Wednesday, July 31, 2019

Blood Promise Chapter Eleven

I stared at Mark for several long seconds. Finally, stupidly, I asked, â€Å"Did you say†¦ heal?† Mark stared at me in equal surprise. â€Å"Yes, of course. She can heal other things, right? Why not this?† â€Å"Because†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I frowned. â€Å"That doesn't make any sense. The darkness†¦ all the bad side effects†¦ those come from Lissa. If she could just heal it, why wouldn't she heal it out of herself?† â€Å"Because when it's in her, it's too ingrained. Too tied into her being. She can't heal it the way she can other things. But once your bond has pulled it into you, it's like any other sickness.† My heart was pounding in my chest. What he was suggesting was too ridiculously easy. No, it was just ridiculous, period. There was no way after all that we'd been through that Lissa could heal that rage and depression the way she could a cold or a broken leg. Victor Dashkov, despite his wicked schemes, had known an astonishing amount about spirit and had explained it to us. The other four elements were more physical in nature, but spirit came from the mind and soul. To use that much mental energy-to be able to do such powerful things-couldn't be done without devastating side effects. We'd been fighting those side effects from the beginning, first in Lissa and then in me. They couldn't just go away. â€Å"If that were possible,† I said quietly, â€Å"then everyone would have done it. Ms. Karp wouldn't have lost her mind. Anna wouldn't have committed suicide. What you're saying is too easy.† Mark didn't know who I was talking about, but clearly it didn't matter for what he wanted to express. â€Å"You're right. It's not easy at all. It requires a careful balance, a circle of trust and strength between two people. It took Oksana and me a long time to learn†¦ many hard years†¦Ã¢â‚¬  His face darkened, and I could only imagine what those years had been like. My short time with Lissa had been bad enough. They'd had to live with this a lot longer than we had. It had to have been unbearable at times. Slowly, wonderingly, I dared to give credence to his words. â€Å"But now you guys are okay?† â€Å"Hmm.† There was a flicker of a wry smile on his lips. â€Å"I'd hardly say we're perfectly okay. There's only so much she can do, but it makes life manageable. She spaces out the healings as long as we can handle it, since it takes a lot out of her. It's draining, and it limits her overall power.† â€Å"What do you mean?† He shrugged. â€Å"She can still do the other things†¦ healing, compulsion†¦ but not to the levels she would if she wasn't always healing me.† My hope faltered. â€Å"Oh. Then†¦ I couldn't. I couldn't do that to Lissa.† â€Å"Compared to what she's doing to you? Rose. I have a feeling she'd think it was a fair trade.† I thought back to our last meeting. I thought about how I'd left her there, despite her begging. I thought about the lows she'd been experiencing in my absence. I thought about how she'd refused to heal Dimitri when I'd thought there might still be hope for him. We'd both been bad friends. I shook my head. â€Å"I don't know,† I said in a small voice. â€Å"I don't know if she would.† Mark gave me a long, level look, but he didn't push me on the matter. He glanced up at the sun, almost as if he could tell the time from it. He probably could. He had that surviving-in-the-wilderness kind of feel to him. â€Å"The others will wonder what happened to us. Before we go†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, plain silver ring. â€Å"Learning to heal will take time. What worries me the most right now is this vigilante mood you're in. The darkness is only going to make it worse. Take this.† He extended the ring to me. I hesitated and then reached for it. â€Å"What is it?† â€Å"Oksana infused it with spirit. It's a healing charm.† Once again, shock ran through me. Moroi charmed objects with elements all the time. Stakes were charmed with all four of the physical elements, making them lethal to Strigoi. Victor had charmed a necklace with earth magic, using the base nature of earth to turn the necklace into a lust charm. Even Sydney's tattoo was a charm of sorts. I supposed there was no reason that spirit couldn't charm objects too, but it had never occurred to me, probably because Lissa's powers were still too new and too foreign. â€Å"What's it do? I mean, what kind of healing?† â€Å"It'll help with your moods. It can't get rid of them, but it'll lessen them-help you think more clearly. Might keep you out of trouble. Oksana makes these for me to help between healings.† I started to slip it on, but he shook his head. â€Å"Save it for when you really feel out of control. The magic won't last forever. It fades just like any other charm.† I stared at the ring, my mind suddenly open to all sorts of new possibilities. A few moments later, I slipped it into my coat pocket. Paul stuck his head out the back door. â€Å"Grandmother wants to leave now,† he told me. â€Å"She wants to know why you're taking so long and said to ask why you'd make someone as old as her keep waiting and suffering with her back.† I recalled how fast Yeva had been walking while I struggled to keep up with my load. Her back hadn't seemed all that bad to me, but again, I remembered that Paul was only the messenger and spared him my commentary. â€Å"Okay. I'll be right there.† When he was gone, I shook my head. â€Å"It's hard being worthy.† I moved toward the door, then gave Mark a backward glance, as a random thought occurred to me. â€Å"You're telling me that going off on your own is bad†¦ but you aren't a guardian either.† He smiled at me again, one of those sad, wry smiles. â€Å"I used to be. Then Oksana saved my life. We bonded and eventually fell in love. I couldn't stand to be separated from her after that, and the guardians would have assigned me elsewhere. I had to go.† â€Å"Was it hard to leave them?† â€Å"Very. Our age difference made it even more scandalous.† A strange chill ran through me. Mark and Oksana were the embodiment of the two halves of my life. They fought against a shadow-kissed bond as Lissa and I did and also faced the same condemnation for their relationship that Dimitri and I had. Mark continued, â€Å"But sometimes, we have to listen to our hearts. And even though I left, I'm not out there recklessly going after Strigoi. I'm an old man living with the woman he loves and tending his garden. There's a difference-don't forget that.† My mind was reeling when I returned to the Belikov house. Without the bricks, the walk back had been a lot easier. It had given me a chance to ponder Mark's words. I felt like I'd received a lifetime of information in a one-hour conversation. Olena was going about the house, doing her normal tasks of cooking and cleaning. While I would personally never want to spend my days doing those sorts of domestic duties, I had to admit there was something comforting about always having someone who was around, ready to cook and worry about me on a daily basis. I knew it was a purely selfish desire, just as I knew my own mom was doing important things with her life. I shouldn't judge her. Still, it made me feel warm and cared for to have Olena treat me like a daughter when she hardly knew me. â€Å"Are you hungry?† she asked automatically. I think one of the greatest fears in her life was that someone might go hungry in her home. Sydney's perpetual lack of appetite had been a nonstop worry for Olena. I hid a smile. â€Å"No, we ate at Mark and Oksana's.† â€Å"Ah, that's where you were? They're good people.† â€Å"Where is everyone?† I asked. The house was unusually quiet. â€Å"Sonya and Karolina are at work. Viktoria's out at a friend's, but she'll be glad you're back.† â€Å"What about Sydney?† â€Å"She left a little while ago. She said she was going back to Saint Petersburg.† â€Å"What?† I exclaimed. â€Å"Left for good? Just like that?† Sydney had a blunt nature, but this was abrupt even for her. â€Å"The Alchemists†¦ well, they're always on the move.† Olena handed me a piece of paper. â€Å"She left this for you.† I took the note and immediately opened it. Sydney's handwriting was neat and precise. Somehow this didn't surprise me. Rose, I'm sorry I had to leave so quickly, but when the Alchemists tell me to jump†¦ well, I jump. I've hitched a ride back to that farm town we stayed in so that I can pick up the Red Hurricane, and then I'm off to Saint Petersburg. Apparently, now that you've been delivered to Baia, they don't need me to stick around anymore. I wish I could tell you more about Abe and what he wants from you. Even if I was allowed to, there isn't much to say. In some ways, he's as much a mystery to me as he is to you. Like I said, a lot of the business he deals in is illegal-both among humans and Moroi. The only time he gets directly involved with people is when something relates to that business-or if it's a very, very special case. I think you're one of those cases, and even if he doesn't intend you harm, he might want to use you for his own purposes. It could be as simple as him wanting to contract you as a bodyguard, seeing as you're rogue. Maybe he wants to use you to get to others. Maybe this is all part of someone else's plan, someone who's even more mysterious than him. Maybe he's doing someone a favor. Zmey can be dangerous or kind, all depending on what he needs to accomplish. I never thought I'd care enough to say this to a dhampir, but be careful. I don't know what your plans are now, but I have a feeling trouble follows you around. Call me if there's anything I can help with, but if you go back to the big cities to hunt Strigoi, don't leave any more bodies unattended! All the best, Sydney P.S. â€Å"The Red Hurricane† is what I named the car. P.P.S. Just because I like you, it doesn't mean I still don't think you're an evil creature of the night. You are. Her cell phone number was added at the bottom, and I couldn't help but smile. Since we'd ridden to Baia with Abe and his guardians, Sydney had had to leave the car behind, which had traumatized her almost as much as the Strigoi. I hoped the Alchemists would let her keep it. I shook my head, amused in spite of her warnings about Abe. The Red Hurricane. As I headed upstairs to my room, my smile faded. Despite her abrasive attitude, I was going to miss Sydney. She might not exactly be a friend-or was she?-but in this brief time, I'd come to regard her as a constant in my life. I didn't have many of those left anymore. I felt adrift, unsure what to do now. I'd come here to bring peace to Dimitri and had only ended up bringing grief to his family. And if what everyone said was true, I wasn't going to find many Strigoi here in Baia. Somehow, I couldn't picture Dimitri, wandering the road and farms for the occasional prey. Even as a Strigoi -and it killed me to think those words-Dimitri would have a purpose. If he wasn't returning to the familiar sights of his hometown, then he would be doing something else meaningful-inasmuch as a Strigoi could. Sydney's comment in the note had verified what I kept hearing over and over: Strigoi were in the cities. But which one? Where would Dimitri go? Now I was the one without a purpose. On top of it all, I couldn't help but replay Mark's words. Was I really on an insane vigilante mission? Was I foolishly rushing to my death? Or was I foolishly rushing into†¦ nothing? Was I doomed to spend the rest of my days wandering? Alone? Sitting on my bed, I felt my mood plummet and knew I had to distract myself. I was too susceptible to dark emotions as long as Lissa used spirit; I didn't need to further encourage them. I slipped on the ring that Mark had given me, hoping it would bring some sort of clarity and tranquility. I felt no noticeable difference, though, and decided to seek peace from that same place I always did: Lissa's mind. She was with Adrian, and the two were practicing spirit again. After some initial bumps in the road, Adrian was proving a quick study at healing. That had been the first of Lissa's powers to manifest, and it always irked her that he made more progress on what she had to teach him than vice versa. â€Å"I'm running out of things for you to heal,† she said, setting some tiny potted plants onto a table. â€Å"Unless we start cutting off limbs or something.† Adrian smiled. â€Å"I used to tease Rose about that, how I was going to impress her by healing amputees or something equally absurd.† â€Å"Oh, and I'm sure she had a smartass response for you each time.† â€Å"Yes, yes, she did.† His face was fond as he recalled the memory. There was a part of me that was always insanely curious to hear them talk about me†¦ yet at the same time, I always felt bad at the grief my name seemed to invoke. Lissa groaned and stretched out on the carpeted floor. They were in a dorm lounge, and curfew was swiftly approaching. â€Å"I want to talk to her, Adrian.† â€Å"You can't,† he said. There was an unusual seriousness in his voice. â€Å"I know she still checks in on you-that's the closest you'll get to talking to her. And honestly? That's not so bad. You can tell her exactly how you feel.† â€Å"Yeah, but I want to hear her talk back like you do in your dreams.† This made him smile again. â€Å"She does plenty of talking back, believe me.† Lissa sat up straight. â€Å"Do it now.† â€Å"Do what now?† â€Å"Go visit her dreams. You always try to explain it to me, but I've never actually seen it. Let me watch.† He stared, at a loss for words. â€Å"That's kind of voyeuristic.† â€Å"Adrian! I want to learn this, and we've tried everything else. I can feel the magic around you sometimes. Just do it, okay?† He started to protest again but then bit off his comment after studying her face for a moment. Her words had been sharp and demanding-very uncharacteristic for her. â€Å"Okay. I'll try.† The whole idea of Adrian trying to get into my head while I was watching him through Lissa's head was surreal, to say the least. I didn't quite know what to expect from him. I'd always wondered if he had to be asleep or at least have his eyes closed. Apparently not. He instead stared off at nothing, his eyes going vacant as his mind left the world around him. Through Lissa's eyes, I could see some of the magic radiating off him and his aura, and she tried to analyze each strand. Then, without warning, all the magic faded. He blinked and shook his head. â€Å"Sorry. I can't do it.† â€Å"Why not?† â€Å"Probably because she's awake. Did you learn anything by watching?† â€Å"A little. Probably would've been more useful if you'd actually made the connection.† Again, Lissa had that petulant tone. â€Å"She could be anywhere in the world, you know, on any schedule.† His words were smothered by a yawn. â€Å"Maybe we can try at different times of the day. I've been getting her†¦ actually, close to this time. Or sometimes I catch her really early in the day.† â€Å"She could be close by then,† said Lissa. â€Å"Or on a human daylight schedule in some other part of the world.† Her enthusiasm dropped. â€Å"Right. That too.† â€Å"How come you guys never look like you're working?† Christian strolled into the room, looking amused at Lissa sitting on the floor and Adrian sprawling on the couch. Standing behind Christian was someone I hadn't thought I'd see anytime soon. Adrian, who could detect women a mile away, also immediately noticed the newcomer. â€Å"Where'd you get the jailbait?† he asked. Christian shot Adrian a warning look. â€Å"This is Jill.† Jill Mastrano allowed herself to be nudged forward, her light green eyes impossibly wide as she looked around. â€Å"Jill, this is Lissa and Adrian.† Jill was one of the last people I'd expected to see here. I'd met her a little over a month ago. She was in ninth grade, which meant she'd be here on the upper campus in the fall. She had the same super-slim build that most Moroi had, but it was paired with height that was impressive even by vampiric standards. It made her look rail-thin. Her hair fell in light brown curls to the middle of her back and would be beautiful-when she learned how to style it properly. For now, it was kind of messy, and her overall impression-while cute-was kind of awkward. â€Å"H-hi,† she said, looking from face to face. As far as she was concerned, these were Moroi gold star celebrities. She'd nearly passed out when she first met me and Dimitri, thanks to our reputations. From her expression, she was in a similar state now. â€Å"Jill wants to learn how to use her power for good instead of evil,† said Christian with an exaggerated wink. That was his coy way of saying Jill wanted to learn how to fight with her magic. She'd expressed the interest to me, and I'd told her to find Christian. I was glad she'd had the courage to take me up on my advice. Christian was a campus celebrity too, albeit an infamous one. â€Å"Another recruit?† asked Lissa, shaking her head. â€Å"Think you'll keep this one around?† Jill gave Christian a startled look. â€Å"What's that mean?† â€Å"After the attack, lots of people said they wanted to learn to fight with magic,† Christian explained. â€Å"So they found me, and we worked together†¦ once or twice. Then everyone faded away once it got hard, and they realized they had to keep practicing.† â€Å"It doesn't help that you're a mean teacher,† pointed out Lissa. â€Å"And so now you've got to recruit among children,† said Adrian solemnly. â€Å"Hey,† said Jill indignantly. â€Å"I'm fourteen.† Immediately, she flushed at having spoken so boldly to him. He found it amusing, as he did so many other things. â€Å"My mistake,† he said. â€Å"What's your element?† â€Å"Water.† â€Å"Fire and water, huh?† Adrian reached into his pocket and pulled out a one-hundred-dollar bill. He snapped it out straight. â€Å"Sweetheart, I'll make you a deal. If you can make a bucket of water appear and dump over Christian's head, I'll give you this.† â€Å"I'll add in ten,† laughed Lissa. Jill looked stunned, but I suspected it was because Adrian had called her â€Å"sweetheart.† I took Adrian for granted so often that it was easy to forget he really was a hot guy. Christian pushed Jill toward the door. â€Å"Ignore them. They're just jealous because spirit users can't go charging into battle like we can.† He knelt down to Lissa's height on the floor and gave her a quick kiss. â€Å"We were practicing in the lounge upstairs, but I've got to walk her back now. I'll see you tomorrow.† â€Å"You don't have to,† said Jill. â€Å"I can get back there fine. I don't want to be any trouble.† Adrian stood up. â€Å"You aren't. If anyone's going to step up and be the knight in shining armor here, it might as well be me. I'll take you back and leave the lovebirds to their lovebirding.† He gave Jill a grand bow. â€Å"Shall we?† â€Å"Adrian-† said Lissa, a sharp note in her voice. â€Å"Oh, come on,† he said, rolling his eyes. â€Å"I've got to head back anyway-you guys are of no use once curfew comes. And honestly, give me some credit here. Even I have boundaries.† He gave Lissa a meaningful look, one that told her she was an idiot for thinking he was going to hit on Jill. Lissa held his gaze for a few moments and realized he was right. Adrian was a scoundrel at times and had never made his interest in me a secret, but walking Jill home wasn't part of some grand seduction. He really was just being nice. â€Å"All right,† said Lissa. â€Å"I'll see you later. Nice meeting you, Jill.† â€Å"You too,† said Jill. She dared a smile at Christian. â€Å"Thanks again.† â€Å"You better show up for our next practice,† he warned. Adrian and Jill started to step out the door, just as Avery stepped through it. â€Å"Hey, Adrian.† Avery gave Jill a once-over. â€Å"Who's your jailbait?† â€Å"Will you guys stop calling me that?† exclaimed Jill. Adrian pointed at Avery chastisingly. â€Å"Hush. I'll deal with you later, Lazar.† â€Å"I certainly hope so,† she said in a singsong voice. â€Å"I'll leave the door unlocked.† Jill and Adrian left, and Avery sat down next to Lissa. She seemed animated enough to be drunk, but Lissa smelled no liquor on her. Lissa was rapidly learning that some part of Avery was always just vivacious and carefree, regardless of intoxication. â€Å"Did you really just invite Adrian to your room later?† asked Lissa. She spoke teasingly but had been secretly wondering if something was going on between them. And yeah, that made two of us who wondered. Avery shrugged. â€Å"I don't know. Maybe. Sometimes we hang out once you guys are all tucked into bed. You aren't going to get jealous, are you?† â€Å"No,† laughed Lissa. â€Å"Just curious. Adrian's a good guy.† â€Å"Oh?† asked Christian. â€Å"Define ? ®good.'† Avery held up her hand and began ticking items off with each finger. â€Å"He's devastatingly handsome, funny, rich, related to the queen†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"You got your wedding colors picked out?† asked Lissa, still laughing. â€Å"Not yet,† said Avery. â€Å"I'm still testing the waters. I figured he'd be an easy notch on the Avery Lazar belt, but he's kind of hard to read.† â€Å"I really don't want to be hearing this,† Christian said. â€Å"Sometimes he acts like a love 'em and leave 'em type. Other times, he mopes like some heartbroken romantic.† Lissa exchanged a knowing glance with Christian that Avery didn't catch while talking. â€Å"Anyway, I'm not here to talk about him. I'm here to talk about you and me busting out of here.† Avery threw her arm around Lissa, who nearly fell over. â€Å"Out of where? The dorm?† â€Å"No. This school. We're going off on a wild weekend to the Royal Court .† â€Å"What, this weekend?† Lissa felt like she was three steps behind, and I didn't blame her. â€Å"Why?† â€Å"Because it's Easter. And her royal majesty thought it would be ? ®lovely' if you could join her for the holiday.† Avery's tone was grand and high-pitched. â€Å"And, since I've been hanging out with you, Dad's decided I'm on good behavior now.† â€Å"Poor oblivious bastard,† murmured Christian. â€Å"So he said I can go with you.† Avery glanced at Christian. â€Å"You can too, I guess. The queen said Lissa could bring a guest-in addition to me, of course.† Lissa looked into Avery's radiant face and didn't share her enthusiasm. â€Å"I hate going to Court. Tatiana just goes on and on, giving what she thinks is useful advice for me. It's always boring and miserable now.† Lissa didn't add that she'd once found Court fun-when I'd gone with her. â€Å"That's because you haven't gone with me yet. It'll be a blast! I know where all the good stuff is. And I bet Adrian'll come too. He can push his way into anything. It'll be like a double date.† Slowly, Lissa began to acknowledge that this might be fun. She and I had managed to find a little of the â€Å"good stuff† that hid underneath the polished surface of Court life. Every other visit since had been just as she described-stuffy and businesslike. But now, going with Christian and wild, spontaneous Avery? That had potential. Until Christian ruined it. â€Å"Well, don't count me in,† he said. â€Å"If you can only bring one person, bring Jill.† â€Å"Who?† asked Avery. â€Å"Jailbait,† explained Lissa. She looked at Christian in astonishment. â€Å"Why on earth would I bring Jill? I just met her.† â€Å"Because she's actually serious about learning to defend herself. You should introduce her to Mia. They're both water users.† â€Å"Right,† said Lissa knowingly. â€Å"And the fact that you hate it at Court has nothing to do with it?† â€Å"Well†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Christian!† Lissa was suddenly getting upset. â€Å"Why can't you do this for me?† â€Å"Because I hate the way Queen Bitch looks at me,† he said. Lissa didn't find this convincing. â€Å"Yeah, but when we graduate, I'll be living there. You'll have to go then.† â€Å"Yeah, well, then give me this small vacation first.† Lissa's irritation grew. â€Å"Oh, I see how it is. I have to put up with your crap all the time, but you can't go out of your way for me.† Avery glanced between them and then stood up. â€Å"I'll leave you kids to work this out on your own. I don't care whether Christian or Jailbait goes, as long as you're there.† She peered down at Lissa. â€Å"You are going, right?† â€Å"Yeah. I'll go.† If anything, Christian's refusal had suddenly spurred Lissa more. Avery grinned. â€Å"Awesome. I'm going to head out of here, but you two had better kiss and make up when I'm gone.† Avery's brother Reed suddenly appeared in the doorway. â€Å"Are you ready?† he asked her. Every time he spoke, it always came out as sort of a grunt. Avery flashed the others a triumphant look. â€Å"See? My gallant brother, coming to walk me back before those dorm matrons start yelling at me to leave. Now Adrian'll have to find a new and exciting way to prove his chivalry.† Reed didn't look very gallant or chivalrous, but I supposed it was nice of him to come walk her back to her room. His timing had been eerily perfect. Maybe she was right about him not being as bad as people always thought. As soon as Avery was gone, Lissa turned on Christian. â€Å"Are you really serious about me bringing Jill instead of you?† â€Å"Yep,† said Christian. He tried to lie back into her lap, but she pushed him away. â€Å"But I'll count the seconds until you return.† â€Å"I can't believe you think this is a joke.† â€Å"I don't,† he said. â€Å"Look, I didn't mean to get you all worked up, okay? But really†¦ I just don't want to deal with all that Court drama. And it would be good for Jill.† He frowned. â€Å"You don't have anything against her, do you?† â€Å"I don't even know her,† said Lissa. She was still upset-more so than I would have expected, which was odd. Christian caught hold of Lissa's hands, face serious. Those blue eyes she loved softened her anger a little. â€Å"Please, I'm not trying to upset you. If it's really that important†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Like that, Lissa's anger diffused. It was abrupt, like a switch. â€Å"No, no. I'm fine bringing Jill-though I'm not sure she should be hanging out with us and doing whatever Avery has in mind.† â€Å"Give Jill to Mia. She'll look after her for the weekend.† Lissa nodded, wondering why he was so interested in Jill. â€Å"Okay. But you're not doing this because you don't like Avery, are you?† â€Å"No, I like Avery. She makes you smile more.† â€Å"You make me smile.† â€Å"That's why I added on the ? ®more.'† Christian gently kissed Lissa's hand. â€Å"You've been so sad since Rose left. I'm glad you're hanging out with someone else-I mean, not that you can't get everything you need from me.† â€Å"Avery's not a Rose replacement,† said Lissa quickly. â€Å"I know. But she reminds me of her.† â€Å"What? They have nothing in common.† Christian straightened up and sat beside her, resting his face against her shoulder. â€Å"Avery's like how Rose used to be, back before you guys left.† Both Lissa and I paused to ponder that. Was he right? Before Lissa's spirit powers had begun showing, she and I had lived a party girl lifestyle. And yes, half the time I was the one coming up with the crazy ideas to find a good time and get us into trouble. But had I been as out there as Avery seemed sometimes? â€Å"There'll never be another Rose,† said Lissa sadly. â€Å"No,† agreed Christian. He gave her a brief, soft kiss on the mouth. â€Å"But there will be other friends.† I knew he was right, but I couldn't help but feel a small stab of jealousy. I also couldn't help feel a small amount of worry. Lissa's brief spurt of irritation had been kind of out of the blue. I could understand her wishing Christian could go, but her attitude had been a little bitchy-and her almost jealous worry over Jill was weird too. Lissa had no reason to doubt Christian's feelings, certainly not over someone like Jill. Lissa's moodiness reminded me too much of the old days. Most likely she was overtired, but some instinct-maybe it was part of the bonding-told me something was wrong. It was a fleeting sensation, one I couldn't quite get a hold of, like water slipping through my fingers. Still, my instincts had been right before, and I decided I'd be checking in on Lissa more frequently.

Tuesday, July 30, 2019

Characteristic She Walks in Beauty Essay

What does this poem seem to be about? This poem seems to be about a person who’s describing or expressing a girl’s appearance and how her personality is. | | Words: Were the words in this poem difficult or easy to understand? Was there any word or phrase that was powerful to you? The word or phrase that was powerful to me was â€Å"She walks in beauty, like the night†| | Images: Did the poet create strong images? What could you see, hear, smell, taste, or feel? The poet created very strong images in my mind such as how the girl might look. I felt calm when I was reading the poem. | | Figurative Language: What poetic devices were used in this poem? What did these poetic devices do for the poem? Did these devices help create imagery or communicate the author’s feelings? The poetic device that was used in the poem was simile. In the phrase â€Å"She walks in beauty, like the night†, it states like or as, so therefore it is a simile. The poetic device conveyed what the poem means more. | | Emotion: What emotion was the author trying to express? I think the author was in peace and he is probably in love. | | Structure: How is the poem organized (lines, stanzas, etc. )? The poem is organized in 3 stanzas. What is unique or interesting about the structure of the poem? Does the poem rhyme? Something that is unique about the poem is that uses words such as o’er. It looks like it has been written a long time ago. Yes, this poem has rhyming words such as night, bright, and light. | | Meaning: What is the poem saying about life or love? The author is voicing his love for a girl. Do you agree or disagree with this message? Explain. I agree with this message because everyone will always have a lover in their life. Are there any other reasonable ways to interpret this poem? Another reasonable way to interpret this poem is that a lover will one day come into your heart. | | Publication: What kind of magazine or other publication would be the best place for this type of poem? The magazine that would be perfect for this poem is Cloud Nine. Cloud Nine has articles about people who are in love. The way that the author writes this poem seems that he is in love. He is describing the girl in a calm, peaceful, and adorable way. The poem starts off with â€Å"She walks in beauty, like the night†. This statement clearly states that it will perfectly fit with the Cloud Nine Magazine.

Monday, July 29, 2019

Advice to a Friend on Choosing a Mistress Essay Example for Free

Advice to a Friend on Choosing a Mistress Essay ? In his message, Franklin advises his friend that marriage is the best solution not for only sexual desires but also the undisputable source of solid happiness. Having suspicions that his friend would not follow his guidance, Franklin recommends him to choose older mistresses instead of younger ones and lists eight valuables reasons to better support his argument. Franklin commences his essay by presenting advantages of the marriage. He says I know of no medicine fit to diminish the violent inclinations you mention†¦ Marriage is the proper remedy. It is most natural state of man and therefore the state in which you can are most likely to find solid happiness†. Through those sentences, Franklin seems to estimate that from a masculine’ view, one of the main advantages of the marriage is to bring pacification toward requirements of the flesh. The recipient of the letter who was the friend of the author seemed to be looking for a situation in which he could find sexual partner and happiness without commitment. Based on the previous quotes, the author claims that the best situation in which he could find hat he was looking for was a marriage. In his letter, Franklin advices his friend to settle because ‘ It is the man and woman together that make the complete human being†. If Franklin thinks that the marriage is so positive, this is relied to both psychological and socio-economical reasons. First all he is convinced that the married life is more balancing that the single lifetime. Franklin believes that a man who did not find the soul mate is in other words incomplete, unaccomplished by saying that A single man has not nearly the value he would have in that sate of union, He is an ncomplete animal. He resembles the odd half of a pair of scissors†. Based on this judgement, Franklin means that family life calms people; it is the natural arrangement in which they can organize their production’ strength with the most possible benefit. While Franklin affirms that together there are more likely to succeed in the world† there is no doubt that he is referring to the material success. Concerning the woman, it is only in a marriage that she can show up her real values. Through the letter, Franklin continues to give worthy reasons in order to convince the ecipient about getting married. Franklin having doubts that his friend would not consider his advice followed his representation of the marriage by an alternative solution to satisfy his needs. If his friend his not ready to commit and wants to continue a commerce with Sex inevitable†, he suggested that ‘ you should prefer old woman to young ones†. The first raison that Franklin used to support his case is that they nave more knowledge ot the world, and their minds are better stored witn observations, their conversation is more improving and more lastingly agreeable†. By affirming this, Franklin makes an allusion to the intelligence of older woman. He illustrates that people gain knowledge as they get older. They have, in principle knew more love stories or adventures than youngest ones, thus they better know men, know how to take care of them and also how to satisfy them. Franklin defends the idea that a debate with an old woman is rich and interesting, because they had been through many involvements from witch they had retains acquaintance. They have lived longer and have things to communicate to you. Franklin also supports his reference for older woman by saying that To maintain their influence over men, they supply the diminution of beauty by an augmentation of utility’. This is to illustrate that older woman, with the time spend less time worrying about their appearance, which they use to do more important stuff. To him, when beauty disappears, women improve their service. At their age, they assume their femininity and do so without any complex. Franklin, who was a man of science and also know as Lady Man’ also gave bodily motivation for choosing an older woman. He implies that ? because in every animal that walks upright the deficiency of the fluids that fill the muscles appears first in the highest part. The face first grows lank and wrinkled; then the neck; then the breast and arms; the lower parts continuing to the last as plump as ever: so that covering all above with a basket, and regarding only what is below the girdle, it is impossible of two women to tell an old one from a young one†. His purpose here is to assure his friend that there are no doubts or fear to have on the corporal pleasure of an old woman. According to him as in the dark all cats are rey, the pleasure of corporal enjoyment with an old woman is at least equal, and frequently superior†. This is to support that woman are woman regardless of age, an old woman can perform the same way as a young one concerning sexual experience. Sometimes, they are even considered superior. Through the note, Franklin by saying because there is no hazard of children, which irregularly produced may be attended with much inconvenience† refers to the fact that woman at a certain age can’t get pregnant. Thus while dating them the chance of being relied to them by omeone or something is null. This also makes the separation easier and leaves out others inconvenient that children can bring in a relationship. Across the letter, Franklin continues to encourage his friend to choose an old female if this last one persist in thinking a Commerce with the ser. He establishes a formal and highly analytical tone with his receiver about the discretion an old mistress can have in their relationship. He supports his suggestion by affirming that because through more experience they are more prudent and discreet in conducting an intrigue to revent suspicion. The commerce with them is therefore safer with regard to your reputation. From the following sentence, the author suggests that with an old woman, it is less probable that the relationship get revealed consequently with her you reputation will be at the shelter because they are more responsible in managing a relationship and they now what they want. Finally, Franklin ends up with his letter by saying † they are so grateful†™. Even though Franklin, in his letter gave an approved receipt to find the best mistress, it is obvious that considering as the ounding father his interest for marriage respond to others concern more important than the promotion ot the psych-to-emotional blooming. Advice to a Friend on Choosing a Mistress. (2018, Nov 09).

Globalization may change the nature and behavior of companies that Essay

Globalization may change the nature and behavior of companies that engage in large-scale international coordination, which in tu - Essay Example Offshoring is the process of establishing business units in overseas countries. It helps companies to exploit the natural resources and cheap labour available in other countries. For example, global organizations are currently competing each other for establishing business units in China and India like cheap labour oriented countries. It should be noted that cost cutting is necessary for international companies to stay competitive in international market. Since American and European countries are facing severe manpower shortage, companies in these countries forced to establish business units or manufacturing units in cheap labour oriented countries. Pepsi, Microsoft, Apple Inc. Dell, Sony, Samsung etc are some of the prominent organizations which have already established manufacturing or business units in China. It is impossible for an American company to use only American workforce in their business units in China. Same way, it is impossible for a Chinese company to operate successf ully in India or Europe with the help of Chinese workforce alone. Since locals have better knowledge about domestic market, it is necessary for international companies to employ locals so that the company can exploit the market potentials well. Even though offshoring business helps companies to increase their competitive power, it brings certain challenges also. Management of diverse workforce is one of the prominent challenges facing by international companies while operating cross culturally. This paper analyses the HR policy changes that brought by globalization in the nature and behaviour of companies that engage in large-scale international coordination. 2.0 Globalization and cross cultural business Outsourcing and offshoring are some of the revolutionary business strategies introduced by globalization. As part of outsourcing and offshoring, business travels from one country to another country. In other words, cross cultural business is increasing day by day because of globaliz ation. It would be difficult for international companies to limit their attention in one country alone, when many other countries offer huge opportunities. Majority of the international companies are already saturated in their domestic soil and they need opportunities in overseas market to grow further. For example, Starbucks is an American company which has coffee shops virtually in every corner of America. In other words, it would be almost impossible for Starbucks to formulate its expansion strategies based on opportunities in America alone. Globalization has offered many opportunities to Starbucks like companies in overseas countries. In fact countries are currently competing each other, in attracting foreign direct investments. In short, the global climate for international business is extremely good at present and no major companies can stay away from the opportunities offered by other countries. According to Ivancevich (2006, p.5), â€Å"human resource management is action o riented, people oriented, globally oriented and future oriented†. It is necessary for international organizations to integrate HRM issues into their strategic plans (Beardwell, & Claydon, 2007). It would be impossible for modern organizations to work with a single cultural workforce in a heavily globalized business world.

Sunday, July 28, 2019

The Humanity And Issues Related To It In Literature Essay

The Humanity And Issues Related To It In Literature - Essay Example The men at the hotel are wondering if they have also played some part in The Swede’s death. This paper criticizes two important quotations from the story, which I will connect to how I see humankind, and how I view the world. First, I will go into the detail of the quotation, â€Å"Every sin is a result of collaboration† (Crane). Crane has talked about collaboration in the sense that the characters of the story are interacting with each other. They talk to each other, and get into fights, due to which they hurt and kill each other. This is how sin is produced. However, I think that here, collaboration means that the society and the sinner are interacting with each other, where both are opposite to each other and are necessary for each other’s survival. If there is a virtue, there is a sin. If it is good, there is bad. If there are thieves, there are priests. If there are angels, there is Satan. So, both the opposite extremes exist, and become recognized for the opposite. So, when there is a collaboration between man and others are around him, there is either virtue or sin that is produced. This is how society will go on until the end of the world. Collaboration may also mean here that sin is produced with mutual agreement between two people, as Crane has shown the men at the hotel talking about how they had all taken part in killing Swede. Although many sins can be committed without the involvement of a second person; yet, here collaboration means sin committed with the help of two or more persons, who have interacted with each other and have planned to commit the sin. We know it because the Easterner explains it by saying, â€Å"We, five of us, have collaborated in the murder of this Swede.

Saturday, July 27, 2019

My Decision to Return to College Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

My Decision to Return to College - Essay Example Since there is a general feeling that college graduates adjust easily within the reigns of organizations and that are easily trainable, I believe I would offer the company much to start with. My skills and my experience would suggest a thing or two and that too in the positive sense. Within the workforce, I would enhance my organizational skills consistently so that I could become indigenous and my work would speak for its own self. Since I value education more than anything else, I am of the view that following the college would be out of my comfort zone but I am ready and willing to take this opportunity and grab it with both hands. I will challenge myself within different areas, one of which would be to acquaint myself with the computer literacy skills, which I perceive needs polishing. Further, the mere feeling that completing a degree would give me a satisfying attitude is reason enough for me to go all-out and do my very best. Education has its different levels and it is best to reach the top most level once you are a student. I am hopeful that I will continue on my yearning and opt for the Associate’s degree program after which I would pursue my Bachelor’s. Similarly, attaining a Master’s degree is anyone’s dream and for me, there is thrill in envisioning myself becoming a Master in a specific discipline, a few years down the road. I opine that education makes one complete and I am of the firm view that in my case, this is absolutely true. Completing college life makes one reap rewards throughout the course of his life. I would advance my base within life once I am out of college and plan to pursue with my university life. Moving ahead, joining a profession that I like would make me even more satisfied and matured after which I will earn and support my family – a satisfying feeling nonetheless. In the end, I am hopeful that if I get admission within college, I would live up to my promise

Friday, July 26, 2019

Hate Crime Prevention Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Hate Crime Prevention - Essay Example In order to eradicate hate crimes, it is important to understand the nature of hate crimes. Hate crime is generally defined as "an attack on an individual or his or her property (e.g., vandalism, arson, assault, murder) in which the victim is intentionally selected because of his or her race, color, religion, national origin, gender, disability, or sexual orientation" (U.S. Dept. of Education [USDOE], n.d.). Hate crime is a serious problem as thousands of hate crime incidents are reported every year. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation [FBI] (2004), there were 7,649 reported incidents of hate crime in 2004, with more than half of those incidents were related to racial discrimination. These crimes mostly involved anti-black bias, while a small percentage was based on anti-white bias. Some of the reported hate crimes are based on religious discrimination, sexual orientation bias, ethnicity and even disability bias (FBI, 2004). Racial discrimination remains to be the bigges t issue related to hate crimes. Already there are several programs that have been developed for schools and communities to help avoid the incidence of hate crimes. ... Studies also show that people who commit hate crimes are not mentally ill, although they generally exhibit anti-social and aggressive behaviors (DeAngelis, 2001). They also tend to show discriminative and violent behaviors, so it could be possible to prevent a hate crime by discouraging bias and violence in the school. This could be done by teaching students that subtle forms of discrimination such as offensive name-calling, stereotyping, group exclusion are hurtful and could lead to head crime incidents (USDOE, n.d.). Since profiled perpetrators of hate crimes are generally not mentally ill, it is possible to appeal to feelings of empathy. Students should also be taught a way of dealing with conflict in a non-violent way. It could start in minor ways such as painting over graffiti and forming discussion groups on how to express disappointments and frustrations in a non-violent manner. DeAngelis (2001) reviewed several studies made on hate crimes and found that the tendency to commit hate crimes is rooted on stereotypes that people make on other people or groups of people that are outside their own group. It is always difficult for people to understand other cultures who come to dwell in their society, especially when they have not heard anything about those other cultures. When this happens, people tend to generalize, instead of seeing the "different" people as individuals. This attitude can be seen in how typical Americans see people who migrated from other countries. This difficulty in adjusting to "group outsiders" is more serious in young people who are at that stage where they have a need to belong and leave out people who are different. All of these issues have to be elaborated and discussed in

Thursday, July 25, 2019

What are the Key Success Factors for the industry Essay

What are the Key Success Factors for the industry - Essay Example This research will begin with the statement that wide market that is available. Many people nowadays prefer bottled to other water. Some of the reasons why they frequently choose to take bottled water are because it is safe, that is, free from contamination, it is flavored and readily available. More significantly, most of the people consider bottled water as a product of prestige. Due to the fact that, we are in the generation that value showing than any other thing they opt for bottled water. It is estimated that in the year 1990 more than two billion of gallons of this water was consumed in the United States of America only, exclusive of other countries. By the year 2005, there was an increase of consumption per capita of 25 gallons. This is a proof that this product has a wide and ready market. The bottled water popularity that was ever on the rise was ascribed to the questionable sanitation issues of the drinking water that was provided by the municipality. Also, the lifestyle o f American that is ever working and busy found bottled water to be more convenient due to its portability. Due to health consideration, many people opted to take the bottled drinking water instead of the soft drinks. Soft drinks had a lot of sugar and other additives that were not healthy for the consumption of the people. The method of parking water too pleased many people. The water was parked in containers that could be returned back to the company after the whole amount of purchased water was used. (Dege 421). There was also very stiff competition from rivalry companies, something that made the administration of the company to innovate new production and marketing strategies to ensure that the company is known by many customers. This greatly improved the quality of the products. Due to the quality it attracted many clients who were interested with quality products. Promotions of the company were intensified, and at the same time products were sold at lower prices compared to the rivalry companies. The company was complying with all the legal requirements. Therefore, there was a minimal hindrance from the legal framework. This feature made all the activities of the company to be undertaken openly with no resistance from the enforcers of the laws for instance, the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act was given much priority. The constructions and the design of the company had followed the legal framework to the latter (Dege 420). Good administration is a factor that led to the success of the company. The management team focused on research to improve the production and marketing processes. It was also proactive in prevention of instances that could jeopardize the progress of the company. 2. How is the industry changing? The industry has been growing tremendously and expanding its market since the year 2000.this is because many people shifted and some are in the process of stopping using Municipal drinking water to bottled drinking water. More especially in the United States of America the market has immensely grown leading to high consumption of bottled water and other products which are produced by the company. The production of the industry is also changing to fit the demands of customers in regard to their health and nutrition, whereby they are producing products which are healthy and boost the body systems. Due to this, the industry is making a lot of profit and it is utilizing the same profit in opening up of new branches in areas of the target. Up to now, the industry is found all over the world. 3. Describe and evaluate the strategies of the "Big 3" companies in the U.S. market. Appropriate Promotion strategies The companies invested adequately in the marketing of their products using attractive methods and knowing the gap that was left especially by the Municipal that was in charge of supplying people with drinking water. The strategies took the attention of many people who later on decided to purchase for the products of the companies. They went beyond the market

Wednesday, July 24, 2019

Is a new Walmart a good thing for a community Essay

Is a new Walmart a good thing for a community - Essay Example on, the company serves towards the betterment of the community by providing jobs and ensuring environmental sustainability in its operational processes. To ensure environmental sustainability, Walmart has abandoned the sale of deodorant sticks in cardboard boxes and made use of the concept of greener buildings to establish its stores. The company also engages in Corporate Social Responsibility on a regular basis (Goetz, n.d.). Despite such advantages to the community, Walmart is engaged in a number of problems such as exploitation of labor, which is treated as a negative attribute from the perspective of the community. Moreover, in Walmart, there exists discrimination of worker in terms of gender and age. The company has an increased level of unemployment leading to higher rates of poverty and lower welfare spending. Furthermore, Walmart erodes business centers situated in downtown, which can be considered another factor behind the neglect of the community. Despite promoting environmental sustainability, Walmart itself is engaged in increased environmental degradation, against the communal perspective. In South America, fish farms located across the nation and have led to a rise in obesity rates by 2.4% points for which Walmart is responsible (Goetz, n.d.). Considering the advantages of the company and its comparison with the disadvantages, it can be identified that the company has adopted different measu res based on which the company is able to perform operations with environment consciousness and sustainability. In this context, Walmart can be considered as a good thing for the

Tuesday, July 23, 2019

The Ethics of Citibank Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

The Ethics of Citibank - Research Paper Example As a means of understanding the ethical ramifications of the collapse and the contributing factors that ultimately led up to it, the analysis will first delve into something of a historical analysis of the collapse so that the key decisions that Citibank made leading up to and just prior to the collapse can be understood within a broader appreciation for the means by which successive ethical oversights and dependency behavior created the perfect something of a perfect storm that has affected untold millions around the world and cost untold trillions in loss to the global economy. Moreover, it is the hope of this author that such an analysis will help the reader to not only come to an appreciation for ethical factors and the impacts that they can have but to create a sense of urgency within the mind of the reader to integrate with ethical decision making at each and every step of the business process. As such, the forthcoming analysis will break down the financial collapse and subsequ ent ethical oversights into two main sectors; those dealing with the ethical oversights that existed prior to the crash and contributed to the global financial meltdown (evidenced within Citibank), and those ethical oversights that took place after the crash and fundamentally concerned appropriation and disbursal of stimulus funding. Taking the more recent situation first, it can be noted that in excess of 220 billion USD was allocated to Citibank by the Federal government as a result of TARP. The initial reason for this allocation was of course the fact that the Federal government and key decision makers within the Federal Reserve felt that without TARP stimulus it would be highly possible that the poor investment structure of Citibank could lead to its collapse. Due to the fact that Citibank and others were labeled as â€Å"too big to fail†, it was determined that it was vitally necessary to transfer this massive amount of money from the taxpayers into the coffers of some of the largest financial institutions in the world. Not surprisingly, Citibank and others were none to alarmed with such a rapid increase in the overall level of money that they could leverage to meet their liabilities. Unfortunately, rather than leveraging this money and immediately doing a thorough audit of their firm to ensure that k ey standards were being met and no such situation as had been witnessed the following year could ever occur again, the key ethical oversight of merely continuing to conduct business as usual was witnessed. Certainly, it can be noted that Citibank and others met minimum federal requirements; however, a proactive stance in seeking to maximize their shareholders utility and minimize any potential and lingering levels of ethical oversights was not engaged. Moreover, it can also be noted that one of the first major managerial decisions that was made after the financial collapse and subsequent federal disbursal of bailout funds was with relation to liberal bonuses for many of the top leadership positions within Citibank. This serves as perhaps the most visible ethical oversight that this brief analysis will analyze. The news media soon picked up on this revelation and broadcast the names and actual bonus levels that many of these upper

Philippines Essay Example for Free

Philippines Essay I. Expected Argument The academic progress of the students will increase because English is the medium used in international textbooks and schools. II. Rebuttal The students’ academic progress may be hindered due to unfamiliarity with the language, especially more so with the less fortunate people in the country. III. Explanation For many in the Philippines, the fluent use of the English language has always indicated a level of superiority or better upbringing among its people. This and the fact that the English language is most commonly used in an international basis has lead people to believe that English is more valuable than the Filipino or any other indigenous language. This idea, I believe, is false. The English language is not a gauge of one’s intelligence, as subjects such as Science and Math do not need to revolve around the language. Recent studies have shown that students who study in their own native tongue have obtained the highest scores, for example students from Japan and Korea. Eduardo Gullas, an old lawmaker from Cebu, says that Filipino children failed in the recent math and science tests given by DepEd because they have poor English. He also added: â€Å"To begin with, math and science manuals and most other books for that matter are in English, so learning becomes extremely difficult if the student has deficient English.† Also, using English puts poorer student at a disadvantage. Not everyone speaks English at home so children from Tagalog speaking home are less likely to understand the lessons. Also, the students would also be more concerned whether their use of English was correct and be more hesitant to recite and speak in class, thus hindering their educational development. IV. Examples 1. Malaysia said it will drop English as the language of instruction for math and science in schools, in a highly sensitive decision that has split opinion in the multiethnic country. The government cited a 2008 survey which found that students performance in math and science had fallen since it had been taught in English, and that rural children were hit particularly hard. 2. An article by Saffir Rammah states that; â€Å"We (Academy of the Punjab in North America) believe that the native language is the only genuine and true medium of expression for any nationality, in particular for communicating their emotions and feelings to each other. Millions of Punjabi sons and daughters who even today write letters to their Punjabi speaking parents, friends and other loved ones in Urdu or English are missing the most basic and vital mode of communications available to human beings – their own mother tongue. If we sit down for a few moments and ponder on this phenomena, we will soon come to the conclusion that it is a crime against a whole nation to deprive them the proper training in written expression in their own language† and that, â€Å"that the use of Urdu as the medium of instructions in schools is the main cause of low literacy rate in West Punjab and is one of the main impediments of economic growth and development of civil society. We take note of the fact that all developed nations, including the Asian Tigers that have recently made major strides in economic development, use their native languages as medium of instructions in schools. We are convinced that education in Punjabi is a must for the educational, economic and civil development of West Punjab.† 3. In a study done in 2006, 52% of Filipino students prefer bilingual classes with both English and Filipino rather than pure and straight English in subjects like Math and Science because it’s too hard to understand and because some words have no direct Filipino-English meanings.

Monday, July 22, 2019

Dance and Daffodils Essay Example for Free

Dance and Daffodils Essay I wandered lonely as a cloud William Wordsworth I wandered lonely as a cloud That floats on high oer vales and hills, When all at once I saw a crowd, A host, of golden daffodils; Beside the lake, beneath the trees,5 Fluttering and dancing in the breeze. Continuous as the stars that shine And twinkle on the milky way, They stretched in never-ending line Along the margin of a bay:10 Ten thousand saw I at a glance, Tossing their heads in sprightly dance. The waves beside them danced; but they Out-did the sparkling waves in glee: A poet could not but be gay,15 In such a jocund company: I gazedand gazedbut little thought What wealth the show to me had brought: For oft, when on my couch I lie In vacant or in pensive mood,20 They flash upon that inward eye Which is the bliss of solitude; And then my heart with pleasure fills, And dances with the daffodils. [pic] Summary The speaker says that, wandering like a cloud floating above hills and valleys, he encountered a field of daffodils beside a lake. The dancing, fluttering flowers stretched endlessly along the shore, and though the waves of the lake danced beside the flowers, the daffodils outdid the water in glee. The speaker says that a poet could not help but be happy in such a joyful company of flowers. He says that he stared and stared, but did not realize what wealth the scene would bring him. For now, whenever he feels vacant or pensive, the memory flashes upon that inward eye / That is the bliss of solitude, and his heart fills with pleasure, and dances with the daffodils. Questions 1.What figure of is found in lines 1 and 7? Which two things are being compared in each case? 2.Quote TWO VERBS from stanza 1 which describe the movement of the daffodils. 3.What mood is created by the words mentioned in questions 2? 4.What is the poet saying about the daffodils when comparing them to the stars in the Milky Way? 5.Which figure of speech is evident in line 12 – â€Å"Tossing their heads in sprightly dance†? 6.What effect do the waves and daffodils have on the poet in stanza 3? 7.Comment on the repetition of the word â€Å"gazed† in line 17. 8.Does the poet use the word â€Å"wealth† literally of figuratively in line 18? Give a reason for your answer. 9.What is the â€Å"inward eye† mentioned in line 21? 10.What effect does the memory of the daffodils have on the poet? Across 2. perfect happiness (stanza 4) 4. valleys (stanza 1) 6. a contraction of the word â€Å"over† (stanza 1) 7. riches (stanza 3) 8. jovial, merry, lighthearted (stanza 3) 9. in a lively and vigorous way (stanza 2) 10. the edge (stanza 2) 12. a brilliant yellow flower (stanza 1) Down 1. to look briefly (stanza 2) 3. state of being alone (stanza 4) 4. not occupied, empty (stanza 4) 5. looking thoughtful (stanza 4) 10. the galaxy in which the earth is located (stanza 2) 11. a large number of items (stanza1)

Sunday, July 21, 2019

Analysis of Marxist Critiques of Liberal Capitalism

Analysis of Marxist Critiques of Liberal Capitalism The standard litany of Marxist critiques of liberal capitalism rely on a common theme which presupposes that capitalism is fundamentally flawed and evil because it relies on a structure of exploitation, i.e., the bourgeoisie, those who own the means of production, ruthlessly exploit the proletariat, the individuals who sell their labor and do not own the means of production. Marx believed, essentially, that capitalist empires are built on the backs of the proletariat, who reap inadequate rewards for their work. He hypothesized that the essential difference between the various economic forms of society, between, for instance, a society based on slave-labour, and one based in wage-labour, lies only in the mode in which this surplus labour is in each case extracted from the actual producer, the labourer. (Marx, 1859[1967], p. 209) While well intentioned and valid in some ways, Marxists critiques generally fail on intellectual, practical, and empirical levels. The first intellectual failure is manifest in Marxs own quote, above, which presumes that wage-labor is effectively the same means of oppression as slave labor. This is only true if the proletariat serving as the labor have no means or hope of achieving ownership stake in the work that they do or the organizations for whom they do the work. Though it may have been true in 1859 when he wrote it, liberal capitalism has evolved, particularly in the United States, to the state of an individual-ownership society, where opportunities abound for individuals to assume a stake in the work that they do, not merely collect a paycheck for their labor.In Marxs mind, the only way for workers to free themselves from this slavery was to collectively own the means of production. The efficacy of this intellectual model has thus far been an abject failure in terms of the re sults when it has been attempted. On an empirical level, the simple truth is that the vast majority of governments that have been formed using Marxist or Communist theory have themselves tended to be exploitative disasters in comparison to the capitalist societies over which they were intended to demonstrate moral and economic superiority. The Soviet Union, which launched its Marxist revolution in 1917 under Vladimir Lenin, became a great economic and military power, but ironically did so only by exploiting its proletariat under the corrupt, oligarchic rule of totalitarian and in the case of Stalin, genocidal dictators who ruled with a combination of an iron fist and a vast, ossified bureaucracy. The Soviet Union collapsed under its own weight, a complete ideological failure, and its member states turned to capitalist economies and democratic forms of government. (To be fair, some Soviets, at the time of Lenins ascendancy, believed it was too soon to implement Marxist philosophies, since Marxs own requirement had not been met that the countrys capitalist economy had reached its evolutionary endpoint.) China, though still a viable nation-state which wields considerable economic power, has managed to avoid the Soviet Unions fate by introducing a considerable number of free-market elements into its state-controlled economy. Unfortunately, China shares the former Soviet Unions penchant for ruthless suppression of individual rights. The only other currently remaining bona fide Marxist/Communist state is North Korea, whose atrocious economic conditions, cultish culture of worship for its dictators, and lack of regard for individual rights, speak for themselves. That in 2005 Marxis m would have been so absent from the global political map would have been a heartbreaking blow to Marx, as would the fact that the only attempts at implementing his philosophies in their purest forms have led to brutal, totalitarian regimes which have arguably disrespected the proletariat as acutely as any unregulated capitalist economy. On a political level, Marx may have also underestimated the power of the marriage of democratic forms of government to liberal capitalist systems. In theory, at least, representative democracies are inherently structured to empower the proletariat by giving them participatory voice in the decision-making that goes into governing the economic systems of their nation. Democracy, as we know it today and as the pre-eminent form of government on the planet, was arguably still a relatively young paradigm as Marx was developing his theories. The primacy of the concepts of the worth and choice of the individual individual rights, individual freedoms is an inherently democratic notion which both contradicts the passive collectivism suggested by Marxism and also provides a built-in safeguard against capitalist excesses when they begin to favor oligarchies over individual rights. Democracy is unique in its ability to lessen ameliorate the harsher effects of unregulated market capitalism. When competitive markets are allowed to flourish unchecked, certainly great wealth is created, but Marxs critiques of exploitation become valid as monopolies and oligarchies spring up to choke off competition and create an environment in which the proletariat fail to benefit from the work they have put in on behalf of, for example, corporations. However, representative democracy has suffered the horrors of untempered market cycles and reacted accordingly. One of the best examples is the American Great Depression, in which a precipitous stock market crash in October 1929 set off an economic chain reaction that left tens of millions of Americans unemployed and in starvation. The collective clamor and cries of the proletariat prompted the elected government to take serious corrective measures over the next few decades to provide for means to temper the inherent boom and bust cyc les of free market capitalism, and to create a social safety net for the poor and the elderly (e.g. Social Security, guaranteeing retirement income to senior citizens). Similarly, in Europe, countries where the scourges of free market industrialism once ravaged the countryside, such as England, democratic systems of government have gradually eased their economies into socialist hybrids, market economies with considerable elements of state control and welfare systems to ensure the proletariat are well-cared for. Unfortunately, Marx either was unable to see the potential value of these future hybrid systems, such as market socialism, with their ability to compensate for inequities, or simply refused to believe in their viability because they failed to match his strident demand for idealistic purity within human interrelations: Even if such unjust inequalities were eliminated, Marx would still object to the quality of market social relations because they would continue to be predicated on a kind of self-seeking egoism contrary to the requirement of a true community. (Warren, 1998) On a psychological level, Marxist critiques of liberal capitalism also fail because they lack practical insight into how the human psyche operates and instead rely too heavily on utopian ideals of human beings operating idealistically on a collective level. Marxs theory of human nature is a biological fantasy, and we have the corpses to prove it. Which may drive us to wonder: if communism is deadly because it is contrary to human nature, does that imply that capitalism, which is contrary to communism, is distinctively compatible with human nature? (Wilkinson, 2005) The truth of the matter is that human beings are a hierarchically inclined species that thrive on power and competition. Left unchecked, these impulses can result in ghastly, fratricidal behavior, but when harnessed and properly channeled, these impulses form the heart of the free market economy, which thrives on individual initiative, healthy competition, and the quest for self-improvement and leadership. The psychological backbone of Marxist critique is the assumption of a perpetual state of victimhood on the part of the oppressed, which fails to take into account the inherent human tendency to resist oppression and reform existing systems into more egalitarian structures. In other words, Marxist-style revolutions may well be unnecessary, as the proletariat seems to frequently find ways within capitalist systems to assert their rights. People will always have their hunter-gatherer impulses, but this does not mean they are predestined to be deleterious: There is no way to stop dominance-seeking behavior. We may hope only to channel it to non-harmful uses. A free society therefore requires that positions of dominance and status be widely available in a multitude of productive hierarchies, and that opportunities for greater status and dominance through predation are limited by the constant vigilance of the peoplethe ultimate reverse dominance hierarchy. A flourishing civil society permits almost everyone to be the leader of something, whether the local Star Trek fan club or the city council, thereby somewhat satisfying the human taste for hierarchical status, but to no ones serious detriment. (Wilkinson, 2005) In the end, Marxism is a fundamentally pessimistic and pedantic philosophy, as are its critiques of liberal capitalism, which is a fundamentally optimistic and individualistic philosophy which endows each person with both the responsibility and the power to assume control of his or her own destiny and personal fulfillment. As sociologist Ellen Huang notes, under the lens of critical Marxist theories, inequality determines all human relations, and subsequently overemphasizes the oppressed nature of the colonized. Further abstractions of the dynamic of capitalism may overlook real forms of resistance, leaving utopian dreams as the only option for the oppressed. (Huang, 2003) Humanity is always in dire need of practical options rooted in dreams, not merely the dreams themselves, no matter how well intended they may be.

Saturday, July 20, 2019

Mourning and Grief Essay -- Psychology

Sigmund Freud, born on May 8th, 1856, was the founder of psychoanalysis. Psychoanalysts believed that human behavior, experience, and cognition were largely determined by irrational drives which were mostly unconscious. Freud further developed the mechanisms of repression and established a clinical method for treating psychopathology through dialogue between a patient and their respective psychoanalyst. Though psychoanalysts are not very common in our current day, other forms of psychotherapy have developed that employs diverging ideas, originating from Freud’s original thoughts and approach to studying the mind (Boeree). Freud went on to later synthesize a theory of what he believed happened during grief. According to his theory, we become emotionally attached to our loved ones by investing libido, or physical energy, in them. When these loved ones pass, we have a sense that we lost this energy, which he believes accounts for changes in our sensitivity. Under Freud’s theory, grieving consists of severing these emotional attachments by withdrawing our energetic investments (Watson). Though Freud’s view on death was fashioned centuries ago, it can still be clearly seen in various aspects/locations in modern time. Freud’s ideas which have become the backbone to the ‘six reconciliation needs for mourning’ are currently used as the basis for ritualistic tendencies of funerals, self-help books that are utilized within Hospice units in Hospitals, and self-help groups. The initial need to help the family acknowledge the reality of the death of a loved one is commonly carried out by funeral homes. Typically, death is acknowledged in two phases, the first dealing with acceptance in our mind and then within our hearts. Sigmund Freud b... ...e are supposed to do. Self-help groups attempt to fill bereaved ones lives with activities that may interest them in the hopes that these activates will either get their mind off the recent death or aid in helping the individual reinvent themselves. Works Cited Boeree, C. George. "Sigmund Freud." My Webspace Files. 2009. Web. . Smith, Melinda, and Jeanne Segal. "Supporting a Grieving Person." : Helping Others Through Grief and Loss. Jan. 2012. Web. . Watson, Donald E. "Apperception Theory of Grieving." Don Watson's Home Page. 12 Feb. 2005. Web. . Wolfelt, Alan D. "Why Is the Funeral Ritual Important?" 2007. Web.

Promoting and Protecting Minority Rights Essay examples -- Democracy,

The founding fathers of the United States Constitution suspected that through democracy, a government ruled by the majority, the majority could easily become tyrannical in its usage of unrestricted power. That is, in denying or denoting the rights of certain minority groups. These fathers included Thomas Jefferson who stated in his 1801 Inaugural Address for President of the United States, â€Å"All, too, will bear in mind this sacred principle, that though the will of the majority is in all cases to prevail, that will to be rightful must be reasonable; that the minority possess their equal rights, which equal law must protect, and to violate would be oppression.† Despite the possibility of defying majority rule resulting in some disastrous upsets, the government's most ardent responsibility should lie more in its responsibility to protect minority rights rather than to abide by majority rule. Since, of any possible outcome, the worst would be a situation in which a minority group is denied rights, not due to simple social complication, but instead due to a general lack of government protection. While a democracy is based on majority rule, minority rights must not be disregarded. One of the principles of democracy includes a minority receiving equal opportunity to become a majority, and thereby providing competition for the majority of the time. Competition has potential to force a majority to become a minority, needing the protection of its rights to provide opportunity for it to become a majority again. Furthermore, the smallest minority is the individual. By protecting minority rights from majority oppression, the individual is protected and vice versa. For example, individual rights of expression and speech ... ...certain minority group: african-americans. Yarbrough, Tinsley. "U.S. GOVERNMENT > Introduction to the U.S. System > Democracy Papers ." à §Ã‚ ¾Ã‚ŽÃ ¥Ã‚Å"‹Ã ¥Ã‚Å" ¨Ãƒ ¥Ã‚ Ã‚ °Ãƒ ¥Ã‚ Ã‚”à ¦Ã‚Å"ÂÆ' - à ©Ã‚ ¦Ã‚â€"à ©  . N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Oct. 2013. Yarbrough intimately and accurately describes the trials of the â€Å"African American Experience†. These trials include, but are not limited to slavery, denial to suffrage, and the retraction of equality through governmental policy. Yarbrough is thorough in the description of this experience, refusing to allow sheer opinion to even decimate fact. He â€Å"African American Experience† is a big part of minority rights being that african americans’ entire â€Å"experience† consisted of the government failing or prevailing in protecting their basic rights guaranteed by the constitution of the United States. Promoting and Protecting Minority Rights Essay examples -- Democracy, The founding fathers of the United States Constitution suspected that through democracy, a government ruled by the majority, the majority could easily become tyrannical in its usage of unrestricted power. That is, in denying or denoting the rights of certain minority groups. These fathers included Thomas Jefferson who stated in his 1801 Inaugural Address for President of the United States, â€Å"All, too, will bear in mind this sacred principle, that though the will of the majority is in all cases to prevail, that will to be rightful must be reasonable; that the minority possess their equal rights, which equal law must protect, and to violate would be oppression.† Despite the possibility of defying majority rule resulting in some disastrous upsets, the government's most ardent responsibility should lie more in its responsibility to protect minority rights rather than to abide by majority rule. Since, of any possible outcome, the worst would be a situation in which a minority group is denied rights, not due to simple social complication, but instead due to a general lack of government protection. While a democracy is based on majority rule, minority rights must not be disregarded. One of the principles of democracy includes a minority receiving equal opportunity to become a majority, and thereby providing competition for the majority of the time. Competition has potential to force a majority to become a minority, needing the protection of its rights to provide opportunity for it to become a majority again. Furthermore, the smallest minority is the individual. By protecting minority rights from majority oppression, the individual is protected and vice versa. For example, individual rights of expression and speech ... ...certain minority group: african-americans. Yarbrough, Tinsley. "U.S. GOVERNMENT > Introduction to the U.S. System > Democracy Papers ." à §Ã‚ ¾Ã‚ŽÃ ¥Ã‚Å"‹Ã ¥Ã‚Å" ¨Ãƒ ¥Ã‚ Ã‚ °Ãƒ ¥Ã‚ Ã‚”à ¦Ã‚Å"ÂÆ' - à ©Ã‚ ¦Ã‚â€"à ©  . N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Oct. 2013. Yarbrough intimately and accurately describes the trials of the â€Å"African American Experience†. These trials include, but are not limited to slavery, denial to suffrage, and the retraction of equality through governmental policy. Yarbrough is thorough in the description of this experience, refusing to allow sheer opinion to even decimate fact. He â€Å"African American Experience† is a big part of minority rights being that african americans’ entire â€Å"experience† consisted of the government failing or prevailing in protecting their basic rights guaranteed by the constitution of the United States.

Friday, July 19, 2019

Oedipus the King Essay -- Classics Oedipus King Essays

Oedipus the King Oedipus the King is the perfect example of a tragedy. It contains a complete combination of all the features of a tragedy. Aristotle in his Poetics[1] defines Oedipus as being 'a definite example of the form and purpose of tragedy'. In tragedies the Greeks dramatized climactic events in the lives of heroes, and Oedipus' story is no exception. By using many different literary devices it brings moral dilemmas of action and motive to the public stage. The action is set out over the timeframe of one day, which will according to the prophet Tiresias will bring Oedipus' 'birth' and 'destruction'. King Oedipus is the central protagonist and within his character lies a tragic flaw. He is unintentionally the architect of his own downfall. The strengths that once lead him to solve the riddle behind the sphinx later lead him to his own downfall. In the words of the priest; 'you helped us stand, only to fall once more'. Oedipus' hamartia is his anger. It lies at the root of the plot. It was fury that lead him to kill Laius. He was about to thrust Oedipus off the road one night, so Oedipus 'paid him back with interest' by murdering him. Another flaw is a persistent desire to discover the truth. His 'mindless stubbornness' motivates him to seek the truth about Laius' killer and who his father is. This search leads to the turn of events that take place throughout the play. Despite constant denial of his fate he cannot deny the work of the gods. Tiresias delivers him a prophecy of this fate. Oedipus' circumstances are far beyond his own control. No matter what he attempts to do or alter every path leads the same way. He finds himself 'always terrified Apollo's' oracle might come true'. However he is determined to seek out the Kings murderer to punish him. This search interlinks with the search for his father. Jocasta also tries to deny destiny believing that 'nothing human can penetrate the future'. She claims to believe that 'It's all chance, chance rules our lives'. However fate inevitably takes over. Through the process of anagorsis Oedipus discovers he is in fact the very criminal he seeks. Along with this he realises further truth in the prophecy, that he is married to his mother. Jocasta also comes to realise the same truth. By the end of the play his final downfall along with hers is inevitable. Tragic iro... ...loins that spawned my wretched life. What grief can crown this grief? It's mine alone, my destiny - I am Oedipus!' These two statements show the peripeteia of Oedipus' life. Once a hero basked in glory, he has now succumbed to his destiny. In turn he is lowered to a truly pathetic state. His altered state serves to highlight the reversal of fortune he undergoes. His tragic flaw leads him to acknowledging his fate. Oedipus' downfall comes as he tries to escape fate but cannot. The audience knows this as does the chorus and we can only watch. Oedipus the King contains nothing outside of the definition; it's just pure Tragedy at the very core. It also confirms to Aristotle's theory of Tragedy. It obeys all the rules and the elements of Tragedy mentioned throughout. These features entwine together to create the ultimate work of Tragedy. From all of this it is unquestionable that the word 'tragedy' is a usefully accurate description of Sophocles' play Oedipus the King. --------------------------------------------------------------------- [1] W.B. Worthen, The Harcourt Brace Anthology of Drama, 3rd Edition (USA, Harcourt College Publishers, 2000), p 72.

Thursday, July 18, 2019

Forbidden Love Essay

â€Å"There is a charm about the forbidden that makes it unspeakably desirable† quote by Mark Twain. Michael Ondaatje feels similarly in his poem â€Å"The Cinnamon Peeler† because he longs to be with his beloved but this is not possible. We infer that Ondaatje is in a lower caste than his love because he hypothetically states â€Å"If I were a cinnamon peeler†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (1). The idea of them being together is what sets off this love poem. He goes on a type of role-playing game in which he and his wife are such passionate lovers that their desire leaves a scent that others can notice. In this dramatic monologue, Ondaatje explores the theme of bold love with his wife. He wishes to be free with his lover, having his ideal marriage. It was not possible for them to be together before marriage because everyone would smell the cinnamon scent off of her, â€Å"You will be known among strangers as the cinnamon peeler’s wife† (17-18). The speaker gets carried away and seduced by the idea of forbidden love. The author reveals the true situation when explaining that he could never look at her before marriage because of her brother’s and mother. The speaker longs for his beloved but knows they can never be together. Individuality and male dominance are also prominent themes in this poem. Individuality is expressed through the speaker’s description of their relationship. Their need to sneak around with each other causes them to go against their familial and cultural values which grant them independence. There is clear evidence of a male dominated society. The cinnamon peelers wife, lime burner daughter, and grass cutter wife are great examples of where a woman is defined by either her father or husband. Every woman in this poem has been directly referred to through the men in their lives. The male dominant theme is seen in every aspect of the poem, from the leaving of bark dust on pillows to â€Å"my fingers floating over you† (7-8). The female character questions his commitment to her; since they cannot be together all the time she wonders if he is faithful to her. Then she realizes â€Å"what good is it to be the lime burner’s daughter left with no trace as if not spoken to in the act of love† (37-40). She knows that this erotic love is something that only they share. When one first reads Ondaatje’s â€Å"The Cinnamon Peeler,† it is clear that the poem is about sex, specifically, the speaker’s sexual desire for his wife. The speaker and his wife are therefore marked physically by the scent of his occupation. This cinnamon scent takes on very sexual overtones as the poem progresses and shape the way the poem is interpreted. Smell is the sense most closely tied to memory – and Ondaatje is is using it to evoke both an imagined future. Cinnamon is a very strong scent, while grass and lime are less erotic. He uses olfactory imagery to manifest the theme of possessiveness, â€Å"You will be known among strangers as the cinnamon peeler’s wife† (17). Symbolism is also apparent. Cinnamon is very luxurious, connotes passion, and is very economically beneficial in Ondaatje’s home town of Sri Lanka. The cinnamon peeler in some cases throughout the poem uses the cinnamon smell as a metaphor for his sexual desire. Ondaatje uses the mark of the cinnamon peelers profession to create intense imagery. The strong use of the cinnamon smell to display the women’s sexuality allows Ondaatje to provoke intense images of lust and sexuality. The poem allows the reader to imagine all the ideas because Ondaatje describes the concepts well, through metaphor. The stories and situations are very simple, easy to quickly imagine and the emotion are very basic. The imagery is enforced by the way the poem applies to the senses. The poem talks about touch and smell which aids the imagination visualize the poem. The cinnamon peeler displays his ownership of his wife in the poem on many occasions, especially in the second stanza of the poem, â€Å"[y]our breasts and shoulders would reek† (5). He declares that wherever she went, everyone would know that she was his. Even â€Å"[t]he blind would stumble certain of whom they approached† (8-9). This imagery allows the reader to picture the speaker’s wife walking through the streets as she left a trail of the cinnamon scent. This poem serves as a dramatic monologue because it has a silent audience, there is no dialogue, and can be described as a character study. Because â€Å"The Cinnamon Peeler† is one person’s speech, and provides no analysis, it places emphasis on the speaker’s thoughts and emotions and allows the audience to create their own interpretation. â€Å"The Cinnamon Peeler† is very sensual, focused on emotional and both physical and psychological experiences of the speaker. Such poems reveal not the poet’s own thoughts but the mind of the character, whose personality is revealed quite quickly; thus distinguishing it as a dramatic monologue. The entire poem is simply the speaker’s perspective, not once do we enter the thoughts of the female character, and that is also an element for this type of poetic genre. Ondaatje wisely chose this form, allowing the audience to go deeply into the speaker’s thoughts and visions and feelings. One is left to wonder how his beloved feels. We only get a short part of her side in the last few lines â€Å"I am the cinnamon peeler’s wife. Smell me† (45-46). The cinnamon smell, and its constant use, can be interpreted more closely to his passion for her, his lust for her. At the end of the poem, she touches him finally and embraces the scent. This only strengthens their connection. Situations similar to the speakers are ongoing today. The caste system is still relevant in many cultures, where one is unable to marry, or even associate with someone in a lower division. Rarely is this tradition broken, this is because those of different birth circumstances are inherently unequal and are avoided.

Wednesday, July 17, 2019

American History Research Paper: Was Entering The Vietnam War A Good Idea?

I. insertionGoing to Vietnam was a good function for the U.S. It is, how eer, the most hated and protested state of fightfare in completely of U.S. history. How forever, it was a needed war. We went to Vietnam to item the spread of fabianism, and for the most part succeeded. dismantle thought it was the most soldiers blueprints ever given out, and it grammatical cased massive inflation in the U.S. The Vietnam war was an effect of the acold state of war, which was an ordnance store build up between Russia and the U.S. and so Russia tried to turn Vietnam into a communisticic pastoral, so the U.S. intervened. In the following you leave see that entering the Vietnam fight was a good affaire and that otherwise communism would whitewash be very(prenominal) everyday today, even though it was the and war the U.S. ever broken.II. EvidenceThe first fence that going to Vietnam was a good view was that we needed to keep digest the spread of communism (Brownell 12) . It was a growing threat, and needed to be stopped as quickly as possible (Brownell 87). We entered the war, and for the nourish of France and to stop communism in its steps (Welch 2). With little victor in some(prenominal) areas at first, in the long run we were successful in our main(prenominal) goals (Welch 7). The spread of communism started the Vietnam war and The Korean War. Both wars had the same objective, tenia the spread of communism (OBrien 1). We succeeded in both wars with this idea, but we pulled our troops out of Vietnam towards the decease of the war (Brownell 5).The war onwardicially terminate in 1974 when the North Vietnamese took watch of South Vietnam and made the entire uncouth communist governed (Brownell 5). They may have been communist in the end, but untold of the ring countries remained democratic (Welch 98). So we lost the country of Vietnam to communism, but gained many of the surrounding countries (OBrien 2). So we went in to stop the sprea d of communism, and we did stop it from spreading, it nonwithstanding got Vietnam in the end (Welch 7). some other reason entering The Vietnam War was a good idea was that we gained the support of the French. They ab initio started the war, but we entered and upholded them out (OBrien 3). We entered the war with the aspiration of stopping the spread of communism, and we gained the support of the French. In doing this we gained a little help from them in future wars (OBrien 3). We also gained some monetary gain from the war. With pile buying war bonds and the draft, we didnt need to worry too much about bullion (Welch 12). Plus, with the withdraw of our soldiers we had an superfluity amount of money (Welch 13). So we gained the support of the French and got some money, but unfortunately it was at the cost of 58,168 U.S. troops (Maraniss 307).A huge reason that entering The Vietnam War was that it really helped boost our economy as a country. When we entered we had a mad pr ime of populate buying war bonds to help support our troops and the war cause (Maraniss 256). Then when we pulled out of the war, we actually didnt authorise all our money on the war. So we gained some money. Unfortunately a corporation of the money went missing with President Nixon resigning (Brownell 56). most speculate that he took it and spent in on more private matters, spell others claim he hid it away if he was ever run out of the country. The ideas broaden into the improbable all the way to the just insane (Marraniss 25).Yet it is still very curious as to where all that money disappeared to. Many consider it one of the main reasons President Nixon resigned before congress could incriminate him. However, it was nothing compared to what was go away (Brownell 56). Most of the money went to covering up and paying off the officers involved it the do drugs trade that took dwelling during The Vietnam War. Instead of it rightfully going back to the people, or the troops, i t went right into the pockets of traitors and lying drug junkies. Yet what remained mostly went into repairing roads of all things. So we traded a war for not getting caught up in some other one of the governments scandals, and nice roads (Brownell 57).III. Contradictions star of the reasons that entering The Vietnam War was a corky idea is that it is the most protested war in all of U.S. history (Brownell 12). We had more people voice there protests against The Vietnam War than ever in U.S. history, even more than The Korean War (Brownell 13). Another reason is that we lost more men in The Vietnam War than in any other war, ask out The Civil War. It was mostly protest because of the draft (Welch 26). The draft was 1,728,344 people, but only 17,000 were accounted for in deaths (Brownell 1).It was so protested that many of the people who were drafted left the country and fled to Canada. The people who didnt go by and by the war were pardoned (OBrien 5). The last reason that it w as a bad idea entering The Vietnam was that it was the only war we ever lost. However, many people believe it was a good thing because it showed the world that America could in position lose a war, that we werent all powerful (Welch 10).IV. ConclusionWith the facts given, it is perspicuous that going to Vietnam was a good thing for the U.S. Even it was the most protested and hated war in all of U.S. history we still accomplished the main goal of what we went there for. This was to stop the spread of communism. We also got, tell apart of, a head start in The Cold War. Even though the Vietnam War was technically caused by the beginning of The Cold War. Not to mention that it was the most military drafts ever give. However, you cant really deny the fact that it was a necessary war, that without it, communism would be still popular today.

India Government Essay

Imperialism began in India in the 1600s with the introduction of the einsteinium India Trade Comp whatsoever who placed trading posts at Bombay, Madras, and Calcutta. (British Imperialism in India, 2014). Prior to the arrival of EITC, the Mughal pudding stone was a larger and more great functionful kingdom than any other country in Europe. The center of the Mughal Empire was in poorly populated northern region, the grunge and river system in this area was perfect for farming, transporting and communicating. (A fictitious character Study of British Imperialism in India, 2014). For some time, the EITC and Mughal were adequate to work cohesively together, unless by 1707 the Mughal Empire had begun to crumble, and in 1757 Robert Clive, in alliance with the french, led troops to a victory over Indian forces at the involvement of Plassey. This made bearing for the EITC to become the primary power in India. (British Imperialism in India, 2014).The East India Trade fellowship gre w quickly, with little interference from the British government, having its own military called sepoys comprised of both Indian and British soldiers. India was considered the jewel in the crown due in part to the skills of its mountain and its vast producing land. Cotton cloth and raw silk thread were in high demand for the company to export, as well as sugar, indigo dye and opium. (Marshall, 2014). The EITC utilize religious force and economic power to accede and maintain control of India. Demanding that Indian textile non be in competition with British goods and hard currency crops for the farmers.This in turn forced the indigenous plurality to experience economical loss and inability to campaign themselves. Britain had taken a stand-off approach with Indian religion, but many felt that Indian customs were compromised with the add-on in missionaries and racist attitude towards Indias way of life. By 1857, there was ever increasing unhappiness, renting(a) to a mutiny amo ng the Sepoy. The Sepoy army were instructed to use move cartridges that were greased with pig or cow fat. Because the ends of the cartridges needful to be bitten off before using, this was offensive to the Sepoy army, whose creation was either Hindu or Muslim. Muslim view is that pigs are unclean and Hindu whose belief is that cows are sacred. (Anderson, 2007).The Sepoy mutiny gave way to a wise British government in India called Raj, who ruled Indian until 1947. (British Imperialism in India, 2014).Part B Violent transition the Statesn RevolutionThe American Revolution was brought rough by unhappy colonist who were a codst British revenuees and sought-after(a) independence from British rule. After winning the French and Indian struggle, King George II began to impose taxes on goods such as sugar and molasses that were brought in to the colonies with the scratch line Act of 1764. The Stamp Act (1765), required an semiofficial stamp on most transactions of compound busin esses. The colonist, unhappy with the taxes, and feeling that the British Parliament was corrupt, began to discourse out against the taxes, labeling the taxes as illegal because the people of the colonies were not represented in the British Parliament. No revenue without representation was the cry of the colonies, to which the Parliament replied with a new-sprung(prenominal) tax, the Townshend Act (1777), applied taxes to all imported glass, lead, paint, piece and tea. (American Revolution, 2014).The colonist, unhappy with the taxes, began to speak out against the taxes, labeling the taxes as illegal, because the colonies were not represented in the British Parliament. Refusal to pay the Kings taxes lead the colonist to form a society called the Sons of Liberty. Members of the club broke into tax collectors homes, beat them and burned tax bills.In 1770, a battle between the colonists and British soldiers took place in capital of Massachusetts, Massachusetts, known as the Boston Massacre, killing 5 colonists and injuring many more. Two British soldiers were found guilty of murder and punished sole(prenominal) by having their thumbs burned. (The American Revolution , 2014). On July 4, 1776, the answer of freedom, written by Thomas Jefferson was approved, showing England that America would become a free, independent county of British rule. (The American Revolution , 2014).Non Violent Revolution Indian Independence driving forceThe cause of The Indian Independence Movement grew out of a nation in lookup of a way to free itself from British power and control. The goal of The Indian discipline Congress was to gain and maintain independence from the British forces. The Indian National Congress formed and held its first meeting in 1885, one of those in attendance was Mahatma Gandhi, who wouldbecome the attracter of the group. At first, the NIC professed loyalty to the British, but with World War 1 breaking out in 1914 and constant until 1920, the NIC gradu ally became an opponent the British government. As the valuation account or the British decreased, the Indians strength increase. Indians began to realize that the British were not such a force to be reckoned with. (Indian Independence Movement, 2014).B1. StrategyBattles between the colonies and the British were upright of conventional state of war and guerrilla warfare. Guerrilla warfare consists of spontaneous, individual acts of sabotage. Francis Marion, the Swamp Fox used irregular warfare against the British, using bands of troops in condole with size to prevent the British from gathering supplies, and harassing the undersize outposts and forts. (Joes, 1996).The INC, under the leadership of Gandhi conducted major campaigns to draw aid to Indians human and civil rights. Civil disobedience in the form of a non-violent protests and marches were formed. The Civil noncompliance Campaign of 1919-1922 was a boycott of British cloth, The common salt Satyagraha, a non-violent p rotest against the tax applied to salt. Gandhi was arrested by the British, who thought it would stop the movement, however it only increased in participants and forced the British government to hold forth the possibility of Indian independence. (The Indian Independence cope , 2014).ReferencesA Case Study of British Imperialism in India. (2014, July 13). Retrieved from Modern World History http//webs.bcp.org/sites/vcleary/ModernWorldHistoryTextbook/Imperialism/section_4/earlyindia.html American Revolution. (2014, July 16). Retrieved from Encyclopeida.com http//www.encyclopedia.com/ stem/American_Revolution.aspx2 Anderson, C. (2007). Indian Uprising of 1857-8 Prisons, Prisoners, and Rebellion. In C. Anderson, Indian Uprising of 1857-8 Prisons, Prisoners, and Rebellion (p.