How to analyse advertisements
Thursday, August 27, 2020
Welfare Reform: Drug Testing for Government Assistance Essay example --
Medication testing ought to be compulsory in all states for those accepting or applying for government help, for example, TANF (Transitional Assistance to Needy Families), SNAP, Unemployment Benefits and even those getting Pell Grants to proceed with their training; or would it be advisable for it to? This is an inquiry everybody has an assessment on from the government officials to the overall population. I will endeavor to show contentions against and for the program of medication testing that has just been received in certain states, for example, Florida (Tarren Bragdon, Foundation for Government Accountability), Arizona and Missouri (Aileen, Suitcase Clinic). Government assistance is characterized as: of, identifying with, or worried about government assistance and particularly with progress of distraught social gatherings (Merriam-Websterââ¬â¢s Collegiate Dictionary, Eleventh Edition, pg. 1420). Also, Reform is characterized as: 1a: to put or change into an improved structure or condition. 1b: to alter or improve by change of structure or evacuation of deficiencies and misuses. (pg. 1046). There appears to a contention on the expense of medication testing the states will bear if sedate testing is required. ââ¬Å"The cost isn't just to the person being referred to yet additionally the administrative/state/nearby government.â⬠(Calliope Hollingue). There is a $26.78 normal expense for each medication test as indicated by a diagram from The Foundation of Government Accountability. The graph additionally shows the province of Florida repaid $58,000 worth of charges for negative outcomes in the first (July-September) of 2011 (Tarren Bragdon). The graph will be appeared toward the finish of the report as it has data in regards with the impacts of such testing both against and for. Another supposition for this view is that however it might spare the state government assistance dollars, it will build satisfy and neighborhood use in the criminal ju... ...ty. Let us trust they make the best educated, instructed, and caring choice they can make. The eventual fate of our reality is, truly, in their grasp. Works Cited Bassett, Laura. Kentucky Lawmaker; Drug Testing Welfare Recipients Would Save 'Millions And Millions'. Legislative issues. Fit Post , 2012. Bragdon, Tarren. Florida's Drug Test Law for Welfare Cash Assistance; First Quarter Facts. 2011. Focus, Legal Action, ed. Medication Testing In Connection With Welfare Reform. 2012. Medication Testing of Public Assitance Recipients as a Condition of Eligibility. American Civil Liberties, n.d. Haskins, Ron. The 2010 Reauthorization of Welfare Reform Could Result in Important Changes. The Bookings Institute, 2012. Holingue, Calliope. Ed. Aileen. WWW.SuitcaseClinic.org, n.d. Minister, Robert. The Effects of Welfare Reform. The Heritage Foundation, 2001.
Saturday, August 22, 2020
Alexander Popeââ¬â¢s An Essay on Man and Daniel Defoeââ¬â¢s Robinson Crusoe
Alexander Popeââ¬â¢s An Essay on Man and Daniel Defoeââ¬â¢s Robinson Crusoe The subject of manââ¬â¢s relationship to God and the universe introduced in Epistle 1 of Alexander Popeââ¬â¢s An Essay on Man supplements Daniel Defoeââ¬â¢s Robinson Crusoe. Crusoe is a conflicting character who goes to God at whatever point he is out of luck, yet neglects to keep up regard for nature and for his individual man. In the primary year of Robinson Crusoeââ¬â¢s lone life on the island, he becomes sick and has a startling dream that modifies his attention to his place known to mankind and Godââ¬â¢s control of it. This experience drives him to examine his past lack of appreciation and to set out on an existence of devotion, perusing the Bible day by day, however without an exceptional or perpetual change in his character. All through his experiences in the novel, Crusoe has snapshots of mindfulness and valuation for God, yet every snapshot of confidence blurs as he recovers command over his circumstance. The goals introduced in the last three areas of Epistle 1 â⬠that life exists in a chain of being and is related, that the soul of God exists no matter what, and that man ought to acknowledge presence as great â⬠talk straightforwardly to the understanding that Crusoe comes to because of his ailment and the existence he leads all through the novel. Crusoe awakens from the bad dream that he has during his ailment and understands that enduring every one of his experiences has been in the hands of God, and that he has been careless and ignorant of this force. Segment 8 of Epistle 1 in the Paper on Man expresses that everything in the chain of being are reliant and that man in his pride ought not endeavor to break this request. Robinson Crusoe is an exceptionally autonomous character and has gone for a long time without having the least sens... ...rly in his life, he guarantees Friday as a hireling as opposed to a friend; and he is as materialistic after he is marooned on the island as he was before this incident. Pope and Crusoe both feel that God is in charge of what occurs throughout everyday life and of what they comprehend of their encounters, in spite of the fact that Crusoe doesn't keep up an attention to God except if he is, or has as of late been, in harm's way or out of luck. The relationship with God, nature, and individual man that Pope portrays in his paper capably verbalizes the shortcoming, pride, and freedom that Crusoe ponders all through his portrayal. Works Cited Defoe, Daniel. Robinson Crusoe. Ed. Michael Shinagel. Norton: New York, 1975. Pope, Alexander. An Essay on Man. in Eighteenth-Century English Literature. Eds. Geoffrey Tillotson, Paul Fussell, Jr. what's more, Marshall Waingrow. New York: Harcourt, 1969. 635-51. Alexander Popeââ¬â¢s An Essay on Man and Daniel Defoeââ¬â¢s Robinson Crusoe Alexander Popeââ¬â¢s An Essay on Man and Daniel Defoeââ¬â¢s Robinson Crusoe The subject of manââ¬â¢s relationship to God and the universe introduced in Epistle 1 of Alexander Popeââ¬â¢s An Essay on Man supplements Daniel Defoeââ¬â¢s Robinson Crusoe. Crusoe is a conflicting character who goes to God at whatever point he is out of luck, yet neglects to keep up regard for nature and for his individual man. In the primary year of Robinson Crusoeââ¬â¢s singular life on the island, he becomes sick and has a startling dream that changes his consciousness of his place known to mankind and Godââ¬â¢s control of it. This experience drives him to think about his past selfishness and to set out on an existence of devotion, perusing the Bible every day, however without an intense or perpetual change in his character. All through his experiences in the novel, Crusoe has snapshots of mindfulness and energy about God, yet every snapshot of confidence blurs as he recovers power over his circumstance. The beliefs introduced in the last three segments of Epistle 1 â⬠that life exists in a chain of being and is reliant, that the soul of God exists no matter what, and that man ought to acknowledge presence as great â⬠talk legitimately to the understanding that Crusoe comes to because of his ailment and the existence he leads all through the novel. Crusoe awakens from the bad dream that he has during his ailment and understands that enduring every one of his experiences has been in the hands of God, and that he has been thankless and unconscious of this force. Area 8 of Epistle 1 in the Paper on Man expresses that everything in the chain of being are associated and that man in his pride ought not endeavor to break this request. Robinson Crusoe is an exceptionally free character and has gone for a long time without having the least sens... ...rly in his life, he asserts Friday as a hireling instead of a buddy; and he is as materialistic after he is marooned on the island as he was before this incident. Pope and Crusoe both feel that God is in charge of what occurs throughout everyday life and of what they comprehend of their encounters, in spite of the fact that Crusoe doesn't keep up a consciousness of God except if he is, or has as of late been, in harm's way or out of luck. The relationship with God, nature, and individual man that Pope portrays in his exposition effectively verbalizes the shortcoming, pride, and autonomy that Crusoe thinks about all through his portrayal. Works Cited Defoe, Daniel. Robinson Crusoe. Ed. Michael Shinagel. Norton: New York, 1975. Pope, Alexander. An Essay on Man. in Eighteenth-Century English Literature. Eds. Geoffrey Tillotson, Paul Fussell, Jr. also, Marshall Waingrow. New York: Harcourt, 1969. 635-51.
Friday, August 21, 2020
Blog Archive MBA News U.S. News World Report Rankings Released
Blog Archive MBA News U.S. News World Report Rankings Released This week, U.S. News World Report released its 2009 rankings of MBA programs. We always advise our candidates to take rankings with more than a grain of saltâ"a bucket of salt, perhaps? Why? We do so because we recognize that rankings simplify and quantify something that is truly unquantifiable and because rankings emphasize the short-term rewards of an MBA program rather then the long-term rewards. Ask an MBA grad who is ten years out of school whether his/her schoolâs ranking is relevant in his/her life and overwhelmingly the answer will be âno.â Nonetheless, everyone loves a ranking, and U.S. News has its own⦠1. Harvard University 2. Stanford University 3. [tie] Northwestern University (Kellogg) 3. [tie] University of Pennsylvania (Wharton) 5. [tie] Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Sloan) 5. [tie] University of Chicago (Booth) 7. University of California Berkeley (Haas) 8. Dartmouth College (Tuck) 9. Columbia University 10. Yale University 11. New York University (Stern) 12. Duke University (Fuqua) 13. University of MichiganAnn Arbor (Ross) 14. University of CaliforniaLos Angeles (Anderson) 15. [tie] Carnegie Mellon University (Tepper) 15. [tie] University of Virginia (Darden) 17. Cornell University (Johnson) If you compare last yearâs rankings and this yearâs rankings, you will notice that very little has changed. Yale has gone from 13 last year to 10 this year. Carnegie Mellon has entered the top 15, while Cornell has exited the top 15. Is a ranking worth much if it is entrenched and very little changes? We ask rhetorically, what value is there in maintaining the status quo? So, do rankings serve a purpose? Yes. Applicants should consult the rankings, with some skepticism, as an introduction to the different schools and to develop some perceptions of them. Thereafter, though, applicants should perform their own research to determine which schools are most appropriate for them, based on their academic/professional needs and how the schools fit their personalitiesâ"a recipe for a long-term relationship. Share ThisTweet Blogroll News
Monday, May 25, 2020
Features Of Cubism And How It Represented Through The...
Between the nineteenth and twentieth century, with the development of new technology diverse new art style was defined by artists in various genres such as architect, painter and poet. Especially, in the beginning of the twentieth century in Europe, an avangarde art movement had started and spread rapidly across the world. The movement was called Cubism, which was described as the most innovative and influential visual art style at that time, because the idea of Cubism was aside from a fixed idea of realism after the Renaissance and it has opened a new era of art. Accordingly, nowadays, some people said that the art of the twentieth century would be totally different without effect of Cubism. This essay will explain the feature of cubism and how it represented through the artwork of cubist. First of all, one of the characteristics of Cubism is that the cubist made a painting from diverse view points. Instead of looking at one side of the object, changed viewpoint differently. Accordingly, the cubist artworks are expressed the plurality of view than the one point perspective to the screen perspective. Andrew Glassner also wrote that ââ¬Å"Cubist painters explored the process of creating images from multiple, simultaneous points of viewâ⬠and Erika Gonzaiez claim that ââ¬Å"Cubism involved looking at the same object from a variety of different perspectives and showing all these perspectives at the exact same timeâ⬠. At the same time, the cubist painters ignored the idea that paintingShow MoreRelatedGuernic Guernica, Pablo Picasso2517 Words à |à 11 Pagesthe most well known name in modern art, with the most diverse and definite style and eye for artistic formation. There had been no other artists, prior to Picasso, who had such an influence on the art worl d; this is successfully demonstrated through his artwork titled ââ¬ËGuernica.ââ¬â¢ Guernica makes a sturdy and solid political statement, painted as an immediate reaction to the Naziââ¬â¢s devastating casual bombing practice and social injustice on the Basque town of Guernica in 1937. Guernica illustrates theRead MoreCase Study, Marc Chagall1973 Words à |à 8 PagesDiscuss how the environment and other influences, for example personal beliefs, have shaped the work of at least one artist you have studied this year. Refer to work done by this artist to substantiate your statements. Marc Chagall was a Russian/French artist who was born into a poor family of Hassidic Jews on the 7th July 1887. Throughout his working life he was based in Russia from 1906-1910, then he moved to France for four more years before moving back to Russia and Soviet Belarus for eightRead MoreThe Physicality of an Artwork Is a Product of Its Time and Place.2219 Words à |à 9 Pagesan artwork is a product of its time and place.â⬠Discuss this statement in relation to one example from this assessment task, 2 artworks from modernism and two contemporary examples you have studied. Throughout time, the representation of a particular subject matter in art has changed to encompass the values of the time and place or challenge them through art. An artist is influenced by societyââ¬â¢s ideologiesââ¬â¢ and thus either represent these ideologiesââ¬â¢ or challenge them within their artwork as
Thursday, May 14, 2020
Climate Change Is The Tip Of The Iceberg - 1497 Words
Climate Change is the tip of the iceberg, and the effects stand to be catastrophic to all reliant on the earthââ¬â¢s atmosphere. Climate change, considered by sceptics to be nothing more than a series of natural phenomenon, refers to long-term alterations in the earthââ¬â¢s climate; warming average atmospheric temperatures through greenhouse gas emission. Climate change affects terrestrial and aquatic species through altered life cycle patterns, diminishing resources, crop damage through an increase in pests, and noxious plant varieties, and habitat degradation. Melting polar glaciers have caused significant temperature change affecting sea levels, damaging essential marine systems and weather conditions. However, adopting sustainable business practices and eco-friendly products can lessen the damage and offer solutions to past deficiencies in business practices and products producing high emissions contributing to the greenhouse effect . Atmospheric temperature substantially affects terrestrial, aquatic, and environmental systems through a ripple effect that inflicts destructive properties on species, whether terrestrial, aquatic, or systemic, relying on environmental structures for survival. Firstly, atmospheric alterations affect terrestrial creatures as mammals, birds, and insects through changed migration patterns causing food shortages, and leading to unsupported species extinction. Moreover, interrupted life-cycle events cause structural change, and habitat degradationShow MoreRelatedAn Overview Of The Differences Of Planet Earth?1022 Words à |à 5 Pagescooperationââ¬â¢s would moving under action, advancing up with new technology, new trades, new connections between mankind Furthermore way. Their Innovativeness will be pushing ahead under another century that is cleaner Furthermore fairer, thats only the tip of the iceberg regular and In the same run through a greater amount mankinds. This will be the worldwide diagram that is caught in this book. It appraises those dangers that our current lifestyles need created, Anyhow toward those same occasion when uncoversRead MoreThe World Is Safer And Safer1248 Words à |à 5 PagesThe Titanic sank on 14 April 1912, after hitting an iceberg on its maiden voyage for underestimating the tip of the iceberg. Correspondingly, the dangerous undercurrents that flowed beneath the deceptively calm surface of the ââ¬Å"safeâ⬠world are always easier to be omitted. It seems like that we are living in a world where prosperity, happiness and wealth. A lot of data, such as GDP and compared graphs, convinced people that the world is safe, whereas obscure the hidden hazards. Selective data may makeRead More We Can Stop Global Warming Essay1736 Words à |à 7 PagesIntergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the U.N. scientific panel supports the claim that humanity is playing a role in the warming (New York Times). The evidence is all around and irrefutable; the Earth is warming: the onl y question that remains is what to do about it. America is a world leader, and so far we have done too little of significance to mitigate this problem; it is up to the American people, as a concerned public and electorate, to bring about the changes necessary to spare theRead MorePine Island Glacier is the Largest Sheet of Ice on Earch901 Words à |à 4 Pagescause of this situation is not just global warming caused by humans but also the local winds. The scientists believe that the El Nià ±o plays a role in the thinning of the floating ice shelf at the tip of the pine island glacier. It depends on the local wind direction that are connected to the tropical changes. The wind field in the beginning of the 20th century changed dramatically in comparison to the previous trends. The dominant westerly winds changed their direction mostly evolved by the very largeRead More Essay on Global Warming: The Effects of Climate Change1410 Words à |à 6 PagesClimate change is a long-term alte ration in the statistical distribution of weather pattern over periods ranging from decades to millions of years. The world is currently experiencing drastic change in temperature. This change can be felt in the tropical climate areas where the weather is getting hotter and hotter every day. The change in global temperatures and precipitation over time is due to natural variability or to human activity. It is also caused by accumulation of greenhouse effects (ArrheniusRead MoreThe Mystery Of Deep Ocean Ecosystems973 Words à |à 4 Pagesdeep ocean ecosystems can lead to advances in medicine, food science, energy research, and other pursuits. The information from deep ocean exploration might help us predict the next menacing tsunami or earthquake or provide insight into changes in planetââ¬â¢s climate and atmosphere. With the ocean playing such an instrumental role in our everyday lives from the air we breathe to weather patterns, it is a shame that there is so much left to be un derstood from this hidden world. This sentiment was echoedRead MoreGreenhouse Horizons And The Future Of Global Warming1355 Words à |à 6 Pagesspace, leaving the temperature of the Earthââ¬â¢s surface roughly constant.Greenhouse gases, climate change, and energy are all correlated to the effect of global warming happening to this day.So now this heat that is formed in these gases merely sits there and radiates more heat than it should cause our earths temperature to rise. Acceleration of our glaciers in Antarctica is declining at a rapid rate due to changes in temperature in our ocean. Water near the bay where Glaciers stand has on only risenRead More Climate Change Essay examples1883 Words à |à 8 PagesClimate Change Introduction What is the oceans role in climate? The oceans play a vital and pivotal role in the distribution of life sustaining water throughout our planet. 86% of the evaporation that occurs on earth is over the oceans. The oceans are the planets largest reservoir of water transferring huge amounts of water around the hydrological cycle. In fact the oceans ââ¬Å"dominate the hydrological cycle, for they contain 97% of the global water inventoryâ⬠. The hydrological cycle can be disruptedRead MoreComparative Commentary on Global Warming1912 Words à |à 8 Pagesemissionsâ⬠(ââ¬Å"Text Aâ⬠), an international newspaper advertisement from Exxon Mobil and ââ¬Å"An Agenda for Climate Actionâ⬠(Text Bâ⬠), a speech by Eileen Claussen, the President of Pew Center on Global Climate Change were both written in 2006 with the focus on global warming. The author in both commentaries strives to bring out the message that as human beings, we must take action to stop the worsening o f climate change. Text A is a published article by a company that emphasizes that everyone in the world shouldRead MoreHome Of The Rising Sun : Exploring Japanese Culture1379 Words à |à 6 Pagesdo impact the climate. The more northern areas of Japan that are closer to Russia and the Japan Sea, such as Hokkaido, do experience colder climates year round. Japan also experience harsher conditions and a significant difference in the amount of snow fall in the winter months. The areas found closer to the Pacific Ocean experience warmer temperate to subtropical climate, drier winters with little snow fall, and significantly warmer summers. There is a distinct split in the climate of the land,
Wednesday, May 6, 2020
The Problem Of A Crisis Management Specialist - 903 Words
Chemistrà © and Phaust, both should have had a Public Relations specialist among their management team in order to guide them in handling the issue in question. A crisis management specialist would help the organization strategically respond to negative situations and to dialog with stakeholders affected by perceived and actual consequences of crisis (Broom Sha, 2013, p. 16). The stakeholders affected in this crisis are Chemistrà ©, Phaust, the management team, Fred, and family members of Manuel. Chemistrà © and Phaust are the major stakeholders in this situation because it is their respective companiesââ¬â¢ valuable reputations that are in line. Legal liability and negligent failure to plan for such a crisis are what brings both companies into major chaos. During the Phaust Managementââ¬â¢s presentation in the public hearing, an ethical responsibility that fell on the actual Phaust management group (i.e., Chuck and Wally) was presented. From the managementââ¬â¢s perspective, Chuck and Wally had to have their ethical values put in question. In reference to their role responsibility ââ¬â roles that delineate the obligations individuals create when they commit to a social or professional role (Frey) ââ¬â Chuck and Wally had a major loyalty for Phaust, and in turn for Chemistrà ©. If they were asked to cut their budgest by 20%, Chuck and Wally were going to act accordingly to what their superiors were asking of them. In not complying with their superiorsââ¬â¢ wishes, Phaust Company would have beenShow MoreRelatedThe Cost Of Health Care Essay1325 Words à |à 6 PagesThe Cost of Healthcare Introduction ââ¬Å"The biggest problem with health care is not with insurance or politics. It is that we are measuring the wrong things the wrong wayâ⬠(Kaplan Porter, 2011, p. 46). Total healthcare expenditures and expenditures as a percentage of GDP have been considerably higher in the U.S. Hospital care, physician and clinical services, and drug prescription expenditures have been the principal components contributing to growth in healthcare expenditures in the U.S. comparedRead MoreWhy Toshiba Is Getting Hit With A Record Fine1599 Words à |à 7 Pagesdiscouraged employees from questioning superiorsâ⬠(Reuters, 2015). In addition, one report indicates the financial problem is now 1.2 Billion dollars in overstated profits. Where was the Board of Director in this process? In addition to the CEOââ¬â¢s resignation, Toshiba Corporation also received resignations from six (6) of their Board of Directors, rightfully so, as the business crisis started at the top of the organizational chart. For this reason, it is because of these leaders that the companyRead MoreCareer Research : An Informatics Nurse Specialist1137 Words à |à 5 Pagesan informatics nurse specialist. This job is in Job Zone 4. To become an informatics nurse specialist you usually need either a bachelorââ¬â¢s degree or a masterââ¬â¢s degree. You will also need to have background experience with things related to what you will be doing. You need to have knowledge on customer service, management, computers and electronics, design, and teaching and course design. For any job there are specific skills you need to have. For an informatics nurse specialist you need to be ableRead MorePsychiatric Social Work1522 Words à |à 7 PagesServices Boards (Campbell 1998). The consequent loss of specialist psychiatric social work training courses was much lamented by the psychiatric professions (Barr 2002) The Troubles Major organisational changes took place in the early 1970s at the height of the civil conflict when much social work effort was effectively relief work (Manktelow 1998). As the Troubles continued over the next twenty-five years, a legacy of mental health problems was created which is only now being addressed (Fay et alRead MorePlanning the Big Event700 Words à |à 3 Pagesresponsibilities are to provide security services for a client to protect him or her from paparazzi, obsessive fans, terrorist, and kidnappers. The services are locally and globally through the TFSA; to customize the needs whether it is Personal protection specialist assignment or a complex team assignment. Top Flight Security Agency is well aware of the fascination with various celebrities, and public figures, which means inevitable intrusions into their privacy. Some would say the paparazzi and opportunisticRead MoreThe Center For Health Care Services898 Words à |à 4 Pagesdid not choose Austin Area Mental Health Consumers, Inc., is the commute. Nicole, who commented on my discussion post gave me something to consider that I didn t think of before. Living in San Antonio, and working in Austin could present future problems for my clients. I do not live in Austin, so I am unaware of programs and services. Even though I only live roughly 45 minutes away, the city s offer a lot of different services. It would also be harder for my clients to reach me in times of needsRead MoreCampbell And Bailyns Boston Office Essay872 Words à |à 4 Pagesï » ¿Campbell And Bailyns Boston Office Case Study The ââ¬Ësub-primeââ¬â¢ crisis triggered by the meltdown of the US mortgage backed-securities market in 2007 was a precursor to the global financial crisis. It would drastically change the competitive landscape for all firms in the financial services sector, including Campbell and Bailyn (CB), one of the worldââ¬â¢s five largest investment banks. In response to a loss of clientele to competitor firms, Ken Winston (CBââ¬â¢s Boston Sales Office Director) assembledRead MoreEvolution and revolution as organizations grow757 Words à |à 4 Pagesgrowth that ends with a management crisis. Each developmental phase is strongly influenced by the previous one. Thus by knowing an organizationââ¬â¢s development history it is possible to be more prepared for the next developmental crisis. These crises can be used in order to achieve future growth. Evolution- long periods of growth with no major organizational problem Revolution- crisis periods, where companies need to find solutions to newly occurred organizational problems Phase1: Creativity Read MoreCase Study : Global Risk Manager1318 Words à |à 6 Pagesreadings can be used to solve similar problems in different ways. Obviously, the risks that accompany deployment of employees worldwide are rethinking the part of mobility professionals. They must have strong financial acumen, learning of duty and immigration risks, employee relations experience, and an adaptable manner to adapt to the continually changing business environment, Hannibal says (Krell, 2012). The part obliges a sound way to risk management. While this methodology differs by organizationRead MoreCase Study Management For Decades Throughout Social Work817 Words à |à 4 Pages Crisis intervention has been used in case management for decades throughout social work. Crisis intervention is just one form of interventions out of thirteen. Clinical case management involves 13 distinct activities, including engagement of the patient, assessment, planning, linkage with resources, consultati on with families, collaboration with psychiatrists, patient psycheducation, and crisis intervention (Kanter, 1989). Even though Crisis management may have not been the correct invention for
Tuesday, May 5, 2020
A Step Beyond Sanity free essay sample
A glass half full of water is sweating next to the couch. Its cool contents will not be refreshing a dry throat this miserable summer day. The house is in shambles, with pillows and sheets littering the stairwell. There is an eerie silence only broken by the subtle sounds of the television. ââ¬Å"Ugh!â⬠The shrill grunts of Maria Sharapova echo throughout the empty house as she plays her semi-final match of what could be her championship weekend at Wimbledon. No one is glued to the couch this blistering summer day, at least not anymore. It was the summer leading to my 7th grade year. I made it through my first year of middle school with minor bumps and bruises from an ââ¬Å"interestingâ⬠, to say the least, football season. From my experience in football I learned I was not the roughest, toughest, tween that I thought I was. But I made it through the season nonetheless. With a football season under my belt, I was a bad ass 12-year-old! No one could tell me what to do. I was coasting on top of the world, at an altitude where no one would be crazy enough to touch me. Or so I thought. Since the time when diapers were all the rage, Iââ¬â¢ve been friends with my buddies Tanner and Carter. They moved off to Scottsdale before 4th grade, but I still saw them multiple times a year due to our strong friendship. They would come over for my birthday, or other occasions to sleep over, and I would do the same. No matter where we were we always had fun. We would just mess around playing video games, hide and seek, or doing anything else we could think of. One of the most entertaining pastimes we participated in was a game called pillow races. We would put sheets on the staircase, and then slide down the stairs in pillow cases to the bottom. It was always a radical time. We would step up the stakes each run, making the track more and more fun (or dangerous, depending on oneââ¬â¢s perspective). By increasing the number of pillows and sheets on the ââ¬Å"trackâ⬠we would ultimately go faster and faster, adding more and more tumbles down the stairs. At the end of the day Holly (my sister), Tanner, Carter, and I would be bursting with giggles exhausted atop all the sheets at the bottom of the stairs. It was good clean fun. We never expected anything bad to come from it. While my mom was watching the tennis match intensify, we decided to step up the intensity of the pillow races. Sharapova drove in a serve. Tanner jumped from five stairs up onto a mattress we put at the bottom. Mariaââ¬â¢s opponent whizzed a forehand back to ââ¬Å"Sherryââ¬â¢sâ⬠backhand side. I leapt from the 7th step, gliding gracefully to the bottom without a care in the world. Sherry hit a winner down the line. Tanner said, ââ¬Å"Dang, Ryna(my nickname to Tanner), you crazy!â⬠As the tennis match approached a tiebreak, my sister of all people decided to challenge my authority of stair king. The tension rose as Sharapova won the first two points. My fear of looking like a coward in front of my friends made me accept my sisterââ¬â¢s challenge. Sharapova lost 4 games, and my sister landed delicately from the 13th step. Maria Sharapova lost two more games, before winning seven straight. I decided it was my time to shine. My friends were watching as intently as i f I were a professional tennis player playing to win a set. I jumped from the top; all eyes were on me as 14 stairs passed under my feet. Sharapova powered in a serve that her opponent barely hit back over the net. She wound up to hit a winner, sucking in air. A simultaneous grunt erupted throughout the house followed by a scream. The tension finally broke. Sharapova screamed with joy for the victory of the hard fought set. The intensity of the set brought her to her limits, but the whole crowd kept her going strong. My friends acted as this crowd to me. They unknowingly encouraged me to reach my physical limits. I jumped an entire staircase! Then let out a screamâ⬠¦ of pain! ââ¬Å"Holly, get mom! I just broke my ankle!â⬠As the sounds of Maria Sharapovaââ¬â¢s grunts echoed throughout my house, my friends and I drove to the hospital. Instead of looking tough in front of my friends by jumping off the top of the stairs, I was going into shock and my ankle was swelling to the size of a softball. The tension caused by the millions of viewers allowed Maria Sharapova to go on and win Wimbledon. She had an entire crowd cheer her as she reached her physical limits, and she proved dominant over the pressure. I attempted to assert my dominance over the house, but tile proved to be too strong a competitor. The pressure associated with my ankle was too great, shattering it. I broke all three bones in my ankle and needed surgery. Instead of winning part of a grand slam, I was stuck in the hospital for four days, cringing with every small move. Sharapovaââ¬â¢s ego swelled tremendously due to her great feat. My foot was the only thing swelling for me that day. She was able to walk off the court with a huge grin. All I could manage was a weak grimace as I tried to keep my composure through the unimaginable pain while I was carted around in a wheelchair. Maria Sharapovaââ¬â¢s family bawled in awe as their daughter won one of the most prestigious tennis tour naments in existence that weekend. My family bawled because of my stupidity. They would ultimately need to wait on me hand and foot for almost a year, for I was unable to do any physical activity due to the extent of my injury. There is a primordial instinct to strive for dominance. However, an individual needs to step away from their given situation and decide if glory is worth the cost of a final leap.
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