The eNotes Blog Jennifer Egan Tweets Serial Fiction with BlackBox

Jennifer Egan Tweets Serial Fiction with BlackBox Last week The New Yorker began nightly tweeting portions of a new Jennifer Egan story, titled Black Box. Over the course of ten installments, Egans futuristic spy thriller was formed, with each 140-character tweet serving as its heroines undercover dispatches. Read all together the tweets have a certain poetic quality; you cant help but notice pacing and rhythm in the lines. Case in point, from chapter 8: White clouds spin and curl. A blue sky is as depthless as the sea. The sound of waves against rocks existed millennia before there were creatures who could hear it. Spurs and gashes of stone narrate a violence that the earth itself has long forgotten. Your mind will rejoin your body when it is safe to do so. A full, collated version of the story can be seen here. You can also view it in its original, serialized form at The New Yorkers twitter page, here. Black Box was prominently featured in the magazines science-fiction issue this past week. In it, Egan shares her inspiration and process to writing this unique story: I’d been wondering about how to write fiction whose structure would lend itself to serialization on Twitter. This is not a new idea, of course, but it’s a rich one- because of the intimacy of reaching people through their phones, and because of the odd poetry that can happen in a hundred and forty characters. I found myself imagining a series of terse mental dispatches from a female spy of the future, working undercover by the Mediterranean Sea. I wrote these bulletins by hand in a Japanese notebook that had eight rectangles on each page. The story was originally nearly twice its present length; it took me a year, on and off, to control and calibrate the material into what is now â€Å"Black Box.†    Asked whether she found the form of writing for Twitter restrictive, Egan replies, No, because that was so essential to the voice itself. I mean, the premise is that these are the thoughts of the protagonist, which are being recorded as part of her spy mission. But they take the form of lessons, and actually the working title of the piece was â€Å"Lessons Learned.† The idea was that with each move she makes, or each thing that happens to her, she has a kind of reflection, which has a bit of a didactic quality to it. I always imagined her observations happening in this very atomized way; that was just inherent in the voice itself. And on whether Black Box is a spy thriller-cum-philosophical story, What makes something interesting enough to pursue is always the feeling that it’s unfolding on several levels at once. The best-case scenario is one in which I don’t have to look too carefully at what those levels are- I just kind of feel them happening. But one level that I was aware of and pleased about was a sort of mythological connection. I mean, she’s by the Mediterranean; she has had physical enhancements to her body that give her exceptional powers; there’s the explicit mention of the fact that she loved reading myths as a kid. I loved feeling, in this futuristic atmosphere, a connection to those ancient stories. So that was one level that I was aware of. And, yes, the sense of a kind of philosophical argument playing out was there as well. A full transcript of Egans interview can be found here. For those who are fans of Egans novels, the protagonist of Black Box is the future adult form of the precocious Lulu, of  A Visit from the Goon Squad. For those who have never read any of Jennifer Egans work, Black Box stands alone as an enticing and suspenseful introduction to her writing that certainly bears a reading.

The History and Invention of Water Skiing

The History and Invention of Water Skiing In June 1922, 18-year-old adventurer Ralph Samuelson of Minnesota proposed that if you could ski on snow, then you could ski on water. Ralph first attempted water skiing on Lake Pepin in Lake City, Minnesota, towed by his brother Ben. The brothers experimented for several days until July 2, 1922, when Ralph discovered that leaning backward with ski tips up leads to successful water skiing. Unwittingly, Samuelson had invented a new sport. The First Water Skis For his first skis, Ralph tried  snow skis on Lake Pepin, but he sank. Then he tried barrel staves, but he sank again.  Samuelson realized that with the speed of the boat - a top speed of less than 20 mph - he needed to fashion some type of ski that would cover more water surface area.  He bought two 8-foot-long, 9-inch-wide planks, softened one end of each  and shaped them by curving the ends up, held with vice grips to keep the ends up and in place. Then, according to Vault magazine, he fastened a leather strap in the middle of each ski to hold his feet in place, bought 100 feet of sash cord to use as a tow rope and had a blacksmith make him an iron ring, 4 inches in diameter, to serve as a handle, which he insulated with tape. Success on  the Water After several failed attempts at getting up and out of the water,  Samuelson finally discovered the successful method was to lean backward in the water with ski tips pointing upward. After that, he spent over 15 years performing ski shows and teaching people in the United States how to ski. In 1925 Samuelson  became the worlds first water ski jumper, skiing over a partly submerged diving platform that had been greased with lard. Water Ski Patents   In 1925, Fred Waller of Huntington, New York, patented the first water skis, called Dolphin AkwaSkees,  made out of kiln-dried mahogany - Waller had first skied on Long Island Sound in 1924. Ralph Samuelson never patented any of his water skiing equipment. For years,  Waller had been credited as  the inventor of the sport. But, according to Vault,  clippings in Samuelsons scrapbook and on file with the Minnesota Historical Society were beyond dispute, and in February 1966 the AWSA officially recognized him [Samuelson] as the father of waterskiing. Water Ski Firsts With the invention now a popular sport, the first ski shows were held at the Century of Progress in Chicago and the Atlantic City Steel Pier in 1932. In 1939 the American Water Ski Association (AWSA) was organized by Dan B. Hains, and the first National Water Ski Championships were held on Long Island in the same year. In 1940 Jack Andresen invented the first trick ski - a shorter, finless water ski. The first World Water Ski Championship was held in France in 1949. The National Water Ski Championships were broadcast on national television for the first time at Callaway Gardens, Georgia, in 1962, and the MasterCraft ski boat company  was founded in 1968.  In 1972 water skiing was an exhibition sport at the Olympic Games in Keil, Germany, and in 1997, the  U.S. Olympic Committee recognized  water skiing as a Pan American Sports Organization and AWSA as the official national governing body.

Corporate finance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 4

Corporate finance - Essay Example Breakavia is a newly formed country. The country has been formed recently by splitting from earlier communist states. The newly formed government of this country has recognised that there are many advantages in developing a democratic country and forming capital principles to regulate the country. Government also identified that the country has enough natural resources like oil and mineral reserves and therefore, it can functions as an independent state depending upon these huge natural resources sufficient for sustainable development of the country. As a newly developed country, the government thinks to invite the European multinational companies to enter to this market and use the natural resources which lead to overall development of the country in terms of many areas like economic development and employment and many more. For this purpose, the finance department of the country has decided to develop a standard tax regime and banking systems which will provide low cost finance for commercial and domestic housing development opportunity for developing tourism industry in the country. The government is also aiming to setting up Stock Exchange in Heeritis, the capital of this newly formed country. Therefore, to develop corporate sectors consists of domestic as well as foreign companies; the government is seeking corporate financial advice regarding development of a standardised corporate reporting for regulating businesses sector in the country. For this purpose, the finance minister of this country needs advice regarding two important areas of corporate finance. First, advice for standardised corporate reporting development by adopting any existing international standardised financial reporting. Second is importance of corporate governance in business and as an important part of annual corporate report the companies. International Accounting Standard

Fibroadenoma Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Fibroadenoma - Assignment Example The most susceptible persons to this condition are young women and teenage girls. It is diagnosed through various tests such as â€Å"mammogram, clinical breast examinations, ultrasound, fine needle aspiration and core needle biopsy† among others (Moris, 2005, p.46). Their sizes differ and ranging from one patient to another, they sometimes reduce in size or shrivel at will and can expand even more when a woman has conceived .According to Moris (2005, p.99), a bigger percentage (about 90%) of fibroadenomas are not more than 3cm in size while the remaining percentage are 4 cm or more in length. The tumour itself is oval in shape, stretchy or supple and has soft facade. It is grey-whitish and can sometimes come when soft or hard on the outside (Dabbs, 2012, p.121). There is strong evidence that supports the proposition that women who have a family history which is enmeshed around breast diseases and fibroadenoma are more likely to suffer from the same. Although the chances of suffering from this disease reduces as one ages; past menopause it is lower, a family medical history especially those girls and young women whose mothers or grandmothers suffered from breast diseases are more predisposed to this condition. It is therefore important to dig deep into the family medical history of a patient before diagnosing them with this disease. Also, a person stands a high chance of being diagnosed with these conditions if she had suffered from a breast related condition before. Patients who have ever used hormone therapy are more likely to record even bigger lumps of Fibroadenomas as it is most active during the years of female reproductions (Dabbs, 2012, p.176). Mostly, Fibroadenomas are never treated although it is monitored regularly just in case it can erupt into a serious condition. Surgery is an option though for those patients who feel totally uncomfortable with the growth on their

Choice of Production Methods Essay Example for Free

Choice of Production Methods Essay The following factors will influence whether a business adopts one of the four methods of production considered that is job, batch, flow or flow production with the development to mass customization. †¢ If the market is very small, such as for designer clothes, then job production is likely to be used. Flow production is most efficiently adopted when the market for similar or identical products is very large and consistent throughout the year. If mass production is used in this way, then mass marketing methods will also have to be adopted to sell the high output levels that can be manufactured. Even in a market for mass produced items, such as cars, there may be market niches that will allow smaller manufacturers to survive by making one-off products or batches of identical goods before changing the design or style for another model. If the market demands a large number of units, but at different times of the year, for example textbooks at the start of the academic year, then batch production might be most appropriate. †¢ A purpose-built flow production line is difficult and expensive to construct. Small firms are unlikely to be able to afford this type of investment and are more likely to use job or batch production. †¢ Large-scale flow production often requires a supply of relatively unskilled workers and a large, flat land area. Job production needs skilled crafts people. If any of these resources are unavailable, or very limited in supply, then the production method may have to be adapted to suit available resources, given the market constraint referred to above. †¢ If firms want the cost advantages of high volumes combined with the ability to make slightly different products for different markets, then mass customization would be most appropriate. As was seen above, technology is giving firms the flexibility to produce a variety of models from the one basic design and production process. Most firms do not just use one production method. It is quite common for many businesses to use all three production methods to gain the benefits that they offer. A French restaurant might have a continuous supply of staple items on the menu such as frites but make batches of a dish that can be kept hot for a long time (or even frozen and reheated easily) such as boeuf bourguignon. Specialist dishes that have to be cooked at the table, such as flambà ©s, will use job production. Standard Land Rover models are made on a line production system of mass production. Orders for military versions with special features in common will be made together in one batch. One-off orders, such as a bullet-proof, gold-plated model for an oil prince would be hand assembled and finished.

Dreams Of A Lifetime :: essays research papers

Some people only get to dream about what life might be like if they had accomplished their life goals. Some people dream about what it might not be like. Steven was one of these more fortunate people until...Steven had to overcome more pain during his lifetime then some could imagine. He dreamed of becoming a wealthy, well known business man, with a loving family. He had no clue that it would be so hard to accomplish the few things that mattered the most to him, his dreams.Steven grew up in a family of poverty, heartbreak, and violence. Every night Steven’s dad would come home drunk and beat on Steven and his sister, Danielle. Sometimes Steven would hide in a closet with his sister praying that his dad wouldn’t come home. The pain Steven suffered during these beatings were unbearable. Steven’s mother couldn’t do anything about it. She was afraid of her violent tempered husband. She tried to take her kids away from their father a few times, but she was threatened and beaten. There was no escape from what seemed like hell. After years of violence and abuse, Steven’s mother had had it. After Danielle had just been molested by her father, she thought that their was nothing left to live for. She had pulled the trigger on herself, killing one of the few people that Steven had cared about. After this incident, Steven rebelled against everything that he believed in. He just felt like there was nothing to live for and no one he could depend on. Steven didn’t do his schoolwork, he ran away from home a number of times, and he even got addicted to heroin. Danielle had moved to her aunt’s house in order to avoid getting into trouble with her father, but Steven refused to go. Then on a cold rainy night, Steven went home to see a swarm of police around his home. He later found out that his father was killed in a fight over drugs, in which Steven was the source of. It was at that moment that Steven felt the worst he has ever felt in his entire life. He felt like he was to blame for his father’s death and his mind went blank. Without hesitation, he got his father’s handgun, held to his mouth, and thought of his mother. The loving mother that he used to have, the one that was to afraid to help him, the one that was just there.

Paddy Power Plc

Paddy Power Plc Introduction My name is Maureen Hogan and I am doing a level 6 advanced administration and my assignment is to research Paddy Powers Bookmakers Plc Aims * A brief history of t organisation * Organisation type, and sector in which it operates * A detailed analysis of the organisation goals and objectives * Particular attention should be given to the customer service policy of the organisation * An organisation chart and comment on whether it has Flat or Tall management structure * Analysis of its products, services, locations, pricing and marketing strategy * Profile of competitors Construct a SWOT analysis for the organisation and explain the points you make * Construct a PESTS analysis for the organisation and points raised here need to be explained also History Paddy Power is a fourth generation Irish bookmaker his great grandfather Richard, started the family business back in 1898 from his native Tramore Co. Waterford. Richard Power business grew to become one of t he most respected and well known bookmakers in Ireland.Paddy’s grandfather, Paddy, then took over the family business and passed it in turn on to Paddy’s father David. In the 1980s betting tax in Ireland was halved which caused an influx of the big UK betting firms. This put the Irish bookmakers under fierce competitive pressure and it was in this time that David Power merged his family betting shops with John Corcoran of Patrick Corcoran bookmakers and Stewart Kenny of Kenny O’Reilly bookmakers.The Power name was retained due to it’s resonance with Irish punters, and Paddy name was used to emphasise the company’s origins. Paddy spent his school holidays working for his father at various Irish racecourses, and in summers marking the boards in many Paddy Power betting shops. After graduating from Dublin City University Paddy started working full time for the company where he now holds the position of Communications Director. Paddy is one of the best known bookmakers today with regular appearances on TV and radio across the UK and Ireland. Organisation

Professionalism in the Army

A soldier is measured by his ability to do his job successfully, tactfully, and professionally. Being a professional at everything you do will help you succeed in every aspect of your life. The definition of professionalism as by Merriam-Webster is the conduct, aims, or qualities that characterize or mark a profession or professional person. Being in the Ranger Regiment we are considered professionals. How we train, perform, and even hold ourselves to the Army Values and Ranger Creed make us the elite fighting force we are.In this essay I will talk about what professionalism is, what professionalism means to me as well as what it means to this unit, 75th Ranger Regiment. In any profession there are many attributes accompanied with professionalism. In the 75th Ranger Regiment, like all professional jobs, in order to be successful experience, communication, and moral ethics will make any individual succeed. Experience can help save time and effort. Learning from ones past mistakes and accomplishments can be very valuable in any work place.Being able to effectively communicate is key. As an intelligence professional knowing what to say and how to get into peoples minds can prove to help a great deal on the battle field. Ethics is knowing the difference between right and wrong from good from bad, this is what being a professional is. Every single person’s morals and values of life are different. To me professionalism means to lead by example, to try your best and give it your all no matter who is watching.As well as to put in the time and effort, to act on your best behavior and to get any task presented done giving one hundred percent. These are all traits of what professionalism means to me. No matter if your a private or a commander being a professional within this unit is the standard we all should live by. What Professionalism means to the 75th Ranger Regiment is simple. If you follow and uphold the Ranger Creed you will always be successful within this unit.Giving one hundred percent even when no one is watching. Being the best at ones job giving one hundred percent, these are all traits of a professional within this organization, and what the Ranger Creed stands by. In conclusion, being a profession will help you succeed in life. Leading by example, or giving it your all when no one is watching. This is what I believe professionalism means to me as well as this unit. These are the conduct, aims, or qualities that characterize or mark a profession or professional person.

Synthesis Reaction Description Plus Examples

Synthesis Reaction Description Plus Examples While there are many types of chemical reactions, they all fall into at least one of four broad categories: synthesis reactions, decomposition reactions, single displacement reactions, and double displacement reactions. A synthesis reaction or direct combination reaction is a type of chemical reaction in which two or more simple substances combine to form a more complex product. The reactants may be elements or compounds, while the product is always a compound. General Form of Synthesis Reactions The general form of a synthesis reaction is: A B → AB Examples of Synthesis Reactions Here are some examples of synthesis reactions: Water:2 H2(g) O2(g) → 2 H2O(g)Carbon dioxide:2 CO(g) O2(g) → 2CO2(g)Ammonia:3 H2(g) N2(g) → 2 NH3(g)Aluminum oxide:4 Al(s) 3 O2(g) → 2 Al2O3(s)Iron sulfide:8 Fe S8 → 8 FeSPotassium chloride:2 K(s) Cl2(g) → 2 KCl(s) Recognizing Synthesis Reactions The hallmark of a synthesis reaction is that a more complex product is formed from the reactants. One easy-to-recognize type of synthesis reaction occurs when two or more elements combine to form a compound. The other type of synthesis reaction happens when an element and a compound combine to form a new compound. Basically, to identify this reaction, look for a product that contains all the reactant atoms. Be sure to count the number of atoms in both the reactants and the products. Sometimes when a chemical equation is written, extra information is given that might make it hard to recognize what is going on in a reaction. Counting numbers and types of atoms makes it easier to identify reaction types.

The 12 Best Books on Writing Ive Ever Read - Jerry Jenkins

The 12 Best Books on Writing Ive Ever Read - Jerry Jenkins The 12 Best Books on Writing Ive Ever Read Regardless how many books I’ve written (nearly 200) and sold (over 70 million), I fear if I’m not learning, I’m stagnating. My late mother was a convincing example of one who never believed she had arrived. Mom was not only a piano teacher well into her eighties, but she was also a piano student. So it’s the memory of my mother that spurs me also to keep reading everything there is to read- especially about writing. The books below (in alpha order by author) represent a fraction of those available. You could read one per  day for the rest of your life and not exhaust the resources. But, in my opinion, these are the best books on writing available. Some require wearing your big kid pants due to language, which I have noted. 12 Books Every Aspiring Author Should Read 1. The Writing Life: Writers on How They Think and Work By  Marie Arana This book came from ten years of Ms. Arana’s  Washington Post Book World  column. More than fifty fiction and nonfiction authors share how they discovered they were writers and how they work. I was fascinated by what pleases and annoys them. Arana also profiles each writer. Click here to get the book. 2. Plot Structure: Techniques and Exercises for Crafting a Plot that Grips Readers from Start to Finish By James Scott Bell (friend and colleague) Anything but a dry textbook, this breezy guide is from a former trial lawyer who keeps you entertained while covering basics like how plot impacts structure, the difference between popular and literary fiction, and how to serve as your own book doctor. Click here to get the book. 3. Getting into Character: Seven Secrets a Novelist Can Learn from Actors By  Brandilyn Collins (friend and colleague) Calling on her theater training, Collins teaches bringing characters to life the way actors do on stage. She draws on the Method Acting approach to explain and adapt characterization techniques for novelists. Click here to get the book. 4. The Writing Life By  Annie Dillard Dillard’s hauntingly ethereal prose soars even when she’s writing about writing. That’s rare. I resonate with her honesty about how grueling the craft can be. This is one of the best books on writing available. Click here to get the book. 5. On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft [language] By Stephen King (acquaintance) At the risk of hyperbole, there’s so much to recommend here that I hardly know where to begin. Besides all the practical advice, you get King’s own rags-to-riches story in his inimitable voice. You  learn a ton  while being wildly entertained. Click here to get the book. 6. How to Write Bestselling Fiction  [mild language] By Dean Koontz I’m not overstating it that this book changed my life. It informed the way I wrote the Left Behind series, which has sold more than 60 million copies and still sells six figures every year, nearly a decade since the last title was released. I use this as a textbook when I teach writing. Click here to get the book. 7. Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life  [language] By  Anne Lamott Lamott has you howling with laughter one minute and weeping the next as she recounts, with brutal honesty, the joys and travails of the writing life, single parenting, overcoming addiction, and coming to faith. Click here to get the book. 8. Writing the Breakout Novel: Insider Advice for Taking Your Fiction to the Next Level By Donald Maass An agent challenges you to do more than just spin a yarn, but to also think â€Å"big concept,† tackle major themes, and write life-changing works. Click here to get the book. 9. Stein On Writing: A Master Editor of Some of the Most Successful Writers of Our Century Shares His Craft Techniques and Strategies By Sol Stein (acquaintance) Novelist, editor, publisher (Stein Day), and writing teacher, Stein is one of the deans of the American literary scene. His career spans decades, and he shares insider stories of famous novelists and their work, as well as everything he learned along the way. I sat under his teaching years ago and still follow his advice. Click here to get the book. 10. On Writing Well: An Informal Guide to Writing Nonfiction By William Zinsser Zinsser’s background  should not be missed. He was a graceful classicist as a writer, and this million-seller has been lauded for its warmth and clarity. Zinsser offers sound tips on the fundamentals of writing any kind of nonfiction you can think of. Click here to get the book. Now, don’t read  any  of those books for writers, until†¦ †¦you’ve read the bible of writing books: 11. The Elements of Style By  William Strunk Jr. and E.B. White Failing to start your reading on writing with anything other than this undisputed classic would be akin to reading the top ten Christian classics while ignoring the Bible. This short paperback is recommended by every writing teacher I know. I’ve read it at least once a year for more than 40 years. Its simple truths cover everything from style and grammar and usage. Make them second nature. Click here to get the book. 12. Hooked: Write Fiction That Grabs Readers at Page One Never Lets Them Go By Les Edgerton Les is one of the most powerfully edgy writers in the business, and you must have your big kid pants on to read his novels. But any writer will benefit from this great resource. Packed with helpful, practical advice, it carries his blunt tone (but nothing offensive). I refer to it regularly. Click here to get the book. If you’ve read none of the other books on this list, start with Stephen King’s  On Writing. A short course in mistakes to avoid while writing, it’ll remind you why you wanted to be an author. Then, especially if you want to be a novelist, read Dean Koontz’s  How to Write Bestselling Fiction. You could learn more in just those two books than in an entire college writing course. BONUS:  Before investing in one of these, download my free guide:  How to Write a Book: Everything You Need to Know in 20 Steps.     Click here to download How to Write a Book: Everything You Need to Know in 20 Steps. What’s your favorite book on the craft of writing? Share it with all of us in the comments section†¦

The corporate social responsibility practices Case Study

The corporate social responsibility practices - Case Study Example Rasgas firm is the second leading firm in the production and supply of gas to both the local and international markets. The firm has been operation for the last 14years and it has grown its links with various stakeholders which involve the communities it serves. With this strong links, the necessity of Corporate Social Responsibility is inevitable. This report seeks to explore various aspects of Corporate Social Responsibility with a bias on the necessity of information to companies and its benefits to human resource development. As a point of departure, like any world leading organization, the aspect of Corporate Social Responsibility is inevitable. The organization has endeavored to position its CRS policy on four foremost cornerstones, which include education, community, environment, information and health. The four aspects are aligned with the Qatar National Vision 2030. The Corporate Social Responsibility has over some time now played a critical role in strengthening the company’s ties with the rest of the community. The organization believes that through a clear policy on CSR well integrated with the National Development Strategy, it will positively engage the community through activities which involves practical assistance, donation of equipment, employee volunteer and financial contributions (Porter, 2000). These activities work towards increasing awareness of the organization’s produced and these efforts are reflected in the overall revenues and profit margins. In the case of education which is attributed to acquiring information the organization has endeavored to support numerous talented students to the UK Universities for both undergraduate and Masters programmes. These programs and activities are aimed at attaining maximum level of sustainability. In the case of the CSR information to companies and its benefits relative to human development, the Rasgas firm has a big role to play in a bid to update other