Student Mentorship Program For The Community College Essay

Student Mentoring in the Community College Student Population Served Student Success is now considered a vital element in the community college role. We must teach our students, and equipped them with skills to achieve their educational goal, as well as their career goals thereby, surviving in the workplace. Therefore, I am proposing a student mentorship program that targets all students enrolling at Mohave Community College (MCC). The program will encourage participation from the concurrent enrolled high school students, as well as students that are classified within the â€Å"at-risk† category. Each student at registration will receive information regarding the program, and encourage to participate when attending orientation. Identified Need The implementation and formulation of the program are highly informed by the fact that certain groups of students desperately need interventions to enhance their academic performance and increase their retention rates (Stromel, 2000). The program has identified six types of students who require mentor consisting of the nontraditional adults; students in remedial studies; students exhibiting low classroom participation; learners with low campus or community involvement; anyone who lacks positive role models, and students complaining about time. Therefore, with the tremendous increase of nontraditional and remedial students at MCC which, exhibit low motivation skills, time management abilities, and failure to socialize (Campbell, Smith,Show MoreRelatedCollege Is Not Just About Receiving Good Grades842 Words   |  4 PagesCareer Development College is not just about receiving good grades. It is just as valuable for students to get involved in student support programs and extracurricular activities such as internships, community involvement and leaderships. The reason why it s important for students to get involved is so they can apply what they learn in the classroom into practice, gain social skills, develop leadership skills and learn time management skills. Moreover, what make it more respected is the skillsRead MoreGraduation Gap Between Minority Students And White Students Essay1311 Words   |  6 Pagesdiverse students entering and graduating from post-secondary institutions is increasing at rapid rates (Education Trust, 2015; Georgetown University Center, 2012). Between the years 2003 and 2013, 77% of public institutions improved graduation rates for underrepresented groups, including African-American, Hispanic, and Native American students (Education Trust, 2015). Despite this increase, there continues to be a graduation gap between underrepresented minority students and White students. NationallyRead MoreEvaluation Of A Program For A Team810 Words   |  4 Pagesteacher was sadden by the stories her students shared about the hopelessness felt in their community to attend college or even graduate from high school. It is more likely; they would become a product of their environment. Instead of her standing idly by believing she alone could not make a difference, she started a mentorship program for girls. The mentorship program was first started with a couple of her colleagues which were also her closest friends. The program has grown to ten professional womenRead MoreBeing A First Generation Latina Essay1357 Words   |  6 PagesAs a first-generation Latina in college, I could not be where I am without the help of multiple individuals. My parent’s sacrificed so much coming into this country. They left behind their family, their home, in order to one day provide a better future f or me. Initially, my parents planned on staying in America for five years then they would go back to Ecuador. However plans changed once my mom became pregnant with me. The decision to stay in order to give me the best future possible greatly affectedRead MoreGraduation Speech : College Program Essay1179 Words   |  5 PagesUCAN is a program that weekly, visits local high schools providing them college mentorships. As part of college mentorship, we aid students, in college applications, financial aid, college essays and college preparation. The program is efficiently split into three parts, so mentees and mentors can take most from it. The three parts consist mainly of helping seniors in the college application process, teaching and mentoring sophomores and juniors about college preparation, preparing for next yearRead MoreEducation Programs Should Be Better Than Those Who Are Not Met With The Same Opportunity799 Words   |  4 Pages2011). By offering accelerated learning opport unities that allow students to achieve college placement, bridge programs can help to correct this trend in higher education (Wallington, Petlow, Mitchell, 2011). Programs should be realistic about their goals because the argument is made that significant progress in academic support is difficult to achieve in only a few months (Kezar, 2000). Studies show that students in retention programs perform better than those who are not met with the same opportunityRead MoreEssay On Access Program1395 Words   |  6 Pagesspent volunteering for the Office of College Access Programs (OCAP) is both informative and fulfilling. This organization has numerous programs aimed at aiding disadvantaged young children with preparing for college. Anyone who has been thrown into the overwhelming life of a first time college student knows that early preparation is not only necessary, but essential to success. By providing both students and their parents’ education on how to apply for college, test preparation, and tutoring servicesRead MoreThe State Of The Teaching Profession Essay1281 Words   |  6 Pagesa group, we decided on our three debate topics: te acher residency programs, teacher shortage related to mentorship, and the Common Core State standards. In relation to teacher residencies, I am pro teacher residency programs. When I started doing more research, I noticed these programs were becoming popular and were established as a way to help with teacher retention. Teacher residences are modeled after medical residency programs. The novice teacher is given a mentor teacher and accompanies thatRead MoreAn Evaluation Of A School Program798 Words   |  4 Pagesbetween both the school and community. Schools and communities should work hand and hand to meet the goals of the students that’s within the community. Therefore, the purpose of this assignment is to create an operationalize policy statement that includes the goals, objective, strategies planning and tactics to effectively implement the communication policy with academic expectations community and parental involvement and culture and school climate to the community . Goal The goal is to createRead MoreThe State Of The Teaching Profession Essay1304 Words   |  6 Pagestopics were teacher residency programs, teacher shortage related to mentorship, and the Common Core State standards. In relation to teacher residencies, I am pro teacher residency programs. Before any initial research, I have never heard of these programs. When I started doing more research, I noticed these programs were becoming popular and were established as a way to help with teacher retention. First of all, teacher residences are modeled after medical residency programs. The novice teacher is given

Firewalls And Infrastructure Security - 1201 Words

Firewalls and Infrastructure Security A firewall is a network device, hardware, software, or a combination of the two, whose purpose is to enforce a security policy across its connections. It is comparable to a wall that has a window where the wall serves to keep things out, except those permitted through the window. A security policy acts like the glass in the window; it permits some things to pass, light, while blocking others, air. The heart of a firewall is the security policy that it enforces. Security policies are a series of rules that define what traffic is permissible and what traffic is to be blocked or denied. These are not universal rules, and there are many different sets of rules for a single company with multiple†¦show more content†¦Advanced firewalls employ stateful packet filtering to prevent several types of undesired communications. Should a packet come from outside the network, in an attempt to pretend that it is a response to a message from inside the network, the firewall will have no record of its being requested and can discard it, blocking access. As many communications will be transferred to high ports, above 1023, stateful inspection will enable the system to determine which sets of high communications are permissible and which should be blocked. The disadvantage to stateful inspection is that it takes significant resources and processing to do this type of inspection and this reduces efficiency and requires more robust and expensive hardwa re. This type of inspection is essential in todays comprehensive networks. As they are in routers, switches, servers, and other network devices, Access control lists are a cornerstone of security in firewalls. Just as you must protect the device from physical access, Access control lists do the same task for electronic access. Firewalls can extend the concept of Access control lists by enforcing them as well at a packet level when packet-level stateful filtering is performed. This can add an extra layer of protection, making it more difficult for an outside attacker to breach a firewall. Some high-security firewalls also employ application layer proxies. As the nameShow MoreRelatedA Brief Note On Firewalls And Network Security954 Words   |  4 PagesJoshua Theophilus Jacqueline Stanton ITSA 255-4121 23 November 2015 Firewalls and Network Security The cyberspace has become a major concern to all stakeholders in view of persistent threats and attacks to IT infrastructures around the globe. Individuals, corporate entities and even governments have become victims of anonymous attacks in one form or the other. As a result of these, security professionals have continued to design and implement policies that can help protect valuable assets and vitalRead MoreDuke Energy Plan And Address The Security Aspects Of Its Network1712 Words   |  7 PagesFirewall Application Introduction Duke Energy should carefully plan and address the security aspects of its network by implementing appropriate firewalls. Duke Energy should implement appropriate security management practices and controls when maintaining and operating a secure network. It is imperative to ensure that the architecture of its network complies with industry standard security requirements. Duke Energy s IT organizations should commit to the ongoing process of maintaining the securityRead MoreSecurity Assessment - Aircraft Solutions Essay examples1349 Words   |  6 PagesCourse Project: Security Assessment and Recommendations – Phase I amp; II Aircraft Solutions Table of Contents Executive Summary†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..1 Company Overview†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..1 Hardware Vulnerability†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦...2 Policy Vulnerability†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..3 Hardware Solution†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦4 Policy Solution†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦...5 Summary†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦6 Executive Summary The purpose of this paper is to explore and assessRead MoreProtecting Information with a Secure Network Essay687 Words   |  3 PagesAlternative Solution? 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Our globally available services are managed by a recognized team of experts, bringing years of experience into the equation when delivering secure solutions to your business. A steadfast firewall is one of the key elements of your network’s infrastructure. Without a secure firewall, hackers can easily infiltrate your most critical data. MACCIUS’ managed security services shield youRead MoreReview Of Tools Of The Trade1483 Words   |  6 PagesInformation Technology (IT) infrastructure, however, the tools specifically to manage a firewall and scan a network, and the universally reliable knowledge bases are the three decisive requisites (Davis, Schiller, Wheeler, 2011). In this critical thinking report an assessment has been provided for one predominant tool from each of these essential categories. The first tool highlighted is SecureTrack developed by Tufin Software Technologies Ltd. is one of the principal firewall management solutions (TufinRead MoreCritical Infrastructure Protection ( Cip )898 Words   |  4 PagesAmerican Transmission Corporation, WI. Dec ‘14 – Oct ‘15 Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP) Consultant †¢ Responsible for ensuring ATC’s ability to remain compliant with NERC CIP standards, working with functional area teams to ensure that they have the necessary information to ensure compliance. †¢ Lead project for Role based training with functional areas to develop content in support for CIP requirements. †¢ Support the development and roll out of Core CIP training requirements. †¢ Worked

Accountability on the Report of Performance in the Presentation

Question: Write accountability report on performance in the presentation? Answer: I would like to write this letter about the feedback of LIGHT the team has earned from the members during performance of the presentation on the date 25th November. A lot of issues have been recognized that shows the lack of motivation of the team members, but the prime issue that I have identified is: poor performance of the team. Being a leader of the team firstly I would like to identify the issues that cause this problem and also I would like to highlight the relevant theories. Secondly I would like to highlight the actions to taken to solve those issues. Thirdly I will go for the justification of the action that has been adopted to solve the problem. The further step that I would like to do is discuss the expected results and in the final stage I will show the importance of the action on how this action became helpful in order to solve the problem. Teamwork can be defined as a work in which the individual works in coordination with each other in order to achieve the common goal (Gaynor, 2015). Likewise, the members of a light team had same focus during formation of the group. The goal of our team was to work in coordination with each other in a helping manner so that the team can give a very nice presentation in order to achieve good grades after the presentation. With the continuation of the preparation, it has been seen that some of our team members have lost their focus on the presentation (Hawkes, 2015). They became unwilling to cooperate with each other. The prime causes that have been identified for the poor performance of the team were: Attitude and Behaviour: The behaviour and attitude of team members were considered to be the main reason for the poor performance of the team members. The goal and objective of the team were unclear (Holten and Brenner, 2015). So the team members got confused about their roles in the team. Some of the team members had seemed to be hesitant and unwilling towards the work in the early stages of the preparation. There was a lack of common goals, working plan, and a good leader at this point of time. This kind of issues can be seen in the forming stage of Trackmans theory. According to Trackman, during formation of the team there are so many types of confusion about the objective, identification as a team member, and team leader. As a team leader, I was scared in this stage about the lack of certainty in the goals and objective of the team. Being a team leader, I was unable to identify the problem, developing an alternate solution to the problem, evaluating the alternative solutions and finally selecting the most suitable solution (Liu, 2015). I was also stressed about the confusion of roles and task assignment of the team. Because of non-cooperation among the team members there was a lack of motivation which prevents the team members to attend any scheduled meeting. It was not possible to clarify any task. I could not encourage the team members to be involved in the preparation of the presentation. I was leading the team according to laissez-faire style where the team got the freedom to work because my effort was not enough for making a success of the presentation (Kabalo, 2015). The leadership style chosen by me was considered to be low productivity by the researchers. It is like a challenge for the team leader to effectively manage the team to perform according to the best of their ability. From the poor performance of the team, I have learned some new strategy to manage the team effectively. This strategy will help me to guide the team perfectly, and it will also help me in the elimination of bad behaviour in future projects. For managing a team, perfectly Belbin has suggested some strategy. He suggested that by understanding the individual role in a team, one team member can increase his strength to make best if his effort. When all the team members of a same team are assigned with the same task, it creates a lack of motivation to achieve that task (Lekka, 2015). They feel low self-esteemed which reduces productivity. But when the team members of a team are assigned different task it will increase the self- esteem of any team member. The team member will feel valued and respected, in this case, and this will in turn increase the productivity of the team (jibhhk and Wank, 2015). This strategy also helps to manage weakness of a team member. It helps a team member to contribute more towards achieving the common goal. This strategy has been proposed in the team so that this can be applied during the formation of the team. I will not avoid the warning of the management. I have observed that there is a lack of motivation among the team members because their roles were not clear. Being a team leader I have learned that there is a great need to assign a specific task to each and every member of the team before forming a team. Bad behaviour of the team could destroy the performance of a team and may cause low self-esteem of the members of the team. Assigning specific and unique task will help to develop the self-esteem of the members. The leadership style that had adopted was not considered to a perfect style to manage the team. I was bound to adopt that style because of my inability to manage the team. But the laisse- fairy type of leadership was not perfect for the team. Being democratic was not a good option for the team (Kabalo, 2015). The autocratic style of leadership would be beneficial for this team. Democratic Style would be beneficial for the team if the members are experienced, and having full of knowledge about the task (Liu, 2015). This presentation had to finish in a short time frame. So in this case autocratic style of leadership would be beneficial to complete the presentation within the defined time frame and to get maximum profit from it. For this, I will dictate policies and procedures to the team members. I will also direct and control the Task of the team members. One of the major reasons that result in the inability of our team to work together in achieving the goal was the conflicts among the team member. Conflict arose due to many reasons. Unequal division of work among the team members may cause conflicts among the team members. Some of the team members of our team were seemed to be as on- cooperative, and unwilling to perform their task efficiently (Lockhart, 2015). This also results in conflict among the members, and poor performance of the team. According to Trackman, this kind of problem can see in the storming stage of team building. In the storming stage, there is a great confliction among the team members about roles, leadership, and task. The team members in this stage are concerned about whether they are valued by the organization or not. As a leader of the team, I should organize the work efficiently and assign it to the team members. I would ensure that the members of the team have got a scope to know each other. For the best pe rformance of the team, the members should not see each other as a competitor. It is a common belief that when people work together it inevitably creates conflict among the team members. As a team leader, I was unable to solve the confliction among the team members. I found a very useful model at Monmouth, which helps me to suggest the strategy in order to solve the confliction among the team members. The focus of this model was to train the team members that have a positive result. The training helps to identify the cases of the conflict and the measures to be taken to solve the problem. I will take some corrective measure at the start of the preparation on how the team members will behave in the team and will also decide which type of behaviour will not be permitted in the team. The team will also develop some agreed rules (Smith, 2015). This will help me to resolve the conflict of the team. I would also suggest the team members to behave in the agreed way to avoid conflicts. The training should suggest the team members give value and respect to each other. They member would understand the feeling and behaviour of others. The team members of the team will learn by the training about the perception of each other on the action and behaviour taken by them. As a team leader of the team, I would assess the team members in a perfect manner (Tubin and Pinyan-Weiss, 2014). I will make the member feel valued and aware of the task. When the team members become self-aware of themselves, it will motivate them to work towards the achieving the common goal of the team. I believe that by identifying the causes of the problem and accordingly taking action and implementing them will help me in future to guide the team to work in the productive way. Reference List Gaynor, G. (2015). Building an innovation team.IEEE Engineering Management Review, 43(2), pp.7-9. Hawkes, N. (2015). Clinical leadership team of the year.BMJ, 350(apr08 7), pp.h1888-h1888. Holten, A. and Brenner, S. (2015). Leadership style and the process of organizational change.Leadership Org Development J, 36(1), pp.2-16. Kabalo, P. (2015). David Ben-Gurion's leadership as a "two-way interaction process".Leadership. Lekka, N. (2015). Acute Inpatient Mental Health Services: Building Foundations for Team Effectiveness.European Psychiatry, 30, p.1022. Liu, H. (2015). Reimagining ethical leadership as a relational, contextual and political practice.Leadership. Lockhart, L. (2015). The art of team building.Nursing Made Incredibly Easy!, 13(3), pp.51-52. Smith, C. (2015). Exemplary leadership.Nursing Management (Springhouse), 46(3), pp.47-51. Special Issue of Leadership Gender and Leadership Editors: Claire Leitch and Valerie Stead. (2015).Leadership, 11(1), pp.126-127. Tubin, D. and Pinyan-Weiss, M. (2014). Distributing positive leadership: The case of team counseling.Educational Management Administration Leadership, 43(4), pp.507-525. Winans, M. (2015). Leading With Grace: Building an Accountable Team.Nurse Leader, 13(3), pp.35-38. Zacher, H. and Rosing, K. (2015). Ambidextrous leadership and team innovation.Leadership Org Development J, 36(1), pp.54-68. , Ã… ¾. and , . (2015). Division model of team-building alternatives for IT-companies.TAPR, 3(5(23), p.11

Understanding Behavior Essays - Mundo Moy Akin,

Understanding Behavior The behavior of a person can usually be explained by that person's state of mind. The external conduct is almost always directly linked to internal emotions. Knowing this fact is very beneficial to someone like a guidance counsellor because it lets him or her almost "read" the physchlogical state of a student based entirely on their behavior. In Darlene's case her behavior has been very well documented making the task of phsycological assesment a much easier job. There are many facets to Dralene's behavior, each revealing a different part of her state of mind. Judging from the way she dresses and is groomed it appears as if she comes from a family less wealthy than most of the other children at her school. This has probably been a factor in her sullen behavior. Because she can't afford more expensive clothes, she has been put into a different social class than most of her peers. It is known that all humans have an emotional need to be "accepted" by their peers but unfortunat for Darlene, being accepted is a need that she has not satisfied due to her lack of wealth. Darlene also expressed that this form "classism" against her was apparent at sunday school. It was so great in fact that she actually quit the classes to get away from the sunday school "snobs". It should come as no surprise that Darlene has also expressed a desire to quit highschool as well. This may also explain her reluctance to join any clubs and the way she anticipates unfriendly reactions from people she meets. Darlene's teachers agree that although Darlene has an above average intellect, she still only aquires average marks. I believe this problem can be traced to her parents. It si known that Darlene's parents keep Darlene in 6 days of the week, and when they do let her out she must be home at ten. It is also known that Darlene must do alot of housework on the weekends if she wants to get her weekly allowance and that her parents do not approve of her friends. Darlene's poor pe nce in school may very well be Darlene's way of "getting back" at her parents. By getting average marks she is trying to tell her parents that keeping her in and being so restrictive of her social activities won't help her school work, it will only make it worst. I will assume that Darlene also feels like her parents don't pay enough attention to her. Both her parents probably work, explaining why Darlene has so many responsibilities at home, and neither of them likely have much time to spend with their daughter. Darlene would also like more freedom to do go out and choose friends. The physological needs Darlene lacks are social acceptance, attention from her parents and freedom. If I were to advise Darlene on a course of action it would be to discuss the problem with her parents and not to try and hurt them by doing poorly in school because that is not hurting her parents, it is only hurting her. I would tell her that the only person in the world Darlene can change is herself. I would also tell Darlene that any peer that does not like her based solely on how much money she has is not worth having as a friend. I would tell her to ignore people who treat her badly becuase of her lack of wealth and eventually they will stop annoying her because they will not get any reaction from her. Darlene will have to work on her attitude though, so she can be more sociable and more accepted.

The Walking Dead and the Bridegroom to the Goddess

The Walking Dead and the Bridegroom to the Goddess The Irish literature is characterized by discussing a lot of social and psychological issues and depicting many mythical images. The Irish writers’ approach to presenting the common theme can be extremely different with references to using irony and satire or mild and pessimistic tone.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on â€Å"The Walking Dead† and the â€Å"Bridegroom to the Goddess† specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The play The Playboy of the Western World by John Millington Synge and the poem â€Å"The Tollund Man† by Seamus Heaney have few similar features, but the authors discuss the theme of death, accentuating the violent death, in their works. Although Synge and Heaney use rather opposite approaches to presenting the controversial theme of death in their works where Synge concentrates on satire to depict the social and psychological issues and Heaney pays attention to the spiritual con text of the question, the authors provide their vision of the violent death from the social perspective and with references to the persons’ inner world. In his play The Playboy of the Western World, Synge emphasizes the fact of murdering as the starting point to develop the play’s plot. Thus, the idea of murder is used to represent the problems and conflicts typical for the Irish society of the 1900s along with accentuating the personal attitude to the question as the reflection of the society’s sickness. Christy Mahon, the main character of the play, is inclined to attract the public’s attention in the tavern with stating that he has murdered his father. Thus, Mahon depicts his action saying, â€Å"I just riz the loy and let fall the edge of it on the ridge of his skull, and he went down at my feet like an empty sack, and never let a grunt or groan from him at all† (Synge 113). The unemotional language used by the author to present the characterâ €™s experience in order to emphasize the irony Mahon and the audience’s interpretation of his actions. Synge stresses the satiric inappropriateness of interpreting Mahon’s actions as heroic with the help of remarks. For instance, Michael reacts to Mahon’s words about murdering with great respect and states, â€Å"That was a hanging crime, mister honey. You should have had good reason for doing the like of that†, and Mahon answers in a reasonable tone, â€Å"He was a dirty man, God forgive him, and he getting old and crusty, the way I couldn’t put up with him at all† (Synge 106-107). From this point, the fact of murdering a person makes Mahon be a hero in this small community of a tavern. The reasons to explain the phenomenon can be found with references to analyzing the figures of the listeners. The community of County Mayo needs sensations to discuss, and the personality of Mahon and his action become the most interesting themes for tal king about.Advertising Looking for essay on literature languages? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Thus, the fact of the violent death is presented in Synge’s play as a chance to make the monotonous life more diverse and vivid. The author exaggerates the public’s indifference to the moral and ethical aspects of murdering a person and provides the satirical descriptions of people’s interpreting the problems of death and murder (Levitas; Regan). The villagers are inclined to discuss the person of Mahon as the hero and â€Å"the walking Playboy of the Western World† (Synge 190). The public changes its vision of Mahon only in some time, but the progress of their considerations on Mahon’s actions is significant. However, the general representation of the topic of death in the play is characterized by depicting some satirical stories. Thus, Mahon is afraid of â€Å"the walking dead†, and Pegeen tells the frightening story about the dead man putting â€Å"in a narrow grave† (Synge 85, 185). In spite of the people’s rather indifferent attitude to the fact of murder, they are inclined to feel fear associated with the theme of death. Although the theme of death is also vividly discussed in Heaney’s poem â€Å"The Tollund Man†, the author’s approach to presenting the topic differs much from Synge’s accentuating the satire of tragic moments in his play. Heaney represents the concept of death from many perspectives in his poem, emphasizing the religious, spiritual, and mythical aspects along with stressing the social problems associated with the theme of the violent death. In the first stanza, the author depicts his sacred devotion to the Tollund Man who could become the victim of the goddess, â€Å"Bridegroom to the goddess, / She tightened her torc on him / And opened her fen, / Those dark juices working / Him to a saintà ¢â‚¬â„¢s kept body† (Heaney 12-16). The death of the Tollund Man is violent, but it is sacred as well as the author’s interpretation of the man’s death as the act connected with the problem of spirituality. Thus, the character discusses the Tollund Man as a kind of idol. Moreover, the character states, â€Å"I could risk blasphemy, / Consecrate the cauldron bog / Our holy ground and pray / Him to make germinate† (Heaney 21-24). The fact of worshipping the deity should not be discussed with references to the character’s, but it can be analyzed with accentuating his attitude to the death as the sacred act. The author provides the analogies and parallels in relation to the violent death of the Tollund Man and the problematic social situations in Ireland and Denmark. The symbols of death are presented in the author’s pessimistic descriptions, â€Å"The scattered, ambushed / Flesh of labourers, / Stockinged corpses / Laid out in the farmyardsâ₠¬  (Heaney 25-28).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on â€Å"The Walking Dead† and the â€Å"Bridegroom to the Goddess† specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The death is presented not only as the sacred notion but also as the real situation which is familiar for many unfortunate people who are the victims of the social orders and conflicts. The large social context provided by the author makes the problem actual for many people. The death of the Tollund man as the part of a sacrifice accentuates the unjust character of many deaths of those people who became the victims of â€Å"sad freedom† (Heaney 33). The character stresses that having explored the Tollund man with providing the analogies he feels lost â€Å"unhappy and at home† (Heaney 44). Therefore, the theme of death is presented through the significant religious and social context. To conclude, it is important to pay attention to the fact that although John Millington Synge and Seamus Heaney discuss the topic of the violent death in their works, the authors’ approaches to presenting and explaining the aspects of the problem are different. Synge is inclined to accentuate the people’s attitude to the question with the help of irony and satirical interpretations, and Heaney’s tone is rather pessimistic. Synge refers to the understatement of the role of death in the person’s life, especially the violent death. Heaney is inclined to exaggerating the problem of the violent death and its victims with the help of stressing the religious symbolism. Heaney, Seamus. â€Å"The Tollund Man†. Opened Ground: Selected Poems, 1966-1996. Ed. Seamus Heaney. New York, NY: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1998. 124-125. Print. Levitas, Ben. â€Å"The Playboy of the Western World†. Modern and Contemporary Irish Drama. Ed. John Harrington. New York: W.W. Norton, 2009. 468-472. Print. Regan, Stephen. Ir ish Writing: An Anthology of Irish Literature in English 1789-1939. London: Oxford University Press, 2004. Print.Advertising Looking for essay on literature languages? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Synge, John Millington. â€Å"Playboy of the Western World†. Modern and Contemporary Irish Drama. Ed. John Harrington. New York, NY: W.W. Norton, 2009. 68-112. Print.

Henry V essays

Henry V essays What is the scene in the very beginning of the movie? It is the backstage of a theatre. It is modern day, you can tell by the building, lights, and the match. The man speaks in very old language for such surroundings. The scene we are next brought to is obviously much farther back in time. It is lit by candles. The clothing worn by the men is cloth with accents of metals. They look like very good clothes I also believe these people are all upper class/royal in some way. The priests bless the king. The language is very difficult to understand. Kenneth Branaugh looks much younger in this movie then others he ha made, I assume it is one of his earlier movies. The throne Henry V sits on is wooden and simple. The doors in Henrys hall were enormous. The common men and women wore simpler cloth clothing. The women wear such ragged clothing, its hardly anything. Some of the more warrior-like men wear chain-mail and have swords. When we see Henry again, he is wearing a bright blue and red shi rt. The kings royal wear is much different than the clothes worn by others. The French king wears a gold crown. The warrior wears chain mail, another wears metal armor. The French maid wears a very interesting sort of hat that comes down over her ears. There is quite a long scene in French, and I dont understand a word. The Frenchmen wear more colorful clothes than the English. They wear more blues, especially. The hanging of the man by Henry brought back of a flashback of a promise he made not to hang thieves. This shows how Henry is going against anything he had promised. When it began to rain when they were outside hanging the man, they all pulled capes out from behind them and covered their bodies. It must have been the worlds first poncho. When the French troops arrive at the hillside, they are all decked out with shields, armor, and horses. There are arrows flying through the air how can they be su ...

International trade, problem question Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

International trade, problem question - Essay Example Hence, if the bank, at which presentation is to be made is closed as a result of any act of God such as in this case, a tsunami, the bank has no obligation to accept or negotiate a credit, which expired at such time it was closed. However, there are exceptions to the rule. If the bank is closed for other reasons, not stated under this article, the period of presentation is extended until the next day when the bank opens. In the case at bar, Maltic Ltd. cannot file a case against Fidelity Bank because the reason for the closure of the bank is due to a force majuere, a tsunami occurred which restrained to banks employees to report for work for three (3) days until the tsunami passes. Therefore, the bank cannot be held liable for the refusal to pay of The Agribusiness Credit Bank. The doctrine of autonomy can also be applied in this instance. Well-entrenched is the rule under Article 3 of the Uniform Customs and Practice (UCP), which states that: â€Å"Letters of credit, by their natur e are separate and distinct from a contract of sale or any other contract on which they may be based and that banks are in no way concerned with or bound by such contract, even if the letter of credit contains a reference to the underlying contract†. It is for this reason that it is deemed that the undertaking by the bank to pay or accept bills of exchange or drafts, nor to fulfil any other obligation under the letter of credit, is not subject to claims of defences by the applicant resulting from its relationship with the issuing bank or with the beneficiary. â€Å"As for the contractual relationship existing between the applicant and the issuing bank, the beneficiary cannot avail itself of any benefit from it because he is not a privy to such contract† (van Niekerk & Schulze 307). Therefore, Maltic Ltd., the beneficiary, cannot hold the Fidelity Bank for the refusal of The Agribusiness Credit Bank to pay of the credit for the simple reason that it is merely a correspon dent bank, which is in the same locality of the exporter, Stevenson Ltd. The role of the correspondent is only to act as the advising bank, the confirming bank and the paying bank. â€Å"The correspondent bank is the advising bank as it informs the beneficiary that the letter of credit has been opened in his favour† (Sarkar 20). In the case of The Agribusiness Credit Bank, it shall be liable to pay Maltic Ltd. on the basis of issuing an irrevocable letter of credit and damages incurred by Maltic Ltd as beneficiary. This is pursuant to Article 9 of the UCP which provides: â€Å"An irrevocable credit constitutes a definite undertaking of the issuing bank, provided that the stipulated documents are presented to the Nominated Bank or the Issuing Bank, and the terms and conditions of the credit are complied with.† In this case at bar, Maltic Ltd. was issued an irrevocable letter of credit by The Agribusiness Credit Bank, based on the following terms: 1. Payment against invo ice, insurance policy, bill of lading and; 2. Certificate of quality signed by two experts from the National Oatmeal Inspectorate. There was no showing that Maltic Ltd. was not able to comply with the documents set forth under terms and conditions provided in the letter of cre

Religious Feminism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Religious Feminism - Essay Example The plight of women is generally evident in all spheres of life, both religious and secular. Even in religion, areas of authority are always of a reserve of men who dominate the creation of norms that determine religious traditions. When baby boys are born, it is considered a blessing than when baby girls are born. Most religious images are male which are considered a symbol of holiness while those of females considered idolatry. In this regard, patriarchy and sexism are aspects that present themselves in all spheres of life especially on high grounds religion where it should be least expected. Under religious representations, there are numerous proposals put forward by the feminist groups about language and image representations of God. Among them is the traditional representation of God as of male gender. When people refer to God, the metaphors used in describing the deity in this respect should be changed to show that God transcends human sexes and that the deity should be taken to represent all sexes on equal grounds. In this case the use of the term â€Å"God the Father† is not acceptable according to the feminists. In this regard, other propositions have been put forward to show God as a mother, sister, and friend. This can be seen as the second part in which images of God are supposed to be changed to be female so as to end the general notion that the use of female images symbolize idolatry. The proposition holds that since the deity makes of all of us including male and female, therefore its representation should include images from both sides. Besides, imag es of God as mother would not in any way stereotype God’s feminine traits. Another proposition is that God should be seen as relational. In this context, God should be seen as a central part of human life who is also shares in the experiences of human beings. By this, the deity is also part of women’s

Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution Essay Example for Free

Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution Essay My topic is a rally car made by the Japanese company Mitsubishi. This machine is considered one of the best rally cars in the world. And they are used as cars in our everyday life. The car I am going to be focusing on is the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution in Short Evo. The evolution is a racing car modern transportation car. | Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution. The Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution short (evo) is a product of Japan. It was created as a separate branch to the lancer. The Evolution was intended as a Professional Rally car. The car turned out so well that there were numerous requests for a road car. The evolution was then turned into a sports sedan. The reason I love Evolution so much and would like others to know is because of the way the car was created. If for example you are a driver that loves a sporty car but has a family the Evolution is perfect it has five seats so that the whole family can go. The car is also 4by4 which means that it can go through stormy weather and the drive can feel confident. The Evolution has great prices as well so that means that you can get almost up to three hundred horsepower and a turbo for an affordable price. One of the reasons that the Evolution is so famous is for its handling it was created for rally racing which means that even though the sedan may be different it is still similar. The handling on an Evolution is one of the best in the world for a sedan. Due to the Gentlemen’s Agreement which stated in Japan that no production car would have more than 300 horsepower the Evolutions in Japan, Europe and North America some of the versions of the Evolution where different. In the future Mitsubishi is planning on making more Evolutions but it is still unclear about the look of the car. Mitsubishi claims that the car is going to have some medications and Versions of it might run on Electricity and there probably will be Hybrids. The Conclusion that I came up with is that if you are a family person but always wanted something sporty under $30,000 and something the whole family can go on this would be your choice. The car has magnificent handling and it is very safe. It has a very flashy look and enough power under the hood to keep you going for a long time. In my personal opinion if you have a family a two setter sports car would not go as good with the family, but a sports sedan would.

An Exploration of Different Theories of Evolution Essay -- Life Evolut

An Exploration of Different Theories of Evolution Where did we come from? It is a question that has haunted the entire history of humanity. Thousands of years ago, our ancestors sought to answer the question with myths. Today, we are still struggling with the same question—only today we seek to answer this mystery with science. Given various observations, it seems plausible that all life arose from a few very simple organisms millions of years ago. Observations of life will raise two important (though almost paradoxical) questions: Why are there so many different kinds of life? And why do there appear to be some over-riding similarities among organisms? The diversity of life is apparent in the vast number of different species of plants and animals that exist on earth. By the mid 20th Century, there was an estimated 1 to 2 million different types of organisms. (12) Now, however, the number is even higher and is expected to continue to climb as more discoveries are made. That there are prevailing similarities among organisms is equally apparent. (13) All organisms use the same biochemical mechanisms to function. For example, all organisms use DNA and many proteins that make up cells and serve as enzymes are the same across species. (12) Also, organisms that are supposed to be closely " related" tend to s hare certain characteristics. For example, the bones in a whale's front flipper are arranged in much the same way as the bones in human beings' arms and both whales and humans are mammals and therefore more closely related than say humans and squid. (12) Evolution - as defined as - the theory that the various types of animals and plants have their origin in other preexisting types and that the distinguishable diff... ...) The Limits of Darwinism , by David Berlinski http://bostonreview.mit.edu/bostonreview/br22.1/berlinski.html 18) The RNA World , by Brig Klyce http://www.panspermia.org/rnaworld.htm 19) Viruses: Imported Genetic Software , by Brig Klyce http://www/panspermia.org/virus.htm 20) Encyclopedia Britannica Online http://www.panspermia.org/virus.htm 21) http://search.eb.com/cgi-bin/dictionary?va=Evolution , Encyclopedia Britannica Online http://www/panspermia.org/virus.htm 22) Article from US Environmental Protection Agency; published in May 1998 http://www.epa.gov/radiation/ionize.htm 23) Mutation: Causes and Repair , by McAllister; slide presentation http://www.uta.edu/biology/mcallister/3315/17_HTML%20Folder/tsld001.htm 24) Duke Study Finds New Causes of Mutation , by Marko Djuranovic http://www.netlink.de/gen/Zeitung/2001/010131.html An Exploration of Different Theories of Evolution Essay -- Life Evolut An Exploration of Different Theories of Evolution Where did we come from? It is a question that has haunted the entire history of humanity. Thousands of years ago, our ancestors sought to answer the question with myths. Today, we are still struggling with the same question—only today we seek to answer this mystery with science. Given various observations, it seems plausible that all life arose from a few very simple organisms millions of years ago. Observations of life will raise two important (though almost paradoxical) questions: Why are there so many different kinds of life? And why do there appear to be some over-riding similarities among organisms? The diversity of life is apparent in the vast number of different species of plants and animals that exist on earth. By the mid 20th Century, there was an estimated 1 to 2 million different types of organisms. (12) Now, however, the number is even higher and is expected to continue to climb as more discoveries are made. That there are prevailing similarities among organisms is equally apparent. (13) All organisms use the same biochemical mechanisms to function. For example, all organisms use DNA and many proteins that make up cells and serve as enzymes are the same across species. (12) Also, organisms that are supposed to be closely " related" tend to s hare certain characteristics. For example, the bones in a whale's front flipper are arranged in much the same way as the bones in human beings' arms and both whales and humans are mammals and therefore more closely related than say humans and squid. (12) Evolution - as defined as - the theory that the various types of animals and plants have their origin in other preexisting types and that the distinguishable diff... ...) The Limits of Darwinism , by David Berlinski http://bostonreview.mit.edu/bostonreview/br22.1/berlinski.html 18) The RNA World , by Brig Klyce http://www.panspermia.org/rnaworld.htm 19) Viruses: Imported Genetic Software , by Brig Klyce http://www/panspermia.org/virus.htm 20) Encyclopedia Britannica Online http://www.panspermia.org/virus.htm 21) http://search.eb.com/cgi-bin/dictionary?va=Evolution , Encyclopedia Britannica Online http://www/panspermia.org/virus.htm 22) Article from US Environmental Protection Agency; published in May 1998 http://www.epa.gov/radiation/ionize.htm 23) Mutation: Causes and Repair , by McAllister; slide presentation http://www.uta.edu/biology/mcallister/3315/17_HTML%20Folder/tsld001.htm 24) Duke Study Finds New Causes of Mutation , by Marko Djuranovic http://www.netlink.de/gen/Zeitung/2001/010131.html

How Europeans Affected the Indians Essay

The arrival of the Europeans affected the Indians in several different ways. The Indians were exposed to new experiences such as diseases, religion, racism, land ownership, and trade to name a few. The Indians way of life changed forever with the arrival of the European colonists. Diseases were introduced to them as early as 1550 by European fisherman who stayed on the New England shores during the winter. The fisherman brought devastating illnesses which the Indians had little resistance to such as diphtheria, cholera, typhus, measles, and small pox. The coastal Indians were the first infected by these aliments and in turn, they spread them to the inland Indians. These diseases were ruinous and cost many Indians their lives. The Indians had their own customs and religions. They were introduced to the colonist’s religion, Protestant Christianity. They did not immediately take to the Puritan religion as the Indians took to Catholicism brought in by the Spaniards. They found it difficult to embrace a religion that taught that all but a few of them were damned to hellfire. Also, the Puritan or Anglican religion was complicated with English ways of eating, dressing, working, and looking at the world. The Indians that did embrace the Protestant religion were forced to adhere to the Protestant ways and abandoned their own. The Indian men were to farm and the women to weave, they lived in English houses and not wigwams, they were to barber their hair as the Puritans, and they were to stop using bear grease toward off mosquitoes. Racism was introduced to the Indians by the English colonists. Before the colonist’s arrival, they knew nothing of prejudice. Captives were adopted into the tribe, white prisoners as well as Indians born into another tribe. They were fully accepted as their brothers and sisters. Tribes would even raid other tribes and white settlements in order to increase their numbers. Extramarital miscegenation produced â€Å"half-breeds† which were consigned to the Indians. This was done in part because they were illegitimate, but mostly because of the consciousness of race that steadily grew in intensity in the colonial societies. The English referred to the Indians as savages because they were racially inferior. They abhorred their culture, morals, manners, and religion. They thought of all Indians as enemies. The Indians  were exposed to this narrow mindedness and bigotry which had been made by the colonist and so they learned of racism. The colonists assumed possession of lands that were vacated, like the site of Plymouth, on the justification of ancient legal principle that unoccupied land is anybody’s picking. The colonists did acknowledge the legal and moral rights of the tribes to own land they occupied and purchased what they could of it. The problem was that when the Indians sold land to the colonists, their understanding was that they were then willing to share their hunting grounds with them, just as they would with other tribes. They did not understand the concept of ownership. This was not a practice in which they had ever been exposed. This misunderstanding between the Indians and colonists caused wars between them which were inevitably won by the colonists. The Indians way of life was not suitable to live where the English lived due to the colonist’s agricultural ways. The Indians farmed by borrowing fields from the forest. They cultivated the soil for a few years and then moved elsewhere. The fields then reverted to hunting grounds. But the colonists did not allow this to happen. They destroyed the forests for hundreds of acres. They farmed these fields until the soil was depleted. Then they would turn the fields into pastures for their livestock. The livestock would renew the soil after several years. But during this time, the colonists would clear more hundreds of acres for their farming. This caused the flight of wildlife and game, which was vital to the Indians way of life. The Indians were anxious to trade with the colonists. They would trade furs for such things as beef, baubles, vessels, tools, iron tomahawks, woven wool blankets, liquor, and muskets. In order to trade with the Europeans, the Indians hunted and trapped for the hides of deer and the furs of other animals which the colonists wanted. Competition for furs between the tribes introduced a vicious kind of war between the Indians. The fur trade also resulted in the destruction of the ecological system of the area. Before fur trading with the Europeans, the tribes killed only moose, deer, beaver, and the other animals which were necessary and they had an immediate need. But with the need for more hides and furs, the Indians hunted until they had extinguished all the animals in their hunting grounds. The Indians then went into other tribes’ territories to hunt which in turn caused warfare between them. Another problem with trading with the colonists arose out of the Indians want of the liquor which the colonists provided. They took to the intoxicating effects of the liquor which in turn caused new problems within the tribes and with the people of the tribes. The colonist’s actions also caused another first for the Indians. The hanging of three Wampanoag’s at Plymouth for murdering Sassamon, a â€Å"praying Indian† caused the first pan-Indian attempt to preserve traditional culture. Metacomet, called King Phillip by the New Englanders, was the one to convince the other tribes to work together as he saw that the colonists with their ever increasing numbers were destroying the Indians way of life. Slavery was the involuntary capture of human beings who were sold and then owned by their masters. They were forced to work for their entire lives. Slaves had no personal rights and no hope of freedom. Slavery was first notable in the southern colonies. At first, colonists saw the indentured servants as better investments than spending money on the slaves. Later, they realized that the slaves seem to have a built up immunity to certain diseases such as malaria, which often killed the indentured servants in their care. The colonists came to see the slaves as an investment, worth the money for the outcome of a lifelong worker who could do manual labor, did not have to be replaced after a specific number of years of service, and also could assist in bearing children born into slavery which only would increase the master’s workforce. Eventually, all of the colonies became involved in owning slaves. Indentured servitude was an adaptation of the well established English means of training boys to be artisans and caring for orphans. Fathers would sign an indenture with a master of a craft. This bound the boy to the master for a period of years, usually seven years. In return for his labor, the master agreed to shelter, clothe, and feed his apprentice and teach him the craft. This institution of indentured servitude was also used to provide for orphans. Indentured servants were well suited for farmers who needed  laborers. People were recruited in England to sign indentures to work in the colonies as servants for an agreed number of years. In return for signing the indentures, the servant’s passage across the Atlantic was paid. Some servant’s were forced by English courts which sentenced convicts to transportation to the colonies. There they served out their sentences as bound servants. Unlike slaves, the indentured servants had personal rights. The term of the servitude was written down which varied from three to seven years. At the end of the agreed time, they were freed. They were given clothing, tools, a little money, and sometimes land.

Early Black Leaders of America Essay

American History Early Black Leaders of America In history, It Is a proven fact that leader Is to lead In everything that we do In our daily lives. During the civil rights times on into the current time, there were black leaders ot America that changed the world. Many black leaders paved the way tor many of African Americans today and some died for us. Their ideas, tactics, and solutions for problems faced by blacks were significant. The three black leaders of America I will be discussing are Fredrick Douglas, Malcom X. end Martin Luther King. First, Fredrick Douglas was a prominent American abolitionist, author and orator. Born a slave, Douglass escaped at age 20 and went on to become a world-renowned antislavery activist. HIS three autobiographies are considered important works of the slave narrative tradition as well as classics of American autobiography† Douglass’ work as a reformer ranged from his abolitionist activities In the early 1840s to his attacks on Jim Crow and lynching in the 1890s. For 16 years he edited an influential black newspaper and achieved International tame as an Insplrlng and persuasive speaker and writer. In thousands of speeches and editorials, he levied a powerful indictment against slavery and racism, provided an indomitable voice of hope for his people, embraced antislavery politics and preached his own brand of American ideals. econd, Malcom x was an actlvlst and outspoken public voice of the Black Muslim faith, challenged the mainstream civil rights movement and the nonviolent pursuit of Integration championed by Martin Luther King Jr, He urged followers to defend themselves against white aggression â€Å"by any means necessary. † Malcolm became an influential leader of the Nation of Islam, which combined Islam with black nationalism and sought to encourage and enfranchise disadvantaged young blacks searching for confidence in segregated America. After Malcolm X’s death in 1965, his bestselling book The Autobiography ot Malcolm X popularized his Ideas, particularly mong black youth, and laid the foundation for the Black Power movement of the late 1960s and 1970s Last, Martin Luther King played d key role In the American clvll rights movement from the mid-1950s until his assassination in 1968. Inspired by advocates of nonviolence such as Mahatma Gandhi, King sought equality tor Atrlcan Americans, the economically disadvantaged and victims of injustice through peaceful protest. He was the driving force behind watershed events such as the Montgomery Bus Boycott nd the March on Washington, which helped bring about such landmark legislation as the Civil Rights Act. The use of his mouth was his most powerful weapon and it worked well. I picked the three leaders because they were the most influential to me. These men are the Mount Rushmore’s of the black American leaders and I think they really were people to look up to. Their Ideas, tactics, and solutions worked well as we witness In nlstory. some people are Dorn to lead ana tnese tnree men were oennltely born to do that.

Free Essays on Women In Combat

Women in Combat The idea of women in combat is not unusual anymore. They should be able to hold combat positions because although physical strength matters, the military still needs the intelligence that women can bring. Also, banning women from the combat hurts their military careers. Although women account for a very small percent of the enlisted personnel they are still a major part in the armed forces. Their performance recently has generated support from Congress and the public for enhancing the role of females in the military. Women fall back on the old "unit cohesion", "male bonding†, and "good order" rubbish that is left over from the Roman Empire. It's rather like saying that women can't play major league baseball because they can't spit, scratch and rearrange their cod pieces as well as the boys - regardless of whether or not they can throw a baseball from left field to third base. Units made of women and men have bonded, cohered, and maintained good order for centuries. Military units of mixed sexes have quietly maintained order, accomplished missions, and passed operational readiness inspections with flying colors. They're too busy doing their jobs to worry about which latrine to use. Desert Storm is a classic example of mixed units performing as cohesive and effective teams even under fire. Yet a problem with bonding is that too much bonding might occur, as to where it becomes sexual tension, where one might risk their life over another soldier’s life. During the Persian Gulf War, women were sent to the Middle East to fly helicopters, service combat jets, refuel tankers, and load laser-guided bombs. Their performance has led the world to realize that women are extremely useful in combat. Defense secretary Dick Chaney said "Women have made a major contribution to this [war] effort. We could not have won without them." Leaders in the field agreed. The Gulf War had the largest deployment of women in the armed forces... Free Essays on Women In Combat Free Essays on Women In Combat Women in Combat The idea of women in combat is not unusual anymore. They should be able to hold combat positions because although physical strength matters, the military still needs the intelligence that women can bring. Also, banning women from the combat hurts their military careers. Although women account for a very small percent of the enlisted personnel they are still a major part in the armed forces. Their performance recently has generated support from Congress and the public for enhancing the role of females in the military. Women fall back on the old "unit cohesion", "male bonding†, and "good order" rubbish that is left over from the Roman Empire. It's rather like saying that women can't play major league baseball because they can't spit, scratch and rearrange their cod pieces as well as the boys - regardless of whether or not they can throw a baseball from left field to third base. Units made of women and men have bonded, cohered, and maintained good order for centuries. Military units of mixed sexes have quietly maintained order, accomplished missions, and passed operational readiness inspections with flying colors. They're too busy doing their jobs to worry about which latrine to use. Desert Storm is a classic example of mixed units performing as cohesive and effective teams even under fire. Yet a problem with bonding is that too much bonding might occur, as to where it becomes sexual tension, where one might risk their life over another soldier’s life. During the Persian Gulf War, women were sent to the Middle East to fly helicopters, service combat jets, refuel tankers, and load laser-guided bombs. Their performance has led the world to realize that women are extremely useful in combat. Defense secretary Dick Chaney said "Women have made a major contribution to this [war] effort. We could not have won without them." Leaders in the field agreed. The Gulf War had the largest deployment of women in the armed forces...

Meiji restoration. essays

Meiji restoration. essays The Meiji Restoration had a massive impact on Japan from 1868 1914. The Meiji Restoration impacted upon Japan by modernizing Japans military and introducing compulsory education. The Meiji Restoration also transformed Japan into an industrial country instead of a solely agricultural country. Japan wanted to have a more organized, better-equipped military and trained along Western lines. The Meiji government modeled the new army around the German army, which was clearly the best in the world at the time. The leaders of the army were from the Choshu clan; Choshu held the top position in the Imperial Japanese army well into the 20th century. In order to man the new army, the Meiji government introduced conscription in 1873. All men regardless of their social class had to serve for three years in the normal army and 4 years in the reserves. It was now forbidden to posses swords; the impact of this was that the Samurai lost their status and were no longer warriors. It also supported social change. Japan established an Imperial Navy, modeled on the British Royal Navy, the worlds best at the time. Japan purchased modern steam-powered war-ships from the British and the Navy was organized and trained along British lines. Most officers were recruited from the Satsuma clan, again the Samurai were excluded and this impacted on them enormously. At the beginning of the Meiji Restoration there were a variety of thoughts and practices concerning mass education. On July 18th 1871 the Meiji government established a Ministry of Education and August 3rd 1872 established a new national education system Gakusei. The earlier form of education were Terakoya ( village or town schools often in local temples) or Gogaku ( semi-official schools ). This new form of education meant compulsory education. Gakusei the Fundamental Code of Education was introduced as the first national scheme of mas ...

The Evolution of Grunge in the fashion world Research Paper

The Evolution of Grunge in the fashion world - Research Paper Example Having no money, young people bought clothes on the thrifts and gradually invented so-called â€Å"grunge fashion†. Immensely effected by success of such grunge groups as Nirvana or Pearl Jam, many youngsters also organized local bands and played their own â€Å"loud and guitar-based† music. Finally, it was also about heroine which became cheap and affordable. All grunge musicians were heroine addicts and, therefore, popularized its usage among their followers. Later it will be utilized in the purpose of fashion trend known as â€Å"heroine chic†. Grunge subculture existed from the end of 80s till the beginning of 90s. However, within such a short period of time it made a great impact on the future fashion trends and peoples outlook. Grunge was considered rather controversial phenomenon. Originally, grunge fashion was referred as anti-fashion. However, many critics believed that it was neither fashion, nor anti-fashion, but so-called â€Å"non-, or un-fashion† (Grindstaff, 2014). As for its status as subculture, some also acknowledged that it was rather debatable: â€Å"People who listened to grunge music did not refer to themselves as â€Å"grungers† in the same way as â€Å"punks† or â€Å"hippies† (Price, 2010). Nevertheless, the crucial issue for this paper is mainly grunge style in clothing so further the main grunge tendencies will be analyzed and described. The word â€Å"grunge† means â€Å"dirt, filth, trash† (Martin, 1992). As a term to call new Pacific Northwest sound, it was first used by independent record label Sub Pop in 1980s. Jonathan Poneman, a Sub Pop founder described grunge music as the following: â€Å"It could have been sludge, grime, crud, any word like that†.The group provided cheap recording service for local Seattle bands. Grunge, or Seattle sound, was a â€Å"mix of heavy-metal, punk, and good old-fashioned rock and roll† (Grindstaff, 2014).

Analysis of Men Of Horror Movie Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Analysis of Men Of Horror Movie - Essay Example Although Carl Brashear attains a chance at the navy school, in his New York Times article, Scot proves how education in a racism world does not favor him. His instructor, Billy Sunday, fails him and he ultimately opts to help his parents on the farm. He never despairs in his dream but hopes of success I future. He remains focus in attains his dream position as a master diver. Even when he hurts his leg during his training, he does not use this as an excuse but takes hurt in his mission. The article Jet, present how an aspiring doctor, who later becomes Carl Brashear’s wife, offers to sponsor his education and he uses this opportunity to prove his talent to the nation. However, his efforts do not get approval since another person rejoices his success. This depicts ignorance of the nation and lack of humanity. Despite all destitutions that come in his way, he perseveres and triumphs them all. His instructor ends up having a U-turn in his life. He faces demotion in work due to the success he offers Carl Brashear and ultimately ends up drinking and living a reckless life. In conclusion, although life is full of vicissitudes, an individual has to persist and have hope for the future. Persistence and determination in life are what gives a person the heart and strength to move forward in life. In order to succeed in life, an individual should set a goal and focus on achieving it no matter the consequences or hardships to face. Racial discrimination as a factor that deprives an individual the opportunity of achieving the desired goal should be banned in society.     

Analyze the degree of alignment between the Walmarts stated values and Research Paper

Analyze the degree of alignment between the Walmarts stated values and the organizations actual plans and actions - Research Paper Example Live better† (Scribd Inc., 2013). It is therefore evident that the firm tries to take the plunge into competitive retailing in order to take its portion in the competitive advantage. With its strategy for overall cost leadership, Walmart is able to keep its promise for low-price products and other related offerings. It therefore gives high value to its customers in a way that their satisfaction for low-price products are tantamount to the savings they would incur. As a result, Walmart has become one of the leading retail stores across the world that enjoys the asssociated competitiveness linked up with their plans that are put into actions. Walmart therefore is making sense by establishing its fundamental culture by embracing high value for implementing ethical standards. This would ensure that its human resource and other stakeholders would be able to work in a way that they will produce outcomes that in the long run would add up to actual placing of value for their products, services and above all, their customers. The degree of alignment between the Walmart’s stated values and the organization’s actual plans and actions is therefore evident. It make sense to align values or cultures and the firm’s actual plan in its stategic retailing activity based on Walmart’s

A History of Pakistan Essay Example for Free

A History of Pakistan Essay â€Å"Believe it or not, India and Pakistan were once a solid and unified country: the citizens of the Indian border states of Rajasthan and Punjab were almost looking similar to the citizens of Pakistan† (Paul, 2005). â€Å"So when India became free from the British colonizers in 1947, conflicts between the India and Pakistan started to become intense. Since then, India and Pakistan have continuously been angry and uninterested towards each other—in fact, they have already participated in three major wars—and even during periods of peace, the two country’s relationship had always been on the line† (Jaffrelot, 2005). â€Å"Inspired by their conflicts regarding territories† over the region of Kashmir, anger and hatred developed between the two countries over the years. For Pakistanis, the Kashmir dispute has become a symbol of broken pledges and Indian duplicity, and they are constantly attempting to raise the issue whenever possible, thus drawing strong reactions from India; on the other hand, India considers Kashmir as a vital part of the country, and attempts of the Pakistanis are viewed as an act to smear India’s image (Conboy, 1992). Read more:  Current Political Situation of Pakistan Up to this day, Kashmir remains the worlds largest and most highly militarized territorial dispute. Worse, as the years passed by, many issues have coupled the long-lived dispute over Kashmir, such as: the linked issues of the Siachen Glacier, the Wular Lake Barrage, and the current Kashmiri struggle; communalism and the plight of the minorities; nuclear developments; periodic domestic troubles; the Afghanistan crisis; and the involvement of outside powers (King, 1998). The Benefits of Pakistan Partition â€Å"Economic programs in Pakistan after the period of its partition emphasized on core planning. The Pakistani government established objectives for controlling private industries. The partition was established in order to improve domestic businesses and reduce dependence on foreign trade. These efforts led to the stability of its economic development in the 1950s† (Jones, 2003). However, excellent results stopped coming in the two straight decades. By the early 1970s Pakistan had succeeded in conquering its goal of stability in terms of food availability, â€Å"although this food was not really available to all Pakistanis because of the flawed distribution and shortcomings in the harvest†. In the late 1970s the Pakistani government began to decrease its power over the economy, which led to slowed development toward this goal. By 1991, however, the Pakistani government still controlled or managed many industries, including mining and financing, manufacturing and construction. Economic development enhanced during this time, at least gradually as a result of economic programs supported by foreign loans (Jones, 2003). A financial crisis after the partition stimulated Pakistan to institute major economic reforms. Because the partition resulted into an incredible surge in oil prices, Pakistan was haunted by a barrage of payments problem. To gather loans from well-regarded funding organizations, Pakistan made up its mind to implement programs in order to free its economy. These economic programs eliminated many strict government policies on investment, and established tariff systems that maintained trading at a manageable level. â€Å"Also, reform deregulated many industries and privatized many public enterprises. These reforms continued through the mid-1990s, although at a slower rate because of political changes in India’s government. In 1993 Pakistan permitted Pakistan-owned private banks to be established along with a minority of foreign banks† (Holliday, 2000). â€Å"With the reforms, Pakistan incredibly made a smooth transition from a closed and very restrictive economy to one that is open and free to the world. By 1996 to 1997, foreign investment had grown to nearly $6 billion, up from $165 million in 1990 to 1991. Exports and imports also improved significantly at the same time. Economic growth since the 1980s has brought with it an expansion of the middle class, which was estimated to form 20 to 25 percent of Pakistan’s population in the mid-1990s. As a result, the demand for consumer goods has expanded rapidly† (Mittmann, 1991). In Pakistan, the upsurge of innovative activity seems to have had more to do with the advent of partition than with the Silicon Valley phenomenon. The partition has dramatically changed the market and supply conditions, from being shortage and seller driven to being buyer and competition driven. To survive and grow, firms have to focus on improving their competitiveness. They are realizing that the real source of industrial competition today lies in innovation and the rapid technological change taking place throughout the world. Technology is now a key determinant of strategic change in Pakistani firms. Industrial development based on indigenous technology development is still an elusive dream, but the process of technology acquisition and assimilation is now very much a strategic process, aligned with firms need to build competencies (Kudaisya, 2001). The partition has stimulated the rapid growth of innovation-driven industries such as information technology (IT), communications technology, biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries. This has led to a new type of business enterprise known as the knowledge enterprise and a new sector of the economy known as the knowledge economy. This sector is now a significant component of the national economy and accounts for a large portion of economic growth. The partition created renewed interest in innovative entrepreneurship as a key driver for the rapid diffusion of innovation in business and industry. Entrepreneurship occupies centre stage in the wealth creation process in the knowledge economy (Cohen, 2004). References: Cohen, S, 2004. The Idea of Pakistan. Brookings Institution Press. Conboy, K, 1992. Elite Forces of India and Pakistan. Osprey Publishing Holliday, T, 2000. Insight Guide Pakistan. Insight Guides; 3rd edition Jaffrelot, C, 2005. A History of Pakistan and Its Origins. Anthem Press; New edition Jones, O, 2003. Pakistan: Eye of the Storm. Yale University Press; 2nd edition King, J, 1998. Lonely Planet Pakistan. Lonely Planet Publications; 5th edition Kudaisya, G, 2001. The Aftermath of Partition in South Asia. Routledge; 1st edition Mittmann, K, 1991. Culture Shock! : Pakistan. Graphic Arts Center Publishing Company Paul, T, 2005. The India-Pakistan Conflict: An Enduring Rivalry. Cambridge University Pres

Was Stalin a Great Man? :: essays research papers

According to Thoman Carlyle, a â€Å"great man† is one who shapes history and affects the course of the future. In the case of Joseph Stalin, dictator of the Soviet Union from 1929-1953, one can perceive that through torment and brutal force, he was able to modernize a nation and oppress his own people. One can argue that Stalin was a great leader of the 20th century. After all, he took an undeveloped country and molded it into one of the world’s greatest industrial and military forces. But, this transformation did not come at a small cost. Stalin was so paranoid that his Communist regime would be ‘crushed’ by one of the dominating Capitalist countries of the West that he became obsessed with the mass production of industrial and agricultural machinery, neglecting the production of basic goods needed to sustain human survival. In his mind, getting Russia’s industrial sector up to par was more important than producing adequate clothing and household goods. Setting completely absurd targets for increased production in agriculture, and of coal, pig iron, oil, and steel products in his three five-year plans did work well for Stalin, and other countries began to take notice. But, in history, very few leaders have forced their own people to make the kinds of sac rifices Stalin imposed on them. To increase agricultural production, and bring in a surplus of food products, Stalin enforced and regulated his idea of â€Å"collective agriculture† – government control of farm land. In turn, the kulaks felt completely oppressed and were unwilling to give up the small amount of land they owned. Stalin would not tolerate opposition from anyone, and as a result, millions of kulaks and peasants were sent off to labor concentration camps, known as â€Å"gulags,† or were simply eliminated. It wasn’t just the lower-class peoples that he wouldn’t tolerate opposition from. Stalin was known for having other political figures that could possibly pose a threat to his regime eliminated. In 1935, he began his â€Å"purges.† He would send out his secret police to arrest and either jail or execute those in political opposition of him.

Last Sacrifice Chapter Fourteen

THE KEEPERS HAD MIXED REACTIONS to us leaving. They were usually glad to see outsiders go, especially since we had Sydney with us. But after the fight, they held me up as some kind of superhero and were enchanted by the idea of me marrying into their â€Å"family.' Seeing me in action meant some of the women were beginning to eye Dimitri now too. I wasn't in the mood to watch them flirt with him–especially since, according to their courtship rules, I would apparently have to be the one to battle it out with any prospective fiancee. Naturally, we didn't tell the Keepers our exact plans, but we did mention we'd likely be encountering Strigoi–which caused quite a reaction. Most of that reaction was excitement and awe, which continued to boost our reputations as fierce warriors. Angeline's response, however, was totally unexpected. â€Å"Take me with you,' she said, grabbing a hold of my arm, just as I started down the forest path toward the car. â€Å"Sorry,' I said, still a little weirded out after her earlier hostility. â€Å"We have to do this alone.' â€Å"I can help! You beat me †¦ but you saw what I can do. I'm good. I could take a Strigoi.' For all her fierceness, I knew Angeline didn't have a clue about what she'd be facing if she ever met an actual Strigoi. The few Keepers who bore molnijamarks spoke little about the encounters, faces grave. They understood. Angeline didn't. She also didn't realize that any novice at St. Vladimir's in the secondary school could probably take her out. She had raw potential, true, but it needed a lot of work. â€Å"You might be able to,' I said, not wanting to hurt her feelings. â€Å"But it's just not possible for you to come with us.' I would have lied and given her a vague â€Å"Maybe sometime,' but since that had led Joshua to thinking we were semi-engaged, I decided I'd better not. I expected more boasts about her battle prowess. We'd learned she was regarded as one of the best young fighters in the compound, and with her pretty looks, she had plenty of admirers too. A lot of it had gone to her head, and she liked to talk about how she could beat anyone or anything up. Again, I was reminded of Jill. Jill also had a lot to learn about the true meaning of battle but was still eager to jump in. She was quieter and more cautious than Angeline, though, so Angeline's next direction caught me off guard. â€Å"Please. It's not just the Strigoi! I want to see the world. I need to see something else outside of this place!' Her voice was pitched low, out of the range of the others. â€Å"I've only been to Rubysville twice, and they say that's nothing compared to other cities.' â€Å"It's not,' I agreed. I didn't even consider it a city. â€Å"Please,' she begged again, this time her voice trembling. â€Å"Take me with you.' Suddenly, I felt sad for her. Her brother had also shown a little longing for the outside world, but nothing like this. He'd joked that electricity would be nice, but I knew he was happy enough without the perks of the modern world. But for Angeline, the situation was much more desperate. I too knew what it was like to feel trapped in one's life and was legitimately sorry for what I had to say. â€Å"I can't, Angeline. We have to go on our own. I'm sorry. I really am.' Her blue eyes shimmered, and she raced off into the woods before I could see her cry. I felt horrible after that and couldn't stop thinking about her as we made our farewells. I was so distracted, I even let Joshua hug me goodbye. Getting back on the road was a relief. I was glad to be away from the Keepers and was ready to spring into action and start helping Lissa. Lexington was our first step. We had a six-hour drive ahead of us, and Sydney, per usual, seemed adamant that no one else was going to drive her car. Dimitri and I made futile protests, finally giving up when we realized that if we were going to be facing Strigoi soon, it was probably best we rest and conserve our strength. The address for Donovan–the Strigoi who allegedly knew Sonya–was only where he could be found at night. That meant we had to make it to Lexington before sunrise, so we wouldn't lose him when he went to his daytime lair. It also meant we'd be meeting Strigoi in the dark. Certain that little would happen on the drive–especially once we were out of West Virginia–Dimitri and I agreed we could doze a little, seeing as neither of us had had a full night's sleep. Even though the lulling of the car was soothing, I drifted in and out of restless sleep. After a few hours of this, I simply settled into the trancelike state that brought me to Lissa. It was a good thing too: I'd stumbled into one of the biggest events facing the Moroi. The nomination process to elect the new king or queen was about to begin. It was the first of many steps, and everyone was excited, given how rare monarch elections truly were. This was an event none of my friends had expected to see anytime soon in our lives, and considering recent events †¦ well, we all had especial interest. The future of the Moroi was at stake here. Lissa was sitting on the edge of a chair in one of the royal ballrooms, a huge sweeping space with vaulted ceilings and gold detailing everywhere. I'd been in this dazzling room before, with its murals and elaborate molding. Chandeliers glittered above. It had held the graduate luncheon, where newly made guardians put on their best faces and hoped to attract a good assignment. Now, the room was arranged like the Council chamber, with a long table on one side of the room that was set with twelve chairs. Opposite that table were rows and rows of other chairs–where the audience sat when the Council was in session. Except, now there were about four times as many chairs as usual, which probably explained the need for this room. Every single chair was filled. In fact, people were even standing, crowding in as best they could. Agitated- looking guardians moved among the herd, keeping them out of doorways and making sure the bystanders were arranged in a way that allowed for optimal s ecurity. Christian sat on one side of Lissa, and Adrian sat beside Christian. To my pleasant surprise, Eddie and Mia sat nearby too. Mia was a Moroi friend of ours who had gone to St. Vladimir's and was nearly as hardcore as Tasha about Moroi needing to defend themselves. My beloved father was nowhere in sight. None of them spoke. Conversation would have been difficult among the buzzing and humming of so many people, and besides, my friends were too awestruck by what was about to happen. There was so much to see and experience, and none of them had realized just how big the crowd would be. Abe had said things would move fast once Tatiana was buried, and they certainly had. â€Å"Do you know who I am?' A loud voice caught Lissa's attention, just barely carrying above the din. Lissa glanced down the row, a few seats away from Adrian. Two Moroi, a man and a woman, sat side by side and were looking up at a very angry woman. Her hands were on her hips, and the pink velvet dress she wore seemed outlandish next to the couple's jeans and T-shirts. It also wasn't going to hold up so well once she stepped outside of air conditioning. A glare twisted her face. â€Å"I am Marcella Badica.' When that didn't get a reaction from the couple, she added, â€Å"Prince Badica is my brother, and our late queen was my third cousin twice removed. There are no seats left, and someone like me cannot stand against the wall with the rest of that mob.' The couple exchanged glances. â€Å"I guess you should have gotten here earlier, Lady Badica,' said the man. Marcella gaped in outrage. â€Å"Didn't you just hear who I am? Don't you know who your betters are? I insist you give up your seats.' The couple still seemed unfazed. â€Å"This session is open to everyone, and there weren't assigned seats, last time I checked,' said the woman. â€Å"We're entitled to ours as much as you are.' Marcella turned to the guardian beside her in outrage. He shrugged. His job was to protect her from threats. He wasn't going to oust others from their chairs, particularly when they weren't breaking any rules. Marcella gave a haughty â€Å"humph!' before turning sharply and stalking away, no doubt to harass some other poor soul. â€Å"This,' said Adrian, â€Å"is going to be delightful.' Lissa smiled and turned back to studying the rest of the room. As she did, I became aware of something startling. I couldn't tell exactly who was who, but the crowd wasn't composed entirely of royals–as most Council sessions were. There were tons of â€Å"commoners,' just like the couple sitting near my friends. Most Moroi didn't bother with Court. They were out in the world, living their lives and trying to survive while the royals pranced around at Court and made laws. But not today. A new leader was going to be chosen, and that was of interest to all Moroi. The milling and chaos continued for a while until one of the guardians finally declared the room to be at capacity. Those outside were outraged, but their cries were quickly silenced when the guardians closed the doors, sealing off the ballroom. Shortly thereafter, the eleven Council members took their seats, and–to my shock–Adrian's father, Nathan Ivashkov, took the twelfth chair. The Court's herald yelled and called everyone to attention. He was someone who'd been chosen because of his remarkable voice, though I always wondered why they didn't just use a microphone in these situations. More old-world traditions, I supposed. That, and excellent acoustics. Nathan spoke once the room settled down. â€Å"In the absence of our beloved queen †¦' He paused looking down mournfully to offer a moment of respect before continuing. In anyone else, I might have suspected his feelings were faked, particularly after seeing him grovel so much in front of Tatiana. But, no. Nathan had loved his prickly aunt as much as Adrian had. â€Å"And in the wake of this terrible tragedy, I will be moderating the upcoming trials and elections.' â€Å"What'd I tell you?' muttered Adrian. He had no fuzzy affection for his father. â€Å"De- lightful.' Nathan droned on a bit about the importance of what was to come and some other points about Moroi tradition. It was obvious, though, that like me, everyone in the room really wanted to get down to the main event: the nominations. He seemed to realize that too and sped up the formalities. Finally, he got to the good stuff. â€Å"Each family, if they choose, may have one nominee for the crown who will take the tests all monarchs have endured since the beginning of time.' I thought that â€Å"beginning of time' part was a bold and probably unverified exaggeration, but whatever. â€Å"The only exclusion is the Ivashkovs, since back-to-back monarchs from the same family aren't allowed. For candidacy, three nominations are required from Moroi of royal blood and proper age.' He then added some stuff about what happened in the event more than one person was nominated from the same family, but even I knew the chances of that happening were non-existent. Each royal house wanted to get the best advantage here, and that would involve a unified standing behind one candidate. Satisfied everyone understood, Nathan nodded and gestured grandly to the audience. â€Å"Let the nominations begin.' For a moment, nothing happened. It kind of reminded me of when I'd been back in school, when a teacher would say something like, â€Å"Who'd like to present their paper first?' Everyone kind of waited for someone else to get things going, and at last, it happened. A man I didn't recognize stood up. â€Å"I nominate Princess Ariana Szelsky.' Ariana, as princess, sat on the Council and was an expected choice. She gave a gracious nod to the man. A second man, presumably from their family, also stood and gave the second nomination. The third and final nomination came from another Szelsky–a very unexpected one. He was Ariana's brother, a world traveler who was almost never at Court, and also the man my mother guarded. Janine Hathaway was most likely in this room, I realized. I wished Lissa would look around and find her, but Lissa was too focused on the proceedings. After everything I'd been through, I suddenly had a desperate longing to see my mother. With three nominations, Nathan declared, â€Å"Princess Ariana Szelsky is entered as a candidate.' He scrawled something on a piece of paper in front of him, his motions full of flourish. â€Å"Continue.' After that, the nominations came in rapid succession. Many were princes and princesses, but others were respected–and still high-ranking–members of the families. The Ozera candidate, Ronald, was not the family's Council member, nor was he anyone I knew. â€Å"He's not one of Aunt Tasha's â€Å"ideal' candidates,' Christian murmured to Lissa. â€Å"But she admits he's not a moron.' I didn't know much about most of the other candidates either. A couple, like Ariana Szelsky, I had a good impression of. There were also a couple I'd always found appalling. The tenth candidate was Rufus Tarus, Daniella's cousin. She'd married into the Ivashkovs from the Tarus family and seemed delighted to see her cousin declared a nominee. â€Å"I don't like him,' said Adrian, making a face. â€Å"He's always telling me to do something useful with my life.' Nathan wrote down Rufus's name and then rolled up the paper like a scroll. Despite the appearance of antique customs, I suspected a secretary in the audience was typing up everything being said here on a laptop. â€Å"Well,' declared Nathan, â€Å"that concludes–‘ â€Å"I nominate Princess Vasilisa Dragomir.' Lissa's head jerked to the left, and through her eyes, I recognized a familiar figure. Tasha Ozera. She'd stood and spoken the words loudly and confidently, glancing around with those ice-blue eyes as if daring anyone to disagree. The room froze. No whispers, no shifting in chairs. Just utter and complete silence. Judging from the faces, the Ozera family's nominee was the second-most astonished person in the room to hear Tasha speak. The first, of course, was Lissa herself. It took a moment for Nathan to get his mouth working. â€Å"That's not–‘ Beside Lissa, Christian suddenly stood up. â€Å"I second the nomination.' And before Christian had even sat down, Adrian was on his feet. â€Å"I confirm the nomination.' All eyes in the room were on Lissa and her friends, and then, as one, the crowd turned toward Nathan Ivashkov. Again, he seemed to have trouble finding his voice. â€Å"That,' he managed at last, â€Å"is not a legal nomination. Due to its current Council standing, the Dragomir line is regrettably not eligible to present a candidate.' Tasha, never afraid of talking in a crowd or taking on impossible odds, leapt back up. I could tell she was eager to. She was good at making speeches and challenging the system. â€Å"Monarch nominees don't need a Council position or quorum to run for the throne.' â€Å"That makes no sense,' said Nathan. There were mutters of agreement. â€Å"Check the law books, Nate–I mean, Lord Ivashkov.' Yes, there he was at last. My tactful father had joined the conversation. Abe had been leaning against a wall near the doorway, dressed splendidly in a black suit with a shirt and tie that were exactly the same shade of emerald green. My mother stood beside him, the slightest hint of a smile on her face. For a moment, I was captivated as I studied them side by side. My mother: the perfect picture of guardian excellence and decorum. My father: always capable of achieving his goals, no matter how twisted the means. Uneasily, I began to understand how I'd inherited my bizarre personality. â€Å"Nominees have no requirements concerning how many people are in their family,' continued Abe jovially. â€Å"They only need three royal nominations to be confirmed.' Nathan gestured angrily toward where his own wayward son and Christian sat. â€Å"They aren't from her family!' â€Å"They don't need to be,' countered Abe. â€Å"They just need to be from a royal family. They are. Her candidacy is within the law–so long as the princess accepts.' All heads swiveled toward Lissa now, as though they were suddenly just noticing her. Lissa hadn't twitched since the startling events began. She was in too much shock. Her thoughts seemed to move both fast and slow. Part of her couldn't even start to process what was happening around her. The rest of her mind was spinning with questions. What was going on? Was this a joke? Or maybe a spirit-induced hallucination? Had she finally gone crazy? Was she dreaming? Was it a trick? If so, why would her own friends have been the ones to do it? Why would they do this to her? And for the love of God, would everyone stop staring at her? She could handle attention. She'd been born and raised for it, and like Tasha, Lissa could address a crowd and make bold statements–when she supported them and was prepared. Neither of those things applied to this situation. This was pretty much the last thing in the world she had expected or wanted. And so, she couldn't bring herself to react or even consider a response. She stayed where she was, silent and shell- shocked. Then, something snapped her from her trance. Christian's hand. He'd taken Lissa's, wrapping his fingers with hers. He gave her a gentle squeeze, and the warmth and energy he sent brought her back to life. Slowly, she looked around the room, meeting the eyes of those all watching her. She saw Tasha's determined gaze, my father's cunning look, and even my mother's expectation. That last one proved most startling of all. How could Janine Hathaway–who always did what was right and could barely crack a joke–be going along with this? How could any of Lissa's friends be going along with this? Didn't they love and care about her? Rose, she thought. I wish you were here to tell me what to do. Me too. Damned one-way bond. She trusted me more than anyone else in the world, but she realized then that she trusted all of these friends too–well, except maybe Abe, but that was understandable. And if they were doing this, then surely–surely–there was a reason, right? Right? It made no sense to her, yet Lissa felt her legs move as she rose to her feet. And despite the fear and confusion still running through her, she found her voice inexplicably clear and confident as it rang out through the room. â€Å"I accept the nomination.'