Country Club Blues :: Essays Papers

ï » ¿Country Club Blues My first job is definitely the one I remember most, although I did not always enjoy what I did. Many times during the eight months I worked at Fauquier County Country Club I hated my job one day and loved it the next, thus resulting in a very memorable and exciting time of work. Working at a golf course may not have been the most enjoyable job I have had, but it gave me new experiences to interact with people and gain a sense of responsibility. I applied for a job at the Country Club on my 16th birthday not having the slightest idea what I wanted to do for myself. I simply recall having my first interview on the spot. During this interview I was asked questions to the effect of my work ethic, availability, and â€Å"Do you know how to say ‘yes, sir’ and ‘yes, ma’am?’† Apparently I did fairly well, and was given a job as a golf cart care specialist. â€Å"Cart dog† was a rhetorical name given to the pro shop maintenance crew by a highly-disliked boss. As a cart dog I was given the duty of cleaning, storing, and preparing used carts for their next use and picking the driving range clean of golf balls. At times range picking became very annoying considering this was all done on foot with a small bagger rather than a cart-pulled cage. Although it did not take quite as long, cart cleaning was much more annoying of a task. After thorough washing, carts had to be arranged by color for the day they were to be used. Colors used were red, yellow, blue, and green for Tuesday through Friday, respectively. Though these were time-consuming tasks, the cart dogs found other ways to have fun while working. In addition to picking the driving range clean and cleaning dirty golf carts, I was also required to ask to clean the golf clubs of members who had finished playing for the day. This being the only opportunity for tips in my minimum wage job, I took this as a golden opportunity. I earned some extra money and learned to speak in a professional manner to elders. Club members would often leave extra equipment such as tees and both day and glow-in-the-dark balls. Occasionally, I would also find a few beers left in the carts’ coolers.

Othello’s Female Roles Essay -- Othello essays

Othello’s Female Roles  Ã‚        Ã‚  Ã‚   Let’s look at the roles of the three lady-characters in the Shakespearean drama Othello. Their roles are not marginal, but are rather vital to the tragedy.    In the Introduction to Shakespeare’s Othello: The Harbrace Theatre Edition, John Russell Brown summarizes the role of the heroine of the play:    When considered functionally, Desdemona’s role may be seen to be every bit as demanding as those of the principals. The fact that she has far fewer words to speak and is on-stage for a much shorter time detracts nothing from the scope of the role, but rather shows that the actress herself can move the audience with the quiet authority of her stage presence and her realization of this girl’s courage and openness of mind and heart. (xviii)    For the women in Othello, life as they would have it was an uphill battle. Susan Snyder in â€Å"Othello: A Modern Perspective† reveals some of the hurdles which women had to face in finding a suitable role in society:    The pervasive notion of woman as property, prized indeed but more as object than as person, indicates one aspect of a deep-seated sexual pathology in Venice. [. . .] Iago fans to flames the coals of socially induced unease in Othello, fantasizes on his own about being cuckolded by Othello and Cassio. In an ideology that can value only cloistered, desireless women, any woman who departs from this passivity will cause intense anxiety. (295)      One key role for the heroine of the drama, Desdemona, is to support the general. David Bevington in William Shakespeare: Four Tragedies states that the hero equates the young woman he so deeply depends on for happiness, with his mother (226). A different role for the her... ...h, Inc., 1973.    Kernan, Alvin. â€Å"Othello: and Introduction.† Shakespeare: The Tragedies. Ed. Alfred Harbage. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall Inc., 1964.    Shakespeare, William. Othello. In The Electric Shakespeare. Princeton University. 1996. http://www.eiu.edu/~multilit/studyabroad/othello/othello_all.html No line nos.    Snyder, Susan. â€Å"Othello: A Modern Perspective.† Shakespeare: Othello. Eds. Barbara A. Mowat and Paul Werstine. New York: Washington Square Press, 1993.    Wayne, Valerie. â€Å"Historical Differences: Misogyny and Othello.† The Matter of Difference: Materialist Feminist Criticism of Shakespeare. Ed Valerie Wayne. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 1991.    Snyder, Susan. â€Å"Othello: A Modern Perspective.† Shakespeare: Othello. Eds. Barbara A. Mowat and Paul Werstine. New York: Washington Square Press, 1993.   

What Factors Explain the Golden Age of the Dutch Republic? :: World History

This essay will discuss Dutch excellence in trade, art and literature individually to discern the factors which explain the high standards of distinction these fields achieved during the Golden Age of the Dutch Republic. Although the smallest of the European powers in terms of territory, population, and natural resources, for 150 years the Dutch Republic dominated European trade with approximately half of the world’s total stock of seagoing ships at the zenith of its power.# How did such an insignificant state rise so rapidly, becoming according to contemporary observer Sir William Temple: â€Å"the envy of some, the fear of others and the wonder of all their neighbours†?# Shifting commercial patterns since the 16th century had seen the rise of a truly global economy. As the quality of ships improved, skippers travelled further distances with cargo, making arrival times and availability of goods unpredictable. A centrally located market where goods could be bought and sold at constant prices was needed.# Geographical factors made the Dutch Republic ideal for this role, situated at the intersection of Northern waterways connecting the Atlantic, Baltic and the Rhine. This position had g rown in significance since the Mediterranean’s function as pivot of international trade had diminished.# Within the country, the Republic’s extensive waterways, river fleets and timber depots were well suited to a boom.# The Republic had already established a leadership in bulk transportation, a firm foundation which could be built upon. Since the 1590’s, the moedernegotie or mother trade moved huge quantities of goods such as lumber, fish and grain in large volume in cheap, simple ships.# However, real wealth lay in the â€Å"rich trades† of spices, silver and other luxury goods imported from the East Indies, Africa and the Americas. This trade was previously dominated by the Hanseatic states and England, but the Dutch Republic’s ease of access to the Iberian market and colonial goods enabled it to overtake the England Muscovy trade by 1600.# In 1602, the Dutch East Indies Company or VOC was founded, followed by the Dutch West Indies Company nine teen years later. Throughout the 1630’s, training posts were established in Sri Lanka and New Guinea. Several important external factors allowed the establishment of this formidable trade empire at the dawn of the seventeenth century. The first of these was the inflow of immigrants from the Southern Netherlands and other European states in the late 16th and seventeenth centuries. Within the Dutch Republic, between 100,000 and 15,0000 refugees fled from the Spanish forces, settling mainly in Holland or Zeeland’s towns.

A Journal of Woe Essay

The pain was excruciating as I struggled to fight for my life under the pillow that my beloved husband had forced upon me. I remember how much it hurts as I tried to gasp for air beneath Othello’s powerful arms. I can recall those murderous eyes driven mad by jealousy and hate. For an instant, I failed to recognize the man I have fought to love. I cannot recognize that man I secretly married despite my father’s objections. For a moment, I failed to see the man who promised to love me for the rest of our lives. It all started that fateful night when Othello fired Michael Cassio from his lieutenant position. He accused me of sleeping with Cassio. The jealousy was probably most triggered when he felt that I was being too concerned with Cassio’s situation. He must have thought that my acts in favor of Cassio’s defense were signs of affection for him. He accused me of giving Cassio the handkerchief which was a gift from him. There is no way I would have given such a valuable gift to someone else! My love and affection is undividedly offered for Othello. It does not seek other men aside from him. My fidelity to my marriage and to my husband is pure and untainted. How could he even dare think of me with such immorality! However, it was too late to defend myself further, for the fire in his eyes was already consumed with too much evil to pay any heed to my cries. Yet, before death consumed what was left of my body, the image of the man I love came before my eyes. I forgive him. He is a victim and not a murderer. I know in his heart that he loves me still, and once this madness brought about by his jealousy ends, he would repent and ask for forgiveness. Or, he might end his life as well to follow me, so he can make it up to me personally—and I will be waiting on the other side.

Cola Wars †The Carbonated Soft Drink Industry Essay

Threat of New Entry The existing players in the soft drink industry have much advantage relative to new entrants. First, supply-side economy discourages new entrants by forcing them to enter the market in large scale. CSD’s demand side benefits of scale also makes it difficult for new entrants to be accepted by the public. In 2002, a survey found that 37% of respondents chose a CSD because it is their favorite brand, while only 10% said so about bottled water. This demonstrates CSD customers’ high brand loyalty and their lack of desire to buy from new entrants. In terms of capital requirement, concentrate manufacturers only requires $25~$50 million to set up a plant that can serve the entire United States of America. Yet, new entrants may have difficulties competing with major players’ well-established brands and their large scale unrecoverable (therefore, hard to finance) spending on advertising. There is also unequal access to bottlers and retail channels for newcomers. Most bottlers are in long-term contracts with major CSD brands; also, the largest distribution channel, supermarkets, consider CSD a â€Å"big traffic draw†, thus provide little to no shelf space for newcomers. In addition, strong fear of retaliation from major players also makes newcomers hesitate to enter. Bargaining Power of Suppliers Required inputs for CSD are mostly raw materials such as caramel coloring, phosphoric or citric acid, natural flavors, caffeine, and fructose. Almost all suppliers of the CSD industry provide undifferentiated commodities and thus have little bargaining power and almost no strength to integrate forward. Bargaining Power of Buyers End consumers and retail channels can both be considered as buyers in the CSD industry. End consumers are likely to have brand loyalty to their CSD as analyzed in threat of new entry. Thus, consumers are expected to continue purchasing a brand unless there is a significant price increase or substantial change in flavor. Consequently, end consumers have little bargaining power. Retail channels, on the other hand, have more bargaining leverage since they buy CSDs in much larger quantities than end consumers. Yet, for retail channels such as supermarkets (making up almost one third of all retail volume), CSDs are considered a â€Å"big traffic draw†, thus reducing its bargaining power. In addition, fountain outlets (making up another 23.4% of retail channel) also have insignificant bargaining power since they rely on CSD companies’ heavy investment in dispensers, cups, point-of-sale advertising, and many other types of equipment. Threat of Substitutes CSDs are unique in terms of taste and properties. When a consumer craves CSD, it is difficult to find a replacement that can equally satisfy his or her desire. Even after CSD was identified as the â€Å"largest source of obesity-causing sugars in the American diet† in 2005, CSDs still â€Å"accounted for 73.1% of U.S. non-alcoholic refreshment beverage volume (down from 80.8% in 2000)† at around the same time. It is true that consumers are moving towards alternatives that have more natural flavors such as several tea-based drinks and bottled water; yet, CSD firms have quickly adapted to this shift and largely dominated the market of these alternatives. Rivalry Among Existing Competitors Even though rivalry among existing competitors – Coke, Pepsi, and Cadbury Schweppes seem intense, the profitability has not been weakened. This is largely because of the high concentration of competition and their focus on promotion, advertising, and other forms of branding instead of waging large-scale price wars. In a way, the success of Coke and Pepsi required the heavy competition on these dimensions. â€Å"Without Coke, Pepsi would have a tough time being an original and lively competitor. The more successful they (Coke) are, the sharper we (Pepsi) have to be.† says Roger Enrico, former CEO of Pepsi. The CSD industry profitability lies within the Cola War itself that forces major players to improve continuously. Through Porter’s five forces analysis, it becomes clear that CSD is so profitable because of the way its industry competition is shaped: high entry barriers due to newcomers’ unfavorable supply-side economies of scale, demand-side benefits of scale, and unrecoverable advertising spending; low bargaining power of suppliers and buyers since CSD requires mainly homogeneous commodities, buyers have high brand loyalty, and retailers rely heavily on CSD firms’ investments; well handled threat of substitutes; and healthy internal rivalry that is vital to continuous improvement.

A Friend in Need Is a Friend Indeed

A friend in need is a friend indeed. A man who stands by his friend in adversity is a true friend. Selfless love is the base of true friendship. True friends share each other's joy and sorrow, pain and pleasure. They do not fall off in adversity. They have full confidence in each other. They never betray each other. Prosperity makes friends, adversity tries them. A selfless friend is a blessing; a selfish friend is a curse. The first is an angel and the second is a devil. One makes your career while the other mars it. True friendship means great self-sacrifice on the part of both. A true friend foregoes pleasure and convenience.He goes out of his way and faces difficulties in his way with joy and even with pride. The friendship between Krishna and Sudama is a classic example of genuine friendship. Joy and sorrow, success and failure, good fortune and misfortune, are equally shared by a pair of true friends. They shoulder the burden of life equally for they feel that they sail in the same boat and that they have to sink and swim together. A selfish friend is rich in words and poor in deeds. He talks tall but when you are in trouble, he leaves you in the lurch. A selfish friend is always after grinding his own axe.He does not love you, he only loves your riches. You give him a loan of money; you will lose not only the loan but also your friendship into the bargain. A friend in need is the medicine of life. He stands by us through thick and thin, in weal and woe. He is a source of joy and inspiration. A friend in need is a true guide. He is always loyal and faithful. He is never a victim of misunderstanding. He is not a flatterer and a yes man. He is open and plain. If his friend goes wrong, he will openly tell him that he should desist from such a course. Lucky is the man who has a true friend-a friend in need and adversi A Friend in Need Is a Friend Indeed A friend in need is a friend indeed. A man who stands by his friend in adversity is a true friend. Selfless love is the base of true friendship. True friends share each other's joy and sorrow, pain and pleasure. They do not fall off in adversity. They have full confidence in each other. They never betray each other. Prosperity makes friends, adversity tries them. A selfless friend is a blessing; a selfish friend is a curse. The first is an angel and the second is a devil. One makes your career while the other mars it. True friendship means great self-sacrifice on the part of both. A true friend foregoes pleasure and convenience.He goes out of his way and faces difficulties in his way with joy and even with pride. The friendship between Krishna and Sudama is a classic example of genuine friendship. Joy and sorrow, success and failure, good fortune and misfortune, are equally shared by a pair of true friends. They shoulder the burden of life equally for they feel that they sail in the same boat and that they have to sink and swim together. A selfish friend is rich in words and poor in deeds. He talks tall but when you are in trouble, he leaves you in the lurch. A selfish friend is always after grinding his own axe.He does not love you, he only loves your riches. You give him a loan of money; you will lose not only the loan but also your friendship into the bargain. A friend in need is the medicine of life. He stands by us through thick and thin, in weal and woe. He is a source of joy and inspiration. A friend in need is a true guide. He is always loyal and faithful. He is never a victim of misunderstanding. He is not a flatterer and a yes man. He is open and plain. If his friend goes wrong, he will openly tell him that he should desist from such a course. Lucky is the man who has a true friend-a friend in need and adversi

Best Dining Experience Essay

Although my favorite Mexican food to eat here is from my grandmother’s kitchen; there are a few restaurants my friends and I enjoy eating at. A few of my girlfriends and I have made Margarita Wednesdays a tradition in the summer time at La Casa. My brother, sister and I go to Los Cabos at least once a month in West Des Moines, which is an amazing delicious Mexican restaurant. I also like Monterrey in Altoona because it’s so close to my house, but no restaurant can compare to Tiki Tok in Mexico. My best friend and I were feeling spontaneous so we took a week off work and went on a cruise. We both found it difficult to eat on the ship because we were continually getting sea sick. I’ll never forget the fishy, chewy, and crunchy taste of the little shrimp and cocktail sauce going down my throat, or the unpleasant feeling I had when it was coming up. The only bad memory of my trip was praying that my legs would stop shaking and that my journey would hopefully reach an end so I could stand on solid ground. Other than being sea sick for the first day; I had a blast on the cruise! I got the opportunity to see many things and visit quite a few places. One of the ports of call was Cozumel, Mexico, and my friend Alexandra and I decided we wanted to try some real Mexican food. Of course, we were a little concerned about getting sick, but I’m glad to say that didn’t happen. We asked on the ship where the best place for Mexican food was, but they said that anywhere along the main shopping strip would be good. We then found a place called the Tiki Tok. The place was on the second level of a building. We sat out on the little balcony that they had. They had covered it with sand. The view from the restaurant was amazing. I was hypnotized by the vibrant colors and the employees’ of the restaurants equally vibrant lifestyles. I remember feeling jealous of the workers because they would get to go back to Tiki Tok tomorrow and the day after that, but I wouldn’t. The walls were an explosion of colorful textiles and every color of paint one could think of that was as bold as can be. Vases were on every table with burnt orange and deep yellow dried peppers inside. The chairs at the dining tables were made of a Mexican Serape material. The colors, the fringe, and the feel of it gave the restaurant even a stronger Mexican energy. My favorite part of the restaurants decor was the little cactus lights that strung amongst all the walls connecting each bulb to the wrought iron chandelier in the middle of the room. When one first enters the restaurant the Mariachi band is one of the most noticeable features. Three men were dressed in black with button up shirts and decorative sombreros all standing in the corner of the room. Two men had violins and the third was handling a guitar. As we took our seats the band started playing lively music and a few older couples got up and danced fearlessly. Everything in the restaurant was bold excluding my bashful personality; otherwise I would have danced too. I was in a trance watching the people dance with one another until the Mariachi band shouted in sync, â€Å"AY! † causing me to be brought back to the present. It was then that I had realized how hungry I was. The menu prices were in pesos, so it looked like everything was really expensive, but it wasn’t. We ordered the hot and spicy red enchiladas which were about 60 pesos, and they also brought us chips and salsa. The chips were a little bit thicker than you would get here in the US, and there were three different types of salsas. There was a regular pico de gallo, then there was one made with tomatillos, and the last was a pineapple cilantro salsa that was actually really tasteful. Lexi and I have never had pineapple cilantro salsa before, so we weren’t sure whether it was going to be appetizing or not. After stuffing myself with chips our food finally arrived. It was just about the yummiest thing I’ve ever had. The red sauce for the enchiladas was a little bit different than what I’ve had here, but I can’t tell you how. It was more delicious over there though. There was chicken inside the enchiladas and a touch of sour cream on top. We took the extra salsa we hadn’t demolished with the chips and smothered our enchiladas with it. I ate every last bite of it and was so full afterwards! The amazing food I had in Mexico was the best Mexican food I have ever had. I remember the smell of the ocean and sweet salsa at the same time. The bright colored sombreros and the ocean front view was an amazing sight to see while enjoying the food as well. Anytime I think about Mexico I think about the short beach chairs, sand between my toes, all the smells of the restaurant, laughing with my best friend and delicious enchiladas. This will be a memory that would be difficult to forget because we took so many pictures of the restaurant and it was the best eating experience I’ve had yet. I’m really glad that my friend and I were able to have this dining experience together. Alexandra and I enjoyed it very much!