Holocaust Survivors essays

Holocaust Survivors essays The definition of the Golden Rule is that those with the gold make the rules. In other words, those with the gold have the power as well as those with the power have the gold. History books will discuss the general reasons for war such as freedom from adversity or freedom from religion. But the real issue for any war is the thirst for power and control; and the means to finance them are the economic issues. Nations will endure years of fighting for power and control. France and England fought each other for more than a hundred years to have control of the Channel trade routes. 1 This century of warring was known as The Hundred Years' War and is the longest war in record history. It began in 1337 when King Edward III invaded Normandy and ended in 1453 when France won the Battle of Bordeaux. However, it was not a hundred years of constant battle; there were periods of truces in between. 2 One cause for the Hundred Years' War was the claim to the French throne. The conflict began when t he direct line of succession died without a male heir and the nobles decided to pass the crown to a cousin, Philip of Valois. But this left two other male cousins equally deserving of the crown; Charles, King of Navarre and Edward III, King of England. 3 Edward III claimed that he himself was deserving of the throne because his mother was the sister of the late French king, while Philip VI was only a cousin. But according to French law, no women could inherit the throne, nor could the crown be inherited through a woman. 4 "Philip of Valois chances of becoming King of France had been remote and he had not been brought up as the future lieutenant of God on Earth. Philip VI spent much of his resources on entertainment and finery with gay abandon." 5 This caused conflict with the king's subjects. Since the king was considered to be sacred and inviolable, neither cousin would challenge Philip VI. However, they would exploit the situation and King Edward III ...

Everything You Need to Know About Commas for the ACT

Everything You Need to Know About Commas for the ACT SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Nobody likes commas: they're weird and confusing and possibly pointless. My brother decided to boycott them entirely in his senior year of high school, leaving his lists running together and his appositives undefined. Even veteran copy editors sometimes struggle with where exactly to place these reviled punctuation marks. Even so,if you want to succeedon the ACT English, you'll have to learn how to expertly employ commas. The good news is that there is a fairly limited set of comma rulesyou'llneed to know for the ACT. But before we get into the nitty-gritty technical stuff, let's establish one very important principle. Here's an overview of what we're going to cover: The Single Most Important Rule About Commas 4 Key Rules for Comma Use on the ACT When NOT to Use a Comma Practice Questions When in Doubt, Leave It Out! This is the single most important rule to keep in mind when dealing with commas on the ACT: if you aren't sure if you need a comma, you probably don't need a comma. In fact, you're far more likely to miss a question because youadd inan unnecessarycomma than you are to miss one because you left an important comma out. Take a look at the following ACT questions: Though it may be tempting to leavea comma after "value" or put one after "officials," the sentence is perfectly clear without either: Nevertheless, these tests convinced the officials of the value of using the Navajo language in a code. (H is thus the correct choice.) This principle holds forthe next example as well: Write this sentence out with no commas and you get "Perhaps this legacy of letters explains what she meant when she said that her friends were her 'estate.'" Again, it makes sense without either comma, so D is the correct choice. Unfortunately as much as we may wish that we could just stop using commas altogether, there are certain times that they're necessary. The following four rules will help you determine when and where you need to place commas. An example of an extremely vital comma. 4 Key Rules for Comma Use on the ACT The basic purpose of commas is to clarify relationships between phrases and clauses. That's a pretty broad goal, and there are a lot of different uses for commas. Luckily, you only really need to focus on a few main rules in order to do well on the ACT. The four rules you absolutely have to know deal with modifying phrases and clauses, introductory phrases and clauses, connecting independent clauses with a conjunction, and separating items in a list. Don't worry if that all sounds like gibberish: we'll go over each case with examples! Appositives, RelativeClauses, and Interjections As a general rule, any part of a sentence that can be removed without changing the sentence's fundamental meaning must be bracketed by commas. Take, for example, the following sentence: Timmywho loves Supermanis excited for the upcoming movie. The point of the sentence is that Timmy is excited about the movie- his love of Superman is just helpful background info. Since taking out "who loves Superman"wouldn't affect the main idea of the sentence, that clause needs to be separated from the rest of the sentence by commas, like so: Timmy, who loves Superman, is excited for the upcoming movie. If you aren't sure whether a part of a sentence needs to be surrounded by commas, try crossing it out. If the sentence still makes sense, then the commas are needed; if it doesn't, then they aren't. Let's try it out with an example: The student who forgot her homework got detention. "Who forgot her homework" seems like it might need to be set off with commas, so let's cross it out and try reading the sentence again: The student who forgot her homework got detention. With that clause crossed out, it's no longer clearwhichstudent got detention, so by removing it we have changed the meaning of the sentence. This means that it shouldn't be surrounded by commas. With these general principles in mind, let's examine the three main cases, which- as you may have guessed from the title of this section- are relativeclauses, appositive phrases, and general interjections. RelativeClauses: Non-Restrictive vs. Restrictive Relativeclauses are dependentclauses that describe a noun and start with a relative pronoun or adverb like "which," "that," or "where." If you're not sure exactly what those terms mean, don't worry about it too much but consider checking out our guide to clauses. The rule for using commas with relativeclauses is that you don't use commas around a clause if it's restrictive, i.e. it clarifies the specific thing you're talking about, butyou do usecommas if the clause isnon-restrictive, i.e. it merely comments on a clearly defined noun. This may seem confusing, but it's much clearer in practice, so let's look at the two types of clauses individually. Restrictive: These areclauses that are necessary to the meaning of a sentence- they clarify exactly who or what you're talking about. You can't take a restrictive clause out of asentence without fundamentally altering its meaning. Take a look at the example below. People who dislike kale won’t enjoy green smoothies. In this sentence, if you take out the clause â€Å"who dislike kale,† you’re left with â€Å"People won’t enjoy green smoothies,† which is not making the same point as the original sentence. Because this kind of clause can't be removed without changingthe meaning of the sentence, it should not be marked off with commas. Non-Restrictive:These are clauses that provide additional information and are therefore not integral to the meaning of the sentence. My sister, who dislikes kale, doesn’t enjoy green smoothies. The point of this sentence is that my sister doesn’t enjoy green smoothies; even if you remove the underlined portion, that point is still made.Unlike in the example of a restrictive clause above, the underlined portion is not vital to meaning of the sentence. As such, it needs to be separated from the main thought of the sentence with commas. An important point for the ACT: clauses starting with "which" are always non-restrictive, while those starting with "that" are always restrictive. This means that "which" ALWAYS takes a comma and "that" NEVER does: I love reading books that are full of adventure because they take me away from my boring life. I loveHarry Potter and the Sorcerer'sStone, which is full of adventure, because it takes me away from my boring life. The lovely comma butterfly ( ©Michael Palmer) Appositive Phrases Appositive phrases are basically the grammatical younger sibling of descriptive clauses: they serve the same purpose, describing a noun or pronoun, but they don't include a verb. Nonetheless, the basic rule for comma use isidentical. If a phrase can be removed without changing the meaning of the sentence, it needs to be surrounded with commas.Consider the following examples. Where do you think they need commas? Her mother a doctor was often late.→Her mother, a doctor, was often late. Jonah a fifth-grader jumps rope on the playground everyday.→Jonah, a fifth-grader, jumps rope on the playground everyday. The nouns "a doctor" and "a fifth-grader" modify"her mother" and "Jonah," respectively, but they aren't necessary to main gist of the sentences. The one slightly confusing spin on this rule is that when the order of appositives are reversed, they usually don't require commas anymore. Ernest Hemingway, an author, wrote nine novels. Ernest Hemingway an author wrote nine novels. In the above example, we employ our strikethrough strategy anddetermine that the commas are appropriately placed. However, when we reverse the word order below, you'll notice a change. Author Ernest Hemingway wrote nine novels. Author Ernest Hemingway wrote nine novels. Even though "author" now comes first, it's still modifying "Ernest Hemingway." This means that"Ernest Hemingway" shouldn't be set off with commas; as you can see, the sentence wouldn't make sense with his name removed. Moreover, tempting as it may be to put a comma after "author," it's actually serving as an adjective in this context. Just like you wouldn't put comma in the middle of "President Barack Obama," you shouldn't stick one in "Author Ernest Hemingway." Interjections The last case we'll discuss is interjections, which are words or short phrasesthat disruptthe flow of a sentence like "of course." We tend to use these a lot more when we speak than when we write, but they do pop up on the ACT occasionally. What you are more likely to see is therelated construction that occurs when a transition word is moved into asentence, like in the following example. Version 1: However, my sister refused to help me move the couch. Version 2: My sister, however, refused to help me move the couch. The second type of sentencestructure appears relatively frequently on the ACT- just know that if you see a transition word interrupting a clause, it needs to be set off with commas. We've covered alot of information and it may seem reallycomplicated, butthe important thing is to rememberthe fundamental principle: if something is surrounded by commas, thenit isn't important to the main point of the sentence. ACT Applications ACT questions about appositives and relative clauses usually require you to determine whether you need a comma to complete a pair and, if so, where it needs to go. Let's go through the question step by step.As written, this sentence doesn’t have a main verb- it’s just a subject, â€Å"Houdini,† followed by a long non-restrictive clause- so F can't be correct. J doesn’t solve this problem. G and H both place a comma after spiritualism, which gives you the non-restrictive clause â€Å"who devoted considerable effort to exposing hoaxes involving spiritualism.† If you cross that out, you’re left with either: G)Houdini, who devoted considerable effort to exposing hoaxes involving spiritualism,being skeptical about the existence of spiritualism. or H)Houdini, who devoted considerable effort to exposing hoaxes involving spiritualism, was skeptical about the existence of supernatural beings. His clearly correct, since "being" isn't a correctly conjugated verb. (In fact, answers with "being" are almost always wrong: see our post on quick tips for the ACT Englishfor a more in depth explanation and other helpful tips.) The key to this question is determining what belongsin the relative clause and then making sure that what's outside of that adds up to a complete sentence. Just like you shake hands to mark an introduction in person, you use a comma to mark an introduction in a sentence Introductions Now that we'vecoveredwhen to use commas to with phrases and clauses inside the main clause ofa sentence, let's discuss when you need commas to separate clauses and phrases that come at the beginning of a sentence. The short answer? Always.The basic rule for using commas with introductions is that any time a sentence starts with a dependent clause or modifying phrase, itmust be followed by a comma: Even though I was tired, Jenny convinced me to go to the strawberry festival. In the library, she found the books she needed. Weird-looking as it was, the lizard was sort of cute. In each of these examples, the underlined portion serves to introduce an independent clause. Weirdly, if you reverse the order of the sentence, you usually don't need the comma any more: Jenny convinced me to go to the strawberry festival even though I was tired. She found the books she needed in the library. The third example sentence is a slightly different case, since you can't actually put the underlined clauseat the end of the sentence- it's a modifier and thus needs to be next to what it's describing, which in this case is the lizard. You can, however, move it into the sentence: The lizard weird-looking as it was was sort of cute. Any idea what this version of the sentence is missing? That's right: a comma on either side of "weird-looking as it was," which could be removed without fundamentally altering the meaning of the sentence. The correctly punctuated version looks like this: The lizard, weird-looking as it was, was sort of cute. ACT Applications The ACTrarely teststhe introduction rule directly; instead, you'll usually see it come up in questions that have multiplephrases or clauses strung together. Take a look at the following example: "The next morning" is an introductory phrase, so it must be followed by a comma- this rules out answer D. Answer choice C has an improperly placed semi-colon, so wecan eliminate it as well. (For more info on semicolon rules, check out our post on other punctuation!) Now we just have to decide whether the commas should surround "using twigs" or "using twigs for kindling." Let's try each version with our strikethrough strategy from the last section. A. The next morning, using twigs, for kindling she starts a small blaze B. The next morning, using twigs for kindling, she starts a small blaze Answer B is clearly the correct choice, since it correctly punctuates both "the next morning" and "using twigs for kindling." When dealing with commas, alwaysremember that whenyou surround something withcommas, you're telling the reader that it can be removed without altering the main point of the sentence. Connecting Independent Clauses (with a Conjunction) The other main case where you need commas to separate clauses is when you use a coordinating conjunction to connect independent clauses. If you have two independent clauses and want to combine them into one sentence, you can use a comma and a coordinating conjunction, or FANBOYS (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so), instead of a semicolon. You probably use this construction correctly all the time without even thinking about it! I wanted to go hiking, but it was pouring rain all day. The important thing to remember is that using just a comma (no FANBOYS) to connect two independent clauses is absolutely always incorrect. A comma isn't interchangeable with a semicolon. This mistake is called a comma splice, and it's one of the most common errors students make on the ACT English. Incorrect: I had a terrible case of the flu, my mom brought me chicken noodle soup in bed. Correct:I had a terrible case of the flu, so my mom brought me chicken noodle soup in bed. Correct: Ihad a terrible case of the flu; my mom brought me chicken noodle soup in bed. ACT Applications On the ACT, this comma rule is usually tested in the context of other types of punctuation or in terms of identifyingindependent and dependent clauses. For more information on this, see our post on correctly connecting independent clauses. Lists The last comma rule is likelythe one you're most familiar with: in lists of three or more items, you must place a comma after every item except the last.It's really as simple as that, as you can see in the examples below. The pirate loves going toBarbados because there's so much to do, including shopping for eye patches, sharpening his sword, and visiting the pub. Today, I'm going to skip school, go to the movies, and eat a giant bag of popcorn. Note that on the ACT you must use the oxford, or series, comma, whichgoes before the "and." You may not like the Oxford comma, but you still have to use it. Lists of Two Items The ACT writers won't give you a bunch of lists with no commas in them- instead they'll try to trick you in subtler ways. After looking at the last two rules, you might assume that you need to put a comma anywhere you see "and," but that's not the case! If "and" (or any other coordinating conjunction) is connecting two things that are not independent clauses, then you DON'T use a comma. Jamesandhis brothertraveledto Oregon and Washington. The ACT writers' other favorite trick is to give you lists that don't look like lists because each item is so long. Yesterday, Talia went on a boring first date that she left early and plotted to take over the world using nothing but duct tape and string. You don't need commas in eitherof these cases because they are lists of only two items. Lists of Adjectives This is a slightly different type of list, but it does come up on the ACT occasionally. If you have more than one adjective in front of a noun or pronoun and their order doesn't matter, then you need to put a comma between them. Let's look at two examples, one where you need a comma and one where you don't: The hot dry desert Thefirst female astronaut Which one do you think needs a comma?If you're not sure, checkwhether the examples make sense with the order of the adjectives reversed: The dry hot desert Thefemale first astronaut The first example makes perfect sense with the new word order, so it does need a comma: the hot, dry desert. The second, however, doesn't work when the order of the adjectives is switched, so no comma is needed: the first female astronaut. ACT Applications As I mentioned above, ACT questions about lists tend to try to throw you off by adding in complicating factors like lots of extra words or commas being used for another purpose. Let's take a look at an example of this: It may seem like you need a comma after "labor," but this sentence is actually correct as written. It is a list of two things: "of her labor" and "of the fire's magic." A, no change, is the correct choice; the other answers only complicate the sentence. (This question also deals with parallelism, which you can learn more about here.) Remember the fundamental rule of commas: when in doubt, leave it out! WhenNOT to Use a Comma We just spent a long time going over when you do need commas, so let's circle back to that first principle byexamining someplaces where you should NEVER put commas. Between a Subject and a Verb Commas exist to clarify the relationships between clauses and phrases, so it is NEVER correct to stick one in the middle of a single thought. Any sentence where there is a lone comma between a subject and its verb is incorrect: Incorrect:She, ate a lot of cookies. Correct: She ate a lot of cookies. In the above example, the comma is pretty clearly out of place, but that isn't always the case: Incorrect:Walking to the store, was a chore. Correct: Walking to the store was a chore. Once again, the comma is unnecessary and should be removed: "walking" is the subject and "was" is the verb. But it's much less obvious, since it seems like"walking to the store" is an introductory phrase, which would require a comma. Before or After a Preposition Another place you may think you need commas is at the beginning of prepositional phrases; after all, I just said that commas should only be used to seperate clauses and phrases. However, on the ACT,it is NEVERcorrect to place a comma after a preposition and veryrarely correct to place one before a preposition.Let's look at some example of incorrect comma placement: Lucy enjoys reading aloud, fromHarry Potter every night. Jim watched the terrifying horror movie, in the new theater on, 2nd Avenue. Though these commas may seem correct, they are unnecessary and just add clutter to the sentences. The correctly punctuated versions have no commas: Lucy enjoys reading aloud fromHarry Potter every night. Jim watched the terrifying horror movie in the new theater on 2nd Avenue. The one,very rare, exception to this rule is when a preposition introduces a non-restrictive clause. For example: Julie, for whom I was waiting, got to the restaurant very late. Because "for whom I was waiting" is actually non-restrictive clause, you do need the comma before "for." However, this only rarely comes up on the test- you are much more likely to make a mistake by putting a comma in front of a preposition than by leaving oneout. Around an Emphatic Pronoun What on earth, you're wondering, is an emphatic pronoun? The emphatic pronouns aremyself, yourself, herself, himself, itself, ourselves,yourselves, and themselves when they are used immediately after a noun or other other pronoun: I myself The book itself These constructionssound like they need commas, but emphatic pronouns should never be surrounded by commas. Incorrect: The pope, himself, will be at the party. Correct: The pope himself will be at the party. This may seem like a fairlyobscure rule: it is! However, it shows up on the ACT fairly often, so it's worth studying anyways. To comma or not to comma? That is the question ( ©Placbo) Try Your New Knowledge Out! We've covered a lot of material and hopefully armed you with some helpful new strategies for tackling commas on the ACT English, but it's one thing to read about comma rules and another to put them in practice. With that in mind, I've created some practice ACT questions for you test out what you've learned. The soft,blue cloth slid through her fingers easily. NO CHANGE blue, cloth slid through blue cloth slid, through blue cloth, slid through After hearing good things about it, I wanted to readCrime and Punishment,but the book, itself, turned out to be super boring. NO CHANGE the book itself, the book itself itself Talking to my friends, on the phone, is one of my favorite things to do. NO CHANGE friends on the phone friends on the phone, friends on, the phone I wasn't planning on going to the wedding, however you've convinced me that it's a good idea. NO CHANGE wedding, however, wedding. However, wedding, Answers: 1. A, 2. C, 3. B, 4. C What's Next? If you're confused about what exactly is tested on ACT English, take a look at our guide to what's actually on the test. You might be surprised by how much of it we've just covered! Looking to score a 36 on ACT English? Check out 9 strategiesfrom someone who achieveda perfect score on the ACT. Maybe you're now feeling okay about punctuation, but are worrying about vocab questions. In that case, have I got the guide for you! BecauseACT English recycles the same types of questions over and over, it's especially important to understand why you missed a given question. Make sure you're reviewing your practice tests effectively. Want to improve your ACT score by 4 points? Check out our best-in-class online ACT prep classes. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your ACT score by 4 points or more. Our classes are entirely online, and they're taught by ACT experts. If you liked this article, you'll love our classes. Along with expert-led classes, you'll get personalized homework with thousands of practice problems organized by individual skills so you learn most effectively. We'll also give you a step-by-step, custom program to follow so you'll never be confused about what to study next. Try it risk-free today:

Ethics in Finance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Ethics in Finance - Essay Example This paper will evaluate the various ethics theories and analyze how they can be used to solve the ethical dilemma. Utilitarianism Utilitarianism ethics theory holds that the right action is the one giving the ultimate form of satisfaction for every one that is affected (Snoyenbos & James 17). It is notable that utilitarianism is a consequentialist moral theory that seeks to evaluate the outcomes of an action rather than the action itself (Van Staverin 21). According to this theory, the rightness or wrongness of an action is dependent on the general effect that the action has on the people it affects. Suffice to say, utilitarianism holds that an action cannot be judged in isolation to be good or bad. In this regard, an action is right if it produces more intrinsic good than any other action that would have been taken. For instance, utilitarianism could hold that cheating is right if it resulted in the saving of lives of people in danger. Actions are right when they maximize happiness and good for all the affected persons. One of the basic objections of the utilitarianism ethics theory is that the judgment of an act is based on its future outcomes (Singer 41). It is not possible for a person to know the precise consequences of his or her actions in the future. Thus, the utilitarianism ethics theory cannot be applied to justify the morality of present actions since the outcomes have to be evaluated first. However, the counter-argument to this objection is that a person can use the subordinate rules to choose the course of action in a particular situation. If in the particular circumstances greater good would result by discarding the subordinate rules, the utilitarianism ethics theory can be applied to justify an alternative action (Van Staverin 23). In the case study, the manager has to make a decision that would result in greater intrinsic good for all the people affected. Linda has had a good financial history with the bank for the past twenty years. In her twe nties, she was financially prudent and made significant savings. In the recent past, she has been in a financial turmoil culminating in frequent overdrafts and exceeding her credit card limits due to depression. Despite this, she has never defaulted on her repayments although her sister Sophie has had to bail her out twice in the recent past. Linda points out that she took care of their mother, Catherine, when Sophie was setting up her businesses. Catherine has been a faithful customer of the bank for the past fifty years. In fact, her account with the bank has been prudently managed over the years and she managed to save some money for her funeral. Her financial position has changed only in the recent past since she has to cover the costs of accommodating her daughter Linda. Sophie has successfully established herself as a business lady with a growing empire of companies. She has bailed out Linda and Catherine twice but she insists that they have to take charge of their financial i ndependence. She proposes that the bank should cut of off their credit card facility as well as overdrafts. According to utilitarianism ethics theory, it would be appropriate for the manager to keep the credit facilities for both Catherine and Linda. The credit facilities would help Linda to obtain money to fulfill her personal and family needs considering the fact that she was no longer working. Also, the credit facility would help Catherine to pay rent and buy food for herself and Linda’

Why are environmental issues becoming more important for international Essay

Why are environmental issues becoming more important for international business - Essay Example It is a fact that environmental issues have managed to strike â€Å"increased discussion on the international business horizon† (Cherunilam 2010: 670). It is generally suggested that environmental trends and standards play a significantly valuable role in determining relative success of different products in the international market so the importance of efforts directed at protecting the global environment should not be undermined on the basis of a few negative effects. This belief has resulted in fueling the development and implementation of many environmental management systems around the globe. Different ways by which environment influences business are heavily acknowledged now (Lozada & Polonsky 1993: 20). Recently, the popularity regarding the existence of the link between business and environment has exploded. A wide variety of reasons could be found explaining why businesses now lay a greater emphasis on their environmental policies and services instead of solely focusi ng on profit maximization which would be contemplated in this essay with the help of research literature. Research evidence identifies that modern environmental concerns challenging the business world â€Å"have their roots in the 1960s† (Johnson & Turner 2010: 382), but it has only been some years that these issues have really exploded onto the surface. General consensus today is that with growing awareness the business world has undergone gigantic transformation for the better and as a result of which international business has remarkably affected the environment as well. It is proposed that environmental issues are becoming increasingly important for businesses because low environmental protection standards lead to depressing losses every year. Even those countries which have embraced high environmental standards and where business organizations take great pains to establish strictest policies have to suffer from significant losses which are estimated to be 1-2% of GNP. Th e condition is even worse in the developing world where businesses have not yet adopted high standards due to gross economical contractions and where losses resulting from poor environmental protection have been reported to reach 3-5% of GNP (Wysokinska & Witkowska 2005: 270). This is why more stress is laid on environmental protection in the modern business world now because flawed policies and insufficient investments made in this field adversely affect business organizations. Also there are more governmental environmental regulations and requirements set by the government, customers, and suppliers now due to which business organizations come under pressure to address these issues (Lozada & Polonsky 1993: 20). Research literature makes it obvious that this obsession of international business with different environmental issues encompass a wide variety of subjects from promoting protection of natural resources and discouraging the imports of products deemed destructive to the envir onment to banning any products which may pollute the atmosphere or contain toxic metal compounds. For example, the Environmental Protection Agency in the US establishes certain restrictions on â€Å"the importation of lead and lead articles that constitute toxic substances† (Hinkelman et al. 2005: 829). As a consequence of banning the import of all goods which hold the potential to negatively interfere with natural environment, both positive and negative effects influence the economy of a country. Research indicates that while limiting the import helps in raising the environmental standards by reducing the rate of goods which could destroy or pollute the environment like noisy vehicles, this practice also exerts a bad influence on the regular â€Å"

Romeo and Juliet Essay Example for Free

Romeo and Juliet Essay In Romeo and Juliet there is an emphasis on the theme of communication and the tragedy of misunderstanding. The examples of this in the play are the fight between Romeo, Mercrutio and Tybalt, when Juliet’s parents believe that she is crying over the death of Tybalt but really she is crying for Romeo and the miscommunication between Friar Lawrence, Balthassar and Romeo. There is a vast lack of communication between Romeo, Mercutio, and Tybalt. Tybalt demands Romeo to fight him but Romeo does not want to fight because he does not see the point in it as well as realizing that Tybalt is his kinsman because of his and Juliets secret wedding. When Tybalt is trying to pick a fight Romeo replies, I love thee better than thou canst devise So, good Capulet, which name I tender as dearly as my own, be satisfied (119. 69-73). This confuses both Mercutio and Tybalt because they do not know why he is saying this and why he suddenly likes the Capulet’s. However Mercrutio fights Tybalt when Romeo refuses to. Romeo tries to stop the fight and he orders Benvolio to, Beat down their weapons, then he demanded, Hold Tybalt! Good Mercutio! (121. 87+91) as he steps in front of them. He fails to stop the fight and instead Mercrutio is killed. This leads to Romeo becoming infuriated and he kills Tybalt. All of this could have been prevented if Romeo had only told everyone that he had wedded Juliet, who made him and Tybalt related, therefore explaining why he would not fight him. Misunderstanding is the root cause of the fight between Mercrutio, Tybalt and Romeo. In another scene in which there is poor communication is when Juliet’s parents assume she is heartbroken by the death of her cousin, Tybalt, because they do not know she is married to Romeo and is crying because he has been banished. Therefore, they try to do what they think is best for their daughter by marrying her to Paris to take her troubled mind off her dead cousin. In this scene Lady Capulet informs Juliet about her father’s arrangement by asking her, Weeping for your cousin’s death? and continuing, Marry my childParisshall make thee a joyful bride. Juliet contemptuously responds, He will not make me a joyful bride! (161+165. 72,117-120,+122) and pleads with her mom not to make her wed Paris. Later in the same scene Juliet beseeches her father as to not force her to marry and he tells her, Disobedient wretch! Get thee to church o’ Thursday or never after look me in the face! (167. 166-168). Juliet never revealed to her parents that she married Romeo so they always thought she was crying over Tybalt’s death. All of this could have been avoided if Juliet had only told her parents she had married Romeo. In the scene where everyone thinks Juliet is deceased there is a lack of communication between Friar Lawrence, Friar John, and Romeo. When Balthasar discovers Juliet is dead he goes to tell Romeo the bad news. When Romeo spots Balthasar he asks how Juliet is doing and he replies, Her body sleeps In Capels monument. (211. 119). When Romeo hears that, he is devastated and decides life is not worth living if he cannot be with Juliet. Romeo does not know the truth because he never received the letter from his mentor, Friar Lawrence. Later in that same scene there is a lack of communication between Friar Lawrence and Friar John. Friar Lawrence never warned Friar John how essential it was that Romeo was to receive the letter, no matter what. When Friar Lawrence sees John he asks how the delivery went and John says, I could not send it. The Friar replied, Unhappy fortuneThe letter was not nice but full of chargeand neglecting it may do much danger. (page 218, lines 14-20). The letter could have been delivered to Romeo if Friar Lawrence told Friar John just how vital it was that Romeo receives the letter. William Shakespeare emphasizes the hardship of misinterpretation, in his tragic play Romeo and Juliet, through a lack of communication between many different characters. There are many scenes throughout the play in which he shows a void of communication such as the fight scene between Tybalt and Mercutio, the scene when Juliet is arguing with her parents, and especially in the scene when everyone thinks Juliet has died. In his play Romeo and Juliet, William Shakespeare shows that poor communication often leads to confusion and, more importantly, catastrophe. He does this to show the irony that immense misfortunes can occur due to the fact that people do not communicate with each other as well as they ought to, and when they do not dilemmas erupt.

Hamlet †is there Spirituality? :: GCSE English Literature Coursework

  Ã‚   To what extent is spirituality woven into the fabric of Shakespeare’s tragic drama Hamlet? This essay proposes to answer that question. David Bevington, in the Introduction of Twentieth Century Interpretations of Hamlet, finds a very obvious spiritual dimension to the drama: According to popular Elizabethan belief, both Catholic and Protestant, spirits from the dead could indeed â€Å"assume a pleasing shape,† in order to abuse a person in Hamlet’s vulnerable frame of mind and so lead him to damnation.[. . .] Hamlet must face the ghost once again to explain why he â€Å"lets go by Th’ important acting of your dread command†; yet his purpose in confronting Gertrude with her weakness is the laudable one of returning her to at least an outward custom of virtue.[. . .] Hamlet has always believed that heavenly justice will prevail among men: â€Å"Foul deeds will rise, Though all the earth o’erwhelm them, to men’s eyes† (6).    The spiritual aspect of the play is made apparent in the second scene when Hamlet wears black to the courtly celebration in the room of state in the castle of Elsinore. His motves for this are spiritual in nature. The first soliloquy, or â€Å"act of talking to oneself, whether silently or aloud† (Abrams 289), occurs when the hero is left alone after the royal social gathering. He is dejected by the â€Å"o’erhasty marriage† of his mother to his uncle less than two months after the funeral of Hamlet’s father (Gordon 128). His first soliloquy emphasizes two religious/moral themes: the corruption of the world at large, and the frailty of women – an obvious reference to his mother’s hasty and incestuous marriage:    O, that this too too solid flesh would melt   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Thaw and resolve itself into a dew!   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Or that the Everlasting had not fix'd   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   His canon 'gainst self-slaughter! O God! God!   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   How weary, stale, flat and unprofitable,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Seem to me all the uses of this world!   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Fie on't! ah fie! 'tis an unweeded garden,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   That grows to seed; things rank and gross in nature   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Possess it merely. That it should come to this!   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   But two months dead: nay, not so much, not two:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   So excellent a king; that was, to this,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Hyperion to a satyr; so loving to my mother   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   That he might not beteem the winds of heaven   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Visit her face too roughly. Hamlet – is there Spirituality? :: GCSE English Literature Coursework   Ã‚   To what extent is spirituality woven into the fabric of Shakespeare’s tragic drama Hamlet? This essay proposes to answer that question. David Bevington, in the Introduction of Twentieth Century Interpretations of Hamlet, finds a very obvious spiritual dimension to the drama: According to popular Elizabethan belief, both Catholic and Protestant, spirits from the dead could indeed â€Å"assume a pleasing shape,† in order to abuse a person in Hamlet’s vulnerable frame of mind and so lead him to damnation.[. . .] Hamlet must face the ghost once again to explain why he â€Å"lets go by Th’ important acting of your dread command†; yet his purpose in confronting Gertrude with her weakness is the laudable one of returning her to at least an outward custom of virtue.[. . .] Hamlet has always believed that heavenly justice will prevail among men: â€Å"Foul deeds will rise, Though all the earth o’erwhelm them, to men’s eyes† (6).    The spiritual aspect of the play is made apparent in the second scene when Hamlet wears black to the courtly celebration in the room of state in the castle of Elsinore. His motves for this are spiritual in nature. The first soliloquy, or â€Å"act of talking to oneself, whether silently or aloud† (Abrams 289), occurs when the hero is left alone after the royal social gathering. He is dejected by the â€Å"o’erhasty marriage† of his mother to his uncle less than two months after the funeral of Hamlet’s father (Gordon 128). His first soliloquy emphasizes two religious/moral themes: the corruption of the world at large, and the frailty of women – an obvious reference to his mother’s hasty and incestuous marriage:    O, that this too too solid flesh would melt   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Thaw and resolve itself into a dew!   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Or that the Everlasting had not fix'd   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   His canon 'gainst self-slaughter! O God! God!   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   How weary, stale, flat and unprofitable,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Seem to me all the uses of this world!   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Fie on't! ah fie! 'tis an unweeded garden,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   That grows to seed; things rank and gross in nature   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Possess it merely. That it should come to this!   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   But two months dead: nay, not so much, not two:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   So excellent a king; that was, to this,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Hyperion to a satyr; so loving to my mother   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   That he might not beteem the winds of heaven   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Visit her face too roughly.

Mark Bradford

Mark Bradford was the artist that I took a look at. His creativity was wonderful abstract, catching my eye piece after piece. The particular artwork that I looked at was his â€Å"When We Ride† created in 2006. The media is a mix, which was created into a collage on canvas. The canvas was at its large of 46 3/8 x 62 ? inches. This piece of artwork is located in the city of art itself; Los Angeles, California. I believe this canvas collage tells an untold story through contrast and rhythm, light and color, and texture. As a child Mark Bradford had known his mother and grandmother to be creators. He called them creators because as a job title they were seamstresses. The ability to make things, new things at that for people was the motivation and process of making things. The contrast of the objects used on the collage is weird because he just used scraps that were lying around the house. The contrast was the placing of fabrics next to a different color and flow of the piece was in amazing. It made me think of rhythm that is somehow missing but never seems to finds its own way. The fact he put two different pieces of fabric next to each other is another way of throwing it off and creating pattern of not being rhythmic with the rest of the picture. When throwing in the light and color of the collage you start to make a better picture and scene of what the artist is trying to communicate. I believe the bright colors are making a statement to emphasize on the major parts of the artwork. Showing the motion, makes you move your eyes along the imaginary wave. The slight tone of yellow makes me think of the sun come through the wave. The soft light of the off white background makes me think of a light blue sky that is clear of everything. Vague colors made me stare at the picture for long periods of time so that way I could understand why he created this on in particular. I thought maybe like times when he got bored and went to the museum; he created a scene of his bus ride there. Maybe he pictures himself at a beach and what it would be like to sit and watch someone ride a wave. I can’t even imagine what the texture of this piece feels like. Smooth with rough bumpy edges going down the side. The yellow on the canvas looks like it was painted on because it is so soft in texture and faint. The red wave looks like it would be frailly and soft. The canvas is smooth which creates this illusion that artwork is somewhat is three dimensional. Silk and cotton would be of the many fabrics on this art work. Mark Bradford used whatever was available for him to use because he used the scraps from clothes that were being made. Being blind folded and being able to rub your fingers across the piece would give the sense of what a mixture of random textures would feel like all together. All in all, Mark Bradford did an amazing job of creating a masterpiece out of trash. I am not that creative to make any artwork out of scraps that could have been thrown away. Kudos to him and I think he should teach a class on how you can use your imagination and whatever materials you have available to use to create art. Art has many different ways of being seen, but to actually understand and appreciate it is taking it to a whole another level. Mr. Bradford showed texture, contrast and rhythm, and light and color all in one piece, yet showing many other principles of art that could be analyzed.

The Twilight Saga 4: Breaking Dawn 8. Waiting For The Damn …

8. Waiting For The Damn Fight To Start Already â€Å"Jeez, Paul, don't you freaking have a home of your own?† Paul, lounging across my whole couch, watching some stupid baseball game on my crappy TV, just grinned at me and then – real slow – he lifted one Dorito from the bag in his lap and wedged it into his mouth in one piece. â€Å"You betterVe brought those with you.† Crunch. â€Å"Nope,† he said while chewing. â€Å"Your sister said to go ahead and help myself to anything I wanted.† I tried to make my voice sound like I wasn't about to punch him. â€Å"Is Rachel here now?† It didn't work. He heard where I was going and shoved the bag behind his back. The bag crackled as he smashed it into the cushion. The chips crunched into pieces. Paul's hands came up in fists, close to his face like a boxer. â€Å"Bring it, kid. I don't need Rachel to protect me.† I snorted. â€Å"Right. Like you wouldn't go crying to her first chance.† He laughed and relaxed into the sofa, dropping his hands. â€Å"I'm not going to go tattle to a girl. If you got in a lucky hit, that would be just between the two of us. And vice versa, right?† Nice of him to give me an invitation. I made my body slump like I'd given up. â€Å"Right.† His eyes shifted to the TV. I lunged. His nose made a very satisfying crunching sound of its own when my fist connected. He tried to grab me, but I danced out of the way before he could find a hold, the ruined bag of Doritos in my left hand. â€Å"You broke my nose, idiot.† â€Å"Just between us, right, Paul?† I went to put the chips away. When I turned around, Paul was repositioning his nose before it could set crooked. The blood had already stopped; it looked like it had no source as it trickled down his lips and off his chin. He cussed, wincing as he pulled at the cartilage. â€Å"You are such a pain, Jacob. I swear, I'd rather hang out with Leah.† â€Å"Ouch. Wow, I bet Leah's really going to love to hear that you want to spend some quality time with her. It'll just warm the cockles of her heart.† â€Å"You're going to forget I said that.† â€Å"Of course. I'm sure it won't slip out.† â€Å"Ugh,† he grunted, and then settled back into the couch, wiping the leftover blood on the collar of his t-shirt. â€Å"You're fast, kid.I'll give you that.† He turned his attention back to the fuzzy game. I stood there for a second, and then I stalked off to my room, muttering about alien abductions. Back in the day, you could count on Paul for a fight pretty much whenever. You didn't have to hit him then – any mild insult would do. It didn't take a lot to flip him out of control. Now, of course, when I really wanted a good snarling, ripping, break-the-trees-down match, he had to be all mellow. Wasn't it bad enough that yet another member of the pack had imprinted – because, really, that made four of ten now! When would it stop? Stupid myth was supposed to be rare, for crying out loud! All this mandatory love-at-first-sight was completely sickening! Did it have to be my sister? Did it have to be Paul? When Rachel'd come home from Washington State at the end of the summer semester – graduated early, the nerd – my biggest worry'd been that it would be hard keeping the secret around her. I wasn't used to covering things up in my own home. It made me real sympathetic to kids like Embry and Collin, whose parents didn't know they were werewolves. Embry's mom thought he was going through some kind of rebellious stage. He was permanently grounded for constantly sneaking out, but, of course, there wasn't much he could do about that. She'd check his room every night, and every night it would be empty again. She'd yell and he'd take it in silence, and then go through it all again the next day. We'd tried to talk Sam into giving Embry a break and letting his mom in on the gig, but Embry'd said he didn't mind. The secret was too important. So I'd been all geared up to be keeping that secret. And then, two days after Rachel got home, Paul ran into her on the beach. Bada bing, bada boom – true love! No secrets necessary when you found your other half, and all that imprinting werewolf garbage. Rachel got the whole story. And I got Paul as a brother-in-law someday. I knew Billy wasn't much thrilled about it, either. But he handled it better than I did. ‘Course, he did escape to the Clearwaters' more often than usual these days. I didn't see where that was so much better. No Paul, but plenty of Leah. I wondered – would a bullet through my temple actually kill me or just leave a really big mess for me to clean up? I threw myself down on the bed. I was tired – hadn't slept since my last patrol – but I knew I wasn't going to sleep. My head was too crazy. The thoughts bounced around inside my skull like a disoriented swarm of bees. Noisy. Now and then they stung. Must be hornets, not bees. Bees died after one sting. And the same thoughts were stinging me again and again. This waiting was driving me insane. It had been almost four weeks. I'd expected, one way or another, the news would have come by now. I'd sat up nights imagining what form it would take. Charlie sobbing on the phone – Bella and her husband lost in an accident. A plane crash? That would be hard to fake. Unless the leeches didn't mind killing a bunch of bystanders to authenticate it, and why would they? Maybe a small plane instead. They probably had one of those to spare. Or would the murderer come home alone, unsuccessful in his attempt to make her one of them? Or not even getting that far. Maybe he'd smashed her like a bag of chips in his drive to get some? Because her life was less important to him than his own pleasure†¦ The story would be so tragic – Bella lost in a horrible accident. Victim of a mugging gone wrong. Choking to death at dinner. A car accident, like my mom. So common. Happened all the time. Would he bring her home? Bury her here for Charlie? Closed-casket ceremony, of course. My mom's coffin had been nailed shut†¦ I could only hope that he'd come back here, within my reach. Maybe there would be no story at all. Maybe Charlie would call to ask my dad if he'd heard anything from Dr. Cullen, who just didn't show up to work one day. The house abandoned. No answer on any of the Cullens' phones. The mystery picked up by some second-rate news program, foul play suspected†¦ Maybe the big white house would burn to the ground, everyone trapped inside. Of course, they'd need bodies for that one. Eight humans of roughly the right size. Burned beyond recognition – beyond the help of dental records. Either of those would be tricky – for me, that is. It would be hard to find them if they didn't want to be found. Of course, I had forever to look. If you had forever, you could check out every single piece of straw in the haystack, one by one, to see if it was the needle. Right now, I wouldn't mind dismantling a haystack. At least that would be something to do. I hated knowing that I could be losing my chance. Giving the bloodsuckers the time to escape, if that was their plan. We could go tonight. We could kill every one of them that we could find. I liked that plan because I knew Edward well enough to know that, if I killed any one of his coven, I would get my chance at him, too. He'd come for revenge. And I'd give it to him – I wouldn't let my brothers take him down as a pack. It would be just him and me. May the better man win. But Sam wouldn't hear of it. We're not going to break the treaty. Let them make the breach. Just because we had no proof that the Cullens had done anything wrong. Yet. You had to add the yet, because we all knew it was inevitable. Bella was either coming back one of them, or not coming back. Either way, a human life had been lost. And that meant game on. In the other room, Paul brayed like a mule. Maybe he'd switched to a comedy. Maybe the commercial was funny. Whatever. It grated on my nerves. I thought about breaking his nose again. But it wasn't Paul I wanted to fight with. Not really. I tried to listen to other sounds, the wind in the trees, it wasn't the same, not through human ears. There were a million voices in the wind that I couldn't hear in this body. But these ears were sensitive enough. I could hear past the trees, to the road, the sounds of the cars coming around that last bend where you could finally see the beach – the vista of the islands and the rocks and the big blue ocean stretching to the horizon. The La Push cops liked to hang out right around there. Tourists never noticed the reduced speed limit sign on the other side of the road. I could hear the voices outside the souvenir shop on the beach. I could hear the cowbell clanging as the door opened and closed. I could hear Embry's mom at the cash register, printing out a receipt. I could hear the tide raking across the beach rocks. I could hear the kids squeal as the icy water rushed in too fast for them to get out of the way. I could hear the moms complain about the wet clothes. And I could hear a familiar voice†¦. I was listening so hard that the sudden burst of Paul's donkey laugh made me jump half off the bed. â€Å"Get out of my house,† I grumbled. Knowing he wouldn't pay any attention, I followed my own advice. I wrenched open my window and climbed out the back way so that I wouldn't see Paul again. It would be too tempting. I knew I would hit him again, and Rachel was going to be pissed enough already. She'd see the blood on his shirt, and she'd blame me right away without waiting for proof. Of course, she'd be right, but still. I paced down to the shore, my fists in my pockets. Nobody looked at me twice when I went through the dirt lot by First Beach. That was one nice thing about summer – no one cared if you wore nothing but shorts. I followed the familiar voice I'd heard and found Quil easy enough. He was on the south end of the crescent, avoiding the bigger part of the tourist crowd. He kept up a constant stream of warnings. â€Å"Keep out of the water, Claire. C'mon. No, don't. Oh! Nice, kid. Seriously, do you want Emily to yell at me? I'm not bringing you back to the beach again if you don't – Oh yeah? Don't – ugh. You think that's funny, do you? Hah! Who's laughing now, huh?† He had the giggling toddler by the ankle when I reached them. She had a bucket in one hand, and her jeans were drenched. He had a huge wet mark down the front of his t-shirt. â€Å"Five bucks on the baby girl,† I said. â€Å"Hey, Jake.† Claire squealed and threw her bucket at Quil's knees. â€Å"Down, down!† He set her carefully on her feet and she ran to me. She wrapped her arms around my leg. â€Å"UncaJay!† â€Å"How's it going, Claire?† She giggled. â€Å"Qwil aaaaawl wet now.† â€Å"I can see that. Where's your mama?† â€Å"Gone, gone, gone,† Claire sang, â€Å"Cwaire pway wid Qwil aaaawl day. Cwaire nebber gowin home.† She let go of me and ran to Quil. He scooped her up and slung her onto his shoulders. â€Å"Sounds like somebody's hit the terrible twos.† â€Å"Threes actually,† Quil corrected. â€Å"You missed the party. Princess theme. She made me wear a crown, and then Emily suggested they all try out her new play makeup on me.† â€Å"Wow, I'm really sorry I wasn't around to see that.† â€Å"Don't worry, Emily has pictures. Actually, I look pretty hot.† â€Å"You're such a patsy.† Quil shrugged. â€Å"Claire had a great time. That was the point.† I rolled my eyes. It was hard being around imprinted people. No matter what stage they were in – about to tie the knot like Sam or just a much-abused nanny like Quil – the peace and certainty they always radiated was downright puke-inducing. Claire squealed on his shoulders and pointed at the ground. â€Å"Pity wock, Qwil! For me, for me!† â€Å"Which one, kiddo? The red one?† â€Å"No wed!† Quil dropped to his knees – Claire screamed and pulled his hair like a horse's reigns. â€Å"This blue one?† â€Å"No, no, no†¦,† the little girl sang, thrilled with her new game. The weird part was, Quil was having just as much fun as she was. He didn't have that face on that so many of the tourist dads and moms were wearing – the when-is-nap-time? face. You never saw a real parent so jazzed to play whatever stupid kiddie sport their rugrat could think up. I'd seen Quil play peekaboo for an hour straight without getting bored. And I couldn't even make fun of him for it – I envied him too much. Though I did think it sucked that he had a good fourteen years of monkitude ahead of him until Claire was his age – for Quil, at least, it was a good thing werewolves didn't get older. But even all that time didn't seem to bother him much. â€Å"Quil, you ever think about dating?† I asked. â€Å"Huh?† â€Å"No, no yewwo!† Claire crowed. â€Å"You know. A real girl. I mean, just for now, right? On your nights off babysitting duty.† Quil stared at me, his mouth hanging open. â€Å"Pity wock! Pity wock!† Claire screamed when he didn't offer her another choice. She smacked him on the head with her little fist. â€Å"Sorry, Claire-bear. How about this pretty purple one?† â€Å"No,† she giggled. â€Å"No poopoh.† â€Å"Give me a clue. I'm begging, kid.† Claire thought it over. â€Å"Gween,† she finally said. Quil stared at the rocks, studying them. He picked four rocks in different shades of green, and offered them to her. â€Å"Did I get it?'7 â€Å"Yay!† â€Å"Which one?† Vlaaaaw/obdem!!† She cupped her hands and he poured the small rocks into them. She laughed and immediately clunked him on the head with them. He winced theatrically and then got to his feet and started walking back up toward the parking lot. Probably worried about her getting cold in her wet clothes. He was worse than any paranoid, overprotective mother. â€Å"Sorry if I was being pushy before, man, about the girl thing,† I said. â€Å"Naw, that's cool,† Quil said. â€Å"It kind of took me by surprise is all. I hadn't thought about it.† â€Å"I bet she'd understand. You know, when she's grown up. She wouldn't get mad that you had a life while she was in diapers.† â€Å"No, I know. I'm sure she'd understand that.† He didn't say anything else. â€Å"But you won't do that, will you?† I guessed. â€Å"I can't see it,† he said in a low voice. â€Å"I can't imagine. I just don't†¦ see anyone that way. I don't notice girls anymore, you know. I don't see their faces.† â€Å"Put that together with the tiara and makeup, and maybe Claire will have a different kind of competition to worry about.† Quil laughed and made kissing noises at me. â€Å"You available this Friday, Jacob?† â€Å"You wish,† I said, and then I made a face. â€Å"Yeah, guess I am, though.† He hesitated a second and then said, â€Å"You ever think about dating?† I sighed. Guess I'd opened myself up for that one. â€Å"You know, Jake, maybe you should think about getting a life.† He didn't say it like a joke. His voice was sympathetic. That made it worse. â€Å"I don't see them, either, Quil. I don't see their faces.† Quil sighed, too. Far away, too low for anyone but just us two to hear it over the waves, a howl rose out of the forest. â€Å"Dang, that's Sam,† Quil said. His hands flew up to touch Claire, as if making sure she was still there. â€Å"I don't know where her mom's at!† Til see what it is. If we need you, HI let you know.† I raced through the words. They came out all slurred together. â€Å"Hey, why don't you take her up to the Clearwaters'? Sue and Billy can keep an eye on her if they need to. They might know what's going on, anyway.† â€Å"Okay – get outta here, Jake!† I took off running, not for the dirt path through the weedy hedge, but in the shortest line toward the forest. I hurdled the first line of driftwood and then ripped my way through the briars, still running. I felt the little tears as the thorns cut into my skin, but I ignored them. Their sting would be healed before I made the trees. I cut behind the store and darted across the highway. Somebody honked at me. Once in the safety of the trees, I ran faster, taking longer strides. People would stare if I was out in the open. Normal people couldn't run like this. Sometimes I thought it might be fun to enter a race – you know, like the Olympic trials or something. It would be cool to watch the expressions on those star athletes' faces when I blew by them. Only I was pretty sure the testing they did to make sure you weren't on steroids would probably turn up some really freaky crap in my blood. As soon as I was in the true forest, unbound by roads or houses, I skidded to a stop and kicked my shorts off. With quick, practiced moves, I rolled them up and tied them to the leather cord around my ankle. As I was still pulling the ends tight, I started shifting. The fire trembled down my spine, throwing tight spasms out along my arms and legs. It only took a second. The heat flooded through me, and I felt the silent shimmer that made me something else. I threw my heavy paws against the matted earth and stretched my back in one long, rolling extension. Phasing was very easy when I was centered like this. I didn't have issues with my temper anymore. Except when it got in the way. For one half second, I remembered the awful moment at that unspeakable joke of a wedding. I'd been so insane with fury that I couldn't make my body work right. I'd been trapped, shaking and burning, unable to make the change and kill the monster just a few feet away from me. It had been so confusing. Dying to kill him. Afraid to hurt her. My friends in the way. And then, when I was finally able to take the form I wanted, the order from my leader. The edict from the Alpha. If it had been just Embry and Quil there that night without Sam†¦ would I have been able to kill the murderer, then? I hated it when Sam laid down the law like that. I hated the feeling of having no choice. Of having to obey. And then I was conscious of an audience. I was not alone in my thoughts. So self-absorbed all the time,Leah thought. Yeah, no hypocrisy there, Leah,I thought back. Can it, guys,Sam told us. We fell silent, and I felt Leah's wince at the word guys. Touchy, like always. Sam pretended not to notice. Where's Quil andJared? Quit's got Claire. He's taking her to the Clearwaters'. Good. Sue will take her. Jared was going to Kim's,Embry thought. Good chance he didn't hear you. There was a low grumble through the pack. I moaned along with them. When Jared finally showed up, no doubt he'd still be thinking about Kim. And nobody wanted a replay of what they were up to right now. Sam sat back on his haunches and let another howl rip into the air. It was a signal and an order in one. The pack was gathered a few miles east of where I was. I loped through the thick forest toward them. Leah, Embry, and Paul all were working in toward them, too. Leah was close – soon I could hear her footfalls not far into the woods. We continued in a parallel line, choosing not to run together. Well, we're not waiting all day for him. He'll just have to catch up later. ‘Sup, boss?Paul wanted to know. We need to talk. Something's happened. I felt Sam's thoughts flicker to me – and not just Sam's, but Seth's and Collin's and Brady's as well. Collin and Brady – the new kids – had been running patrol with Sam today, so they would know whatever he knew. I didn't know why Seth was already out here, and in the know. It wasn't his turn. Seth, tell them what you heard. I sped up, wanting to be there. I heard Leah move faster, too. She hated being outrun. Being the fastest was the only edge she claimed. Claimthis, moron, she hissed, and then she really kicked it into gear. I dug my nails into the loam and shot myself forward. Sam didn't seem in the mood to put up with our usual crap. Jake, Leah, give it a rest. Neither of us slowed. Sam growled, but let it go. Seth? Charlie called around till he found Billy at my house. Yeah, I talked to him,Paul added. I felt a jolt go through me as Seth thought Charlie's name. This was it. The waiting was over. I ran faster, forcing myself to breathe, though my lungs felt kinda stiff all of a sudden. Which story would it be? So he's all flipped out. Guess Edward and Bella got home last week, and†¦ My chest eased up. She was alive. Or she wasn't dead dead, at least. I hadn't realized how much difference it would make to me. I'd been thinking of her as dead this whole time, and I only saw that now. I saw that I'd never believed that he would bring her back alive. It shouldn't matter, because I knew what was coming next. Yeah, bro, and here's the bad news. Charlie talked to her, said she sounded bad. She told him she's sick. Carlisle got on and told Charlie that Bella picked up some rare disease in South America. Said she's quarantined. Charlie's going crazy, 'cause even he's not allowed to see her. He says he doesn't care if he gets sick, but Carlisle wouldn't bend. No visitors. Told Charlie it was pretty serious, but that he's doing everything he can. Charlie's been stewing about it for days, but he only called Billy now. He said she sounded worse today. The mental silence when Seth finished was profound. We all understood. So she would die of this disease, as far as Charlie knew. Would they let him view the corpse? The pale, perfectly still, unbreathing white body? They couldn't let him touch the cold skin – he might notice how hard it was. They'd have to wait until she could hold still, could keep from killing Charlie and the other mourners. How long would that take? Would they bury her? Would she dig herself out, or would the bloodsuckers come for her? The others listened to my speculating in silence. I'd put a lot more thought into this than any of them. Leah and I entered the clearing at nearly the same time. She was sure her nose led the way, though. She dropped onto her haunches beside her brother while I trotted forward to stand at Sam's right hand. Paul circled and made room for me in my place. Beatcha again,Leah thought, but I barely heard her. I wondered why I was the only one on my feet. My fur stood up on my shoulders, bristling with impatience. Well, what are we waiting for?I asked. No one said anything, but I heard their feelings of hesitation. Oh, come on! The treaty's broken! We have no proof – maybe sheis sick†¦. OH, PLEASE! Okay, so the circumstantial evidence is pretty strong. Still†¦ Jacob.Sam's thought came slow, hesitant. Are you sure this is what you want? Is it really the right thing? We all know what she wanted. The treaty doesn't mention anything about victim preferences, Sam! Is she really a victim? Would you label her that way? Yes! Jake,Seth thought, they aren't our enemies. Shut up, kid! Just 'cause you've got some kind of sick hero worship thing going on with that bloodsucker, it doesn't change the law. They are our enemies. They are in our territory. We take them out. I don't care if you had fun fighting alongside Edward Cullen once upon a time. So what are you going to do when Bella fights with them, Jacob? Huh?Seth demanded. She's not Bella anymore. You gonna be the one to take her down? I couldn't stop myself from wincing. No, you're not. So, what? You gonna make one of us do it? And then hold a grudge against whoever it is forever? I wouldn't†¦ Sure you won't. You're not ready for this fight, Jacob. Instinct took over and I crouched forward, snarling at the gangly sand-colored wolf across the circle. Jacob!Sam cautioned. Seth, shut up for a second. Seth nodded his big head. Dang, what'd I miss? Quthought. He was running for the gathering place full-out. Heard about Charlie's call†¦. Were getting ready to go,I told him. Why don't you swing by Kim's and drag Jared out with your teeth? We're going to need everyone. Come straight here, Quil,Sam ordered. We've decided nothing yet. I growled. Jacob, I have to think about what's best for this pack. I have to choose the course that protects you all best. Times have changed since our ancestors made that treaty. I†¦ well, I don't honestly believe that the Cullens are a danger to us. And we know that they will not be here much longer. Surely once they've told their story, they will disappear. Our lives can return to normal. Normal? If we challenge them, Jacob, they will defend themselves well. Are you afraid? Are you so ready to losea brother? He paused. Or a sister? he tacked on as an afterthought. I'm not afraid to die. I know that, Jacob. It's one reason I question your judgment on this. I stared into his black eyes. Do you intend to honor our fathers' treaty or not? I honor my pack. I do what's best for them. Coward. His muzzle tensed, pulling back over his teeth. Enough, Jacob. You're overruled.Sam's mental voice changed, took on that strange double timbre that we could not disobey. The voice of the Alpha. He met the gaze of every wolf in the circle. The pack is not attacking the Cullens without provocation. The spirit of the treaty remains. They are nota danger to our people, nor are they a danger to the people of Forks. Bella Swan made an informed choice, and we are not going to punish our former allies for her choice. Hear, hear,Seth thought enthusiastically. thought I told you to shut it, Seth. Oops. Sorry, Sam. Jacob, where do you think you're going? I left the circle, moving toward the west so that I could turn my back on him. I'm going to tell my father goodbye. Apparently there was no purpose in me sticking around this long. Aw, Jake – don't do that again! Shut up, Seth,several voices thought together. We don't want you to leave,Sam told me, his thought softer than before. So force me to stay, Sam. Take away my will. Make me a slave. You know I won't do that Then there's nothing more to say. I ran away from them, trying very hard not to think about what was next. Instead, I concentrated on my memories of the long wolf months, of letting the humanity bleed out of me until I was more animal than man. Living in the moment, eating when hungry, sleeping when tired, drinking when thirsty, and running – running just to run. Simple desires, simple answers to those desires. Pain came in easily managed forms. The pain of hunger. The pain of cold ice under your paws. The pain of cutting claws when dinner got feisty. Each pain had a simple answer, a clear action to end that pain. Not like being human. Yet, as soon as I was in jogging distance of my house, I shifted back into my human body. I needed to be able to think in privacy. I untied my shorts and yanked them on, already running for the house. I'd done it. I'd hidden what I was thinking and now it was too late for Sam to stop me. He couldn't hear me now. Sam had made a very clear ruling. The pack would not attack the Cullens. Okay. He hadn't mentioned an individual acting alone. Nope, the pack wasn't attacking anyone today. But I was.

Spend Your Money Wisely essays

Spend Your Money Wisely essays The United States has faced a very significant economic growth after the Second World War. At that time, war was finished, and the American soldiers were back to their homes. There were ready to make their future houses and start families. In other words, they started spending money in the market acquiring commodities and services rendered at that time. The country faced a population growth, -as they are refereed to baby boomers- production growth, and as a result an economic growth. Since then the spending attitude of the American individual was rising. Most of the producers have more than enough customers to buy their commodities in the market. The problem is, spending behavior is becoming worse. Who should we blame here? Is it the customers or the producers? To answer this question, I would like to examine the behaviors of consumers, and producers. Buyers in any society tend to spend more money on commodities that are necessary to life. However, the typical American consumer tends to be one of the highest spenders in the world. Most of the United States consumers save around 5% of his income where, on the other hand, Japanese; for example, have 15% or more of their income goes to their savings accounts. One of the problems that could relate to the spending behavior of the Americans is peer pressure. For example, an individual who buys a product or acquires a service can influence his or her friends to do the same thing. Another problem is self-esteem. Sometimes, people claim that the find their identity by buying more. They follow this equation: BUY MORE = SELF-ESTEEM + IDENTITY. When an individual finds that he/she dont have a specific product, he or she feels that it is important to buy it even if it is not that important thing to have. It is just greed, and to feel that a person can buy a product because others have it. Gr eed can be better seen in children. Children feel happy when they have more of what they want...

An Overview of the Chinese Communist Party

An Overview of the Chinese Communist Party Fewer than 6-percent of the Chinese population are members of China’s Communist Party, yet it is the most powerful political party in the world. How Was the Communist Party of China Founded? The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) began as an informal study group that met in Shanghai starting in 1921. The first Party Congress was held in Shanghai in July 1921. Some 57 members, including Mao Zedong, attended the meeting. Early Influences The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) was founded in the early 1920s by intellectuals who were influenced by the Western ideas of anarchism and Marxism. They were inspired by the 1918 Bolshevik Revolution in Russia and by the May Fourth Movement, which swept across China at the end of World War I. At the time of the CCP’s founding, China was a divided, backward country ruled by various local warlords and burdened by unequal treaties which gave foreign powers special economic and territorial privileges in China. Looking to the USSR as an example, the intellectuals who founded the CCP believed that Marxist revolution was the best path to strengthen and modernize China. The Early CCP Was a Soviet-Style Party The CCP’s early leaders received funding and guidance from Soviet advisors and many went to the Soviet Union for education and training. The early CCP was a Soviet-style Party led by intellectuals and urban workers who advocated orthodox Marxist-Leninist thought. In 1922, the CCP joined the larger and more powerful revolutionary party, the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT), to form the First United Front (1922-27). Under the First United Front, the CCP was absorbed into the KMT. Its members worked within the KMT to organize urban workers and farmers to support the KMT army’s Northern Expedition (1926-27). The Northern Expedition During the Northern Expedition, which succeeded in defeating the warlords and unifying the country, the KMT split and its leader Chiang Kai-shek led an anti-Communist purge in which thousands of CCP members and supporters were killed. After the KMT established the new Republic of China (ROC) government in Nanjing, it continued its crackdown on the CCP. After the break-up of the First United Front in 1927, the CCP and its supporters fled from the cities to the countryside, where the Party established semi-autonomous â€Å"Soviet base areas,† which they called the Chinese Soviet Republic (1927-1937). In the countryside, the CCP organized its own military force, the Chinese Workers’ and Peasants’ Red Army. The CCPs headquarters moved from Shanghai to the rural Jiangxi Soviet base area, which was led by the peasant revolutionary Zhu De and Mao Zedong. The Long March The KMT-led central government launched a series of military campaigns against the CCP-controlled base areas, forcing the CCP to undertake the Long March (1934-35), a several-thousand-mile military retreat that ended in the rural village of Yenan in Shaanxi Province. During the Long March, Soviet advisors lost influence over the CCP and Mao Zedong took over control of the Party from Soviet-trained revolutionaries. Based in Yenan from 1936-1949, the CCP changed from an orthodox Soviet-style party based in the cities and led by intellectuals and urban workers to a rural-based Maoist revolutionary party composed primarily of peasants and soldiers. The CCP gained the support of many rural peasants by carrying out land reform which redistributed land from landlords to peasants. The Second United Front Following Japan’s invasion of China, the CCP formed a Second United Front (1937-1945) with the ruling KMT to fight the Japanese. During this period, CCP-controlled areas remained relatively autonomous from the central government. Red Army units waged a guerilla war against Japanese forces in the countryside, and the CCP took advantage of the central government’s preoccupation with fighting Japan to expand the CCP’s power and influence. During the Second United Front, CCP membership increased from 40,000 to 1.2 million and the size of the Red Army surged from 30,000 to nearly one million. When Japan surrendered in 1945, Soviet forces that accepted the surrender of Japanese troops in Northeast China turned over large quantities of arms and ammunition to the CCP. Civil war resumed in 1946 between the CCP and KMT. In 1949, the CCP’s Red Army defeated the military forces of the central government in Nanjing, and the KMT-led ROC government fled to Taiwan. On October 10, 1949, Mao Zedong declared the founding of the Peoples Republic of China (PRC) in Beijing. A One-Party State   Although there are other political parties in China, including eight small democratic parties, China is a one-party state and the Communist Party maintains a monopoly on power. The other political parties are under the leadership of the Communist Party and serve in advisory roles. A Party Congress Every Five Years A Party Congress, in which the Central Committee is elected, is held every five years. Over 2,000 delegates attend the Party Congress. The Central Committee’s 204 members elect the 25-member Politburo of the Communist Party, which in turn elects a nine-member Politburo Standing Committee. There were 57 Party members when the first Party Congress was held in 1921. There were 73 million Party members at the 17th Party Congress that was held in 2007. The Party’s Leadership Is Marked by Generations The Party’s leadership is marked by generations, starting with the first generation who led the Communist Party to power in 1949. The second generation was led by Deng Xiaoping, China’s last revolutionary-era leader. During the third generation, led by  Jiang Zemin  and  Zhu Rongji, the CCP deemphasized supreme leadership by one individual and transitioned  to a more group-based decision-making process among a small handful of leaders on the  Standing Committee of the Politburo. The Current Leadership The fourth generation was  led by  Hu Jintao  and  Wen Jiabao. The fifth generation, made up of well-connected Communist Youth League members and the children of high-ranking officials, called ‘Princelings,’ took over in 2012. Power in China is based on a pyramid scheme with supreme power at the top. The Standing Committee of the Politburo holds supreme power. The Committee is responsible for maintaining the Party’s control of the state and military. Its members achieve this by holding the highest positions in the State Council, which oversees the government, the National People’s Congress- China’s rubber-stamp legislature, and the Central Military Commission, which runs the armed forces. The base of the Communist Party includes provincial-level, county-level, and township-level People’s Congresses and Party Committees. Fewer than 6-percent of Chinese are members, yet it is the most powerful political party in the world.

The new trends in foodservice industry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The new trends in foodservice industry - Essay Example These consumers are not concerned about recession and unemployment, they tend to value retail and in-store experience and record the highest number of high-end restaurant visits. In addition to this, they are more concerned about their health while purchasing products and services (11). This article is, therefore, important in understanding the changing landscape of consumer demographics and its implications to the foodservice industry. It also equips food retailers and restaurants with relevant strategies for segmenting the market and designing products and services that meet the needs of the various population cohorts. Friddle, Sandeep and Jean (13) observe that the continued growth in the baby boomer and senior’s segment is driving further outcomes in the foodservice industry. Firstly, there has been the emergence of grocery and foodservice under one retail store and one business enterprise. This phenomenon occurs because the consumers in older market segment have the tendency to match ready-to-eat foods with other groceries, beverages and fresh produce ingredients as a way of customizing their eating diets. Secondly, there has been continued competition in the foodservice industry as the various foodservice providers seek to increase their market share and tap into this lucrative market segment. Thirdly, there has been continued increase in food product and menu innovation with the aim of increasing quality, eating experience and gaining competitive advantage over rivals. Fourthly, there has been a shift of consumer preference from cost factors to other evaluation valuables such as diets, nutritional and health concerns in the selection of foodservice restaurants. Growth in the baby boomers and seniors population, who have a high purchasing power, is likely to lead to continued growth in the food service industry. According to Friddle, Sandeep and Jean, this market segment has high disposable income, wide