John Quincy Adams Essays - Adams Family, John Quincy Adams

John Quincy Adams Essays - Adams Family, John Quincy Adams John Quincy Adams JOHN QUINCY ADAMS John Quincy Adams was born in Braintree (Quincy), Massachusetts on July 11th, 1767. His ancestry lineage was English. Adams religion was Unitarian. His father, John Adams, was born in Braintree (Quincy), Massachusetts on October 19th, 1735. He died in Quincy, Massachusetts on July 4th, 1826. He had three major occupations. He was a lawyer, a statesman, and the President of the United States. His mother, Abigail Smith Adams, was born in Weymouth Massachusetts on November 11th, 1744. She died in Quincy, Massachusetts on October 28th, 1818. John Quincy Adams had two brothers: Charles Adams who lived between the years 1770 and 1800, and Thomas Boylston Adams who lived between the years 1772 and 1832. He also had two sisters: Abigail Amelia Adams who lived between the years 1765 and 1813, and Susanna Adams who lived between the years 1768 and 1770. Louisa Catherine Johnson was born in London, England on February 12th, 1775 and she died in Washington DC on May 14th, 1852. Louisa was the second daughter of Joshua and Catherine Johnson. John Quincy Adams and Louisa Catherine Johnson were married before eleven a.m. on July 26th, 1767 in London, England at the All Hollows Barking Church. They were married by Mr. Hewlett. The portrait on the next page is of Louisa Catherine Adams at age 43. It was painted by Gilbert Stuart in 1818. John Quincy Adams and Louisa Catherine Adams had four children. Their children were George Washington Adams (1801-1812), John Adams (1803-1834), Charles Francis Adams (1807-1886), and Louisa Catherine Adams (1811-1812). John Quincy Adams had plenty of education, which helped him in his election as President. He studied in Paris, Amsterdam, Leyden, and The Hugue. He received his Bachelor of Arts in 1787 from Harvard and studied law from 1788 to 1790 with Theophilus Parsons. His Pre-presidency occupations consisted of being a lawyer and a professor. These jobs helped Adams to have the confidence he needed to become President. His Pre-Presidential offices consisted of being a Minister to the Netherlands, a Minister to Prussia, a Member of Massachusetts Senate, a Member of United States Senate, a Minister to Russia, a Minister to Great Britain, and a Secretary of State for Massachusetts. Adams Political Party was Federalist, to 1808; Democratic-Republican, to 1825; National Republican (Whig) thereafter. He was 57 years of age when he was inaugurated as President. Adams was a Congressman and a writer after his presidency. In the election of 1824 Andrew Jackson, William H. Crawford, and Henry Clay ran against John Quincy Adams for president. Although Jackson received more votes than Adams, no candidate had a majority, so the election was submitted to the House of Representatives which, after careful examination of each party, chose Adams. He was and still is the only president ever to be the son of a president. Adams Inauguration was held on March 4th, 1825 at the Hall of the House of Representatives in Washington, DC. His vice-president was John Calhoun; Secretary of State: Henry Clay; Secretary of Treasury: Richard Rush; Secretary of War: James Barbour, Peter Buell Porter (from June 21st, 1828); Attorney General: John McLean; Secretary of the Navy: Samuel Lewis Southard; Supreme Court Appointment: Robert Trimble (1826). John Quincy Adams unexpected success as minister to Russia saved him from a political scrap heap to which he had been relegated by those who deplored his disregard for party lines. He had already represented the United States at The Hague and in Prussia, where he had seen the rise of tensions which upset Europe in the early 1800s. His mission in Russia was to urge freedom of the seas, to seek favorable treatment for American shipping in Russian waters, and to reaffirm the desire of the United States to avoid entanglement in continental policies. The Adamss arrived in Saint Petersburg late in 1809 and soon were a part of the capitals social whirl. When fifty-two American ships were seized by Danish privateers, Adams appealed to Alexander the 1st (who was eager for American friendship) to intercede. Through the Czars efforts, the ships were released. By late 1810, Adams had convinced the Czar to discontinue the capture and detainment of American ships in Russian Ports. The Czars decisi on was in defiance of Napoleons system of

18 Best Love Flowers A Practical Guide to Romantic Flowers

18 Best Love Flowers A Practical Guide to Romantic Flowers SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Buying flowers for a significant other can be a nerve-wracking experience. You want to choose a bouquet that’s in your budget, pretty, and will send the right message. Luckily, we’re here to help you craft the perfect bouquet of love flowers. In this article, we’ll first discuss what factors are important to consider when crafting romantic bouquets and Valentine’s flowers. Then, we’ll provide suggestions for the most appropriate flowers for the early phases of a new relationship, an established relationship, weddings, and anniversaries. We’ll wrap up with some flowers to avoid for romantic purposes. 4 Key Considerations When Creating a Romantic Bouquet There are several factors to consider as you try to choose the best flowers for love and romance purposes. Some are more practical, like cost and availability. But you should also consider the flower’s symbolic message and the personality of the recipient. Cost There are a couple of facets to cost: how much you can actually afford, and what cost level is appropriate for the occasion and relationship. Only you can really determine how much you can afford. But there are romantic flowers at pretty much all price points, and we’ve provided a helpful price index for all the flowers listed in this article: $ = 3 dollars per stem $$ = 8 dollars per stem $$$ = 8+ dollars per stem In terms of what is appropriate, in the early stages of a relationship, spending hundreds of dollars on an elaborate arrangement may come across as too much. You want to charm the recipient, not alarm them! However, it’s quite appropriate to be more extravagant in the context of a longer, more established relationship to mark significant milestones or occasions, if your finances allow it. For events like weddings, you might spend quite a lot on flowers. The Knot advises that you can expect to spend around 8% of your total wedding budget on all the flowers. For the budget-conscious, the Huffington Post has some sage tips on keeping wedding flower costs down. Buckets of wedding flowers could cost buckets of money! Seasonality/Availability/Climate Consider what love flowers are in season at any given point in time. Flowers that are in season locally will almost invariably be cheaper than something that has to be flown in from a thousand miles away. And some rarer flowers may simply not be available at particular points in the year. Seasonality is listed in this guide, but if you want further guidance as to what’s available at a given point in the year, consult with a florist. Additionally, flowers that do well in your particular climate will last longer and look better over time. This is especially true for any situation where the flowers will be outside and/or out of water for a long time. (Read: weddings). Symbolic Message After you’ve considered the practical parameters of your flower-buying endeavor, consider what the flowers you’re sending mean. Some meanings are obvious and well-known: red roses signify passionate love. Others, like the sweet pea, have less obvious meanings. (The sweet pea signifies lasting pleasure and bliss, FYI). However, the most meaningful bouquet will carry some symbolic significance beyond just â€Å"these flowers are pretty and I like/love you.† (That is a fine message to be sending! Just not the most thoughtful). There are also a few flowers you may want to avoid gifting due to their symbolic significance as specifically un-romantic flowers. See the last section of this article for a note on those. Ranunculus and white roses: means "you are charming," new beginnings, and soul deep love. Personality of the Recipient Unless someone actively dislikes flowers (which is possible and something you should try to find out before you give them to someone), most people will be happy to receive flowers of love from anyone they care about. However, for the most meaningful bouquet, consider the personality of the recipient. Are they a traditional romantic who would be happiest to get a bouquet of roses or lilies? Do they have subtle and subdued tastes better suited for lilac, aster, gladiolus, or sweet pea? Or maybe they are bold and unconventional and would appreciate bird-of-paradise or a potted orchid. Try your best to choose flowers that match the tastes of the recipient. Courtship and Early Romance Flowers When you’re trying to first express romantic feelings for someone or are in the earliest stages of a relationship, overly showy or intense flowers can come across as too much, too soon. However, subtler flowers with a more discreet message is a sweet and appropriate way to express romantic admiration. The following romantic flowers are excellent choices for the early stages of a new relationship. Aster Also called: Starwort, Michaelmas Daisy Cost Range (Per Stem): $ Seasonal Availability: Year-round; fall peak About This Love Flower The name â€Å"Aster† comes from the Greek and Latin words for â€Å"star.† Ancient Greek legend says the goddess Astraea looked down on earth from the sky and wept when she saw that there were no stars on earth. Her tears became the Aster flower. This flower represents daintiness, elegance, and small beginnings. It’s also a love talisman. These qualities make it an appropriate choice for the early stages of romance. The blooms are small and dainty and the flower comes in delicate, soothing colors of pink, white, purple, and blue. The aster expresses romantic admiration in a subtle and not overbearing way. Gerbera Daisy Also Called: Gerber Daisy, African Daisy, Transvaal Daisy Cost Range (Per Stem): $ Seasonal Availability: Year-round About This Love Flower The Gerbera daisy is a bright and cheerful flower that blooms in a huge variety of bright colors. They symbolize cheerfulness, joy, and innocence. Because they are fairly hardy and last well over a week when cut, they are a common bouquet flower at all times of the year. They are readily available for purchase and fairly affordable. Gerbera daisies will bring cheer in the early stage of a relationship as an early flower for love. Hyacinth Also Called: Hyacinthus Cost Range (Per Stem): $ Seasonal Availability: Winter, spring About This Love Flower The hyacinth flower gets its name from a Greek myth. Hyacinth was the young lover of Apollo, but Zephyr also admired Hyacinth. In his jealousy, he caused Apollo’s discus to strike Hyacinth, killing him. In his grief, Apollo transformed Hyacinth’s spilled blood into the hyacinth flower. As such, the hyacinth was dedicated to Apollo. Perhaps due to this myth, the hyacinth symbolizes young love. In 19th-century France, the flower communicated a kind of desperate, all-consuming love. The English connotation was more flirtatious and playful. In Victorian flower language, the different colors of purple, blue and white communicated different messages. Now, the message of young love remains, making hyacinth an ideal flower for a new courtship. Lilac Also Called: Syringa Cost Range (Per Stem): $ Seasonal Availability: Spring, summer About This Love Flower With its heady scent and clusters of tiny blooms, lilacs are a welcome sign of the coming summer. To the Victorians, this flower represented the first emotions of love. This symbolism still holds today, as the lilac represents the earliest blush of love and the beginning of summer. The lilac also represents the bittersweet sadness of new lovers when they are forced to part for even a moment. Lilac is not as commonly available for purchase as some of the other flowers described here. You probably won’t find it in the grocery store. However, it’s in many cutting gardens and you may be able to buy it through a dedicated florist. If you are lucky enough to have access to lilacs for cutting, a bouquet of fresh-cut lilac is a stunning gift for a new paramour. Ranunculus Also Called: Buttercup (some species in the genus) Cost Range (per stem): $-$$ Seasonal Availability: Year-round (winter-spring peak) About This Love Flower Small but lush ranunculus comes in many colors and makes a sweet bouquet. It sends the message that the recipient is charming and attractive- the perfect message for an early-romance gift! The message is the same regardless of the color, so pick whatever color your paramour will like best. These flowers can last up to a week in a vase. Valentine's Flowers and Romantic Flowers For a more established relationship, you may want to go with more opulent love flowers. Valentine’s day is a key occasion where your partner may want (or even expect!) beautiful flowers. We offer several floral options for a range of personalities and tastes that are appropriate for romantic occasions. Bird of Paradise Also Called: Strelitzia, crane flower Cost Range (Per Stem): $$ Seasonal Availability: Winter, spring (tropical climates) About This Love Flower The exotic and striking Bird of Paradise is named for the tropical bird that it resembles. This showy flower signifies the wonderfully unexpected, magnificence, paradise, royalty, and joyfulness. For a lover who is bold and unconventional, an arrangement with bird of paradise captures an exuberant, opulent spirit. This makes it a perfect romantic flower for the right personality. This flower of lovesis native to South Africa. As the Bird of Paradise thrives in heat and humidity, they can be somewhat expensive outside of those climes. However, this flower is worth springing for to commemorate a truly special occasion! Carnations (Red) Also Called: Dianthus Caryophyllus, Clove Pink Cost Range (Per Stem): $ Seasonal Availability: Year-round About This Love Flower The hardy carnation is thought to be native to the Mediterranean region. The carnation has historically been associated with love and marriage. Renaissance portraits often depicted betrothed couples holding a carnation. Red carnations in particular send a message of intense love and admiration. Red carnations are an affordable Valentine bouquet option when other Valentine’s day flowers are out of reach of your budget. They are a good option for affordable love flowers and romantic bouquets in general. They can last up to three weeks when cut and communicate passionate love without breaking the bank. Gladiolus Also Called: Gladiola, Sword Lily Cost Range (Per Stem): $ Seasonal Availability: Year-round, summer peak About This Love Flower With its blade-like sheaf of blooms, the gladiolus indicated to the Victorians that the receiver had pierced the sender’s heart. Now the flower symbolizes grace, fidelity, honor, and a strong character. Gladiolus is an excellent flower to express deep admiration for a significant other. It is especially appropriate for a more subtle personality- the type of person who might be overwhelmed by an enormous bouquet of oriental lilies or two dozen red roses. Lily Also Called: Lilium Cost Range (Per Stem): $$-$$$ Seasonal Availability: Year-round About This Love Flower The lily is known for its notably sizable blooms. The genus has incredible variation in color and pattern. The lily has been a sacred flower since ancient times. In the ancient near east it was associated with Ishtar, the goddess of love and fertility. Similarly, in Rome, the lily was a symbol of Venus; in Greece, a symbol of Hera. As Christianity overtook older traditions, the lily came to be associated with the Virgin Mary. In the Victorian era, it was the highest flattery to compare a woman to the Virgin Mary. As such, comparing a woman to a lily, Mary’s emblem, was to pay her high honor indeed. The white lily in particular symbolized purity, chastity, innocence, and modesty. The connotations of purity still persist somewhat, particularly with the white lily. However, lilies have also come to signify perfection, majesty, and excellence. Thus, it is a high compliment to gift someone lilies. Many consider lilies to be an incredibly romantic flower. As a showy and even bombastic floral option, lilies are one of the most striking and magnificent flowers of love. For a Valentine’s bouquet or other romantic occasion, lilies are an excellent choice. However, note that lilies are very poisonous to cats. So only give in a cat-free household! Or if your significant other has a cat, consider sending the flowers to their workplace if you know they won’t mind. Orchid Also Called: Orchidaceae Cost Range (Per Stem): $$-$$$ Seasonal Availability: Year-round About This Love Flower The tropical orchid family includes some of the most prized and exquisite of flowers. There are over 28,000 orchid species, displaying an astonishing variety of color, shape, size, and scent. The orchid symbolizes the exotic, the ecstatic, and the luxurious. It also signifies mature elegance, beauty, and refinement. However, orchids are not particularly common as a cut flower. This is because the actual flower stems are short, making the flowers incredibly hard to maintain in a bouquet. It’s more common to give an orchid as a potted houseplant. If your significant other has an interest in horticulture and would actually enjoy taking care of a plant, the orchid can be a romantic choice. The orchid is a meaningful romantic flower for love that sends the message that the receiver is highly prized and valued. But again- make sure your partner won’t be irritated that they need to take care of a plant! Roses (Red, Purple, or Orange) Also Called: Rosa Cost Range (Per Stem): $-$$$ Seasonal Availability: Year-round About This Love Flower Roses are associated with love and romance and have been for centuries. In ancient Greece, the red rose was associated with Aphrodite, goddess of love. It was also an emblem of her Roman counterpart, Venus. To the Victorians, the rose signified love, and the deeper the love, the deeper the color. Red roses meant passionate love. Today, the rose is still primarily associated with love and beauty. Red roses in particular carry the signal of passion, desire, and romantic love. Today, red Valentine roses have become so ubiquitous as to be almost cliche. However, while red roses are undeniably love flowers, Valentine’s day may not actually be the best occasion to gift them. The flowers will be dramatically more expensive (think up to 400% increase in cost). The blooms themselves may also be of lower quality. So for Valentine’s flowers, consider expressing your flower-love some other way. Say, with one of the other blooms in this section! If you must do Valentine’s day roses, consider opting for another color. Purple and orange roses also have romantic messages, and can make truly striking arrangements. Purple roses send a message of enchantment. Lavender roses connote love at first sight. A deeper purple speaks of majesty, fascination, and adoration. That’s a romantic message for sure! Purple roses are especially appropriate for a significant other with a mystical turn of mind. Orange roses mean fascination, desire, passion, and energy. It’s a supercharged, zingy romantic flower. Coral roses convey an intense desire. Sweet Pea Also Called: Lathyrus odoratus Cost Range (Per Stem): $ Seasonal Availability: Winter, spring About This Love Flower The sweet pea is native to the Mediterranean. This climbing flower emits a sweet honeyed scent when it blooms. With its profusion of blooms, it’s a well-loved choice for cutting gardens. It’s a little more difficult to find for purchase, but a specialty florist should be able to point you in the right direction. These blooms come in many colors, most commonly whites, pinks, blues and purples. The sweet pea was a hugely popular flower during the Victorian era, when it symbolized lasting pleasure and easy luxury. The sweet pea still symbolizes pleasure and bliss. If you’re looking for unique and sweet flowers for Valentine’s day or another romantic occasion, sweet peas fit the bill. Tulips (Red or Purple) Also Called: Tulipa Cost Range (Per Stem): $-$$ Seasonal Availability: Winter, spring About This Love Flower Originally native to the mountains and steppes of central Asia, the perennial tulip has become one of the most popular flowers worldwide for both gardens and bouquets. The tulip is a romantic flower, whose strongest symbolic associations are with love and creativity. However, red and purple are the most romantic tulip colors by far. Red tulips signal a declaration of love. This symbolism comes from Persia. There, it’s said that the red of the petals represent the fire of the suitor’s love. The black center is the suitor’s heart, burned to coal by the strength and heat of their love. Purple tulips signify royalty. For an extra-special bouquet, consider mixing red and purple tulips. If you’re looking for an alternative to Valentine roses, tulips are a great choice. Tulips make great love flowers because of their vibrant blooms and meaningful symbolism. They also last a decent amount of time- about ten days- when cut. The Best Wedding Flowers Pretty much all of the flowers already mentioned would be appropriate for wedding bouquets, boutonnieres, centerpieces, etc. However, several additional flowers are particularly well-suited to weddings. Calla Lily Also Called: Zantedeschia aethiopica, arum lily, trumpet lily Cost Range (per stem): $$-$$$ Seasonal Availability: Year-round (summer peak) About This Love Flower The calla lily is named for the Greek word for â€Å"beautiful.† Interestingly, the calla lily does not actually have a bloom. The part we think of as the flower is actually a leaf. They come in many colors, including bright orange and striking purple. However, they are most commonly used for weddings in their white incarnation. Calla lilies symbolize majestic beauty. White calla lilies represent purity, modesty, marital bliss and devotion. Purple calla lilies would also be appropriate, as they symbolize royalty and passion. Calla lilies come in both large and small varieties, making them ideal for both bouquets and boutonnieres. Lily of the Valley Also Called: Convallaria majalis, May bells Cost Range (Per Stem): $$ Seasonal Availability: Year-round, spring peak About This Love Flower The humble but striking lily of the valley was the emblem of the Norse goddess of the dawn, Ostara. In Christian lore, it’s said that the lily of the valley sprang from the tears of Mary as she wept at the cross. The lily of the valley represents purity, sweetness, and a renewal of happiness. This makes it a great choice for a wedding bouquet- especially one that’s not too neat or fussy. It’s fairly expensive on a per-stem basis. But only a few are necessary to make a beautiful bouquet. It can also be accented nicely with other flowers. Orange Blossom Also Called: Citrus Sinensis Cost Range (Per Stem): Not a typical bouquet flower; discuss with a florist Seasonal Availability: Spring About This Love Flower When the orange tree blooms- usually in April- it bears beautiful, fragrant white flowers. These flowers are closely associated with weddings in many cultures. It’s said that the crusaders brought the practice back to Europe from the Middle East, where Saracen brides wore the blossoms as a symbol of fecundity. In Victorian England the blossoms came to signify a bride’s purity. In Japan, orange blossoms symbolize chastity and eternal love. The blossoms have remained symbolic of a fruitful marriage, loveliness, and innocence. For a traditional (and pleasantly fragrant) wedding flower experience, use orange blossoms in the bridal headpiece or bouquet. Roses (White) Also Called: Rosa Cost Range (Per Stem): $-$$$ Seasonal Availability: Year-round About This Love Flower The white rose bears many different shades of meaning. It’s said that white roses accompanied the birth of Aphrodite from the sea. In the Christian era the white rose was associated with the Virgin Mary. To the Victorians, it signified chastity and innocence. The white rose most traditionally symbolizes purity. However, it also symbolizes new beginnings, loyalty, and soul-deep love. This make it a very appropriate wedding flower. Cream roses in particular are considered very bridal flowers. Stephanotis Also Called: Madagascar jasmine, bridal flower Cost Range (per stem): $ Seasonal Availability: Year-round About This Love Flower White, trumpet-shaped Stephanotis is native to Africa and heavily perfumed. Its also the quintessential wedding flower, as it symbolizes marital happiness. Its delicate blooms, sweet scent, and symbolic meaning make it an extremely popular flower for wedding bouquets and boutonnieres. It can be a filler in an arrangement with larger blooms, or clusters of stephanotis can be the focal point. Wedding Anniversary Flowers When you’re picking flowers for a wedding anniversary, first ask yourself: Do I want to give the traditional flower associated with the anniversary, or do I want to branch out? If your spouse doesn’t even know that there are specific anniversary flowers, you’re probably better off choosing something you know s/he will appreciate. Any of the romantic flower choices could be good choices for anniversary flowers. If, however, your think your spouse would appreciate receiving the traditional anniversary bouquet for your designated year of marriage, here’s a chart with the breakdown. (Note that past the fifteenth year, there aren’t flowers for every year anymore!) Chart Anniversary Flower 1st Carnation 2nd Lily of the valley 3rd Sunflower 4th Hydrangea 5th Daisy 6th Calla lily 7th Freesia 8th Lilac 9th Bird of paradise 10th Daffodil th Tulip 12th Peony 13th Chrysanthemum 14th Orchid 15th Roses 20th Aster 25th Iris 30th Lily 40th Gladiolus 50th Yellow roses and violets This could be a beautiful anniversary bouquet. Love Flowers To Avoid You have a lot of options for flowers of love. But what about flowers you should avoid? Here are a few types of flowers you may want to leave out of your romantic bouquets. Yellow Flowers Yellow flowers typically symbolize one of two things: platonic friendship or jealousy. Neither of these are particularly auspicious messages for romance. I’m not saying you can never send yellow flowers to someone you're in a relationship with: if yellow is their favorite color, or you have an established relationship and you want to send some cheer, yellow might be appropriate. But early in a relationship, you may want to avoid yellow’s ambiguous symbolism. Flowers With Un-romantic Symbolism In addition to yellow flowers, there are several other plant varieties that don't lend themselves to very romantic messages: A gift of narcissus indicates that the recipient is self-obsessed and egotistical. Not the most heartfelt and romantic message! Lavender signifies distrust, perhaps because it was frequently used to conceal unpleasant odors. A striped carnation signifies refusal of love. Snapdragons signify both graciousness and deception, so this is another flower that may be fraught with romantic peril. You might want to avoid these blooms. Flowers That Will Poison Your Pets or Children Nothing kills romance faster than a dead puppy. If your beloved has pets (or children) at home, avoid giving flowers that are poisonous to the household denizens! Some of the biggest poison culprits are lilies and calla lilies. You can look up other plants poisonous to children here and other plants poisonous to pets here. Remember, roses are edible- making them pretty much non-toxic to all! So they're generally a safe bet. Flowers That Trigger Allergies Does your beloved get hay fever? Then there are a few flowers you should avoid, unless you want them to sneeze whenever they get too close to your bouquet! The asteraceae family may trigger allergies. This family includes asters, dahlias, daisies, Gerbera daisies, and chrysanthemums. Lilies also have pollen, but you can trim off the stamens before gifting the flower, eliminating the problem. In general, flowers with smaller blooms produce more pollen than larger flowers, making them more of an issue for allergy sufferers. Definitely not a great flower for love! So definitely don't pick poisonous yellow flowers with lots of pollen! Key Takeaways: Finding the Perfect Love Flowers When it comes to buying romantic flowers, not all blooms are created equal! When choosing the best bouquet for a loved one, you’ll need to consider: Price: What can you afford, and what’s appropriate to spend? Seasonality/availability: what flowers are available? Symbolism: What flowers send the most appropriate symbolic message? Personality of the recipient: What flowers match the recipient’s style, taste, and personality? Different flowers are potentially appropriate for different points in a relationship. Flowers particularly appropriate for early in a courtship include the aster, the gerbera daisy, the hyacinth, the lilac, and the ranunculus. Blooms well-suited to romantic occasions and Valentine’s bouquets include the bird-of-paradise, red carnations, gladiolus, lilies, orchids, roses (orange, red, or purple), the sweet pea, and red or purple tulips. The most appropriate wedding flowers include the calla lily, the lily of the valley, orange blossoms, white roses, and stephanotis. For wedding anniversaries, you can give your significant other either the designated anniversary flower for your years of marriage or an appropriately romantic bouquet of your choosing. Here’s what you should avoid when crafting a romantic bouquet: Yellow flowers- they mean either platonic friendship or infidelity Flowers with negative or ambiguous symbolism, like narcissus, lavender, striped carnations, and snapdragons. Flowers poisonous to any pets or children that live at the recipient’s home Blooms that will trigger allergies, if the recipient has them Armed with this info, you’re ready to craft the most romantic bouquet the world (or at least your paramour) has ever seen!

WalMart Merger Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

WalMart Merger - Assignment Example The paper has been divided into two main parts: the first part mainly dealing with the Retail Industry, the major players, their production schemes, and their impact on the consumers and society overall. The second part deals with the advantages and disadvantages the firms might have because of the merger. PART I: INTRODUCTION Oligopoly is characterized as consisting of a small number of large sellers, being called the ‘Competitive Fringe’, with a few big firms dominating the entire industry’s production (Lipsey, 2004). These big firms, act as the trend-setters in terms of price and output, and are a major reflection of the entire Market. In this instance, the Retail market, is characterized by one big firm – Wal-Mart, with smaller firms either adhering to an acquisition or a merger, for their benefit. For example, in the United Kingdom, the Big Five Banks – Barclays, Lloyds TSB, Royal Bank of Scotland, HSBC and HBOS - dominate the Banking Sector. Si milarly, there are many small departmental stores, selling retail products, but a dominant few, like Sainsbury, Asda and Tesco, taking over the entire nation. The small firms, then, sometimes, find it profitable to merge, consolidate, co-operate or be purchased by the Big One. SALES, OPERATIONS AND FIRMS IN THE MERGER According to Forbes Global 2000 list, Wal-Mart is the world’s 18th largest public corporation, and the world’s largest corporation when it comes to annual revenue ($421.849 billion), with its international operations accounting for 26.1 % of its total sales, and a gross profit margin of 24.7%, running chains of discounted departmental stores and warehouse stores. With a total of 8500 stores in 15 different countries, with 55 different names, Wal-Mart extends its operations in nine different retail formats, including general merchandise, food and drugs, Super Center, small markets, cash and carry stores, membership warehouse clubs, apparel stores, discount stores and restaurants (Holdings, 2011). VERTICAL INTEGRATION: REASONS TO CONSOLIDATE A lot of consolidation has been seen among retailers and retails chains, over the past couple of decades, with 40,788 mergers & acquisitions having been announced only between 1988 and 2010. The main reasons behind the consolidation of firms in the industry may be due to: 1. Economies of Scale: This refers to a significant decrease in the fixed cost of the merging firms by the removal of duplicate or extensive operations; 2. Economies of Scope: Economies of scope exist due to the alteration of method of the distribution and the marketing of products. For instance, two homogeneous products may have been advertised in a similar way previously, but now they are not; 3. Vertical Integration: This primarily means the merging of two or more firms from the same industry results in increasing profits and a larger consumer surplus than before, implying a decrease in the deadweight loss. This is done by the firms deciding on a particular amount of output, and then sticking to that output level; 4. Investment benefits: The merged firms have higher chances of receiving greater benefits when it comes to Investment, because of the name of the big firm attached to it. Sensing financial stability, the smaller firms, once a part of the big firm, are viewed as being stable, and thus attract a larger number of investors. There

Digital System Applications Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Digital System Applications - Essay Example Though, they can also be mechanical, pneumatic or even magnetic. Digital computers along with calculators, digital video and audio equipment as well as the telephone system which is the globe’s leading digital system are a few examples of the most familiar digital systems around the globe1. There are however various benefits that are obtained from digital systems. They have been mentioned as follows: The digital systems are mostly very convenient to design. The main reason is that in digital system only switching circuits are used which use the array that is high or low in which they lie and it does not take into account the exact value of voltage or the current. Moreover, it is very easy to store information in a digital system. It is carried on by certain special devices or circuits which can grab digital information and retain it for as long as necessary. In addition, the mass storage of the techniques can store billions of bits of information in a relatively small physical space1. It is easy to maintain accuracy and precision throughout the system because once a signal has been digitized the information contained by it does not deteriorate as it progresses. The operations in a digital system can also be programmed. It is easy to design the digital system whose operations are managed by programs (a set of stored instructions). Digital systems are also less affected by noise. Spurious fluctuations in the noise are not as critical in a digital system as the exact volume of the voltage is not that important as long as the noise does not stop individuals from distinguishing a high from a low. More digital circuitry can be fabricated on an Integrated Circuit (IC) chip. Even though analog system has also been benefited from the massive development of IC technology, its relative complexity and also the usage of the devices cannot be economically integrated. This limitation has prevented the analog system from obtaining the same degree of integration as that of the digital system1. There are very few limitations which are inherent in the digital system. The two biggest among them are as follows: Firstly, most of the physical quantities are analog in nature and therefore these quantities are mostly the input and the output that have been monitored, operated on and controlled by a system like temperature, pressure, flow rate, liquidity level, and velocity among others. These quantities can be expressed in the digital way when there is a need to make it more precise and specific. However, a digital approximation is generally made in the analog quantity. Secondly, the other limitation is that the whole world is analog and as a true fact processing digitalized signals indeed takes a very long time1. In order to take advantages of the digital techniques when dealing with the analog inputs and outputs the four steps which must be followed are as follows: 1. The first step includes converting the physical variable to an electrical signal (analo g). 2. The second step is transforming the electrical (analog) signal into the digital signal. 3. The next step that follows is processing or operating on the digital information. 4. The last step is converting the digital outputs back to the real world analog form1 With

Swot Analysis for Keystone Bank Essay Example for Free

Swot Analysis for Keystone Bank Essay Keystone has a few strengths looking at its present financial condition financial statements. However, the bank is willing and able to pay higher competitive rates compared to other banks in the area. This is likely to send a strong signal to potential customers who may wish to take advantage of the rates by increasing their core deposits at Keystone Bank. Also, increasing local economic activities can also be viewed as strength to keystone. This is because if the local people are making more money than they need, they will be willing to save some especially at high rates of return which would benefit them and Keystone at the same time. It will increase their core deposits and decrease their dependence on other sources for loanable funds. Commercial and consumer loans are also strength of keystone looking at the two year period compared to their peers. They need to capitalize on that and see if they offer some commercial loans to the new company’s coming into town at competitive rates. Weakness: Keystone Bank has a wide range of weaknesses compared to its peers. Some of their weaknesses are a result of their high exposure to credit risk, interest rate risk and liquidity risk. Credit risk can be defines as the risk of a corporation not being able to pay its debt as they become due. Keystone has a lot of CD’s on its books and need to pay the holders of the CD as they become due. This is going to put a lot of financial stress on the bank considering the fact that interest rates are low and the national economy is slowing down. Liquidity risk can be defined as a company’s ability to convert its assets into cash at fair market value. Keystone Bank’s liquidity measures are below the average of its peers. If you consider its temporary investments to assets for 1990 and 1989, they were 10. 64% and 11. 02% compared to 15. 07% and 16. 15% of its peers. This means that Keystone Bank is investing in products that cannot be quickly converted into cash at fair market price. They are also offering CD’s at a high rate compared to its peers. Other liquidity measures such as volatile liability to assets, is more than 11 % above the average of its peers. This means that Keystone has huge liabilities on its balance sheet which can easily be defaulted on. Net loans leases to core deposits also show an even high trend. There is over 25% difference between Keystone Bank and its peers. In the last two years Keystone’s funds for lending to its customers have mainly come from borrowed money instead of core deposits. This means that the bank make interest payment on the money it lends to its customers which has put it at a disadvantages in terms of offering competitive rates to its customers. It also indicates that in the case of any liquidity crises Keystone bank will not be able to convert its investments into cash at fair market value as quickly as it may want. A banks largest asset is its loans or loanable funds which is not the case for Keystone bank. Lack of clear written policies regarding liquidity and interest rate management by the bank has made it difficult for managers to make good asset and liability decisions. This could be part of the reason why instead of loaning funds to customers, the bank is selling CD’s and increasing their liabilities. Opportunities: Design of the new information system of financial reports will help management make informed decisions on how best to use the banks resources and also meet the examiners criticisms. An increase in the population in the area provides a great opportunity for the bank. The bank can capitalize on this and help it propel into the future. The establishment of new facilities by three national firms in the area – an electronics company, automotive parts and accessories manufacturer and the building materials supplier – is expected to flood the local economy with about 2700 jobs. This is great news for Keystone since it can use incentives such as free checking accounts to bring in new customers and increase its deposits. It can also find new and qualified customers who might be interested in real estate, consumer and other types of loans. The establishment of the new interest rate sensitivity and liquidity reports will help management monitor and understand changes in interest rates and liquidity and how they affect the bank. Keystone can take advantage of the current low interest rates and borrow money from the Federal Reserve Bank. With interest rates expected to rise in the near future, Keystone can increase its adjusted rate mortgages to customers instead of fixed rate mortgages in hopes to increasing their returns when interest rates rises. Threats: There are numerous threats that Keystone faces as a bank. First there is the threat of other banks and thrifts in the area who will also take advantage of the expected increase in the local economy. Most of the banks in the area may be able to offer relatively high interest rates to lure in new customers. If these banks are in a better financial position compared to Keystone that will put them at an advantage over Keystone. Also, the thrifts will also compete for the same 2700 people who will be acquiring the new jobs moving into the area. The bank need to work hard to decrease it CD’s and increase its loans if it wants to survive in the long run. Lastly, even though the local economy might be booming the thought of an economic slowdown in other parts of the country may have a negative impact on the spending practices of the locals. This may result in people saving all their monies instead of spending or avoiding loans all together.

Acupuncture: Chinese Medicine Essay -- essays research papers

Acupuncture: Chinese Medicine As with all things we know little about there is quite a bit of mystery surrounding acupuncture. The part people see the most is a person with needles sticking out of their flesh. Understandably being wary of sharp pointed objects being wielded by a complete stranger, this is often an obstacle that needs to be over come. The best way to do this is by becoming educated about how acupuncture is performed, where it came from, what it does, some of the benefits vs. the problems, and the different views about it. Though out the many different texts on acupuncture you find there is room for interpretation on how to perform it, what to use, and even where the pressure is placed. One thing you will find in common among these texts is this, acupuncture works to varying degrees.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The earliest recordings of the use of acupuncture go back 2,000 years. In China it is widely expressed that it has been in use for 4,000 years. The origins go back as early as the Stone Age where abscesses were punctured by sharp stones or bone fragments. ( History ) When you experience pain it is an instinctive reaction to apply pressure to that location. Such as when you get a toothache. Also the body may experience pain where the infection is not localized. Your body naturally sends you warning signals that something is wrong. The Ancient Chinese utilized these warnings, and developed an intricate system of these points over time through observation. It is easy to infer that applying pressure to relive pain with your hands evolved into the use of needles instead.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Tortoise shells have been found and dated back to 1500 B.C. – during the Shang Dynasty - recording the use of acupuncture. The first actual written text acclaiming acupuncture is called Nei Ching Su Wen. It is written into two basic sections. The Su Wen, or easy questions and the Lung Shu, or hard questions. This book basically lays out all the different points, but it is mostly a book on concept and theory. The Nei Ching Su Wen lays the basic rules of philosophy and treaties on health. These philosophies branched form two mainstream religions that abounded during the Warring States period in Chinese history. The first is Confucianism. The teachings of this â€Å" religion â€Å" stress that the body is scared and are against dissection or surgery. T... ... You have no nasty side effect of drowsiness, or being groggy. The vomiting and stomach irritation are a thing of the past. This technique is especially being used and experimented with in China.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There is also another branch of acupuncture being explored. It involves pressure points specifically I the ear. These points are being found to be connected to all other organs of the body. Although there are arguments that acupuncture is purely suggestion, they can be proven wrong. Suggestion cannot allow for a human being to under surgery with pain. The discovery of endorphins shows that a chemical process is instigated through pressure points. There is a chemical increase of endorphins when acupuncture is performed. Research being funded in China by the United States, and other Western countries, are going to lead us to a great break through some day. The future looks bright, and everyday we learn more and more. Some day we may learn the secret of why acupuncture works for now we will have to accept that it does work and try to combine old and new philosophies to reach a greater understanding.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  

Flash Fiction and Prose Essay

Surprise endings are tricky. They either work or they don’t; people are either captivated or dubiously disappointed. I must confess that â€Å"The School† and â€Å"Dinner Time† were both extremely strange and vaguely unenjoyable for me. â€Å"School† was quite depressing and raised quite a bit of questions: when does bad luck become just bad? How were the deaths uniform and consistent in plants, animals, and even people? Was there indeed something wrong with the school itself? Or was their a saboteur? I believe the root of the problem was too many questions and not enough answered. On top of that the ending was a walking gerbil which is just odd. The language, depth and vocabulary of the students change all of a sudden and the principal displays public affection with another teacher. As a result the story conveys an unsettling and even worrying atmosphere where children go to learn; the reader gets the sense that the children may not be entirely safe, but from what is still entirely unknown. Similarly, â€Å"Dinner Time† could conceivably be a Mad TV skit or a scene behind a schizophrenic’s eyes. I’m not sure if this bizarre husband and wife team was masochistic, psychopathic, or just plain insane. There is a great deal of anger, frustration and unnecessary pain that I quite simply did not understand. I could not comprehend how this dinner could have presented itself in Edson’s head. Truly, it is nothing but puzzling, and the ending is rather a relief – the reader can finally stop being confused. Conversely, â€Å"A Story About the Body† and â€Å"Sleeping† engages the reader by presenting a picture everyone has been in: babysitter (or babysat) and desire, or in it’s basest form, human connection. â€Å"Body† was the shortest piece we had to read and also managed to convey nearly the most information of all of them. A man desires a woman because of her expression through art, her dancer’s grace and her captivating eyes. But upon hearing of her loss, he at least is able to keep eye contact when he tells her the truth. The reader immediately experiences two different sets of emotions: pity for the woman with graceful hands of art, and a reluctant empathy with the man who changed his mind. It would’ve been an undeniably unnerving experience for him and any man, making love to a woman without what some consider is part of the essence of a woman, no matter how much in love with her he thought himself to be. But then he and the reader are presented with an ending in the form of a gift: a small blue bowl filled with water, rose petals and dead bees. I was completely ignorant of what this might mean and so did brief research on the symbolism of bees and found that the bee has most often been used to represent the soul. I do not know if that is what Hass implied or even intended but it seems to fit best here. Perhaps it is a metaphor for her own body: pretty on the outside (with clothes), damaged on the inside, but still whole – still a woman (naked). Not only was this woman sending him a message, but she was also giving him part of what attracted him to her in the first place: her art. The reader is likewise quickly intrigued in â€Å"Sleeping,† even downright curious as to why Mrs. Winter prevents the hired babysitter from ever confirming the existence of the baby. Is the baby alright? Is it breathing? Does this alleged baby even exist? Whereas â€Å"School† raised disturbing questions about the safety of mass amounts of children, â€Å"Sleeping† raises thoughts of intrigue, deception, and old fashioned mystery. And the ending is not surprising so much as it merely drives the reader to a hunger to know what exactly Mrs. Winters keeps in the â€Å"baby† room. And no Mr. Winter, we do not understand.

Inspiration: Disability and Final Lap

Disability and Final Lap BY cancans Inspiration: Life Is Like photography. You need the negatives to develop. Do you always think of what people say about you? Does It affect your dally basis and break down your motivation and inspiration? Always try to avoid negative people, they feed on your reaction and if they see you being affected by what they say or do, they'll keep doing it. If paralysis had their minds posted to the bad comments people give, they would've never reached success.The reason why I chose the Paralytics instead of the Olympics as inspiration, is the fact that paralysis are disabled and they need o work so much harder to gain a certain goal. Their disability can easily break their will to keep on working towards these goals as well as their mindset and motivation. Being disabled keeps you humble because you know what it feels like to have nothing, to lose something very important like their legs etc. Or to work twice as hard as people with no disability.It's like a little voice that whispers to them â€Å"maybe† when it seems like the whole world is shouting â€Å"no†. Paralysis never know how strong they are, until being strong is the only choice they have. That is why they are an inspiration to so many people. They teach you that discipline Is the distance between reality and your dreams and you need to appreciate the little things In life because one day you're going to look back and realize that it was the big things.People tend to be more inspired by disabled people because even though they have lost something they still work hard to gain something to replace what they've lost. They know, when you truly want success, you'll never give up on it. No matter how bad the situation may get. Of course what they do are challenging but challenges are what make life Interesting and overcoming them Is what makes life meaningful. They would also tell you that they never underestimate their strength and never overestimate their weakness es and that's why most of them are humble.At the Olympics in London in the year 2012, there was four deferent swimmers: One with both arms and Just one leg, one with both arms and no legs, one with half an arm and the most important one, one with no arms. To start the swimming competition you have to jump in the water and hold on to the blocks. The man with no arms couldn't so they tied a ball on a piece of string and attached the string to the block and he put the ball In his mouth. He swam the fastest fifty meters anyone could've ever seen.In the first lap he was in the lead and everyone was standing for two reasons: one, he is winning and two, how is he going to turn? He slowed down, bumped his head turned. The second lap was breast stroke, not his strongest and at the end of the second lap he dropped down to third place. He turned for the third lap. This time it's the butterfly . He gets to the end of the third lap and dropped down to fourth place. He turns for the final lap. Th is time it's freestyle, his fastest stroke. He was quicker in the freestyle than any other stroke.In the final lap, this man went from fourth place to third, from third to second and with a meter to go, the crowd on their feet as his head Is in front of the man next to him. But he didn't win because the man next to order to succeed, your desire for success should be greater than your fear of failure and that's why he was happy with second place. His motivation was so powerful that he kept humble and gained his goal of succeeding in what he does. If you love what you do it will be the only way to great work. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle for something less than your goals you set for yourself.

The First Stanza of The Song Of Roland Essays

The First Stanza of The Song Of Roland Essays The First Stanza of The Song Of Roland Essay The First Stanza of The Song Of Roland Essay Charlemagne, the king of France, has waged war in Spain against the Saracens for seven years. He has conquered the entire Spain and there isnt any city left to invade but only Saragossa, which is located upon a mountain. It is the city of pagan King Marsile. He has no love for God for he is a follower of Muhammad and besides, he prays to Apollo. No matter what he does, he will be unable to prevent his ruin. There is no place where we are told about these seven years except for thefirst stanza, for the rest of the poem tells about specifically the seventh year of Charlemagnes war in Spain. This stanza is definitely a brief summary of background of the whole poem, and the poet gives the course of the story immediately at the beginning. So with this opening, audiences have the basic idea of the story, which will be developed in the rest of the poem that is built upon the same basic idea. Thefirst line of this stanza begins with the name, Charles, who is the king of Franks and it is ent irely reserved for Charlemagne and his attributes. Thefirst attribute referring to Charles is ;the king; which could be simply taken as his title. But, just after that, the poet assigns another attribute, ;our great emperor;, to Charles. Although this second one seems to be very same as thefirst one atfirst glance, it means more than a title. At this point we have come to realize that the poet is also a Frank. Furthermore, here the tone is extremely emotional, for the poet expresses Franks; engagement and admiration to their king by these words. And this is developed in the rest of the poem as the concept of a good vassal. Beginning with the second line, we are introduced to the action part of the story. And we learn that the King of France is on a successful campaign in Spain. On the next line, the poet refers Spain as the ;proud land;, which is ;as far as the sea;. We cannot k

Do these cliché career tips actually work

Do these clichà © career tips actually work Does this sound familiar? You’re trying to figure out your future and you’re in the midst of some serious career planning, when all of a sudden you’re inundated on all sides by a hurricane of advice on what to do, what not to do, and how to move forward. The truth is, when it comes to career planning most people think they have all the right answers when they’re dishing out clichà ©d and uninformed advice to others, and if you’re the unwitting recipient of these tired tips from everyone in your life you’re likely feeling overwhelmed and unsure of where to turn.Don’t bother doing a blind search on the Internet for career tip guidance- you’ll only encounter the same sort of tired advice that contradicts itself and takes all sides and forms depending on where you look. So, with all of this â€Å"career noise† at every turn, how do you know what to believe and follow?You should always do what you love.This is a nice thought, and it would be an interesting world if everyone got to do exactly what they want to do or love. But the truth is, reality sometimes holds a different view of how our careers should play out. While it can be a good idea to pursue a dream, it can be foolhardy to pursue it forever- after all, a noble pursuit like following your dream won’t pay your bills. Besides, it’s possible to find happiness and fulfillment while pursuing a backup plan. Use logic and reality as your guide when deciding between pursuing your dream and choosing an acceptable alternative.Don’t leave your current job until you have a new one lined up.This job advice tidbit is as old as it gets- but does that necessarily mean it’s sound advice? This tip gets particularly murky if your job environment is especially toxic or unhealthy. Sure, it makes sense to have a steady paycheck and job history while job hunting and until something new comes along, but life is short and if you’re re ally in a difficult or miserable spot, then it may be worthwhile to see if you can survive if you left your job. Besides, it’s easier to job hunt when you have more time to focus on it. Once again, fully weigh your situation, along with the pros and cons, and decide wisely.Don’t leave a job before you’ve been there for at least a year.Everyone has heard this one before, but is it actually sound advice? Employers like to work with people who stick around since it’s so expensive to recruit and train them.†However, they also suggest that reality might not be so black and white: â€Å"While you want to avoid having  lots  of short stays in your job history, most people will understand if there was a particular situation that wasn’t great. If it’s your boss or the day-to-day nature of your work that’s  not what you expected, keep in mind that there are sometimes options to change positions without leaving the organization. Sta rt by looking for new responsibilities and discussing a  transfer to another team. If, after that, you’re still itching to get out, update your resume and re-start your job hunt.†If you change your field you’ll have to start at the bottom.Are you finding yourself in a position where you’re thinking of a complete career overhaul? If so, then you’ve undoubtedly encountered this advice, which came from the notion that you always have to â€Å"pay your dues† when starting out in an industry and work your way up from the bottom. But whoever originally came up with this one obviously never thought about the value of transferable work experience and skills. According to The Muse, â€Å"if you’ve already put time into your current career, you probably have more skills that transfer from field to field than you recognize. Not just that, but your years of work have also taught you how to network, which can play a role in getting off the groun d floor.† Bottom line: recognize your value and transferable skill set when considering what positions in other fields make sense for you, and don’t let this tired old clichà © deter you from pursuing a new career in a new field.There you have it- a fresh look on some old career tip clichà ©s. Use the information provided here to help declutter your brain when it gets too full of competing advice and you’ll be on your way to make smart career decisions in no time.

List of book 234 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

List of book 234 - Essay Example Description: This brightly colored picture book tells the story of a couple who adopts a child from another country. It is a helpful aide for teaching kids about adoption. Karen Katz (Author, Illustrator) Description: This picture book for young children teaches children about the different kinds of families in the world today. It is particularly helpful in teaching about multiculturalism and acceptance. Description: This award winning book presents the classic Aesop’s Fable about a lion and a mouse who are overcome their differences and help each other. This is a good book for teaching children about overcoming differences and helping one another. Description: This book is particularly helpful for toddlers as it teaches how to control emotions and how to calm down when upset. For any child with tantrum problems, this can be a great tool with its fun pictures and rhymes. Elizabeth Verdick (Author) †º Visit Amazons Elizabeth Verdick PageFind all the books, read about the author, and more.See search results for this author Are you an author? Learn about Author Central Day and Night Description: This is a picture book for children at preschool age or younger. It is a humorous tool for teaching children about things that they should do such as changing their socks each day and things that they should not such as brushing teeth with peanut