How to Make Spanish Rice

How to Make Spanish Rice Making Spanish rice is a fairly fast and easy process. It involves browning the rice, adding the ingredients, and cooking the rice. Before you begin you will need the following ingredients: cooking oil (vegetable or canola), long grain rice (I prefer Mahatma Jasmine), a tomato, an onion, water, and tomato bullion. The following seasonings are optional: Sazon Goya con azafran, Sazon Goya con culantro/achiote. found on Mexican food aisle at most grocery stores)You will also need a two quart sauce pan with a lid (a larger pan may be used, but the rice will cook faster, therefore the cooking time will vary), a large spoon, and a gas or electric stove top. You need to take caution not to brown the rice too fast. If you cook the Spanish rice according to the following process, the rice will be soft and moist, with no standing liquid in the pan. First you will need to brown the rice.In order to do this, you will need to add a half cup of cooking oil to a two quart s auce pan (a larger pan will work, but the rice will have more room to cook, therefore it will cook faster and take less time). Next, pre-heat the oil on medium heat for about two minutes. Then add two cups of long grain rice to the pre-heated oil. (I prefer Mahatma Jasmine long grain rice because it cooks fluffier and it looks better) Continue to cook the rice on medium heat, stirring often with a large spoon. While the rice is browning, chop a small tomato and half of a medium onion.When the rice starts to brown, you will need to stir the rice more frequently. The rice will burn if you fail to stir it often or have the heat too high. The rice will be a golden brown color when it is ready for the next process. Browning the rice usually takes about fifteen minutes. The second process is adding the ingredients. First, stir in the chopped onions and tomatoes. Then add five and a half cups of water and stir. Let the water heat, but not to boiling. When the water appears hot, add five te aspoons of Knorr tomato bullion.Then add two packets of each: Sazon Goya con azafran (orange/yellow box), Sazon Goya con culantro/achiote (two tone orange box). (This can be found on the Mexican aisle at most grocery stores. The Sazon Goya is optional. I use it because it gives the rice a little more color and I think a better flavor). Stir the mixture until the seasonings are well dissolved. Place the lid on the rice. You should then reduce the heat at this point to medium/low. The final step in cooking the Spanish rice doesn’t take long. I think it is the fastest process of the three.I usually let the rice cook for about thirteen-eighteen minutes. I do not stir the rice at all during this final step. I open the lid every few minutes to make sure the rice is not cooking too fast. You should see liquid for at least the first eight minutes or so. When you do not stir the rice, it appears fluffier and not so mushy looking. The Spanish rice will be ready when you no longer see s tanding liquid in the pan. You can carefully insert the large spoon down to the bottom of the pan of Spanish rice (without stirring) to make sure the rice is not cooking too fast and to see if the rice is ready.The rice will be soft when it is ready. Keep the lid on the pan until you are ready to serve it. If you have followed the previous steps of this process correctly, your Spanish rice will be fluffy and soft. If you browned the rice too fast, it will be hard and will not fully cook as it should. The rice will also have a burnt taste. In the event this happens, reduce the heat while you are browning the rice or stir more frequently the next time you make Spanish rice.If the Spanish rice is too dry or hard, it may be possible you had your heat to high after adding the ingredients. The next time you should cook it on a lower heat, or add a little more water. You may take into consideration that some stoves may vary. This process was done with an electric stove. You can make little tweaks in this process if you find it necessary. You can reduce the heat if the rice appears to cook to fast. The rice seldom ever cooks too slowly. If it cooks too slowly, it will usually just take a little longer to cook.

African Americans Essay

In the beginning of 20-th century African Americans were already free from slavery, but their rights differed significantly with the rights of â€Å"white† people. Politics of segregation was still in place, and African Americans, especially in Southern states, were forced to live in separate parts of cities. Special institutions like schools, churches, cemeteries, even special transport units existed for the African American part of the population to separate â€Å"blacks† and â€Å"whites†. Needless to say, these special organizations and units for the African Americans were of low quality. African Americans lacked good education and though were forced to work as unqualified personnel. Political activity for the African American was a dream. But between the African American people some activists appeared that called upon peaceful improvement of their status and establishment of equality of the races. A number of public organizations appeared that were objected to attain the equal rights for the African Americans, among them were even educational organizations like the institute of Booker Washington. 2. USA entered the conflict in the Korean peninsula with the intention to lead the UN forces and to give support to the South Korea armies in confrontation with the Northern aggressors. United States could not let the communists in Korea win shortly after the communists’ victory in China, and tried to keep this sphere of influence on the events in the Far East. In the third phase of the war, general Douglas MacArthur strived for the complete destruction of North Korea troops and insisted on the â€Å"total war† with the communists of China and Korea even to the extents of nuclear bombing. These ideas weren’t welcomed by the President Truman and were the cause of MacArthur’s resignation. After the Korean War the â€Å"cold war† had spread from the Far East into the other regions. USA had expanded their military presence in Europe and in the Middle East; also the politics of neutrality in the Indo-China became obsolete. Military-industrial complex of the United States rapidly recovered from the recession that followed the World War II 3. Eighteenth century was the time of revolutionary changes in almost every aspect of life. Ideas of the Age of Enlightenment claimed the universal equality, and women started to understand that they may possess an active position in social life. This tendency reached the point of culmination at the end of the century, when the Declaration of the Rights of Women was created in 1791 by Olympe De Gouges during the times of the Great French Revolution. This declaration demanded for women equal rights in the family, the rights of active and passive voting, right of possession, right for education and right to take up any posts. Declaration was the embodiment of ideas of feminism that were born in the beginning of 18-th century, and appeared to be the starting point for the active movements for the equal rights of women in the future. 4. Philadelphia System was based on the idea that the prisoner, left alone with his thoughts, with God and the Holy Bible as the only book for reading, would aspire to his inner perfection and inevitably reaches remorse for his deeds. â€Å"Philadelphian† prisoners were kept in solitude and silence. They had to wear masks while leaving their cells, no entertainments and relations with other prisoners were allowed, and work was a reward for the good behavior of the prisoner. This type of keeping the prisoners was very expensive; moreover, silence, solitude and forced idleness often caused insanity, flatness of mind or suicidal tendencies among the imprisoned. So the Auburn System was developed to change the situation. According to this system, criminal should be reformed by regular obligatory work, accuracy and discipline. During the day prisoners work in general workrooms with the only short breaks for the rest and walk, and for the night they are separately locked in one-man cells. Several hours in a week are for education. In an early Auburn System prisoners were prohibited to speak on the penalty of corporal punishment, but later on they were allowed to socialize during the rest. This system is more psychologically comfortablew for the prisoners, and is not such a heavy financial load for the government, as the Philadelphia System is.

Admiration of Anne Bradstreets Essay

Admiration of Anne Broadsheets Essay Admiration of Anne Broadsheets values as compared to those of Ben Franklin and Jonathan Edwards The relationships that people have with others has a severe Impact on that persons life, albeit many are good, some, though, are bad. How we choose to form, maintain and use these relationships is up to us, Just as what they mean is up touts too. I will show the relationships of some writers and how they treat others, as an important value to me. Three writers of our era, Benjamin Franklin, Jonathan Edwards, and Anne Broadsheet are most notable with their relationships with people.My thoughts on Benjamin Franklins work were unfortunately on the negative side. To sum his writings up, they were long, boring and not concise. His writing varied heavily. He was known for writing on one topic and then changing to another then skipping to yet another. The following paragraph is an excerpt of his writings to show the long, varied writings that changed from subject to subject: l have been the more particular in this Description of my Journey, and shall be so of my first Entry into that City, that you may in your mind compare such an unlikely Beginning with the Figure I have since made there. s In my working Dress, my best Clothes being to come round by sea. I was dirty from my Journey; my pockets were stuffs out with shirts and stockings; I knew no Soul, nor where to look for lodging. I was fatiguing Traveling, Rowing and Want of Rest. I was very hungry, and my whole stock of consolidated of a Dutch Dollar and and about a Shilling in Copper.The latter I gave the People of the Boat for my Passage, who at first refused it on Account of my Rowing; but I Insisted on their taking it, a Man being sometimes more generous when he has but a little Money than when he has plenty, perhaps hero the Fear of Being thought to have but a little. Then I walked up the Street gazing about, till near the Market House I met a boy with bread] (p. 241) Because of the skipping around, to often unrelated topics, it is very difficult to pay attention, read and keep straight as to what is Franklins point.One could almost call the style of writing a form of rambling. From Franklins work one is able to deduce that he is a good man with good Intention and is a upbeat and optimistic person but he doesnt really care for people and treats them Like object and tools. He basically uses people to get ahead and uses people for favors. For example he loves his brother, supposedly, but he used his brother to pay for his boarding so he could be out of the way and not cause problems for all the other is nth household. He does does have his faults with people, and that is he trusts people too much.He has too much faith in people and whether that is because of his deist ways, and how he looks at things in the world,and through reason. His trust In people and things often leads him Into small troubles. His drunken friend Collins borrowed much money from Franklin promising to pay it back. Of course, it was never paid back. If one recalls how Franklin got to America it was because of using the abilities and powers of see of his friends. Another point of the real problems that Franklin had with people and relationships is the entire relationship that he had with Miss Read.The only thing that he wanted from the marriage was some money from the parents. Franklin was give it to him he first suggested to mortgage the house, and when he knew that that wouldnt be done he basically left them and Miss Read. Jonathan Edwards looks on life as a chance to serve God. He serves God by working hard and not doing things that would be considered bad by a Puritan (IEEE. UN, drinking, dancing, and parties. ) He believes Just like other Puritans that life should be dedicated strictly to God.The main idea to understand from Puritans is that when they believe that they are beginning to understand the Bible, they are beginning to understand the Word of God. Understanding the word of God means to Puritans that God is dwelling within them, which then, in turn, means that they are one of the chosen few who are saved. In order to ensure that he is one of the few to be saved Edwards must demean others so that they get the idea that they arent saved and only Edwards is saved. The only thing that Edwards values early in his life is salvation. He must have salvation. He believes he has been saved too and he goes on to point this out: From the about that time I began to have a new kind of apprehensions and Ideas of Christ, and the works of redemption, and the glorious way of salvation Him. I had an inward, sweet sense of these things, that at timescale into my heart; and my souls led away in pleasant views and contemplations of them. And my mind was greatly engages to spend my time in reading and meditating in Christ, and the beauty and Excellency of his peers, and the lovely way of salvation, by free grace in Him. (p. 78) The writings in the bible he can now understand. The way he looks at nature and how his whole way of thinking has been changed proves in his mind and would in any other Puritans mind that the Lord is with him. When a Puritan sees that any of these things have happened he may begin to believe that he is saved. When Edwards looked around after knowing about his salvation all he he was able to see Edwards midlife was a transitional period. There in the was a corrupt sinners. Transitional period he learned about life and the dwelling of God in nature, in all things.He took notice to nature which eventually led, though prayer and meditation, to the newer Edwards who attempted to help people. His attitude toward them still remained basically the same but as one of the chosen he tried to save more people and to spread the word of God. The attempts to save people are most notably seen through the sermons that he gives, his most famous being the one entitled Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God Edwards later in his life changed a bit and he thought that he understood God and his will.What really changed is that he seemed to care, maybe even if it was Just a little, about his fellow man. Although he still went out and preached to people, gave his sermons and basically told people that they were worth very little and didnt really care about them, he was out there in the public trying to save them and to tell them that even though God can and should let us burn in hell he doesnt let us all go to hell, he does pick out a few who have been exceptionally well. Those few whom He has chosen are saved.The Edwards whole point in the sermons is to scare other people people and get them to mend their ways in some possible feeble attempt to achieve salvation. Anne Broadsheet while to perfect in her own right is the probably the most alike me. She values most the relationships in her life, but she has trouble with her relationships because of the writes: Thou speakeasys fair, but hats me sore, Thy flattering shows Ill trust MO more, How oft thy slave, hast thou me made, When I believed what thou hast said, And never had more cause of woe, Than when I did what thou bats do,(p. 28 ) It refers to the difficulties between the flesh and the spirit of her body. It said that the flesh had spoken highly of the spirit but her actions spoke much louder, and it was quite the opposite. Broadsheet values her relationships more but is confused because of her devotion to God. Her God who had given her everything can at any time take it away, and Broadsheet realizes this but cant help but be saddened. She looses a house and she can handle it because as she so eloquently put it Yet by His gift is made thin own; Theres wealth enough I need no more, Farewell, my pelf, farewell my store. (p. 33) She knows that all the things that she really needs are in heaven and that cant be taken away from her. The world no longer let me love, My hope and treasure lies above. (p. 134) Somewhat of a problem with Broadsheet is ere attachment with some of her acquaintances. She is really attached to her granddaughter for example. Breadbaskets relationships mean very much to her, and in the poem about the death of her granddaughter, Broadsheet shows her weakness with people and relationships Blest babe, why should I once bewail thy fate, or sigh thy days so soon were terminate, Sits thou art settled in an everlasting state. (p. 132). Yet regardless of what society thinks of Broadsheet or the relationships she still cherishes them with all her heart. I feel that Anne Broadsheet is most like me because I am all for the relationships in life. The relationships that I make and have are what make me. I dont treat people like objects and use them to get ahead in life. Nor do I Just hate people and think that everyone else is a corrupt individual out to make themselves look good in from of God.I am confused with my spiritual self Just like she is. And Just like broadsheet with the loss of her grandchild she was terribly sad, so am I with the move to college and my slowing communication with my old best group of friends. The relationships that people have with others has a severe impact on that persons life, albeit many are good, some, though, are bad. How we choose to form, maintain and use these relationships is up to us, Just as what they mean is up to us too. I will show the relationships of some writers and how they treat others, as an important value to me. Three writers of our era, Benjamin Franklin, Jonathan Edwards, and Anne Broadsheet are most notable with their relationships with people. My thoughts on Benjamin Franklins work were unfortunately Beginning with the Figure I have since made there. I was in my working Dress, my it on Account of my Rowing; but I insisted on their taking it, a Man being sometimes gazing about, till near the Market House I met a boy with bread (p. 41) Because of good man with good intention and is a upbeat and optimistic person but he doesnt really care for people and treats them like object and tools. He basically uses people in the world,and through reason. His trust in people and things often leads him into willing to use Miss read for getting money from her parents. When they refuse to social pressure. For example in hint of difficulties in relationships can be seen as she time take it away, and Broadsheet realizes this but cant help but be saddened.

Customer Relationship Management in IBM Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Customer Relationship Management in IBM - Essay Example The paper tells that â€Å"premier relationship companies† are those organizations that successfully develop good relationships with the customers by creating an appropriate cost structure and business arrangement. An organization which can successfully attain new customers and make them loyal can be termed as a premier relationship company. It generates good value for the company in the market. The relationship between an organization and its customers provides a framework for developing a â€Å"premier relationship company† which is mutually beneficial for customers as well as for the business. Developing as a good â€Å"premier relationship company† begins with creating effective association with the customers. In order to enhance the relationship there is need for understanding their requirements and provide personalized products or services accordingly. Conducting dialogue with customers can provide information through exchanging opinions in the form of ment al association. By the use of explicit bargains, organizations can manage all the queries of customers and accordingly collect related information about them so that their requirements are recognized. For any organization to engage explicitly with the customers there must be a mutually beneficial dialogue between them. There are several ways that organizations can communicate with the customers e.g. cooperative communication technologies. The cooperative communication technologies are considered as significant mechanisms for creating explicit bargains. They can interact with customers directly though utilizing separate media. An explicit bargain is a kind of agreement that an organization makes with the customers to save their time, get their attention and receive their feedback. In explicit bargain, dialogue and interaction play vital parts in order to boost the relationships. Explicit bargain techniques are valuable for an organization to recompense the customers in the form of of fering discounts, refunds and better facilities, in return for the involvement in the interchange process. Organizations use websites, e-mails, voice calls and text messaging among others for creating explicit bargains, with the desire for making consumers realize advertising communications and react to the marketing and sales promotion offers (Peppers, D. & Rogers, M., â€Å"Managing Customer Relationships: A Strategic Framework†). Explicit Bargain in IBM The customer relationship management strategies help IBM to enhance the relationship with the customers. In order to make explicit bargain, IBM uses online strategies such as social networking strategies and loyal chat room, and provides the customers the opportunity to give feedbacks and opinions regarding the products and the services. The websites of IBM can respond to the e-mails send by the customers who desire for gaining information. IBM maintains constant dialogue with their customers and constantly examines the com munication with them. It helps to monitor the views of the customers and thereby develop products or modify them according to their

Freedom, Our Public and Private Interests, and Kant's Questions Essay

Freedom, Our Public and Private Interests, and Kant's Questions - Essay Example uinas’ definition of human character has fuelled academic debate as to the differences particularly in relation to the theories regarding freedom, public and private interests in light of Kant’s extrapolation of the Supreme Moral Principle of Good Will. The focus of this paper is to critically evaluate these differences with a contextual consideration of Kant’s Supreme Moral Principle of Good Will in practice. To this end, this paper will consider Kant and Aquinas’ central arguments and evaluate Kantian assumptions of innate morality in ethical theory and international relations. It is firstly submitted that Kant’s theory of enlightenment arguably focused on an attempt to seek out a truth of knowledge and similarly Aquinas’s arguments suggests that the underlying nature of being human was explained through rationale thought, which he in turn related to God. Furthermore, Deligiorgi posits that Kant’s philosophy belongs to an intellectual context in terms of the limits of enlightenment and he â€Å"defines enlightenment not in terms of rational certitudes but rather in terms of the freedom to engage in public argument† (Deligiorgi, 1). Accordingly, Kant’s philosophy is rooted in an innate moral propensity towards democracy as a result of human intellectual independence. Kant’s theory of the rationale for being human suggests that it is the interrelationship between intellectual independence and morality that is central to concepts of democracy. Similarly, Aquinas’ proposition of what constitutes being human also emphasises the independent voluntary exercise of will. However, in contrast to Kant, Aquinas’ theory was heavily intertwined with Catholic hierarchy and interpretations of existence (Ardley 3). Moreover, Aquinas’ central focus was on the issue of humanity in context of its relationship to God and the natural world. Additionally, Ardley highlights that the central difference with Kant’s principle of humanity was that â€Å"Aquinas

Improving Quality through Introduction of Infection Control System in Essay

Improving Quality through Introduction of Infection Control System in OT in Ibn Al Nafees - Essay Example ere the healthcare professionals engaged in hospital care services are rendered restricted in terms of choice of antibiotics while treating these cases. This becomes more significant in operating theaters. For example, strains of Staphylococcus aureus that are resistant to methicillin and multiple other antibiotics are endemic in numerous hospital environments, leaving vancomycin as the sole effective antimicrobial agent for many patients infected with this microorganism. The majority of these clinical isolates being methicillin resistant coagulase-negative Staphylococci, there had been increasing reliance on vancomycin for surgical prophylaxis. In no time, there were reports of emerging strains of vancomycin-resistant enterococci. This indicates that choosing newer antibiotics is not the appropriate approach to handle such situations. To add to this problem, in the hospital environment, there are increasing incidences of infections with poly-antimicrobial resistant strains of differ ent other common hospital-acquired strains such as Pseudomonas, other Gram-negative bacilli, and enterobacteriaceae. They are increasingly resistant to more frontline antimicrobials, such as quinolones, aminoglycosides, monobactams, and third-generation cephalosporins. This culminates into a situation where nosocomial infections occur, but the care professionals are left with no options for treatment in the hospitalisation settings, which faces absolute erosion in the efficacy of even the newest antimicrobial agents mainly due to very rapid emergence of resistance. Failure to treat such conditions in the postsurgical patients would lead to situations involving longer hospital stay, increased morbidity or mortality, stakeholder dissatisfaction, and increased financial consequences for both the hospital and the clients (Curran, 2001). It indicates that the best way to get rid of these infections is to prevent them, since the other therapeutic eradication measures lead to morbidity,

Market structures Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Market structures - Essay Example Since the market power is equitably distributed among the sellers in this market who sell homogenous products the markets generally have a downward sloping demand curve. On the other hand the individual firm will face a horizontal demand curve as the price would be set by the market and it will be given to the individual seller. While the market equilibrium of a perfect competition would be at the point of intersection of the demand the supply curve, the individual firm will produce at the point where Marginal Cost curve cuts the Average cost curve from below. In this figure the firm will earn only normal profits as the firm has to supply the products in the market at the price which is equal to the cost of production of the company. Source: Arnold, 2013 Characteristics There is no barrier to entry or exit in this type of market. Any firm may easily come into the competitive scenario and may leave the market without having a major effect on the demand and supply in the market. The fi rms sell homogenous products which mean that the buyers would be indifferent between the sellers who offer the products in the market. ... Each of the firms has a single portion of the market share. The production will take place at the point where ATC curve is tangent to the market demand curve instead of the point where the MC curve cuts the ATC curve from below. Source: Arnold, 2013 Characteristics: The products sold in a monopolistic competition are a differentiated product which means they are not perfect substitutes of one another. The produces have some control over the market price and hence there is excess capacity in the process of production. The quantity produced would be less compared to that of perfectly competitive markets. Monopoly In a monopoly market there is a single seller and a large number of buyers. Since the entire market power is in the hands of the single seller the price is set above the price that is present in the perfectly competitive markets. The monopolist will produce at the point where MR is equal to MC. This is depicted in the diagram below. Source: Varian, 2010 Characteristics In case of a monopolist there is presence of excess capacity and the quantity produced is less than that of the competitive markets. There is high barrier to enter the monopolistic market is very high. Oligopoly An oligopolistic market is that which has a few sellers and a large number of buyers. The market power is distributed among the sellers of the markets. There may be different types of oligopolistic competition. While some firms may be fighting price competition the others would fight the quantity competition. Characteristics The firms in the oligopolistic markets are the price setters. The barriers to entry in this type of market are high. Answer 2 The market for fresh vegetables in the city is an example of perfectly competitive market. In this market there are a large number of

Foreign Direct Investment can have both positive and negative impacts Essay

Foreign Direct Investment can have both positive and negative impacts on both the host and home country - Essay Example These can be in the form of outright acquisition of a firm or a joint venture or construction of a facility. It can also include an association with a local company to gain rights for attendant input of technology (P. Graham and R. Barry Spaulding, n.d.). â€Å"It was twenty years ago that the late Stephen Hymer wrote his seminal thesis on Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and multinational enterprises (MNEs). Since then the literature on these subjects has increased substantially and taken different directions, placing the multinational firms at the crossroads of many disciplines and of many debates as well†. (A.L. Calvet, p.43) Foreign direct investments of larger magnitude have deep effects on the economy of both the entities. Here with the help of real examples, it will be discussed how these effects can be positive as well as negative. As for this purpose we are focusing on both the host and home countries separately, so the advantages and disadvantages will be considered s eparately as well. But for the record it must be highlighted that these advantages and disadvantages are not fixed but, on the contrary, they are relative to both the host and home countries and their collective policies. HOST COUNTRY: ADVANTAGES The biggest advantage that a host company can derive from foreign domestic investment (FDI) is the globalization of its operations. Many large countries are focusing on it, e.g. China is the largest FDI host in the developing world. To compensate for the advantages that could be derived from these foreign investments, China has undergone significant changes with respect to its policies related to the FDIs. Until the mid 1980s FDIs were focusing on the construction sector involving the construction of hotels and apartments in the tourism and service industry. In 1986 China issued a new policy which encouraged the FDI into various other technically advanced sectors. These included manufacturing enterprises whose main focus was export and some basic industries such as new materials and agricultural. After these changes approximately 60% of the total foreign investments were part of the manufacturing sector of China (Yingqi Wei, Xiaming Liu, 2001). But from 1994 onwards, the investment boom in China seemed to go downhill. The statistics for foreign direct investments in terms of projects and contractual agreements turned negative and the growth rate of realized FDI also fell. The trend continued till 1999. But then in 2000 China recovered and since then it has closely monitored the inflows and outflows related to the foreign direct investments into its entities (Yingqi Wei, V. N. Balasubramanyam, 2004). Similarly Chile has been a FDI friendly-nation in Latin America. An agency of United Nations in Chile named The Economic Commission for Latin America and The Caribbean (Eclac) reported an inflow of USD 8.03 billion making Chile the third largest foreign direct investment in South America. FDI in Chile is mostly focused in the sector of mining. A survey by UNCTAD has shown that inward FDI in the developing countries has risen from $481 billion in 1998 to $636 billion in 2006. Among China and Chile other countries benefiting from foreign direct investments include Singapore, Philippines and India in Asia and other

Week2 DQ's Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Week2 DQ's - Essay Example McCarthy further contended that radio, television, the media, and industry were under the control of communist influence. This initiated a four-year investigation into the government, the US Army, and the media. McCarthy’s initial accusations were met with a public that was receptive to his viewpoint due to the escalating Cold War and the fear of a nuclear capable Soviet Union. His anti-communist portrayals were often loosely based on facts, and there was a substantial effort by the USSR to infiltrate America and spy on our defense industries. However, this public acceptance soon waned as he targeted devoted military personnel and well known members of the media. His flamboyant approach and outrageous claims gained him a negative reputation as being divisive as many of his claims proved to be unwarranted. The civil rights movement of the 1950s had its roots 3 centuries earlier as slaves struggled to gain their freedom throughout America’s history. World War II had brought greater public attention to the issue through the advent of mass communications and the country’s confrontation with the reality of supporting the same racist policies that Americans, including African Americans, had fought against in Nazi Germany. With the war behind them Americans were ready to turn their attention to their internal social injustices. On June 26, 1948 President Truman signed Executive Order 9981, which outlawed discrimination and segregation in the Armed Forces based on race (Desegregation in the Armed Forces, n.d). This action set the stage for the escalation of the growing civil rights movement. The massive demonstrations and protests of the 1950s resulted in the signing of the Civil Rights bill in 1964. While it gave federal protection to minorities against discrimination, it could do little to eliminate the de facto prejudice that existed in America. The historic legislation opened the

Transport Authority Police Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Transport Authority Police - Research Paper Example In fact, without efficient leadership policies, plans, and practices, any changes in the management and the organization of the agency would not translate into improved service delivery (Burman & Evans, 2008). One of the major challenges faced by the Maryland Transport Authority Police for which a reformed leadership plan is recommended is the demographic differences between the agency and the department. A leadership plan that would incorporate strategies that address these demographic differences thus comes highly welcome for the benefit of the Maryland Transport Authority Police’s customers. The proposed leadership plan for the agency should support a culture that would contribute to the tackling of the major challenges the agency faces in its daily operations. In respect of the challenges it faces, this paper outlines a leadership plan for the Maryland Transport Authority Police with regards to its cultures, management, assessment, change, and crime statistics analysis. This leadership plan would also be quite influential in the manner the agency will investigate and interpret state, county, and city laws and codes violation within the confines and the jurisdiction of the Maryl and Transport Authority Police, including their stations, property, and vehicles. With this new millennium, increased globalization, and ease of transportation, the agency has encountered new types of challenges, which require that new and foolproof leadership plans and strategies are put in place (Burman & Evans, 2008). For instance, the current ease of movement has allowed more people to access ports and other modes of transports, implying the agency has to employ more officers (Burman & Evans, 2008). Hence, the leadership of the agency must ensure that the increased number of customers are well served and are satisfied. Protection must thus be provided to all the agency’s clientele who use the light

The play Essay Example for Free

The play Essay The play is set in the Dublin slums or tenements in the years of the Iris Civil War 1922 and 1923. The whole play centers on the Boyle family. Juno Boyle is married to Boyle who calls himself Captain Boyle. Boyle is a useless and irresponsible drunkard who shuns the reality of work at every stage in the play, and spends his time in the pub drinking with his friend Joxer Daly. The Boyles have two children Johnny and Mary. Johnny is a sickly individual who has been involved in the Republican movement but he ended up betraying a comrade by the name of Tancred. Johnny spends his days locked up in the house fearful of his life. His mother Juno is a selfless character who is concerned all the time about other people. Juno’s daughter Mary is deeply concerned about appearances. She is a shallow character who seems to judge people and things from the outside. When we meet her at the beginning of the play, we learn she is on strike because of the dismissal of a young girl called Jenny Claffey. Yet we are told from Juno how Mary never had a good word to say about Jenny Claffey in her whole life. The family are told that they will inherit money from a distant relative who has died. Bentham is the solicitor who informs them of this fact. He begins to have a relationship with Mary and she becomes pregnant. Bentham shortly after this abandons her. The Boyles begin to borrow money and accumulate a great deal of debts. The legacy never materializes, and the Boyles are forced to return the borrowed goods. Johnny is dragged off to be shot for the betrayal of Tancred. Juno finally realizes that Boyle will never take on his responsibilities as father and breadwinner and so she leaves him and sets up home with Mary. Themes/Issues Poverty This theme dominates the play at every level. The whole play highlights the cruel irony that while many people were fighting for ideals and principles there were others who were suffering from the debilitating effects of the poverty. Because of the negative effects generated by poverty escapism assumes a major and dramatic element in the lives of characters. Mary’s tragic situation occurs because of poverty. When it becomes clear that the Boyles will not inherit any legacy, Bentham disappears forever abandoning Mary alone to have her baby. Jerry Devine standards of what are essential features in a husband are set out in terms of money. At one stage he tells Mary how the job is worth 3 50 Juno who is the only character rooted in the harsh practical everyday world of necessity realizes that money, hard work, and responsible social commitment are stronger and more realistic values in this world than principles and ideals. Her pragmatic stance on how principles won’t pay butchers is in striking contrast to the incessant evasion from reality inherent in all of the other characters. Religion The theme of Religion is also a dominant feature in the play. The play is set against a strong Catholic background. O Casey makes frequent use of images of Our Lady and the votive light to project an air of realism and authenticity in the play. There are also a variety of different religions, and attitudes expressed throughout the play. One of O Casey’s chief mottos in the play seems to show the co- existence of strong religious convictions, together with a sincere and humane commitment to one’s fellowman. Juno’s faith is sincere, authentic, and traditional. She believes on Johnny’s death that God can do nothing against the stupidity of men, that her husband should be praying novenas for a job, and that what Ireland needs is more piety. On the other hand, Bentham espouses a religion by the name of Theosophy. This is projected as vague and abstract and certainly seems to be compatible with his own shallow commitment to people. Reality and Fantasy The play dramatizes the conflict between the dream world and the world of reality and shows what happens when a character is stripped of his illusions and forced to face reality. Boyle the ‘poseur’ or Paycock struts throughout the world of the play on a false and imaginary sense of his own self- importance. His whole life and career consist in fabricating dreams of his gallant years as a captain fighting heroic feats and sailing the oceans of the world. The news of the legacy provides another outlet to Boyle’s habitual evasion of reality, he sees himself as a potential investor on the Stock Exchange. His whole life is a lie. His pains, which are invented for the sake of shirking and avoiding work, become real to him. His refuses to face up to the truth and reality about Bentham and the deception surrounding the news of the will. When reality invades at the conclusion of the play in the form of Mary’s pregnancy and the actual removal of his material possessions, Boyle is unable to cope. His final entrance dramatized in a drunken fragmentary soliloquy is tragic. His habitual escape into fantasy is pathetically expressed through his drunken pose – ‘ Commandant Kelly died†¦.in them arms†¦..Tell me Volunteer Bullies says he that I died for Ireland’. Mary who represents the younger generation also falls victim to illusion. On her first appearance in the play, she is shown to be on strike for a principle. The oppressive and stifling atmosphere generated by the tenement life forces her to seek escape through Bentham. For her he represents another way of life and values outside the restricting and debilitating atmosphere within the two- roomed tenement. She falls victim to the subtle deception of Bentham’ middle-class gentility. She is blinded by external appearances and ends up a tragic victim of Bentham’s hypocrisy and selfishness At the conclusion of the play, she is forced to return to the reality of the slum life with Juno in spite of all her attempts to escape through learning and books. Answer Juno and the Paycock is a play that was written by Sean OCasey. It is one of the most often performed and highly regarded plays in Ireland. Juno and the Paycock was first staged at the Abbey Theatre, Dublin in 1924. Juno and the Paycock: Tragoi-comedy Tragi-comedy is a kind of writing in which comedy is hovering on the brinks of tragedy. OCasey’s â€Å"Juno and the Paycock† is a tragi-comedy although, on the whole, it is a serious and somber play having much destruction and violence. But there are a number of comic elements in the play which would not fit into the pattern of a tragedy. On the other hand, as the comic elements do not outweigh the tragic ones, it would be inappropriate to label the play as a comedy. It means there is a co-existence in the play of tragic and comic elements and so, the best course is to treat it as a tragi-comedy.

Impact of Music on the Body

Impact of Music on the Body Music and Success Music in itself has a strong impact on the emotional state of the human body. By listening to a certain type of tone or melody, it can make us feel happy or even sad. When listening to sad music, you can become saddened by it, relating to what the lyrics say, or the type of major its in. The same happens with happy or upbeat music, you tend to want to dance or jump around, or even sing along! Not only can music change the way you feel, but it can also, in some cases, help you concentrate better. If music is capable of changing your emotions, do you think that training with it could also determine how successful you are throughout your life? Albert Einstein is known worldwide to be one of the worlds greatest minds. A master of the sciences, a wonderful mathematician, and a great philosopher. His whole life, he had grown up listening, learning, and training with music because of his mother. She was a professional pianist and his father was a salesman with a passion for mathematics. His mother thought it would be nice to get her son into learning an instrument, so the violin became the instrument of choice. Einstein grew up with a passion and love for music Life without playing music is inconceivable to me. I live my daydreams in music. I see my life in terms of music I get most joy in life out of music. (Bergland) I believe, as do others, that musical training had helped him develop certain skills sooner than he wouldve originally had in the first place. Of course, it could be because of his fathers influence of his passion for mathematics, but researchers say otherwise. There are many different kinds of benefits to musical training that are shown to be true. Musical improvisation is a type of special training that makes you rely on the working memory less, using instead more extensive connectivities to the brain. It can stimulate the area of the brain that can enhance your main senses such as touching, hearing, seeing, ect. Adult musicians and musically trained children in the new Boston study showed enhanced performance on several aspects of executive functioning. (Bergland) Musicians that have grown older have shown signs of acute hearing and enhanced and developed motor skills, being able to switch quickly from one mental task to the other. Even children who were training in instruments were tested in IQ and seemed to have a higher level of intelligence than those who did not, and naturally, a higher IQ means theres more likely of a chance for those children to become successful throughout their lives. The New Boston study was performed to test whether or not students with musical training helped them in their years of school. They decided to compare kids who had trained with instruments to those that had not, and put them through functional MRI (Functional magnetic resonance imaging) scans. The children who had been through musical training had more activity on specific parts of the brain that had been proven to help them test better. Our findings suggest that musical training may actually help to set up children for a better academic future. (Flieser) A lot of people agree that instead of schools focusing their income on standardized testing, they should put more effort into musical arts.This would not only insure a higher success rate of fellow students, but it would also boost their levels of happiness. Who wouldnt want to replace a test for a chance at learning an instrument for free? Further research has proven that music taps into other skills other than simple aspects like hands or fingers, Making music involves more than the voice or fingers playing an instrument; a child learning about music has to tap into multiple skill sets, often simultaneously. (Brown) When playing an instrument, it requires a lot of effort and multiple things must all come together at once in order to perform the correct task. You use all different kinds of muscles to perform the actions such as your arm and finger muscles when playing a violin, or your vocal chords and esophagus when singing. You also use your eyes to read the notes off of paper, having to memorize what each little note sounds like, and then using those muscles to make that certain tune. Your ears, of course, are used to listen acutely to make sure youre playing the right note. Normally, if youve trained enough, you can tell when a note sounds out of tune, so your sense of hearing between different kind of sounds would naturally be increased. Learning an instrument also help with language development. They learn to process different sort of sounds better, and are able to make out and decipher words much easier. According to researchers, the effect of language development because of music can be shown in the more active parts of the brain. It increases the rate of growth in language development. The bond between language and music help compliment each other, so if a child studies in one area, they are more than likely going to get the hang of the other just as easily, The development of language over time tends to enhance parts of the brain that help process music, says Dr. Kyle Pruett, clinical professor of child psychiatry at Yale School of Medicine and a practicing musician. (Brown) Being musical, and being around people who are musically creative, can have a positive influence on the children, encouraging them to go to higher lengths and accomplish greater things. If you have an environment where there are a lot of people doing creative, smart, great things, joyful things, even people who arent doing that have a tendency to go up and do better.(Brown) According to Luehrisen, even those who are not involved in said activities can grow up to be more successful just because of the influence of the people around them. Just giving your child the opportunity to train with an instrument does not guarantee that your child will end up turning into some famous musician, but the fact that there is a connection there that exists with success does happen to mean a lot. He says music reinforces your confidence in the ability to create. (Lipman) Music in itself is a very creative hobby, but when training with it, it has the possibility to open your mind up to more ideas. That is why people who play with instruments often begin making a little tune of their own just for fun. Improvisation exists because of this reason as well. People play from their hearts and their minds making their tunes and melodies form together like a puzzle piece. Music is a wonderful thing. It has many, many positive aspects in life if you learn to get familiar with it. You dont have to be as skillful as Beethoven in order to insure success in your life. Just learning one instrument can have a dramatic change in your life, so if you havent already, go pick up one and see what lays in store for you. Work Cited Bergland, Christopher. Does Playing a Musical Instrument Make You Smarter? Psychology Today, Psychology Today, 25 June 2015, www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-athletes-way/201406/does-playing-musical-instrument-make-you-smarter. Brown, Laura Lewis. The Benefits of Music Education. PBS, PBS, www.pbs.org/parents/education/music-arts/the-benefits-of-music-education/. Lipman, Joanne. Is Music the Key to Success? The New York Times, The New York Times, 12 Oct. 2013, www.nytimes.com/2013/10/13/opinion/sunday/is-music-the-key-to-success.html. Fliesler, Nancy. Does Musical Training Help Kids Do Better in School? Does Musical Training Help Kids Do Better in School?, Boston Childrens Hospital, 19 June 2014, vector.childrenshospital.org/2014/06/does-musical-training-help-kids-do-better-in-school/.

Utilitarian Ethical Analysis of Euthanasia

Utilitarian Ethical Analysis of Euthanasia Ethical Question Should Euthanasia be an option for the terminally ill? Analysis The discussion regarding euthanasia has been made noticeably public all throughout the world (Perm, 2011, p.80). However, recent findings suggest a shift in public policy rely heavily upon the moral and political environment of todays culture (Fratschko, 2016, p.5). Conversely, as religious institutions begin to lose their prominent voice in society, the connotation of what is right and wrong has conventionally been guided in large measure (Fratschko, 2016, p.6). Moreover, upholding ones dignity is a reason made via the notion of avoiding a deprived end to life (Mishara, 2016). Specific dissimilarities show what characterises a respectable way to die. Common degradations may include: Being a burden to others, Living in a deteriorated state, Being incapable of daily activities, and, Depending on intrusive medical apparatuses. However, the public in general often assumes that terminal illnesses, result in a mediocre end to life. This is not the case; it is suggested that the psychological environment determines the quality of life over the nature of the illness (Mishara, 2016). Correspondingly, Margaret Battin (1994, para. 5) accentuated that euthanasia to decrease distress encompasses two main factors: Preventing imminent discomfort and misery, as well as, Preventing current discomfort and misery. Facts Euthanasia is a form of voluntary death. Patients who request for euthanasia do not want to prolong their pain (Aurora, 2014, para. 13). Despite the statistics given by the government, the support for euthanasia has grown throughout the years. In Australia, over 70% would like to see euthanasia be an option, whereas over 12% said no and the remaining people surveyed were unsure (Yamine, 2012, para. 2-3). Statistics highlighted by Emanuel et al. (2012, para. 4), show that roughly 4% of deaths are listed as euthanasia in jurisdictions where it is an option. Although remain relatively rare and involve those who are terminally ill.ÂÂ   Finally, those with loved ones in terminally ill situations will agree that end of life care treatments can be costly and put enormous amounts of pressure on the finances (Aurora, 2014). Gaps in understanding It is argued (Glare and Tobin, 1996, p.1668), that acknowledging the rights of the terminally ill is a good attempt to creating an act permitting euthanasia. Equally, over the past fifty years, numerous public opinion surveys have indicated growing support for euthanasia. However, this approval of euthanasia goes against certain Christian moralities in which have been the barricade in contradiction to the approval of euthanasia (Hamil-Luker and Smith, 1998, p.373). Some treatments may be limited to the relief of pain and distress with the intention of allowing the patient to die a comfortable death. However, this implies that death must be imminent (Glare and Tobin, 1996, p.1669). Palliative care specialist, Ian Maddocks expressed his concerns that if euthanasia were an option, death could be viewed as a quick fix to the suffering that could be relieved with palliative care (Harrison, 2013). Research conducted by Chapple et al. (2006, para. 3) on those nearing death is an important factor to add to the debate. Regarding those who have watched others die are predominantly convinced that euthanasia should be an option, some for multiple reasons including the pain and the anticipation of waiting to die, embarrassment and the loss of control and cerebral impairment (Chapple et al. 2006, para. 3). Positive negative consequences Positive Firstly, we know that utilitarian people believe actions should provideutmost contentment for the highest number of people, whereas the outcome ought to ascertain the ethical worth of the action. Therefore, if euthanasia increases the joy of a person and reduce pain simultaneously, then it is considered ethically correct (JDDN, 2012). People have the right to die. Behind this ideology is that we should have freedom regarding certain decisions. Some people believe we all have the rights to regulate our bodies and therefore should be able to determine when and what time we die (BBC, 2014, para. 2). If you accept act-utilitarianism, then the arguments make perfect sense. One final positive in regards to allowing people to die may free up scarce health resources and be allocated to those who want to live (BBC, 2014, para. 30). Negative Over 30 of Australias top palliative practitioners oppose the introduction of euthanasia as they describe it as unnecessary and unsafe (Vermeer, 2017). Paraphrased by Singer (2003, p.536), Hentoff states that most palliative care specialists admit there are cases wherein pain is not sufficiently alleviated. However, terminal sedation is offered as a replacement, although, some ethicists, do not consider terminal sedation as an equivalent to euthanasia. (Singer, 2003, p. 537). Argued by Doerflinger (Singer, 2003, p. 535). Those who independently reason for euthanasia are not being straightforward. For example, the issue was raised when 86-year-old Edward Brongersma, was euthanised by a doctor because he was old and tired of life. Even though this lead to that doctors conviction and acquittal, a utilitarian should not have an issue with the doctors decision because it was Brongersmas decision to die and that nobody else can decide if Brongersmas life contained more positive or negative experiences (Singer, 2003, p. 536). Finally, the decision may place added pressure on the terminally ill. The main aspects of the argument are that terminally ill patients may be pressured into giving consent when they do not want it; or correspondingly, they will be euthanised without consent because they could be considered a burden or to save money (Singer, 2003, p.538). Conclusion Through act utilitarianism, we can see that euthanasia is certainly an argumentative issue. There are several perspectives regarding Utilitarianism which differ on certain aspects regarding euthanasia. In accordance to act-utilitarianism the right action of all is greater than any other action, therefore each act is judged independently by the act-utilitarianism (Singer, 2003, p. 536). However, gaps in understanding lie mainly lie within the religious side of the issue, believing the right to decide when someone dies belongs to god. In summation, by having a regulated form of euthanasia, it is deduced that the positives outweigh the negatives in regards to the ethics of euthanasia. References Aurora, P 2014, 14 Facts You Never Knew About Euthanasia, viewed 29 March 2017, . Battin, MP 1994, Euthanasia and Physician-Assisted Suicide, The Oxford Handbook of Practical Ethics, vol. 1, no. 1, para. 5 BBC 2014, Pro-euthanasia arguments, viewed 24 March 2017, Chapple, A, Zieblan, S, McPherson, A Herxheimer, A 2006, What people close to death say about euthanasia and assisted suicide: a qualitative study , Journal of medical ethics, vol. 32, no. 12, para. 3 Emanuel, EJ, Onwuteaka-Philipsen, BD, Urwin, JW Cohen, J 2012, Attitudes and Practices of Euthanasia and Physician-Assisted Suicide in the United States, Canada, and Europe, Department of Medical Ethics and Health Policy, vol. 316, no. 1, para. 4 Fratschko, LM 2016, The Euthanasia Debate: International Experience and Canadian Policy Proposals, The University of Western Ontario, viewed 15 March 2017, . Glare, PA Tobin, B 1996, Euthanasia in Australia, The New England journal of medicine, vol. 334, no. 25, pp. 1668 1669. Hamil-Luker, J Smith, C 1998, Religious Authority and Public Opinion on the Right to Die, Sociology of religion, vol. 59, no. 4, pp. 373. Harrison, D 2013, Euthanasia should not be a quick fix, The Area News, 26 April, viewed 29 March 2017, . JDDN. 2012, Euthanasia: A Utilitarian Perspective, viewed 30 March 2017, . Mishara, BL. 2016 Euthanasia, viewed 28 March 2017, . Perm, J 2011, Physician-Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia, Centre for Creative Leadership, viewed 26 March 2017, . Singer, P 2003, Voluntary euthanasia: a utilitarian perspective, Bioethics, vol. 17, no. 5-6, pp. 535 538 Vermeer, D. 2017, Euthanasia and assisted suicide: unnecessary and unsafe, viewed 29 March 2017, . Yamine, E 2012, Most want euthanasia legalised in Australia, Herald Sun, 19 November, viewed 25 March 2017, .

Close Study Of Wilfred Owen :: essays research papers

~ Anthem For Doomed Youth What passing-bells for these who die as cattle? - Only the monstrous anger of the guns. Only the stuttering rifles’ rapid rattle Can patter out their hasty orisons. No mockeries now for them; no prayer nor bells; Nor any voice of mourning save the choirs, - The shrill demented choirs of wailing shells; And bugles calling for them from sad shires. What candles may be held to speed them all? Not in the hands of boys, but in their eyes Shall shine the holy glimmers of good-byes. The pallor of girls’ brows shall be their pall; Their flowers the tenderness of patient minds, And each slow dusk a drawing-down of blinds. Overview . Anthem - short musical composition, usually sung. . Stark anthesis is used to present a shocking lamentation against the barbarity of war. . This anthem voices the sounds of battle. . Death, violence and sacrifice are central subjects. . This poem is an extended metaphor (funeral). . Personification is used as the main technique. . Tonal shifts from anger/bitter – elegiac mood. Structure . Sonnet, 14 lines, 2 stanzas, 2 quatrains, 1 sestet. . ABAB CDCD. . 10 – beat iambic pedometer rhythm. . Rhetorical questions to start each stanza. . Ends in rhyming couplet. Themes . Doomed Youth – negative, emotive. . Waste/pity – loss of life, waste. . Funeral – recurring image, extended metaphor. Language . Descriptive language. . Demonic force – torture, consume. . Emphasis on the funeral. . Simile, metaphor, personification. . Juxtaposition – sets the scene. Rhyme and Rhythm . Tightly controlled within sonnet structure. . Para-rhyme, used to heighten mournful tone. . Slower rhythmic beat in final quatrain. . Sound mirrors emotion. Symbolism and Imagery . Funeral symbols. . Religious connotations of faith, salvation. . Romanticised images of fallen soldiers. . Visual depiction of the mourner’s face. . Integrates the themes of doomed youth and funeral. . 1st stanza – warfront. . 2nd stanza – homefront.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Detailed Analysis Stanza 1 . ‘Anthem’ – song for helpless young boys. . ‘Doomed Youth’ – assonance. . Rhetorical questions to start both stanza’s ‘What passing bells for these who die as cattle?’ ‘What candles may be held to speed them all?’ . ‘Only the monstrous†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ ‘Only the stuttering†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ – repetition of the word ‘only’ stresses the nature of their deaths. . ‘Only the stuttering rifles’ rapid rattle’ – personification, alliteration and onomatopoeia combine as methods to make war seen more brutal, violent and cruel. . ‘Can patter out their hasty orisons’ – sense of speed. ‘orisons’ – prayer at funeral. . ‘No mockeries’ – Christian rites seen as ‘mockeries’. . ‘No prayers now for them; no prayers nor bells, Nor any†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ – negative connotations are stressed by the alliterative repeated use of ‘no’ and ‘nor’.

Origins Of Communism :: Communism Essays

Throughout the history of the modern world, man has sought out the perfect government. An invincible system of order. And in our search for this ideal system, the idea of holding property in common has been a reoccurring thought. From early Christian communities to modern Marxist states, socialism and more specifically, communism has had an important role in the development of this ideal system.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  After the Great French Revolution of 1789-1794, the roots of modern-day communism can be clearly seen. In 1795, Gracchus Babeuf wrote the â€Å"Plebeians’ Manifesto† which stated, for full social and economical equality:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   â€Å"...to establish a common administration; to suppress individual property; to   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  attach each man to the employment or occupation with which he is acquainted; to oblige him to place the fruits of his labor in kind into a common store; and to establish a simple administration for food supplies, which will take note of all individuals and all provisions, and will have the latter divided according to the most scrupulous equality.† - â€Å"Plebeians’ Manifesto†1   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Because of this and other acts considered to be threatening to the Directory, Babeuf was executed in May of 1797. Babeuf was not forgotten though, others followed in his footsteps. Another 19th century French reformer, Charles Fourier, shared many of Babeuf’s ideas, but where Babeuf favored immediate political change, Fourier was for longer-term social reform. The Comte de Saint-Simon, another political thinker of that time, was similar to Fourier in many respects, although he valued a mixed society of capitalist thinkers and socialist workers which he believed would triumph in future French communities.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Meanwhile in England, Robert Owen, a Welsh industrialist, was developing his own brand of Socialism. Unlike many philosophers of his time, Owen based his ideas on experience rather than speculation. He managed a factory and realized that labor was the essential â€Å"factor of production†. He looked to the workers rather than government for solutions to economic problems. He proposed â€Å"cooperative societies†, or self-contained communities of producers and consumers which he hoped would prove his theories. But his socialist experiment never took place because adequate funding was denied.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the mid-1830’s, the term â€Å"Communism† was introduced to the world of French politics. First used to describe Saint-Simon and Fourier’s egalitarian slant on socialist ideas, Louis Blanc built on the ideals of Fourier to establish an important point of modern-day communism. He stated the principle, â€Å"...from each according to his capacities, to each according to his needs†, where as the old principle stated, â€Å".

Declaration Of Independence :: essays research papers fc

The Accomplishments of Harriet Tubman   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Harriet Tubman was a black woman born into slavery. Harriet was an abolitionist and strongly believed that all slaves should be free. Harriet learned that her master had died and that she would be sold if she did not run away. At the age of twenty-five, Harriet left her plantation and was on the run to a free state (Harriet par 1).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Harriet made her way ninety miles from Maryland to Philadelphia. There she began to work and make a living for herself. She decided that she was going to free other slaves so she began to make her journey back to the Southern states twice a year to free as many slaves as she could (Bentley 47-49).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Underground Railroad was how Harriet freed hundreds of slaves, including her aging parents. The Underground Railroad was a route that Harriet took to free the slaves. She would have covered wagons with fixed bottoms, which were filled with slaves. She would take them to various homes of other abolitionists for food and shelter throughout the night. Once day broke Harriet would continue her journey towards the free states (Smith par 1-2).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When the government enacted the Fugitive Slave Law Harriet could not bring the slaves to Philadelphia anymore. They were no longer safe in any of the states and had to be brought to Canada for their freedom. This meant that Harriet had to extend the route of the Underground Railroad (Petry 132-133).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Harriet was nicknamed Moses by her people. They believed that she was sent from God to free them. Throughout all her trips back and forth through the Underground Railroad, the reward for the capture of Harriet was up to $40,000. This made it even more difficult for Harriet to make it safely through the woods and trails, though she was never captured (Smith par 5-6).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  During the Civil War, Harriet Tubman became very prominent. She became a nurse, a scout, and a spy for the Union forces. As a nurse, Harriet found a root that helped cure the dysentery. Once again the soldiers began to call her Moses because she had saved many of their lives (Petry 220-224). While being involved in the Civil War, Harriet freed another seven hundred slaves. Harriet was said to be a well respected throughout the war. She received official commendations from many Union Army officials. Even though Harriet contributed a lot of time and hard work in the war efforts, she never received veterans’ benefits for any of of her painstaking work (Harriet par 3).

Citizen Kane

Discuss the ways in which Citizen Kane challenged the traditional narrative and technical elements of classic Hollywood cinema. Give specific examples using appropriate cinematic terminology. Citizen Kane is a 1941 American drama film directed, co-written, produced by, and starring Orson Welles. This was Welles’s first feature film. With this film, Welles introduced many new filmmaking innovations. Some of the innovations were in cinematography, storytelling techniques, and special effects, lighting and framing of a scene.One of the greatest movies of all time was Orson Welles's Citizen Kane. Almost all of the movies of the time were told chronologically and had a beginning, middle, and an end. Citizen Kane was the first movie to tell the audience the end of the movie in the beginning. The movie was mostly told in flashbacks. Unlike traditional Hollywood, Citizen Kane combines non-linear and composite storytelling from multiple points of view, including the famous opening news reels, interviews, and flashbacks, to present the main character (Kstrykers Blog).Traditional Hollywood has very static mise-en-scene with actors and objects mostly in the center of the frame and never out of focus. Objects, characters and props were usually evenly distributed throughout the scene. The lighting was usually three point and split the scene into foreground and background. An innovative technical aspect of Citizen Kane is the unprecedented use of deep focus (Ogle, P. 1985). In nearly every scene in the film, the foreground, background and everything in between are all in sharp focus.Another unorthodox method used in the film was the way low-angle cameras were used to display a point of view facing upwards, showing the ceilings in the background (Toland, G. ). Since movies were primarily filmed on sound stages with the Hollywood studio system, it was impossible to film at an angle that showed ceilings because they shot on stages (Kstryker). Mise-en-scene is used to †Å"signify the director's control over what appears in the film frame† doing this by using elements as settings, lighting, costume, and the movement and actions of figures appearing within the film (Bordwell & Thompson, 2004).One example of this is the scene where he finds out that he lost the race for governor. He is supposed to be a powerful individual and with the camera angle being so low, it made him looked huge on screen. Because of the angle of the camera, the shot has a lot of depth. In my opinion, the most significant and powerful mise-en-scene within Citizen Kane is when the parents are in the house having a conversation with Thatcher, the banker. As the conversation is happening, we see a young boy playing in the snow, through a window.I feel this scene symbolizes the innocence that is being taken from him. He is never depicted this way again in the film. This is when a change begins to take place without his knowledge. The boy is in the middle of the frame for the r emainder of the movie, making this part the most dramatic of the movie. A decision is being made on the boy's life unknowing to him of it and he is carefree as he plays in the snow (Boghani and McKeever, 2013). Welles’ Citizen Kane feels modern in a way that virtually no other film from the 1940’s does.It separated itself from the rest of the Hollywood pack by attempting to create a new style of filmmaking with its creative use of narration and style. Ironically, Citizen Kane may have broken the Hollywood mold, but it created a new one in its place. While breaking Hollywood conventions, it eventually became the standard, used by many a director, such as Quentin Tarantino, Stanley Kubrik, and Christopher Nolan. However, since the film takes such cinematic leaps, Citizen Kane is will be considered one of the most innovative and advance movies for a long time. Citizen Kane Discuss the ways in which Citizen Kane challenged the traditional narrative and technical elements of classic Hollywood cinema. Give specific examples using appropriate cinematic terminology. Citizen Kane is a 1941 American drama film directed, co-written, produced by, and starring Orson Welles. This was Welles’s first feature film. With this film, Welles introduced many new filmmaking innovations. Some of the innovations were in cinematography, storytelling techniques, and special effects, lighting and framing of a scene.One of the greatest movies of all time was Orson Welles's Citizen Kane. Almost all of the movies of the time were told chronologically and had a beginning, middle, and an end. Citizen Kane was the first movie to tell the audience the end of the movie in the beginning. The movie was mostly told in flashbacks. Unlike traditional Hollywood, Citizen Kane combines non-linear and composite storytelling from multiple points of view, including the famous opening news reels, interviews, and flashbacks, to present the main character (Kstrykers Blog).Traditional Hollywood has very static mise-en-scene with actors and objects mostly in the center of the frame and never out of focus. Objects, characters and props were usually evenly distributed throughout the scene. The lighting was usually three point and split the scene into foreground and background. An innovative technical aspect of Citizen Kane is the unprecedented use of deep focus (Ogle, P. 1985). In nearly every scene in the film, the foreground, background and everything in between are all in sharp focus.Another unorthodox method used in the film was the way low-angle cameras were used to display a point of view facing upwards, showing the ceilings in the background (Toland, G. ). Since movies were primarily filmed on sound stages with the Hollywood studio system, it was impossible to film at an angle that showed ceilings because they shot on stages (Kstryker). Mise-en-scene is used to †Å"signify the director's control over what appears in the film frame† doing this by using elements as settings, lighting, costume, and the movement and actions of figures appearing within the film (Bordwell & Thompson, 2004).One example of this is the scene where he finds out that he lost the race for governor. He is supposed to be a powerful individual and with the camera angle being so low, it made him looked huge on screen. Because of the angle of the camera, the shot has a lot of depth. In my opinion, the most significant and powerful mise-en-scene within Citizen Kane is when the parents are in the house having a conversation with Thatcher, the banker. As the conversation is happening, we see a young boy playing in the snow, through a window.I feel this scene symbolizes the innocence that is being taken from him. He is never depicted this way again in the film. This is when a change begins to take place without his knowledge. The boy is in the middle of the frame for the r emainder of the movie, making this part the most dramatic of the movie. A decision is being made on the boy's life unknowing to him of it and he is carefree as he plays in the snow (Boghani and McKeever, 2013). Welles’ Citizen Kane feels modern in a way that virtually no other film from the 1940’s does.It separated itself from the rest of the Hollywood pack by attempting to create a new style of filmmaking with its creative use of narration and style. Ironically, Citizen Kane may have broken the Hollywood mold, but it created a new one in its place. While breaking Hollywood conventions, it eventually became the standard, used by many a director, such as Quentin Tarantino, Stanley Kubrik, and Christopher Nolan. However, since the film takes such cinematic leaps, Citizen Kane is will be considered one of the most innovative and advance movies for a long time.

The Halo Effect

Have you ever seen a CEO of a huge cooperation walking in to a business meeting in shorts and sneakers? Probably not. Throughout many industries of the world certain job positions come with a specific look. Which means the person that holds one of these positions is expected to dress and appear in a certain way. People’s perceptions of others can be greatly affected by the halo effect and the bias of attractive people as demonstrated by the article â€Å"Physical Attractiveness Bias In Hiring: What is beautiful good† by Comila Shahani-Denning and the 2006 film The Devil Wears Prada. The halo effect in basic terms is attributing many positive qualities because of one or few good qualities notice in the person. such as a thin, attractive women may be perceived by other to be neat, well organized, and nice. Even though she doesn’t actually show any evidence of any of those qualities. In the film The Devil Wears Prada, The Runway magazine publishing company has set a high standard of presentation for its employees. All of it’s employee basically fit the same description, size 2, attractive and wearing the latest fashion. Then a average looking young women named Andy walks in wearing an outfit that looked like she stole it from her great grandmother closet to apply to be the assistant’s assistant to the head of the company, the assistant Emily begin judging her the second she enters the office. She obviously doesn’t fit in and is quickly overlooked for the position by the assistant. This is closely related to the idea’s in Comila Shahani-Denning article of beauty is good. The beauty is good theory states that attractiveness has a significant impact on a person being hired, so the more attractive candidate has a better chance in being hired then the less attractive person. Which can be seen as a type of discrimination because you it’s a non-work related factor. Attribution also plays a huge role in this situation. Attribution is the way we find meaning to other peoples actions. There are two different types of attribution, negative attribution and positive both of which can come from two different sources, an internal or external motive. By Andy not dressing the part she’s sending a message to other that she just doesn’t care. This is an example of an internal attribution. The fact that it’s a fashion magazine and she seems to know little or nothing about it doesn’t really help her. On the other hand when the main reason the company head Miranda hires her is because she wasn’t like the rest who didn’t work out. One factor of this film that I found very interesting was the way Miranda was portrayed. Majority of the film, she shown as this cold hearted monster everyone fears. Andy’s perception of her is very negative and this is an example of the reverse halo affect. The reverse halo affect is taking one negative quality and attributing many more without any obvious indications. Just by seeing how strict Miranda is at work, andy make her seem like she has no care or compassion for anyone else but a good thing they did in the film was show her vulnerable side when she was getting divorce from her husband. She let her feeling show demonstrating she’s not the heartless beast they portray her as. As human being we all try to find meaning and reasoning to everything. That what set us apart from other animal, the need to know why. But what happens when our judgments of other are based on assumptions rather than facts. We begin to form false views of people and even form stereotypes of people. One stereotype I’ve heard many times is that overweight people are unorganized and just messy. Which is hard for me to understand what one has to do with the other, I’m nowhere near the 121 lbs I’m supposed to be for my age and height but that doesn’t mean I’m a slob, it just means I like food. How shallow have we become that we judge people based on physical characteristics. In addition to the beauty is good theory, Comila Shahani-Denning also explore the far less common beauty is beast theory. Beauty is beast theory basically states that attractive females are considered to feminine for a traditionally male role and are less likely to be hired then a less attractive female. I have seen this my entire life, my mother has always been the only female at most her jobs, not because she unattractive but because she normally wears very loose fitting clothes and never wears make-up so she give off a rougher look then a women who wears , making her seem suitable for more masculine positions. The Comila Shahani-Denning article also shows a study between an individualist culture the United States and an collectivist culture India in order to see if the trend is similar throughout different cultures. The students were required to look at an application with a photo attached for a job position. The result were similar in both situations, but this may be due to the fact the students were only shown one application when in real life a employer would have a variety of different applicants. So now there working on fixing this flaw in the study and retest the hypothesis. I believe that when the study is repeated we will see a greater bias in hiring in an individualist culture do to the fact that the employee of a given company are representative of the company and many people fall for the beauty is good theory. The better the people look the better the company seems. For example if I visit two bakeries, one in which there are overweight women wearing street clothes and another with a thin attractive women wearing a proper uniform. I’m more likely to rate the bakery with uniform to be better regardless of the taste of the food. So in a way this also relates to the halo effect, I seen one positive quality and attributed it to be all around better. As we’ve seen the halo effect and attribution are very closely related. The qualities which we notice in a person can let develop many other ideas about a person, which can make assumptions which can lead us into making wrong decisions based on these assumption for example dating a person just because of their physical attraction, you may find yourself dating a complete airhead or psycho. My point is when you assume you make an a$$ of yourself.

The Twilight Saga 4: Breaking Dawn 30. Irresistible

There was so much to think about. How was I going to find time alone to hunt down J. Jenks, and why did Alice want me to know about him? If Alice's clue had nothing to do with Renesmee, what could I do to save my daughter? How were Edward and I going to explain things to Tanya's family in the morning? What if they reacted like Irina? What if it turned into a fight? I didn't know how to fight. How was I going to learn in just a month? Was there any chance at all that I could be taught fast enough that I might be a danger to any one member of the Volturi? Or was I doomed to be totally useless? Just another easily dispatched newborn? So many answers I needed, but I did not get the chance to ask my questions. Wanting some normality for Renesmee, I'd insisted on taking her home to our cottage at bedtime. Jacob was more comfortable in his wolf form at the moment; the stress was easier dealt with when he felt ready for a fight. I wished that I could feel the same, could feel ready. He ran in the woods, on guard again. After she was deeply under, I put Renesmee in her bed and then went to the front room to ask my questions of Edward. The ones I was able to ask, at any rate; one of the most difficult of problems was the idea of trying to hide anything from him, even with the advantage of my silent thoughts. He stood with his back to me, staring into the fire. â€Å"Edward, I – â€Å" He spun and was across the room in what seemed like no time at all, not even the smallest part of a second. I only had time to register the ferocious expression on his face before his lips were crushing against mine and his arms were locked around me like steel girders. I didn't think of my questions again for the rest of that night. It didn't take long for me to grasp the reason for his mood, and even less time to feel exactly the same way. I'd been planning on needing years just to somewhat organize the overwhelming passion I felt for him physically. And then centuries after that to enjoy it. if we had only a month left together†¦ Well, I didn't see how I could stand to have this end. For the moment I couldn't help but be selfish. All I wanted was to love him as much as possible in the limited time given to me. It was hard to pull myself away from him when the sun came up, but we had our job to do, a job that might be more difficult than all the rest of our family's searches put together. As soon as I let myself think of what was coming, i was all tension; it felt like my nerves were being stretched on a rack, thinner and thinner. â€Å"I wish there was a way to get the information we need from Eleazar before we tell them about Nessie,† Edward muttered as we hurriedly dressed in the huge closet that was more reminder of Alice than I wanted at the moment. â€Å"Just in case.† â€Å"But he wouldn't understand the question to answer it,† I agreed. â€Å"Do you think they'll let us explain?† â€Å"I don't know.† I pulled Renesmee, still sleeping, from her bed and held her close so that her curls were pressed against my face; her sweet scent, so close, overpowered every other smell. I couldn't waste one second of time today. There were answers I needed, and wasn't sure how much time Edward and I would have alone today. If all went well with Tanya's family, hopefully we would have company for an extended period. â€Å"Edward, will you teach me how to fight?† I asked him, tensed for his reaction, as he held the door for me. It was what I expected. He froze, and then his eyes swept over me with a deep significance, like he was looking at me for the first or last time. His eyes lingered on our daughter sleeping in my arms. â€Å"If it comes to a fight, there won't be much any of us can do,† he hedged. I kept my voice even. â€Å"Would you leave me unable to defend myself?† He swallowed convulsively, and the door shuddered, hinges protesting, as his hand tightened. Then he nodded. â€Å"When you put it that way†¦ I suppose we should get to work as soon as we can.† I nodded, too, and we started toward the big house. We didn't hurry. I wondered what I could do that would have any hope of making a difference. I was a tiny bit special, in my own way – if a having a supematurally thick skull could really be considered special. Was there any use that I could put that toward? â€Å"What would you say their biggest advantage is? Do they even have a weakness?† Edward didn't have to ask to know I meant the Volturi. â€Å"Alec and Jane are their greatest offense,† he said emotionlessly, like we were talking of a basketball team. â€Å"Their defensive players rarely see any real action.† â€Å"Because Jane can burn you where you stand – mentally at least. What does Alec do? Didn't you once say he was even more dangerous than Jane?† â€Å"Yes. In a way, he is the antidote to Jane. She makes you feel the worst pain imaginable. Alec, on the other hand, makes you feel nothing. Absolutely nothing. Sometimes, when the Volturi are feeling kind, they have Alec anesthetize someone before he is executed. If he has surrendered or pleased them in some other way.† â€Å"Anesthetic? But how is that more dangerous than Jane?† â€Å"Because he cuts off your senses altogether. No pain, but also no sight or sound or smell. Total sensory deprivation. You are utterly alone in the blackness. You don't even feel it when they burn you.† I shivered. Was this the best we could hope for? To not see or feel death when it came? â€Å"That would make him only equally as dangerous as Jane,† Edward went on in the same detached voice, â€Å"in that they both can incapacitate you, make you into a helpless target. The difference between them is like the difference between Aro and me. Aro hears the mind of only one person at a time. Jane can only hurt the one object of her focus. I can hear everyone at the same time.† I felt cold as I saw where he was going. â€Å"And Alec can incapacitate us all at the same time?† I whispered. â€Å"Yes,† he said. â€Å"If he uses his gift against us, we will all stand blind and deaf until they get around to killingus – maybe they'll simply burn us without bothering to tear us apart first. Oh, we could try to fight, but we'll be more likely to hurt one another than we would be to hurt one of them.† We walked in silence for a few seconds. An idea was shaping itself in my head. Not very promising, but better than nothing. â€Å"Do you think Alec is a very good fighter?† I asked. â€Å"Aside from what he can do, I mean. If he had to fight without his gift. I wonder if he's ever even tried___† Edward glanced at me sharply. â€Å"What are you thinking?† I looked straight ahead. â€Å"Well, he probably can't do that to me, can he? If what he does is like Aro and Jane and you. Maybe†¦ if he's never really had to defend himself†¦ and I learned a few tricks – â€Å" â€Å"He's been with the Volturi for centuries,† Edward cut me off, his voice abruptly panicked. He was probably seeing the same image in his head that I was: the Cullens standing helpless, senseless pillars on thekillingfield – all but me. I'd be the only one who could fight. â€Å"Yes, you're surely immune to his power, but you are still a newborn, Bella. I can't make you that strong a fighter in a few weeks. I'm sure he's had training.† â€Å"Maybe, maybe not. It's the one thing I can do that no one else can. Even if I can just distract him for a while – † Could I last long enough to give the others a chance? â€Å"Please, Bella,† Edward said through his teeth. â€Å"Let's not talk about this.† â€Å"Be reasonable.† â€Å"I will try to teach you what I can, but please don't make me think about you sacrificing yourself as a diversion – † He choked, and didn't finish. I nodded. I would keep my plans to myself, then. First Alec and then, if I was miraculously lucky enough to win, Jane. If I could only even things out – remove the Volturi's overwhelming offensive advantage. Maybe then there was a chance†¦. My mind raced ahead. What if I was able to distract or even take them out? Honestly, why would either Jane or Alec ever have needed to learn battle skills? I couldn't imagine petulant little Jane surrendering her advantage, even to learn. If I was able to kill them, what a difference that would make. â€Å"I have to learn everything. As much as you can possibly cram into my head in the next month,† I murmured. He acted as if I hadn't spoken. Who next, then? I might as well have my plans in order so that, if I did live past attacking Alec, there would be no hesitation in my strike. I tried to think of another situation where my thick skull would give me an advantage. I didn't know enough about what the others did. Obviously, fighters like the huge Felix were beyond me. I could only try to give Emmett his fair fight there. I didn't know much about the rest of the Volturi guard, besides Demetri___ My face was perfectly smooth as I considered Demetri. Without a doubt, he would be a fighter. There was no other way he could have survived so long, always at the spear point of any attack. And he must always lead, because he was their tracker – the best tracker in the world, no doubt. If there had been one better, the Volturi would have traded up. Aro didn't surround himself with second best. If Demetri didn't exist, then we could run. Whoever was left of us, in any case. My daughter, warm in my arms†¦ Someone could run with her. Jacob or Rosalie, whoever was left. And†¦ if Demetri didn't exist, then Alice and Jasper could be safe forever. Is that what Alice had seen? That part of our family could continue? The two of them, at the very least. Could I begrudge her that? â€Å"Demetri†¦,† I said. â€Å"Demetri is mine,† Edward said in a hard, tight voice. I looked at him quickly and saw that his expression had turned violent. â€Å"Why?† I whispered. He didn't answer at first. We were to the river when he finally murmured, â€Å"For Alice. It's the only thanks I can give her now for the last fifty years.† So his thoughts were in line with mine. I heard Jacob's heavy paws thudding against the frozen ground. In seconds, he was pacing beside me, his dark eyes focused on Renesmee. I nodded to him once, then returned to my questions. There was so little time. â€Å"Edward, why do you think Alice told us to ask Eleazar about the Volturi? Has he been in Italy recently or something? What could he know?† â€Å"Eleazar knows everything when it comes to the Volturi. I forgot you didn't know. He used to be one of them.† I hissed involuntarily. Jacob growled beside me. â€Å"What?† I demanded, in my head picturing the beautiful dark-haired man at our wedding wrapped in a long, ashy cloak. Edward's face was softer now – he smiled a little. â€Å"Eleazar is a very gentle person. He wasn't entirely happy with the Volturi, but he respected the law and its need to be upheld. He felt he was working toward the greater good. He doesn't regret his time with them. But when he found Carmen, he found his place in this world. They are very similar people, both very compassionate for vampires.† He smiled again. â€Å"They met Tanya and her sisters, and they never looked back. They are well suited to this lifestyle. If they'd never found Tanya, I imagine they would have eventually discovered a way to live without human blood on their own.† The pictures in my head were jarring. I couldn't make them match up. A compassionate Volturi soldier? Edward glanced at Jacob and answered a silent question. â€Å"No, he wasn't one of their warriors, so to speak. He had a gift they found convenient.† Jacob must have asked the obvious follow-up question. â€Å"He has an instinctive feel for the gifts of others – the extra abilities that some vampires have,† Edward told him. â€Å"He could give Aro a general idea of what any given vampire was capable of just by being in proximity with him or her. This was helpful when the Volturi went into battle. He could warn them if someone in the opposing coven had a skill that might give them some trouble. That was rare; it takes quite a skill to even inconvenience the Volturi for a moment. More often, the warning would give Aro the chance to save someone who might be useful to him. Eleazar's gift works even with humans, to an extent. He has to really concentrate with humans, though, because the latent ability is so nebulous. Aro would have him test the people who wanted to join, to see if they had any potential. Aro was sorry to see him go.† â€Å"They let him go?† I asked. â€Å"Just like that?† His smile was darker now, a little twisted. ‘The Volturi aren't supposed to be the villains, the way they seem to you. They are the foundation of our peace and civilization. Each member of the guard chooses to serve them. It's quite prestigious; they all are proud to be there, not forced to be there.† I scowled at the ground. â€Å"They're only alleged to be heinous and evil by the criminals, Bella.† â€Å"We're not criminals.† Jacob huffed in agreement. â€Å"They don't know that.† â€Å"Do you really think we can make them stop and listen?† Edward hesitated just the tiniest moment and then shrugged. â€Å"If we find enough friends to stand beside us. Maybe.† If. I suddenly felt the urgency of what we had before us today. Edward and I both started to move faster, breaking into a run. Jacob caught up quickly. â€Å"Tanya shouldn't be too much longer,† Edward said. â€Å"We need to be ready.† How to be ready, though? We arranged and rearranged, thought and rethought. Renesmee in full view? Or hidden at first? Jacob in the room? Or outside? He'd told his pack to stay close but invisible. Should he do the same? In the end, Renesmee, Jacob – in his human form again – and I waited around the corner from the front door in the dining room, sitting at the big polished table. Jacob let me hold Renesmee; he wanted space in case he had to phase quickly. Though I was glad to have her in my arms, it made me feel useless. It reminded me that in a fight with mature vampires, I was no more than an easy target; I didn't need my hands free. I tried to remember Tanya, Kate, Carmen, and Eleazar from the wedding. Their faces were murky in my ill-lit memories. I only knew they were beautiful, two blondes and two brunettes. I couldn't remember if there was any kindness in their eyes. Edward leaned motionlessly against the back window wall, staring toward the front door. It didn't look like he was seeing the room in front of him. We listened to the cars zooming past out on the freeway, none of them slowing. Renesmee nestled into my neck, her hand against my cheek but no images in my head. She didn't have pictures for her feelings now. â€Å"What if they don't like me?† she whispered, and all our eyes flashed to her face. â€Å"Of course they'll – ,† Jacob started to say, but I silenced him with a look. ‘They don't understand you, Renesmee, because they've never met anyone like you,† I told her, not wanting to lie to her with promises that might not come true. â€Å"Getting them to understand is the problem.† She sighed, and in my head flashed pictures of all of us in one quick burst. Vampire, human, werewolf. She fit nowhere. â€Å"You're special, that's not a bad thing.† She shook her head in disagreement. She thought of our strained faces and said, â€Å"This is my fault.† â€Å"No,† Jacob, Edward, and I all said at exactly the same time, but before we could argue further, we heard the sound we'd been waiting for: the slowing of an engine on the freeway, the tires moving from pavement to soft dirt. Edward darted around the corner to stand waiting by the door. Renesmee hid in my hair. Jacob and I stared at each other across the table, desperation on our faces. The car moved quickly through the woods, faster than Charlie or Sue drove. We heard it pull into the meadow and stop by the front porch. Four doors opened and closed. They didn't speak as they approached the door. Edward opened it before they could knock. â€Å"Edward!† a female voice enthused. â€Å"Hello, Tanya. Kate, Eleazar, Carmen.† Three murmured hellos. â€Å"Carlisle said he needed to talk to us right away,† the first voice said, Tanya. I could hear that they all were still outside. I imagined Edward in the doorway, blocking their entrance. â€Å"What's the problem? Trouble with the werewolves?† Jacob rolled his eyes. â€Å"No,† Edward said. â€Å"Our truce with the werewolves is stronger than ever.† A woman chuckled. â€Å"Aren't you going to invite us in?† Tanya asked. And then she continued without waiting for an answer. â€Å"Where's Carlisle?† â€Å"Carlisle had to leave.† There was a short silence. â€Å"What's going on, Edward?† Tanya demanded. â€Å"If you could give me the benefit of the doubt for just a few minutes,† he answered. â€Å"I have something difficult to explain, and I'll need you to be open-minded until you understand.† â€Å"Is Carlisle all right?† a male voice asked anxiously. Eleazar. â€Å"None of us is all right, Eleazar,† Edward said, and then he patted something, maybe Eleazar's shoulder. â€Å"But physically, Carlisle is fine.† â€Å"Physically?† Tanya asked sharply. â€Å"What do you mean?† â€Å"I mean that my entire family is in very grave danger. But before I explain, I ask for your promise. Listen to everything I say before you react. I am begging you to hear me out.† A longer silence greeted his request. Through the strained hush, Jacob and I stared wordlessly at each other. His russet lips paled. â€Å"We're listening,† Tanya finally said. â€Å"We will hear it all before we judge.† â€Å"Thank you, Tanya,† Edward said fervently. â€Å"We wouldn't involve you in this if we had any other choice.† Edward moved. We heard four sets of footsteps walk through the doorway. Someone sniffed. â€Å"I knew those werewolves were involved,† Tanya muttered. â€Å"Yes, and they're on our side. Again.† The reminder silenced Tanya. â€Å"Where's your Bella?† one of the other female voices asked. â€Å"How is she?† â€Å"She'll join us shortly. She's well, thank you. She's taken to immortality with amazing finesse.† â€Å"Tell us about the danger, Edward,† Tanya said quietly. â€Å"We'll listen, and we'll be on your side, where we belong.† Edward took a deep breath. â€Å"I'd like you to witness for yourselves first. Listen – in the other room. What do you hear?† It was quiet, and then there was movement. â€Å"Just listen first, please,† Edward said. â€Å"A werewolf, I assume. I can hear his heart,† Tanya said. â€Å"What else?† Edward asked. There was a pause. â€Å"What is that thrumming?† Kate or Carmen asked. â€Å"Is that†¦ some kind of a bird?† â€Å"No, but remember what you're hearing. Now, what do you smell? Besides the werewolf.† â€Å"Is there a human here?† Eleazar whispered. â€Å"No,† Tanya disagreed. â€Å"It's not human†¦ but†¦ closer to human than the rest of the scents here. What is that, Edward? I don't think I've ever smelled that fragrance before.† â€Å"You most certainly have not, Tanya. Please, please remember that this is something entirely new to you. Throw away your preconceived notions.† â€Å"I promised you I would listen, Edward.† â€Å"All right, then. Bella? Bring out Renesmee, please.† My legs felt strangely numb, but I knew that feeling was all in my head. I forced myself not to hold back, not to move sluggishly, as I got to my feet and walked the few short feet to the corner. The heat from Jacob's body flamed close behind me as he shadowed my steps. I took one step into the bigger room and then froze, unable to force myself farther forward. Renesmee took a deep breath and then peeped out from under my hair, her little shoulders tight, expecting a rebuff. I thought I'd prepared myself for their reaction. For accusations, for shouting, for the motionlessness of deep stress. Tanya skittered back four steps, her strawberry curls quivering, like a human confronted by a venomous snake. Kate jumped back all the way to the front door and braced herself against the wall there. A shocked hiss came from between her clenched teeth. Eleazar threw himself in front of Carmen in a protective crouch. â€Å"Oh please† I heard Jacob complain under his breath. Edward put his arm around Renesmee and me. â€Å"You promised to listen,† he reminded them. â€Å"Some things cannot be heard!† Tanya exclaimed. â€Å"How could you, Edward? Do you not know what this means?† â€Å"We have to get out of here,† Kate said anxiously, her hand on the doorknob. â€Å"Edward †¦Ã¢â‚¬  Eleazar seemed beyond words. â€Å"Wait,† Edward said, his voice harder now. â€Å"Remember what you hear, what you smell. Renesmee is not what you think she is.† â€Å"There are no exceptions to this rule, Edward,† Tanya snapped back. â€Å"Tanya,† Edward said sharply, â€Å"you can hear her heartbeat! Stop and think about what that means.† â€Å"Her heartbeat?† Carmen whispered, peering around Eleazar's shoulder. â€Å"She's not a full vampire child,† Edward answered, directing his attention toward Carmen's less hostile expression. â€Å"She is half-human.† The four vampires stared at him like he was speaking a language none of them knew. â€Å"Hear me.† Edward's voice shifted into a smooth velvet tone of persuasion. â€Å"Renesmee is one of a kind. I am her father. Not her creator – her biological father.† Tanya's head was shaking, just a tiny movement. She didn't seem aware of it. â€Å"Edward, you can't expect us to – ,† Eleazar started to say. â€Å"Tell me another explanation that fits, Eleazar. You can feel the warmth of her body in the air. Blood runs in her veins, Eleazar. You can smell it.† â€Å"How?† Kate breathed. â€Å"Bella is her biological mother,† Edward told her. â€Å"She conceived, carried, and gave birth to Renesmee while she was still human. It nearly killed her. I was hard-pressed to get enough venom into her heart to save her.† Tve never heard of such a thing,† Eleazar said. His shoulders were still stiff, his expression cold. â€Å"Physical relationships between vampires and humans are not common,† Edward answered, a bit of dark humor in his tone now. â€Å"Human survivors of such trysts are even less common. Wouldn't you agree, cousins?† Both Kate and Tanya scowled at him. â€Å"Come now, Eleazar. Surely you can see the resemblance.† It was Carmen who responded to Edward's words. She stepped around Eleazar, ignoring his half-articulated warning, and walked carefully to stand right in front of me. She leaned down slightly, looking carefully into Renesmee's face. â€Å"You seem to have your mother's eyes,† she said in a low, calm voice, â€Å"but your father's face.† And then, as if she could not help herself, she smiled at Renesmee. Renesmee's answering smile was dazzling. She touched my face without looking away from Carmen. She imagined touching Carmen's face, wondering if that was okay. â€Å"Do you mind if Renesmee tells you about it herself?† I asked Carmen. I was still too stressed to speak above a whisper. â€Å"She has a gift for explaining things.† Carmen was still smiling at Renesmee. â€Å"Do you speak, little one?† â€Å"Yes,† Renesmee answered in her trilling high soprano. All of Tanya's family flinched at the sound of her voice except for Carmen. â€Å"But I can show you more than I can tell you.† She placed her little dimpled hand on Carmen's cheek. Carmen stiffened like an electric shock had run through her. Eleazar was at her side in an instant, his hands on her shoulders as if to yank her away. â€Å"Wait,† Carmen said breathlessly, her unblinking eyes locked on Renesmee's. Renesmee â€Å"showed† Carmen her explanation for a long time. Edward's face was intent as he watched with Carmen, and I wished so much that I could hear what he heard, too. Jacob shifted his weight impatiently behind me, and I knew he was wishing the same. â€Å"What's Nessie showing her?† he grumbled under his breath. â€Å"Everything,† Edward murmured. Another minute passed, and Renesmee dropped her hand from Carmen's face. She smiled winningly at the stunned vampire. â€Å"She really is your daughter, isn't she?† Carmen breathed, switching her wide topaz eyes to Edward's face. â€Å"Such a vivid gift! It could only have come from a very gifted father.† â€Å"Do you believe what she showed you?† Edward asked, his expression intense. â€Å"Without a doubt,† Carmen said simply. Eleazar's face was rigid with distress. â€Å"Carmen!† Carmen took his hands into her own and squeezed them. â€Å"Impossible as it seems, Edward has told you nothing but truth. Let the child show you.† Carmen nudged Eleazar closer to me and then nodded at Renesmee. â€Å"Show him, mi querida† Renesmee grinned, clearly delighted with Carmen's acceptance, and touched Eleazar lightly on the forehead. â€Å"Ay caray!†hespit, and jerked away from her. â€Å"What did she do to you?† Tanya demanded, coming closer warily. Kate crept forward, too. â€Å"She's just trying to show you her side of the story,† Carmen told him in a soothing voice. Renesmee frowned impatiently. â€Å"Watch, please,† she commanded Eleazar. She stretched her hand out to him and then left a few inches between her fingers and his face, waiting. Eleazar eyed her suspiciously and then glanced at Carmen for help. She nodded encouragingly. Eleazar took a deep breath and then leaned closer until his forehead touched her hand again. He shuddered when it began but held still this time, his eyes closed in concentration. â€Å"Ahh,† he sighed when his eyes reopened a few minutes later. â€Å"I see.† Renesmee smiled at him. He hesitated, then smiled a slightly unwilling smile in response. â€Å"Eleazar?† Tanya asked. â€Å"It's all true, Tanya. This is no immortal child. She's half-human. Come. See for yourself.† In silence, Tanya took her turn standing warily before me, and then Kate, both showing shock as that first image hit them with Renesmee's touch. But then, just like Carmen and Eleazar, they seemed completely won over as soon as it was done. I shot a glance at Edward's smooth face, wondering if it could really be so easy. His golden eyes were clear, unshadowed. There was no deception in this, then. â€Å"Thank you for listening,† he said quietly. â€Å"But there is the grave danger you warned us of,† Tanya said. â€Å"Not directly from this child, I see, but surely from the Volturi, then. How did they find out about her? When are they coming?† I was not surprised at her quick understanding. After all, what could possibly be a threat to a family as strong as mine? Only the Volturi. â€Å"When Bella saw Irina that day in the mountains,† Edward explained, â€Å"she had Renesmee with her.† Kate hissed, her eyes narrowing to slits, â€Å"irina did this? To you? To Carlisle? Irina?† â€Å"No,† Tanya whispered. â€Å"Someone else †¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Alice saw her go to them,† Edward said. I wondered if the others noticed the way he winced just slightly when he spoke Alice's name. â€Å"How could she do this thing?† Eleazar asked of no one. ‘Imagine if you had seen Renesmee only from a distance. If you had not waited for our explanation.† Tanya's eyes tightened. â€Å"No matter what she thought†¦ You are our family.† â€Å"There's nothing we can do about Irina's choice now. It's too late. Alice gave us a month.† Both Tanya's and Eleazar's heads cocked to one side. Kate's brow furrowed. â€Å"So long?† Eleazar asked. â€Å"They are all coming. That must take some preparation.† Eleazar gasped. â€Å"The entire guard?† â€Å"Not just the guard,† Edward said, his jaw straining tight. â€Å"Aro, Caius, Marcus. Even the wives.† Shock glazed over all their eyes. â€Å"Impossible,† Eleazar said blankly. â€Å"I would have said the same two days ago,† Edward said. Eleazar scowled, and when he spoke it was nearly a growl. â€Å"But that doesn't make any sense. Why would they put themselves and the wives in danger?† â€Å"It doesn't make sense from that angle. Alice said there was more to this than just punishment for what they think we've done. She thought you could help us.† â€Å"More than punishment? But what else is there?† Eleazar started pacing, stalking toward the door and back again as if he were alone here, his eyebrows furrowed as he stared at the floor. â€Å"Where are the others, Edward? Carlisle and Alice and the rest?† Tanya asked. Edward's hesitation was almost unnoticeable. He answered only part of her question. â€Å"Looking for friends who might help us.† Tanya leaned toward him, holding her hands out in front of her. â€Å"Edward, no matter how many friends you gather, we can't help you win. We can only die with you. You must know that. Of course, perhaps the four of us deserve that after what Irina has done now, after how we've failed you in the past – for her sake that time as well.† Edward shook his head quickly. â€Å"We're not asking you to fight and die with us, Tanya. You know Carlisle would never ask for that.† â€Å"Then what, Edward?† â€Å"We're just looking for witnesses. If we can make them pause, just for a moment. If they would let us explain †¦Ã¢â‚¬  He touched Renesmee's cheek; she grabbed his hand and held it pressed against her skin. â€Å"It's difficult to doubt our story when you see it for yourself.† Tanya nodded slowly. â€Å"Do you think her past will matter to them so much?† â€Å"Only as it foreshadows her future. The point of the restriction was to protect us from exposure, from the excesses of children who could not be tamed.† â€Å"I'm not dangerous at all,† Renesmee interjected. I listened to her high, clear voice with new ears, imagining how she sounded to the others. â€Å"I never hurt Grandpa or Sue or Billy. I love humans. And wolf-people like my Jacob.† She dropped Edward's hand to reach back and pat Jacob's arm. Tanya and Kate exchanged a quick glance. â€Å"If Irina had not come so soon,† Edward mused, â€Å"we could have avoided all of this. Renesmee grows at an unprecedented rate. By the time the month is past, shell have gained another half year of development.† â€Å"Well, that is something we can certainly witness,† Carmen said in a decided tone. â€Å"We'll be able to promise that we've seen her mature ourselves. How could the Volturi ignore such evidence?† Eleazar mumbled, â€Å"How, indeed?† but he did not look up, and he continued pacing as if he were paying no attention at all. â€Å"Yes, we can witness for you,† Tanya said. â€Å"Certainly that much. We will consider what more we might do.† â€Å"Tanya,† Edward protested, hearing more in her thoughts than there was in her words, â€Å"we don't expect you to fight with us.† â€Å"If the Volturi won't pause to listen to our witness, we cannot simply stand by,† Tanya insisted. â€Å"Of course, I should only speak for myself.† Kate snorted. â€Å"Do you really doubt me so much, sister?† Tanya smiled widely at her. â€Å"It is a suicide mission, after all.† Kate flashed a grin back and then shrugged nonchalantly. â€Å"I'm in.† â€Å"I, too, will do what I can to protect the child,† Carmen agreed. Then, as if she couldn't resist, she held her arms out toward Renesmee. â€Å"May I hold you, bebe linda?† Renesmee reached eagerly toward Carmen, delighted with her new friend. Carmen hugged her close, murmuring to her in Spanish. It was like it had been with Charlie, and before that with all the Cullens. Renesmee was irresistible. What was it about her that drew everyone to her, that made them willing even to pledge their lives in her defense? For a moment I thought that maybe what we were attempting might be possible. Maybe Renesmee could do the impossible and win over our enemies as she had our friends. And then I remembered that Alice had left us, and my hope vanished as quickly as it had appeared.