Financing a Business Magazine Article Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Financing a Business Magazine Article - Essay Example Even though, in common instances, credit has been rendered to the small businesses of developing countries such as India, Brazil, China, and South African states among others, the small businesses sectors in developed nations including the US and the UK can also be noted as major constituents of economic growth (Mahembe, 2011). Source: (Mahembe, 2011) Enthusiastically, based on these statistical findings and economic affirmations, small businesses have been connoted as the â€Å"powerhouse† and even as â€Å"most powerful engines of growth and jobs† within an economy (Banks, 2012). It is certainly for this particular reason that authoritative bodies, in the global economy today, intends to render greater emphasis and strategic support to these sectors, helping them to grow, sustain and compete. However, in the realistic scenario, these ‘powerhouses’ often have to face various hazards which are mostly concerned with the availability of adequate resources req uired to sustain the business in the long-run. Finance is an important requirement for the formation of any business allowing it to explore and take advantages of opportunities with the purpose of expansion and support to the daily operations. Literally stating, finance is a lubricant for any business to sustain their functions successfully in highly dynamic modern business circumstances (INFLIBNET Centre, 2010). As a matter of fact, without adequate availability of finances, business cannot grow which eventually results in its failure. In the current business scenario, operating environment for small business has become quite challenging fundamentally owing to the increasing complexities influenced by the rapidly altering external environmental elements. In recent times, the government bodies and the financial institutions have realized the importance of small businesses in the development of national economy and thereby have been focusing on rendering support to the sector with a greater motive to augment economic prosperity in the global platform. Contextually, several sources have become available to small businesses today, through which they can meet their financial requirements effectively, e.g. bank lending, mortgages, credit facilities and others (The Economist Intelligence Unit Limited, 2009). However, procurement of finance from various sources itself requires some expenses (Department of Economic Development, Tourism and the Arts, 2011). Additionally, owing to the variances, raising finance for small scale businesses has become more sophisticated than it was earlier. Difficulties in Raising Finance for Small Scale Businesses There are various issues that contribute towards the challenges faced by the small businesses. In relation to this, one of the vital and common issues faced by the small businesses today has been their limited access to adequate finance (Soni, 2005). One of the potential explanations for apparent difficulties experienced by smal l businesses can be related with nominal credit risk management practiced by finance providers. It is completely rational for bank managers to take into account the various risk factors associated with pricing of loans. From the point of view of various banks, loans that have larger default risks or certain loans where borrowers are deemed to fail to meet interest payments have relatively lower chances to be approved. Even though, these requests are approved, lenders often attempt to mitigate such additional risks by issuing loans with shorter maturity period or by minimising the

The Biblical Worldview of the 21st Century Case Study

The Biblical Worldview of the 21st Century - Case Study Example The appellant was arguing that there simply was not enough evidence to conclude that this was the case and wanted to have the court dismiss the case because of this. The Biblical Worldview and the Case The primary biblical issue that must be addressed within this case is the issue of morals and responsibility. The appellant argued that even though the man may have been intoxicated as a direct result of the drinks that the bartender served, the law generally upholds the notion that they should not be held responsible for the actions of an intoxicated person. This stands somewhat in contrast to the Biblical worldview of justice and truth. In the video provided, the judges even questioned the lawyers about the bartender’s ethical responsibility to stop an intoxicated person from getting behind the wheel of a car or at least declining to serve the person any more alcoholic beverages. It appears that the law has made it so that bartenders and the bars such as O’Malleyâ€℠¢s Tavern are very rarely held responsible for any reprehensible actions that their patrons might commit while under the influence. This issue of basic ethics and morals that the Bible teaches would be most applicable in this particular case, therefore. Is this a good method for resolving disputes? Why or why not? The Biblical Worldview would indicate that solving a case in this manner is not preferable. According to the article entitled â€Å"Love, Law, Grace, Mercy, Justice, and Equity,† â€Å"the Biblical laws give God-determined sanctions which are levels of punishment that are proportional to the crime committed†(â€Å"The Biblical Worldview†). Additionally, this article states that â€Å"man is unable to keep God’s law and is condemned by it†¦ nevertheless(it is) to be implemented as fully and completely as possible by individuals, families, voluntary associations, the Church, and state government†(â€Å"The Biblical Worldview†). The logic within this statement concludes that the American legal system is already abiding by a Biblical worldview, albeit indirectly. If the Biblical worldview was utilized within the court, there could be a disconnect between the punishment and the crime. The Biblical viewpoint does carry a lot of morality within it, but there is also a lot of vengeance and wrath for wrongdoings within its theology, primarily within the Old Testament. If this worldview were applied in modern times, it is likely that the legal world would look a lot more like Islam’s Sharia Law where a person will have a hand cut off for stealing.  

Disney Pixar Essay Example for Free

Disney Pixar Essay The balance sheet is a snapshot of a company’s financial condition. It shows assets, liabilities, and stockholder’s equity. An asset is an item of economic value owned by an individual or corporation, especially that which could be converted to cash or liquidated. A liability is an obligation that legally binds an individual or company to settle a debt. When one is liable for a debt, they are responsible for paying the debt or settling a wrongful act they may have committed. Stockholder’s equity is a company’s common stock equity as it appears on a balance sheet, qual to total assets minus liabilities, preferred stock, and intangible assets such a good will. Disney had reported their fair values for cash equivalents and cash, receivables, accounts payable, contracts, derivates and investments that are available for sale. The Company estimates their total current cash and equivalents totaling an amount of 13. 7 billion for October 2, 1010 and 12. 6 billion for October 3, 2009. Disney is such a huge company and has array of assets and best known brands. From parks, property, leasehold, equipments, furniture, land, copyrights, FCC licenses, trademarks and other intangible assets. The Company’s total assets totaled up to 42. 2 billion for 2010 and 38. 1 billion for 2009. Disney has many big assets but their largest assets are their parks and resorts/ properties. Based on their 2 most recent annual reports, the Company reported their largest assets coming in at 16 billion for October 2, 2010 and 16 billion for October 3, 2010. Two of the largest liabilities that Pixar has forgone in the last two most recent reporting periods are the Steven Jobs with The Pixar Touch and the tax liability of backdated Pixar stocks. With the Pixar Touch liability Steven Jobs had put $50 million into the company. The book started losing money the first year putting a liability into the company. With the backdated Pixar stocks puts many jobs in the dark spot light. This puts Pixar having a total of $31,687,000 of all current liabilities at the end of their most recent annual report. Pixar revenue for the past three years has taken a leap of an average of 54. 4%. Annual sales for the 100 top finishers rose of an average of 30. 7% annually. This puts Pixar having profits jump up to 55. 9% a year. Pixar is the hottest movie maker on the years hot growth list. Walt Disney is a huge entity. The Walt Disney World Resort encompasses 30,500 acres, making it approximately the same size as San Francisco. Looking at Disney’s balance sheet their total assets at the end of its 2 most recent annual reporting periods (2010) was $69,206,000. The total amount of accounts payable at the end of its 2 most recent annual reporting periods was $6,109,000. Also, the company’s total current liabilities at the end of its 2 most recent annual reporting period were $11,000,000. An income statement reports the profitability of a company’s operations over a period of time (Weygandt, 2008). Net income is when a company’s revenues exceed their expenses, as opposed to net loss when a company’s expenses exceed their revenues, and will not include investment or dividend transactions. Disney has had the success in being able to report all net income on at least three of its last income statements. Disney’s net incomes for the last three annual reporting periods are as follows: †¢2008 – $4,427,000 †¢2009 – $3,307,000 †¢2010 – $3,963,000 As you can see, from 2008 to 2009 Disney’s net income decreased by $1,120,000. Most of this loss is due to the state of the current economy.

Essay on John Milton’s Paradise Lost and the War in Heaven

Paradise Lost and the War in Heaven  Ã‚  Ã‚      From the beginning of book 1 the war in heaven seems more than a simple, finished event. In reality, we have the authorized formal side presented: the war was ambitious, impious, proud, vain, and resulting in ruin. Satan’s first speech implies that there was another side-even after we have partly discounted the personal tones of the defeated leader who speaks of the good old lost cause, â€Å"hazard in the Glorious Enterprise.† That too is a formal side, presented by the losing actor in the drama. Then Satan goes on, to reveal, before he can pull himself together in defiance, something more:    Into what Pit thou seest From what highth fal’n, so much the stronger provd He with his thunder: and then who knew The force of these dire Arms? (I, 91, ff)    A little later the surprise has been bolstered with a kind of indignation:    But still his strength conceal’d Which tempted our attempt, and wrought our fall. (I, 641 f.)    We soon learn that we cannot get answers in hell, but we begin to see certain questions, and the possibility that their answers may appear when we see the actual dramatic presentation of the rebellion. For one thing, Satan’s â€Å"innumerable force† receives a definite tally later- it is only one third of the angels. And this fact will look different when we learn that God opposes the enemy force with an equal number only, and then puts a fixed limit on the individual strength of the contestants, and then sends only the Son against the rebels, and with His strength limited too. Satan puts so much concentration on having shaken the throne of god, against â€Å"His utmost power†-â€Å"Who from the terrour of this Arm so late/... ...s; and then the gigantic niceness of the detail that pictures the mountains, pulled up by the tops, coming bottom side up toward them. In between we are forced to look away, to separate ourselves from the action, and see it as a spectator, not as a participator. In the grand finale of physical ridicule the rebels are again left exposed to laughter by the interrupted point of view. Never do they appear so ridiculous, not even as a timorous flock, as when they are caught isolated between the before and the behind.    This is to be understood metaphorically, as the climax of their physical humiliation. It does not last, any more than their later mass metamorphosis into serpents, with which this is parallel. But it is a punishment, on the material level, for the material nature of their sin. If they regain their form in hell, that is because they regain free will.

Brave New Brain

AP PsychologyName Chp 2: Neuroscience Questions for Brave New Brain, Chapter 4 by Nancy C. Andreasen Read this packet carefully & completely. The reading is very long, complex & detailed. Consider it a primer reading to help you study the brain. As you read feel free to highlight or underline the actual text as needed. These study questions are to help you key in on what is important. Be sure to answer each question fully and completely. I expect you to TYPE the answers. You may find it easier to save a copy from my webpage and fill in the questions as you go instead of retyping the questions.Due to the length of this assignment it will count as a test grade. (HINT: Questions go in order) 1. What are the three (3) types of brain tissue? ~Gray matter, white matter, and Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) 2. List the two (2) neurodegenerative disorders that destroy cell bodies. ~Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s 3. What does the cell body do for the neuron? ~Performs basic command functi ons 4. Why does â€Å"cerebral cortex† mean â€Å"bark of the brain†? ~The nerve cell bodies are highly concentrated on the surface of the brain, causing it to look like tree bark 5.What does â€Å"subcortical† literally mean? ~Below the cortex 6. Name the two (2) demyelinating diseases listed in the text. What do these types of diseases do? ~Multiple sclerosis (MS) and Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) both harm the white matter of the brain and cut the ties that allow the neurons to communicate with one another 7. What are ventricles? ~Parts inside the brain that carry CSF 8. Name two of the three important functions that CSF carries out. ~Contain nutrients and byproducts of brain activity to help the brain ~Replace issing brain tissue 9. What are gyri and sulci? Why do we have them? Draw a diagram to explain. ~Ridges and dips that cover the surface of the human brain in order for the brain to have enough neurons and stay at a healthy size, because the brain has to do adjusting and when it does, it creates the gyri and sulci 10. How does the brain grow? List and explain in detail each of the seven (7) steps in Table 4-1 on page 45: neuron formation, neuron migration, proliferation of dendrites and spines, synaptogenesis, myelination, pruning, and apoptosis.You may have to read into the text to explain in detail. ~Neuron formation happens a few months after fetus conception, and when DNA begins to send instructions to cells telling them to differentiate into nerve cells and some to change into liver or heart cells. After a sufficient number of nerve cells accumulate, the neurons then embark on a journey known as neuron migration. Pathfinder cells called glia guide the neurons to a new territory where they will create the cerebral cortex and the various subcortical gray matter parts of the brain.After the brain divides into two sides and the cells organize themselves according to the role that they will play in the activities of the brai n, dendrites and spines are formed (when each neuron sprouts dendrites that extend themselves by sprouting spines). Synapses are communication points that allow many cells to communicate with each other at the same time and mature and change in a process called synaptogenesis. Myelination occurs when axons are covered and insulated by fat layers, which increase the information speed between neurons.Lastly, pruning and apoptosis must occur to create a balance of connections within the brain because of the excess number of unnecessary cells and connections in the brain. Pruning trims the back overgrowth of dendrites and spines, and apoptosis removes the excess in a process known as programmed cell death. 11. What role does DNA play in neural development? ~It provides basic instructions in neural development with a concept called â€Å"brain plasticity† 12. Explain the following in your own words: â€Å"neurons that wire together, fire together. ~Nerve cells that are built toge ther and are stimulated at the same time will produce the same reaction 13. What is LTP or long term potentiation? What major neurotransmitter facilitates LTP? ~LTP is when the size of a neural response increases after stimulation, and is facilitated by Glutamate 14. What does the hippocampus do? ~One of the major memory regions of the brain and stores memories; is the home for much LTP activity with Glutamate 15. What did Hubel & Wiesel win the Nobel Prize for? Specifically explain their experiment on vision & critical periods. Their discoveries about the brain by conducting an experiment involving covering the eye of a very young animal and observing cell alignment and how it impacted the function of the good eye and bad eye. Later, they uncovered the bad eye and determined that it was too late for it to develop like the good eye. 16. What is a critical period (relate this term to more than vision)? ~When an area of the brain (vision, touch, or speaking) develop fully. For some pa rts, timing is crucial and proper development will be lost if stimulation doesn’t occur at the correct time. 17.In your own words explain the following quote on page 49: â€Å"Sometimes single powerful experiences affect our brains for life. † ~It doesn’t take something crazy to alter the brain. If the experience is strong, a sole experience can produce a lasting impact. 18. In your own words explain the following quote on page 50: There is â€Å"†¦ a false polarity between physical and psychological†¦ † ~People think that treatments for depression or anxiety require physical biological treatment, but sometimes non-biological methods can produce the same or stronger results. 19. What is agenesis?How is it caused? Explain fully!!! ~An abnormality of the fetal brain caused by alcohol exposure; nerve cells in the two hemispheres fail to send axons between each other and communicate. 20. What are some social consequences of LTP and human experience mentioned on page 51. ~Over exposure to TV or violence when young can cause children to develop a passive learning style or become insensitive to violence and/or pain. 21. Write down the Latin or Greek meaning and the function for the following: cerebellum, thalamus, hippocampus, subcortical, amygdala, neocortex, hypothalamus & corpus callosum. Cerebellum: â€Å"little brain†; coordinates movement, thinking, and emotion ~Thalamus: â€Å"marriage bed†; filter or central switchboard of the brain ~Hippocampus: â€Å"seahorse†; memory ~Subcortical: â€Å"below the bark†; any gray matter region that lies below the cortex of the brain ~Amygdala: â€Å"almond†; emotional memory ~Neocortex: â€Å"new bark†; more highly evolved cortical area ~Hypothalamus: â€Å"under the bed†; modulation of appetites and drives ~Corpus Callosum: â€Å"firm body†; axon tracks connecting two hemispheres of the brain 22. What is the motor strip in charge of? Where is it located?What is the motor homunculus? Who found it? ~In charge of movement throughout the body; located in frontal lobe. Motor Humunculus is a pattern that connects sense of touch to movement in our bodies and it was mapped out by Wilder Penfield. 23. List and explain what each of the four (4) lobes of the cerebral cortex do. ~Frontal Lobes: planning, deciding, remembering, and making moral judgements ~Temporal Lobes: language and some parts of memory ~Parietal Lobes: sensory and visuospatial associations ~Occipital Lobes: contain regions used for visual perception 24.What do they mean by the â€Å"mind† on page 56? ~Mental activities such as remembering and communicating (rather than the scientific aspects of the brain) 25. Compare and contrast the two (2) general methods of brain research on page 57. ~Lesion method: Provides information about the brain by showing what the brain was no longer able to do after having a particular section taken away ~Functional Imaging Techniques: permit scientists to directly visualize which parts of the healthy brain are used to perform specific functions ~Contrast: Lesion method exploited accidents and strange natural occurrences 26.Define aphasia and then explain the two (2) different types. What happens if your angular gyrus is damaged? ~Aphasia is called the â€Å"loss of language† (failure to associate meaning to sound waves). Types: Wernicke’s (individual loses ability to speak coherently because the ability to comprehend the language is lost) and Broca’s (individual knows what’s being said but can’t express himself). If the angular gyrus is damaged the ability to read and write will be diminished, but the ability to understand won’t be. 27.Explain what Karl Lashley was looking for. What happened to H. M. as a result of his surgery? What do the amygdala and hippocampus do? ~He was looking for proof that no specific lesion could produce deficits in memory; H. M was completely voided of the ability to remember any new information. The amygdala and hippocampus mediate some learning/memory and work together to send and store memories. 28. What brain structure acts as an attention filter? ~The Thalamus 29. What does the prefrontal system (cortex) do?What is a prefrontal syndrome? Historical cases? ~It mediates executive functions (abstract thought, creative problem solving, and behavior). A prefrontal syndrome is a lesion in the orbital region of the prefrontal cortex. A historical case is when Phineas Gage got an iron bar through his left frontal lobe and exhibited drastic personality and developmental differences/changes. 30. What does the cerebellum do? ~Coordinates movement, thinking, and emotion 31. What is the limbic system in charge of?What four (4) major parts make up this system? ~Feeling and monitoring emotions with basic survival drives; cingulate gyrus, hippocampus and amygdala, mammillary bodies and anterior thalamus 32. Brie fly explain how a neurotransmitter works (not action potential). Draw me a sketch. ~Small molecule or chemical that transmits nerve signals from one neuron to another 33. The last parts are wordy. List and summarize all of the functions of the following chemicals: dopamine, norepinephrine, serotonin, acetylcholine, GABA, and glutamate. Dopamine: first product synthesized from the activity of tyrosine hydroxylase; close chemical relationship with norepinephrine and epinephrine; key neurotransmitter in the brain and plays role in Parkinson’s and schizophrenia ~Norepinephrine: sends projections throughout the whole brain; affects almost every region in the brain, and plays a large part in mood disorders ~Serotonin: near midbrain, similar to norepinephrine and plays important roles in antidepressant medications ~Acetylcholine: in the nucleus basalis of Meyner and protects the hippocampus and cingulate gyrus; memory encoder ~GABA: amino acid neurotransmitter; inhibitory role in th e brain; relatively long tract; characterizes Huntington’s disease ~Glutamate: amino acid neurotransmitter; excitatory role; can be harmful if presented in large amounts (produce excessive neuronal excitation); produce signs of psychosis 34. Finally, in your own words tell me why â€Å"the whole [brain] is greater than the sum of its parts†? ~In order for the brain to function, all parts must work together, which means that no part can be completely dysfunctional (although brain plasticity can to some degree balance and make up for the disfunction).

Elie Wiesel’s “Night”- Journal Entry Essay

Luck is on Wiesel’s Side†I am too old, my son,† he answered. â€Å"Too old to start a new life. Too old to start from scratch in some distant land†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (9)This scene where Elie’s father rejects his son’s request to liquidate everything and flee from the place where the extermination of Jews may occur, reminds me of a vivid conversation I once engaged in, with my two former North Korean grandparents. The Korean War (1950-53) and the Holocaust (1938-45) are in most aspects different, however, there is a heartbreaking similarity existing between the two incidents. That is, the pain of the victims gained from the separation of the family. While reading this novel Night, for several times we questioned the reason why the Jews , despite hearing the Nazi plans of annihilating the entire population dispersed throughout nations, didn’t take chance to flee from the town. As we discussed in class, primarily, the Jews were skeptical that such inhumane incident would take place in the world, until they underwent the incredible agonies both physically and mentally. Secondly, the Jews simply were unable to find some place to leave for. Sure enough, they were unwilling to become homeless even under adverse conditions of life under the hands of the SS officers. (which they didn’t expect to be the holocaust)The first reason pointed above also applies to the families during the Korean War. Subsequent to the outbreak of war, young, strong men were forced to join the army in North Korea. This meant to my North Korean grandfather in his 30s, fighting against the South Koreans was a patriotic obligation. However, he refused to fight, or support the government, and along the group of crowd he realized that the only way of escaping from the ordeal was to abandon his home and flee to the South. Of course, he strongly urged his parents to come along with him. Nevertheless, they responded him by emphasizing him of their old age and their strong will to ensure the safety of the house until the war ends. In spite of my grandfather’s further persuasion, they remained stubborn, and he could do nothing but to leave his parents behind and depart to a distant land. In the novel, I was indeed glad when the Wiesel family encounters their  former maid Maria in Uncle Mendel’s house, Elie refuses her offer of safe shelter in her village. Sure enough, if Elie and his brother went off with her, they might have avoided the terrifying labor camps where their livelihoods were jeopardized. However, I feel that wouldn’t be worse than the guilt of deserting one’s own blood and flesh. Although we must take in consideration of Wiesel witnessing his father’s death, he is aware that keeping silence is the optimal choice that wouldn’t exacerbate the situation, whereas my grandparents made the decision by themselves, to abandon their parents and friends with their own two feet. (though they weren’t aware that North and South would be completely divided)My grandparents have always regretted the decision they’ve made. They felt deep remorse in leaving their parents for their own good. My grandfather, for years, too k alcohol as a catharsis to his mental pains, and my grandmother would frequently break into tears by the tragic separation and the gnawing guilt at her premature decision. For the several decades of their life, they have been hoping to see their loved ones again through the many channels of communication including telephone, letters, the media or family visits that existed in the recent years. Unfortunately, they never reached in contact with them. Bearing in mind the threatens of the authority of its propaganda, the government in Pyongyang is preventing personal exchanges as much as it can, for they are unwilling to permit individuals from the estranged parts of the country to meet in person. For fifty years, they lived a life without hearing from their parents and relatives. My grandfather unfortunately passed away two years ago due to cancer, and his cemetery is located in the closest area to the border between North and South Korea. Luck is on Wiesel’s side for he can stay with his father in the labor camps, which definitely gives him a meaning to his life and thus he gains the hope, support and the reason to survive. If I were put in his shoes at the start of the novel, and had to make a choice between labor camps and abandoning parents, I would have chosen the former categorically.

The Difference Between Vice and Vise

The Difference Between Vice and Vise American English makes a distinction between vice (moral depravity) and vise (a tool). However, that distinction is not made in British English, where vice is used for both senses. Definitions The noun vice means an immoral or undesirable practice. In titles (such as vice president), vice means one who acts in the place of another. The expression vice versa means conversely or the other way around. In American English, the noun vise refers to a gripping or clamping tool. As a verb, vise means to force, hold, or squeeze as if with a vise. In both cases the British spelling is vice. Examples In those days the worst vice in England was pride, I guess- the worst vice of all because folks thought it was a virtue.(Carol Ryrie Brink, Caddie Woodlawn, 1936)The vice president acted as an intermediary to resolve disputes involving two or more agencies.Animals breathe in what animals breathe out, and vice versa.(Kurt Vonnegut, Cats Cradle, 1963)American usageHe went to the end of the tool bench and cranked open the vise, then slipped a small piece of sheet metal in and clamped the vise tight.(Trent Reedy, Stealing Air, 2012)American usageSometimes Rupert defined things in a new way- love grips you like a vise, then caresses you like a silk scarf, then bangs you on the head like an anvil.(Sabina Murray, A Carnivores Inquiry, 2004)British usageAfter softening a horn by boiling it in water, he flattens it in a vice before taking his razor-sharp penknife to carve a pheasant, fox, leaping salmon, or ram’s head as decoration.(Tony Greenbank, Master of the Crookmaker’s Cra ft. The Guardian [UK].,  May 4, 2015) British usageI had caught her in my arms, and the sting and torment of my remorse had closed them around her like a vice.(Wilkie Collins, The Woman in White, 1859) Usage Notes In American English, a vice is an immoral habit or practice, and a vise is a tool with closable jaws for clamping things. But in British English, the tool is spelled like the sin: vice.(Bryan A. Garner, Garners Modern English Usage, 4th  ed. Oxford University Press, 2016)Warren County deputies were called to investigate a shooting in Lake Luzerne, New York, on the evening of May 12, 2007. When they arrived, they found the victim, Damion Mosher, had sustained a wound in his abdomen from a 22-caliber bullet. Even though the deputies werent from the vice squad, they quickly discovered that the perpetrator was . . . a vise. Mosher had been discharging the bullets by clamping them in a steel vise, putting a screwdriver on the primer, and striking the screwdriver with a hammer so he could sell the brass shell casings for scrap (which goes for $1.70 a pound). Mosher was on his nearly hundredth bullet when he lost the final round.(Leland Gregory, Cruel and Unusual Idiots: Chronicles of Mea nness and Stupidity. Andrews McMeel, 2008) Practice (a) The problem with a lot of people is that what they think is a virtue is actually a _____ in disguise.(Kevin Dutton, The Wisdom of Psychopaths, 2012)(b) Migraines, the bane of my life, surged up; my head felt as if it were clamped in a powerful _____.(Maud Fontenoy, Challenging the Pacific: The First Woman to Row the Kon-Tiki Route, 2005)(c) What used to happen in fashion was that the pendulum would swing: if thered been short hair for a while, then it would go long, and _____  versa.(Sam McKnight, Kate Moss Hair Stylist: British People Wear Their Hair as a Tribal Badge. The Guardian [UK],  September 15, 2016) Answers (a) The problem with a lot of people is that what they think is a virtue is actually a vice in disguise.(Kevin Dutton, The Wisdom of Psychopaths, 2012)(b) Migraines, the bane of my life, surged up; my head felt as if it were clamped in a powerful (vise [US] or vice [UK]).(Maud Fontenoy, Challenging the Pacific: The First Woman to Row the Kon-Tiki Route, 2005)(c) What used to happen in fashion was that the pendulum would swing: if thered been short hair for a while, then it would go long,  and vice versa.(Sam McKnight, Kate Moss Hair Stylist: British People Wear Their Hair as a Tribal Badge.  The Guardian  [UK],  September 15, 2016)