Free Enterprise System - 1744 Words

The Free Enterprise System How the American System has changed Togar Johnson The ‘American Dream’ has recently transformed into the American nightmare. More and More people are retiring broke and are looking for some type of financial assistance either from families, government, or continuing to work past retirement. Not every American has the skill set to run a successful business, but more often than not, most Americans do possess a skill set that can be used to create individual wealth which each citizen will have complete control over. Therefore, Americans should embrace the principles that this country was based on, which is free enterprise. In order to insure fiscal independence, Americans must consider an essential component†¦show more content†¦Immigrants are educated on exactly what their economy is in their own country as well as what going on in America. The lack of education, in relation to the economy, displays an unfortunate example of what Americans are being taught in today’s society. Citizens of this country shoul d be informed on exactly how our economy works instead of foreigners migrating here and operate under those success principles and achieve that so-called ‘American Dream.’ Migrants come with a clear sense of exactly how to truly be successful by creating personal wealth. Immigrants are nearly 30 percent more likely to start a business than nonimmigrant’s, and they represent 16.7 percent of all new business owners in the United States. Nearly 30 percent of all new business owners per month in New York, Florida, and Texas, are immigrants. (Fairlie et al., 2008) The difference is most immigrants who come to this US have a great understanding and appreciation of what this country represents. They did not come to the country because it was the place to be, but they come for the opportunity to fail andShow MoreRelatedSocial Responsibility And The Free Enterprise System1186 Words   |  5 Pagesresponsible use of that media. In some countries, people do not have the freedom of speech rights like we do. We have a free market place of ideas that coincides with capitalism and the free-enterprise system. It is tied to a form of government that is based on the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. The First Amendment guarantees freedom of speech so that the press can remain fully free, and the public can be fully informed. â€Å"Congress shall make no law abridging the freedom of speech or of the pressRead MoreIs Turkey A Free Enterprise Economic System?776 Words   |  4 PagesIn 1776, Adam Smith argued in The Wealth of Nations that the free-enterprise economic system, all over the world encourages entrepreneurship because it permits individual s freedom to create and produce. This is not the case always, for example the culture plays an important role in this entrepreneurial process. Turkey has a stable economic and political conditions, variety of industries are performing well in the domestic market, the customers are early adopters which are all good signs for entrepreneurshipRead MoreMinimum Wage Regulations Strike At The Very Heart Of The Free Enterprise System1526 Words   |  7 Pagescontrol, minimum wage legislations strike at the very heart of the free enterprise system. The father of economics, Adam Smith explained in his masterpiece, â€Å"The Wealth of Nations†, that â€Å"the price system is the communication mechanism that coordinates, motivates, and harmonizes the actions of consumers and entrepreneurs†. His renown metaphor and philosophy of the â€Å"Invisible Hand† captured the idea that free-market pricing system molds individual self interest into extensive economic betterment forRead MoreExplain how resources are allocated in reference to the different economic systems?1686 Words   |  7 PagesAn economic system is the result of individuals (consumers and producers), groups (firms, trade unions, political parties, families etc) and the government coming together and interacting in a legal and social society. The function of an economic system is to resolve the basic economic problem - scarcity which means that the resources are limited but wants are infinite. This distribution has three dimensions: * What is to be produced * How is it to be produced * For whom is it to be produced.Read MoreChina755 Words   |  4 Pagesperformance compels economists all around the world to ask them selves is a democracy an only system of government which guarantee sustainable growth and development of an economy? Though some economists believe that democracy, as the most common type of capitalism, is the most â€Å"healthful† and useful economics and government system, China is a socialist country. Socialism – â€Å"Compare capitalism an economic theory or system in which the means of production, distribution, and exchange are owned by the communityRead MoreChinas Transition Economy Essay examples1120 Words   |  5 Pagesmonopolises international trade. It is somewhere in between. Reform measures: 1) The introduction of enterprise taxation. 2) The new wage system which linked with the productivity of workers (this would give workers incentive to work harder as they’d get paid more. Getting paid more than others would motivate them further now that pay isn’t equal.) 3) A new system of banking finance for enterprise investment. 4) The decentralisation of foreign trade through a rapid increase in the number of foreignRead MoreFree Enterprise : Advantages And Disadvantages1161 Words   |  5 PagesEnterprise The phrase â€Å"enterprise† has two basic connotations, the first one is simple it is another way of saying business. One thing that people will notice is that they will come about this phrase enterprise when they are looking up or reading up ways to startup businesses. Secondly and probably the most important one of the two uses of the phrase, enterprise is a way of describing the actions of people who display initiative by going out into the real world and take risks by setting up, investingRead MoreBusiness1651 Words   |  7 Pagesbuy, hold or sell. Shareholders are also interested in information which enables them to assess the ability of the enterprise to pay dividends.   (b) Employees. Employees and their representative groups are interested in information about the stability and profitability of their employers. They are also interested in information which enables them to assess the ability of the enterprise to provide remuneration, retirement benefits and employment opportunities.   (c) Lenders. Lenders are interestedRead MoreThe Types Of E Enterprise Systems1406 Words   |  6 PagesE-enterprise Enterprise is a firm or a business organisation that engage in an systematic economic activity to satisfy the demand of the people, specially focussed towards profit in obedience to the law. E-enterprise is a adaptable inclusive enterprise that is coordinated by system which makes simultaneous reaction to environment change, customer demand and aggressive situations. The types of e-enterprise systems are Supply chain management, Customer relationship Management and Enterprise resourceRead MorePoland s Economic Reform Plan Of 19891711 Words   |  7 PagesEuropean transition to market economy took Western neoliberalism as its principal ideological model. It is no secret, for instance, that Jeffrey Sachs, a celebrated economist and one of the main architects of the Eastern European transition to the free market economy, was a chief exponent of Western neoliberalism whose shock therapy principles were widely applied in Eastern European nations in the post-1989 period. Extremely influential during the early 1980’s, neoliberalism is somewhat of a misnomer

Analysis Of Christopher Columbus And Charles Lindbergh

Throughout the school year of 2015-2016 at the Founders Academy, I have wrote numerous essays, with generally positive results. Several of the essays exceeded expectations, while others reached expectations to a modest extent, but all of the essays were supported by the writing skills that I had learned that year, regardless of my strengths or weaknesses with these skills. These techniques vary extensively, from comparing and contrasting ideas in a text to editing and revising essays for quality results, which is proven in my writing portfolio. The first skill of note centers around the proofreading of essays, where an essay receives revisions, from the reconstruction of paragraphs to the replacement of disinteresting words with intriguing, more complicated vocabulary. My proof of mastery in this skill is in my essay on Christopher Columbus and Charles Lindbergh, in addition to my reflection on a project that I had worked on in my technology class, where I placed complex vocabulary into the essays with my portfolio draft. My strengths in the skill were that I paid close attention to detail, and added in excessively complex words to entice the reader. My major flaw, however, is that the process of replacing words is time-consuming, which gives me less time to focus on other issues in my essays, which were often longer than they needed to be. Fortunately, the constant expansion of essays doubles as a skill, especially when adding further information to short essays.

Managing the Network Organization

Question: Discuss about theManaging the Network Organization. Answer: Portfolio Preliminary Choice of Company and Justification Preliminary choice for making the individual report is considered as Nestle Multinational Corporation. The individual report required to discuss the financial and industry reports along with their organizational environmental analysis. The primary choice is taken for making the report completed with more information about the organization with detailed study about the reports. The study will relate the portfolio with more in-depth discussion about the company culture and operation purpose and profile. The choice is justified as the researcher will need to provide the questionnaire online to collect relevant data from the employees about the company operation. The questionnaire will depict the current strength in working agenda. As Nestle started their journey from 1866 as Swiss Milk, and changed to Nestle in 1905, they completed 150 years. As per 2014 employee strength survey, Nestle has more than 339,000 employees in their firm working under the process. The visualization of the work process network should be following some key points in work. First point should be to cover the company background to gain information, then to identify the industrial reports from the firm, circulate the research agenda towards the company structure, and conduct the questionnaire survey through the structure. The network diagram is shown as in below (Refer to Appendix). Analysis of the organizations formal structure and discussion on the environmental factors that are influencing it The section discusses the external environmental factors that are affecting Nestle in working within the structure meeting the necessary objectives. The external environmental forces may have significant events and influence over Nestle affecting the overall business growth. The forces are included as following: Metrics Explanation Economic factors The factors are in this category is identified as employment, income, inflation, rate of interest, employee productivity, and overall wealth of Nestle. Nestle conveys sustainable development in order to tackle all the factors to increase high quality food with contributing the social and environmental development as well. Technology factors The technology factors have major impact on the business operations and work. Nestle operates with several types of foods in different packaging types for manufacturing new beverage systems as Espresso, Special, BabyNes, Nescaf Dolce Gusto and others. They prepared technological infrastructure to serve all these types within sustainable environment. The technology progress is noticed in Extrusion, Foam booster technology adoption, healthier fat processing, fermentation, and portion dispensing systems. Socio-cultural factors The socio-cultural factors are is set of customer belief, their custom, behavior, and practices. Nestle conducted detailed socio-cultural examination before entering into the target market for food and beverage business. They stated the progress in identifying the target market following the same procedure as well. Brief Discussion on Organizational Culture Traits of Nestle Nestle follows corporate culture with reflecting the essence of Good Food Good Life within their logo. The company develops their infrastructure to emphasize on the food quality-increasing index and culture of good lifestyle. Nestle follows three essential things Nutrition, Health, and Wellness in all the products as mentioned in companys mission statement as well. Talking about the culture, the traits are dependent on people and target market structure, Nestle focuses on the collectivism and orientation performance as well. The company generally believes in safe food quality so that the customers may satisfy their optimal nutritional needs in meeting the psychological needs altogether. The mission of Nestle is to provide quality food for creating better lifestyle for common people, they have achieved on target as in meeting the value of product amongst the target people. The company states the mission statement with showing a direct relationship in between better lifestyle and good quality food. The company website relies on Nutrition, Health, and Wellness serving during long 150 years. The CEO, Paul Bulckc once confirmed in statement that the Strategic Purpose of the company is concerned with organizational achievement. In every organization, there are complex roles affecting the culture, however Nestle requires their stakeholders to be served with long-term sustainable values in products. Discussion on Affect of Technological Environment for Company Operation Nestle developed the technological environment for company operation with different technological aspects. The technological aspects are relevant for considering the company operations with technology installation within personal interpretation as well. The technological aspects are included as following: Extrusion: Nestle have strong expertise in this technical environment for hot extrusion in infant and breakfast cereals, co-extrusion in case of filled snacks, and cold extrusion in case of ice-cream and desserts. Foam booster technology adoption: The technology produces Creamy layer on Nescaf Cappuchino with lesser fat. The technology makes the beverage much denser and long lasting than regular foam. In 2002, Nestle launched Foam booster technology for Nescaf Cappuchino making and they succeeded in making suitable target market capturing. Healthier fat processing: The healthier fat processing allows the products for using natural vegetables and natural oils without using partially hydrogenated fats in products such as Maggibouillon cubes and other seasonings. Fermentation: The Nestle Research Center looked through the molecular interaction in pro-biotics of the products with intestinal cells. Nestle have sequenced the several genomes configuration in products for understanding better characteristics and proficient actions planning. Portion dispensing systems: The protein dispensing systems are important for identifying the essential beverage making system protein and essential ingredients. Strength and Weakness of Network Strengths I am connected to a reliable internet connection. The internet connection helps me to surf the job related websites where I can find suitable job opportunities. I am connected to a number of popular social networking sites. I use these sites for searching job opportunities and tenders. I have shared my personal profile; work experiences, strengths and weaknesses in some social websites like LinkedIn so that the companies can view my information and evaluate my abilities for their job profiles. I am open for contacts and calls from companies any time. Weaknesses I still do not have sufficient contacts that would enable me to gain a good job opportunity. I do not have sufficient popularity on the internet sites; hence, companies will not show much interest in me. I am yet to share my personal experiences in the internet. Hence, the companies or company personnel will not understand my credibility and will not contact me for a possible job opportunity. I may have some limitations on my research works but I am trying to overcome them. Personal Network Characteristics Personal network characteristics include following features in the communication network for circulating the portfolio. The online portfolio will depict my strengths, weaknesses, risks, and opportunities as well. The network should be more detailed with connecting all corporate organizations working persons in social networking site as Facebook, LinkedIn, and other job-hunting profiles. The features should be following: I need to depict my individual skills, knowledge in subjects, and proper technical aspects in terms of my work. The skills should be included with references of certificates in the profile. I need to add more proficiency in case of searching jobs and taking internships. In case of internships, the proficiency should include my set of expertise to support the intern jobs. The jobs should require showing the potential of myself in serving the capabilities of such profile. I need to add LinkedIn profile with the portfolio, so that recruiters can review my portfolio and gain knowledge about current study practices of mine. I need to circulate the portfolio through the friend circle. The friends can discuss more about the topic and posting more information in the portal. Risks and Opportunities for Professional Future Risks Too much sharing of personal information can pose threat on my professional future and anyone can steal my personal information and use them against me. Sharing of CV in the internet can result in stealing. Some people can steal my CV and fake it for their own use, resulting in loss of my credibility and authenticity. Many fake companies have extensive network over the internet. Contacting them will result in the loss of my resources. Different companies have set different standards for work. If my work level does not suit a companys requirements, it will result in termination and hamper my professional future. Opportunities My network will enable me to find better jobs anytime. Hence, I will be able to extend my professional career if I am deemed suitable for better job options. Sharing of personal profile will help me draw attention of many companies seeking people for vacant positions. More companies will learn about my credibility. They can learn my experiences and profile and may call me up if they find me suitable. I may have the opportunity to go abroad for a job if I can prove myself through my communication network as well as proficiency. Future Planning for Effective Professional Network In the near future, I plan to send my personal profile and CV to the companies whose job profiles match my proficiency. Moreover, I plan to start my personal blog for sharing my work experiences and credibility. This will help me draw attention from the companies for whom I would like to work. I also plan to join some job specific websites from which I can search for some more specific jobs from my interest and specialization. I will also communicate with more people and company authorities and let them know my credibility. Further, I will be more active in the social websites where the companies seek people for their vacant positions. Bibliography Bhattacharjee, A., 2012. How outsourcing HR created a profitable scenario for Nestle and PeopleScape Ltd?. Davila, T., Epstein, M. and Shelton, R., 2012.Making innovation work: How to manage it, measure it, and profit from it. FT press. Doorasamy, M., 2015. Product Portfolio Management: An Important Business Strategy.Foundations of Management,7(1), pp.29-36. Duggal, S., Narain, R., Mahindra, A.K., Piramal, S.A., Waszyk, A.H., Murli, B., Protonotarios, A., Garrett, M.W. and Benet, E., The Board of Directors of Nestl India. Hoppmann, J., Huenteler, J. and Girod, B., 2014. Compulsive policy-makingThe evolution of the German feed-in tariff system for solar photovoltaic power.Research policy,43(8), pp.1422-1441. Hrebiniak, L.G., 2013.Making strategy work: Leading effective execution and change. FT Press. Khan, P., 2016. Human resource department of Nestle Bangladesh Limited its various functions. Masuku, C. and Shava, T., 2014. Practices and approaches of corporate citizenship by Public Relations (PR) department at Nestle Zimbabwe to enhance corporate reputation from 2010 to 2013. Mohajan, H.K., 2015. Present and Future of Nestl Bangladesh Limited.American Journal of Food and Nutrition,3(2), pp.34-43. Nadim, S.S.I., 2014. Working capital management at Nestle Bangladesh Limited. Nisa, S., 2016. A Comparative Study on Business Models of Agro Food Business (Case Nestle India and AMUL).Available at SSRN 2776480. Popli, M., 2015. Organization Design of Emerging Market Acquirers: Insights from European Global Firms. Prast, H., Rossi, M., Torricelli, C. and Druta, C., 2014. Do women prefer pink? The effect of a gender stereotypical stock portfolio on investing decisions. Shah, P., 2015. Kill it or keep it?: The weak brand retain-or-discard decision in brand portfolio management.Journal of Brand Management,22(2), pp.154-172. Sharma, A. and Kiran, R., 2012. Corporate social responsibility initiatives of major companies of India with focus on health, education and environment.African Journal of Basic Applied Sciences,4(3), pp.95-105. Simister, J. and Whittle, R., 2013. Ethical Investment and portfolio theory: Using Factor analysis to select a portfolio. Sojamo, S. and Larson, E.A., 2012. Investigating food and agribusiness corporations as global water security, management and governance agents: The case of Nestl, Bunge and Cargill.Water Alternatives,5(3), p.619. Stankov, S., 2014, November. Multiple Attribute Decision Making Methods Applied in Evaluation of Corporate Social Responsibility. InEuropean Conference on Management, Leadership Governance(p. 541). Academic Conferences International Limited. STEINBOCK VILLARROEL, C.A.R.O.L.I.N.E., 2012. Intellectual property and RD contracts: A closer relation between patent portfolio and contracts to guide and enhance strategic innovation decisions. Trenado, M., Romero, M., Cuadrado, M.L. and Romero, C., 2014. Corporate social responsibility in portfolio selection: A goal games against nature approach.Computers Industrial Engineering,75, pp.260-265. Uggla, H. and Nyberg, B., 2014. Need States: The Missing Link to the Brand Portfolio Strategy Paragon.IUP Journal of Brand Management,11(2), p.28. XU, Z., 2014. The Challenges of brand innovation in different brand portfolio strategies.

Word Processing Advantages and Disadvantages an Example by

Word Processing: Advantages and Disadvantages Word processing system is useful for drafting messages, minimal graphic work and for as template for preparing documents for slide shows/power point presentation. It is an application that allows the writer to find adjuncts for preparing articles, essays and business messages that can is in compliance with laws of concord and comprehension. Its production also includes editing, formatting and even printing. Need essay sample on "Word Processing: Advantages and Disadvantages" topic? We will write a custom essay sample specifically for you Proceed No doubt, the word processing is extremely useful for any research works, and even personal messages. It comes with other applications useful for office works such as work memo, letters, graphics, worksheets, etc. Its most useful advantage is that it helps to edit the typed materials: I t underlines the place that has errors. Such errors can spelling errors, non-compliance with syntax and grammatical laws. This can then be edited with the provisions provided by default from the application, or the writer can use discretion in that instance. It even provides explanation of the syntax involved. Word processing can automatically generate batch mailings, tables of figures and contents, cross-referencing, and even indices of keywords. These are parts of the text manipulation it can perform. In fact, it is the same application that is used for this writing! Disadvantages: words are usually restricted. Registers peculiar to specific professions are not usually present, and as such are perpetual sources of errors. Besides, it makes you to become dependent on the use of the application, and can not use some applications like WordPad without editing functions. And people are liable to spelling and syntax errors outside the application. REFERENCE http://www.answers.com/Q/What_are_the_advantages_of_word_processing_package

Federalist 10 essays

Federalist 10 essays Federalist 10 played an important role in influencing the American people in considering the ratification of the constitution. Federalist 10 was written by James Madison in the late 1700s to address his views concerning the constitution. Madison focused on the issue of whether a small country is good or bad through the observation of fanctions. Fanction exist because people are human and have tendencies to act on their own interest. In Federalist 10 Madison covers issues of fanction. Today Madisons Federalist Paper #10 is considered one of the most important essays ever written for political reasons. Madison wrote Federalist 10 to get the people of New York to support the constitution that would replace the Articles of Confederation. If agreed to support the constitution, then the constitution will support a strong central government and weak states rights. In addition, he wrote federalist 10 so the people could break and control factions, and form a federal state. Fanctions are citizens who are united and motivated by a common interest or passion, that are adverse to the rights of other citizens or interests of the community. Madison writes in order to have a democratic government and society work, then we need to remove causes of fractions, like fanctions of passion and interest, or control effects of fractions. By removing the causes of fractions, using the Eliminate Clause, the government can deprive the people of their freedom and their liberty or basic rights destroying the liberty which is essential to its existence. However, if the government does this fractions will be eliminated but, also will democracy, which are government is formed by: ore than the disease. Secondly, the government can create a system were each individual share the same ideas, feelings, and interests and work for the common good unlike self-interest. However, this is impossible to achieve becaus...

If You Were In Charge Of Designing This Class, What Elements Would You

If You Were In Charge Of Designing This Class, What Elements Would You If You Were In Charge Of Designing This Class, What Elements Would You Include In A Class Devoted To – Essay Example Diagnostics Essay The purpose of this paper is to identify what steps would a prudent go through in order to improve his or her writing skills. What this paper will try to accomplish is provide some different methods that can be adopted by people who wish to improve their writing skills as espoused by the academic community. As with many different disciplines there are three schools of thought in regards to gaining expertise in a given field. As will be highlighted in this paper the merits of direct education as a means of improving ones writing skills will be discussed. Furthermore, a discussion of the strengths of simply practicing as a means of improving ones writing skills will be covered. According to Kanelas et al (1998) it was proposed that performance problems in writing may not be directly related to any competencies such as the understanding of individuals, rather it is the case that individuals simply lack skills or the desire to improve skills. As such one could propose t he argument that in order for a prudent writer to improve his or her writing skills would be through would be to be gain knowledge on various writing techniques. This action could theoretically be achieved through self directed study or classroom instruction.According to Joseph (1998) it is through a process of frequent writing and rewriting with continual feedback that helps individuals improve their skills. As the old Latin adage suggests, discere faciendo or ‘To learn by doing’ is the best method for somebody to improve their writing skills. One could argue that through the constant process of writing and receiving feedback from one’s contemporaries, it would be the case that an individual would hone their skills as an effective writer and as such learn the skills that best suit their needs. In conclusion it may be the case that there is no simple solution as to how an individual can better improve their writing skills, and it may be the case that it is throu gh a combination of both practice and education that would best improve the chances of improving an individual’s writing skills.ReferencesJoseph, A. (1998) Put it in Writing: Learn How to Write Clearly, Quickly and Persuasively. McGraw Hill.Kanellas, R., Carifio, J., Dagostino, L. (1998) Improving the Expository Writing Skills of Adolescents. University Press of America.

Analysis of the Workflow Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Analysis of the Workflow - Research Paper Example By this, they make a choice on the size and color of the image, the focus of the image and also the type of the image (Mann 18). These are the most crucial factors that one has to consider while capturing an image since it will determine how pleasant this image will be. This is followed by the storage of the image. The photographer stores the captured images as the original copy either in DVDs or hard disk drives from the memory card of the camera. This is usually for the purposes of future editing for archiving these images (Mann 20). The editing of the image comes after one has cataloged the images. The photographer alters the original image to a more appealing presentation that the customer desires. They are also sorted out appropriately. These edited images are then archived. It should be noted that the archived photography is separate from the original images captured due to editing (Mann 23). This workflow compared to the one provided in the above website differ in that the one in the website is extremely detailed, following each process, while this one gives the most essential parts of the workflow. The two are great I that the images that are produced are often of great quality provided one will follow a single workflow. To conclude, there are other workflows that will differ from the one stated above, but a photographer should make a choice on the best workflow that will please them.

Appeal letter Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Appeal letter - Essay Example I do not have the courage to go to class without my homework. I am not confident enough to discuss my situation with my professor as well as the advisor. And after 3 class absences, I feared to go to the class hence making me get away from the class. The result of my irresponsibility was that I got an â€Å"F† or â€Å"UW†. I truly rue about my poor and irresponsible study attitude at Otis. I wish you are able to give me one more chance to continue my study at Otis. If I have a chance to get back to school, I promise that I will not be absent in any class again. If I have any problems or difficulties about my class work, I will discuss the same with my instructor in an active manner. I will face the difficulties instead of evading the issue. Also, I will work really hard on my work as I believe I have the ability to finish my class if I work hard. (I have also attached my 2010 summer academic record at UCLA to support that I have the ability to finish the program of com pleting the degree program at Otis). I promise my poor academic performance which was the result of these circumstances have been demonstrably corrected and it no longer influences my academic standing. I have considered carefully and thus propose a schedule for completion of my degree.

Effects of Homosexuals in Schools Essay Example for Free

Effects of Homosexuals in Schools Essay In the 19th century, a German psychologist coined the term â€Å"homosexuality†. Basically, homosexuality is often a sexual attraction that is primarily towards the members of the same sex (Pickett, 2006). Oftentimes, homosexual equates to being gay and/or lesbian. There are varying points of view regarding homosexuals and homosexuality. Many religious groups believe that there no one born as a homosexual. However, there are plenty of scientists, particularly psychologists who believe that a person is born this way. Religiously speaking, there are no supporting texts in the Bible that there are homosexuals. Only two genders are made: man and woman. Oftentimes, the greater portion of the homosexual community believe that they were â€Å"born gay† (Worthen, 2004). This belief and perspective oftentimes give them comfort and a sort-of justification for their â€Å"state†. Also, this very same ideology relieves them of any responsibility to change. Nevertheless, there is no firm scientific proof until today that affirm that some people are born homosexual. Genetically speaking, they are just either male or female (Worthen, 2004). Since there are no born homosexuals, many psychologists believe that homosexuality is a learned behavior. There are many factors or reasons why a person becomes homosexual. Primarily, most of these factors involve family. These include a disturbed family life in the early years (of the individual), absence of/in love on the part of either parent or a failure to identify with the same-sex parent. Later, the consequences of these reasons manifest in the individual in varying forms—and one of them is through confusion of their identity that oftentimes lead to homosexuality. But one thing is for sure—that homosexuality has many roots (excluding family). Along with the other factors that cause homosexuality, we must not also take for granted the individual. The individual’s choices also play a key part in transforming and shaping his (homosexual) identity. Majority of causes of being homosexual is rooted with family reasons. In such cases this immensely affects the behavior of the individual particularly in school. Majority of homosexuals that go to school instantly faces the burden of â€Å"coming out†. This is one of the hardest challenges that an individual must face. Since most of homosexuals that go to school are having identity crisis and fear of rejection from their peers (if ever they decided to come out), they have a very high tendency to have unusual behavior from â€Å"straight people†. Most of the time, (with the assumption that the individuals are mostly teenagers since they still go to school) these people is in high risk of suicide, substance abuse, the feeling of isolation and more importantly, school problems. Consequently, because of this kind of behavior, they (and it) inevitably affect their relationship with other people. Because they always need the feel to isolated, the tendency is that, they can be the frequent butt of jokes (especially in schools where homosexuality is not yet a very open and accepted topic) that will in turn can lead into more dangerous behaviors. Moreover, when things go uncontrollable, there is also a huge tendency for the individual to resort to many absurd and unsafe displacement methods (i. . substance abuse, committing crimes, etc). Because of the rising number of individuals (particularly young homosexuals) that is involved in this kind of situations, a great deal of number of individuals and concerned groups were established to help them. Most of these help lines offer counseling but more than that, they also make sure that the individual can pursue his/her way to full acceptance and if worse comes to worse, to their recovery. Before the advent of DNA technology, psychologists and sociologists believe that the cause of homosexuality is influenced by the environment of the individual; but with DNA testing, they were able to pinpoint that somehow, genes has something to do with it. But more importantly, we cannot deny the fact that from the beginning, there were only male and female; but as time pass, some strong environmental factors can bend the reality of life that even Nature herself find it hard to turn back (or at least minimize the bad consequences) time.

Film Analysis of Malicks Badlands (1973) Essays -- Cinematography Fi

The reclusive film director Terrence Malick has to date, only directed a small number of films. His twenty year hiatus between directing Days of Heaven (1978) and The Thin Red Line (1998), may provide the explanation for such a sparse back catalogue. Malick’s refusal to talk with the media, has led to hearsay, as to how he occupied his time during the hiatus. Malick’s directing debut Badlands (1973) is a collection of concepts, all carefully moulded together to create one iconic piece of film. This process draws in and also alienates the audience. Malick’s style is positively noted by critics to be influenced by European philosophy. This is clearly due to Malick’s study of philosophy at Harvard and Magdalen College Oxford. There is no given explanation to the mindless violence featured within the film, mainly due to the films resistance to the straight forward approach. The familiar and the unknown are carefully merged together. The only way of gaining an understanding into the hidden meanings within Badlands is by breaking down the film, by looking at the characters, the use of sound, the visual setting and the films genre. The illusionary effect of Malick’s style means that all is not as it seems. The films protagonists Kit Caruthers (Martin Sheen) and Holly (Sissy Spacek) are loosely based on the real life adolescent criminals Charles Starkweather and his girlfriend Caril Ann Fugate. Starkweather and Fugate become infamous after their murder spree through Nebraska and Wyoming in the 1950’s, however the story of two young fugitives in love is not one that is unfamiliar with audiences; the most notable is Arthur Penn’s Bonnie and Clyde (1967). The character of Kit also bears a resemblance to Jim Stark, James Dean’s character i... ...ames Dean. Available at: http://panicon4july.blogspot.com/2010/01/doing-his-best-james-dean-terrence.html (Accessed 19/12/2010) Film reference: Badlands. Available at http://www.filmreference.com/Films-Aw-Be/Badlands.html (Accessed 19/12/2010) Films Absence of Malick (2003) Dir. David Gregory [DVD]. USA: Warner Home Video. Badlands (1973) Dir. Terrence Malick [DVD]. California: Warner Home Video. Books Elizabeth Weis, John Belton (1985) Theory and Practice Film Sound, New York: Columbia University Press, pp 346. Hannah Patterson (2007) The cinema of Terrence Malick: poetic visions of America, London: Wallflower Press, pp 6. John Gibbs and Douglas Pye (2005) Style and meaning : studies in the detailed analysis of film. Engalnd: Manchester University Press, pp 42-52. Lloyd Michaels (2009) Terrence Malick, New York: University of Illinois Press.

Bilingual Person Essay

Decades ago, being bilingual was an aspect of an individual that made them stand out from the others and be different. What if I tell you that in this modern society, being bilingual is just being one of the many thousands? A bilingual person is one who has the knowledge or intelligence of knowing two or more languages. However, there are different levels and stages of bilingualism. There is individual bilingualism which is when a person knows his/her mother tongue and another language that is used in society, as well as elective bilingualism which is a person who chooses to learn a new language. There also is circumstantial bilingualism which describes a person that learns another language in order to survive, and many others. Even though, bilingualism has a variety of degrees and aspects; it simply describes those persons who can speak two or more languages. In today’s society, bilingualism is being misunderstood since people think that a person who is bilingual is a rare phenomenon. In fact, studies have shown that more than half of the world’s population is currently bilingual. For example, I am currently living in Venezuela (Spanish speaking country) from which I am now blogging in English. Nevertheless, this doesn’t mean that being bilingual isn’t a quality that people have acquired, in my point of view, I call it a gift. An interesting fact of bilingualism is that it is currently found in all parts of the world and it isn’t stereotypical of any culture or society. In fact, bilingualism can be found at all levels of ethnic groups or society and in all age groups. Being a bilingual myself, I can speak from personal experience that becoming bilingual isn’t the hardest barrier that one will have to cross through life. It is indeed a smooth ride to another culture and dialect that will be helpful whenever it isn’t expected. Bilingualism doesn’t make you stand out. However, you feel excited and confident just like a little boy with a new toy to be able to communicate with several people from different parts of the world. It makes you feel intelligent and important. I believe that those people who are bilingual are more confident and secure of themselves when they have to travel to an unknown place. This is because those who are bilingual have the ability to defend themselves in different languages which one could speak in that unknown place. For those people who are bilingual and feel alienated because of their insufficient language ability, you must re-establish that thought and raise your confidence. I have had the opportunity to travel to many different places in the world. This has allowed me to utilize my quality to the world and thus aiding myself in various scenarios. I have used my English skills to communicate in France, England, China my Spanish in Angola, United States and even in Italy. The point is that in today’s society bilinguals are being misinterpreted due to their lack of confidence. That quality of being bilingual is being lost throughout the years due to people’s negative characteristics and personalities such as discrimination. There is a phenomenon known as code-switching which bilinguals tend to suffer from. I find very interesting how some bilinguals are often code-switching from one language to another. Code-switching is a verbal skill that requires an extensive degree of linguistic competence in more than one language, rather than a defect arising from insufficient knowledge of one or the other. Even though code-switching goes beyond that imperfection of linguistic competence and inadequate knowledge, it is commonly used in that sense. I have been several times in those situations that I have had to use another language in order to express myself. As stated before, this is caused because of the insufficient knowledge of one language. I clearly remember this instance I code-switched in France. I was at a restaurant, and I wanted to ask the waitress what was the meaning of a word in the menu but my English just didn’t come out. I remember I started speaking in Spanish then I switched to Portuguese until I finally spoke in English and found out what I needed to know about the menu. It was a very embarrassing moment that I will always remember. However, I did feel embarrassed but, luckily I am a bilingual and I was able to go through this experience. You consider yourself one of the other millions or billions? Don’t, you must be proud of what you know and of what you have improved throughout the years. Yes, you are a well-rounded bilingual! If you feel indifferent or just one more in the world, imagine what those people who aren’t bilingual think of their selves. Are they chipmunks? Are they cannibals? No, they are normal people that unfortunately don’t have the extraordinary quality that you have which is being bilingual. In other words bilingualism is a gift, a personal enrichment and a passport to other cultures. One never regrets knowing several languages but one can certainly regret not knowing enough. That is why if you have struggled or worked your way in order to learn a new language, be proud of yourself and embrace the world with your quality.

Assignment on Ncc Bank

Assignment on Customer Satisfaction of National Credit & Commerce (NCC) Bank Limited, Bangladesh Company Profile: National Credit and Commerce Bank Ltd. bears a unique history of its own. The organization started its journey in the financial sector of the country as an investment company back in 1985. The aim of the company was to mobilize resources from within and invest them in such way so as to develop country's Industrial and Trade Sector and playing a catalyst role in the formation of capital market as well.Its membership with the browse helped the company to a great extent in this regard. The company operated upto 1992 with 16 branches and thereafter with the permission of the Central Bank converted in to a full fledged private commercial Bank in 1993 with paid up capital of Tk. 39. 00 corore to serve the nation from a broader platform. Since its inception NCC Bank Ltd. has acquired commendable reputation by providing sincere personalized service to its customers in a technolog y based environment.The Bank has set up a new standard in financing in the Industrial, Trade and Foreign exchange business. Its various deposit ; credit products have also attracted the clients-both corporate and individuals who feel comfort in doing business with the Bank. Mission: To mobilize financial resources from within and abroad to contribute to Agriculture's, Industry & Socio-economic development of the country and to play a catalytic role in the formation of capital market.Vision: To become the Bank of choice in serving the Nation as a progressive and Socially Responsible financial institution by bringing credit & commerce together for profit and sustainable growth.Our wide range of merchants include Hotels, Restaurants, Airline and Travel Agents, Shopping Malls, Hospitals, Jewellery Shops, Mobile Phone and Internet Service Providers, Petrol Pumps and many more! Now NCC Bank Visa Credit Cards can also be used at all 142 ATM’s Booth and 600 POS (Point of Sale) of Dut ch-Bangla Bank. Instant Cash Advance: You do not need to carry cash any more if you have a NCC Bank Credit Card. You can withdraw cash up to 50% of your credit limit from any ATM across the country that shows Visa logo. Credit Facilities: NCC Bank Visa Credit Card offers you free Credit facility up to 45 days and minimum of 15 days without any interest (Purchase only). Supplementary Card | | | |NCC bank Visa Credit Card holder can also enjoy spouseCredit Card free of cost for lifetime and issue more Supplementary card. | | | |Reward Programs | | | |As a NCC Bank Visa Credit Card holder, you will accumulate Treasure points for every purchase made by using Visa Credit Card. For every Tk. | |50 and USD 1 spent on your Credit Card, you will earn 1 and 1. 5 Treasure Point accordingly and be closer to redeeming the reward of your | |choice. | | |Flexible Payment Option | | | |With the NCC Bank Visa Credit Card, you have the convenience to pay as little as 5% of your outstanding (or Tk. 50 0, whichever is higher) | |on the Card account every month, thus having the power and flexibility to plan your payments. | | | |Auto-Debit Payment Facility | | | |With the NCC bank Credit Card, you no longer have to stand in long queues for paying your monthly bill. You can pay your monthly bill | |through NCC Bank Account by instruction Auto-Debit. | | |Corporate Visa Credit Card | | | |Corporate is characteristic of individuals acting together; â€Å"a joint identity†; â€Å"the collective mind†; â€Å"the corporate good†. | | | |The new dimension of NCC Bank Visa Credit Card is Corporate Credit Card which has already started to benefit the Corporate Houses. | Objective of Corporate Customers *Fast and Accurate Services *Effective Communication *Attractive Pricing (Annual fee 50% discount on card fee) *Strong Communication *Smiling faces of the Bankers *Good Ambience in the Bank Our Corporate Offer Particular |Small (10-100) |Medium (101-500) |Large (500 above ) | |Card Fee |50% |50% |(Negotiable) | |Rate of Interest |2% |2% |2% | |Cash Withdrawal |2% |2% |2% | |Purchase |2% |2% |2% | |Maximum period of interest free |45 Days |45 Days |50 Days | |Replacement Card Fee |Charges |Charges |Free | |Late Payment Charge |Charges |Charges |Free | |Excess Over Limit Charges |Charges |Charges |Free | |Balance Transfer Facilities | | ||If anyone holds other Bank Credit Card, then NCC Bank will issue a credit card with equivalent limit and will issue a pay order by debiting| |card A/C from balance transfer option for the equivalent amount of total outstanding in order to full settlement and cancellation of other | |Bank A/C. | |Remittance Products | | | | | | |[| | | |p|Special Interest rate on Savings and Term Deposits | | |i| | | |c| | | |]| | | |[| | | |p| | | |i| | | |c| | | |]| | | | | | | |[| | | |p|Wage Earners Welfare Deposit Pension Scheme | | |i| | | |c| | | |]| | | |[| | | |p| | | |i| | | |c| | | |]| | | | | | | |[| | | |p|Loans for Real E state (Land purchase and House construction/renovation) | | |i| | | |c| | | |]| | | [| | | |p| | | |i| | | |c| | | |]| | | | | | | |[| | | |p|Advance against Regular Remittance | | |i| | | |c| | | |]| | | |[| | | |p| | | |i| | | |c| | | |]| | | All Services: |Brokerage House | | | | | | | |[pic][|Member, Dhaka Stock Exchange Ltd. |pic] | | | | | |[pic][|Full Service Depository Participant | |pic] | | |Treasury Service | | | | | | | |[pic][|Primary Dealer of Govt.Approved Securities | |pic] | | | | | | | |Remittance Service | | | | | | | | | | | |[pic][|Correspondence arrangement with more than 330 Financial Institutions all over the World | | |pic] | | | | | | | |[pic][|For Wage Earners Remittance we have Agency arrangement with 12 reputed Exchange Housescovering major Locations of our Expatriates | | |pic] | | |

Implicit and Explicit Constructor Chaining

Implicit and Explicit Constructor Chaining Constructor chaining in Java is simply the act of one constructor calling another constructor via inheritance. This happens implicitly when a subclass is constructed: its first task is to call its parents constructor method. But programmers can also call another constructor explicitly using the keywords  this() or  super(). The this() keyword calls another overloaded constructor  in the same class; the super() keyword calls a non-default constructor in a superclass. Implicit Constructor Chaining Constructor chaining occurs through the use of inheritance. A subclass constructor methods first task is to call its superclass constructor method. This ensures that the creation of the subclass object starts with the initialization of the classes above it in the inheritance chain. There could be any number of classes in an inheritance chain. Every constructor method calls up the chain until the class at the top has been reached and initialized. Then each subsequent class below is initialized as the chain winds back down to the original subclass. This process is called constructor chaining. Note that: This implicit call to the superclass is the same as if the subclass had included the super() keyword, i.e. super() is implicit here.If a no-args constructor is not included in the class, Java creates one behind the scenes and invokes it. This means that if your only constructor takes an argument, you must explicitly use a this() or super() keyword to invoke it (see below). Consider this superclass Animal extended by Mammal: class Animal {// constructorAnimal(){   System.out.println(Were in class Animals constructor.);}} class Mammal extends Animal {//constructorMammal(){   System.out.println(Were in class Mammal s constructor.);}} Now, lets instantiate the class Mammal: public class ChainingConstructors {   /*** param args*/public static void main(String[] args) {Mammal m new Mammal();}} When the above program runs, Java implicitly triggers a call to the superclass Animal constructor, then to the class constructor. The output, therefore, will be: Were in class Animals constructorWere in class Mammals constructor Explicit Constructor Chaining using this() or super() Explicit use of the this() or super() keywords allows you to call a non-default constructor. To call a non-args default constructor or an overloaded constructor from within the same class, use the  this()  keyword.  To call a non-default superclass constructor from a subclass, use the super() keyword. For instance, if the superclass has multiple constructors, a subclass may always want to call a specific constructor, rather than the default. Note that the call to another constructor must be the first statement in the constructor or Java will throw a compilation error. Consider the code below in which a new subclass, Carnivore, inherits from Mammal class which inherits from the Animal class, and each class now has a constructor that takes an argument. Heres the superclass Animal:   public class Animalprivate String name;public Animal(String name)  // constructor with an argument{this.name name;System.out.println(Im executed first.);}}Note that the constructor now takes a name of type String as a parameter and that the body of the class calls this() on the constructor. Without the explicit use of this.name, Java would create a default, no-args constructor and invoke that, instead. Heres the subclass Mammal: public class Mammal extends Animal {public Mammal(String name){super(name);System.out.println(Im executed second);}} Its constructor also takes an argument, and it uses super(name) to invoke a specific constructor in its superclass. Heres another subclass Carnivore. This inherits from Mammal:   public class Carnivore extends Mammal{public Carnivore(String name){super(name);System.out.println(Im executed last);}} When run, these three code blocks would print: Im executed first.Im executed second.Im executed last. To recap: When an instance of the Carnivore class is created, the first action of its constructor method is to call the Mammal constructor method. Likewise, the first action of the Mammal constructor method is to call the Animal constructor method. A chain of constructor method calls ensure that the instance of the Carnivore object has properly initialized all the classes in its inheritance chain.

Progeny and Other Offspring

Progeny and Other Offspring Progeny and Other Offspring Progeny and Other Offspring By Maeve Maddox A reader asks for clarification: Please tell me under which situation I use the word progeny and where to use  offspring, with examples. English is blessed with numerous words to refer to the product of sexual union; progeny and offspring are only two of them. The gen in progeny, like the gen in genital, goes back to a Latin word for beget. Progeny, therefore, is a good all-purpose word to describe people, plants, and animals that are the product of sexual reproduction. Offspring is not so literal a word as progeny; it combines the verb spring with the adverb off. Offspring are what â€Å"jump off† from the parent. It has a friendlier, less formal connotation than progeny. Compare, for example, Mr. and Mrs. Gilbreth brought up their progeny according to strict ideas of efficiency. Mr. and Mrs. Gilbreth treated their offspring to a day at the beach. Here’s a list of synonyms that are or have been used with the meaning of progeny: babies brood children descendants family fruit of one’s loins fruit of one’s womb heirs issue offspring posterity progeny scions seed sons and daughters successors spawn young Like all synonyms, these words have different connotations. We speak of babies, children, family, and sons and daughters when we are talking about people in general. In matters of law, the words heirs and issue are used with specific legal meaning. A man’s children are called issue, usually in the sense of children who have a legal right to inherit. An heir is the person entitled by law to succeed another â€Å"in the enjoyment of property or rank.† Prince Charles is referred to as â€Å"heir to the British throne,† but according to the OED, legally speaking, he won’t be the heir until his mother dies: nemo est heres viventis, â€Å"nobody is a living heir.† Genealogists talk in terms of descendants. Historians speak of posterity, the people who come after those living in the present: For it has been wisely said that if the judgment of the time must be corrected by that of posterity, it is no less true that the judgment of posterity must be corrected by that of the time.† Felix Frankfurter The horticultural term scion is often used in speaking of the descendants of noble or wealthy families: Originally built by Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt, a scion of the wealthy Vanderbilt family, the 1909 property [the Vanderbilt Grace hotel] is a vintage Newport mansion that has been restored to its former glory In gardening terms, a scion is a slip taken from a tree or other plant and used for grafting. Another gardening word, seed, is also used to mean progeny: Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. –Galatians 3:16. The expression â€Å"fruit of loins/womb† is familiar from the KJ translation of the Bible, as in the greeting of Mary’s cousin Elisabeth: And she [Elisabeth] spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. Luke 1:42. The word brood for children has a warm, motherly connotation. Its figurative use derives from the way a hen sits on her eggs to keep them warm. Indeed, brood is cognate with Middle High German bruot, ‘heat, warmth, hatching, that which is hatched.† The only word in the list that has an out-and-out negative connotation is spawn. Literally the eggs of aquatic creatures, spawn is used figuratively as both noun and verb to suggest that the progeny spoken of is undesirable. Because spawn is frequently used to refer to demons, as in â€Å"hell-spawn† and â€Å"spawn of the devil,† the word has become popular in the world of comics and novels about the forces of good and evil. As a noun, spawn can refer to any type of progeny that may be seen as potentially as bad as the parent. As a verb, spawn is often used to mean â€Å"to create something bad†: Joblessness, poverty, crime spawn violence Delinquent Parents Spawn Teenage Criminals Suburban hazing scandals spawn new criminal offense Computers Spawn A New Criminal Breed Some journalists use negative spawn where a word like initiate or even beget would be more appropriate: Dedicated Leaders Spawn Island Cooperative Scholar’s research spawns international remembrance effort The surest way to develop an ear for connotation is to read widely from the English literary canon, a practice that is becoming less frequent among the nominally educated. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:100 Beautiful and Ugly Words5 Brainstorming Strategies for WritersThe Difference Between "Un-" and "Dis-"

Impact of urbanization on the climate in developing countries Research Paper

Impact of urbanization on the climate in developing countries - Research Paper Example Today, urbanization has been expanded globally. Its rapid expansion has been related to climate change; the phenomenon is more intensive in developing countries. The effects of urbanization on the climate change in developing countries are presented and analyzed in this paper. The literature related to this subject has been critically reviewed in order to identify all aspects of the relationship between urbanization and climate change, in regard to the developing countries. It is proved that urbanization is highly involved in climate change in these countries; however, the level at which urbanization has influenced the climate of developing countries is not standardized. Certain of these countries have been proved as better prepared to control the expansion of urbanization in their territory. Other countries, such as China, face difficulties in managing the effects of urbanization. Due to its radical expansion worldwide, urbanization has been extensively explored as of its environmental effects. In fact, it has been proved that urbanization can impact the environment in regard to all its elements, meaning ‘the atmosphere, the hydrosphere and the lithosphere’ (Joseph 2009, p.11). More specifically, under the influence of urbanization, the levels of CO2 in the atmosphere can reach extremely high levels, depending on the density of local population (Joseph 2009). At the same time, urbanization leads to the reduction of the O2 available in atmosphere, due to the limitation of green areas where O2 is produced (Joseph 2009). In terms of the hydrosphere the expansion of urbanization is reflected to the following fact: the needs for water in urban areas can be quite high (Joseph 2009). The potentials of local water depositories to respond to these needs are often limited (Joseph 2009). In addition, urbanization can affect lithosphere: extensive land areas are

Ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 43

Ethics - Essay Example Certainly, this corporate reputation could be easily misconstrued to imply that the company is doing well in all respects. Analyzes of the company’s past performance records reveal issues of ethical concerns related to discrimination of workers. This discrimination is occasioned by arbitrary termination of contracts and firing of employees. On 28th Jan 2015, the Liberty Institute filed a case against the company on behalf of an employee named Thomas Banks. In this lawsuit, the plaintiff accused the company of firing him on religious grounds (Ferrell, Fraedrich & Ferrell, 2013). Banks had received a pro-homosexuality newsletter from his employer, Ford Company, which aroused his concern to send a feedback disagreeing with the intended homosexual policy citing non-conjunction with the biblical subscriptions. This dismissal based on the religious inclination of an employee not only implied corporate negligence of workers’ welfare but also violated the Federal civil rights act of 1964. There are several replica of such discriminatory activities associated with Ford Motor Company. This paper analyzes the ethical flaws within Ford Company in order to provide mitigation alternatives. Ford Company continues to face severe and expensive lawsuits linking it to ethical negligence. Women employees within the company have experienced sexual harassment in the enterprise. Some of the discrimination cases have been judicially addressed while others still remain at large (Ferrell, Fraedrich & Ferrell, 2013). Discrimination within Ford takes different phases including gender, racial, and religious discrimination. It is factual that the primary aim of business organizations is to attain high-profit margins and customer loyalty. The achievement of the main corporate objectives results from the proper management of human resources to ensure high quality and

Issue facing texas Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Issue facing texas - Research Paper Example A part from education, there are some other issues that must also be addressed in Texas. These issues involve poverty, budget and tax payment. These issues have been there for long time but there are current reforms that have been put in place in orders to control these challenges. Education policy (university & colleges) There have been many challenges that are affecting the education sector in Texas. Some have been there for long while others have been caused by the current legislation and the type of education system that have been put in place. One of the major issues facing Texas colleges and university education is the lack of funds for both the students and the schools. The cost of colleges and universities are very high in Texas. This blocks many students from pursuing there postsecondary schools courses. In the past, the cost of colleges was average. Many parents were able to take their children for high education. This dream has been erased by the rise of school fees. Recen tly, college costs have risen at a very high rate. This rise has even exceeded the rate at which inflation goes up. Parents and students now feel they are being exploited by the government due to the rise in school fees. Some cannot afford to pay all the fees and their children are forced to drop out of college. This rise of education fees has been caused by Texas failure to pay taxes. There has been a big hole in Texas budget that has forced the tax payers’ lot money in trying to reduce the budget deficits ("Challenges Facing Career and Technical Education"). This issue of rise in school fees has been dealt with to some extent. There are some policies that have been put in place in order to reduce the rise in school fees. These measures also help parents and students raise enough money for high education. One of the measures that have been put in place includes giving financial aids to the students who are studying in colleges and universities. This aid is made effective by giving loans to the students. These loans are given through private financial institutions or federal government. These institutions include education tax credits, state loans, work-study programs and federal grants. These loans help many students in colleges. Those who are in the two-year community colleges can also benefit from the loans. They will be able to give back to the society after completing college. The loan is also available for those who are going for five years in their high education. Most of the students who are going for four years have high chances of getting these loans as compared to those who are going for two years. This is because the four-year courses are known to cost more money than the two-year courses ("Challenges Facing Career and Technical Education"). From my opinion, this policy of giving financial aid to students is very important. It helps many students whose dreams were to study in colleges and universities. It is also very essential for students who come from poor families. When these students complete their education, they will be able to help the other members of their families. This means that the financial aid important will help the whole society. K-12 Education There many issues that is associated with K-12 education in Texas. Some of the issues are caused by larger number of students in the lower grade schools. This large population in

Yellow Wallpaper Essay Essay Example for Free

Yellow Wallpaper Essay Essay (Full name Charlotte Anna Perkins Stetson Gilman) American short story writer, essayist, novelist, and autobiographer. The following entry presents criticism of Gilmans short story â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper† (1892). The short story â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper,† by nineteenth-century feminist Charlotte Perkins Gilman, was first published in 1892 in New England Magazine. Gilmans story, based upon her own experience with a â€Å"rest cure† for mental illness, was written as a critique of the medical treatment prescribed to women suffering from a condition then known as â€Å"neurasthenia. † The significance of â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper† as a feminist text, however, was not acknowledged until the critically acclaimed 1973 reissue of the story by the Feminist Press. Henceforth, â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper† made its way into the canon of feminist literature, becoming a staple of university womens studies courses. Since 1973, â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper† has been reissued by several publishers in various volumes edited by literary critics. It was also adapted to film in a 1992 made-for-television production by the British Broadcasting Corporation. Plot and Major Characters While in her twenties, Gilman was diagnosed with a mental disorder called neurasthenia or â€Å"nervous prostration.† She was treated by Dr. S. Weir Mitchell, the leading authority on this illness. Mitchells rest cure, prescribed primarily to women, consisted of committing the patient to bed for a period of months, during which time the patient was fed only mild foods and deprived of all mental, physical, and social activity—reading, writing, and painting were explicitly prohibited. Gilman once stated that the rest cure itself nearly drove her insane. The parallels between Gilmans experience and that of the narrator in â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper† are evident in the story. â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper† is structured as a series of secret diary entries by an unnamed woman, a young wife and new mother whose debilitating mental condition has prevented her from caring for her infant. She and her husband John, who is a doctor, have rented a house in the country, i n which she is to take a rest cure. The narrator is confined to an upstairs room that was once a childs nursery but has been stripped of all furnishings and decor, except for a bed that is nailed to the floor, bars over the windows, and a garish yellow wallpaper. She describes the color and pattern of the wallpaper in an assortment of distasteful ways. The narrator becomes more obsessed with the wallpaper and begins to imagine that a woman is trapped behind it. The storys finale finds the narrator creeping around the edges of the room and tearing the wallpaper in ragged sheets from the walls in an attempt to free the woman she believes to be trapped behind it. When her husband unlocks the door and finds his wife and the room in these conditions, he is appalled. â€Å"Ive got out at last,† she explains, â€Å"And Ive pulled off most of the paper so you cant put me back!† He faints, and she continues to creep around the room, crawling over her husband as he lies unconscious on the floor. Major Themes Several major themes emerge from the narrative of â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper.† Gilmans story expresses a general concern with the role of women in nineteenth-century society, particularly within the realms of marriage, maternity, and domesticity. The narrators confinement to her home and her feelings of being dominated and victimized by those around her, particularly her husband, is an indication of the many domestic limitations that society places upon women. The yellow wallpaper itself becomes a symbol of this oppression to a woman who feels trapped in her roles as wife and mother. Gilmans story further expresses a concern for the ways in which society discourages women of creative self-expression. The narrators urge to express herself through writing is stifled by the rest cure. Yet, the creative impulse is so strong that she assumes the risk of secretly writing in a diary, which she hides from her husband. Finally, â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper† addresses issues of men tal illness and the medical treatment of women. While the narrator is clearly suffering from some kind of psychological distress at the beginning of the story, her mental state is worsened by her husbands medical opinion that she confine herself to the house. The inadequacy of the patriarchial medical profession in treating womens mental health is further indicated by the narrators fear of being sent to the famous Dr. Weir, proponent of the rest cure treatment. Critical Reception At the time of its initial publication in 1892, â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper† was regarded primarily as a supernatural tale of horror and insanity in the tradition of Edgar Allan Poe. In 1920, â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper† was reprinted in the volume Great Modern American Short Stories, edited by William Dean Howells, who described it as a story to â€Å"freeze our †¦ blood.† Elaine R. Hedges, author of the afterword to the 1973 version, praised the work as â€Å"one of the rare pieces of literature we have by a nineteenth-century woman who directly confronts the sexual politics of the male-female, husband-wife relationship.† Since that time, Gilmans story has been discussed by literary critics from a broad range of perspectives—biographical, historical, psychological, feminist, semiotic, and socio-cultural. Nearly all of these critics acknowledge the story as a feminist text written in protest of the negligent treatment of women by a patriarchal society. Furthermore, the story has sparked lively critical discussion and ongoing debate over the symbolic meaning of the wallpaper, the extent to which the st ory represents an effective feminist statement, and the implications of the storys ending. Critics continue to debate the question of whether Gilman provides a feminist solution to the patriarchal oppression that is exposed in the story, while acknowledging the enduring significance of â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper† as both a feminist document and a literary text for contemporary readers.

Emiliano Zapata Essay -- essays research papers

Emiliano Zapata, born on August 8, 1879, in the village of Anenecuilco, Morelos (Mexico), Emiliano Zapata was of mestizo heritage and the son of a peasant medier, (a sharecropper or owner of a small plot of land). From the age of eighteen, after the death of his father, he had to support his mother and three sisters and managed to do so very successfully. The little farm prospered enough to allow Zapata to augment the already respectable status he had in his native village. In September of 1909, the residents of Anenecuilco elected Emiliano Zapata president of the village's "defense committee," an age-old group charged with defending the community's interests. In this position, it was Zapata's duty to represent his village's rights before the president-dictator of Mexico, Porfirio Dà ­az, and the governor of Morelos, Pablo Escandà ³n. During the 1880s, Mexico had experienced a boom in sugar cane production, a development that led to the acquisition of more and more land by the hacienderos or plantation owners. Their plantations grew while whole villages disappeared and more and more medieros and other peasants lost their livelihoods or were forced to work on the haciendas. It was under these conditions that a plantation called El Hospital neighboring Zapata's village began encroaching more and more upon the small farmers' lands. This was the first conflict in which Emiliano Zapata established his reputation as a fighter and leader. He led various peaceful occupations and re-divisions of land, increasing his status and his fame to give him regional recognition. In 1910, Francisco Madero, a son of wealthy plantation owners, instigated a revolution against the government of president Dà ­az. Even though most of his motives were political (institute effective suffrage and disallow reelections of presidents), Madero's revolutionary plan included provisions for returning seized lands to peasant farmers. The latter became a rallying cry for the peasantry and Zapata began organizing locals into revolutionary bands, riding from village to village, tearing down hacienda fences and opposing the landed elite's encroachment into their villages. On November 18, the federal government began rounding up Maderistas (the followers of Francisco Madero), and only forty-eight hours later, the first shots of the Mexican Revolution were fired. While the government was confide... ...Morelos seemed at a permanent stalemate. Carranza knew that he could never fully take Mexico while Zapata was still alive and in charge of his army. To rid himself of his enemy, Carranza devised a trap. A letter had been intercepted in which Zapata invited a colonel of the Mexican army who had shown leanings toward his cause to meet and join forces. This colonel, Jesà ºs Guajardo, under the threat of being executed as a traitor, pretended to agree to meet Zapata and defect to his side. On Thursday, April 10, 1919, Zapata walked into Carranza's trap as he met with Guajardo in the town of Chinameca. There, at 2:10 PM, Zapata was shot and killed by federal soldiers, and as the man Zapata hit the ground, dead instantly, the legend of Zapata reached its climax. Carranza did not achieve his goal by killing Zapata. On the contrary, in May of 1920, à lvaro Obregà ³n, one of Zapata's right-hand men, entered the capital with a large fighting force of Zapatistas, and after Carranza had fled, formed the seventy-third government in Mexico's history of independence. In this government, the Zapatistas played an important role, especially in the Department of Agriculture. Mexico was finally at peace.

Kafka and Grimm

Kafka presents a very different story line themed to alienation than Tolstoy:   The Metamorphosis is not subtle in its allusion to how Gregor feels, nor is it sly in its presentation of how Gregor is treated.   Upon awakening one morning Gregor finds that he has been transformed into a monstrous vermin.   Despite this reality, Gregor does not preoccupy himself with his own change but focuses on the dreary weather outside; the rain, the wind.   He does not fully realize his situation in least and goes about his diurnal routines without worrying about his great transformation: â€Å"When Gregor Samsa woke up one morning from unsettling dreams, he found himself changed in his bed into a monstrous vermin.He was lying on his back as hard as armor plate, and when he lifted his head a little, he saw his vaulted brown belly, sectioned by arch-shaped ribs, to whose dome the cover, about to slide off completely, could barely cling. His many legs, pitifully thin compared with the size of the rest of him, were waving helplessly before his eyes.† (P. 3).   This description of change is extreme and yet, despite its severity or alternating course of life, Gregor does not recognize it as anything in particular.   Through this, the reader realizes the extent of Gregor’s alienation from himself, when such a physical difference is presented to him from his own body he chooses not to recognize it, and thus, the theme of alienation from self is made clear from the start of the novella.Through Gregor’s family the reader realizes a sense of extreme change.   Despite Gregor’s displaced emotion of his own body and geography, his family recognizes quite clearly the situation.   It is in this moment that Gregor’s previous alienation of him takes on a more physical and apparent form as seen when Gregor first steps or crawls out of his bedroom after his discourse of loathing his job, â€Å"And now he could see him, standing closest to the door, his hand pressed over his open mouth, slowly backing away, as if repulsed by an invisible, unrelenting force.His mother – in spite of the manager's presence she stood with her hair still unbraided from the night, sticking out in all directions – first looked at his father with her hands clasped, then took two steps towards Gregor, and sank down in the midst of her skirt spreading out around her, her face completely hidden on her breast. With a hostile expression his father clenched his fist, as if to drive Gregor back into his room, then looked uncertainly around the living room, shielded his eyes with his hands, and sobbed with heaves of his powerful chest.† (P. 15).   It is in this revealing narrative that the reader grasps how grotesque Gregor has become.   He has already been alienating himself from his family, and keeping to himself, and not being relatable and thus, his family truly cannot recognize him anymore, it merely took the physical repres entation of his alienation for this to occur.It is through Gregor’s family that the theme of alienation persists.   Gregor had been the provider of the family and with recognition, â€Å"Those had been wonderful times, and they had never returned, at least not with the same glory, although later on Gregor earned enough money to meet the expenses of the entire family and actually did so. They had just gotten used to it, the family as well as Gregor, the money was received with thanks and given with pleasure.† (P. 27).   Thus it would seem that Gregor’s alienation has erupted because he is displeased with his job, yet he keeps his job because that is his role in his family and with this in mind, it seems that Gregor does not want to be placed in that role any longer.The theme of alienation is seen in Kafka’s narrative, â€Å"Into a room in which Gregor ruled the bare walls all alone, no human being beside Grete was ever likely to set foot.† (P. 3 0).   So, with his family no longer seeing him as the provider the manifestation of harbored feelings rise in the form of a vermin and Gregor cannot hide the truth of his existence any longer from his family; his family rejects Gregor, and he dies.Thus, Gregor’s death is the ultimate alienation, and his rejection by his family is the tribute to such a theme,   â€Å"Gregor's serious wound, from which he suffered for over a month – the apple remained imbedded in his flesh as a visible souvenir since no one dared to remove it – seemed to have reminded even his father that Gregor was a member of the family, in spite of his present pathetic and repulsive shape, who could not be treated as an enemy; that on the contrary, it was the commandment of family duty to swallow their disgust and endure him, endure him and nothing more.† (P. 40).The concept of metamorphoses is not a foreign idea in literature as the Brother’s Grimm have used this technique in many instances.   The transformation side of a fairy tale is found in a plethora of tales including, The Frog King or Iron Henry, and to an extent, Little Red-Cap.   Each of these stories illustrates a stage of transformation either as a curse, or as a means to gain something.   In The Frog King or Iron Henry a prince is transformed into a frog in a tale of bewitchment.   The story differs on the concept between whether the princess kisses or throws the frog in order for the frog to transform back into a prince.The tale of this kind is different from Kafka’s due to the nature and the way in which the transformation changes the main character.   For Gregor, the metamorphoses relates to his family and other problems with life, while with the prince/frog the concept of the tale revolves around the change of the people around the prince/frog such as the princess and Henry, the servant.The transformation of the people around the prince/frog is well established with the snide behavior of the princess changing into a more civilized person, and the prince’s servant Henry who had bound his heart with gold bonds in order so that it would not break on the prince having been cursed into being a frog.   Thus, the fundamental difference between these two stories rests with the outside characters being changed in the Grimm’s tale and the physical change in Gregor only relating to him.In another Grimm tale Little Red-Cap a little girl who adores her grandmother goes to see her only to find a wolf in her place dressed in her grandmother’s clothing in order to deceive the little girl and to consume her.   Although the element of consumption is similar in Kafka’s story as in Gregor feeling consumed by the world he lives in and does not feel satisfaction in and thus is consumed by it, so does the wolf desire to consume the little girl.The story of transformation in Little Red-Cap involves changing an animal into a human and thus t he change regarded for these two stories revolves around a human changing into an animal (insect) and an animal changing into a human each for the purpose of consumption but in different regards.   Gregor changes into an insect in relation to an unfulfillment of life while the wolf changes into a human in order to be fulfilled.   For both stories their desires are not met as the wolf is only fulfilled with stones and then skinned and Gregor is not given a chance to find fulfillment as he was a wastrel in life having neither goal nor purpose and thus his ebb of desire lessens and lessens until he is killed.Work CitedKafka, F.   The Metamorphosis.   Crown.   2003.http://www.familymanagement.com/literacy/grimms/grimms20.htmlhttp://www.familymanagement.com/literacy/grimms/grimms01.html

Spirit Bound Chapter Five

I DECIDED IT'D BE BEST if Lissa and I stayed up late when we returned to her room, poring over the documents. She was a jumble of feelings when I told her about my encounter with Mikhail–which I hadn't mentioned to Mia. Lissa's initial reaction was surprise, but there were other things too. Fear over the trouble I could have gotten into. A bit of warm romanticism over what both Mikhail and I were willing to do for those we loved. Wonder if she would do the same if Christian were in that situation. She decided instantly that she would; her love for him was still that strong. Then she told herself that she actually didn't care about him anymore, which I would have found annoying if I wasn't so distracted. â€Å"What's wrong?† she asked. I'd sighed aloud in dismay without realizing it while I read her thoughts. Not wanting her to know I'd been perusing her mind, I pointed at the papers spread out on her bed. â€Å"Just trying to make sense of this.† Not entirely that far off from the truth. The prison's layout was complex. The cells occupied two floors and were tiny–only one prisoner per cell. The papers didn't explain why, but the reason was obvious. It went along with what Abe had said about keeping criminals from turning Strigoi. If I'd been locked away in prison for years, I could understand the temptation of cracking and killing my roommate to become Strigoi and escape. The cells were also kept housed in the very center of the building, surrounded by guards, offices, â€Å"exercise rooms,† a kitchen, and a feeders' room. The documents explained guard rotations, as well as prisoner feeding schedules. They were apparently escorted to the feeders one at a time, heavily guarded, and only allowed very short spurts of blood. Again, everything kept the prisoners weak and prevented them from turning Strigoi. It was all good information, but I had no reason to believe any of it was up-to-date, since the file was five years old. It was also likely the prison had all sorts of new surveillance equipment in place. Probably the only things we could count on being the same were the prison's location and the building's layout. â€Å"How good are you feeling about your charm-making skills?† I asked Lissa. Although she hadn't been able to put as much spirit healing into my ring as a woman I knew named Oksana could, I had noticed my darkness-induced temper soothed a little. Lissa'd made a ring for Adrian too, though I couldn't say for sure if it was what was helping him control his vices lately–vices he usually indulged in to control spirit. She shrugged and rolled over onto her back. Exhaustion filled her, but she was trying to stay awake for my sake. â€Å"Getting better. Wish I could meet Oksana.† â€Å"Maybe someday,† I said vaguely. I didn't think Oksana would ever leave Siberia. She'd run off with her guardian and wanted to keep a low profile. Besides, I didn't want Lissa over there anytime soon after my ordeals. â€Å"Have you been able to put in anything besides healing?† A moment later, I answered my own question. â€Å"Oh, right. The spoon.† Lissa grimaced, but it turned into a yawn. â€Å"I don't think it worked so well.† â€Å"Hmm.† â€Å"Hmm?† I glanced back at the blueprints. â€Å"I'm thinking if you could make a few more compulsion charms, it would go a long way to help with this. We need to make people see what we want them to see.† Surely if Victor–whose powers of compulsion were nowhere near hers–had managed a lust charm, she could do what I needed. She just needed more practice. She understood the basic principles but had trouble making her desired effects last. The only problem was that in asking her to do this, I was making her use more spirit. Even if the side effects didn't show up right away, they would likely come back to haunt her in the future. She glanced at me curiously, but when I saw her yawn again, I told her not to worry about it. I'd explain tomorrow. She offered no argument, and after a quick hug, we each retired to our own beds. We weren't going to get much sleep, but we had to get what we could. Tomorrow was a big day. I'd worn a variation of the guardians' formal black-and-white outfit when I went to Victor's trial. In normal bodyguard situations, we wore ordinary clothes. But for fancy events, they wanted us looking crisp and professional. The morning after our daring break-in, I got my first true taste of guardian fashion. I'd worn hand-me-down clothes at Victor's trial but now had an official guardian outfit, tailored exactly to my measurements: straight-legged black slacks, a white button-up blouse, and a black dress jacket that fit me perfectly. It certainly wasn't meant to be sexy, but the way it hugged my stomach and hips did good things for my body. I felt satisfied with my reflection in the mirror, and after several minutes of thought, I pulled my hair into a neatly braided bun that showed off my molnija marks. The skin was still irritated, but at least the bandage was gone. I looked very†¦ professional. I was actually kind of reminded of Sydney. She was an Alchemist–a human who worked with Moroi and dhampirs to hide the existence of vampires from the world. With her proper sense of fashion, she always looked ready for a business meeting. I kept wanting to send her a briefcase for Christmas. If ever there was a time for me to show off, today was the day. After the trials and graduation, this was the next biggest step in becoming a guardian. It was a luncheon that all new grads attended. Moroi eligible for new guardians would also attend, hoping to scope out the candidates. Our scores from school and the trials would have been made public knowledge by now, and this was a chance for Moroi to meet us and put in bids for who they wanted to guard them. Naturally, most guests would be royal, but a few other important Moroi would also qualify. I really had no interest in showing off and hooking a posh family. Lissa was the only one I wanted to guard. Still, I had to make a good impression. I needed to make it clear that I was the one who should be with her. She and I walked over to the royal ballroom together. It was the only place large enough to hold us all, since more than just St. Vladimir's grads were in attendance. All the American schools had sent their new recruits, and for a moment, I found the sea of black and white dizzying. Bits of color–royals dressed up in their finest clothing–livened the palette up a little. Around us, soft watercolor murals made the walls seem to glow. Lissa hadn't worn a ball gown or anything, but she looked very elegant in a formfitting teal dress made of raw silk. The royals mingled with the social ease they'd been raised with, but my classmates moved about uneasily. No one seemed to mind. It wasn't our job to seek out others; we would be approached. The grads all wore name tags–engraved metal ones. There were no HELLO, MY NAME IS†¦ stickers here. The tags made us identifiable so that the royals could come and do their interrogations. I didn't expect anyone except my friends to talk to me, so Lissa and I headed straight for the buffet and then occupied a quiet corner to munch on our canapes and caviar. Well, Lissa ate caviar. It reminded me too much of Russia. Adrian, of course, sought us out first. I gave him a crooked grin. â€Å"What are you doing here? I know you aren't eligible for a guardian.† With no concrete plans for his future, it was assumed Adrian would simply live at Court. As such, he'd need no outside protection–though he'd certainly qualify if he chose to strike out into the world. â€Å"True, but I could hardly miss a party,† he said. He held a glass of champagne in his hand, and I wondered if the effects of the ring Lissa had given him were wearing off. Of course, the occasional drink really wasn't the end of the world, and the dating proposal's language had been loose in that area. It was mostly the smoking I wanted him to stay away from. â€Å"Have you been approached by a dozen hopeful people?† I shook my head. â€Å"Who wants reckless Rose Hathaway? The one who drops out without warning to do her own thing?† â€Å"Plenty,† he said. â€Å"I sure do. You kicked ass in the battle, and remember–everyone thinks you went off on some Strigoi-killing spree. Some might think it's worth your crazy personality.† â€Å"He's right,† a voice suddenly said. I looked up and saw Tasha Ozera standing near us, a small smile on her scarred face. In spite of the disfigurement, I thought she looked beautiful today–more royal than I'd ever seen her. Her long black hair gleamed, and she wore a navy skirt and lacy tank top. She even had on high heels and jewelry–something I was certain I'd never seen her wearing. I was happy to see her; I hadn't known she'd come to Court. An odd thought occurred to me. â€Å"Have they finally let you have a guardian?† The royals had a lot of quiet, polite ways of shunning those who were in disgrace. In the Ozeras' case, their guardian allotment had been cut in half as kind of a punishment for what Christian's parents had done. It was totally unfair. The Ozeras deserved the same rights as any other royal family. She nodded. â€Å"I think they're hoping it'll shut me up about Moroi fighting with dhampirs. Kind of a bribe.† â€Å"One you won't fall for, I'm sure.† â€Å"Nope. If anything, it'll just give me someone to practice with.† Her smile faded, and she cast uncertain looks among us. â€Å"I hope you won't be offended†¦ but I put in a request for you, Rose.† Lissa and I exchanged startled glances. â€Å"Oh.† I didn't know what else to say. â€Å"I hope they'll give you to Lissa,† Tasha added hastily, clearly uncomfortable. â€Å"But the queen seems pretty dead-set on her own choices. If that's the case†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"It's okay,† I said. â€Å"If I can't be with Lissa, then I really would rather be with you.† It was the truth. I wanted Lissa more than anyone else in the world, but if they kept us apart, then I'd absolutely prefer Tasha to some snobby royal. Of course, I was pretty sure my odds of getting assigned to her were as bad as those of getting assigned to Lissa. Those who were angry at me for running off would go out of their way to put me in the most unpleasant situation possible. And even if she was being granted a guardian, I had a feeling Tasha's preferences wouldn't be high priority either. My future was still a big question mark. â€Å"Hey,† exclaimed Adrian, offended that I hadn't named him as my second choice. I shook my head at him. â€Å"You know they'd assign me to a woman anyway. Besides, you've got to do something with your life to earn a guardian.† I meant it jokingly, but a small frown made me think I might have actually hurt his feelings. Tasha, meanwhile, looked relieved. â€Å"I'm glad you don't mind. In the meantime, I'll do what I can to help you two.† She rolled her eyes. â€Å"Not that my opinion counts for much.† Sharing my misgivings about getting assigned to Tasha seemed pointless. Instead, I started to thank her for the offer, but we were then joined by yet another visitor: Daniella Ivashkov. â€Å"Adrian,† she chastised gently, a small smile on her face, â€Å"you can't keep Rose and Vasilisa all to yourself.† She turned to Lissa and me. â€Å"The queen would like to see you both.† Lovely. We both stood up, but Adrian remained sitting, having no desire to visit his aunt. Tasha apparently didn't either. Seeing her, Daniella gave a curt, polite nod. â€Å"Lady Ozera.† She then walked away, assuming we'd follow. I found it ironic that Daniella seemed willing to accept me but still held that typical aloof Ozera-prejudice. I guess her niceness only went so far. Tasha, however, had long since grown immune to that sort of treatment. â€Å"Have fun,† she said. She looked over at Adrian. â€Å"More champagne?† â€Å"Lady Ozera,† he said grandly, â€Å"you and I are two minds with a single thought.† I hesitated before following Lissa to Tatiana. I'd taken in Tasha's grand appearance but only now really paid attention to something. â€Å"Is all your jewelry silver?† I asked. She absentmindedly touched the opal necklace around her neck. Her fingers were adorned with three rings. â€Å"Yes,† she said, confused. â€Å"Why?† â€Å"This is going to sound really weird†¦ well, maybe not compared to my normal weirdness. But could we, um, borrow all of those?† Lissa shot me a look and immediately guessed my motives. We needed more charms and were short on silver. Tasha arched an eyebrow, but like so many of my friends, she had a remarkable ability to roll with weird ideas. â€Å"Sure,† she said. â€Å"But can I give them to you later? I don't really want to strip my jewelry in the middle of this party.† â€Å"No problem.† â€Å"I'll have them sent to your room.† With that settled, Lissa and I walked over to where Tatiana was surrounded by admirers and those wanting to suck up. Daniella had to be mistaken in saying Tatiana wanted to see both of us. The memory of her yelling at me over Adrian still burned in my head, and dinner at the Ivashkovs' hadn't fooled me into thinking the queen and I were suddenly best friends. Yet, astonishingly, when she caught sight of Lissa and me, she was all smiles. â€Å"Vasilisa. And Rosemarie.† She beckoned us closer, and the group parted. I approached with Lissa, my steps tentative. Was I going to get yelled at in front of all these people? Apparently not. There were always new royals to meet, and Tatiana first introduced Lissa to all of them. Everyone was curious about the Dragomir princess. I was introduced as well, though the queen didn't go out of her way to sing my praises as she did Lissa's. Still, being acknowledged at all was incredible. â€Å"Vasilisa,† said Tatiana, once the formalities were finished, â€Å"I was thinking you should visit Lehigh soon. Arrangements are being made for you to go in, oh, maybe a week and a half. We thought it would be a nice treat for your birthday. Serena and Grant will accompany you, naturally, and I'll send a few others.† Serena and Grant were the guardians who had replaced Dimitri and me as Lissa's future protection. Of course they'd be going with her. Then, Tatiana said the most startling thing of all. â€Å"And you can go too, if you'd like, Rose. Vasilisa could hardly celebrate without you.† Lissa lit up. Lehigh University. The lure that had made her accept a life at Court. Lissa yearned for as much knowledge as she could get, and the queen had given her a chance at it. The prospect of a visit totally filled her with eagerness and excitement–especially if she could celebrate her eighteenth birthday there with me. It was enough to distract her from Victor and Christian, which was saying something. â€Å"Thank you, Your Majesty. That'd be great.† There was a strong possibility, I knew, that we might not be around for this scheduled visit–not if my plan for Victor worked. But I didn't want to ruin Lissa's happiness–and I could hardly mention it in this royal crowd. I was also kind of stunned that I'd been invited at all. After issuing the invite, the queen said nothing else to me and continued speaking with the others around her. Yet, she'd been pleasant–for her, at least–while addressing me, just as she had at the Ivashkov home. Not best-friend nice but certainly not raving-bitch insane, either. Maybe Daniella had been right. More pleasantries followed as everyone chatted and tried to impress the queen, and it soon became clear that I was no longer needed. Glancing around the room, I found someone I needed to talk to and meekly separated myself from the group, knowing Lissa could fend for herself. â€Å"Eddie,† I called, reaching the other side of the ballroom. â€Å"Alone at last.† Eddie Castile, a longtime friend of mine, grinned when he saw me. He too was a dhampir, tall with a long, narrow face that still had a cute, boyish look to it. He had tamed his dark, sandy-blond hair for a change. Lissa had once hoped Eddie and I would date, but he and I were strictly just friends. His best friend had been Mason, a sweet guy who'd been crazy about me and who had been murdered by Strigoi. After his death, Eddie and I had adopted protective attitudes toward each other. He'd later been kidnapped during the attack at St. Vladimir's, and his experiences had made him a serious and determined guardian–sometimes a little too serious. I wanted him to have more fun and was delighted to see the happy glint in his hazel eyes now. â€Å"I think every royal in the room's been trying to bribe you,† I teased. It wasn't entirely a joke. I'd been keeping an eye on him throughout the party, and there'd always been someone with him. His record was stellar. Surviving the awful events in his life might have scarred him, but they reflected well on his skills. He had great grades and ratings from the trial. Most importantly, he didn't have my reckless reputation. He was a good catch. â€Å"Kind of seems that way.† He laughed. â€Å"I didn't really expect it.† â€Å"You're so modest. You're the hottest thing in this room.† â€Å"Not compared to you.† â€Å"Yeah. As shown by the people lining up to talk to me. Tasha Ozera's the only one who wants me as far as I know. And Lissa, of course.† Lines of thought creased Eddie's face. â€Å"Could be worse.† â€Å"It will be worse. No way will I get either of them.† We fell silent, and a sudden anxiety filled me. I'd come to ask a favor of Eddie, and it no longer seemed like a good idea. Eddie was on the verge of a shining career. He was a loyal friend, and I'd been certain he'd help with what I needed†¦ but I suddenly didn't think I could ask. Like Mia, however, Eddie was observant. â€Å"What's wrong, Rose?† His voice was concerned–that protective nature kicking in. I shook my head. I couldn't do it. â€Å"Nothing.† â€Å"Rose,† he said warningly. I looked away, unable to meet his eyes. â€Å"It's not important. Really.† I'd find another way, someone else. To my surprise, he reached out to touch my chin and tip my head back up. His gaze caught mine, allowing no escape. â€Å"What do you need?† I stared at him for a long time. I was so selfish, risking the lives and reputations of friends I cared about. If Christian and Lissa weren't on the outs, I'd be asking him, too. But Eddie was all that was left to me. â€Å"I need something†¦ something that's pretty extreme.† His face was still serious, but his lips tugged into a wry smile. â€Å"Everything you do is extreme, Rose.† â€Å"Not like this. This is†¦ well, it's something that could ruin everything for you. Get you in big trouble. I can't do that to you.† That half smile vanished. â€Å"It doesn't matter,† he said fiercely. â€Å"If you need me, I'll do it. No matter what it is.† â€Å"You don't know what it is.† â€Å"I trust you.† â€Å"It's kind of illegal. Treasonous, even.† That took him aback for a moment, but he stayed resolute. â€Å"Whatever you need. I don't care. I've got your back.† I'd saved Eddie's life twice, and I knew he meant what he said. He felt indebted to me. He would go wherever I asked, not out of romantic love, but out of friendship and loyalty. â€Å"It's illegal,† I repeated. â€Å"You'd have to sneak out of Court†¦ tonight. And I don't know when we'd be back.† It was entirely possible that we wouldn't come back. If we had a run-in with prison guards†¦ well, they might take lethal measures to do their duty. It was what all of us had trained for. But I couldn't pull this breakout off with Lissa's compulsion alone. I needed another fighter at my back. â€Å"Just tell me when.† And that was all there was to it. I didn't tell him the full extent of our plan, but I gave him that night's rendezvous location and told him what he would need to bring. He never questioned me. He said he'd be there. New royals came to talk to him just then, and I left him, knowing he'd show up later. It was hard, but I pushed aside my guilt over possibly endangering his future. Eddie arrived, just as he'd promised, when my plan unfolded later that night. Lissa did too. Again, night meant â€Å"broad daylight.† I felt that same anxiety I did when we'd sneaked around with Mia. Light exposed everything, but then, most people were asleep. Lissa, Eddie, and I still moved through the Court's grounds as covertly as we could, meeting Mikhail in a section of the compound that held all sorts of garaged vehicles. The garages were big metal, industrial-looking buildings set on the fringes of Court, and no one else was out. We slipped into the garage he'd indicated last night, and I was relieved to find no one else there. He surveyed the three of us, looking surprised at my â€Å"strike team,† but he offered no questions and made no further attempts to join us. More guilt surged up within me. Here was someone else who was risking his future for me. â€Å"Gonna be a tight fit,† he mused. I forced a smile. â€Å"We're all friends here.† Mikhail didn't laugh at my joke but instead popped the trunk of a black Dodge Charger. He wasn't kidding about the tight fit. It was a newer one, which was kind of a shame. An older model would have been bigger, but guardians only kept top-of-the-line stuff around. â€Å"Once we're far enough away, I'll pull over and let you out,† he said. â€Å"We'll be fine,† I assured him. â€Å"Let's do this.† Lissa, Eddie, and I crawled into the trunk. â€Å"Oh God,† muttered Lissa. â€Å"I hope no one's claustrophobic.† It was like a bad game of Twister. The trunk was large enough for some luggage but not intended for three people. We were squeezed together, and personal space was nonexistent. We were all up close and personal. Satisfied we were all snug, Mikhail closed the trunk and darkness engulfed us. The engine started a minute later, and I felt the car move. â€Å"How long until you think we stop?† asked Lissa. â€Å"Or die from carbon monoxide poisoning?† â€Å"We haven't even left the Court yet,† I noted. She sighed. The car drove off, and not too long afterward, we came to a stop. Mikhail must have reached the gates and been chatting with the guards. He'd told me earlier that he'd come up with some excuse or other to run an errand, and we had no reason to believe the guards would question him or search the car. The Court wasn't worried about people sneaking out, like our school had been. The biggest concern here was people getting inside. A minute passed, and I uneasily wondered if there was a problem. Then the car moved again, and all three of us exhaled in relief. We picked up speed, and after what I suspected was a mile or so, the car veered sideways and came to a stop. The trunk popped open, and we spilled out of it. I'd never been so grateful for fresh air. I got in the passenger seat beside Mikhail, and Lissa and Eddie took the back. Once we were settled, Mikhail continued driving without another word. I allowed myself a few more moments of guilt over the people I'd involved but then let it go. It was too late to worry now. I also let go of my guilt about Adrian. He would have been a good ally, but I could hardly ask for his help in this. And with that, I settled back and turned my thoughts to the job before us. It would take us about an hour to get to the airport, and from there, the three of us were off to Alaska.