A Symbol of Our Culture

America's history has a lot of repetition In It. Price expressed her Irritation for how America started a new trend, using flamingos, and used this trend over and over again until It lost meaning. The symbol of the flamingo was used repetitively until It lost Its Importance, and essentially got boring. This tact In Itself clearly bothered Price. From the start, Price's attitude expressed how she felt about the use of the flamingo.The title, â€Å"The Plastic Pink Flamingo,† could be taken in a couple different ways. Plastic is describing the pink flamingo, yet plastic has two meanings. It could mean plastic as in the material the flamingo is made out of, but I think Price was intending to use plastic as a play on words and have plastic mean fake or superficial. This definition would represent Price's attitude of how she thinks America is so superficial and devalues objects, such as the flamingo. Price also used a simile to create a great visual of what she thought American cul ture was like.She compared our culture to, â€Å"[being] like a line of semiotic sprouts. † She draws attention to this simile by using alliterations of â€Å"like a line,† and â€Å"semiotic sprouts. † It is not exactly a compliment to be compared to a plant, not to mention how boring and uninteresting it is. This phrase paints a picture in our heads of sprouts lust sitting there droning on and on. When comparing this boring repetitive image to America and our culture, helps us realize Price's point exactly.Jennifer Price successfully portrayed her opinions of the American culture throughout this article by using diction such as repetition and playing close attention word choice. The use of techniques like similes and alliterations also helped reflect her tone of the article, â€Å"The Plastic Pink Flamingo. † A Symbol of Our Culture By Shelley Jennifer Price wrote the essay, â€Å"The Plastic Pink Flamingo' with intentions to get gain, one tends to get bored with the idea.Price intended for the reader to get bored and sick of reading the word â€Å"pink† because it reflects how America's history has a lot of repetition in it. Price expressed her irritation for how America started a new trend, using flamingos, and used this trend over and over again until it lost meaning. The symbol of the flamingo was used repetitively until it lost its importance, and essentially got boring. This fact in itself clearly bothered Price. Just sitting there droning on and on. When comparing this boring repetitive image to

Applying Ethics in an Ethical Dilemma Essay

I would never have thought that the hardest part of this assignment was to find a good example of a business organization behaving ethically in an ethical dilemma. There are numerous cases of businesses behaving unethically. The list of businesses behaving illegally is similar to a who’s who of top companies. However, I did find one company that appears to have based their business on ethics. The 3M Corporation continually tries to infuse their ethics into their organization, even when they expand into other countries. Applying Ethics in an Ethical Dilemma In March 2011, industrial conglomerate 3M, formerly known as the Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company, started to build manufacturing facilities in Russia’s Tyumen and Samara regions. The total investment was approximately fifteen million US dollars. The new facility will produce an insulation material Thinsulate, a very thin, synthetic petroleum based insulation, used in clothing. All branches of the United States military use Gore-Tex cold weather gear and Thinsulate is one of the key materials used in the clothing (Romanova, 2011). Building the plant was the easy part; the difficulty was getting into Russia. According to the Berlin-based Transparency International’s 2010 Corruption Perceptions Index, Russia is ranked 154th among 178 industrialized countries for its corrupt practices (Barr & Serra, 2010). One of the problems 3M faced was the managerial mindset in Russia. They do not recognize or reward their subordinates for exceptional performance. They only care about current profits and they do not plan. Because of the countries high levels of corruption and political instability, they try to get everything they can right now, because they are in fear of what can potentially happen tomorrow. Due to all these factors, most multinational  companies have avoided investing in Russia (Shama, 1997). The environment for business in Russian is full of obstacles. Corruption, bribery and paying of protection money are synonymous in business culture. 3M is different from the few other international companies that operate in Russia, that try to distance themselves from such practices by simply banning them. 3M Russia actively promotes not only ethical behavior but also the personal security of its employees. 3M Russia also strives to differentiate itself from competitors by being an ethical leader. For example, it holds training courses in business ethics for its customers and employees. (Langlois & Schlegelmilch, 1990). Ethical Framework Applied by the Organization In order to understand the ethical frameworks that drive this corporation, I feel it is imperative to read their principle statement. 3M employees and third parties to which this principle applies must make good, ethical decisions based on 3M’s fundamental values of honesty, integrity, promise-keeping, fairness, respect, concern for others, and personal accountability. When the law and 3M’s Code of Conduct are silent on the issue, employees must nevertheless make decisions that are legal, ethical, and consistent with the Code of Conduct (Thulin, 2012). Initially, the ethical framework the 3M Corporation used appears to be the Utilitarian approach. Defined as, create the greatest good for the greatest number sometimes referred to as maximizing the good in the world (Dahl, Mandell, & Barton, 1988). In this theory, we weigh the positives against the negatives and against the cost versus risks. This theory emphasizes that all people should reap the benefits in a society, a community or a family. I believe 3M felt that since they were expanding globally into a new continent or country, they were trying to bring their solid ethics with them. 3M faced a difficult task of bringing ethics into a country that unfortunately, ranks low for their ethics (Barr & Serra, 2010). Another ethical framework I believe the 3M Corporation used in establishing their new factories in Russian is the deontological approach. This states that actions judged as ethical or unethical based on the inherent rights of  an individual and the intentions of the actor (Dahl, Mandell, & Barton, 1988). In Deontology theory, an individuals or organizations code of ethics is not supposed to be situational but they should be constant and always followed, to ensure that in when facing adversity their morals remain the same. When 3M went to Russia, they could have easily changed their ethics to fit the societal norm but they did not. They maintained the same high level of ethics as they do in other countries with less corruption, bribery and payments of protection money. They not only maintained it at a higher level, 3M even taught classes to their employees on ethics. For some, this was their first exposure to structured ethics training. Many deontologists believe that the rights of individuals reside in â€Å"natural law.† The individuals are a means and not end (Dahl, Mandell, & Barton, 1988). In their principles, all employees must apply honesty, integrity, promise-keeping, fairness, respect, concern for others and personal accountability (Thulin, 2012). They even emphasize when a situation occurs that is not covered by law or plainly outlined, they hold their employees responsible. They should make decisions that are fair, honest and above all in keeping with the company’s policy on ethics Negative Consequences of the Decision Negative Consequence of the situation is that board members in Minneapolis Minnesota decided to enforce American ethics in another country. Although the decision, based on good intentions, begs the question, do we have the right to enforce or impress upon our workforce in another country American ethics. Often the United States and American companies receive accusations of nation building, or where we go into another country and try to impress American laws and customs onto the indigenous population. Do we have the right to endanger our employees to make ourselves feel better? Here in America, corruption, bribery, and paying of protection money is socially unacceptable. When that is the norm, do we have the right to force our beliefs on another country or culture? For example, when the United States Armed Forces works with a foreign Army or government, we try to follow the host’s countries rules. When I was in Iraq, it was illegal to possess, purchase or consume alcoholic beve rages. It was illegal to possess, purchase, and download any pornographic material. Iraq is a strongly Muslim  country, and those are two of its major offenses to their faith. We changed our policies to comply with the host countries norms and values. Should our businesses follow that same example, to protect its workers and its interests? Conclusion Ethical Frameworks attempt to provide a guideline for how an organization or even a society should interact with one another. The strength of this analysis is that it showed that when an organization practiced good ethics, the principles are truly universal. The behavior of the 3M Corporation in their expansion into Russia should be the norm not the exception. When foreign organizations with different ethical codes of conduct meet, they should be able to create a common ethical cooperation framework, keeping strong basic values and adapting moral principles to best meet everyone’s needs. References Barr, A., & Serra, D. (2010). Corruption and culture: An experimental analysis. Journal of Public Economics, 94(11), 862-869. Thulin, I. (2012, February 24). 3M Code of Conduct – Principles. Retrieved October 12, 2014, from http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/3M/en_US/businessconduct/bcmain/policy-/principles/ Romanova, M. (2011, March 11). American 3M to Expand into Russian Regions. Russia Briefing News. Retrieved October 11, 2014, from http://russia-briefing.com/news/american-3m-to-expand-into-russian-regions.html/ Shama, A. (1997). From exploiting to investing: A survey of US firms doing business in Russia. The International Executive, 39(4), 497-518. Langlois, C. C., & Schlegelmilch, B. B. (1990). Do corporate codes of ethics reflect national character? Evidence from Europe and the United States. Journal of International Business Studies, 519-539. Dahl, J. G., Mandell, M. P., & Barton, M. E. (1988). Ethical frameworks of â€Å"Tomorrow’s Business Leaders†. International Journal of Value-Based Management, 1(2), 65-81.

Storm Born Chapter Fourteen

I saw Kiyo a few times in the next week. One of those times I was out on a job, doing an exorcism that turned out to be a setup. The house I'd gone into had no spirit but rather an asag: a demonic creature that literally had a rocklike body. Kiyo had shown up in the midst of the fight, and while I'd thought I had things well in hand, his help sure expedited matters. He didn't use any weapons like I did; he was all body and physical force. Watching him move was almost hypnotic, like admiring a dancer. His other appearances were similar, showing up when needed and then retreating if I wanted. Once, I reluctantly agreed to lunch after a fight. He watched me with those hungry eyes the entire time, but everything else was friendly and easy between us. It was like when we'd met in the bar, all breezy banter and connection – underscored with simmering sexual tension. All the other times I saw him, he trailed me around as a fox. And, as much as I hated to admit it†¦he was right. He was pretty cute. Life was busy now. Whereas before I'd had maybe only one or two jobs a week, I now had at least one every day. Apparently the gentry and other creatures hoping to get a piece of me realized they no longer had to seek me out; I would come to them if they bothered the right human. It was annoying, to say the least – and exhausting. Of course, since these fights occurred through clients and contracted jobs, I got paid for them. It became a very rich few weeks, though I felt a little bad since my clients never would have needed to pay in the first place if not for me. I woke up a couple weeks before Beltane, aching and exhausted. I'd had two jobs and an â€Å"unscheduled† fight last night. Staring at my ceiling, at the way the late morning sun filtered into funny shapes through my blinds, I drowsily wondered if I was going to be able to keep this up. I'd lose to the Otherworld not through any one encounter, but simply via my own fatigue. I trudged to the kitchen and found no morning offering from Tim. He must have stayed the night with one of his groupies. Forced to make my own breakfast, I put two chocolate Pop-Tarts in the toaster and fixed coffee while they cooked. Glancing at the table, I saw that my cell phone displayed four missed calls. I'd taken to turning it off, because the calls were always from Lara, and I didn't feel like hearing them anymore. She'd either want to offer me a new job or tell me that Wil Delaney had left yet another message. I was halfway through my second Pop-Tart when my mom showed up. I hadn't seen her since the confrontation. For a moment, I considered not letting her in, but I promptly dismissed the thought. She was my mom, after all. She loved me. No matter what had happened, I couldn't let go of that intrinsic truth. She was the one who'd doused my scratches with antiseptic when I was little – and not so little – and tried unsuccessfully to interest me in shopping and makeup as a teenager. She'd tried to protect me from the ugly truths that everyone has to discover growing up. She'd tried to protect me from the path Roland had set me on. And now it seemed she'd tried to protect me from my own past. Looking back, I tried to piece together things she'd said on the rare occasions I could get her to acknowledge my biological father. You're better off without him. He wasn't the kind of man anyone could count on. We didn't have a healthy relationship when we were together. There was a lot of emotion, a lot of intensity†¦but it ending was for the best. He's gone – just accept he'll never be a part of your life. She'd never exactly lied, I realized, but I'd interpreted the story in a completely different way. I'd read it as a whirlwind affair, one in which her emotions blinded her. With all the bad things she'd implied about his character, I'd just figured he'd up and left one day, unable to handle the responsibilities involved with taking care of me. Little did I know he'd desperately wanted me back. I offered her a seat at the table, handing her a cup of coffee at the same time. She held it with both hands, lacing her fingers in a nervous gesture. Her hair was braided down her back today, and she wore a red blouse. â€Å"You look tired,† she said after a long stretch of silence. I smiled. It was such a mom thing to say. â€Å"Yeah. It's been a busy week.† â€Å"Are you sleeping enough?† â€Å"I'm sleeping. Sort of. I'm just too busy when I'm awake, that's the problem.† She looked up, nervously meeting my eyes as though afraid of what she might find. â€Å"Busy†¦because of†¦?† â€Å"Yeah,† I said, knowing what she meant. She looked back down. â€Å"I'm sorry. I'm sorry about all of this.† I dunked a piece of Pop-Tart into my coffee. â€Å"It's not your fault. You didn't decide to go to the Otherworld.† â€Å"No†¦but you were right the other day. I was wrong to keep it from you.† â€Å"I was too harsh then.† â€Å"No.† Her eyes met mine, wide and sad. â€Å"I think I thought†¦that if I kept it from you, maybe I could make it go away. Like pretending enough would make it so that it had never happened. I could forget too.† I didn't like to see my mom sad. I don't think anyone does unless they're trying to take revenge for some traumatic childhood wrong. Maybe I had been wronged to a certain extent, but in reflection, it probably couldn't compare to what had happened to her. I knew she had been older when abducted, but in my mind's eye, I could see my mother looking like Jasmine, young and scared. Based on the stories I'd heard before the Storm King paternity news, I'd always envisioned my conception as the result of a torrid affair my scumbag father later walked out on. But that wasn't it at all. The truth was worse. I was a child of rape, born from violence and domination. â€Å"Every time you see me†¦do I remind you of him? Of what happened?† Compassion washed over her face. â€Å"Oh, baby, no. You're the best thing in my life. Don't think like that.† â€Å"Do I look like him at all? Everyone says I take after you.† She studied me as though seeking out the answer, but I knew she already had to know. â€Å"Your hair, a little. But mostly†¦in the eyes. You got those from him. His eyes were like†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She had to clear her throat to go on. â€Å"They always changed. They ran every shade of blue and gray you can imagine, depending on his mood. Sky blue when he was happy. Midnight blue when troubled. Deep gray when he was angry and about to fight.† â€Å"And what about violet?† I asked. â€Å"Violet when he was feeling†¦amorous.† I'd never heard my mom use that word before. It might have been funny, but mostly it made me consider adding a shot of whiskey to my coffee. Jesus. I'd gotten the eye color my dad had when he was in the mood. So many people complimented me on my eyes, yet to her, they had to bring back memories that were anything but amorous, as far as she was concerned. â€Å"I'm sorry, Mom.† I reached out and held her hand, our first contact since I'd stormed from her house. â€Å"It must have been so awful†¦but were there – were there any moments, even a few, when you were happy at all? Or at least not so unhappy?† Surely†¦surely there had been one moment when it had not all been hatred and sorrow between my parents. Surely I could not have been conceived and born out of so much darkness. There had to have been something. Maybe he'd made her smile just once. Or maybe he'd brought her a gift†¦like a necklace recovered after some looting and pillaging. I didn't know. Just something. Anything. â€Å"No.† Her voice was hoarse. â€Å"I hated it all. Every second.† I swallowed back a thickness in my throat, and suddenly all I could think about was Jasmine. Jasmine. More than five years younger than my mom had been. Jasmine had been subjected to the same things. She had to have those moments of agony too. Maybe her misplaced affection for Aeson was the only way to cope. Maybe it was better than hurting all the time. I didn't know. I closed my eyes briefly. All I could see was my mom as Jasmine and Jasmine as my mom. I opened my eyes. â€Å"We didn't get Jasmine.† I realized I'd never told her that when I'd come over to talk to her. Briefly, I recounted the essential details. Her face blanched as I spoke, and her raw hurt clawed at something inside of me. Jasmine as my mom. My mom as Jasmine. â€Å"Oh God,† she whispered when I finished. â€Å"Yeah, I – â€Å" Cold flowed over me. The faintest electric tingle tugged at my flesh. â€Å"What's wrong?† my mom asked, seeing me stiffen. â€Å"Can't you feel that? The cold?† She looked puzzled. â€Å"No. Are you okay?† I stood up. She couldn't feel it because it wasn't actually a physical thing. It was something beyond normal human senses. On the counter sat my athames, gun, and wand. I didn't go anywhere in the house without them now, not even to the bathroom. I also didn't sleep in anything too delicate anymore. The tank top I wore was still lacy and flimsy, but my pajama pants were cotton with a sturdy elastic waistband. I draped my robe over a chair and considered my armament. I could tell it wasn't gentry. It was a spirit or demon. Silver, then, not iron. The Glock already had a silver cartridge in it but would have questionable effectiveness if the spirit had little substance. I carefully placed it under my waistband and then picked up the silver athame and wand. â€Å"Stay in here, Mom.† â€Å"Eugenie, what's – â€Å" â€Å"Just stay,† I commanded. â€Å"Get under the table.† She looked at my face and complied. I guess you couldn't be an Otherworld abductee and married to a shaman without knowing when to take these things seriously. I moved slowly and stealthily toward the living room because that was where the feeling centered. I heard no noise, but the silence screamed louder than any sound. I put my back to the wall, sliding along it to peer around the corner. Nothing. Whatever it was, it couldn't hurt me and stay invisible. It would have to turn substantial to do any real damage. The weird thing was, a spirit also couldn't get me pregnant, not like gentry or some of the monsters could. Spirits were dead, and that was that. One seeking me out seemed odd. I waited, back up against the edge of the doorway as I peered around the living room. Whatever was going to happen would happen here. It was like a vortex. Power flowed both in and out of this spot. Something cold brushed against my arm, and then a hand materialized, grabbing hold of me. My reflexes snapped to life, and I cut at the spirit's wrist with the athame in my other hand. The spirit had enough substance to feel the effects of the metal. Plus, the athame's power extended beyond tactile discomfort. The spirit – a gray, haglike thing – recoiled, but then I felt more cold hands behind me and gave a quick glance back. Five more spirits – more than I'd ever taken on at once. I spun around, but my initial attacker's position was better, giving it a solid hold on me. I didn't break free of its grip entirely, but I struggled like hell, accidentally hitting a small table with a ceramic pitcher on it. The pitcher hit the floor and splintered into sharp, aqua-colored fragments. The spirit pushed me up against the wall, its skeletal hands clutching at my throat while it stared at me with empty black eyes. It floated such that while it kept me pinned, it stayed out of reach of the athame. It wasn't out of the reach of the wand, however. Its ghostly companions drifted over, ringing us, as my oxygen began to dry up. Black stars sparkled in my vision, and I tried hard to focus on what I needed to do. â€Å"Be careful,† warned one of the observers, â€Å"or you will kill her.† Hecate, I prayed in my head, open the gates. On the edge of passing out, I felt the snake on my arm tingle. I used that power, letting the farthest limits of my mind brush the Otherworld. I became the gate, a conduit of passage running from my soul to the snake to the wand. The hands on my throat wouldn't let me speak, but the banishing words burned in my mind. It was good enough. The wand's power flared out at the spirit holding me. It realized too late what had happened and vanished with a piteous scream. One of its counterparts started to move toward me and got sucked away with the other. The other four kept their distance. Meanwhile, I had backed up as much as possible. I needed to open the gates again, but my body informed me I had to allow a moment's recovery time before going a second round. My throat hurt inside and out from where the spirit had choked me, and the room spun around as I staggered. I took deep, shaking breaths in an attempt to recover what I'd lost. Two more spirits bore down on me but hesitated a little this time, still keeping some space between us. They circled me, like dancers or boxers, each of us determining what the other would do. Just then, my mom came out of the kitchen holding my iron athame. Screaming, she drove it against one of the other spirit's backs, hacking away. Iron hurt gentry – not spirits. All her actions did was annoy it. It turned slightly, and with one oh-so-casual gesture, it backhanded her with enough force to throw her against the far wall. She hit the wall and slid down into an unmoving pile. I yelled my fury, charging the spirits around me. Strong emotion is better for physical attacks but not mental ones, and I lost whatever grip I'd momentarily had on the Otherworld. The athame caused some damage to one of the spirits, but the other dodged. It hit me hard, shoving me into my entertainment center. The sharp corners dug into my back, but the adrenaline pumping through me wouldn't let me feel it. Not yet. I muttered another incantation to Hecate and felt the power shoot up again. The spirit who had thrown me drifted forward. The gates swung open, and I banished it away. Moments later, its injured counterpart followed. That left two. One of them swooped in, reaching out for me. I ducked past it, hitting the floor, where I half-crawled and half-rolled out of its grasp. My connection to the Otherworld had slipped again; I needed it back. I kept ordering myself to focus, but then I saw my mom lying in the corner. I couldn't get past that. I went after the spirit again, and it hissed angrily as the athame dug into its upper body. I was sloppy, however, and gave one of its hands the opening to grab my wand hand and shove me against the wall. The wand fell to the floor. A moment later, the spirit's other hand twisted my other wrist until I dropped the athame as well. The last spirit floated up and added to the wall around me. Walls were really starting to piss me off lately. They had me now, trapped and defenseless and injured. I didn't know what exactly they could do, however. Earlier they'd worried about killing me, yet they could have no romantic interest in me. What could they – My patio door opened, and an elemental walked in. An elemental made of mud, of all things. Its body was very solid, very human, and very male. Oozing, brown-gray sludge dripped off it and onto my carpet. I renewed my futile efforts to break from the spirits. Volusian's words came back to haunt me. More organized attacks. The spirits couldn't have sex with me, but the elemental gentry could. It had sent its minions to subdue me first. Clever. â€Å"Where are the others?† asked the elemental, an almost comic look of astonishment on his face as he glanced around the room. â€Å"She banished them, master,† whispered one of the spirits. â€Å"You really are lethal, aren't you?† The elemental approached. â€Å"I hadn't believed the stories. I thought sending these six was overkill. Still. I guess even you have your limits.† I sneered at him. â€Å"Don't talk to me about limits. You can't even cross to this world in full form.† A look of displeasure crossed that dripping, muddy face. Power was a matter of pride among the gentry. His inability to cross over fully was probably a sore point. Raping me was undoubtedly a way of compensating for all sorts of deficiencies. â€Å"It won't matter,† he said. â€Å"Once I beget Storm King's heir, all gentry will pass into this world, smiting the race of humans.† â€Å"Okay, Mr. Old Testament. I can't honestly believe you just used ‘beget' and ‘smiting' in the same sentence.† â€Å"So brave and brash. Yet it won't – ow!† I couldn't free my upper body, but the elemental was close enough that I flipped my lower body upward and kicked him. I'd been aiming for the groin, just like with the Gray Man, but caught his thigh instead. The guarding spirit restrained my legs. The elemental narrowed his eyes. â€Å"You make things difficult. This would be far easier on you if you would submit.† â€Å"Don't hold your breath.† â€Å"She will submit, master,† intoned a spirit. â€Å"Her mother lies there on the floor.† I stiffened in the spirit's grip. â€Å"Don't touch her.† The elemental turned and walked toward where my mother had fallen. Almost gently, he leaned down and picked her up in his arms. â€Å"She's still alive.† â€Å"Leave her alone, you bastard!† I screamed. I strained so hard, it felt like my arms would tear from my shoulders. â€Å"Let her go,† ordered the elemental. â€Å"Master – â€Å" â€Å"Let her go. She will not do anything, because she knows if she so much as steps in this direction† – the muddy hand slid up to my mom's throat, leaving a dirty trail wherever he moved – â€Å"then I will snap her neck.† The spirits released me. I did not move. â€Å"I'm going to kill you,† I said. My voice was hoarse from the choking and screaming. â€Å"I'll tear you to pieces before I send you to hell.† â€Å"Unlikely. Not if you want this one to live. Come,† he said to one of his servants. â€Å"Take her.† There was a tradeoff, and now a spirit held my mother. â€Å"If Odile Dark Swan so much as looks threatening, kill this woman.† â€Å"Odile Dark Swan always looks threatening.† The spirit spoke in a deadpan, nonsarcastic voice. Apparently this elemental's minions had as good a sense of humor as my own. â€Å"You know what I mean,† snapped the elemental. He came closer to me, so only a few inches separated us. â€Å"Now. I will let you live. I will let your mother live. All you have to do is not fight me while I do what I've come here to do. When I am finished, we will depart in peace. Do you understand?† Anger and fury were raging in me, and I could feel tears burning at the edges of my vision. I wanted to reach out and claw his eyes. I wanted to kick between his legs until no one could tell if he was male anymore. I wanted to deliver him to Persephone in a pile of body parts. But I was scared. So scared that if I even blinked wrong, they'd break my mother. She already hung uselessly in the spirit's arms like a rag doll. For all I knew, she could have been dead, but something told me she wasn't. I couldn't gamble if she might be alive. So I nodded in acknowledgment to the elemental and felt one of the tears leak out of my eye as I did. â€Å"Good.† He exhaled, and I realized he was as scared of me as I was of him. â€Å"Now. Undress.† Bile rose in my throat. I couldn't get enough oxygen again; it was like the air was thick and heavy around me. Another tear stole from my eye, and I slowly pulled down the pajama pants, removing the gun I hadn't been able to use. It occurred to me briefly that I could probably manage to shoot the elemental right now, but I wouldn't be fast enough to save my mother. What did it matter? If he was telling the truth, I would still live if I could only endure this. I was on the pill. I probably wouldn't actually get pregnant. I'd only have to lay there passively while this big anthropomorphic pile of dirt had his way with me. Things could be worse. Probably. I looked at him, imagining those hands on me. The air grew thicker to me, making it still harder to breathe. The lighting seemed darker, as it had when the spirit choked me, and I wondered if I was going to faint. Maybe it'd be easier that way. Less to remember. â€Å"The rest,† he said impatiently. He too was breathing heavily. I moved my fingers to the edges of my underwear. I had dressed for comfort in plain, gray cotton bikini-cuts. They were nice but not sexy. They didn't match the pink top. Of course, it didn't matter to the elemental what I wore. Naked desire glowed on his face. I stared at the lumpy, misshapen body and worked hard not to whimper. I knew what I had to do, but I didn't want to. Oh, God. Oh, Selene. I didn't want him to touch me. I didn't want him pressed up against me. Nausea rolled up in my stomach, and I wondered desperately where Kiyo was. I knew he couldn't follow me 24/7, and I suddenly regretted my snide comments about his protection. I wished he were here now. I needed him. I'd never felt so defenseless in my life, not even in that long-lost memory. It was not a state of mind I liked. As I was about to pull the panties down, a slap of wood on glass made all of us jump. The elemental jerked his head around, and I followed his gaze. The patio door was open, and the wind had blown in, knocking over a picture frame on my coffee table. It was a strong wind, one that kept blowing, scattering papers and other objects around. Yet, outside, the sunshine and azure skies of late spring reflected no such disturbance. â€Å"What†¦?† began the elemental. That sharp sound had sort of snapped me out of my anger and fear, and I was suddenly able to notice details more sharply. I could see everything with a new clarity. The air really was thick, the lighting truly darker. I hadn't imagined those things. The angry wind rose and fell with my breathing. Brilliant light slashed the dimness, and we all cried out as it danced around from object to object. At the same time, a deafening roar of thunder filled the room, too big and too loud for the small space. I covered my ears and dropped to the floor. The elemental turned on me. â€Å"Make it stop.† â€Å"What†¦?† â€Å"It's yours! Stop, or you'll kill us all.† I looked around and realized he was right. I couldn't explain it, but I was connected to everything going on in there. The building moisture and humidity. The wind whipping around, scattering things. The electricity charging the air. I could feel it, but I didn't know what to do with it. You're mine, I tried telling it, but nothing happened. This was not like trying to control power with a wand or an athame. This was both within me and outside of me. I could no more stop it than I could stop myself from feeling joy or sorrow or hate. The wind increased, its fury building. A jagged piece of glass flew into my cheek. â€Å"I can't control it,† I whispered. â€Å"I can't.† The elemental looked panicked. So did the spirits. Whereas a moment ago I had felt weak and defenseless, their fear made mine go away. Their fear fed my anger, and I fed the building tempest. I couldn't actually control the storm, but it was expanding out from me. Something else hit me in the shoulder, and moments later, I barely dodged a book flying toward my head. I couldn't control this. I didn't know how. I didn't know anything except that I wanted to live and I wanted my mother to live too. Darkness swirled around us all as great billowing clouds filled the room. More lightning danced around, oblivious to where it traveled. The elemental was right. I would kill one of – Lightning shot out at the spirit holding my mother, forcing her to fall to the ground. He screamed and screamed. It was the most horrible sound I'd ever heard. It was more than a death knell, more than a tortured cry. I covered my ears again, watching as he glowed blindingly bright, then went black, then was nothing. The elemental backed away from me, fear palpably rolling off of him. A tingle along my skin told me what he was going to do. He was so scared, he was going to try to cross back to the Otherworld. Right here, right now, with no crossroads. Doing so had nearly ripped me apart. There was no way he could do it, not when he couldn't even transition to this world in his natural form. He didn't seem to care, however, and suddenly I panicked. What if he could? What if by some miracle he escaped? I couldn't let him get away, not after what he'd done here, not after what he'd tried to do. My need, my anxiety†¦both grew, but I had no way to focus them. I had no idea what had happened to my weapons in this madness. A bolt of lighting blew apart a speaker beside me, and the sound made that ear go deaf. More lightning flared, so strongly and rapidly that I couldn't tell what was real and what was an afterimage. Somewhere, over the thunder, I heard the elemental screaming, although I could no longer see him. It wasn't as horrible as the spirit's cries had been, but it still made my skin crawl. Lightning hit something else beside me, and sharp pieces of whatever it was flew into my arm. I was going to die, I realized. With the spirit. With the elemental. With my mother. Who would have thought the spirits I'd just banished to the Otherworld would be the lucky ones? I buried my face in my hands, trying to block out what I'd created. It didn't help. It was almost like the lightning and clouds existed in my mind as much as in the room. I squeezed my eyes tighter, so much so that they hurt. But nothing changed. The wind roared against me, the thunder shook my house. Dominating it all was the darkness – and the light – as the thunder and lightning came and went. Darkness, light. Darkness, light. Darkness.

Nonverbal communication questions Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Nonverbal communication questions - Assignment Example With respect to the tests and results to prove the linkage and correlation between verbal and non-verbal forms of communication, the authors reveal how these two separate forms were analyzed both side by side and apart from one another and then the results compared as a means of being able to infer what the true impacts of these can be. 8. These perceptions that are utilized, according to Knapp, include all of the human senses, and a great deal of emphasis upon the visual interpretation of nonverbal forms of communication. a) as such, naturally, designed, and manipulated environments in which such interactions and communications take place can have a profound level of impact with regards to the take-away information that an individual is able to glean. Due to the conflicting and differentiated cues that an individual would receive in each of these, the ultimate wording and intent could be identical in each of these three situations; however, the understanding could be entirely differ ent. b) Ultimately, influenced perception by setting up a false archectural construct as a means of focusing attention, the listeniner/viewer is able to distance themselves from some of the distractions that might otherwise capture their attenion at the scene. For this very reason, news crews and cameramen attempt to stage a scene so that the ultimate focus can be on the individual providing the information and not on the scene itself; unless otherwise warranted. 9. People tend to orient towards time as an environmental feature due to the fact that the changing rate of culture and understanding sets continual new precedents that must be engaged in a different way depending upon the time that is represented. Monochronic refers to only one â€Å"time† being represented at a single instance; whereas polychronic represents several times being represented. Likewise, Gonzales and Zimbardo referenced 7 different time zones dealing with the way in which individuals integrated with ne w information. Interestingly, even though these time zones can be understood as unique vantage points from dissimilar groups, a noted level of overlap was discovered with respect to the way that individual integrated with information. 10. Territoriality, personal space, and conversational sdistance, as well as seating arrangements and patterns, has to do with the geometry and actual geographic relationship that the speaker has to the audience. As such, these factors impact heavily upon the way in which information is understood and the rate at hwhich a level of comfort can be provided to the speaker/audience. 11. A sense of territoriality can vary and change depending upon the cultural makeup of the audience and/or the speaker. As such, a level of sensitivity to the unique needs and expecations of different groups is required prior to seeking to plan the way in which territoriality will be evidenced within a specific space. 12. Contextual factors such as a sense of fear or friendshi p, the overall level of perceived reception, and/or a litany of other factors impact upon the level and extent to which territoriality is perceived and a sense of threat or invitation is understood. 13. Seating arrangements

The World Bank and Global Poverty Research Paper

The World Bank and Global Poverty - Research Paper Example Poverty cannot be measured just by a study of the people’s income levels. The purpose of this letter is to point out some of the weaknesses of the poverty measures that your organization relies upon to gauge the extent of poverty around the world. The World Bank uses absolute terms in its description of poverty. The bank classifies people living in ‘extreme poverty’ as those whose earnings are less than US$1.25 per day (PPP), and relative poverty for people earnings less than $2 per day. In light of these figures, an estimated 1.4 billion and 2.7 billion of people currently live in extreme poverty and relative poverty situations respectively. The World Bank, therefore, erroneously believes that the global economy can still sustain the reduction of poverty as envisaged in the Millennium Development Goals by 2015, since the number of people whose daily earnings are below $1.25 has been decreasing. The reality, though, is that, with the current poverty measures in pl ace, with the exclusion of China, the rest of the countries in the developing world as still far from achieving much in terms of poverty reduction. The main shortcoming of the poverty measurement tool (PPP) used by the World Bank is that it is premised upon intrinsic representation of lack of resources. It is evident that poverty lines do not provide accurate estimates of the level of poverty because poverty is all-encompassing. Evidence confirms that a number of the current statistics on poverty lines might have been justifiably grouped in the dollar-a-day category. In the latest round of poverty measurement, you organization’s line of $1.25 per person per day are premised upon the standard poverty line for 15 countries with the weakest economies in the world. These inconsistencies call for a new approach to measuring poverty by your organization. An alternative approach revolving around the estimation of the poverty based on the median country normally brings about signific antly higher figures of the poor, especially in highly populated countries such as India and China. Moreover, the new World Bank approach ignores the rate of inflation in developed countries like the United States; a factor that would have pushed the original $1.08 mark to $1.45 for 2005, with clear repercussions on the equivalent estimates of people in poverty, and thus for the realization of the MDGs on the issue by 2015. The study of earnings by people within a given country and across the world in general, gives a skewed understanding of poverty in favour of income as opposed to other factors that stem from poverty and enhance its pangs on the affected persons. In light of this disparity, a multi-dimensional measurement of poverty would provide a more all-encompassing understanding of poverty. Multi-dimensional poverty index Your organization’s reliance upon measurements of just relative earnings to ascertain the level of poverty covers only a small section of the whole i ssue and falls short of comprehensively describing the complex nature of poverty. I believe that your approach to measuring poverty should involve an evaluation and measurement of other factors, which are associated with the multi-dimensional disposition of the situation as well. These encompass factors such as the rate of joblessness, the level of poor health care or educational

Obesity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Obesity - Essay Example It has estimated that in the United States of America two third of the population has either increased weight or is suffering from obesity. Furthermore, it has been classified that one third of the population belonging to the age group of above twenty years is suffering from obesity (Weight Control Information Network 2010). There are many underlying factors that have been leading to this problem. Increased consumption of fats and reduced burning of calories through exercise has resulted in obesity. Reduction in physical activities by children leads to increase in obesity amongst the young generation. The advancement of technology has made the person more reliable on machines for all their works and has resulted in reduction of physical activities. Video games and other forms of entertainment has made people more restricted to indoors and has led to decrease in outdoor activities and games and hence resulted in aggravating the problem of obesity (Biddle et al 2009). The epidemic of o besity needs to be tacked with different measures. Physical activity needs to be promoted and awareness should be created amongst the people regarding the problems that may result due to this condition. Children should be trained in schools and sports activities should be encouraged amongst them. The media should also play a role by promotion of activities and measures that can reduce this issue (Boyse 2008, Biddle et al 2009).

Learning to critique by critiquing critiques Essay

Learning to critique by critiquing critiques - Essay Example This author brings out her illustrations through a destruction, which took place at the Murrah Federal Building. It is after this devastating event that several developments taka place in the architectural field in the city. Krinke employs significant use of symbols for the purpose of communicating some of her ideas. For instance, she elaborates the elements that are associated with a sacred space. There is a lot of symbolism, which is applied for the purpose of bringing to light what the elements represent. The stone is the first element that is used. The stone elements in the city are tailored to serve as permanent markers for a given phenomenon. This is majorly due to the durability, which is associated with them. For example, on the concrete floor of the Murrah Building there are names of those individuals who survived the ordeal. Near the epicenter of the pool, there has been a development of a reflective pool. The changes that take place in the atmosphere are noted or brought out by the water. This also represents the changes, which took place at the city after the blast. The trees represent the ability of an entity to remain unscathed in the course of its existence. The tree, which stands out in the city, is the Survivor Tree. This tree is a representation of the survival and endurance, which has characterized the city together with its inhabitants through the years since the explosion. Krinkle significantly applies the approach, which entails imagery and symbolism. This elaborates the significant developments, which have been taking place. The imagery and symbols also point out that the explosion seems to have had a significant effect on the residents of the town. The approach, which is taken by Melcher in her article, is one, which is rather critical of the happenings in the city. For example, she points out that the names, which are embossed on the wall, may not be significant to a person

Paradise Trilogy by Ulrich Seid Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Paradise Trilogy by Ulrich Seid - Essay Example Comparisons between the formal strategies of all the three elements of the Paradise Trilogy are also made. The paper also discusses the political relevance of Seidl’s work in the society of today. Introduction The depictions of human life in Ulrich Seidl’s Paradise Trilogy are certainly not represented in manners that would appeal to a close-minded audience. Therefore, to truly appreciate the essence of Seidl’s filmmaking in the Paradise Trilogy the private lives of the characters should be observed carefully and even their most disturbing secrets accepted. The Paradise Trilogy represents in its three installments the true feelings that humans yearn for and seek in life; love, faith and hope. The achievement for the director however, certainly remains in how the movies are presented in a way that is entirely realistic yet disturbing and provocative. The purpose of this paper is to extensively and comprehensively analyze the formal strategies of the last installme nt of the Paradise Trilogy, Paradise: Hope. The discussion aims to understand the transition of the formal strategies employed by the director throughout the three movies by examining the similarities and difference that are reflected in the entire trilogy. In conclusion the paper aims to define the art of Ulrich Seidl that is portrayed through the course of Paradise Trilogy’s journey with regards to its political and aesthetic relevance to the society of today. Paradise Trilogy According to Perry the progression of formal strategies in cinema is a reflection of the evolution of filmmaking itself that gradually transitioned from the sketches of mid and late 1800s in favor of tackling more complex storylines and abstract ideas in the early 1900s (25). While, commentators and analysts such as Perry would assert that the progression of formal strategies in filmmaking are representations of a new epoch in the history of cinema it should be noted that the skills of a director such as Seidl who wishes to portray human condition as it really is augments the implementation of formal strategies in films. Even though, the essence and the core of Paradise Trilogy remains inert throughout the three parts the interrelation of the stories has not barred Ulrich Seidl from employing a range of formal strategies in his last installment Paradise: Hope. As with Seidl’s previous work such as the movie titled Import/Export, those who are familiar with his talents would have expected the director to continue the projection of despair and stagnation with regards to the protagonist of the film. As Frey notes that once the director famously wished viewers present at the premier of his movie, Dog Days (2001) â€Å"a disturbing evening† (189). What certainly comes as a relief for the audience is that Paradise: Hope’s protagonist Melanie Lenz displays much conviction and integrity throughout the course of the movie which documents her journey at a diet camp an d her relationship with a much older doctor, the last installment of the trilogy in fact assists the emergence of an optimistic and hopeful side to Seidl that was indeed unexpected but rewarding. While it is obvious that the films in the trilogy share an important relationship with regards to the involvement of the characters in each installment of Paradise, the protagonist in Seidl’

Did Imperial Germany remain a 'disunited nation' until 1914 Essay

Did Imperial Germany remain a 'disunited nation' until 1914 - Essay Example Although imperial Germany was held together by the brilliant diplomatic policies of Bismarck, it is a fact that there was too much diversity and suspicion in Germany. The political and religious conflicts left Germany a disunited nation and created an environment of hatred and one-upmanship that resulted in isolation of many minorities such as German Jews and the Catholics.2 The causes of the disunited state of Germany lie with its very unification process. Although there did exist a common language in the region, the unity of Germany didn’t manifest itself before Napoleonic wars. The resentment towards French occupation made German speaking people realize the need for freedom.3 This could only be possible if German speaking states of Prussia and Austria came together and formed a separate country. There also occurred many other significant events which promoted feeling of unity among German people. The Prussian empire had achieved military success in three separate wars. Peop le were also influenced by the rise of French nationalism which followed the French revolution. A sense of unity cannot exist if the different societies or communities are not aware of each other’s existence. ... The development and spread of German literature identified the existence of Germany. The literary works of The Brothers Grimm and Karl Baedekar glorified the natural beauty and cultural heritage of various German states. There were many common grounds of which formation of a German state was an inevitable consequence. But there were many factors which dampened any sudden rise of nationalism. For long, the two German empires of Austria and Prussia had been involved in political and economic rivalry. A great deal of ‘threshold’ energy was required to break the current sequence of political pattern and motivate people to aspire for a single country. The remarkable leadership of Bismarck and his manipulation of events in 1866 and 1870 led to the creation of the imperial Germany.4 The initial years of the imperial Germany were marked by huge divisions at various levels. To begin with, there was stark contrast in the economic status of Germans. The rich class of Prussian landl ords and elites continued to exercise significant amount of influence over the political structure of the new empire.5The junkers, as they were called, were immensely powerful as the formation of the German empire occurred without any political upheaval or social revolution. Unlike other revolutions, there wasn’t any redistribution of land or restructuring of the political system. The diversity of a country cannot be counted as the only sign of disunity. There are many countries in the world which have class conflict but they stay together. Even the revolutions such as French revolution and Russian revolution don’t create a disunited country. The revolutions may increase or decrease the territorial size of a country but they hardly have an impact on the very concept of a

General Electric Money America Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

General Electric Money America - Assignment Example The GE money customers believe in the company’s â€Å"trustworthy, speed, value, accessibility and flexibility† (Goldsmiths & Carter, 2010). These make them prefer their services. GE Company is the leading provider of credit services to consumers and retailers within fifty countries around the globe. In addition, the company supplies financial products such as credit cards, personal loans, bankcards and mortgagees among other services. GE Money Americas was facing dissimilar challenges before it got interested in change. The major issue that affected the company in the provided case study was solving the staffing dilemma. In 2000, GE Money Americas encountered some challenges in its staffing, which affected the delegation of the staffing process, inconsistence interview process and it had a poor quality candidate from small institutions (Goldsmiths & Carter, 2010). In addition, the company’s staffing process was unsustainable, whereby the cost of hiring was over $8,000 exceeding the time to fill the vacant positions for over three months. Secondly, the company needed some changes because it was facing problems regarding the applicable technology. After GE Money Americas identifying the solution to its staffing process, it thereafter encountered difficulties in handling the high volume of applicants that it was getting. Consequently, this negatively affected the manner in, which the company staff was functio ning (Arnold, 2008). This challenge occurred due to poor technologies applicable to the company, which hindered it from attaining high volumes of recruiting program. The poor technologies made GE Money Americas encounter the following technological problems.

Corporate Collapse - The demise of Enron Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Corporate Collapse - The demise of Enron - Essay Example The duration of the project that was expected by the company was 10 years and the company expected that it will generate huge amount of profit from this project. But the reality is opposite to what Enron forecasted and it had to bear huge loss in terms of finance and social image (Ahmed, 2012). The project was considered as the largest direct foreign investment project in India’s history but it became debacle for Enron because many countries criticized Enron for its poor performance and fake promises (Bettauer, 2009). Enron’s liquefied natural gas power plant development project stated in 1992 in Maharashtra state of India. It was supposed to fulfill India’s energy need with more than 2000 megawatts of electricity (Ahmed, 2012). But due to various issues like dispute over prices between India’s government and Enron and criticism of Indians on this project turned the venture into an example of what can go wrong when two different cultures collide in a large scale development project (Bajaj, 2010). The project became debacle for Enron because it produced no electricity and in 2001 the company got bankrupted. Enron Corporation in 1992 proclaimed that it would develop a natural gas power plant worth of $3 billion in Dabhol western state of Maharashtra, India. The project was expected to be the poster child of India’s economic liberalization but unfortunately it became the symbol of project failure and people consider it as a human rights nightmare and an economic failure. The project was subject of criticism from the beginning. The company worked hand in hand with dishonest Indian bureaucrats and politicians in order to complete the project but Indian public interest group filed charges against Enron and in 1993 Indian Reliance Company bribed Indian petroleum minister to secure the contract (Leuz, & Schrand, 2009). Due to this bribery

Analysis of Vegetables Essay Example for Free

Analysis of Vegetables Essay For example, calcium and phosphorus are required for the formation of bones and teeth deficiency of these causes the decay of teeth and bones. Deficiency of iron causes anemia. Lack of iodine causes goiter. So it is necessary that the food we eat be selected carefully. Besides wheat, rice and milk, fruits and vegetables form an important part of balanced diet. They contain minerals, carbohydrates and vitamins. We are advised by doctors to include more vegetables and fruits in our diets, Therefore, study could be undertaken to investigate the constituents of various fruits and vegetables. OBJECTIVE OF PROJECT To plan for the balanced diet, knowledge of various ingredients of fruits and vegetables is necessary. In this project, we aim to have knowledge about the contents of different fruits.

Mathematical and Physics Concepts in Computer Games

Mathematical and Physics Concepts in Computer Games Introduction A two part assignment was distributed and part one was run a simulation of a given differential equation using numerical integration techniques i.e. Euler and 4th order Runge-Kutta methods. Also continued as part one a table showing the results of the simulation was to be produced and each value was to be to 3 decimal places. Two graphs where to be produced a) a plot of each simulation result and the exact solution b) a plot of error values in each simulation and a short analysis of the results was to be produced. Part two a little more complicated than part one was to implement realistic physics of a rocket movement in earth atmosphere. Part 1 To calculate the exact solution was the simplest of equations mostly because it was provided it was a matter of processing the data. In simple terms to calculate the exact equation was displayed such as 1/(1+t), whereas t is time and increments by 0.25 each solution, therefore the equation would look like 1/(1+0.25) = 0.8 and the next step is 1/(1+0.50) = 0.667, furthermore is quite easy to calculate this equation. From the results appendix [a1] there are noticeable differences between Euler and the exact solution, first of all for Eulers method I used y-1+-(y-1^2)*(h), loosely translated into simpler terms y-1 is the previous y coordinate + -previous y coordinate to the power of 2 multiplied by h which in this case h was equal to 0.25. After having solved the equation for each t i.e. the x coordinate a significant difference was noticeable. After calculating Eulers results next was to calculate Eulers errors including the first y coordinate which was equal to 1 therefore the exact solution for the first y coordinate was also equal to 1 so there would be an error equal to 0 as the result. However the rest of the results varied but still remained below their equal t (x) coordinate for example t 0.250 was equal to y 0.800 in the exact solution and 0.750 in Eulers, after analysing the rest of the results prior to the calculation it was clear each Euler y result was lower than the exact solution y coordinate and was fairly easy to come to the error by simply exact solution y Euler solution y. Upon summing up all of Eulers results it gives a solution of 0.761 and dividing that by 41 gives a solution of 0.019. The reason it was divided by 41 is because there are 41 y coordinates including the first y coordinate which is equal to 1, therefore revealing the average number Euler error, suggesting Eulers method missed out on the exact solution at an estimate of 0.019, this does not seem a big difference but when trying to implement real physics in a game it makes all the difference. The graphs in appendix [a3] shows the simulation for Eulers method and the exact solution where it is easy to see each y coordinate and each error coordinate whereas [a4] shows the closer Eulers line and the exact line get to each other as t (time), (x coordinate) ascends, this suggests that Eulers method becomes more accurate over time and after using Eulers method for a long period of time eventually Eulers wouldve matched the exact solution at some point. Having viewed [a3] and [a4], [a8] shows the linear line for the exact solution and the linear line for Eulers method. 4th Order Runge-Kutta method was more complicated than Eulers mostly because as shown in [a1] the solution is more accurate because of the slopes that must be calculated in order to solve each y coordinate see [a2] for each slope solution. First and foremost we start by solving the first slope as k1 which was calculated as -(y-1^2) and like Eulers method translate to minus (the previous y coordinate to the power of 2) thats how k1 was solved. K2 has bit more calculation to process which looks like -(y-1+(0.5*k1-1*h))^2) translated to simpler terms is minus(previous y plus (0.5 multiplied by previous k1 multiplied by 0.25)) to the power of 2) this is how the second slope is discovered, solving k3 is much simpler because k1-1 is replaced with k2-1 the previous k1 solution that was just solved and k4s calculation becomes smaller -(y-1+(k3-1*h)) to the power of 2) just like k2 and k3, k4 using k3s previous solution that was solved. The fun part is finding y+1 which is the next y coordina te per t coordinate the calculation used is (y-1+((1/6)*(k1-1+2*(k2-1)+2*(k3-1)+k4-1)*h)) a significantly long calculation but reliable as it will get close to the exact solution result, translated it is (previous y coordinate plus(1 divided by 6) multiplied by (previous k1 solution plus 2 multiplied by (previous k2 solution) plus 2 multiplied by (previous k3 solution) plus (previous k4 solution) multiplied by 0.25). The sum of RK4 errors are 0 and the average was equally 0 that is an incredibly accurate method but more complicated to solve as Eulers method is the simplest RK method (first order) which is why RK4 is more accurate as it is a multi-stage method. See appendix [a5] for each y coordinate because RK4 method was incredibly accurate the exact solution coordinates cannot be seen but the data types are there to see and the legend is also there to show the different styles between each coordinate, appendix [a6] show the curve without any coordinate markers on them, again the c urves cannot be distinguished from each other because of RK4s incredible accuracy. See appendix [a7] to see the error coordinates for each integration technique on the same graph; it is quite easy to see which method is much more accurate but again this is because Eulers method is a first order method whereas Runge-Kutta is a fourth order method, Runge-Kuttas method has more steps in solving the equations therefore providing for a more accurate solution and producing less error values, whereas Eulers method only has one step and will always provide an error value each time. See [a9] for the linear line of the exact solution and RK4 estimation, it is extremely difficult to see because RK4 method is so accurate. Part 2 After using RK4 in part 1 an understanding it had taken some time to put it into physics, however the following scenario seems to be correct. The equation for acceleration is a = (Force Rocket + Force Drag) mass. The equation for Force drag is force drag = -0.5 * (0.2^3) * (0.2) * (20^2) * (2^2) ^2 The time step that is used is 1 i.e. 1kg m^2 because that is how much it can increment or decrement by with the user input. Time will go up to 60, the max the rockets force can go up to is 20kg m^2 and because acceleration is a derivative of velocity k1 = (time + velocity) i.e. the x and y positions. To find k2 the equation was k2 = (time + 0.5 * h, velocity + k1 * h), to find k3 is the same as k2 except the k1 in the equation is replaced with k2. K4 the last slope is calculated as k4 = (time + h, velocity + k3 * h). Lastly acceleration is calculated as a1 (next acceleration value) = (a-1 (previous value) + 1/6(k1 + 2 * k2 + 2 * k3 + k4) * h). The hard part is getting the equations correct after that it is a matter of using a loop in game to calculate the players position; the players position is equal to 5 metres. Pseudo Code for in game: Declare Static Class 4th Order Runge-Kutta { Do Declare Delegate double RK (x, y) variables declared as doubles (timer and velocity) Declare a static variable to calculate 1/6 as fS (fraction sixth) Declare rocket position as 5 Declare timer Declare a static double rk4(double x, y, h, RK f) x, y and h are doubles, r is called from delegate variable) { Declare half of h as halfh Declare Double k1, k2, k3, k4 Declare acceleration equals 0 y = acceleration K1 = (x plus y) K2 = (x plus halfh multiplied by h) plus (y plus k1 multiplied by h) K3 = (x plus halfh multiplied by h) plus (y plus k1 multiplied by h) K4 = (x plus h) plus (y plus k3 multiplied by h) Return (y plus fS multiplied by (k1 plus 2 multiplied by k2 plus 2 multiplied by k3 + k3)) RK acceleration equals y^2 ^^^ Returns acceleration } Declare Force drag kg to the power of 2 = -0.5 multiplied by (1.2 to the power of 3) multiplied by (0.2) multiplied by (20 to the power of 2) multiplied by (y to the power of 2 per second) because y is velocity Acceleration = (timer + force drag) / mass (decrement mass by 1 every second)) Player position plus acceleration every second If key pressed equals up Increment acceleration by 1Else if key press equals down Decrement acceleration by 1 Print timer, player position, acceleration and y While timer is less than 60 } Flowchart Critical analysis of the use of numerical integration techniques to solve similar situations in game development In the context of differential equations no numerical integration method is known as the method that is the best method to solve any and all ordinary differential equations. It all depends on the type of equation that is presented. When discussing gaming physics the solution to the differential equations plays a big part in games taking on more realism for example if a player fires an arrow in the air from a crossbow depending on velocity, gravity and wind etc. When and where will the arrows new position be within the game environment? Physics can be found almost anywhere whether it is in Skyrim shooting an arrow that will eventually drop or sniping in Battlefield that also includes bullets descending over time which is incredible and makes the games more realistic and much more difficult. Before using any method some basic equations must be known first for example force = mass multiplied by acceleration and acceleration = force divided by mass, standard equations that can be learned just using a search engine. Next the derivative of velocity is acceleration and the derivative of acceleration is position, a derivative is something which is based on another source [1] There are several methods to choose from when it comes to differential equations: First order integration Higher order integration First order integration Eulers Method One of the rather simpler methods that game developer can use although as already seen above it is not the most accurate. [2] Just like the previous ordinary differential equation that was solved in part one a developer takes the initial position and velocity and calculates the next position and velocity over time, a time step is used to calculate the next position and velocity such as the previous one that was used 0.25, once the first value is calculated the method is simply repeated to calculate the next one. An equation could look like this Vn+1 = Vn + (An *dt) whereas V is velocity and A is acceleration then the position could be calculated like Pn+1 = Pn + (Vn *dt) whereas P is position. Although this is a simpler method to use an error value will always be return because it is not the most accurate to produce solutions. Using any method can produce error values which is why the numerical integration methods provide estimations and not exact solutions whereas as the error value calculates how far off the estimation was from the exact solution. According to Bourg [3] instability is eliminated or minimized by smaller step sizes however larger steps size seems to make the problem much more complicated than it needs to be. Stability plays an important part for calculating equations more calculations will be processed if the step size is significantly small however this results in more stability. Bourg [3] mentions an adaptive step size where after a predicted amount of error the step size is changed as calculations are being processed. To use adaptive step size method it has to be based on the errors given from the estimations by doubling the step size, Heidts [4] mentions in his abstract the adaptive step size method works considerably well with second-order split-step Fourier integration scheme and can be greatly improved when using it alongside 4th order Runge-Kutta method. Unless the error values provided by Eulers estimations causes a serious change in a games physics then there should be no problem using Eulers method for simpler equations [2]. The simplest way to estimate the exact solution is using Eulers method, when using the method and there is a big difference between y1 and y-1, setting aside the curvature the linear extrapolation will not match up to it. Higher Order Integration 4th Order Runge-Kutta Runge-Kutta is more commonly used in physics [2], this integration method is incredibly accurate from what has been displayed already in part one of this report due to the method have many more steps to solving equations. The accuracy is second to none because RK4 calculates equations estimations in four steps thus given the name 4th Order. In order to achieve this accuracy a price must be paid and the price is more calculations need to be processed to calculate the physics; it has many more computations than other integrator techniques [2]. These types of calculations only need to be considered when accuracy is a must in games like bouncing a grenade of a doorframe in call of duty, therefore not all physics in games will require RK4 to calculate physics because physics is different in all games and some will only require Eulers method. So using the example of the Rocket in earths atmosphere a = Fr + Fd / m translates to acceleration = (FORCE rocket + FORCE drag) divided by mass. The rocket force increments by 1kg/m2 every time the user presses the UP key on the keyboard. Fr is calculated as Fd = -0.5.P.Cd.A.v^2 so basically force drag = minus 0.5 multiplied by P (airdensity) multiplied by Cd (Drag coefficient) multiplied by A (frontal area of the rocket) multiplied by v (velocity) squared. Conclusion All in all no numerical integration technique is better than the other it all depends what kind of physics in games needs to be produced, if its simple physics where the estimation does not make a major impact on the outcome Eulers method is the way to go for its quick computations it can make having simulations processed rather quickly, as for games where more complicated physics is involved 4th Order Runge-Kutta is the next best thing although it takes many more computations to be calculated the estimates are near perfect, RK4 is second to none when it comes to accuracy because of the extra work that needs to be considered. For example in games like battlefield RK4 is most likely to be used for those physics because the estimations need to be as accurate as can be, this takes into account bullet drop and flying aircrafts. Appendix [a1] [a2] [a3] [a4] [a5] [a6] [a7] [a8] Euler [a9] Rk4 References [1]https://www.google.co.uk/?gfe_rd=crei=xfluWI62OrLS8AerrruIDAgws_rd=ssl#q=what+is+a+derivative (Accessed: 18 December 2016). [2] Dickinson, J. (2015) Numerical integration in games development. Available at: https://jdickinsongames.wordpress.com/2015/01/22/numerical-integration-in-games-development-2/ (Accessed: 20 December 2016). [3] Bourg, D.M. (2001) Physics for games developers. United States: OReilly Media, Inc, USA (Accessed: 25 December 2016).. [4] Heidt, A.M. (2009) Efficient Adaptive step size method for the simulation of Super continuum generation in optical fibres, Journal of Light wave Technology, 27(18), p. 1. doi: 10.1109/jlt.2009.2021538 (Accessed: 2 January 2017).

Essay --

In this essay I will be talking about the 4 factors of production and the production possibility frontier and why some economies operate within the production possibility frontier and factors that cause the Production Possibility Frontier to shift outwards making the economy more efficient. The four factors of production are land, labour, capital and enterprise. Land is the natural resources available for production. Some nations are lucky enough to have the resources within their country and don’t have to import resources, for example oil or copper. Land: Nothing is free, except the air we breathe. The rest are scarce, because there are not enough natural resources in the world to satisfy the demands of consumers and producers. That is the economic problem, people’s wants are never-ending but the resources are insufficient to fulfil their demands. Air is classified as a free good since consumption by one person does not reduce the air available for others - a free good does not have an opportunity cost. Labour: The human input into the production process. â€Å"In the UK, of about 59 million inhabitants only approximately 35 million are of working age (16-64 years for men and 16-59 for women), and of those about 28 million have paid jobs.†- (Tutor2u, N.D) Owners of businesses prefer their workers to be motivated, meaning that they have the desire to work effectively and in reward wither benefit from extra pay or fringe benefits. The more produced by the labour force, the higher the Gross Domestic Product. Capital: â€Å"Capital has several meanings - including the finance raised to operate a business. But normally the term capital means investment in goods that can produce other goods in the future.† – (Tutor2u, N.D) Capital refers t... ...ficient. In conclusion, as a country works towards shifting the production possibility frontier outwards, the economy benefits by the fact that more jobs are being created as more products are being supplied. With the improvement of technology countries can exploit their resources more efficiently which causes more production, with more production come more sales and with more sales or exports there might eventually be an increase in economic growth. However, with more production come more external costs like pollution. Identifying and estimating a monetary value for air pollution can be very difficult to do but is important for economists concerned with the impact of economic activity on our environment. Besides the externalities, shifting the production possibility frontier outwards will create more jobs in the economy and that is a very good thing indeed.

Reynolds Price’s The Great Imagination Heist :: Great Imagination Heist

Reynolds Price’s â€Å"The Great Imagination Heist† discusses how television has corrupted the imaginations of today’s American youth. The idea behind the word â€Å"heist† suits the title and story well; however, I disagree with his idea that television and video games have stolen youthful imaginations. Has anyone ever thought about the people who produce video games and television shows? In all fairness, those who have made these forms of entertainment have far greater imaginations than those who disapprove of their purpose. Producers have indeed captured the minds of America’s youth and allowed children to exercise their imaginations in fantasy worlds. They do not intend to deprive children of their personal imaginations, but the intention is to expand their minds beyond what they see everyday, and beyond the common feelings they encounter in life by making them into something abnormal to the world even though what children believe is not and may never be real. Imagination does not always involve dealing with realistic feelings or reading books and having to understand ideas in an intellectual way. Imagination does not need to be taken seriously; intelligence, on the other hand, should be taken seriously. Giving a child a book will test his reading and literacy skills. Putting a child in front of a 20/20 broadcast will confuse him. Reading books are meant for learning, not to expand one’s imagination. Children are not supposed to believe that television and video games are bad for them when this addictive hobby only makes them happy. It is only an excessive amount of television entertainment that will truly damage a child’s intellect. Adults, however, understand both how to read and the difference between reality and fantasy worlds and the effects television has on their intelligence. The truth is that television and video games are a part of this generation and they will not disappear soon.

The Power of Music in James Baldwins Sonnys Blues Essay -- Sonnys B

The Power of Music in James Baldwin's Sonny's Blues At first glance, "Sonny's Blues" seems ambiguous about the relationship between music and drugs. After all, the worlds of jazz and drug addiction are historically intertwined; it could be possible that Sonny's passion for jazz is merely an excuse for his lifestyle and addiction, as the narrator believes for a time. Or perhaps the world that Sonny has entered by becoming involved in jazz is the danger- if he had not encountered jazz he wouldn't have encountered drugs either. But the clues given by the portrayals of music and what it does for other figures in the story demonstrate music's beneficial nature; music and drugs are not interdependent for Sonny. By studying the moments of music interwoven throughout the story, it can be determined that the author portrays music as a good thing, the preserver and sustainer of hope and life, and Sonny's only way out of the "deep and funky hole" of his life in Harlem, with its attendant peril of drugs (414). The story's first encounter with music is after the narrator has learned of Sonny's arrest. He is thinking about the boys he teaches, and how they could all be "sucked under" (419) just as Sonny has been. He hears their laughter in the schoolyard and notes its "mocking and insular" quality, a noise made by disillusioned youth rather than the untainted, joyous sound one expects of children (410). One boy whistles a tune, a cool and moving, complicated and simple melody, "pouring out of him as though he were a bird," and the music manages to soar above the harsh sounds of disenchantment (410). Clearly this music is joy and salvation. Because he concentrates on this simple music, one boy does not curse and den... ..., because this tale is "the only light we've got in all this darkness" (438). "Sonny's Blues" is filled with examples of music and how it makes things better. The schoolboy, the barmaid, the mother, the brother, the uncle, the street revivalists, all use music to create a moment when life isn't so ugly, even though the world still waits outside and trouble stretches above. Music and the tale it tells provide hope and joy; instead of being the instrument of Sonny's destruction, introducing him to the world of drugs, music is his way out of some of the ugliness. For Sonny and the other characters in this story, music is a bastion against the despair that pervades stunted lives; it is the light that guides them from the darkness without hope. Works Cited Baldwin, James. "Sonny's Blues." The Oxford Book of American Short Stories 1992: 409 - 439.

Continuities and Changes of the Commerce of the Indian Ocean Region from 650 C.E. to 1750 C.E.

Trade has been a major way to connect people to other parts to the world and to access to other products all throughout the world. Today, trade connects nations and products of the western hemisphere to those of the eastern hemisphere. The Indian Ocean was a major trading zone for the areas surrounding it in the time period from 650 C.E. to 1750 C.E. Several aspects of this trading area stayed constant during the aforementioned years, like the products that were traded and that India always remained a major participator in these trades. However, the dominating groups that had the most control over the area changed several times along with the culture of the area.Following the decline of the Mongol Empire, the overland trade route on the Silk Road was becoming an out-dated method of trade. With the advancement of technologies across the world a more expedient method of trade became even more necessary. Nations turned toward maritime trade to feel this need. The Indian Ocean served as a way to connect the Asian continents with the Middle East.Major traders of the area were Europe, Arabia, India, China, and Indonesia. Indian spices, cloth and yarn were transported across the hemisphere using the Indian Ocean. There spices intrigued the population of places like Egypt and China who were unaccustomed to Indian flavors. China spread its precious metals and porcelain across the area. Even animal, like elephants, were traded from Sri Lanka. Europe consumed most from the area than they contributed, which continued into the 19th century. Philosophies and religions were also ‘traded’ through the Indian Ocean route.Islam was introduced to the tribal regions of Africa and spread even farther into Arabia and India. Philosophies also spread from Rome into Arabia and India through the trade. Towards the end of the 2th century people began to be traded in the Columbian Exchange or slave trade. In the time period of 650 C.E. to 1750 C.E., the speed and vitality of t rade in the area was a major continuity.At the time, those who controlled the most of the Indian Ocean had a great deal of economic power. In the 8th century, the Hindus and Buddhists controlled the trade primarily between the eastern coast of Africa and Indonesia. From the 7th to 13th century, Indonesia commercial life flourished. After the Hindu-Buddhist period, Muslim leaders toke control of the area for trade through the Red Sea to Europe and China. Also, the Muslim period involved a lot of trade with India for its pepper from Calicut. Vasco de Gama discovered the Indian Ocean trade route for Portugal by travelling around the southern tip of Africa.Portugal toke advantage of their discoveries and used them to advance in the spice trade with Europe. Several Mediterranean empires tried to challenge the Portuguese control over the Persian Gulf however, by the 16th century they had established bases in the area. Shortly following that, the English and Dutch began placing officials i n India and Africa in order to farther their own endeavors.From the 7th to 18th century many things about the commercial life in the region of the Indian Ocean stayed constant however, many things were altered. After the potential of the Indian Ocean trade system began known, more and more countries began to enter into a power struggle for the control over the area. Precious metals, Indian spices, and exotic animals contributed to the reasons why so many explorers, mariners and traders were so intrigued by the prospects of trading in the Indian Ocean.

Cell Specialisation

All cells are designed to perform a particular job within an organism, that is, to sustain life. Cells can become specialized to perform a particular function within an organism, usually as part of a larger tissue consisting of many of the same cells working together for example muscle cells. The cells combine together for a common purpose. All organisms will contain specialised cells. There are hundreds of types of specialised cells. Below is listed some of the major ones found in plants and animals. Plant Cell Specialisation. Guard cells (a pair form a stoma hole) – kidney shapes cells that change shape depending on water content. Regulate the exchange of gases in and out of the plant, and the amount of water lost through the leaves of the plant. Pollen grains – circular cells with an extremely hard protective cell wall containing sperm cells, pollen grains germinate when they come in contact with female stamens, producing a pollen tube through which the sperm travel to reach the ova (ovary). These pollen tubes can easily be seen in a corn cob. Root hair cell – designed to increase the surface area of the root for absorption of water and mineral nutrients into the plant. These cells have a very thin cell wall that is fully permeable that allows the absorption of mineral nutrients as ions by cation and anion exchange. Contain large vacuoles for the short term storage of these nutrients. Epidermal cells – feature a waxy cuticle (covering) to help prevent water loss from the plant, the cells on the top side of the leaf tend to be more waxy due to higher exposure to the elements. Palisade cell (mesophyll) – designed for photosynthesis, it is a tall cell with a large surface area contained many chloroplasts. Located on top side of the leaf in plants to allow optimum absorption of light and carbon dioxide (inputs for photosynthesis). Xylem and Phloem cells (combined referred to as vascular bundles) – cells responsible for the transport of water and nutrients around the plant. Vascular bundles are located in a ring around the outside of the stem in higher order plants. This provides structural support for the plant (plant can die if ‘ring barked’as equivalent to strangulation ). Xylem carries water and mineral ions up through the plant to the leaves. The phloem transport products of photosynthesis to other areas within the plant for storage (growth). Stone cells (sclereids) – extremely hard to provide protective covering to the seed in stone fruit. Animal Cell Specialisation White blood cells (phagocytes) – part of the body’s immune system, it is responsible for engulfing, breaking down foreign material (bacteria)and cellular debis in the blood in a process called phagocytosis. They are highly mobile, able to move between body cells. Red blood cells – have no nucleus and contain haemoglobin, the molecule that carries the oxygen around the body to the cells undergoing respiration. Red blood cells with a high oxygen content appear bright red, with low oxygen concentration dark blue/red. Retina cells – the cone and rod shaped cells of the retina are sensitive to light. These cells send electrical messages via the optic nerve to the brain. Muscle cells (fibres)– these cells are long and smooth in structure. The flexible nature of the cell allows them to move by contracting and expanding. This contractile ability allows to cell o quickly change length. Microvilli (cells lining the small intestine) – these cells have finger like extensions to the surface of the cell to allow greater absorption into the cell by increased surface area. Nerve cells – these cells are elongated with trendril like extensions at each end, and capable of transmitting electrical impulses along the cell body. These electrical impulses are able to contract muscle fibres and stimulate brain cells. Cilia – tiny hair like cells designed to prevent damage to the lungs by airborne particles. Cilia cells line the surface of the nasal passages and secrete a mucas (snot), a sticky substance that collects the dust particles captured by the hairs , where it is swept towards the back of the throat and then swallowed. Sperm cells – designed to fertilise egg cells, they are very small with a tail to allow movement by swimming. The head of the cell contains enzymes that can digest the outer surface of the egg so that the two nuclei can fuse. A sperm cell contains half the number of chromosomes of the parent organism (genetic material from the father), which will be passed onto the offspring. Ovum (egg cell) – designed to be fertilized, the cell is large, bulky and not designed to move easily. Like the sperm the ova contains half the number of chromosomes of the adult organism (mother’s genetic material). The ova contains a large food store in the cytoplasm, needed for the developing offspring once the ova has been fertilized. Osteocyte (bone cell) – calcium carbonate and calcium phosphate are deposited around the outside of the cell to form a hard outer covering (bone).

Purpose of General Appeals Process Essay

The purpose of a General Appeals Process is used to challenge payer’s decision to reduce, deny or to downcode any claim. The provider however, can ask for a review of the payer’s decision. The patient also has a right to ask for a request of the appeal. The claimant or appellant is the one that is filing the appeal. That could be an individual who is the provider or the patient. The basic steps are simple of the appeal. This is where the payer has a consistent procedure to handle the appeal. This has to do with what kind of appeal it is. The practice staff does a review on the procedure before other actions are taken. The staff then takes the necessary steps to move forward. The appeals must be filed by a certain time after the determination. The payers must go through three steps. These steps are a complaint, an appeal and the grievance. There is not a bunch of time to spend on this procedure. After this is done and the payer is still denying the claim, the claimant can take another step. This can be reviewed through the state insurance commissions since most payers are licensed through them. The state insurance commissions must have all copies of the file and to see why the claim was denied. The reason that the claim was denied to could be simple reasons. The reasons are mostly human error. The most common claim denials are due to not using the patient’s health care identification number and the correct name on the card. The other reasoning could be not putting down where the services were done. The last but not least could be invalid diagnosis codes. This could all be why the claim is denied. References Nyman, Ronald E., ESQ, (June 2007), MediStar Meducation , Volume 1, Number 4, www.credentialsxpress.com/newsletters/newsletter1-4 full.htm, Retrieved September 10,2010, Google.

Organizing Agatha Essay

The Enduring Appeal of Agatha Christie is an enthralling essay written precisely and effectively about the powerful author. The introduction to the essay is brief, yet very informative, giving the reader a bit of background information. It refers to popular literature abounds such as Stephen King and Edgar Allen Poe. I personally have never heard of Agatha Christie, therefore the information contained regarding other legends aided in my understanding of how popular and legendary she truly is. In addition to this, the thesis statement is succinct and presents the author’s opinion regarding Agatha Christie’s brilliance clearly. This was very helpful, as I was informed almost immediately as to what I was going to read about. Overall, the introductory paragraph gave me a great ordeal of background information, as well as three concise topics concerning the writing legacy, Agatha Christie, and her writing intelligence. This essay is effectively written as it has a rational flow of ideas and is very cohesive. Each paragraph begins with an enthralling topic sentence, giving myself, the reader, an appealing fact followed by the main idea of the writing. A great example of this can be viewed in the opening sentence of the first body paragraph which reads, â€Å"[n]ext to Sherlock Holmes, Hercule Poiret and Miss Jane Marple are two of the most recognizable detectives in fiction because of their distinctive attributes.† Although this is an engaging topic sentence, the author did not include all of the points he/she wished to include in the actually body paragraph as Ariadne Oliver was excluded. On an opposing note, however, I do feel that points of each body paragraph are not strong enough to fully support the thesis statement. For example, in paragraph one the reader is suddenly bombarded with names of Christie’s characters without an explanation of who they are, or what novels they come f rom. It was slightly confusing for myself as I needed to do a bit of research in order to figure out who Hercule Poirot, Miss Jane Marple, Ariadne Oliver were. Therefore, it would have been more effective if the author had included a bit of brief, background information as this would make for a greater understanding of the body paragraphs and thesis. Similarly, I feel that the arguments of the essay are not in appropriate  order in terms of strength. I believe that the second paragraph should lead the essay as it provides more background knowledge of Agatha’s characters, novels and is an overall stronger argument. Moreover, the second body paragraph needs to be introduced with a more refined topic sentence that reflects upon the thesis of the essay. The thesis states that Agatha Christie engages the audience with her interesting settings, but the topic sentence of this paragraph is, once again, talking about various characters. Also, the supporting arguments in this paragraph are not written in the same order as the introductory sentence, which is an issue that ultimately leads to perplexity. On the contrary, the passage uses connective words which aided in signalling changes and movement in the text.. Aside from the minor glitches, the three body paragraphs work as a unified whole; for example, they contain links between and within all sentences and paragraphs. Basically, it is easy to follow and uses appropriate language to maintain the argument’s focus and to direct the reader. All three of the paragraphs are detailed and legitimate- clearly referring back to each idea throughout the text. For example, in paragraph two of the essay Agatha writes, â€Å"†¦[d]espite their varied locales, the common element that runs through Christie’s novels is the â€Å"closed† society. These worlds are cut off culturally, economically, or physically, as in the case of Ten Little Indians, which is set on an island off the Devon coast.† The author clearly states his/her point and follows this by a strong example of Margaret Christie’s work. Overall, the body paragraphs follow a structural pattern and present ideas in an efficient manner which actually enhance the reading material. Finally, the conclusion does a great job summing up all of the information contained throughout the entire essay. The author begins by restating the thesis and summarizing the three argumentative topics (Christie’s morality, her settings and characters) .The application of Christie’s opinions and morality in comparison today’s society really makes one think about what life would be like if her ‘world of moral certainty’ truly existed. Aside from the structural accuracy, the content and comparison to the present day is what truly captivated myself as a reader and made the essay effective.

In what ways do Leonardo and Bazarov act as catalysts inchanging family structure in the texts Blood Wedding and Fathers and Sons?

In this essay, I will be focussing on the characters of Leonardo and Bazarov, in their respective texts, and how they act as catalysts in changing family structure, so that by the end of the text, the family unit is different from what it was in the beginning. I will also analyse their characters and examine their impact on the plots of the two texts, and their role in plot development. In particular, I will analyse the character's words, and the tone of voice in which they speak; this will help in analysing their specific character traits. This analysis will help me in understanding their impact on character and plot development, which leads to them acting as catalysts in changing their respective family structures. It should be noted that while the text Fathers and Sons features many families that are important to the plot, I will be specifically looking at Bazarov's impact on Arcady's family; as well as the impact on his own family. In the text Blood Wedding, I will be looking at Leonardo's impact on his family and on the Bridegroom's family. In the text Fathers and Sons, when Nicholas is waiting for Arcady, we see him as a very happy person as he eagerly anticipates the arrival of his son. However, when Arcady introduces Bazarov, we notice a change in Nicholas's character. He appears to be withdrawn, and he does not converse as openly with Arcady as he would normally. There is one incident when Bazarov offers Arcady a cigar, Arcady accepts it and when he lights it, Nicholas turns his head away. This foreshadows that the introduction of Bazarov, to the Kisranov family, will cause a gap between Nicholas and Arcady. Similarly in the text Blood Wedding, the text opens with a conversation between Mother and Bridegroom. The conversation leads to the topic of knives that involves the Felix family of which Leonardo is a member. The topic of knives foreshadows the violence and bloodshed that is to arise. The mention of the name Leonardo Felix leads to a small dispute between the Mother and the Bridegroom. Though the dispute is small, it hints of the trouble that Leonardo is likely to cause. In the text Fathers and Sons, when Bazarov has left with Arcady to go freshen up, Paul talks to Nicholas about Bazarov. We get the impression that Paul does not like Bazarov very much. Even though it may not be Bazarov's fault directly, we can see that his presence causes some tension in the family; it causes some change in Paul's mood. As we can see from the following quotation, Paul does not focus on welcoming Arcady, but he focuses on criticizing Bazarov. â€Å"Is he staying with us?†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ â€Å"That hairy creature?† † The use of the words â€Å"Hairy creature† are spoken with a tone of contempt thus creating an overall sense of tension and hostility. In the text Blood Wedding tone is also important for example when the Neighbour and Mother are talking, the Mother finds out that the Bride had a relationship with Leonardo. At the mention of the name Felix, the mother flares up in anger. It's not Leonardo's fault that he is a Felix but the fact that he is a Felix causes great anger in the Mother and a drastic change in her mood. The mother does not ‘welcome' the marriage with complete love and affection, but instead with hostility and animosity. In the text Blood Wedding there is a section where Leonardo, Wife and Mother-in-law are having a conversation. In this particular conversation the girl comes in and tells them what the Bridegroom is buying for the Bride. Leonardo is very rude and unpleasant. â€Å"What do we care† â€Å"Did I ask for your opinion? â€Å"Leave me alone† â€Å"Why can't you just shut up?† These are four of his lines in that particular scene. As we can see his words are very harsh, and he employs a very defensive tone, by the use of questions. He ignores his wife's pleas and just storms out of the house without a word to where he is going. It seems that Leonardo does not really care about his family at all. This indicates that Leonardo's family is breaking down; we can see abrasive feelings between Leonardo and mother-in-law. However, change is not always negative. In the text Fathers and Sons, Bazarov changes Arcady's family structure in a positive way. Bazarov persuades Arcady to accept an invitation meant for Nicholas. Arcady accepted and he went with Bazarov into town. While the two were having lunch at Eudoxia Kukshin's residence, she mentioned a name; Madame Odintzov. Bazarov was interested in Madame Odintzov, as she was described as very attractive; and Sitnikov said that he would introduce Bazarov and Arcady to Madame Odintzov. It is at Madame Odintzov's abode where Arcady met Katya, whom he ends up marrying. â€Å"†¦it was noticeable that Nicholas Petrovich had already become devotedly attached to her.† We can see that Katya has ‘fitted-in' with the Petrovich family. So we can therefore say that Bazarov is indirectly responsible for Arcady's marriage to Katya, hence changing Arcady's family. In the text Blood Wedding; after the bride and bridegroom have left for the wedding, only Leonardo and his wife remain. They have a conversation that shows distance between Leonardo his wife. Wife wants to go to the church by cart and Leonardo wants to go by horse. They have a short argument that is clearly symbolic of the unhappy, troubled marriage between the two of them. â€Å"WIFE: And I have no intention of going to a wedding without my husband. I can't take much more of this. LEORNADO: That makes two of us. WIFE: Why do you look at me like that? As though you had a dagger in each eye.† The wife says that she can't take much more of this, this signifying the marriage. Why can't she take more of her marriage? It is because of Leonardo. He has not been shown to be a very attentive husband, as depicted by his choice of words. The wife can't take much more of the marriage and Leonardo replies by saying that he feels the same. We would expect the husband in a marriage to counter the wife when she feels this way, however Leonardo just agrees with his wife. The fact that he can't take much more of the marriage shows that he wants to break free of the bonds of marriage. This is an implication of things to come later on in the text. Leonardo is implying that he wants a divorce or another wife, and by doing so he is proceeding to change his family structure. The metaphor used by the Wife (dagger in each eye) goes only to emphasise the distance and hostility felt by Wife from Leonardo as well as foreshadowing the violent conclusion of the play. Leonardo is still in love with Bride, and the wife is all that stands between him and the Bride. Thus he looks at the Wife in such a way that she might leave him alone. At the end of the text, Leonardo does achieve what he wanted; freedom to do as he pleases without worrying about the rules of society. However, this freedom came at a great price to Leonardo – his life. And it is through his death that he changed his family structure. Similarly in the text Fathers and Sons, Bazarov's death inadvertently changes his own family structure. After his first visit home, he leaves too soon; we see this has an impact on his parents, they are saddened and depressed. Bazarov's death finished the change; he was the centre of their life and now he is gone; it is no longer a family, just a husband and wife. His parents as shown when Arcady and Bazarov first visit Bazarov's home were once very lively and full of energy, and very excited and joyful. However, after his death (towards the end of the last paragraph of the text), we see Bazarov's parents as being very quiet and withdrawn. They no longer have that motivation (their son) to live. All they want to do is linger by his grave reminiscing over the memories they have of him as is shown by the quote: â€Å"†¦unable to tear themselves away from this spot where they feel themselves so close to their son and their memories of him†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The use of hyperbole goes to show the extreme love that Bazarov's parents had for him and the extent to which their lives have changed now that he is gone. So in conclusion, we see that Leonardo and Bazarov do act as catalysts in changing family structure in their respective texts. Although they cannot strictly be called catalysts because they do not remain unchanged; their presence in the respective texts does have an impact on the characters, as well as the plot.