literacy narrative Essay - 943 Words

Demetrias Henderson Eng.111 March 28, 2015 The Early and latter stages of Literacy Development Learning to read and write as a child is an experience that all can relate to. The average child learns to read and write at the early ages of three and four. Developing literacy at an early age is crucial to academic development as well as to performance in life. Early development can be just what a child needs to stimulate their minds, which in turn is assisting in the evolution of their future. The early and latter stages of development in a child’s literacy journey are the makings for their reading and writing skills. It also plays part in their analysis of obstacles as well as their developed or problematic literacy future. A child†¦show more content†¦I soon began to excel in writing the alphabet as well as short words. My mom went on to teach me how to write my name, and I soon moved on to learn numbers. I enjoyed writing and began to choose that over playing outside. The following year, I started school and I enjoyed learning more than anything. I succee ded early in my classes due to my eagerness to learn. My experience with the letter E was but a mere speed bump in the future of my literacy and it did nothing to stop me. Secondly, One of the people most interested in my literacy performance other than my mom was my fifth grade teacher Mr. Greg Monroe. Most students didn’t appreciate his teaching style but I did. Up until this point in my literacy development, I had excelled easily. It wasn’t until I met my teacher that year that I realized everything wasn’t going to be so easy. For the first time I had to actually study rather than to just know the information like normal. Mr. Monroe taught me that I needed to push myself to be better than good, even if it feels like I can’t. Teaching students to go beyond the norm was Monroe’s approach, and I feel as if his approach was extremely helpful as well as encouraging. He taught students to set goals and to develop aspirations. The fifth grade is the last stepping stone to becoming a middle school student which warrants new responsibilities for the students. Mr Monroe made sure that students graduated from his class not only withShow MoreRelatedEssay on Literacy Narrative1404 Words   |  6 Pagesbackground and each has the right to be literate in the way that they desire. They were given the right to freedom of speech through the First Amendment of the Bill of Rights and therefore, have the right to speak in their own native language. Literacy plays a major role in the lives of humans today. It gives us the power to read, speak and write and is therefore a valuable asset to society and the development of its economy.Read MoreEssay about Literacy Narrative1397 Words   |  6 Pagesbackground and each has the right to be literate in the way that they desire. They were given the right to freedom of speech through the First Amendment of the Bill of Rights and therefore, have the right to speak in their own native language. Literacy plays a major role in the lives of humans today. It gives us the power to read, speak and write and is therefore a valuable asset to society and the developme nt of its economy. Read MorePersonal Narrative: My Journey to Literacy Essays829 Words   |  4 PagesMy achievement of becoming literate in both English and Spanish, after overcoming a myriad of obstacles distinguishes my literacy history. Writing was one of the things I didn’t like to do as a child. I always thought writing was a waste of time and that I wasn’t going to need it in life. Even though I didn’t invest much time writing, I was one of the best writers in all my classes, probably because I was very dedicated in the other subjects and I loved reading adventure books. I learned how to readRead MoreSlave Narrative : Literacy And The Trope Of The Talking Book2101 Words   |  9 PagesSlave Narrative: Literacy and the Trope of the Talking Book The literary form of the slave narrative grew out of the first-person, written accounts of individuals who had been enslaved in Britain, the United States and other areas. These narratives documented life under the yoke of slavery, detailing the hardships and abuses these people endured, but they also showed a resilience of spirit and determination as these individuals strove to attain freedom. There are similarities to be found in theseRead MoreLiteracy Narrative983 Words   |  4 PagesKyle Crifasi Richard English IV, 1B 31 August 2011 Literacy Narrative Typically, people think of reading when they see a novel or a short story, but I think of reading when I’m out on the baseball field. When I hear the word â€Å"reading†, unlike most people, I think of a green grassy baseball diamond at night, with the lights lighting it up, filled with fans in the stands. Believe it or not, I read all the time on the field. I read the ball coming off the bat when I’m playing in the field.Read MoreLiteracy Narrative1279 Words   |  6 PagesBryant Bourgeois Professor My Nguyen English 124 12 September 2012 Literacy Narrative Can you remember what your teacher taught you back in kindergarten? Chances are she was introducing you to the basics of reading and writing. Literacy is the ability to read and write, and because I did not think I was very good at either of the two, it had never been my favorite thing to do. It wasn’t until my senior year of high school that I had an English class that I actually enjoyed. My teacher wasRead MoreLiteracy : My Literacy Narrative1555 Words   |  7 PagesMy Literacy Narrative Literacy impacts everyone’s lives in various ways. Such as, someone and their career, the ability to read literature in general, one’s comprehension of reading and writing, or the ability to write a book. Each person takes his or her own path with literacy and consequently are formed by the sponsors of literacy present in his or her life. Being new to the term or not, sponsors come in various forms and can be positive or negative to someone and his or her literacy. The sponsorsRead MoreLiteracy Narrative769 Words   |  4 Pagesforever replayed in slow motion, is when that area of darkness began to shine. My parents were raised in the third-world country of India, lucky to escape extreme poverty, but living in poverty nonetheless. They grew up on the principal that literacy was their only escape from the life they lived. They understood what it was to have nothing and realised that millions of other people around the world would never get the same chance to escape - like the boy with the book. This is why we were takenRead MoreNotes On The Literacy Narrative Essay1290 Words   |  6 Pagescompleting words puzzles Got lengthier Assignments Paragraph 3 High school Improved writing skills Journalism Class Mississippi State University Paragraph 4 Recap/Summary The LIteracy Narrative Since I was very young, I have had a strong passion and fascination with words, an interest that was especially encouraged by family and developed through a variety of mediums. Like most babies, my first word was rather simple: â€Å"Da-dee† (â€Å"Daddy†)Read MoreThe Literacy Narrative Of Literature1752 Words   |  8 PagesLiteracy Narrative Literature is everywhere. No matter where you are, you’re exposed to it. It is on your phone, in the paper, on the McDonald s receipt in a wad under your car seat, it is even on the billboard signs as you drive down the interstate. With literature getting so much coverage there is no question of where such heated debates come from. It is hard to have an argument or sometimes even a conversation with a person using ONLY literature. Sentences can have the same words, but handed

Using National Honor Society Essay Samples

Using National Honor Society Essay Samples Ideas, Formulas and Shortcuts for National Honor Society Essay Samples Writing is a talent, and that means you might be an outstanding student yet require a tiny aid in placing your deeds into accurate wording. Get some experience outside before you begin your essay. A specialist writer who's seasoned in writing NHS essays can aid with an outline, give advice, point you in the correct direction, or even compose the whole essay beneath your guidelines. Essay topic choice is not so simple as you believe. The Foolproof National Honor Society Essay Samples Strategy The primary purpose of your National Honor Society essay is to reveal you from the ideal side and help you show that you're eligible to be a member of this authoritative organization. You might be asked to compose an NHS essay before joining to demonstrate that you're eligible to join a prestigious organization. If you still can't know how to compose a national honor society essay, start looking for internet support. Your National Honor Society essay is a powerful tool which will allow you to grow to be a member of an extremely prestigious organization in america. To begin with, you ought to know the main advantages of being a true member of the NHS society. The candidate must demonstrate he or she's not merely a superb student, but in addition a useful and useful member of society. Being a member is a good deal of responsibility. You must now be concerned about where to find the guidelines and the steps of being a member of this prestigious society. Being a real leader is among the many qualities that you need to need to be in NJHS. Being he gives me the opportunity to work in a team and consider my peers' ideas to make our plans creative and enjoyable for everyone. Being a great leader means being an excellent servant. Your paper ought to be unique. A good example of a paper is the thing it's possible to see in our article. Give a review of the points you will be making in the letter. The letter should be brief and shouldn't be detailed. An extremely good informative letter follows a few standard guidelines. Also, you may be asked to compose an NHS essay before joining. To begin with, it determines whether the reader will keep on reading the remainder of the paper. A great topic is an essential portion of writing a prosperous national junior honor society essay. The Upside to National Honor Society Essay Samples For that reason, it's recommended that you take advantage of these resources to guarantee you create the most creative article that will raise your odds of admission. Consequently, anyone trying to submit an application to have a project should develop an accounting Resume Sample, even if you have the references in place. If you are offered the membership opportunity, here are the explanations for why you ought not decline. The students who've been selected as NHS members have access to several benefits that the organization offers. Vital Pieces of National Honor Society Essay Samples You ought to think about each and every component of your CV the design and the information which is authentic once you re considering how to compose a CV that wins one of the interviews you desire you must include. These varieties of essays attempt to demonstrate ways to present a specific candidate and also demonstrate that the person has been qualified to join the organization. Composing your own CV after graduating might be tricky, especially in case you're searching for your very first standing. If you're searching for a professional position, you ought to choose a program that focuses on producing professional resumes. Leadership is among the most significant traits to have not just in school but outside too. You might take note that national junior honor society essays are quite tough to learn at first. My basic long-term academic aim is to enter a prestigious college with superior learning conditions and I also wish to be a political scientist later on. Only the best students bec ome accepted. Tell the way you can influence the current world around. The structure of organization is extremely spread, it is made up of many chapters in high schools around the nation. The society does engage in a wide variety of community service activities. It can likewise be compared to building a vehicle. The Most Popular National Honor Society Essay Samples Likewise, it may be an equivalent excellence standard. Always make sure that you don't introduce new points in the conclusion as you might get rid of some marks. Character is the thing that makes people believe in you and in addition, it can help you succeed in your private life. Therefore it helps to cover the society's membership criterion.

Business Combinations Strategy

Question: Discuss about the Business Combinations Strategy. Answer: Introduction: Business combinations refer to the strategy by which business intend to expand in its size and operations and as a results, acquires dominance over the working of another business firm. When one business unit merges or acquires another business unit, it is referred to as a business combination. It requires identifying the acquirer and then finalization of the appropriate acquisition date and ends with the recognition and valuation of the assets or liabilities taken over. The entire process of business combination must be in accordance with the applicable Australian Accounting standards. Description- Business Combinations: Business combination is the mechanism which an organization uses to expand its asset and capital base and effect a significant increase in its business operations and capture a larger market stake. It is a re-organization of the entity and its assets structure. Such re-organization can either be internal or external in nature. Some of the widely used forms include amalgamation, holding subsidiary relationships or demerger. Business combination can be mindfully ensure the entitys growth and increased business operations and hence, facilitates higher revenues and profits, in the long run. Such increased profits are directly proportional to greater dividends to shareholders and better shareholder satisfaction. According to AASB 10, business combination refers to a transaction or other event in which an acquirer obtains control of one or more businesses. Assets transferred other than by way of transfer of the entire business shall not be termed as business combination. Rather, such a transaction would be called a separate transaction, which does not arise as a result of the transfer of business. A business basically is a value added process, under which all the inputs are combined and then processes are being carried out, which convert those inputs into the final outputs, thereby facilitating them for feasible selling and distribution. Generally, businesses dealing in the same product lines or having simil ar product distribution channels engage themselves into business combination, so as to eliminate competition and extend its business operations. Due to the increased volume post- combination, the entities also benefit themselves from economies of scale. After the business is acquired by another entity, the acquirer shall, form the date of such acquisition be required to prepare the consolidated financial statements, along with its standalone financial statements. The acquirer company is not liable to prepare consolidated financial statements for the period prior to the amalgamation/ reconstruction. Business combinations are also referred to as the schemes of mergers and acquisitions, in which one company merges with the other, either in the form of amalgamation; or one company acquires the other, which is known as having a holding- subsidiary relationship or having an associate member. The acquisition of the assets can either be an asset combination or a business combination, on a whole, i.e. if the assets form part of a business, then it would be called as business combination (Financial Accounting Standards Board of the financial accounting foundation, 2007). In other words, business combination means bringing together of two or more distinct entities or organizations and merge them into one single entity. AASB 3 does not apply to business organizations which engage themselves in combinations in the formation of joint venture. Discussion- importance of identifying the acquirer: Recognizing a business combination begins with the identification of the acquirer followed by determination of the acquisition date and measurement of the assets and liabilities to be taken over. Business combination involves two or more entities, in which one entity acquires the business of the other entity/ entities. Acquisition of the business involves acquisition of all the assets and liabilities of the firm. In such a case, the entity which acquires the business and gains control over other entities shall be referred to as the acquirer company. Acquired company shall be the one which transfer its assets and liabilities to the other company, in exchange of a pre- determined consideration. Guidance note to AASB 127 Consolidated and separate financial statements govern the preparation and method of maintaining books and accounts of the combined entity. It prescribes that both the standalone and combined revenue statements should be prepared. It is important to beforehand identify the acquirer entity because the consideration which the acquirer company has to pay to the acquire must be certain and pre determined. Also, consolidated financial statements need to be prepared by the acquirer company post acquisition date. Since the domination lies with that company, it shall control all other entities amalgamated with it. And the old/ existing company must timely determine whether the acquiring company is capable of governing all the operating and financial policies of the business which it acquires. Also, identification of the acquirer is important so as to determine the size of the entities being transferred, the relative voting rights of the acquiring company in the new combined company. An analysis of the governing body of the acquirer must be made so as to determine the composition of the senior management and persons holding key managerial positions in the company. Also, it is important for the entities to discuss and s tate in written the terms and conditions of such exchange and transfer of assets, and for this, identification of the acquirer is a must. The acquirer entity shall be deemed responsible for adhering to all the governmental, operational and legal regulations and hence, it is the topmost priority of the entity to gain information and knowledge about the acquire entity. Before effecting a business combination, the entity should very well judge the capability and potential of the acquirer, so that the business reputation earned over the years, does not get negatively affected. Acquirer can be identifying by analyzing the direction in which the consideration is transferred. For example, A company, ABC Ltd. Transfers its assets and liabilities to XYZ Ltd.in return of a consideration, which is paid by XYZ Ltd., then the entity which pays consideration in the form of cash or shares is the acquirer. But, if the equity shares held by ABC Ltd. are transferred to XYZ Ltd and ABC Ltd receives some sort of consideration from XYZ Ltd for those shares, even then, the acquires shall be the final acquirer party, in this case, the acquirer shall be the equity shares issuing company and not XYZ Ltd. consideration is always paid for something in return. In case of a business combination, the consideration is paid in exchange of the assets transferred to the acquirer. Hence, the direction of the flow of consideration from one entity to another determines who the acquirer is. In other words, an acquirer can be identified as the entity whose management holds dominance over the other entities after a business combination takes place. In a business combination, one entity obtains control over the other. This implies that when an entity acquires control over another entity for the first time, it shall be referred to as business combination. However, if the acquirer company acquires more shares of the company post business combination, it shall only mean an increase in the percentage of control over the other company and not a separate business combination. The acquirer of the business combination is identified using the guidelines given in paragraphs B 14-B18 o AASB-3 and the guidance note of IFRS 10Consolidated financial statements. In other words, determination of the acquirer requires judgment. The acquirer is normally the firm hat disburses cash in exchange of the assets acquired from another firm. As compared to the firm size, acquirer is normally the company which has a relatively greater size of assets and greater net worth than the other firm. Comments- recognition of assets and liabilities: Recognition of assets acquired and the assumed liabilities take place only if both the assets and liabilities satisfy the criteria given in the definitions of assets and liabilities, as given by the International Accounting Standard Board. AASB 3 also specifies that only those assets and liabilities shall be recognized which have been acquired or assumed as a result of any business combination. Any assets or liabilities acquired otherwise, i.e. by any separate transactions, shall not be recognized by the acquirer company. In such a case of business combination, the accounting standards and procedures followed by the acquirer and the acquired company may differ. And hence, the recognition of such assets and liabilities shall also differ between two different entities. The acquirers application of the recognition principle and that of the other firm may differentiate and it is quite reasonable that the acquirer company, post-combination acquires and recognizes certain assets acquired o r liabilities assumed, that have not been duly recognized by the acquired company. Some of the examples supporting the statement are listed below: The acquirer entity in the business combination may recognize the identifiable brand name of the acquired company an asset, whereas, the acquired company does not recognize such brand name as an asset pre business combination (Castedello and Klingbeil, 2009). This difference in the recognition of brand name arises only because of a difference in the revenue recognition principles and the International financial reporting system followed by the entities. Hence, the manner and the accounting policies followed by both the entities in recording and recognizing brand name as an asset may vary. Similarly, the acquirer entity may recognize certain identifiable intangible assets like patents, customer relationships, etc. as an asset in its financial statements, but the pre combination acquired company doesnt record the same as the entity considered that these were internally generated and does not qualify to be an asset as per the Australian accounting standards. The pre acquired company may consider it as an item of revenue and expenditure and deal accordingly. These intangible assets like patents and customer relationships include the customer detailed book, the contact and sales details and these are also sometimes referred to as defensive and identifiable intangible assets. In a business company, one entity may obtain certain defensive intangible assets from the other entity which it does not intend to use in its business operations, but, hold them to gain a competitive advantage. Also, the recognition principle of certain contingent items may vary from entity to entity. The acquirer may record all the past generated future contingent liabilities, which the acquired company does not recognize prior to the combination. A difference in the recognition concepts does not judge the business combination to be legally valid or invalid. It varies from entity to entity. Also, the value at which the assets are recognized by the acquirer and the acquired company may vary, as the acquirer records all its assets acquired and liabilities assumed, other than goodwill, at the fair values as existing on the date the business acquisition or combination takes place. There may also be differences in the method of depreciation being charged on the fixed assets, the recording of deferred tax expenses, items relating to prior period, etc. Furthermore, the entities may follow different basis of accounting, i.e. accrual basis or cash basis. This would again change the recognition of the assets and liabilities acquired during the business combination. Conclusion From the above attached report, we can conclude that whenever one business firm acquires the business of another firm, including all its assets and liabilities, then, it is referred to as a business combination. Business combination basically starts with identification of the acquirer, followed by the selection of the acquisition date, and ending with the recognition of the assets and liabilities acquired in the business combination. Each of these steps has a specific significance, on its own. Also, in business combinations, the value at which the assets and liabilities are recognized by the acquirer company has a great significance. The firm needs to follow the Australian Accounting Standards for the recognition and valuation of various assets and liabilities of the firm. References: Dagwel, R., Wines, G. and Lambert, C. (2012). Corporate accounting in Australia, China: Pearson Australia. Financial Accounting Standards Board of the financial accounting foundation (2007) Statement of financial accounting standards no. 141,Norwalk: Financial accounting foundation. Miller, B.W.Paul, Bahnson, R. Paul (2008) A new day for business combinations, Journal of accountancy, June. Willens, R. (2008) Does it matter which company is the acquirer?, Banking Capital markets. Dodyk, L., Dolson, M., Weinberger, R., Bennett, E. and Psciotta, C. (2014). Business combinations and non-controlling interests. Global edition, Pwc. Porter, B. (2004) Business combinations: insights for Australian entities, Deloitte discussion paper. Castedello, M. Klingbeil, C. (2009) Intangible assets and goodwill in the context of business combinations, Munich: KPMG. Intangible assets in business combination (2008), Grant Thonton. Roger Hussey(2010) Business Combinations and Consolidated Financial Statements, Fundamentals of International Financial Accounting and Reporting, pp. 225-252. Yujiro Okura(2009) A Study of Goodwill and Intangible Fixed Asset on Business Combination, MA for Value Creation in Japan: pp. 17-33. Board, A.S. (2002) IASB proposals on business combinations, impairment and intangible assets/ accounting standards board. Surrey: Accounting Standards Board. Beyersdorff, M. (2014) International GAAP 2014:Generally accepted accounting principles under international financial reporting standards. 9th edn. United States: K=John Wiley Sons. Subcommittee in education and practice of the committee on insurance accounting (2008) Business combinations under international financial reporting standards, International Actuarial Association.

Mass Media Newspaper free essay sample

Because of this, news reporters are horrible at violating the rights of celebrities and other influential people, just to get some dirt on their lives. Worst of all, said celebrities have very few rights to defend themselves with, and more than one photographer has sued the person he was stalking for damages when the celebrity tried to fight back and break their camera, or something along those lines. The media market is a bunch of obsessive stalkers that the law ignores. Yes H_Baird †¢Yes. I believe that privacy is a human right, and the media continuously violates that right. One example would be the paparazzi chasing down celebrities in some of the most private moments of their lives. Regardless of social status, as human beings, we deserve some form of privacy. The need for society to have knowledge about a total strangers personal business is not valid. People do not need to know everything about everyone. We will write a custom essay sample on Mass Media Newspaper or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page On a more relevant level, court hearings are a way for the media to involve the public in a situation that should remain private, as publicity can affect peoples opinions, and sometime the outcome of a case. This is not just. Yes R3gg43Wit †¢Yes, the media has become obsessed with invading celebritys privacy and going too far in general. The mass media seems to overstep its boundaries constantly nowadays. This trend is seen the most with how the paparazzi invades celebrities lives and cannot respect peoples space. Also the increase in reality TV has made everyone think they can be a part of the media, which blurs the lines of what the public thinks is public versus private. Yes VincenzoB The mass media oversteps its boundaries by consistently taking sides in political debates. I believe that the role of mass media is to provide fact-based news to the masses. Too often mass media presents opinion pieces in which they discuss what is right and wrong. Typically, these pieces are presented as opinion pieces, but their prevalence leads many to assume its the stance of the news organization. At the very least, it can influence the publics opinion too easily. Mass media should report the n ews without opinions and let the public make up their own mind. Yes IarsChrome †¢Yes, I agree that mass media sometimes go beyond its boundaries. There are many many instances these days. Mass Media carries some social responsibility, it should enable communication informing people responsibly with the factual knowledge without any kind of bias. These days, sometimes we can find many instances where in mass media had exceeded its boundaries providing information based on rumor or too much information or sometimes irrelevant information as well. Yes SaroM0vi3 The mass media absolutely oversteps its boundaries; they cause car crashes and instigate physical fights with celebrities. To see how the media oversteps its boundaries, you only need to look at the fatal car crash caused by paparazzi photographers when Princess Diana died, or the tasteless photos of Michael Jacksons corpse. Every single detail about someones personal life is parlayed into a two-page spread of photos who theyre sleeping with, who theyre cheating with, a nudity slip, eve n articles judging celebrities toddlers/children and their dress sense or weight! I am far too young for this, but there was a time period where actors didnt have a camera or a microphone in their face every minute of every day, and that mystery made them almost chameleon-like in their roles. At a premiere or awards show there are thousands of photographers clamoring to get a photo with large, oversized, frightening-looking cameras. That would be terrifying for small children, and it should be scaled back. Yes R053Neddy †¢Yes, I believe that the mass media goes way too far on many occasions. I have personally witnessed outright lies from the media just to make a better tory. Case in point- my best friend died December 25th, 2007. She fell off of a roof on Christmas morning. The media made her out to be an alcoholic and tried to use her story to scare young people not to drink. The truth was, there was no alcohol in her system. She was cold and had a blanket wrapped around her. She fell asleep looking at the stars and when she woke up, her feet got tangled in the sheets. The media outright lied to push their own personal agenda and tarnished her name forever. Yes I33Horray Voice Your Opinion No 50% of users The mass medias primary goal is to make profit, so there are no boundaries to overstep. The mass media includes newspapers, T. V. , and Internet, among any other mediums that could be found. There are no boundaries to overstep, as these media companies seek to make profit. If one doesnt wish to listen to mass media, then they simply wont. One has the choice to listen or watch what they want, and the media cannot control that. No TigerAmb †¢Mass media does not overstep its boundaries, because its up to others to enforce their own boundaries. Sometimes, mass media can seem overly intrusive into peoples lives. But, its up to individuals to take steps to safeguard their privacy. And, if media do cross lines, then we always have the rights to contact law enforcement and pursue court action against them. If the media never pushed a little, theyd never get to the bottom of anything. No FlakyHerb64 †¢I do not think the mass media oversteps their boundaries, for many reasons. I do not think the mass media oversteps their boundaries, for many reasons. First off, there is the freedom of speech factor. Mass media is usually run by citizens who want to portray their side of an issue or product. Second, people, in general, crave knowledge. This is where the mass media produces the knowledge and news coverage we need right away. No SecondNoel50 †¢I think the media has the right and obligation to report on a wide variety of things. Public figures who argue that the lame stream media oversteps its bounds are the same people whose actions most need to be publicised. For instance, Sarah Palin often accuses the media of being overly invasive, but the medias job is to expose potential leaders and other public figures for what and who they really are. No ClammyErwin38 †¢Mass media does not overstep their boundaries, because they are just filling a demand in the market that has become part of our culture. I dont believe that mass media oversteps their boundaries, because the demand is so high for constant coverage of everything. We have become so used to having 24-hour news channels and access to things once considered private, that mass media has become a demand and an expectation. If people begin to stop watching and buying into it, then the demand will go away. But, for now, we are so used to being able to get information about anything we want at any time of the day, and that is due to the efforts of the mass media. And, I actually see it getting bigger and bigger, as our thirst for information grows. No SilentIgnacio †¢No, I think the mass media oversteps the bounds of decency sometimes, but not any legal boundaries. While its easy to hate the way mass media covers events and non-events, celebs and otherwise, I still wouldnt advocate censorship. The best way to censor media is for the public to stop paying attention. I wouldnt want limits imposed on reporters beyond the Constitutional prohibition on libel. No Th4Fire †¢Mass Media does not overstep its boundaries, it falls under freedom of speech. As long as people are allowed to make decisions of whether to subject themselves to mass media or not, then mass media will never overstep its boundaries. Mass media targets those who it wishes to reach in most cases, and those groups are generally the same people who wish to be reached. Regardless, if the viewer has a choice to listen or not, then freedom of speech is in effect. No T3ddDemon The American mass media does not overstep its boundaries. America is a democracy. Democracies require a well-informed populace. The people are the masters of the machine, in a true democracy. The founders understood this. Therefore, they gave our press (i. e. mass media) privileges. They have the responsibility (i. e. a duty) to live up to the special power and privilege that has been allotted to them. Our medi a does not live up to their mandate. A recent example is the health care debate. We had numerous articles and broadcasts that worked to enrage us or to pull on our heart strings. It was nearly impossible to find an article or a news story that detailed any of the proposals in any of the bills. We were being asked our feelings about bills, without ever being told what was in them. It should not be necessary, in a real democracy, for the populace to sit in on every legislative act, sit in every court room in this country, or personally audit every government official. This is the duty of the mass media. They are given the power to investigate and report, in order to provide us with the information we need. They do not go far enough.

Your Voice is Like a Recipe

Your Voice is Like a Recipe The hardest thing for me to describe to a new writer is voice.   At a recent conference, during an informal gathering, a new writer asked how to identify voice. I gave her authors’ names and showed her how they had distinct voices. She recognized theirs, but she was still confused how to identify her own. Then I read a blog post about developing your own recipes, and how good cooks start off reading other recipes, then altering them as they deem necessary. Soon they have original dishes, after trial and error, insertions and deletions, embellishing and withdrawing. The same goes for writing. Recently, I heard a new writer say she didn’t have time to read very much. I hate that, because reading other work is the best teaching tool out there. Not conferences, not degrees, not how-to books, not that those don’t help. However, since the beginning of time, it’s been proven that the best way to learn anything is I’ve heard some writers say they are afraid they will copy who they read. Nah. Ain’t gonna happen. You are not as good as they are, and trust me, you will not pull it off like they do. They have their voice. They know what they’re doing. You may still be searching. I believe that reading the masters (i.e., successful authors who write in the genre you write) teaches you what works. You may even try writing like them. One author, then another author, then yet another. They are in your head as you fight a chapter – the action, the character development, the plot formulation. You study one   author for one aspect, then grab another for yet a different facet. Go ahead and copy them. You’re going to edit the book anyway.   Because a funny thing happens between Chapter One and Chapter Thirty. Your writing grows. You start winging it several chapters into the story. You aren’t so quick to copy, and get quicker at making up your own stuff. You reach Chapter Thirty and then†¦you go back and read the first few chapters. Wow. You write better than what you put in the opening chapters, and you learned it as you fought your way to the final chapters. That’s when you start with Chapter One and edit away, using the new voice that seems to ooze out here and there. You edit all the way through the book. Then you go back and look at Chapters One through Ten or so again. Dang it! You discover your voice grew again! You write better in the end than you did in the beginning of the story. So†¦you edit the book again. You do this over and over and over. Twenty times or more, if necessary. As long as you feel your ending sounds better than the beginning, you rewrite, until your voice is uniform  throughout. A handful of you will think your book is good after the second draft, and you would be wrong. All those edits are necessary to build that elusive voice. Aren’t sure you have your voice defined yet?   Keep reading the masters, copying the masters, writing beginning to end, and rewriting over and over. So, what does this have to do with a recipe? When you first make a dish, you use a recipe perfected

The Best SAT Prep Websites You Should Be Using

The Best SAT Prep Websites You Should Be Using SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips The SAT has been around in one form or another since 1901. Through all its changes, probably the most helpful one for you is the rise of free online practice questions and guides covering every aspect of the test. Rather than having to carry around 400-page practice books like the students of yesteryear (i.e., the 90s), you can use these online resources to prep from anywhere with the Internet. To help you discern high-quality resources from low-quality ones, this guide will break down the SAT prep websites you can use to review content, learn strategies, and find practice questions. Disclaimer: Free SAT Resources at PrepScholar This article is one of many detailed guides offered (for free!) by PrepScholar. By exploring our other articles, you'll find in-depth information and analyses of all aspects of the SAT and ACT, from suggested study schedules to how to read passages to how to choose your test dates. Plus, we like to keep on top of those high-profile cheating scandals that often result in SAT score cancellations across the globe. I personally think PrepScholar offers the most insightful, high-level guidance around every step of the testing process. Our customized online test prep program tracks your progress and does a lot of the heavy lifting for you. That's why I'll link to our various guides when appropriate in order to give you a sense of the different areas we cover and continue to add to every day. At the same time, there are several other sites with highly useful information for your SAT prep. Rather than listing them in a row, I'll organize them by the testing steps you're looking for, starting with test registration and followed by guides for scheduling, test-taking strategies, and practice questions. Official SAT Website: The College Board If you've heard of the SAT, then you've probably heard of the College Board. This group administers the SAT and sends your score reports to colleges. To register for the SAT, you must create an account on the College Board website and upload a picture of yourself. You can then use this site to register for the SAT, learn about AP tests, and research colleges across the country. But this isn't all the College Board does. For one, it breaks down the SAT's overall format and skills: you can go "inside the test" to see what concepts are tested on the Reading, Math, Writing, and Essay sections. Some descriptions are a bit wordy and confusing, so you'll have to look elsewhere if you want to learn about the test in more accessible language. This website also offers free prep material, including SAT practice questions and ten full-length practice tests. SAT questions from the test makers are the gold standard when it comes to test prep. You can access dozens of sample questions for Reading, Writing, and Math, and you'll get to see all correct answers and answer explanations. For the Essay, the College Board gives test takers two sample essay prompts, and each section of the sample essay is scored from 1 to 4. Because the full-length tests are the same as those in The Official SAT Study Guide, I advise printing them out on your own rather than buying the book. Make sure to time yourself as you take the practice tests, and spend ample time correcting your answers with the answer keys provided. Best SAT Websites for Content and Strategy What concepts are tested on the SAT? What are the different skill sets you need for Writing and Reading? What kinds of tricks can you use to keep yourself from running out of time? One key part of your SAT prep that you won't find much of on the official SAT website is strategy. The College Board doesn't want you to know that questions follow certain standardized templates, or that you'll usually find the same kinds of wrong answers on Reading questions meant to distract you from the correct one. Nor will it give you strategies for reading passages quickly and efficiently or managing your time on tricky math questions. So what resources should you use instead? The following SAT websites are the most useful for learning the content and format of the SAT and getting down critical test-taking strategies. PrepScholar Informational and Strategy SAT Guides Our SAT blog offers in-depth coverage of each section of the test. Read about what's tested on each of the four sections, learn every detail of the SAT structure, and get a comprehensive look at the most recent SAT data, including average scores and percentiles. Unlike the College Board, whose SAT-ACT comparison charts clearly favor the SAT, our breakdown of the two tests has no agenda for you to choose one college admissions test over the other! Some of our best guides to help you understand the content and format of the SAT are as follows: What's Tested on the SAT Math Section? What's Actually Tested on the SAT Reading Section? What's Tested on the SAT Writing Section? SAT Essay Prompts: The Complete List Complete Comparison Charts: SAT vs ACT I also suggest exploring our General Info articles for information on topics such as test dates; Score Choice; scoring, sending, and receiving scores; and the best books for SAT prep. Although learning about the content and format of the SAT is relatively straightforward, finding effective strategies for answering questions and saving time on it are fewer and further between. The following list contains 10 of our most useful and popular SAT strategy guides. You can find more under the SAT Strategy category as well: How Long Should I Study for the SAT? 6 Step Guide Should You Guess on the SAT? 6 Guessing Strategies The 28 Critical SAT Math Formulas You MUST Know How to Get an 800 on SAT Reading: 11 Strategies by a Perfect Scorer The Complete Guide to SAT Grammar Rules How to Write an SAT Essay, Step by Step The Best Way to Review Your Mistakes for the SAT Choose Your SAT Test Dates: When's a Good Time For You? How to Study for the New SAT in 2016 How to Get a Perfect 1600 SAT Score, by a 2400 Expert Full Score This is just a small sampling of the SAT strategy guides we offer. In addition to these, we've written tons of guides specific to Math, Reading, and Writing for students in grades 9 through 12, and for middle schoolers who are starting prep early or taking the SAT to qualify for talent competitions. Finally, we strive to keep up with trends and events in the world of the SAT, as you can see in our articles on SAT Essay length and the SAT curve. Erica Meltzer's The Critical Reader Erica Meltzer's blog is extremely useful for prepping for the SAT Reading, Writing, and Essay sections. Over the years, Meltzer's blog has evolved from covering standardized testing to addressing many issues facing students today. That means you will probably have to dig through the site's extensive archives to find SAT prep articles. Many of those posts cover general topics, like learning vocabulary in context and comma usage. Additionally, some of her SAT Reading tips have been merged with ACT Reading tips since the tests are so similar these days. That said, Meltzer offers several useful posts and will most likely continue to add to them. Here are some of her posts that are definitely worth checking out: Using the introduction to get the big picture General vs. specific in Critical Reading answer choices Finding the point The importance of transitions What parts of speech can be subjects? I suggest exploring the blog for more tips for the verbal sections. Although her posts are engaging, Meltzer ultimately leaves it up to you to seek out examples and sample questions when trying out her advice. Erik the Red While Meltzer's blog focuses on verbal skills, Erik the Red is all about SAT Math. This website lets you download PDFs containing critical math facts, formulas, strategies, and vocabulary. The resources here are useful for both the SAT Math section and the SAT Math Level I and Level II Subject Tests. However, it's important to note that this website is even less updated for the SAT than Meltzer's blog is. The math resources here have remained unchanged since the old SAT and thus don't reflect the current SAT format, question types, and skills tested. I decided to keep this website on this list because many of the math concepts explained here- especially the algebraic ones- are essential to your performance on SAT Math. The PDFs Erik the Red has are still useful review for content areas like linear equations, nonlinear equations, functions, quadratic equations, and graphs. You could use them as review, but be sure to focus on the skills that will actually appear on the SAT (and leave out the ones that are less important). For instance, you don't have to focus too much on geometry since it'll only show up in about 3-5% of SAT Math questions. Ask the Dean on College Confidential If you have general questions about the form or content of the SAT that aren't answered in the resources above, try College Confidential. This website offers several student and parent discussion threads about the SAT, which you can peruse or even comment on. The Ask the Dean forum in particular has some helpful advice about how many times to take the SAT. It suggests three- that's more than what the College Board says to do and about the same as what we recommend doing (depending on your circumstances and goals). If you have questions about the logistics of the SAT, read up on the test on College Confidential before signing up for a test date. Best Websites for Free SAT Practice Questions The College Board isn't the only website that offers an assortment of free, high-quality SAT practice questions. Below are our top three picks for the best online resources for practice questions for the Reading, Writing, Math, and Essay sections. Some of them even offer full-length tests! Khan Academy Khan Academy has designed a scaffolded SAT prep program that diagnoses your level and takes you through practice questions, step by step. It was developed in collaboration with the College Board, so all of its practice questions are official and realistic. Its combination of video and written explanations will also appeal to different learning styles. On Khan Academy's interactive site, you can set up an account and take diagnostic tests on each section of the SAT. Then, Khan Academy will suggest what level you should focus on and, much like our own customized approach, present you with targeted question types to help you improve. The site breaks down each section into subtopics and gives you helpful tips on how to structure your prep schedule. Because it keeps track of your progress, you can log in from anywhere to pick up where you left off. In addition to SAT practice questions, Khan Academy offers resources that explain the structure of the SAT. At present, there are six articles and corresponding videos that describe the format and content of each section (including the Essay) and how they're scored. The website also contains a helpful glossary of SAT terms that go over what terms like "percentile" and "raw score" mean. If you're tired of reading about the SAT and prefer to watch explanatory videos, then Khan Academy is your best source for video explanations of what's on the SAT. Though its SAT material is thorough, the limited number of practice questions and lack of test strategy mean that Khan Academy, while incredibly useful, shouldn't be your only source of practice problems. PrepScholar Collection of Old and New Official SAT Practice Tests We've compiled PDFs for all ten official SAT practice tests, which you can download, print, and take on your own. In addition, we've collected four old SAT practice tests (using the 2400 system) and four very old SAT practice tests (using the old 1600 system). While these tests use old versions of the SAT, they can still be useful for your prep as long as you focus on relevant question types and skip the ones no longer tested (such as Sentence Completion). You'll have to score these tests on your own as well as take the time to understand your mistakes and analyze your answer choices. You can also try out a 5-day free trial of PrepScholar's online test prep program. For these 5 days, you'll have access to the entire program and can try out whether this approach to test prep works for you. PrepScholar helps break down your SAT prep into manageable goals, tracks your progress, and customizes your studying so you're focusing on the practice problems where you need the most improvement. If you enjoy this approach to test prep, then you can continue on with the entire program. If not, then you can call it quits after your 5-day trial. CrackSAT.net Like PrepScholar, CrackSAT.net offers free, official, old SAT practice tests (with answer keys) that you can download for free as PDFs. While the site does have some resources for the New SAT, there aren't very many. Having said that, even old SAT practice tests are great resources for practicing test-taking strategies to maximize your time...and your score. Like some of the other resources we've mentioned, you'll have to score these practice tests yourself. Be sure to set aside time to understand and analyze any mistakes you made. Also, this website is a bit tough to navigate, but once you wind your way through it, you'll have access to plenty of SAT practice questions. Altogether, this collection of websites and blogs can give you a ton of information about the SAT, from its content and form to strategies and official practice questions. Read on to learn the steps you should take to best use these online SAT resources in your prep. How to Use SAT Websites Effectively In order to get the most out of the websites listed above, you'll need to know how to approach and use SAT websites effectively. For both the College Board and Khan Academy, you'll want to make an account and keep track of your usernames and passwords. To post on College Confidential, you'll also need to register on the site to connect with community of students and parents going through the same college application process as you. For our own SAT strategy guides and Erica Meltzer's blog, you can just read through the different articles to answer any questions you might have or to learn new tips. You can then try out the various strategies you've learned on official SAT practice tests. Although the College Board is the official site for all things SAT, I recommend against taking all of its advice as definitive. The College Board's resources don't focus on test-taking strategies, which are the key to making sure you're scoring as high as possible. In the end, your best shot is to search for high-quality strategies and insights into the SAT on these other websites, and then try them out on official practice questions or during our free, five-day SAT prep program trial. By combining strategy and content readiness with official SAT practice questions, you'll be able to improve your score a great deal across all dates you take the SAT! What's Next? I gave you links to some of our most popular SAT articles- but these aren't our only SAT strategy guides. Browse our blog to get more tips on the Math, Reading, and Writing sections of the SAT. Many of our articles cover crucial test-taking approaches like managing your time, guessing effectively, and using the process of elimination. For more information about the college admissions process, check out our complete guide to applying to college. We also have individual guides on how to get into the best colleges in the nation, including Harvard, Yale, and Princeton. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points? We have the industry's leading SAT prep program. Built by Harvard grads and SAT full scorers, the program learns your strengths and weaknesses through advanced statistics, then customizes your prep program to you so you get the most effective prep possible. Check out our 5-day free trial today:

Solow Growth Model Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Solow Growth Model - Essay Example Solow Growth Model is a standard neoclassical model of economic growth developed by Robert Solow. This model holds that economic growth is linked to capital accumulation and the population growth (Zhuang and St Juliana, 2010, p. 65). Solow growth model postulates that under equilibrium, the level of per capita income is determined by prevailing technology, rates of saving, rate of population growth and technical progress all which are assumed exogenous (Barossi-Filho, 2005, p. 37). Given that the rates of population growth and levels of saving are varying across countries, the model gives testable predictions on assessing how the two can influence economic growth of countries. Solow model has been criticized by different theorists given the assumptions made by this theory. This paper will explain the impacts of both population growth and increase in the saving rates upon economic growth. Moreover, the paper will explain how Solow model accounts for technological progress and assess w hether Romer model improves on this. Impact of both population growth and an increase in the savings rate upon economic growth Increased production of goods and services leads to economic growth. In the light of this statement, any country that desires to achieve economic growth must have optimal factors of production (Song, 2009, p. 7). The factors of production include capital, labor, technology, land and entrepreneur. When these factors are optimized economic growth of the country will be positive. Solow growth model predicts that economic growth results from accumulation of capital and population growth rate (Zhuang and St Juliana, 2010, p. 65). Moreover, the model starts by making an assumption of capital accumulation is subject to diminishing returns (Stein, 2007, p. 193). Solow model argues that developing countries with low capital stock can achieve higher economic growth compared to developed countries by increasing their savings and investment rates. Solow model postulates that increased rates of savings leads to capital accumulation. The theory behind increased savings resulting in capital accumulation is that higher savings leads increased amount of funds that can be offered as credit for capital investment. Consequently, this borrowed capital will be invested in the production industry and therefore the gross domestic products will be higher (Song, 2009, p. 9). Investment is required for the development of infrastructure required for production. However, Liu and Guo (2002, p. 25) argues that economic growth of a country depends on its ability to deploy the savings to finance capital investment. In the Solow model, the second factor identified to influence economic growth of a country is its population growth. Population provides an important factor of production; labor and consequently as population grows it adds to the available labor it contributes to economic growth of any country. However, given the rule of diminishing returns on factors of pr oduction it is necessary to strike equilibrium between the labor and other factors of production (Song, 2009, p. 10). The combined effect of impact of increased rates of saving and population growth can be understood using the Solow model. This model offers testable predictions since these two factors are different across nations. Song (2009, p. 9) argues that countries having high saving levels usually have higher per capita incomes while those experiencing high population growth have lower per capita inco

Marketing plan Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Marketing plan - Assignment Example Personal contact with the client should be coupled with the use of the ever growing and beneficial social media platforms (Benett, 2009). Moreover, the business will incorporate client promotion as a key component of its marketing channels and tactics. The span and salon sector has experienced exponential growth over the last couple of years. The services are sought after majorly for relaxation. Most of the users of the services choose the salon or spa to visit on the basis of the range of services that are offered and the proximity to their places of work and residential homes (McDonald & Keegan, 2002). The quality of the service and the prices also influence consumer decision. A lot of service providers operating in Houston have targeted the high end market. These are individuals in stable employment and are on a stable income. Most of them charge an average of $ 250 for their services. From the price analysis, it is clear that a lot of people are locked out from this vital amenity. The need for affordable quality services in a convenient location is quite evident in the Houston market, based on the available data and it is such vital market needs that Divine Divas Salon seeks to satisfy. Divine Divas Salon targets people from all social classes living in Houston. The reason why the enterprise has decided to target the entire market is to avoid locking out those who had been previously denied access to the services due to the exorbitant charges. This market is made up of several groups that have different needs and characteristics. The first group consists of customers recovering from injuries. These clients need massage therapies and in most cases the charges are paid by the insurer (McDonald, 2011). The second group consists of clients who are out to pamper themselves. Majority of the members of the second cluster are

Miss Havisham Essay Example for Free

Miss Havisham Essay Satis house, where Miss Havisham lives, is seen as gothic and strange. The house had all the windows walled up symbolising that Miss Havisham is trapping herself from reality. Dickens also highlights her frailty as if the natural light could struck her to dust suggesting that shes almost vampiric or supernatural, adding to the Victorian audiences fascination. Additionally, the repetition of the house being rustily barred can reflect the house as being a prison as Miss Havisham has imprisoned herself, Dickens could also be trying to represent her feelings of insecurity and decay. The first sight the reader gets of Miss Havisham is of her sitting in an arm chair, with an elbow resting on the table this image is one of resignation and dejection as there is a sense that Miss Havisham has given up. She was wearing a wedding dress, symbolising that she is trying to preserve the identity as an expectant bride. It was made of rich materials- satins, lace and silks emphasising her wealth, however these rich materials that were once white are now yellow The syntax shows that even though time has moved on, Miss Havisham is locked in a moment of stasis. Pips narrative voice explains her to the strangest lady I have ever seen, or shall ever see The adjective strange qualifies how odd and perverse Miss Havisham appears and the additional clause or shall ever see further qualifies how her strangeness is extraordinary. Dickens, however, denies sympathy for Miss Havisham as his gothic depiction of her, causes her to become a freakish object of ridicule. She appears as a skeleton in the ashes of a rich dress that has shrunk to skin and bone. Dickens shows that there is a physical and emotional decay that appears gothic and skeletal. She has become withered making her the complete realisation of the ghastly waxwork at the fair. Dickens purposely states her as the waxwork at the fair as these freakish displays were shown as a form of popular Victorian entertainment. His physical description of Miss Havisham is seen as monstrous and grotesque embodying the form of a gothic monster, therefore making it difficult for the reader to sympathise with her. The language, Dickens uses, is associated with death as he is implying that love humanises and offers life and hope to people, whereas Miss Havisham has locked her heart away, therefore making it seem as though she is deathly. Furthermore, the image of Miss Havisham looking at herself in the mirror shows how she is uncertain of her identity, as she tries to fix herself as an expectant bride. The way she views herself is different to how she seems, so new to him, so old to me: so strange to him, so familiar to me she has locked herself in the past and is unable to move on from a time she was happy. Pip forces Miss Havisham to think and look at herself differently. The syntaxs new-old and strange-familiar shows how she is moving in and out of different perspective. The use of the words as opposites shows how she has a completely misplaced view of herself. Alternatively, in chapter 49, Miss Havisham becomes humanised. Her appearance is acknowledged as Pip finds her sitting in a ragged chair which presents a sense of decay and lost worth. There was a new expression on her face, but her eyes pained, her face was worn by something more than age and her appearance overall is described as more haggard and withered than ever. She was staring at the ashy fire lost in contemplation, in this image Dickens appears to play on the myth of the phoenix as the ashy fire implies that Miss Havisham, like the phoenix rising form the ashes, wishes to be reborn in order to atone her malice. Miss Havishams freakish appearance at the start of the novel changes as Dickens humanises her to point where she cries. She dropped on her knees at my feet and held her hands out hung her head and wept showing the physical image of Miss Havishams repentance makes her seem vulnerable as it is the first time the reader sees her cry and showing her feelings, especially to a man. The crying humanises her as we see her real emotions, it also links to the myth of the phoenix as the tears are said to heal. In the process of Miss Havisham setting alight; Pip sees her running at me, shrieking, with a whirl of fire blazing all about her Dickens in this image presents Miss Havisham as devilish as she runs towards Pip. However, it relates to the myth of the phoenix and shows that through the burning of her dress she is forgiven and extends the idea of being cleansed as it purges all evil. As Pip tries to distinguish the flames, he drags down the great cloth from the table and with it dragged down the heap of rottenness and all the ugly things that sheltered there and wrapped it around Miss Havisham, showing his care and consideration that has grown for Miss Havisham. Whilst Pip cradles Miss Havisham on the floor, the beetles and spiders were running away over the floor whereas before the spiders were nibbling at Miss Havisham, again a sense of purging, cleansing and healing. As they lay Miss Havisham on the table with a white sheet loosely covering her suggests that she is finally at peace and furthermore gives a sense of purity and cleansing with the pure white sheet. The phantom air of something that had been and was changed Dickens shows the reader that Miss Havisham has changed during this and has become reborn. To conclude, Dickens presents Miss Havisham as a challenge to Victorian society. He also shows that love is redemptive and necessary and without it, we are nothing. Within Miss Havishams reformation Dickens shows the strength of her character. His intentions in creating Miss Havisham were to try and show the hardship that women who were rejected by the Victorian society had to go through and how cruel the society have been in marginalising them. By doing so Dickens has cleverly began to deconstruct the stereotype of a spinster and questions expectations. Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Great Expectations section.

American Communist Containment Policy 1945-1953 Essay -- Politics Comm

Containment Policy 1945-1953 America used a variety of methods to contain Soviet influence between 1945-1953. Methods such as Propaganda and flexing of muscle became essential as America justified its policies and actions as part of the struggle to save Capitalist Ideology from the Communist oppressors. Ideology was the main source of conflict between the USA and USSR. This difference in ideology led inevitably to distrust between the two superpowers. The USSR believed in a state controlled economy which discouraged free enterprise, antithesis of America's economic system; the encouragement of free enterprise and the privatization of industry. Thus, the divergent economic structures of the superpowers painted different perspectives, which inevitably sowed the seeds for further conflict between the USA and USSR. The conferences between the USA and USSR up until 1945 showed the various disagreements between the USA and USSR. These conferences were held in Tehran in December 1945, Yalta in February 1945 and Potsdam in July 1945. The main source of conflict between USA and USSR was the future status of Europe. The USA wanted a democratic capitalist continent that it could influence. The USSR wanted to spread Communism and prevent the disasters of World War II recurring again. While Stalin was a brutal and ruthless dictator responsible for millions of deaths, feared and resented by many eastern Europeans, he actually did not intend to conquer the world. This was the basic misunderstanding which fueled the Cold War: the U.S. government, as well as many private citizens, believed that the Russians were engaged in a world-wide con... ...e of 1954, West Germany was permitted to join NATO. In 1955 it became a member of NATO and the following year East Germny joined the Warsaw Pact. USA armed West Germany with 400 000 soldiers as a barrier against the USSR. Thus, the wars and methods of containing Soviet influence always reverted back on the focus of Germany. America had used a variety of methods to contain Soviet influence. These methods did not prove successful as each attempt to umbrella nations from Communism backfired. The Marshall Plan and the defense of South Korea were counter-reacted with the Molotov Plan and the tightening of the Soviet 'Buffer Zone'. Thus, America's containment policies only hindered the implementation of the true ideas 'containment', which concluded with the strengthening of Soviet influence around Europe and the world.

Justice Served?

In Sherman Alexie’s poem, â€Å"Capital Punishment†, a part that was very interesting, yet confusing was when the narrator was being sympathetic. The narrator was very considerate of the prisoners. In the poem, Alexie makes the narrator be a cook at a jail that had the death row. Perhaps Alexie made the narrator be a cook instead of someone else like a guard or a warden because the cook would not represent the law; the cook just works for the jail. Readers of the poem, â€Å"Capital Punishment†, might at irst be puzzled by the sympathy of the cook towards the minorities that get the death sentence, but a close reading of the poem helps us see that the cook is against capital punishment.Throughout the poem the narrator shows us the controversial commentary about how the cook is for capital punishment. When the cook mentions, â€Å"Those Indians are always gambling†, it makes it seem like it is an everyday thing. (14). Then the cook states, â€Å"What did t hey expect? All of the stories should have been simple. † (96 ­97). he/she is implying that it is not important that a person just died.It is a normal thing for people to died, so we should not care. A reader of this poem might assume that cook is just doing his job, but in reality, he/she does care for what they are serving to the Indian man. In the poem there are sections where the cook says, â€Å"(I am not a witness)† (5,22,41,64,79) though it is clear the cook is because he/she is the one telling the poem. The narrator periodically repeats that staza five times. The first time it is mention is after the cook mentions that he/she is to prepare the last meal for the a prisoner that is g

‘Away’ by Michael Gow

Michael Gow’s play Away is the story of three different Australian families who go on holiday for Christmas in the sixties. By going away each family is hoping to resolve their issues. Although Away is set some time ago the themes and issues explored in the play are still relevant to a modern day audience, even one of a non-Australian background. Shakespearean plays that were written many hundreds of years ago and are still understandable and relevant to people all over the world today. Away is the story of three Australian families who go on holiday during the Christmas of 1968. Roy and Coral (the headmaster and his wife) are becoming increasingly close to breaking up. Their son was killed in the Vietnam War and Coral is still grieving for him. Tom and Meg were in the school’s production of A Midsummer’s Nights Dream. Tom has Leukaemia, and his parents, Harry and Vic, haven’t told him that he is going to die, but Tom has worked it out already. Tom and his family immigrated to Australia form England. They are going on holiday knowing that it could be their last together as a family, and are determined to have a good time. Meg is the same age as Tom and they both like each other. Meg’s parents, Gwen and Jim are going on holiday so Gwen can have a break. Gwen is a rather uptight and stressed person and thinks that to have anything good happen you have to make sacrifices. During each of the three families holidays there is a storm and they coincidently end up on the same beach. Away by Michael Gow is set in suburban Australia in the summer of 1968. However the specific time and place do not make it any less relevant to me. I could still relate to and understand what was happening in the play, even though it is set in a time before I was born. This is very much like Shakespearean plays that were written hundreds of years ago, even today people can still connect with the characters in them. It is interesting to note that Gow begins Away with a Shakespearean play, A Midsummer’s Nights Dream, and then choses to end it with another of Shakespeare’s plays, King Lear. Away, like Shakespearean plays is non-naturalism, a feature of this being the non-changing set. Throughout the production of Away that I saw the set remains the same except for basic props such as suitcases and a table. White sand covered the floor and lights were shone on the sails to show the hanges between scenes for the play. In the play Tom is compared to Chip Rafferty, a well-known Australian actor who died at age 62 in 1971. Younger people of today probably haven’t heard of him, but from watching the play and reading the script can safely assume that he was a famous actor. What makes Away relevant to an audience of today or from a non-Au stralian background are the universal themes present in the play. As long as the audience can connect and empathise with a character or understand a theme in the play then it will be relevant to them. Some of the themes in the play include death/grief/loss, racism, class systems, and relationships. The relationship between Gwen and Meg (mother and daughter) is quite strained during the play. Gwen is portrayed as a very uptight and stressed person, while Meg is in her late teens and has her own ideas about things. During Act Three Gwen and Meg begin arguing over Jim’s missing Christmas presents for everyone. The argument ends with Gwen saying how hard she tries to make things good for Meg, and Meg apologises. I feel that I can connect to Meg, especially in the scene where she is arguing with her mother. After that argument her father, (Jim) asks her why she did it, because he’d asked her not to upset her mother and she did. Meg replies that she couldn’t help herself. I know how she feels. You don’t mean to hurt the person or upset them but you just have to have your say, no matter what the consequences of that may be. I also feel that I can relate to Gwen, Meg’s mother as she reminds me of my own mum. The near constant stressing about everything, and wanting the very best for her daughter is very familiar. The issue of death is also covered in Away. Roy and Coral lost a son in the Vietnam was and Coral is still grieving for him. While Harry and Vic know that there son Tom is going to die from leukaemia. People all over the world, no matter what language they speak, what culture they come from, or which country they live in can understand and empathise with what these families may be feeling. The sense of loss and grief that comes with death is a universal feeling that can make the play relevant to so many people.

Plasma Definition in Chemistry and Physics

Plasma Definition in Chemistry and Physics PlasmaDefinition Plasma is a state of matter where the gas phase is energized until atomic electrons are no longer associated with any particular atomic nucleus. Plasmas are made up of positively charged ions and unbound electrons. Plasma may be produced by either heating a gas until it ionized or by subjecting it to a strong electromagnetic field. The term plasma comes from a Greek word that means jelly or moldable material. The word was introduced in the 1920s by chemist Irving Langmuir. Plasma is considered one of the four fundamental states of matter, along with solids, liquids, and gases. While the other three states of matter are commonly encountered in daily life, plasma is relatively rare. Examples of Plasma The plasma ball toy is a typical example of plasma and how it behaves. Plasma is also found in neon lights, plasma displays, arc welding torches, and Tesla coils. Natural examples of plasma include lightning the aurora, the ionosphere, St. Elmos fire, and electrical sparks. While not often seen on Earth, plasma is the most abundant form of matter in the universe (excluding perhaps dark matter). The stars, interior of the Sun, solar wind, and solar corona consist of fully ionized plasma. The interstellar medium and intergalactic medium also contain plasma. Properties of Plasma In a sense, plasma is like a gas in that it assumes the shape and volume of its container. However, plasma isnt as free as gas because its particles are electrically charged. Opposite charges attract each other, often causing plasma to maintain a general shape or flow. The charged particles also mean plasma may be shaped or contained by electrical and magnetic fields. Plasma is generally at a much lower pressure than a gas. Types of Plasma Plasma is the result of ionization of atoms. Because its possible for either all or a portion of atoms to be ionized, there are different degrees of ionization. The level of ionization is mainly controlled by temperature, where increasing the temperature increases the degree of ionization. Matter in which only 1% of the particles are ionized can show characteristics of plasma, yet not be plasma. Plasma may be categorized as hot or completely ionized if nearly all the particles are ionized, or cold or incompletely ionized if a small fraction of molecules are ionized. Note the temperature of cold plasma may still be incredibly hot (thousands of degrees Celsius)! Another way to categorize plasma is as thermal or nonthermal. In thermal plasma, the electrons and heavier particles are in thermal equilibrium or at the same temperature. In nonthermal plasma, the electrons are at a much higher temperature than the ions and neutral particles (which may be at room temperature). Discovery of Plasma The first scientific description of plasma was made by Sir William Crookes in 1879, in reference to what he called radiant matter in a Crookes cathode ray tube. British physicist Sir J.J. Thomsons experiments with a cathode ray tube led him to propose an atomic model in which atoms consisted of positively (protons) and negatively charged subatomic particles.In 1928, Langmuir gave a name to the form of matter.

Learn About the History of Polyester

Learn About the History of Polyester Polyester is a synthetic fiber derived from coal, air, water and petroleum. Developed in a 20th-century laboratory, polyester fibers are formed from a chemical reaction between an acid and alcohol. In this reaction, two or more molecules combine to make a large molecule whose structure repeats throughout its length. Polyester fibers can form very long molecules that are very stable and strong. Whinfield and Dickson Patent the Basis of Polyester British  chemists John Rex Whinfield and James Tennant Dickson, employees of the Calico Printers Association of Manchester, patented polyethylene terephthalate (also called PET or PETE) in 1941, after advancing the early research of  Wallace Carothers. Whinfield and Dickson saw that Carotherss research had not investigated the polyester formed from ethylene glycol and terephthalic acid. Polyethylene terephthalate is the basis of synthetic fibers such as polyester, dacron and terylene. Whinfield and Dickson along with inventors W.K. Birtwhistle and C.G. Ritchiethey also created the first polyester fiber called Terylene in 1941 (first manufactured by Imperial Chemical Industries or ICI). The second polyester fiber was Duponts Dacron. Dupont According to  Dupont, In the late 1920s, DuPont was in direct competition with Britain’s recently formed Imperial Chemical Industries. DuPont and ICI agreed in October 1929 to share information about patents and research developments. In 1952, the companies’ alliance was dissolved... The polymer that became polyester has roots in the 1929 writings of Wallace Carothers. However, DuPont chose to concentrate on the more promising nylon research. When DuPont resumed its polyester research, ICI had patented Terylene polyester, to which DuPont purchased the U.S. rights in 1945 for further development. In 1950, a pilot plant at the Seaford, Delaware, facility produced Dacron [polyester] fiber with modified nylon technology. Duponts polyester research lead to a whole range of trademarked products, one example is Mylar (1952), an extraordinarily strong polyester (PET) film that grew out of the development of Dacron in the early 1950s. Polyesters are made from chemical substances found mainly in petroleum and are manufactured in fibers, films, and plastics. DuPont Teijin Films According to Dupont Teijin Films, Plain polyethylene terephthalate (PET) or polyester is most commonly associated with a material from which cloth and high-performance clothing are produced (e.g., DuPont Dacron ® polyester fiber). Increasingly over the last 10 years, PET has gained acceptance as a material of choice for beverage bottles. PETG, also known as glycolised polyester, is used in the production of cards. Polyester film (PETF) is a semi-crystalline film used in many applications such as videotape,   high-quality packaging, professional photographic printing, X-ray film, floppy disks, etc.    DuPont Teijin Films (founded January 1, 2000) is a leading supplier of PET and PEN polyester films whose brand names incude: Mylar  ®, Melinex  ®, and Teijin  ® Tetoron  ® PET polyester film, Teonex  ® PEN polyester film, and Cronar  ® polyester photographic base film. Naming an invention actually involves developing at least two names. One name is the generic name. The other name is the brand name or trademark. For example, Mylar  ® and Teijin  ® are brand names; polyester film or polyethylene terephthalate are the generic or product names.

Taiwanese clothing industry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Taiwanese clothing industry - Essay Example Many countries in the third world have closely studied the phenomenon, especially the countries' model are exported-led development. During the 1960s Taiwan experienced rapid growth with steady prices, without the fluctuations of a boom-bust cycle. Private enterprises, especially small and midsize firms, took full advantage of this environment to start up business. With the growing economic of Taiwan, the inevitability of moving into different industries is also foreseen. The emergence of a global economy where production and consumption are organized and mediated in the world scale has spread all sectors of manufacturing activity in recent decades, especially clothing. This industry has some specific features, which make clothing suitable for implementation of networking strategies by Taiwanese manufacturers. Although, clothing manufacture is a small firm sector, truly global strategies can be pursued only by large companies. That is why networking can be an essential force to unite small businesses to compete on the global market. There is little doubt that clothing trade, employment and production have taken on an increasingly international dimension since 1960s. Meanwhile smaller companies usually cannot compete on geographically remote markets. Business networks help those firms to reach distant customers by sharing expenditures on transportation, production, purchasing, etc. therefore making it possible for SMEs to participate in global trade. Additionally, small businesses usually don't have the resources to make investments into research and development. Innovation is an important part of what it takes to be competitive on a global market. Sharing technological know-how and innovative knowledge is also a strong argument for networking. The economy of Taiwan economy remains export-oriented, it primary depends on an open world trade regime. Networking strategies implemented by Taiwanese clothing manufacturers allow them to remain competitive on a worldwide scale, regardless of their size. Networking strategies help them in three ways: reaching out to distant markets, lowering production costs and sharing knowledge and innovations between members. The next part deals with more detailed description of how it is achieved. 2.2 Networking Strategy A business network can be defined as linkages among firms. It provides external sources for various type of input that complement or substitute for a given firm's inadequacies (Malecki and Tootle 1996). Surprisingly, there are few studies based on strategic linkage and networking (Chen and Tain-Jy, 1998). Business networking is about cooperative relationships between companies. Networking is an adaptation process: it is because interdependent production, logistics, development, and administrative activities and resources need to be modified and coordinated to bring about a better match between the firms in the network (Chen and Chen, 1998). Network resources are particularly useful in entering an early stage of market where institutions that facilitate internationalization are still lacking. Business networking can take a lot of different forms, each one of them with its own purpose, advantages and drawbacks. I

Diploma Paper on Asthma Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Diploma Paper on Asthma - Essay Example In my practice, however, I have seen some patients who are in such a phase that the patient experiences some degrees of airways obstruction daily. Prevalence: Asthma is very common; it is estimated that 4% to 5% of the population is affected with this condition. It occurs in all ages but predominantly seen in early life. About 50% of the cases develop before the age of 10, and another 33% occur before age 40. In childhood, there is a 2:1 male to female ratio, but this sex ratio equalises by age 30 (Neri, M. and Spanevello, A., 2000). Normal Anatomy: The larynx opens into a tube called trachea. This is approximately 5 to 6 inches long, and it is supported and kept open by a series of C-shaped rings of cartilage stacked one upon the other and open at the dorsal aspect. The area between the adjacent cartilages and between the tips of the cartilage contains connective tissue and smooth muscle. The trachea, thus, furnishes an open passageway for both incoming and outgoing air. Its ciliated lining cells also filters air and removes particulate matters before it enters the bronchi, brushing mucus-entrapped particles to the pharynx to be swallowed. The trachea branches into two primary bronchi, which have the same structure as the trachea. The bronchi become smaller and smaller as they extend towards the lungs, and eventually, their diameter is reduced to about 1 mm. At this point structurally, they seem to lack cartilages that were evident in the upper parts of the tract ( Frechette, E. and Deslauriers, J., 2006). When they start lacking the cartilaginous rings, these are termed as bronchioles. Bronchioles are composed entirely of smooth muscles supported by connective tissues. They, likewise, continue to branch and sub-branch until they form the smallest air passages, the terminal bronchioles. The branching and rebranching pattern of the trachea, bronchi, and bronchioles constitute a conducting network within the lung referred to as bronchial tree. The terminal bronchioles enter into the alveoli supplying inhaled air and receiving exhaled air (Begueret, H., Berger, P., Vernejoux, J. M., Dubuisson, L., Marthan, R., and Tunon-de-Lara, J. M., 2007). Control of Airway Caliber: Human lungs receive cholinergic, adrenergic, and peptidergic efferents and several types of efferents. These innervations by the autonomic nerves regulate many aspects of airway function. It has been suggested that the neural control of the airways may be abnormal in asthmatic patients, and neurogenic mechanisms may contribute to the pathogenesis and pathophysiology of asthma. The parasympathetic nervous system is the dominant neuronal pathway in the control of airway smooth muscle tone. Stimulation of cholinergic nerves causes bronchoconstriction, mucus secretion, and bronchial vasodilatation (Janssen, L.J., Wattie, J., Lu-Chao, H., and Tazzeo, T., 2001). Sympathetic nerves may control tracheobronchial blood vessels. Although no sympathetic innervations of human airway smooth muscles have been demonstrated, beta-adrenergic receptors are abundant in the airway smooth muscles, and activation of these receptors causes bronchodilation. Inhibitory non-adrenergi c, non-cholinergic nerves (NANC) containing vasoactive intestinal peptides and nitric oxide may be the only neural bronchodilator pathways in the airways. Thus, the classical view with one excitatory (cholinergic) and other inhibitory (nor-adrenergic) components

Technology Used in the Business Environment Research Paper

Technology Used in the Business Environment - Research Paper Example The technology that will be available to business will increase in the coming years. Failure to take advantage of technology provides advantage to the competition. Types of Technology in a Business Environment Table of Contents Section Page Title Page Abstract 1 Table of Contents 2 1.0 Introduction 3 2.0 Mobile Computers 3 3.0 Scanners, Barcode and RFID Devices 4 4.0 IP Video Systems for Monitoring Operation and Security 5 5.0 Voice over Internet Protocol 6 6.0 Conclusion 7 References 8 List of Figure Figure Number Title Page 1 Mobile computer in action 4 2 Scanners as used for inventories 5 3 IP Video Systems 6 Types of Technology in a Business Environment 1.0. Introduction Technology is crucial for war, peace, business, and life. This is the reason why man has abandoned the technology of the bow and arrows to move on to the technology of the nuclear bomb. It is also the rationale why man has to improve his means of communication. Businesses prosper and become competitive only when the most advanced technology is used and life only becomes comfortable when the most advanced technology is tapped. Given the current economic environment of financial crisis where costs have to be tapered down and yet operational efficiency and power must be maintained, technology is a crucial part of the solution for business survival. It is therefore imperative to look into the types of technology that businesses can use to maintain competitiveness, efficiency, and survival if not profitability. In this work, I looked into four types of technology which I believe businesses will have to access if they want to be competitive in their industry. My impression is that the technologies that I will discuss will enable businesses to cut on labor and professional costs while making work and life easier for labor as they make the latter more productive. 2.0. Mobile Computers One type of technology which I consider has been significantly changing the way we conduct businesses are the mobil e computers. Of course, we have witnessed how the laptop enabled an element of the work force to be productive wherever he or she may be. The laptop enabled the businessman to bring anywhere not only his or her organization’s business data but also the means through which data can be analyzed: accounting, financial, planning, and management computer software. A fairly recent development that can be used by businesses is in the area of mobile computers. According to BearCom (2011a, p. 8), the mobile computers are â€Å"making processes more efficient.† BearCom cited several success stories that benefitted from mobile computing. In particular, BearCom cited the case of Huntsman Corporation where â€Å"with real ­-time wireless tracking of rounds activity, the number of pumps requiring daily inspections has been reduced by 50 percent---allowing more time for other crucial inspection areas† (2011, p. 8). Further, according to BearCom (2011, p. 8), with mobile comp uting â€Å"defect elimination work requests are now initiated in the field in real time.† In Figure 1 below, an application of mobile computing is shown where recording, computation of the bill and billing become part of a single step. Figure 1. Mobile computer in action Source: BearCom, 2011, p. 8 It is obvious from Figure 1 that with mobile computing, several processes of business operations can be reduced into a single step thereby reducing costs, promoting productivity, and enhancing efficiency. Obviously, there will savings. There are obviously

Importance of Elasticity Demand

Importance of Elasticity Demand Price Elasticity of Demand (PED) measures the percentage change in the price of a product, to the percentage change of demand for that same product. It is measured through varying degrees of elasticity. An inelastic good means that a change in price will have a very little effect on the demand. Due to PED=%?Q / %?P, inelastic  ­goods have a PED

Reactions to Hooks’ Feminism is for Everybody Essay -- Essays Papers

Reactions to Hooks’ Feminism is for Everybody I am not a feminist simply because I was raised in a feminist household. I am not a feminist because I am an independent, educated woman. I am not a feminist because I am a bitter female, nor because I am a â€Å"woman scorned.† I am not a feminist because I hate men, nor because I am a lesbian nor because I like to listen to the Indigo Girls. To the contrary I love men and I am not a lesbian. While I agree with hooks that â€Å"feminism is a movement to end sexism, sexist exploitation, and oppression† (viii), I believe that her definition of â€Å"feminism† states the goals of the movement rather than actually defining the term itself. In my mind, feminism is a synonym for equality. I am a feminist because I believe in the equality between men and women, plane and simple. No hidden agenda, no gimmicks, no tricky explanations. Sounds like an easy enough concept to comprehend. So why then is feminism such a misunderstood and feared notion? Why has this â€Å"ismà ¢â‚¬  in particular become the new f-word of pop culture? Equality is a word commonly associated with American culture; it is a long-standing theme of our history. This does not make a great deal of sense to me. After all, America was established on the premise that all MEN are created EQUAL. The term â€Å"men† is very specific as is the rest of the wording of the Constitution. It is doubtful that the founding fathers of our country meant this to include men and women or else they would have stated exactly that. It is only in the latter half of the past century that this equality was extended to include the fair treatment of all peoples, regardless of race, gender, or ethnicity. America was first settled in large part by religious outcasts seeking a saf... ...y personal movement. hooks encourages her readers to demand alternatives to patriarchal, racist, and homophobic culture, and to imagine a different future. Her book literally speaks to everybody, asking readers, whether they are feminist or not, to take look at feminism in a new light, to see that it touches all lives. No longer will people (men or women) have the excuse that feminism is â€Å"too complex† to understand, nor will they be able to get by on third-hand knowledge (as hooks refers to on vii) of the topic. As hooks intended, I finally have a book to hand to all of my friends (both male and female) who gave me strained looks because I lived on Mt. Vernon last year or because I am more than willing to admit that I am proud to be a feminist. hooks shows that feminism—far from being an outdated concept or one limited to an intellectual elite—is indeed for everybody.

The Vampire Diaries: Dark Reunion Chapter Eleven

The car skidded in behind one of the police cars that was parked crookedly in the street. There were lights everywhere, lights flashing blue and red and amber, lights blazing from the Bennett house. â€Å"Stay here,† Matt snapped, and he plunged outside, following Stefan. â€Å"No!† Bonnie's head jerked up; she wanted to grab him and drag him back. The dizzy nausea she'd felt ever since Tyler had mentioned Vickie was overwhelming her. It was too late; she'd known in the first instant that it was too late. Matt was only going to get himself killed too. â€Å"You stay, Bonnie-keep the doors locked. I'll go after them.† That was Meredith. â€Å"No! I'm sick of having everybody tell me to stay!† Bonnie cried, struggling with the seat belt, finally getting it unlocked. She was still crying, but she could see well enough to get out of the car and start toward Vickie's house. She heard Meredith right behind her. The activity all seemed concentrated at the front: people shouting, a woman screaming, the crackling voices of police radios. Bonnie and Meredith headed straight for the back, for Vickie's window. What is wrong with this picture? Bonnie thought wildly as they approached. The wrongness of what she was looking at was undeniable, yet hard to put a finger on. Vickie's window was open-but it couldn't be open; the middle pane of a bay window never opens, Bonnie thought. But then how could the curtains be fluttering out like shirttails? Not open, broken. Glass was all over the gravel pathway, grinding underfoot. There were shards like grinning teeth left in the bare frame. Vickie's house had been broken into. â€Å"She asked him in,† Bonnie cried in agonized fury. â€Å"Why did she do that? Why?† â€Å"Stay here,† Meredith said, trying to moisten dry lips. â€Å"Stop telling me that. I can take it, Meredith. I'm mad, that's all. I hate him.† She gripped Meredith's arm and went forward. The gaping hole got closer and closer. The curtains rippled. There was enough space between them to see inside. At the last moment, Meredith pushed Bonnie away and looked through first herself. It didn't matter. Bonnie's psychic senses were awake and already telling her about this place. It was like the crater left in the ground after a meteor has hit and exploded, or like the charred skeleton of a forest after a wildfire. Power and violence were still thrumming in the air, but the main event was over. This place had been violated. Meredith spun away from the window, doubling over, retching. Clenching her fists so that the nails bit into her palms, Bonnie leaned forward and looked in. The smell was what struck her first. A wet smell, meaty and coppery. She could almost taste it, and it tasted like an accidentally bitten tongue. The stereo was playing something she couldn't hear over the screaming out front and the drumming-surf sound in her own ears. Her eyes, adjusting from the darkness outside, could see only red. Just red. The record player clicked and the stylus swung back to the beginning. With a shock, Bonnie recognized the song as it started over. It was â€Å"Goodnight Sweetheart.† â€Å"You monster,† Bonnie gasped. Pain shot through her stomach. Her hand gripped the window frame, tighter, tighter. â€Å"You monster, I hate you! I hate you!† Meredith heard and straightened up, turning. She shakily pushed back her hair and managed a few deep breaths, trying to look as if she could cope. â€Å"You're cutting your hand,† she said. â€Å"Here, let me see it.† Bonnie hadn't even realized she was gripping broken glass. She let Meredith take the hand, but instead of letting her examine it, she turned it over and clasped Meredith's own cold hand tightly. Meredith looked terrible: dark eyes glazed, lips blue-white and shaking. But Meredith was still trying to take care of her, still trying to keep it together. â€Å"Go on,† she said, looking at her friend intently. â€Å"Cry, Meredith. Scream if you want to. But get it out somehow. You don't have to be cool now and keep it all inside. You have every right to lose it today.† For a moment Meredith just stood there, trembling, but then she shook her head with a ghastly attempt at a smile. â€Å"I can't. I'm just not made that way. Come on, let me look at the hand.† Bonnie might have argued, but just then Matt came around the corner. He started violently to see the girls standing there. â€Å"What are you doing-?† he began. Then he saw the window. â€Å"She's dead,† Meredith said flatly. â€Å"I know.† Matt looked like a bad photograph of himself, an overexposed one. â€Å"They told me up front. They're bringing out†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He stopped. â€Å"We blew it. Even after we promised her†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Meredith stopped too. There was nothing more to say. â€Å"But the police will have to believe us now,† Bonnie said, looking at Matt, then Meredith, finding one thing to be grateful for. â€Å"They'll have to.† â€Å"No,† Matt said, â€Å"they won't, Bonnie. Because they're saying it's a suicide.† â€Å"A suicide?. Have they seen that room? They call that a suicide?† Bonnie cried, her voice rising. â€Å"Oh, my God,† Meredith said, turning away. â€Å"They think maybe she was feeling guilty for having killed Sue.† â€Å"Somebody broke into this house,† Bonnie said fiercely. â€Å"They've got to admit that!† â€Å"No.† Meredith's voice was soft, as if she were very tired. â€Å"Look at the window here. The glass is all outside. Somebody from the inside broke it.† And that's the rest of what's wrong with the picture, Bonnie thought. â€Å"He probably did, getting out,† Matt said. They looked at each other silently, in defeat. â€Å"Where's Stefan?† Meredith asked Matt quietly. â€Å"Is he out front where everyone can see him?† â€Å"No, once we found out she was dead he headed back this way. I was coming to look for him. He must be around somewhere†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Sh!† said Bonnie. The shouting from the front had stopped. So had the woman's screaming. In the relative stillness they could hear a faint voice from beyond the black walnut trees in the back of the yard. â€Å"-while you were supposed to be watching her!† The tone made Bonnie's skin break out in gooseflesh. â€Å"That's him!† Matt said. â€Å"And he's with Damon. Come on!† Once they were among the trees Bonnie could hear Stefan's voice clearly. The two brothers were facing each other in the moonlight. â€Å"I trusted you, Damon. I trusted you!† Stefan was saying. Bonnie had never seen him so angry, not even with Tyler in the graveyard. But it was more than anger. â€Å"And you just let it happen,† Stefan went on, without glancing at Bonnie and the others as they appeared, without giving Damon a chance to reply. â€Å"Why didn't you do something? If you were too much of a coward to fight him, you could at least have called for me. But you just stood there!† Damon's face was hard, closed. His black eyes glittered, and there was nothing lazy or casual about his posture now. He looked as unbending and brittle as a pane of glass. He opened his mouth, but Stefan interrupted. â€Å"It's my own fault. I should have known better. I did know better. They all knew, they warned me, but I wouldn't listen.† â€Å"Oh, did they?† Damon snapped a glance toward Bonnie on the sidelines. A chill went through her. â€Å"Stefan, wait,† Matt said. â€Å"I think-â€Å" â€Å"I should have listened!† Stefan was raging on. He didn't even seem to hear Matt. â€Å"I should have stayed with her myself. I promised her she would be safe-and I lied! She died thinking I betrayed her.† Bonnie could see it in his face now, the guilt eating into him like acid. â€Å"If I had stayed here-â€Å" â€Å"And that would have been better!† Stefan cried. His chest was heaving. â€Å"I would rather have died with her than stood by and watched it! What happened, Damon?† He had gotten hold of himself now, and he was calm, too calm; his green eyes were burning feverishly in his pale face, his voice vicious, poisonous, as he spoke. â€Å"Were you too busy chasing some other girl through the bushes? Or just too uninterested to interfere?† Damon said nothing. He was just as pale as his brother, every muscle tense and rigid. Waves of black fury were rising from him as he watched Stefan. â€Å"Or maybe you enjoyed it,† Stefan was continuing, moving another half step forward so that he was right in Damon's face. â€Å"Yes, that was probably it; you liked it, being with another killer. Was it good, Damon? Did he let you watch?† Damon's fist jerked back and he hit Stefan. It happened too fast for Bonnie's eye to follow. Stefan fell backward onto the soft ground, long legs sprawling. Meredith cried out something, and Matt jumped in front of Damon. Brave, Bonnie thought dazedly, but stupid. The air was crackling with electricity. Stefan raised a hand to his mouth and found blood, black in the moonlight. Bonnie lurched over to his side and grabbed his arm. Damon was coming after him again. Matt fell back before him, but not all the way. He dropped to his knees beside Stefan, sitting on his heels, one hand upraised. â€Å"Enough, you guys! Enough, all right?† he shouted. Stefan was trying to get up. Bonnie held on to his arm more firmly. â€Å"No! Stefan, don't! Don't!† she begged. Meredith grabbed his other arm. â€Å"Damon, leave it alone! Just leave it!† Matt was saying sharply. We're all crazy, getting in the middle of this, Bonnie thought. Trying to break up a fight between two angry vampires. They're going to kill us just to shut us up. Damon's going to swat Matt like a fly. But Damon had stopped, with Matt blocking his way. For a long moment the scene remained frozen, nobody moving, everybody rigid with strain. Then, slowly, Damon's stance relaxed. His hands lowered and unclenched. He drew a slow breath. Bonnie realized she'd been holding her own breath, and she let it out. Damon's face was cold as a statue carved in ice. â€Å"All right, have it your way,† he said, and his voice was cold too. â€Å"But I'm through here. I'm leaving. And this time, brother, if you follow me, I'll kill you. Promise or no promise.† Damon hitched up his jacket, straightening it. With a glance at Bonnie that scarcely seemed to see her, he turned to go. Then he turned back and spoke clearly and precisely, each word an arrow aimed at Stefan. â€Å"I warned you,† he said. â€Å"About what I am, and about which side would win. You should have listened to me, little brother. Maybe you'll learn something from tonight.† â€Å"I've learned what trusting you is worth,† Stefan said. â€Å"Get out of here, Damon. I never want to see you again.† Without another word, Damon turned and walked away into the darkness. Bonnie let go of Stefan's arm and put her head in her hands. Stefan got up, shaking himself like a cat that had been held against its will. He walked a little distance from the others, his face averted from them. Then he simply stood there. The rage seemed to have left him as quickly as it had come. What do we say now? Bonnie wondered, looking up. What can we say? Stefan was right about one thing: they had warned him about Damon and he hadn't listened. He'd truly seemed to believe that his brother could be trusted. And then they'd all gotten careless, relying on Damon because it was easy and because they needed the help. No one had argued against letting Damon watch Vickie tonight. They were all to blame. But it was Stefan who would tear himself apart with guilt over this. She knew that was behind his out-of-control fury at Damon: his own shame and remorse. She wondered if Damon knew that, or cared. And she wondered what had really happened tonight. Now that Damon had left, they would probably never know. No matter what, she thought, it was better he was gone. Outside noises were reasserting themselves: cars being started in the street, the short burst of a siren, doors slamming. They were safe in the little grove of trees for the moment, but they couldn't stay here. Meredith had one hand pressed to her forehead, her eyes shut. Bonnie looked from her to Stefan, to the lights of Vickie's silent home beyond the trees. A wave of sheer exhaustion passed through her body. All the adrenaline that had been supporting her throughout this evening seemed to have drained away. She didn't even feel angry anymore at Vickie's death; only depressed and sick and very, very tired. She wished she could crawl into her bed at home and. pull the blankets over her head. â€Å"Tyler,† she said aloud. And when they all turned to look at her, she said, â€Å"We left him in the ruined church. And he's our last hope now. We've got to make him help us.† That roused everyone. Stefan turned around silently, not speaking and not meeting anyone's eyes as he followed them back to the street. The police cars and ambulance were gone, and they drove to the cemetery without incident. â€Å"We left his feet untied,† Matt said heavily, with a grimace of self-disgust. â€Å"He must have walked away since his car's still down there.† Or he could have been taken, Bonnie thought. There was no mark on the stone floor to show which. Meredith went to the knee-high wall and sat down, one hand pinching the bridge of her nose. Bonnie sagged against the belfry. They'd failed completely. That was the long and short of it tonight. They'd lost and he had won. Everything they'd done today had ended in defeat. And Stefan, she could tell, was taking the whole responsibility on his own shoulders. She glanced at the dark, bowed head in the front seat as they drove back to the boarding house. Another thought occurred to her, one that sent thrills of alarm down her nerves. Stefan was all they had to protect them now that Damon was gone. And if Stefan himself was weak and exhausted†¦ Bonnie bit her lip as Meredith pulled up to the barn. An idea was forming in her mind. It made her uneasy, even frightened, but another look at Stefan put steel in her resolve. The Ferrari was still parked behind the barn-apparently Damon had abandoned it. Bonnie wondered how he planned to get about the countryside, and then thought of wings. Velvety soft, strong black crow's wings that reflected rainbows in their feathers. Damon didn't need a car. They went into the boarding house just long enough for Bonnie to call her parents and say she was spending the night at Meredith's. This was her idea. But after Stefan had climbed the stairs to his attic room, Bonnie stopped Matt on the front porch. â€Å"Matt? Can I ask you a favor?† He swung around, blue eyes widening. â€Å"That's a loaded phrase. Every time Elena said those particular words†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"No, no, this is nothing terrible. I just want you to take care of Meredith, see she's okay once she gets home and all.† She gestured toward the other girl, who was already walking toward the car. â€Å"But you're coming with us.† Bonnie glanced at the stairs through the open door. â€Å"No. I think I'll stay a few minutes. Stefan can drive me home. I just want to talk to him about something.† Matt looked bewildered. â€Å"Talk to him about what?† â€Å"Just something. I can't explain now. Will you, Matt?† â€Å"But†¦ oh, all right. I'm too tired to care. Do what you want. I'll see you tomorrow.† He walked off, seeming baffled and a little angry. The bulb in the attic ceiling lamp was missing, and Stefan had lighted a candle. He was lying haphazardly on the bed, one leg off and one leg on, his eyes shut. Maybe asleep. Bonnie tiptoed up and fortified herself with a deep breath. â€Å"Stefan?† His eyes opened. â€Å"I thought you'd left.† â€Å"They did. I didn't.† God, he's pale, thought Bonnie. Impulsively, she plunged right in. â€Å"Stefan, I've been thinking. With Damon gone, you're the only thing between us and the killer. That means you've got to be strong, as strong as you can be. And, well, it occurred to me that maybe†¦ you know†¦ you might need†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Her voice faltered. Unconsciously she'd begun fiddling with the wad of tissues forming a makeshift bandage on her palm. It was still bleeding sluggishly from where she'd cut it on the glass. His gaze followed hers down to it. Then his eyes lifted quickly to her face, reading the confirmation there. There was a long moment of silence. Then he shook his head. â€Å"But why? Stefan, I don't want to get personal, but frankly you don't look so good. You're not going to be much help to anybody if you collapse on us. And†¦ I don't mind, if you only take a little. I mean, I'm never going to miss it, right? And it can't hurt all that much. And†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Once again her voice trailed off. He was just looking at her, which was very disconcerting. â€Å"Well, why not?† she demanded, feeling slightly let down. â€Å"Because,† he said softly, â€Å"I made a promise. Maybe not in so many words, but -a promise just the same. I won't take human blood as food, because that means using a person, like livestock. And I won't exchange it with anyone, because that means love, and-† This time he was the one who couldn't finish. But Bonnie understood. â€Å"There won't ever be anyone else, will there?† she said. â€Å"No. Not for me.† Stefan was so tired that his control was slipping and Bonnie could see behind the mask. And again she saw that pain and need, so great that she had to look away from him. A strange little chill of premonition and dismay trickled through her heart. Before, she had wondered if Matt would ever get over Elena, and he had, it seemed. But Stefan- Stefan, she realized, the chill deepening, was different. No matter how much time passed, no matter what he did, he would never truly heal. Without Elena he would always be half himself, only half alive. She'd come up here to give Stefan a gift that he didn't want. But there was something else he did want, she realized, and only she had the power to give it to him. Without looking at him, her voice husky, she said, â€Å"Would you like to see Elena?† Dead silence from the bed. Bonnie sat, watching the shadows in the room sway and flicker. At last, she chanced a look at him out of the corner of her eye. He was breathing hard, eyes shut, body taut as a bowstring. Trying, Bonnie diagnosed, to work up the strength to resist temptation. And losing. Bonnie saw that. Elena always had been too much for him. When his eyes met hers again, they were grim, and his mouth was a tight line. His skin wasn't pale anymore but flushed with color. His body was still trembling-taut and keyed up with anticipation. â€Å"You might get hurt, Bonnie.† â€Å"I know.† â€Å"You'd be opening yourself up to forces beyond your control. I can't guarantee that I can protect you from them.† â€Å"I know. How do you want to do it?† Fiercely, he took her hand. â€Å"Thank you, Bonnie,† he whispered. She felt the blood rise to her face. â€Å"That's all right,† she said. Good grief, he was gorgeous. Those eyes†¦ in a minute she was either going to jump him or melt into a puddle on his bed. With a pleasurably agonizing feeling of virtue she removed her hand from his and turned to the candle. â€Å"How about if I go into a trance and try to reach her, and then, once I make contact, try to find you and draw you in? Do you think that would work?† â€Å"It might, if I'm reaching for you too,† he said, withdrawing that intensity from her and focusing it on the candle. â€Å"I can touch your mind†¦ when you're ready, I'll feel it.† â€Å"Right.† The candle was white, its wax sides smooth and shining. The flame drew itself up and then fell back. Bonnie stared until she became lost in it, until the rest of the room blacked out around her. There was only the flame, herself and the flame. She was going into the flame. Unbearable brightness surrounded her. Then she passed through it into the dark. The funeral home was cold. Bonnie glanced around uneasily, wondering how she had gotten here, trying to gather her thoughts. She was all alone, and for some reason that bothered her. Wasn't somebody else supposed to be here too? She was looking for someone. Step by step, as if something were pulling her, Bonnie approached the casket. She didn't want to look in. She had to. There was something in that coffin waiting for her. The whole room was suffused with the soft white light of the candles. It was like floating in an island of radiance. But she didn't want to look†¦ Moving as if in slow motion, she reached the coffin, stared at the white satin lining inside. It was empty. Bonnie closed it and leaned against it, sighing. Then she caught motion in her peripheral vision and whirled. It was Elena. â€Å"Oh, God, you scared me,† Bonnie said. â€Å"I thought I told you not to come here,† Elena answered. This time her hair was loose, flowing over her shoulders and down her back, the pale golden white of a flame. She was wearing a thin white dress that glowed softly in the candlelight. She looked like a candle herself, luminous, radiant. Her feet were bare. â€Å"I came here to†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Bonnie floundered, some concept teasing around the edges of her mind. This was her dream, her trance. She had to remember. â€Å"I came here to let you see Stefan,† she said. Elena's eyes widened, her lips parting. Bonnie recognized the look of yearning, of almost irresistible longing. Not fifteen minutes ago she'd seen it on Stefan's face. â€Å"Oh,† Elena whispered. She swallowed, her eyes clouding. â€Å"Oh, Bonnie†¦ but I can't.† â€Å"Why not?† Tears were shining in Elena's eyes now, and her lips were trembling. â€Å"What if things start to change? What if he comes, and†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She put a hand to her mouth and Bonnie remembered the last dream, with teeth falling like rain. Bonnie met Elena's eyes with understanding horror. â€Å"Don't you see? I couldn't stand it if something like that happened,† Elena whispered. â€Å"If he saw me like that†¦ And I can't control things here; I'm not strong enough. Bonnie, please don't let him through. Tell him how sorry I am. Tell him-† She shut her eyes, tears spilling. â€Å"Stefan, no! Elena says-† It didn't matter. His mind was stronger than hers, and the instant she'd made contact he had taken over. He'd sensed the gist of her conversation with Elena, but he wasn't going to take no for an answer. Helplessly, Bonnie felt herself being overridden, felt his mind come closer, closer to the circle of light formed by the candelabras. She felt his presence there, felt it taking shape. She turned and saw him, dark hair, tense face, green eyes fierce as a falcon's. And then, knowing there was nothing more she could do, she stepped back to allow them to be alone.