7 Surprisingly Ghostwritten Books

7 Surprisingly Ghostwritten Books 7 Books You Never Knew Were Ghostwritten Ghostwriters. You might read ‘em, but you don’t see ‘em - and you often don’t even know that they’re right there.So just who are these shadowy figures lurking beyond our reach? Sure, we know that they’re authors who are paid to write under someone else’s name. But that’s often not enough to satisfy our curiosities. In this post, we're pulling back the curtain to take a closer look at seven surprising ghostwritten books. Pop quiz: who ghostwrote The Babysitter's Club? Find out the answer (and more) in this post! 1. Peter Lerangis - The Babysitter’s ClubWhat is Ghostwriting? All Your Questions Answered Read post Transparency Meter: 👠»Ã°Å¸â€˜ »Ã°Å¸â€˜ »Ã°Å¸â€˜ » Fully transparent. Peter Lerangis is known by name in the The Babysitter’s Club fandom, who hold polls over his writing for the series to this day.2. H.P. Lovecraft - Harry HoudiniSure, Harry Houdini could catch a bullet with his teeth and escape a water torture cell in two minutes. But could he write? Well†¦ not really. That’s how another master of his craft, H.P. Lovecraft, ended up becoming Houdini’s ghostwriter in 1924. Specifically, Lovecraft was commissioned to write a short story titled â€Å"Imprisoned with the Pharaohs†: a fictionalized tale in which Houdini is blindfolded by a tour guide in Egypt, pitched into a burial shaft in the desert, and accosted by a five-headed monster that’s as big as a â€Å"good-sized hippopotamus.†The story was published (appropriately) in a magazine called Weird Tales. Here’s a fun fact: â€Å"Imprisoned with the Pharaohs† is n ow in the public domain and you can read it right over here.Transparency Meter: 👠»Ã°Å¸â€˜ » Partly transparent. Though Lovecraft was never unveiled as the ghostwriter while Houdini was alive, it’s common knowledge now that he wrote Imprisoned with the Pharaohs.3. K.A. Applegate - AnimorphsOut of all the alarming creatures the Animorphs faced (and there were many), ghosts were not one of them. But that’s because ghostwriters and the Animorphs were on the same side all along. While K.A. Applegate did write the first 24 books of this popular YA series, she ended up only outlining most of the next 27 books in the series. A group of ghostwriters did the actual writing for those books.As the AV Club points out, Applegate is one of the only authors to publicly acknowledge and discuss the ghostwriting that went into the series. In that 2011 Reddit AMA (Ask Me Anything), she admitted that she’s one to â€Å"get† ghostwriters: she once ghostwrote for Sweet Valley High herself back in the day.Transparency Meter: 👠»Ã°Å¸â€˜ »Ã°Å¸â€˜ »Ã°Å¸â€˜ » Fully transparent. Applegate has been entirely upfront about her use of ghostwriters - and the ghostwriter is acknowledged on the boilerplate page. What are 7 of the most famous ghostwritten books in history? 4. Robert Ludlum - Jason BourneLet it be known that only two entities in the world don’t fear death: Neil deGrasse Tyson and ghostwriters. Take the curious case of Robert Ludlum, for instance. He died in 2001 - but kept churning out bestselling Jason Bourne books until 2017. Contrary to popular belief, that’s not due to Ludlum’s spirit dictating from above, but rather Eric Van Lustbader ghosting on the ground.As for Ludlum’s other unfinished works, they’re also being published and circulated - though no-one knows exactly who those ghostwriters behind them are. All it says on the copyright page is a simple statement: Since his death, the Estate of Robert Ludlum has worked with a carefully selected author and editor to prepare and edit this work for publication. Can we get a â€Å"Boo†?Transparency Meter: 👠»Ã°Å¸â€˜ » Partly transparent. Some (but not all) of Ludlum’s works have been publicly ghosted.5. Alexandre Dumas - The Co unt of Monte CristoAlexandre Dumas: the infamous French nobleman, romantic paramour, one of the most popular novelists of the nineteenth century, and... fraud? Well, not exactly. But there’s a ghost of a chance that the man who gave us The Count of Monte Cristo and The Three Musketeers definitely didn’t do it alone. In fact, Dumas wrote them with Auguste Maquet, a quiet man who remained uncredited on most of them.After a dispute over bylines and money, Dumas and Maquet went their separate ways - Maquet dying in obscurity 37 years afterward. Dumas got the fame, but it’s on Maquet’s tombstone in Paris' Pà ¨re-Lachaise cemetery that these words are etched: The Three Musketeers, the Count of Monte Cristo, and La Reine Margot.Transparency Meter: 👠» Not transparent. Even now, Maquet isn’t known for the books that he wrote with Alexandre Dumas.6. R.L. Stine - GoosebumpsAs is befitting of any proper Goosebumps book, there’s plenty of myste ry surrounding R.L. Stine and the ghostwriters that might or might not exist. Stine denies using ghosts for any of the 160 Goosebumps books that were published. That said, Scholastic claims that Stine quietly employed freelancers to write the bulk of the series, when Goosebumps really started to take off and the job became too much for one man.Whatever the truth might be, it is an undeniable fact that by 1993, two Goosebumps books were being published - per month. That’s a rate so good that you might even say that it’s†¦ eerie.Transparency Meter: 👠» Not transparent. To this day, no-one knows who Stine’s ghostwriters are... or if they even ever existed. Goosebumps (by R.L. Stine) was actually ghostwritten. True or false? 7. Alice Leonhardt - Nancy DrewIn this episode of â€Å"Whodunit?†, we’re asking, â€Å"Who wrote the famous Nancy Drew series?† The most obvious answer might be Carolyn Keene, of course - the author whose name is stamped upon the cover of every Nancy Drew book. Here’s the plot twist: Carolyn Keene is actually multiple ghostwriters. This is called â€Å"book packaging,† a practice in the publishing world where a number of ghostwriters are contracted to write books packaging in a series based on a â€Å"bible† of characters, voice, and setting.Alice Leonhardt was only one such ghostwriter for Nancy Drew. Though she’s since stopped ghostwriting, Nancy Drew continues to persist. Simon Schuster recently said that kids still send â€Å"Carolyn Keene† fan letters to this day.Transparency Meter: 👠»Ã°Å¸â€˜ » Partly transparent. Though Simon Schuster keep up the guise of â€Å"Carolyn Keene,† it’s generally known that it’s ghostwriters who continue to keep this 88-year old series alive.If you perused this list of ghostwritten books and found yourself envious of all these great ghostwriters that were readily at disposal, don’t worry. Find out how to hire a ghostwriter in ten steps or locate a qualified ghostwriter on our marketplace today. Also, take an in-depth look at what is ghostwriting. It might just lift your spirits.Have you read any of these ghostwritten books? Or have you had any luck finding a ghostwriter for yourself? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

Biography of Atlanta Mass Murderer Mark Orrin Barton

Biography of Atlanta Mass Murderer Mark Orrin Barton Known as being one the largest mass murderers in Atlantas history, day-trader Mark Barton, 44, went on a killing spree on July 29, 1999, at two Atlanta-based trading firms: All-Tech Investment Group and Momentum Securities. Upset over seven weeks of big losses in day trading, which had brought him to financial ruin, Bartons killing spree resulted in 12 people killed and 13 injured at the two companies. After a daylong manhunt and surrounded by police, Barton committed suicide by shooting himself at an Acworth, Georgia, gas station when his capture became imminent. The Killing Spree At around 2:30 p.m. on July 29, 1999, Barton entered Momentum Securities. He was a familiar face around there and just like any other day, he began chatting with the other day traders about the stock market. Dow Jones was showing a dramatic drop of about 200 points adding to a week of disappointing numbers. Smiling, Barton turned to the group and said, Its a bad trading day, and its about to get worse. He then took out two handguns, a 9mm Glock and a .45 caliber Colt, and began firing. He fatally shot four people and injured several others. He then went across the street to All-Tec and began shooting, leaving five dead. According to reports, Barton had lost an estimated $105,000 in about seven weeks. More Murders After the shooting, investigators went to Bartons home and discovered the bodies of his second wife, Leigh Ann Vandiver Barton, and Bartons two children, Matthew David Barton, 12, and Mychelle Elizabeth Barton, 10. According to one of the four letters left by Barton, Leigh Ann was murdered the night of July 27, and the children were murdered on July 28, the night before the shooting spree at the trading firms. In one of the letters, he wrote that he did not want his children to suffer without having a mother or father and that his son was already showing signs of the fears that he had suffered with throughout his life. Barton also wrote that he killed Leigh Ann because she was partly to blame for his demise. He then went on to describe the method he used to kill his family. There was little pain. All of them were dead in less than five minutes. I hit them with the hammer in their sleep and then put them face-down in the bathtub to make sure they did not wake up in pain, to make sure they were dead. The body of his wife was found under a blanket in a closet and the childrens bodies were found in their bed. Prime Suspect in Another Murder As the investigation into Barton continued, it was revealed that he had been the prime suspect in the 1993 murders of his first wife and her mother. Debra Spivey Barton, 36, and her mother, Eloise, 59, both of Lithia Springs, Georgia, went camping on Labor Day weekend. Their bodies were found inside their camper van. They had been bludgeoned to death with a sharp object. There was no sign of forced entry and although some jewelry was missing, other valuables and money had been left behind, leading investigators to put Barton on top of the list of suspects. A Lifetime of Trouble Mark Barton seemed to make bad decisions most of his life. In high school, he showed great academic potential in math and science, but started using drugs and ended up in hospitals and rehabilitation centers after overdosing several times. Despite his drug background, he got into Clemson University and, in his first year, he was arrested and charged with burglary. He was placed on probation, but that did not deter his drug use and he ended up leaving Clemson after suffering a breakdown. Barton then managed to get into the University of South Carolina, where he earned a degree in chemistry in 1979. His life seemed to level out some after college, although his drug use continued. He married Debra Spivey and in 1998 their first child, Matthew, was born. Bartons next brush with the law happened in Arkansas, where the family had relocated to due to his employment. There he began to show signs of severe paranoia and often accused Debra of infidelity. As time went on, he became increasingly controlling over Debras activities and exhibited strange behavior at work. In 1990 he was fired. Furious by the firing, Barton retaliated by breaking into the company and downloading sensitive files and secret chemical formulas. He was arrested and charged with felony burglary but got out of it after agreeing to a settlement with the company. The family moved back to Georgia where Barton got a new job in sales at a chemical company. His relationship with Debra continued to deteriorate and he began having an affair with Leigh Ann (later to become his second wife), who he had met through his work. In 1991, Mychelle was born. Despite the birth of a new child, Barton continued seeing Leigh Ann. The affair was no secret to Debra, who, for unknown reasons, decided not to confront Barton. Eighteen months later, Debra and her mother were found dead. Murder Investigation From the start, Barton was the prime suspect in the murders of his wife and mother-in-law. The police learned of his affair with Leigh Ann and that he had taken out a $600,000 life insurance policy on Debra. However, Leigh Ann told the police that Barton was with her over Labor Day weekend, which left investigators without evidence and a lot of speculation. Unable to charge Barton with the murders, the case was left unsolved, but the investigation was never closed. Due to the murders being unsolved, the insurance company refused to pay Barton, but later lost a lawsuit Barton filed and he ended up getting the $600,000. New Beginnings, Old Habits It was not long after the murders that Leigh Ann and Barton moved in together and in 1995 the couple married. However, just like what happened with Debra, Barton soon began showing signs of paranoia and distrust towards Leigh Ann. He also began losing money as a day-trader, big money. The financial pressures and Bartons paranoia took a toll on the marriage and Leigh Ann, along with the two children, left and moved into an apartment. Later the two reconciled and Barton rejoined the family. Within months of the reconciliation, Leigh Ann and the children would be dead. Warning Signs From interviews with those who knew Barton, there were no obvious signs that he was going to flip out, murder his family, and go on a shooting spree. However, he had earned the nickname Rocket at work because of his explosive behavior while day trading. This type of behavior was not all that unusual among this group of traders. It is a fast, high-risk game, where gains and losses can happen quickly. Barton did not talk much about his personal life with his fellow day traders, but many of them were aware of his financial loses. All-Tech had stopped allowing him to trade until he put money in his account to cover his losses. Unable to come up with the money, he turned to other day-traders for loans. But still, none of them had any idea that Barton was harboring resentment and about to explode. Witnesses later told police that Barton seemed to purposely seek out and shoot some of the people who had loaned him money. In one of the four letters he left in his home, he wrote about hating this life and having no hope and being terrified each time he woke up. He said that he did not expect to live much longer, just long enough to kill as many of the people that greedily sought my destruction. He also denied killing his first wife and her mother, although he admitted that there were similarities between how they were killed and how he killed his current wife and children. He ended the letter with, You should kill me if you can. As it turned out, he took care of that himself, but not before ending the lives of many others.

Understanding How God Calls Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Understanding How God Calls - Essay Example As such, God uses His word to communicate with humans. Upon reading the scripture, individuals gain insight of their purpose in the world. The Word gives meaning to life and an understanding of how God wants humanity to live. In Proverbs 6:22, humanity is assured that the Word of God shall talk to them when they awaken. As such, God uses the scripture to call on His people. Spiritual People God uses spiritual people to call. In the past, the prophets were believed to be used by God to communicate with people. They were regarded highly and people respected them. In the modern world, people seek inspiration from spiritual people. In addition, the spiritual people offer counsel on how to live life according to God’s will. In 1 Corinthians 2:13, Paul assures humanity that they speak word taught to them by the Spirit to explain spiritual realities. It is important to acknowledge God’s call through spiritual people as a means of communication to humanity.Creating Needs for Hu manityIn Ecclesiastes 3:1-15, Solomon writes about how everything in the world has its time. This can be interpreted as a means used by God to call on his people. Different events are attributable to God’s manner to communicate. As such, He creates different needs as a means to call. For instance, in times of laughter, God calls on His people to give thanks. However, in times of crying, He calls on His people to seek help from Him. Everyday humanity undergoes different needs that call for God’s intervention.

Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War - Essay Example This has been an argument for the root cause of the Civil War by many. However, high taxes alone were not enough of a catalyst to start a war. Others maintain that the reason was states right, the right for states to own slaves. Free labor drove the Southern economy. Without slavery the white privileged would go broke or worse, have to work themselves. Besides; what to do with all the freed blacks? Southerners were not ready to have blacks as neighbors and were frightened of retribution. Poverty and fear are reasons to start a war. Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation is remembered by history as an altruistic humanitarian effort but it was more a brilliant tactical move. History did get the importance aspect right, the slaves were freed, the union preserved and Lincoln the architect of it all during the most tumultuous time in American history. It was about slavery. Southern states thought of Lincoln as â€Å"an obscure and illiterate man† whose â€Å"opinions a nd purposes are hostile to slavery.† (Ball, 2010). As each state formerly left the Union it cited slavery as the main reason for secession. Hard-line secessionists were rightfully convinced that Lincoln’s election would result in the freeing of slaves. Known as ‘Fire-eaters,’ they used shame and fear to convince wavering Southerners of their stance, that slave-owning states had no choice but to form their own country. â€Å"Resistance or submission† was the fire-eaters rallying cry. Southerners were implored to defend their rights. Those who resisted were publicly humiliated, branded as cowards. Events such as John Brown’s Raid helped the fire-eaters to convince people to join their cause. Panicky white men joined vigilante groups which targeted Northern sympathizers and former slaves meaning, to them, any black person. (Barney, 2004). Prior to the start of the Civil War Kansas experienced the wrath of fire-eaters paramilitary terrorist groups when its citizens were deciding whether or not to become a slave state. They used intimidation as a tactic to get the desired results. In retribution for their reign of terror, John Brown led a group of men who killed five pro-slavery settlers then stole guns from the military at Harper’s Ferry so to continue the fight but were stopped prior to committing more killings. Coincidentally, Brown and his followers were captured by future commanding Confederate General Robert E. Lee who was leading a group of marines at the time. (KEDT, 1999). Unfortunately for Brown his actions ultimately led to his execution by hanging and generated greater support for the pro-slavery faction. Lincoln was an adamant believer in the idea of the U.S., in democracy and individual freedom. He wanted America to be the shining example for other nations to follow. He knew that if the country became divided it would be widely perceived that the grand experiment of democracy didn’t work, a travest y on a worldwide, historic scale. Lincoln insisted that â€Å"the unity of the nation must be maintained. If the nation breaks up, the democratic mission is dead.† (Coker, 2013). As late as 1860 Lincoln said that blacks were entitled to some rights but not to vote or hold office. He had strongly suggested blacks be sent to live elsewhere, ‘rounded up’ so to speak but with the War still very much anybody’s to win and enthusiasm waning, Lincoln needed a new strategy. He added a new element to the struggle by proclaiming all slaves free in 1862. It was now society against society in addition to army against army, a battle of conscience fought alongside a battle of weapons; the former Lincoln thought he was surer to win. He was never considered a military genius but demonstrated his

Biblical Worldview Essay Essay Example for Free

Biblical Worldview Essay Essay Introduction/Thesis The Bible’s New Testament book of Romans, chapters 1-8, provides a fundamental perspective and useful resource on how God desires to shape our worldview. A biblical worldview in a society that gravitates to a sinful nature can be a challenge. Paul, however, provides insight that may not encompass every theological truth, but provides the basis of establishing a biblical worldview. Specifically, these chapters provide the essence of how Christians should view the natural world, human identity, human relationships, and culture. The Natural World Paul’s description of a worldview of the natural world is supported in the Bible several times. The book of Genesis begins with God’s creation of the heavens and earth as described in Genesis 1:1. Romans 1:20 also supports God as the master creator by explaining, â€Å"For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.† (NLT) But, because of man’s sinful nature, people turn away from Him and deny His power and divinity. In Romans 1:21-23 Paul states, â€Å"For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles.† (NIV) Despite the evidence of God’s existence, people turned away from Him, worshipped idols, and continued to relish in sin. Human Identity God created man in His image and put mankind over the rest of His creation. In fact, God has ranked man just a little lower than the angels and has anointed us with His glory and honor (Psalms 8:5). So, why is it we have an identity crisis? It is because of sin, we have fallen out of God’s grace. Romans 3:10 states, â€Å"There is no one righteous, not even one.† (NIV) It is through Adam’s sin that we are all now held in God’s contempt. God understands man is bound by his sinful nature. But, Paul describes our  opportunity for redemption in Romans Chapter 8:1-2, â€Å"Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.† (NIV) â€Å"Although the ‘law of sin and death’ is more powerful than our moral will-power, the ‘law of the Spirit of life’ more powerful than the ‘law of sin and death’. It has the power to liberate us.† (DeLashmutt) Through Jesus Christ, we are able to reclaim our human identity as God’s children. Human Relationships Human relationships have been tainted with sin since Adam and Eve. God has provided other human relationships as a gift to us. It’s through these human interactions we demonstrate God’s love through us. Though human nature leans toward sin, especially in dealing with human relationships. Our refusal to acknowledge God will allow us to fulfill our own sinful hearts and desires. These selfish motivations lead us to fulfill the desires of our heart instead of the desires of God’s heart. In Romans 1:18-32, Paul provides a detailed description of the wickedness and immorality of the people. Sin is what separated us from God and a relationship with Him in the first place. God restored this, however, through our gift of salvation in Jesus Christ. Jesus’s life and human relationships, as described in throughout the Gospel, provide a perfect example of the biblical perspective on human relationships. Culture The biblical worldview on culture that Paul describes in Romans is a society that has systematically imploded. Romans 1:26-31 provides explicit detail on the Roman culture at that time. Sin was running rampant through the society. People knew God and they rejected Him anyway. This type of sinful nature and blatant rejection of God spread throughout the culture. (Romans 1:32) People were determined to live in defiance of God and by their own legalistic views of the law. Paul stated that those under the law were lawless because the people abused the law to provide selfish gains or as a means to stand in judgement of another, especially the Gentiles. God meant for the law to be good, but man manipulated it to his own advantage. On the contrary, obedience demonstrates humility. Paul states in Romans 5:19, † For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners,  so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.† (NIV) The philosophy in this scripture supports God’s desire for us to be the light in the world to shape our culture for His purpose and not our own. Paul maintains that the grace that we as Christians are under was achieved by one Man’s (Jesus’) righteous act (Rom. 5:18). (McCracken) Conclusion I believe that Paul’s epistle is just as relevant today and it was in his time. Paul’s thoughts and insight provide sound perspective for biblical worldviews for believers to mature in their faith. These biblical worldviews about our natural world, human identity, human relationship and culture are applicable to current believers because human nature has not changed. These messages are just as relevant to us today because there is still sin in the world that will not end until the Second Coming of Christ. In the meantime, we can use Romans 1-8 as a guide to align our biblical worldviews with God’s heart. Paul’s perspective on biblical worldviews, such as these, are just one of the many gems we can get from the Word. References DeLashmutt, G. Walking by the Spirit Part 1. Teaching Series from Romans. Retrieved on 5/1/15 from http://www.xenos.org/teachings/?teaching=527. McCracken, R. (April 20, 2014). The Difference Between Legalism and Obedience. Bible Study with Randy. Retrieved on May 2, 2015 from http://www.biblestudywithrandy.com/2014/04/know-difference-legalism-obedience-romans-5-8/.

J.B.Priestley’s play, An Inspector Calls Essay -- English Literature

By what means, and how successfully is suspense created and sustained in An Inspector Calls? An Inspector Calls Essay By what means, and how successfully is suspense created and sustained in ‘An Inspector Calls?’  · Show analytical and interpretative skills  · The effects of dramatic devices and structure  · Layers of meaning in language, ideas and themes  · The social and historical setting/context JB Priestley wrote ‘An Inspector Calls’ towards the end of World War 2. The play however, is set in 1912 at a wealthy, middle-class family home. The play is about a family celebrating an engagement, when an Inspector calls, and tells them of a young girl’s suicide. The play is always set in the family’s dining room, but it has precise stage directions, so each character must be sitting in a certain place. Suspense is used right through the play, usually at its peak at the end of an act. I think JB Priestley was trying to get a message across to us that we need to abolish the social class differences, and all be equal. The play is very good because you are always trying to find out who was responsible for the suicide, and you know that everybody fits in, but you don’t know when or how. As you find, or think you’ve found something out, the play takes a new dramatic turn, which definitely makes suspense the key factor. What makes the play even better is that the audience always knows a lot more than the characters do, and you are always wondering: â€Å"why haven’t they worked that out?† Suspense is very successfully created and sustained in ‘An Inspector Calls.’ When Act one begins, the mood is merry, and civilised in the dining room, at The Birlings’ house. The family are happy, excited and ... ...er this phone call means that yes everything was true, or no, it was a hoax. Then, it is used as a dramatic device again when it rings, and the local Inspector says he is coming round to question the Birlings about a young girl’s death. The play ends here. Now, we have found out the suspense is created and sustained very successfully in ‘An Inspector Calls’. With you always wondering whether the Inspector is real, and all the cliffhangers that are used, you are constantly left in suspense, even after the very unusual ending. You are wondering at the end whether this time it really is real, or is it another hoax? We will never know. Dramatic devices are a key element in this play, for example in Act 3; a telephone is the focal point. It can be little things like that. I hope this brings a good conclusion to a very good, interesting, even if strange play.

Going to College Essay

Decisions require a lot of thorough thinking before acting. An important time in my life was to make the big decision to go to college. Any important decision requires steps to ensure that everything is completed in the correct manner. I did not follow any sort of formal process. However, I did weigh the pros and cons first and exhaust all options before making my final decision. First, I checked into several different schools in the surrounding area to see which would be a better fit for me and also see which ones offered the degree that I was in search of. After thinking of going to class several nights a week, I decided to explore the online university options. Online classes are much more flexible and seemed to suit me much better. I started my own my own business, which made me extremely busy. With online classes, I knew that I would be able to do things on my schedule instead of someone else’s schedule. Attending online classes and campus once a week, was the best option I would have as a businessman. After a lot of research, I decided that the University of Phoenix best fit my needs and what I was looking for with my personal goals. Phoenix also offered the degree that I was looking to obtain. So, going to Phoenix was my final decision. I’ve been going to Phoenix for about two years. Since I have completed about 70% of my education, I’m close to obtaining my Bachelors degree in Business. As the reading states in Management: Leading and Collaborating in a Competitive World, the six stages in the decision making process are Identifying and diagnosing the problem, generating alternative solutions, evaluating alternatives, making choices, implementing the decision, and evaluating the decision. I identified the problem in my situation when I decided that I needed to go to school. The second step is generating alternative solutions, and the third step is evaluating the alternatives which I did by exploring my options and looking at online universities and brick and mortar schools as well. I then made the choice and implemented my decision. The only step that I did not do is evaluating the decision last. I evaluated the decision before I implemented it. I strongly recommend everyone to follow the decision making process. Following the process could definitely help to make healthy and intelligent decisions. Reference: Bateman, T. S., & Snell, S. A. (2011). Management: Leading & collaborating in a competitive world (9th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Irwin.

Discussing Hamlet Essay

At various times, Shakespeare has been seen by critics as presenting Hamlet as a sensitive poet, unable to endure the cruel pressures of the world, a man driven by sexual desire for his mother, and a representative to a corrupt political regime. Which would be your interpretation and why? The character of Hamlet can simply be described as he who â€Å"embodies all that man represents in earth†- as ‘Toril Moi’ so eloquently points out. My interpretation, like Toril’s, is that simplicity is an element that lacks in tremendous proportions in Hamlet; he is a complex and three-dimensional character to an infinite extent. So much so, his complexity allows him to assume an ‘antic-disposition’ and also appear truly insane at the same time. It is evident that Shakespeare adopted the ‘Senecan’ classical revenge tragedy style of plot, which clearly sets out the characteristics of Hamlet: As the son of the dead king/father, it was obligatory to avenge his father’s death, however hindering this act is the hero’s hesitation, which one could describe as Hamlet’s cowardice. Eventually, Hamlet killing Claudius fulfils the revenge tragedy. Hamlet is therefore a revenge tragedy in plot, but not in central character. In my opinion, it is more intriguing to use the vengeance theme as a carrier to express the unimaginable depth of emotion contained in Hamlet. This emotion is caused by human experience of dealing with death, pursuing revenge, inaction, action, failure in love, and finally the oppressive affect on man (Hamlet) by a nation of corrupt power. Hamlet is a dexterous courtier and scholar, yet in times of extreme pressure he averts from his calm-courtier ways and behaves erratically, leading to fatal ends, such as the unnecessary killing of Polonius. The genuine despair of Hamlet limits his capacity for action and increases his self-abasement and self-disgust, constantly questioning the value and purpose of his life- hence being unable to endure the cruel pressures of the world. Hamlet thinks too precisely under the weight of thought, which as he says himself â€Å"makes cowards of us all†- This hesitation eventually leads to the downfall of Hamlet! I would define the ‘sensitivity’ in Hamlet as a deep philosophical nature wherein is contained a boundless range of emotion, which is depicted more so in the seven soliloquies in the play. We see Hamlet’s first soliloquy in act 1, scene 2, and expect to see a true sensitivity of Hamlet, as Shakespeare intended soliloquies to reveal a character’s true feelings, void of lies and deception. The opening lines of the soliloquy immediately introduce poetic antithesis: ‘O, that this too sullied flesh would melt, Thaw and resolve itself into a dew†. It is evident here that Hamlet is plagued with melancholy, wanting his ‘solid’ pain to dissolve, in other words he is suicidal. This suicidal behaviour implies that he is unable to endure the cruel pressures of the world, as he welcomes death to terminate all his problems. The reason he gives for not committing suicide is religious, that God condemned it in his sixth commandment, however he wishes that the â€Å"Everlasting had not fix’d His Canon ‘gainst self-slaughter! â€Å". Some critics say that he used religion here to serve as an excuse for avoiding the action of â€Å"self-slaughter†, however I believe in Hamlet’s belief and faith in religion, as he swears upon the language of the church, â€Å"Hic et Ubique† when promising his purpose to his father’s ghost, which I believe Hamlet would have taken very seriously. The bleak, grim words of the soliloquy, such as â€Å"stale†¦ Unprofitable† express of his depression and distaste of life. Hamlet in my opinion is also very unhappy with the state of Denmark, metaphorically representing it as an â€Å"unweeded garden†, that is a diseased and corrupted pit: â€Å"rank and gross†. After the internal insight of depression and woe in Hamlet, we see the reason behind his piteous state- that cannot be due to Claudius killing his father because he doesn’t yet know that! It is in equal measure the death of his beloved father, and the revulsion of Claudius’ and Gertrude’s hasty marriage into â€Å"incestuous sheets†. Hamlet absolutely abhors Claudius, describing him as a â€Å"bloat-king† and a â€Å"Satyr†- simply a beast in modern terms, which is in contrast to the vast admiration for his deceased father, the â€Å"Hyperion†- the beautiful sun God. The fact that Hamlet’s true father was a â€Å"hyperion†, that he was â€Å"so loving to my mother† and that â€Å"she would hang onto him† with great happiness, implies that Hamlet idealised his parents’ marriage. However, the betrayal of his mother to the ideal of marriage at an insincere instant, â€Å"unrighteous tears† at an â€Å"O most wicked speed†, badly bruised Hamlet’s opinion of women, degrading their honour and purity. The poet Hamlet uses personification to express his disgust to womankind in general: â€Å"Frailty thy name is woman! â€Å". This disgust in women is what I believe caused Hamlet’s bitter rejection for Ophelia, not because Hamlet is insensitive, but because his fragile sensitivity was taken advantage of and bruised. Hamlet later continues to express his disgust in women by using similes referring to women in a negative way to describe a bad situation: â€Å"Like a Whore unpacked†¦ â€Å"

Writing Dialogue In Accents and Dialect

Writing Dialogue In Accents and Dialect Writing Dialogue In Accents and Dialect Writing Dialogue In Accents and Dialect By Kate Evans Wen old man Rabbit say scoot, dey scooted, en wen ole Miss Rabbit say scat, dey scatted. Dey did dat. En dey kep der cloze clean, and day aint had no smut on der nose nudder. Uncle Remus A  Story About Little Rabbits, Joel Chandler Harris. We have a long literary tradition of writing dialogue in accents and dialect. Mark Twain comes to mind, as a master of the written idiom. Dialect instantly gives characters authenticity and offers insight into their attitudes, background, and education. An accent allows the reader to use their sense of hearing and gives text depth and flavor. On the other hand, using dialects and accents is often a distraction. When accented words are spelled phonetically, they can frustrate and slow the reader down. If accents are inaccurate or inauthentic, they can stereotype or even insult. With all of these risks, writing dialects has largely gone out of fashion. So what is a writer to do instead? The first step would be to describe patterns of speech in prose. For example, her honeyed accent melted off of her tongue, slowly, sweetly, and with the same elongated syllables that her mama used. Already, the character has an established geographical place and a hint of her history. From then on, the reader can hear and even visualize the honeyed accent. Another tactic is to reflect dialect with commonly spoken words in commonly spelled ways. A writer could insert gonna for going to. The reader registers these words easily but the speech pattern can also convey information about the characters. Finally, a writer can pay close attention to phrases and idioms that pertain to a characters geographic location or time in history. Phrases, such as shes dumber than a bucket of hair, bless her heart, places someone in the American South. The craic is mighty, puts someone in modern day Ireland. When carefully researched and used advantageously, simple colloquial phrases can carry as much weight as paragraphs of complicated written dialect. While we dont want to lose the art of conveying speech patterns through the written word, in todays world, there are more subtle ways to illustrate character traits. 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 Fiction Writing category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:45 Synonyms for â€Å"Food†Homogeneous vs. HeterogeneousDouble Possessive

Inventors of the Spark Plug

Inventors of the Spark Plug Internal combustion engines need three things to run: spark, fuel, and compression. The spark comes from the spark plug.  Spark plugs consist of a metal threaded shell, a porcelain insulator, and a central electrode, which may contain a resistor. According to Britannica a spark plug or sparking plug is, a device that fits into the cylinder head of an internal-combustion engine and carries two electrodes separated by an air gap, across which current from a high-tension ignition system discharges, to form a spark for igniting the fuel. Edmond Berger Some historians have reported that Edmond Berger invented an early spark plug on February 2, 1839. However, Edmond Berger did not patent his invention. Spark plugs are used in  internal combustion engines  and in 1839 these engines were in the early days of experimentation. Therefore, Edmund Bergers spark plug, if it did exist, would have had to have been very experimental in nature as well or perhaps the date was a mistake. Jean Joseph Étienne Lenoir ​​ This Belgian engineer developed the first commercially successful internal combustion engine in 1858. He is credited for developing the spark ignition system, which is described in US Patent #345596. Oliver Lodge Oliver Lodge invented the electric spark ignition (the Lodge Igniter) for the  internal combustion engine. Two of his sons developed his ideas and founded the Lodge Plug Company. Oliver Lodge is better known for his pioneering work in radio and was the first man to transmit a message by wireless.   Albert Champion During the early 1900s, France was the dominant manufacturer of spark plugs. Frenchman, Albert Champion was a bicycle and motorcycle racer who immigrated to the United States in 1889 to race. As a sideline, Champion manufactured and sold spark plugs to support himself. In 1904, Champion moved to Flint, Michigan where he started the Champion Ignition Company for the manufacturing of spark plugs. He later lost control of his company and in 1908 started the AC Spark Plug Company with backing from Buick Motor Co. AC presumably stood for Albert Champion. His AC spark plugs were used in aviation, notably for the trans-Atlantic flights of Charles Lindbergh  and Amelia Earhart. They also were used in the Apollo rocket stages. You may think the current-day Champion company that produces spark plugs was named after Albert Champion, but it was not. It was a completely different company that produced decorative tile in the 1920s. Spark plugs use ceramics as insulators, and Champion started producing spark plugs in their ceramic kilns. Demand grew so they switched completely to producing spark plugs in 1933. By this time, the AC Spark Plug Company had been bought by GM Corp. GM Corp was not allowed to continue using the Champion name as the original investors in Champion Ignition Company set up Champion Spark Plug Company as competition. Years later, United Delco and the AC Spark Plug Division of General Motors combined to become AC-Delco. In this way, the Champion name lives on in two different spark plug brands.

Policy Proposal Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Policy Proposal - Research Paper Example It shall discuss the oil supply issue and its impact on the American society and politics. It shall also describe specific solutions to this issue and how such solutions can contribute to the American economy in general. This paper is being conducted in order to establish a clear and comprehensive discussion on the subject matter. Discussion 1. What is the problem? According to the US Energy Information Administration (EIA), in 2010, the US consumed about 19 million barrels of petroleum products per day; such consumption makes the US consistently the largest petroleum consumer in the world. It was ranked third in terms of crude oil production; however, crude oil is not the sole source of US petroleum supplies (EIA). Much gain was seen with the increase in crude oil production because crude oil has been known to expand during the refining process. Liquid fuel has also been seen from natural gases, and other sources, including biofuels (EIA). These represent additional supplies in petr oleum products for the US. Still, in 2010, the US had to import about 11.8 million barrels per day of crude oil and other petroleum products, including gasoline, diesel fuel, heating oil, jet fuel, chemical feedstocks, asphalt, and similar products (EIA). Based on the EIA report, about half (49%) of the US oil imports come from the Western hemisphere and about 18% of these imports come from the Persian Gulf, specifically the countries of Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, and Qatar. The largest source of crude oil and petroleum products are Canada, Nigeria, Venezuela, Mexico, and Saudi Arabia (EIA). The EIA also reports that since 2005, the US reliance on foreign sources of petroleum products have decreased. This decline is seemingly attributed to the economic crisis experienced by the US and the global community in general, as well as changes in consumer behavior, and increase in the use of domestic sources of oil like biofuels and natural gas plant liquids (EIA). In a discussion by Lefton and Weiss, they set forth that the increase in oil imports increased the gap between the US imports and exports. They pointed out that the US is allocating about $1 billion a day in its foreign oil investments; investments which could have been better spent on domestic sources. Moreover, burning oil has contributed to the exacerbation of global warming, representing more dire threats on our national security (Lefton and Weiss). Their analysis also sets forth that the US has relied on imported oil from countries which are on the State Department’s Travel Warning list, including Algeria, Chad, Colombia, Iraq, Nigeria, Pakistan, Syria, Saudi Arabia, among others (Lefton and Weiss). This is unfortunate because the country’s reliance on oil imports from these countries have serious implication on national security, economy, and environment (Lefton and Weiss). The US imports about 4 million barrels of oil per day from these unstable countries , incurring a cost of approximately $150 billion (Lefton and Weiss). Since the US is considered the highest consumer of oil, it contributes significantly to the worldwide overall demand for the product. In effect, its demand plays a major part on the oil prices in the market. This high demand makes the country vulnerable to the whims of oil-producing nations. Moreover, this high demand which impacts on oil process benefits oil-producing countries which do not sell oil to the US, as in the case of Iran which does not trade