagans many failures as an actor, while at the same time mentioning his successes too. Cannon writes about his political defeats, such as his failure to win nomination for president in 1976, while also writing about his many political victories, such as being elected governor of California, and President of the United States. Overall, Cannon writes with a detached, objective po int of view. He balances all of the positives and negatives of Reagans life, giving equal time to each. SummaryReagan is an in-depth biography of Ronald Reagan. This definitive biography explores every aspect of Reagans life, and all of his successes and failures. The overriding theme in the book is that of Reagans determination and never give up attitude. Cannon begins the book by discussing Reagans humble beginnings. He was born in the front bedroom of a five-bedroom flat above the general store where his father worked, near Tampico, Illinois. He spent his childhood in a succession of small Indiana towns. His family was very poor, but not quite living in poverty. They came close to being crushed by the Depression. His father, Jack Reagan, was an Irish-Catholic, but only their first son, Ronalds brother Neil, was baptized a Catholic. Jack was a hard-worker, but struggled with alcoholism throughout his life. His mother Nelle was a very moral and dignified woman. She encouraged her children to get a good education so they could have a better life. His brother, Neil, was better athlete a nd actor growing up, but he didnt have the charisma that Ronald had. Ronald was very popular at his high school in Dixon, Illinois. He played on his high school football team, and was known as one of the hardest workers on the team. He served as student body president and participated in football, basketball, track, and school plays. At Eureka College Ronald continued his success in sports, drama, and campus politics. He was a varsity guard on the football team and was captain of the swimming team; he also participated in track. A member of the drama club, he had roles in college dramatic productions. As president of the freshman class he helped organize a student strike against cutbacks in the curriculum, which led to the resignation of the president of the college. Ronald later was president of the student body. Although not considered a serious student, he graduated in 1932 with an A.B. degree in economics and sociology. He has two children, Maureen and Michael, from his first ma rriage, to actress Jane Wyman. In 1952 he married Nancy Davis, also an actress; their children are Patricia Ann and Ronald Jr. Nancy was a very insecure woman when it came to Ronald. She was paranoid at him even talking to other women. As president of the Screen Actors Guild, Reagan became embroiled in disputes over the issue of Communism in the film industry; his political views shifted from liberal to conservative. He toured the country as a television host, becoming a spokesman for conservatism. In 1966 he was elected Governor of California by a margin of a million votes; he was re-elected in 1970. Ronald Reagan won the Republican Presidential nomination in 1980