The Unexpected Essay Example for Free

The Unexpected Essay She opened the mail box, as she expected there is a letter lying in there waiting for her to pick it up. She walked into the house, trying to find the paper knife to unseal the letter. You can obviously see the letter it’s been carefully wrapped by the back of a poster, and you can clearly see the picture on the back side. Finally Julia saw the paper knife is hidden under Lydia’s little â€Å"baby†, it’s a teddy bear stuffy, but in Lydia’s mind, that’s her little girl. Julia yelled:†Lydia, why is the paper knife is under the teddy? What did you do with that? Didn’t I tell that knifes are dangerous?†Ã¢â‚¬ But mommy, my baby is sick, she needs a surgery, and you weren’t home, so I just did it by myself. † Lydia murmured, that’s what she always does when she realize if something seems not quite right. Julia picked the paper knife up and sat down, cut the envelope open, and the neat writing reminds her 3 years ago, when she just got divorced with Joe, her ex-husband. Joe and Julia met when they were so young, and at the moment they met they knew each other was the one, soon after 5 years of relationships; they got engaged on Julia’s 26th birthday. And after 51 weeks little Julia was born. Everything seems so perfect until Julia found out sometimes when Joe had couple of beers he will be so rude to them, he would even swear to littlie Lydia, she finally had enough and signed the divorce paper, she asked for nothing but Julia. Because after she became a mother, she became more sensitive, she will do anything to protect her, that’s her job and also her mother of nature. Joe is so mad at Julia; he thinks he loves little Lydia just as much as Julia does, even more than her. But apparently as mom Julia doesn’t think so, she forced Joe to live, she reported the local child protective service, and the local newspaper had Joe on their headline. Because it’s a small town and Joe is someone in this town, so he was so humiliated. He couldn’t help the anger on him:†hey Julia, what goes around comes around, what you have done to me someday you will get to pay for this! Julia and Lydia finally got some peace ful at home, in a beautiful Sunday afternoon, Julia and Lydia cuddling in the couch watching the new:†Sichuan earthquake or had a deadly earthquake that measured at 8.0-7.9 at .1:09; 56-6:28 0n Monday. Killing an estimated 68,000 people.† Then the news switches to a video of how people are doing in Sichuan, the  remains of the building, the searching team searching for survivors. Julia looks so sad; her tears are trembling in her eyes. She cried:†oh my god, we’ve got save these kids. Come on, let’s go online and find out if there is any way we can help them!† so they went on the internet found a list of children with names, address, pictures and about their situations. They saw a young boy is about 16; his name is Qiuqiu, his dad passed away when he was 5 because of kidney cancer, his mom raised him by herself, and it was a tough life. His mom died during the earthquake, when the earthquake happens, and they were having a nap. And as soon as the earthquake happens, his mom ran into his room, woke him up, and dragged him into a corner where there is a closet so it keeps a Seismic safety triangle. But they waited too long until the rescue team comes, and so his mom couldn’t holding it up, finally she left before he does. And there is another girl who is a friend of Qiuqiu, she is one year older than Qiuqiu, her name is fang, and she is an orphan, she was in a orphanage, but because she is quite old for someone to adopt her, because people usually likes the little one, so they will only remember their foster parents instead of birth parents. So she before the earthquake she was living with one of the nurse in the orphanage. But unfortunately she died in the debris flow that was caused by the earthquake. Julia chose them immediately, and then she decided to invite them to stay with them for a week. Julia wrote a long letter to them, she wrote down how sorry she is about Qiuqiu’s mom, and she understands that how hard it must to being a single mom. And also she wrote to fang, that if she wants to stay in Beijing for good, she is always welcome to stay in her house, if she wants it, Julia can help her to find a perfect job for her. And Lydia drew a picture of their beautiful condo in with lots of high buildings around. Julia is back with her flashback, and she gingerliness unfolds the letter:† Dear Julia and little Lydia, this is Qiuqiu and fang. Right now we are living together with all the children that lost their families in the earthquake. Lots of people came to visit us, and they were so nice. They brought us foods and daily necessities. Some couples came here adopted some younger kids. We are living like a big family, and we are enjoying this. Just yesterday, Papa Jingtao came to visit us, we called him papa Jingtao, because he doesn’t look that serious when we saw him on TV, not at all. He sang with us, he told us fun stories about when he was young. And we decided  not to go to Beijing yet, we thought it might be fun if we work and finish school at the same time, we will go to universities in Beijing, and then we can meet up what do you think? Please say hi to little Lydia, we really love her drawings! †¦..† and they talked so much about the local government built a temporary school for them so they can study while everything is on construction. So they kept writing to each other on and on, and Lydia is the one always wanted to contact with them, she said:†they are like my big brother and sister, and I just can’t wait to meet them.† Then Julia would send them checks as well, so Qiuqiu and fang will finish their school by that. They always talk about the cities are getting back together, and there is a new restaurant just opened, and there is a big shopping mall just opened. But they always just looked inside behind the door, because they don’t have money to afford anything. They are still kids, they are easy to satisfy. It was like the blink of an eye, suddenly two years has past, and Lydia just turned her 7th birthday, Julia decided to make a birthday cake for Lydia, they got all the ingredients ready, and Julia suggested:†do you want to go to the mail box check if there is a letter from your brother and sister? † So little Lydia went to the mail box, and what she brought back was a let ter from Julia’s boss. â€Å"Dear Julia, I’m sorry to tell you this, but we already found a girl that will fit right in your position, she just graduated from a famous medical school. And I believe she will do a better job than you, after I talked to Joe last night, I realized maybe you should fins somewhere to continue your job†¦..† Julia got angered, and she couldn’t finish reading the letter, she cannot believe her boss fired her through email. But she couldn’t show it that how angry she is, she just acted normal, because she doesn’t want to ruin her little girl’s birthday. At night, after she put Lydia to bed, she called Joe immediately, â€Å"what did you say to my boss exactly?† Joe giggle on the other side of the phone: â€Å"I didn’t say anything other than how you feel about your boss, and how you can’t wait to leave there for good. Hey don’t be mad, I was just helping you out. Oh forgot to tell you, I’m taking the house back tomorrow. So you better start packing up now, in case you won’t get any time for tomorrow!†Then he hanged up the phone before Julia was going to say something. And there is only one sentence in her head† what am I going to do? What am I going to do? What am I going to do? She is so perplexed; she  lost her job and her house just like that, through a letter and a phone call. After she finished worrying about all of those furniture and clothes, she started worrying about Qiuqiu and Fang, now she doesn’t has any incomes, and she is never that kind of person would have money in the saving account for the future uses. She used to have like the best job in the world except a noisy boss, but with high pay that’s fine, with that she can afford Qiuqiu and fang’s school fees and herself with Lydia’s cost of livings. But now what is she supposed to do. She has to find a job that gets quick money, also she has to find a place to live that’s the most important thing. And she couldn’t fall asleep at night. She keeps thinking about Qiuqiu and fang, can they still go to school without her financial supports? Then she decided to keep supporting them with money, she tried to find a job that is as good as the one she had before, but it wasn’t easy. So she can only find some waiters job and babysitting. Lydia couldn’t understand the change in a sudden, she just keeps asking Julia what is going wrong, Julia just said:†oh don’t worry honey, it’s just a life experiencing.† And Lydia thought her mommy is still working as a dentist that’s been respected by lots of people, actually right now Julia is working as a waitress where she meets lots of drunk and rude people, but she doesn’t want to tell her little girl, She wants Lydia still lives in the fairy tale. In the main time, she still keeps sending checks to Qiuqiu and fang, she use those inspiring words to encourage them, herself as well. She is so appreciated that Qiuqiu and fang didn’t complain the money is less than before, they are still grateful about how much Julia did to her. And finally Qiuqiu and fang are coming to visit them, they came to Beijing a year ago, but Qiuqiu thinks it’s better If they start their career first, and when they go visit Julia. They don’t want let Julia down, both of them are so good at art. When they first came here, they found some agencies to sell their work. People were so touched by their completely fresh and clean painting, they were so popular. People would spend so much money for their work, so they soon became rich. But they are still receiving money from Julia, they don’t use it, they use that to help other kids that couldn’t afford the school fees. And finally they decided to go visit Julia and Lydia. So they sent a letter to Julia, they asked for Lydia’s address, but they didn’t say when they are coming. It still made little Lydia jumped, she finally get to meet her â€Å"brother and sister†. On a  beautiful Sunday with sunshine, and gentle breeze, Qiuqiu and Fang ran g the door bell of Julia’s house. Julia didn’t know who that is, but her heart started beating so fast, she got so excited suddenly, â€Å"coming!† she looked through the peep hole, she see two young people standing outside, with lots of shopping bags on their hands. She suddenly has this weird feelings, she can feel that they are Qiuqiu and Fang. She opened the door, and yelled:†Lydia! Come come! Look who’s here!† and then she asked gently:† you are Qiuqiu and Fang right? † they smiled happily and nodded, both of them can’t believe their life saver and their â€Å"family† is standing right in front of them, and here comes a young girl with beautiful long dark silky hair, she is so pretty, she is blinking those two bambi eyes at these strangers. But she doesn’t feel nervous at all, she feels like she knew them long time ago. And then Lydia said:†hey honey, come meet Qiuqiu and Fang† Lydia jumped onto Fang, and Fang held her then she circled around. Lydia couldn’t help, she cried so much, and Qiuqiu came and hugged her, they look so happy and they are a family. Julia invited them in, Qiuqiu and Fang told Julia about the gallery, and Lydia told her situation of how she was struggling about the finance problem, but she doesn’t want Qiuqiu and Fangâ€⠄¢s dream, so she just worked even harder. During the talk they laughed, cried, they don’t feel strange to each other at all. And Fang asked:† after how much we’ve been through, I and Qiuqiu are getting married, because we were always there for each other, and we decided to be together. We bought a house with 3 bedrooms, we really want you to come live with us, you’ve done so much for us and right now it’s about time for us to return the favor. Please please say yes!† Julia couldn’t believe they are getting married and she cried because of the happiness, the little Lydia couldn’t wait, she jumped and yelling† Yes! Yes!† so Julia said:†we are going home, honey!† and so then, they lived happily ever after.

Computers and Technology :: Technology Essays

Computers and Technology One of the most pivotal technological moments that I can remember from my academic career is the first research project that I had to do early in high school when the internet was considered a valid resource. My school had just established an internet connection, and instead of going to the card catalog in the library, there was a rush for the computers. Encyclopedias and periodical guides had been usurped by this relatively new network of information, and it has changed the way that students do research. Why settle for a couple of magazine articles and a book in a library with limited resources when the World Wide Web offers an almost limitless supply of information on almost every topic known to man? Human beings have been able to perform extensive research on a subject ever since the printed word came into the daily life of scholars, but the advent of the cyberculture era has given us a completely new tool that has both its advantages and disadvantages in the pursuit of knowledge. The one thing that can be said for sure though is that research, whether sparked by casual curiosity or a deadline for a thesis, will never be the same. Until the last decade or so, the bastion of knowledge and information was that building full of books that was known as the library. Print, in the form of books, magazines, newspapers, journals, encyclopedias, atlases, etc., was the primary source for information on virtually any subject. Even dialogue about information was exchanged with printed words on paper or handwritten letters. Then, something strange happened, and all of a sudden, you cannot find a library in a school anymore, there is only the media center. The media center is still a place to gather information, but now computers seem to overshadow the bookshelves. A small school with only a few hundred books is very limited in what topics it can cover, but place one computer in there with an internet connection and it opens a flood of information on everything from socialist realism to belly button lint. As Steven Johnson points out in his article â€Å"Links,† the very nature of the web, with its links that carry the user from one source of information to the other, provides something that seekers of information have never seen before. Computers and Technology :: Technology Essays Computers and Technology One of the most pivotal technological moments that I can remember from my academic career is the first research project that I had to do early in high school when the internet was considered a valid resource. My school had just established an internet connection, and instead of going to the card catalog in the library, there was a rush for the computers. Encyclopedias and periodical guides had been usurped by this relatively new network of information, and it has changed the way that students do research. Why settle for a couple of magazine articles and a book in a library with limited resources when the World Wide Web offers an almost limitless supply of information on almost every topic known to man? Human beings have been able to perform extensive research on a subject ever since the printed word came into the daily life of scholars, but the advent of the cyberculture era has given us a completely new tool that has both its advantages and disadvantages in the pursuit of knowledge. The one thing that can be said for sure though is that research, whether sparked by casual curiosity or a deadline for a thesis, will never be the same. Until the last decade or so, the bastion of knowledge and information was that building full of books that was known as the library. Print, in the form of books, magazines, newspapers, journals, encyclopedias, atlases, etc., was the primary source for information on virtually any subject. Even dialogue about information was exchanged with printed words on paper or handwritten letters. Then, something strange happened, and all of a sudden, you cannot find a library in a school anymore, there is only the media center. The media center is still a place to gather information, but now computers seem to overshadow the bookshelves. A small school with only a few hundred books is very limited in what topics it can cover, but place one computer in there with an internet connection and it opens a flood of information on everything from socialist realism to belly button lint. As Steven Johnson points out in his article â€Å"Links,† the very nature of the web, with its links that carry the user from one source of information to the other, provides something that seekers of information have never seen before.

Of Mice And Men Curley’s wife Essay

â€Å"Well, stick around and keep your eyes open. You’ll see plenty. She ain’t concealin nothing. I never seen nobody like her. She got the eye goin’ all the time on everybody. I bet she gives the stable buck the eye. I don’t know what the hell she wants†. Discuss the way in which you as a reader respond to Steinbeck’s presentation of Curley’s wife. You need to look closely at the way in which he uses language to achieve effect. Steinbeck in his book â€Å"Of mice and men† has predominantly used animals to present the other side of human beings that is normally found in animals. He clearly brought in the common characteristics of animals that are possessed by men and each character in this book gives the imagery of an animal. For the purpose of this assignment we shall explore the various characteristics and methods that the writer uses to describe Curley’s wife. â€Å"Well, stick around and keep your eyes open. You’ll see plenty. She ain’t concealin nothing. I never seen nobody like her. She got the eye goin’ all the time on everybody. I bet she gives the stable buck the eye. I don’t know what the hell she wants†. The writer has made use of language in several occasions to draw meaning and give more sense to the piece of work and the most notable and obvious is the kind of language used which is so casual and local portraying the setting where the characters are acting in as well as their status in the society. The use of the phrase † I never seen nobody like her† in the above opening quotation is really non standard English that possibly points at the level of education of the characters and their role in the society and clearly demonstrates that they are really casuals in a farm though they have endeavored to dream for a better future. The writer has made use of figures of speech in reference to Curley’s wife and in that effect has brought about her true character in this book. He has mainly used metaphors in chapter four in reference to Curley’s wife. Curley’s wife came to look for her husband in place where Crooks and George were having some discussions the writer described her as follows: â€Å"her face was heavily made up and her lips slightly parted†. This was just an indirect reference to her frustrations and increasing concerns about her husband which the writer described using her appearance. Another metaphor just in the same chapter is the description of her gesture at the men whom she found there and her perception of them. The writer says that † her eyes traveled from one face to another† which basically referred to her looking at the men who were there at that time that she considered weak and useless and this was a major source of conflict with other characters as they perceived her as a trouble maker. Her description of Candy as a â€Å"funny thing† is equally metaphoric and points at her disregard for men and how tough she was on men that she considered to be only confident while they were in groups, but could not make any statement as an individual. As she continued to look at the men, after provoking them she realized that â€Å"all their faces were closed against her† meaning that nobody among all the men were interested in listening to her or hearing anything from her. In her argument with the men she reached a point that she became defensive of her husband, that all the other men were accusing and in that effect she refers to them as â€Å"a bunch of bindle stiffs† possibly referring them as people who are quite traditional and against the advice of women and therefore making them feminists. This was a perfect example of similes as under normal circumstances men cannot be compared with bindles. She also goes ahead to compare them with the sheep that are known to be stiff naked. Curley’s wife remains a unique character in this book as she is the only woman in the book that is dominated by men and as such she has become a victim of circumstances and is seen to suffer from all kinds of oppression leveled against her by the men. She depicts the negative picture of women in a male sexist society where women have no place and are only known for their destructive tendencies. She is often referred to as â€Å"trampt†,’bitch† and â€Å"tart† which basically qualifiers her as a destructive character and one who destabilizes the status of men in that society. As a female character in a group dominated by men she will obviously be expected to support her own rights and this she does alone but the male characters in this book would rather prefer to gag her and ensure that she remains under their command. She has also proved to be a very sharp character in this play that is more human and interactive than any other character in this book . Her behavior and character therefore tries to tackle the challenges that the females are really facing in the modern society in their efforts to break the barriers set by male chauvinists. Being the only women in the story clearly points out at the gender insensitivity that still exists and ignorance of the role that the females can play in the society especially in decision making. This is also an indicator of continued male domination in major activities in the society. However her persistence in trying to match the males who are the majority in this setting is a positive move in promoting equality and it is also a clear sign that change can come and the status can be abolished. The use of personification is also evident in this book in the same chapter where as Curley’s wife disappeared the writer explains that the â€Å"halter chains rattled and some horse snorted and some stamped their feet† this is in clear reference to the relieve that her disappearance brought to the men whom are referred as horses in that quotation. Another personification can be witnessed in her second coming and discussion with Lenny where she refers to the â€Å"pup† as like a human being, by saying that â€Å"He is dead†. She also uses flashback in her discussion with Lennie and showing her other side of being a very humble and hospitable lady with a lot of talents and even shows what she could manage if given time. A show came through and I met one of the actors†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. The writer has therefore made use of figures of speech like metaphors, similes, flashbacks and personifications in portraying the characters of Curley’s wife and illustrates her as a strong woman who has positively represented women as a whole in the novel, with main emphasis in chapter 4 and 5 of the book. Curley’s wife has demonstrated herself as a strong woman who is not willing to negotiate her honesty and true feeling for anything. Her kind nature is clearly brought by the fact that she is willing to listen and understand the problems of the low class citizens of the society like Lennie; who are incidentally grouped in the same category of women and given all sorts of names like infirm, old, rejected, feeble and lifeless; but they are able to develop a unique bond that arises from their circumstances. Therefore Curley’s wife represents women as people who are social and can get along with almost everybody, unlike men who lack this trait. Females are therefore lowly rated by males yet they have enormous potentials that even men cannot match.

Short Block vs. Long Block vs. Crate Engines

The engine in a typical car should last a few hundred thousand miles, and some have hit even a million miles, depending on maintenance. However, manufacturing inconsistencies, lack of maintenance, or other circumstances can dramatically shorten the life of an engine, sometimes in spectacular ways. If you need to replace a damaged engine or upgrade your engine, you have a few choices to make. Short block vs. long block vs. crate engines—which should you choose? Not everyone has the time and tools required to fully rebuild or assemble an engine. Malkovstock / Getty Images The basic difference between a short block vs. long block vs. crate engines is their level of assembly. Of course, you could build your own engine, piece by piece, if you have the tools and knowledge or have a friend with a machine shop. If you’re building a race car, that’s a good way to go, but you wouldn’t likely build an engine from scratch for your daily driver. To shorten your vehicle’s downtime and reduce the level of complexity, you might choose a crate engine, long block, or short block. Basic Differences At its most basic, the difference between short block, long block, and crate engines is that each is progressively more expensive but requires less time and expertise to install. We’ll cover some of these differences and similarities, as well as instances when you might choose one over the other. Depending on tools, expertise, and budget, you may spend more or less time rebuilding your engine. MS Phil Speck / USANG Short Block Engine A short block engine is essentially just the engine block with a few major components. A short block engine usually includes, preinstalled, a new crankshaft with bearings and caps, new connecting rods, and new pistons. When installing a short block, you’ll need a master gasket kit so you can transfer parts from your old engine to the new short block, such as cylinder heads, oil pump, oil pan, timing sprockets and pulleys, timing belt or chain, camshafts, and intake and exhaust manifolds, as well as sensors and actuators. Choose a short block if the bottom end is damaged but the top end (cylinder heads) is in good condition and you have the time to swap over all the parts. Long Block Engine Depending on who makes it, the long block usually includes the short block with the cylinder heads preinstalled, most likely including timing components and anything behind them, such as the oil pump and camshafts. When installing a long block, you’ll need to transfer some parts from your old engine, such as the intake and exhaust manifolds, and some of the sensors and actuators. Choose a long block engine if there’s damage in the bottom and top end. Crate Engine Depending on who makes it, crate engines can range from long block to complete, including the oil pan, cylinder heads, intake and exhaust manifolds, sensors and actuators, maybe even the engine main harness. We’re referring to a complete engine, which is a good idea for those looking for a drop-in solution to their engine problems. No parts are transferred to the new engine, aside from the alternator, air-conditioning compressor, and engine mounts, which significantly reduces the time to install. Choose a crate engine or complete engine when time is of the essence or the engine has suffered extensive failures. Crate engines can also be custom-ordered, the weapon of choice for many enthusiasts who want more power from their custom cars. These are the three main categories of new engines you can buy for the typical project, but not the only ones. You might also consider used junkyard engines or remanufactured engines. Junkyard Engine A junkyard engine might be a good choice for your vehicle project. Julien Grosjean / Getty Images A junkyard engine might be a good choice if you are looking to save money. These usually come complete, hopefully with intact wiring, though each facility does things differently. If you have an engine-savvy friend, they can help you inspect the engine before you buy it. You-pick junkyards will require that you remove the engine yourself, so you can take as much care as you want to save the parts you need the most. Choose a junkyard engine if budget is of primary concern, but be aware that it might not come with any warranty and might have already been abused or neglected. Remanufactured Engine These used engines may be available in differing levels of assembly, from short block to long block or complete. The difference between a remanufactured or rebuilt engine is that they’ve been overhauled or at least certified by engine experts. They’re used and may have varying levels of new parts, are usually more expensive than junkyard engines but less expensive than crate engines, and usually come with a warranty. Choose a remanufactured engine if you’re not planning on rebuilding it yourself. Here, an engine is either ready for disassembly or reinstallation. PIXNIO Choosing between these different engines if you must replace or rebuild an engine needn’t be overwhelming. Considering your expertise, available tools, and budget, not to mention existing damage, choose the engine that best meets your needs. Still wondering which is best? Ask an engine-savvy friend or a trusted mechanic.