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Public Entertainment Amusement Parks - 1266 Words

375 million; the number of approximately how many people, from all over the world, flock to amusement parks in the United States every year (IAAPA). Why do so many people go? What makes amusement parks so popular and desirable? The first glimpse of a modern amusement park was created in England during the year of 1133 and was called the Bartholomew Fair. Over time the idea of large places of public entertainment has evolved into the 2,100 immensely popular parks in the world today, 400 which being in the U.S. (IAAPA). These fairs, parks, and carnivals have turned into an international phenomenon, drawing in millions of attenders, and the cause of countless children’s’ begging tears and cries of excitement. They have become a childhood staple, one that many adults and senior citizens admire and repeatedly come back to relive and show to their own children. But why? Why do they have such an impact on society? Amusement parks are a way to escape the troubles of reality by allowing people to enter a child-like state of utter joy. Amusement Parks have been around since medieval times, but why? What separates them from other forms of entertainment? From their roller coasters, merry-go-rounds, and the teacup spin, every part of the parks bring an immense rush adrenaline, excitement, and adventure. Those are things that you cannot obtain from spending an hour or two at the movies or bowling or even at arcades. Before even entering an amusement park, such as Disneyland, a wave of aweShow MoreRelatedEssay on Cheap Amusements527 Words   |  3 Pages(1986) . Cheap Amusements. New York: Temple University. In Cheap Amusements, Kathy Peiss studies the customs, values, public styles, and ritualized interactions expressed in leisure time of the working-class women living in New York. The social experiences of these young women gives different clues to the ways in which these women constructed and gave meaning to their lives between the years of 1880-1920. The laboring poor’s leisure activity was brief, casual, and non-commercial. Amusement was and hadRead MoreWalt Disneys The Disney Company1586 Words   |  7 Pagesfirst couple of decades the Disney Company was only geared toward one business segment, studio entertainment. Walt had the desire to branch out of the studio business and wanted to lean towards the idea of having an amusement park. With years of planning and construction Disneyland was opened on July 17, 1955. With the success of Disneyland, Walt wanted to expand even more and open another â€Å"theme park† on the East Coast. Before Walt Disney passed away land was purchased in Florida to create an ExperimentalRead MoreHow Chinese Dominated Sports Played the Role of Entertaining the Chines Community between 1970s and 1980s2879 Words   |  12 Pages The amusement parks played a nostalgic role amongst the Chinese Singaporeans for their total entertainment experiences. However, in Gay World Amusement Park, its indoor stadium is sentimental to many Chinese Singaporeans. Over the years, Singapore had advocated towards being a world class sporting arena, especially with the hosting of Youth Olympic Game in 2010 and the opening of the new Sporting Hub this year. To see the development of sports over the years, this paper tries to understand how ChineseRead MoreDisney Company : The World s Most Prominent Conglomerate1618 Words   |  7 Pagesinternationally for its princesses, pirates, and the iconic Mickey Mouse, Disney’s holdings include: a portfolio of cable networks (ABC, Disney Channel, ESPN, and more), film studios (Disney Animation and Pixar), Marvel Entertainment, and the internationally celebrated Disney resorts, amusement park, and cruises. Disney excelled in expanding a company’s purpose and assets. While still remaining the frontrunner of animated films, Disney has made its presence known in more than just the film industry. From booksRead MoreIs Captivity Capacious Or Confining?1542 Words   |  7 Pageswhales and placing them in amusement parks for entertainment and educational purposes came to rise. The captive whales brought in millions of dollars in revenue for amusement parks and allowed thousands of people to observe a tremendous creature in a much closer proximity than ever before. Crowds flocked in from across North America to witness an 8,000-pound marine mammal perform tricks and interact with trainers. Nearly 40 years later, as science progresses and public knowledge expands on both marineRead MoreWalt Disney : The Disney1647 Words   |  7 PagesWhy Walt Disney is known Walt Disney innovations include the first cartoons with synchronized sound, the first full-length animated feature film and, of course, the theme park. â€Å"Walt Disney was an American motion-picture and television producer and showman, famous as a pioneer of cartoon films and as the creator of Disneyland. Walter Elias Walt Disney was born on December 5, 1901, in Hermosa, Illinois. He and his brother Roy co-founded Walt Disney Productions, which became one of the best-knownRead MoreDisney : The Culture Behind The Park1606 Words   |  7 PagesBehind the Park The lifecycle of Disney begins with a great story. The story of Disney itself is filled with characters, costumes, and lessons. Disney is known to usually start as a movie and eventually becomes books, merchandise, sequels, TV shows, and of course theme park rides. The fantasy world itself and what the theme parks offer is what specifically catches the visitor’s attention to want to come back again. Throughout all of Disney advertisements regarding their parks, they displayRead MoreThe Life Of Kings Island1450 Words   |  6 Pages364-acre amusement park located in Mason, Ohio. The park is currently owned by Cedar Fair, but was first opened in 1972 by Taft Broadcasting Company. King’s Island was opened in an effort to move and expand Coney Island. After 275 million in capital investments, Kings Island is home to eighty rides, shows, and attractions. Throughout its history, it has received national recognition for record breaking attraction and events.1 Kings Island is divided into several themed sections. The park is openRead MoreSummary Of The Death Of Seaworld Orlando s Trainer Dawn Brancheau 842 Words   |  4 Pages (CNN) The death of the SeaWorld Orlando’s trainer Dawn Brancheau by one of their captive orcas and the consequential delivery, in 2013, of the film Blackfish, have raised a major controversy not only among animal defenders like PETA but also amusement park visitors. Blackfish, directed by Gabriela Cowperthwaite, is a documentary that tells the story of Tilikum, a notoriously aggressive orca who has been linked to the deaths of three individuals while he has been held captive. The film, told largelyRead MoreThe History of Disneyland1272 Words   |  5 Pagesthe first Mickey Mouse cartoon, opened in New York and was a huge hit. Steamboat Willie started Walt’s career because it was the first show that had music and effects added to it. This was something that was never done before but was loved by the public. Walt Disney continued to create many lovable characters and films up till WWI. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs released in 1937, was the first feature- length animated film. â€Å"Snow White, which took three years to produce, won a special Academy Award

Relation Between Law and Morality or Ethics free essay sample

Law is an enactment made by the state. It is backed by physical coercion. Its breach is punishable by the courts. It represents the will of the state and realizes its purpose. Laws reflect the political, social and economic relationships in the society. It determines rights and duties of the citizens towards one another and towards the state. It is through law that the government fulfils its promises to the people. It reflects the sociological need of society. Law and morality are intimately related to each other. Laws are generally based on the moral principles of society.Both regulate the conduct of the individual in society. They influence each other to a great extent. Laws, to be effective, must represent the moral ideas of the people. But good laws sometimes serve to rouse the moral conscience of the people and create and maintain such conditions as may encourage the growth of morality. Laws regarding prohibition and spread of primary education are examples of this nature. Morality cannot, as a matter of fact, be divorced from politics. The ultimate end of a state is the promotion of general welfare and moral perfection of man.It is the duty of the state to formulate such laws as will elevate the moral standard of the people. The laws of a state thus conform to the prevailing standard of morality. Earlier writers on Political Science never made any distinction between law and morality. Platos Republic is as good a treatise on politics as on ethics. In ancient India, the term Dharma connoted both law and morality. Law, it is pointed out, is not merely the command of the sovereign, it represents the idea of right or wrong based on the prevalent morality of the people. Moreover, obedi ­ence to law depends upon the active support of the moral sentiments of the people. Laws which are not supported by the moral conscience of the people are liable to become dead letters. For example laws regarding Prohibition in India have not succeeded on account of the fact that full moral conscience of the people has not been aroused in favor of such laws. As Green put it, In attempting to enforce an unpopular law, a government may be doing more harm than good by creating and spread ­ing the habit of disobedience to law.The total cost of such an attempt may well be greater than the social gain. Although law and morality arc interdependent yet they differ from each other in their content, definiteness and sanction. Some points of distinction between law and morality may be brought out as follows: Law: 1. Law regulates and controls the external human conduct. It is not concerned with inner motives. A person may be having an evil intention in his or her mind but law does not care for it. Law will move into action only when this evil intention is translated into action and some harm is actually done to another person. . Law is universal in a particu ­lar society. All the individuals are equally subjected to it. It does not change from man to man. 3. Political laws are precise and definite as there is a regular organ in every state for the formulation of laws. 4. Law is framed and enforced by a determinate political author ­ity. It enjoys the sanction of the state. Disobedience of law is gen ­erally followed by physical pun ­ishment. The fear of punishment acts as a deterrent to the breach of political law. 5. Law falls within the purview of a subject known as Jurispru ­dence.Morality: 1. Morality regulates and con ­trols both the inner motives and the external actions. It is concerned with the whole life of man. The province of law is thus limited as compared with that of morality because law is simply concerned with external actions and docs not take into its fold the inner motives. Morality condemns a person if he or she has some evil intentions but laws are not applicable unless these intentions are manifested externally. 2. Morality is variable. It changes from man to man and from age to age. Every man has his own moral principles. 3.Moral laws lack precision and definiteness as there is no author ­ity to make and enforce them. 4. Morality is neither framed nor enforced by any political author ­ity. It does not enjoy the support of the state. Breach of moral prin ­ciples is not accompanied by any physical punishment. The only check against the breach of moral ­ity is social condemnation or indi ­vidual conscience. Moral actions are a matter of choice of inner conscience of the individual, laws are a matter of compulsion. 5. Morality is studied under a separate branch of knowledge known as Ethics.We may conclude the discussion in the words of Gilchrist, The in ­dividual moral life manifests itself in manifold ways. The state is the supreme condition of the individual moral life, for without the state no moral life is possible. The state, therefore, regulates other organizations in the common interest. The state, however, has a direct function in relation to morality. Points to Remember Laws may be defined as external rules of human conduct backed by the sovereign political authority. Law and morality are intimately related to each other. Laws are generally based on the moral principles of a particular society. Some points of distinction may be brought out as follows: (a) Laws regulate external human conduct whereas morality mainly regulates internal conduct. (b) Laws are universal; morality is variable. (c) Laws are definite and precise while morality is variable. (d) Laws are upheld by the coercive power of the state; morality simply enjoys the support of public opinion or individual conscience. (e) Laws are studied under Jurisprudence but morality is studied under Ethics.

Totto-chan, the little girl at the window Review Essay Example

Totto-chan, the little girl at the window Review Paper Essay on Totto-chan, the little girl at the window It would seem that difficult to write a review on a childrens book? But try to gather all your thoughts, feelings, consider and explain to others that such a wonderful saw once a long time ago, when I first picked up this book in your hands? 1.Oschuscheniya Kazhdy times, reading this story about a little girl, I had a strange feeling that it was written by three people: a child, a young mother, an experienced man. And all three of these persons live in one woman Tetsuko Kuroyanagi. For this story the story, the memory We will write a custom essay sample on Totto-chan, the little girl at the window Review specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Totto-chan, the little girl at the window Review specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Totto-chan, the little girl at the window Review specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer 2.. Association To stand at the window a Japanese symbol of loneliness. In Japanese poetry, this phrase is often used as a sign of desperate, lonely people who are waiting for something. Wait, but wait no longer hope The little girl at the window. this is the image of a lonely child, and the image of a small, yet very weak man, who does not know that he will meet in the future When I first heard the words of the song Night snipers: Someone quietly climbed onto the windowsill and looked sadly at the happy people, I immediately wanted to read the book again. Although sad to call it difficult. Just a small piece of a life. Without unnecessary embellishment. 3. The language and style Despite the fact that the book is written in clear, simple child language, there is not a boring sermons, but can say with certainty that the child, after reading it, will make the right conclusions. 4. Duration Only a few years before the bombing of US forces in Japan. That is to say, the story of srashno totalitarian childhood. 5. Conclusion Personally, I would like my children to ever read this book:)

FDP Consumer Behavior and International marketing †Marketing Research Paper

FDP Consumer Behavior and International marketing – Marketing Research Paper Free Online Research Papers FDP Consumer Behavior and International marketing Marketing Research Paper (400 Level Course) Louis Vuitton is an excellent example of having brand loyalty in a global market. Louis Vuitton is a staple product for those that can afford it. It became a staple product because of its customer service and product guarantee. A Louis Vuitton bag is supposed to last longer than the owner’s life time. When a Louis Vuitton bag becomes damaged it is replaced or fixed for free without questions or hassles. I have been intrigued by the buying of fake Louis Vuitton items and other designer items on this voyage. I have been following the consumer loyalty to fake Louis Vuitton items and other designer products throughout our voyage. In Japan there were no fake purses, shoes, wallets, or sunglasses to be found. There were large extensive markets and malls but there were no booths with racks of fake purses, shoes, watches, wallets, or sunglasses. In our port of call, Kobe, there were large Louis Vuitton, Channel, and Gucci stores but the prices were double those of the stores in the United States and Europe because of the tax on imported goods. I was very surprised by the lack of fake merchandise in Japan’s markets. The lack of fake merchandise made it seem as if the Japanese were above buying into the market of contraband. They only had real items; it seemed to be decision based on economic and prestige-driven cultural values. In Japan if you can afford to buy a designer bag then you do it. The Japenese do not buy fake merchandise. I did not observe any Japanese with fake Louis Vuitton items. I did not observe any students with new Louis Vuitton bags after Japan. I wondered if the price was a det errent or the lack of fake items was the reason. My observations lead me to believe it was the lack of fake items was the reason they were not purchased. In International Marketing, we discussed how the Chinese were great copiers of business and would copy your business down to the last detail and open up a shop right next to yours. Well, the Chinese are not just great copiers they are the best copiers of fake designer merchandise. I followed my Louis Vuitton habit through the markets in Shanghai and in Bejing. Wow! The craftsmanship was amazing. I found fake Louis Vuitton’s, Prada, Gucci, Channel, and others that were identical to the real ones. The only difference was the fact that they did not have serial numbers in them. They had the correct color scheme, logo, stitching, weight, texture, zippers, and clasps. I also found many bad copies. Yet, I have not found a large loyal customer following to real Louis Vuitton items on the ship. After China, I saw many people on the ship with new Louis Vuitton bags that were obviously not real. The LV logos were put on seams, the colors were off, zippers were not Louis Zippers, had different flowers, were not made of real leather and displayed other small details that prove purses to be fake. I started to wonder if these fake purses were hurtful to Loui s Vuitton or brand recognition for consumers. I decided no. I do not think that Louis Vuitton is suffering economically from the fake purses or worried about their existence in the market. The average Louis Vuitton purse cost above seven hundred dollars ($700). The average fake on the market was ($40) forty dollars and a very good fake was more than a hundred dollars ($100). A consumer who is willing to pay forty ($40) dollars for a fake purse is not the consumer Louis Vuitton is targeting in its market segments. Research Papers on FDP Consumer Behavior and International marketing - Marketing Research PaperDefinition of Export QuotasAnalysis of Ebay Expanding into AsiaMarketing of Lifeboy Soap A Unilever ProductHip-Hop is ArtResearch Process Part OneBionic Assembly System: A New Concept of SelfUnreasonable Searches and SeizuresAssess the importance of Nationalism 1815-1850 EuropeOpen Architechture a white paperRiordan Manufacturing Production Plan

Words That Denote Cooperation

Words That Denote Cooperation Words That Denote Cooperation Words That Denote Cooperation By Maeve Maddox In this post I’m going to temper the constant media barrage of negativity with words that denote cooperation and friendly relations among people who are engaged in the same activity. These are words I’d like to see used more frequently to describe what is happening in government. collegiality noun: the cooperative relationship of colleagues. collegial adjective: marked by camaraderie among colleagues colleague noun: One who is associated with others in office or special employment. cooperation noun:  the action of cooperating, i.e. of working together towards the same end, purpose, or effect; joint operation cooperative adjective: Having the quality or function of cooperating; working together or with others to the same end; of or pertaining to cooperation. harmony noun: agreement, accord, congruity. â€Å"in harmony† phrase: in agreement or accordance, consistent, congruous. harmonious adjective: marked by harmony, agreement, or concord; agreeing, accordant, concordant, congruous; having the parts or elements in accord so as to form a consistent or agreeable whole. unity noun: the quality or condition of being of one mind, feeling, opinion, purpose, or action; concord or harmony among several people, groups, institutions, states or between two or more. united adjective: joined together by a common interest, feeling, or cause; characterized by unity, harmony, or agreement. collaboration   noun: cooperation, especially in literary, artistic, or scientific work.    collaborative   adjective: characterized by, based upon, or produced in collaboration; cooperative. Here are a few recent examples of some of these words actually being used in the context of government: We do, however, have a mandate from the people on a clear platform, and we intend to legislate that mandate. But we want to do it in a collegial and constructive way, he said. Unlike the 2015 session, which ended in a gridlock over the annual budget and with the House abruptly leaving three days early, this year’s session is much more harmonious, with lawmakers already passing major leadership priorities in the early weeks of the session.- Gainesville Sun. I thank Senator DeWine (R) not only for his kind words but, again, his ongoing efforts, always with the tone of utmost collegiality when he worked with me, and his staff.- Barbara Mikulski (D). While Cadman (R) focused on TABOR funds and improving school safety, Democrat and former Senate President Morgan Carroll struck a tone of cooperation for the few months of work ahead. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Wether, Weather, Whether40 Fish Idioms40 Idioms with First

Audit&Assurance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Audit&Assurance - Essay Example Therefore the international institutions and the accounting bodies have recognized the need for streamlining the Auditing practices to meet the emerging challenges. International Accounting Standards have been the first step in the right direction to address the issues evolved over a period of time, considering the international implications imposed by the cross border transactions worldwide. Not only the shift in methods of operations and the procedures involved in financial services, but also, the developments that have been continuously taking place in the production processes, information technology, media and the latest technological innovations such as mobile telephony, Global Positioning System (GPS), Social Networks, etc. necessitated revisiting the techniques adopted in auditing as well. The methodologies adopted in relation to auditing need to take into account these industrial and technological developments to enhance the efficacy and lend flexibility to the procedures in line with the fast changing environment. The international Federation of Accountants (IFAC) was set up during 1977 with a view to bring about uniformity in the profession on a global scale. The concept of ‘Assurance’ is of recent origin, has generally come into existence after the companies have resorted to computerization of accounting during1980s. The various accounting scams in the corporate history have only strengthened the resolve to improve the professional standards in line with the technological developments and to enhance the level of transparency, and this paper seeks to study the development of auditing over the period of time. When computerization gathered momentum, the important problems identified in the auditing process were mainly related to the understanding of the concept of the system adopted (especially the software), compatibility of the program with the established accounting practices or the guidelines, the efficacy of the program to discern the pitfalls

Computer Security Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Computer Security - Research Paper Example Moreover, even if the vulnerabilities are exposed, it is likely that the hackers have used that information before. B.Keeping the attack confidential. This approach is being lauded by many organizations because this restricts the movements of hackers who are looking for exploits. This approach is good for government agencies because the general public can react hysterically once they learn that public agencies are not that secure. Perhaps, this approach should be used by organizations and agencies that can compromise national security. 2. The symmetric type of encryption is more popularly used simply because it more convenient and faster to implement than asymmetric encryption. This is due to the fact that same key is used to encrypt and decrypt the code by both receiver and sender of the message. There are many two main types of symmetric algorithms – block and stream ciphers. Examples of symmetric key cryptography are: DES, IDEA, AES and RC2. So far, DES is the most commonly used form of symmetric key. The only challenge presented to this method of encryption is that both parties must have a secure method when exchanging keys. Also, problems in verification can be encountered because both sender and user share the same key. Nevertheless, symmetric type is still used due to its speed and efficiency.

Narrative Paragraph Essay Example for Free

Narrative Paragraph Essay The toddler climbed laboriously up onto the stool, determined to â€Å"help† her mother. But her mother did not notice; she was far too busy with the frantic preparations for the birthday party. Ten three-year-olds and their mothers coming for an afternoon of treats, games and face painting: a herald of another party, ten years from now, when make up would be the order of the day, the child’s father had observed. As the mixer whirred and the dishwasher swished and the oven beeped its warning of impending culinary disaster, the child’s attempt to be a part of the busy-ness was more than her mother could attend to. She did not notice when the girl reached the top of the stool, nor did she see the tiny hand reach out toward the glinting beaters as they beat the pale golden batter. As she faced the oven, removing the first cookie tray, she heard the scream. Whirling, she took in the tiny hand held high, the tragic face, and the stream of scarlet mixing itself into the cake. A kiss, a cuddle and a band-aid calmed the birthday girl; a shake of her head and a moment of revelation calmed her mother. A birthday candle in a cookie would be just fine. See more: how to start a narrative essay Paragraph Analysis Purpose: to tell a brief story Structure: no real thesis statement, as there is nothing to be proven in this paragraph, but there is an introductory sentence that establishes character, setting and situation, there are body sentences, and there is a concluding sentence that summarizes the resolution of the main conflict Language: language is relatively casual and includes a single example of the language of the three-year-old child to help establish character Features: narrative components such as plot, characters, setting, conflict and resolution are evident; use of onomatopoeia (â€Å"whirred,† â€Å"swished,† â€Å"beeped†) to mimic the distracting effects of the busy kitchen EXPOSITORY PARAGRAPH An expository paragraph explains something; its purpose is to help the reader understand. In order to ensure that the purpose is achieved, the writer of the paragraph may utilize a number of paragraph features and language techniques. One essential feature is logical organization. This may take a number of forms, including demonstrating cause and effect or following a  chronological order. Another important feature is providing support for the explanation being made. This support may consist of examples, illustrations, statistical or expert evidence, or even appropriate anecdotes. A final critical feature is clarity of language. The paragraph may make employ language devices such as metaphors or allusions to help illustrate its points, but they must be relatively straight forward and easy to follow so that no misunderstanding of the important points will occur. By employing these kinds of features and techniques, the writer of an expository paragraph will ensure that the paragraph’s meaning is clear to the reader. Paragraph Analysis Purpose: to explain some of the techniques used by the writer of an expository paragraph to achieve his or her purpose (!) Structure: The first sentence is a topic sentence; the second is the thesis statement. The body sentences list, explain and give examples of the paragraph’s features, and the concluding sentence summarizes the main point of the paragraph. Language: language is relatively formal Features: The paragraph uses a format of making a point followed by examples. There is â€Å"listing† transition (â€Å"One essential feature,† â€Å"Another important feature,† â€Å"A final critical feature†) between sentences to help the flow of the paragraph. PERSUASIVE PARAGRAPH Telephone solicitation is more than just an annoyance to those on the receiving end of the calls. In fact, telephone solicitation can be disastrous for people in all kinds of situations and, thus, must be stopped. For one thing, telephone solicitation typically occurs in the late afternoon and early evening, prime family time. This can cause chaos in two ways. One, continual interruption of shared family meal times, rare as they can be, can put a significant strain on family relationships; this is a troublesome point in light of the divorce statistics of today. Even worse, when families are embroiled in homework wars or are having trouble getting toddlers to bed, a poorly-timed telephone call may be the straw that breaks the camel’s back, moving the suffering parents to lose their cool  completely. This could result in a form of domestic violence, verbal or even physical: yet another reason for a family to break apart. Another way in which telephone solicitation can prove dangerous to people stems from its very familiarity. Because so many telephone calls come from telephone solicitors, offering everything from insurance opportunities to vinyl siding, the calls become accepted as a legitimate way to do business. This plays into the hands of criminals. The trust individuals place in the honesty of the legitimate solicitors is extended to those who are, in fact, dishonest and out to abscond with the proceeds of others’ bank accounts. Clearly, in order to save families and their hard-earned dollars, telephone solicitation should be banned. Paragraph Analysis Purpose: to convince the reader that telephone solicitation should be banned Structure: introductory sentence, thesis statement (sentence #2), body sentences which provide examples for points made, a concluding sentence which states the thesis in stronger terms Language: language is emotionally loaded at times (ex., â€Å"disastrous,† â€Å"chaos,† â€Å"embroiled in homework wars,† â€Å"domestic violence†); added words such as â€Å"Clearly† in the concluding sentence makes it difficult to argue against the point Features: strong rhetorical language; a variety of sentence lengths keep the paragraph moving; short sentences highlight and give â€Å"punch† to inflammatory statements (ex., â€Å"This plays into the hands of criminals.†); stops argument by stating that the evidence â€Å"clearly† supports the thesis LITERARY PARGRAPH Holden Caulfield, the narrator and protagonist of J.D.Salinger’s well-known novel, The Catcher in the Rye, is an unreliable narrator. This leads the reader to suspect that Holden’s story is not all that is appears, and coaxes the reader to look more deeply into the character and his situation. Very early in the novel, Holden himself casts doubt on his reliability as a narrator when he confesses to his in-story audience, a psycho-therapist, that he is â€Å"the most terrific liar you ever saw in your life. It’s awful† (Chapter 3). This self-indictment alerts the reader to the fact that everything Holden says will need to be taken with a grain of salt and that it will be important to look beyond the surface of the text. Later in the  novel, Holden relates a story about his date with a girlfriend in which she tells him to stop yelling at a club. He protests that he â€Å"wasn’t even yelling† but it is clear from his description that he probably was yelling, and that his girlfriend was trying to calm him down. This incident, and others like it, suggests that Holden is not good at monitoring his own behaviour. This again calls into question Holden’s explanations of what goes on in the novel and encourages the reader to look seriously at the words spoken by the other characters, even if they are related through Holden’s eyes. Thus, through both Holden’s explicit assessments of his own personality and the implicit meaning of the events in the story, the reader can see that Holden Caulfield is a less-than-reliable narrator whose story must be examined deeply in order to be understood. Paragraph Analysis Purpose: to interpret and explain an aspect of a literary text Structure: First two sentences work together to alert the reader to the topic and the thesis. The body sentences extend the discussion, and the conluding sentence restated the thesis. Language: language is formal and makes use of integrated quotations to add to the authority of the interpretation Features: identifies the title of the work and the author in the introductory sentence; uses literary terms (i.e., â€Å"unreliable narrator†); uses integrated quotations to support the discussion; remains focused exclusively on the text (no â€Å"real life† references)

PSY 301, Introductory Psychology, 2004, Exam 3 :: UTEXAS Texas Psychology

Answers at bottom of test Exam 3 –November 8, 2004 1. Joleen’s friends describe her as being emotionally reserved most of the time but also able to become extremely angry every once and awhile. When she is angry at one of her friends, she usually does not confront them with her problem and instead behaves in a cold and distant manner. Sometimes, however, she will blow up in anger at them a week or two later. Which of the following would most likely be Freud’s evaluation of Joleen? a. Freud would claim that she is engaging in sublimation behaviors to protect herself. b. He would categorize her as anal expulsive and claim that it is due to unresolved issues she had during her anal stage of life. c. Freud would call her phallic defensive because of the conflicts she had with her parents between the ages of 3 and 5 (possibly even sexual abuse). d. He would say that she is obsessed with oral sensations, like talking, because she developed normally through the oral stage of life. e. Freud would claim that she is in love with her father. 2. What aspect of personality has been found to be a reliable predictor of marital dissatisfaction, poor reports of health, and depression? a. introversion b. low openness c. extraversion d. low agreeableness e. neuroticism 3. Lexi and Petri are identical twins who were separated at birth and grew up with very different families. Lexi is a skilled student who has three close friends and a loving boyfriend. Her adoptive family had difficulties accepting her when she was an infant and never really appreciated her until she reached puberty. Petri is also a good student and is very well liked in her sorority. Her adoptive family adored Petri until the family dissolved in a messy divorce when Petri was 16. Based on the core model of personality, who probably has higher self esteem, Lexi or Petri? 1. Lexi, because having a significant other (her boyfriend) is the most important thing for self esteem. 2.

Culture of India and Western Culture

| | Mounting western culture degrading India on the whole. Have you ever seen the pictures of Jatindranath Mukerjee or Chandrasekhar Azad or Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose? Apart from being leading revolutionaries of the Indian freedom struggle, these three great personalities had something more in common. Almost in each picture you will find each of them clad in perfect Indian attire or dhoti-kurta. Do you find the same dress among Indians still? Unfortunately, it is becoming almost extinct more and more and the day is not far when its best position will be in the museum of any Indian metropolis. What inference can you draw from this lamentable specimen? Western influence is rising in the Indian society by leaps and bounds and its intensity is rising with the passing of each year almost. There is hardly any doubt that the entire course is moving contrary to the dreams of the founding fathers of independent India in August 15, 1947. They had thought that the country, winning independence after the freedom struggle of almost two centuries at a stretch, would regain its vigor and set up its basis, rooted in its own intrinsic culture, with conviction. What we are witnessing at the moment is not sad or unfortunate only but just the opposite also. Within the seven decades of national independence influences of Indian culture have started to drain almost. Even if there is any, it is under the greater protection of the western umbrella. Well, you don’t have to go anywhere else – a few glimpses of the Indian television scenario or cable television’s are going to be enough. Gone are the days when the Indian television industry used to speak in favor of national harmony, secular traditions and unity in diversity. These days, the messages of national unification have ceased to come to the fore and the programs have been replaced by reality shows dominated by women clad in skimpy dresses. These sorts of shows go against the age-old Indian traditions and in a word, affront Indian values only. But Indians are so wild that they have little time for the national stature. Is India developing then or on the wane? You have to make the decision. Culture† and â€Å"Tradition† are more significant in a country like India which has always een cherishing its rich culture and heritage and it’s quite well known for it worldwide. But these things are just on paper and are slowly losing their sheen. Why? India is known by her people. We, the younger generation are the representatives of India in a true sense of the word. Even in history, we come across various incidents where the youth took the lead to bring about a change and get India independence from the British rule. We, the Indian you th have always been the power and pride of India. We are the sole cherishers of India’s pride and its heritage which actually lies in its culture, its diversity, its uniqueness. In such a scenario, where the point of a rich cultured country like India is facing the problem of losing its culture, are we, the youth; the Indian youth not ACTUALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS? Are we not putting our own self image, our self respect, our mother India’s pride at stake by doing so? Just think about it my dear friends. There is no problem as such when we follow the western culture to some extent. The problem is we are forgetting our culture to a greater extent. Why should we do so? 21st century youth doesn’t mean forgetting the motherland and following or in short adopting western lifestyle in totality. Every culture has its own pros and cons. We individuals should be strong enough to take the good and throw off the bad. But what are we doing now? It’s a shame to see that â€Å"India’s pride†; â€Å"We Indian Youth† doesn’t have even a bit of importance for India’s pride and heritage, its culture; and we are easily influenced by western culture. Right from our clothing, till the music, the films, our attitude, our lifestyle, in short every aspect of our life has totally changed. â€Å"Change doesn’t happen on its own; it’s we who bring about the change. † But by this change, our mother India has lost its sheen and beauty; its place; its uniqueness in the world. AND WE, THE INDIAN YOUTH, PRIDE OF INDIA; ARE SOLELY RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT. Friends, it’s high time now and we got to think about this now or never. â€Å"STITCH IN TIME SAVES NINE†!!!! Essays on negative impact on India because of western culture? The culture of India has been shaped not only by its long history, unique geography and diverse demography, but also by its ancient heritages. Regarded by some historians as the â€Å"oldest living civilization of Earth†, the Indian tradition dates back to 8,000 BC and has a continuous recorded history for over 2,500 years. But due to the increasing development†¦ Due to globalization†¦ the rich culture of India is disappearing. The most impact is of western culture on India culture. Western culture is based more on materialistic factors where as our culture has a spiritual base. The culture of India is been disappearing by many ways†¦ the youths in India do not respect their elders, the families in India live separate†¦ And thus have lost contacts with their other relatives†¦ The big point which is making the culture of India to disappear in bollywood†¦ the dressing style of the actresses, the slang word used in movies are been influenced the youth to bad step of life. The young ones try to act the same as these actors do which is very bad to the culture of India†¦ The lack of morals, the lacking faith in God, having late night parties, the influence of drugs and alcohols, least interest in Indian languages like Sanskrit, Hindi, Celebrating mothers day, fathers day, valentine day, fools day etc rather than celebrating our Indian festivals and thus wasting their precious time of life, Thinking to be independent at an early age Effect of western culture on Indians? The effects of the western culture on the Indians would be a high range of things. ne would be influential styles many of the youth started t change dhow they dressed because of the west culture. also their cooking, and language. many Indians were drove away from their native homeland. nowadays they all live on Indian preserves. Take a look around i doubt you will see Indians riding on a horse. You might say well I'm an American. Where did you ancestors come from? Probably from over s eas. Well actually the only true Americans would be the Indians being that they were born and raised on American soil. I could go on and on, but i think that's enough | Impact Of Western Culture CHEERS†, and the party starts. With booze, fags and skimpily dressed girls who move their bodies to be the cynosure and to attract males. Everyone is wearing branded clothes, imported watches, designer accessories and what not. These things have become the necessities of the Indian youth and even the older generations. A father-son duo sitting together and enjoying their drinks, women going to pubs and discos and getting involved in obscene acts and girls taking their boyfriends to their homes to have a jolly time with parents and otherwise too. What can one infer after reading the above lines? I guess, the first answer would be that India is changing over the course of time. India, as the name flickers, one thinks of religion, traditions, art and culture and it’s apt to think so because India is the country which is famous for its diversity in these aspects. The land where the great Raja Ram Mohan, Tagore, Gandhi transformed the thinking of people and removed the social stigmas like sati pratha the practice of widows being forced to sit on the pior of their husbands), untouchability and many more. India was known as â€Å"Sone Ki Chidiya† (The Golden Bird) but the shine has faded away gradually with the change in I, YOU and WE. Indian society has evolved into a mixed breed of Western and Indian culture. People are becoming too much casual in both their personal and professional lives, how a â€Å"Good Morning Madam† has now become â€Å"Hi Diksha†, how a â€Å"Namaste Daadu† has become â€Å"Hey Grandpa†, courtesy the western culture. The western culture has proved to be a setback for Indian culture, its rituals, its traditions and mannerism. The Indian morning which used to begin with bhajans and kirtans now begins with the rock of Metallica and the punk of Greenday. The age of losing virginity has gone down to teens — following the western culture, these days it has become a casual and usual trend to lose virginity as teenagers. The way in which Hollywood movies have created an†¦

Consequentialist Versus Deontological Ethical Systems

What is â€Å"good†? How does a person decide what is good? Over the course of history, various thinkers have tried to develop systems which guide human thought on this question. Some of the most important ethical theories are the â€Å"normative† theories — that is ethical theories which try to establish authoritative standards by which conduct can be judged. Under the general heading of â€Å"normative,† two of the most important schools of ethical thought are the â€Å"consequentialist† and the â€Å"deontological schools of ethical thought. (â€Å"Normative Ethics† n. d. )Consequentialism is the school of thought which asserts that the morality of a given action is to be judged by the consequence of that action. If the consequences are good, the action is good. Consequentialism is generally divided into a number of theories, including: utilitarianism and ethical egoism. Utilitarianism holds that the right action is one that produces the greatest good/pleasure (and least pain) for the greatest number of people. Utilitarianism has its root in the seminal figures of Jeremy Bentham, John Stuart Mill, and Henry Sidgwick.Classic utilitarians developed a system which is could best be described as â€Å"hedonistic act consequentialism. † Their system was â€Å"consequentialist† in that its proponents claimed that an act is morally right if the act causes the greatest good. To calculate this, one had to compare the total amount of good that the act caused, minus the total amount of bad that the act caused. If the net total net amount of good was greater than this net amount of good for any other act that the agent might have performed, then the act was good.Their system was â€Å"hedonistic,† in that they claimed that pleasure was the only true â€Å"good† and pain is the only true â€Å"bad. † This system was summed up in the common statement, â€Å"the greatest happiness for the greates t number. † (Kemerling, 2002; Hollinger, 2002, p. 31-34: â€Å"Normative Ethics,† n. d. ; Lee, 2000, â€Å"Utilitarianism†; Sinnott-Armstrong, 2006) As Mill articulated this system, utilitarianism was consequentialist rather than deontological because included certain key points of denial. Utilitarianism denied that the moral rightness of any act depended on anything other than the consequences of the act.This left the utilitarian system open to attack because of the hedonism it advanced. (Hollinger, 2002, p. 34-36; â€Å"Normative Ethics,† n. d. ; Kemerling, 2002; Lee, 2000, â€Å"Utilitarianism†; Sinnott-Armstrong, 2006) From the beginning, critics of hedonism attacked utilitarianism. They criticized John Stuart Mill as trying to degrade the value of human life to an animalistic level. One of the more commonly used arguments was that vulgar acts, such as orgiastic sex might produce greater transient pleasure than some disciplined higher act such a s studying fine poetry. (Hollinger, 2002, pp.34-36: â€Å"Normative Ethics,† n. d. ; Kemerling, 2002; Sinnott-Armstrong, 2006)Mill tried to respond to these charges by setting up a distinction between lower and higher qualities of pleasure. (Mill, 1861, 56) This did not satisfy Mill’s critics, who contended that in the end, utilitarianism supported hedonism. Critics find these systems overly technical and confusing, and utilitarianism fosters an â€Å"end justifies the means† line of reasoning. Further utilitarianism does not accept the notion that some acts are absolutely ethically wrong, so that potentially it can be warped into a system justifying any means.Hollinger, 2002, pp. 34-36; â€Å"Normative Ethics,† n. d. ; Kemerling, 2002; Lee, 2000, â€Å"Utilitarianism†) Egoism is the view that a moral person is a self-interested person. The primary exponents of ethical egoism, include Epicurus, Adam Smith, and Ayn Rand. Critics charges that the eth ical system of Epicurus leads to an austere hedonism. Adam Smith’s â€Å"invisible hand† would cause the most productive state of an economy to be reached by allowing all of the people in the economic unit each to pursue his own self-interest.Ayn Rand professed a view of rational self-interest, saying that altruism was irrational. (Hollinger, 2002, pp. 28-31; â€Å"Normative Ethics,† 2002; Sinnott-Armstrong, 2006) Deontological ethical theory takes its name from the Greek root â€Å"deon,† meaning â€Å"that which is obligatory. † It is ethical theory based on a concept of duty or obligation. Turning then to principled ethical systems, stem from Socrates, who felt himself duty bound to accept the ruling of the court in Athens, which had ordered him put to death.From Socrates, one can move ahead to Immanuel Kant, whose philosophical system led to his system of the â€Å"categorical imperative†: â€Å"Act so that you treat humanity, whether i n your own person or in that of another, always as an end, and never as a means only. † To develop his â€Å"Categorical Imperative,† Kant looked to the roots of morality in humanity's rational capacity and meticulously developed a system based on moral absolutes. He argued that these are inviolable duties, rules which must be followed absolutely and in every possible situation. (â€Å"Normative Ethics,† n. d. ; Hollinger, 2002, pp.37-39)Another school of deontological thought is the contractarianistic school exemplified by John Rawls or Thomas Hobbes. This theory asserts that moral acts are those act that all people would agree to if they were completely unbiased. (â€Å"Normative Ethics. † n. d. ) Finally, there are philosophers such as John Locke, also considered deontological, who presented the idea that all men are endowed with certain inalienable rights. (â€Å"Normative Ethics. † n. d. ) Immanuel Kant (1724-1804) set forth what is generally a ccepted as the most advanced theory of deontological or duty-based ethics.Contrary to the consequentialism of Mill, Kant’s theory judges morality by examining the nature of actions and the will of agents rather than the goals sought or the ends achieved. To describe this in general terms, this deontological theory focuses on the inputs leading to actions rather than outcomes produced by those inputs. This does not mean that Kant did not care what the outcomes of his actions were. Like other men, he wished that things would go well. But Kant insisted that as far as the moral evaluation of our actions was concerned, consequences did not matter.  (Hollinger, 2002, pp. 37-39; â€Å"Normative Ethics,† n. d. ; Kemerling, 2002)In his philosophical studies, Kant tried to establish a rational principle that would stand as a categorical imperative for ethical judgments. He insisted that the imperative, or duty, had to be categorical, not merely hypothetical, or conditional, be cause true morality could not depend on such things as individual likes and dislikes, abilities, or opportunities. These were mere the â€Å"accidents† of history, and an ultimate principle of ethics had to go far beyond such incidentals.Eventually, Kant developed his categorical imperative, which he articulated in several different versions, including: Always act in such a way that you can also will that the maxim of your action should become a universal law. and Act so that you treat humanity, both in your own person and in that of another, always as an end and never merely as a means. The first version of the categorical imperative emphasizes an idea important to Kant’s thinking of the idea that any rule was valid only if it could be applied universally. The second statement of the rule stresses the importance of respecting persons as more important than things.(Kay, 1997)Deontological ethical theories are strongest in the areas where utilitarian theories face the g reatest difficulty. Ethical rules based on duty have the great advantage that the ends can never justify the means. For example, suppose a ruler wished to revive the Roman practice of public crucifixion of criminals. Even if it was determined that the general populace was so caught up in a blood lust that the pleasure of the masses who would watch the agonies of the condemned far, far out-weighed the suffering of the victim, the categorical imperative demands that individual human rights be acknowledged and held inviolable.No matter how much the public wants this spectacle, it must be dismissed from our moral deliberations. (Hollinger, 2002, pp. 38-39: Kay, 1997) Putting Kant’s categorical imperative into practice, however, has presented a number of serious problems. First, the categorical imperative gives only absolute results. Actions are â€Å"good† or â€Å"bad. † There is no room for â€Å"gray areas. † For example, lying is always wrong — eve n the â€Å"polite lie† or the lie told for noble reasons. Second, duties often come into conflict, and the categorical imperative gives no means to resolve these conflicts.Utilitarianism permits a ready comparison of all actions, and if a set of alternatives have the same expected utility, they are equally good. Conflicting duties, however, may require that I perform logically or physically incompatible actions, and my failure to do any one is itself a moral wrong. (Hollinger, 2002, p. 39: Kay, 2002) Because neither theory is satisfactory in its pure form, I am compelled to use a blend in real life. I follow a utilitarian approach in the sense of trying to maximize the good that I bring to people, but with an awareness that there are categorical situations beyond which I will not go.

Apa Written Essay

Apa Written Essay Apa Written Essay The Legalization of Illegal Drugs and Its Impact on American Society February 6, 2013 Abstract The Legalization of Illegal Drugs and Its Impact on American Society America’s war on drugs may have just become a little confusing to its citizens, because on November 6th of 2012, voters in Washington State approved a law allowing the recreational use and possession of an illegal drug, Marijuana. It is known as Initiative 502 and went into effect on December 6th of 2012. How will this law ultimately affect American society as a whole? To truly grasp the impact, whether positive or negative, a better understanding of the drug and its effects must be known. Why has Marijuana been classified, alongside heroin, as a schedule 1 drug by the Drug Enforcement Agency? How have society’s and healthcare professional’s views changed in the time during which Marijuana was made legal for medicinal use? Cannabis Sativa, the plant from which marijuana is derived, has had many uses throughout history. Use can be traced back to ancient cultures, when the plant was first grown for the benefit of its strong fibers used to make string, rope, and paper. The seeds were utilized by some of the Chinese population to make oil used for medical purposes. (Zuardi) Historically in Europe, cannabis seeds were burned ritualistically at funerals and the vapors were inhaled for euphoric purposes. (Zuardi) The active ingredient, Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol or THC, accounts for both the physical and psychotropic effects of cannabis. Physical symptoms of use include increased heart rate and fluctuations in blood pressure. Cannabis use has been associated with decreased pulmonary function, chronic obstructive airway diseases, and pulmonary infections in those who smoke it regularly. (Leung, 2011) Marijuana is also known to cause effects that include: euphoria, anxiety, psychomotor retardation, and impairment of cognition and memory. The Controlled Substances Act administered by the Drug Enforcement Administration classifies all drugs according to a certain criteria. These criteria include: its actual or relative potential for abuse; scientific evidence of its pharmacological effect; the state of current scientific knowledge regarding the drug or other substance; its history and current pattern of abuse; the scope, duration, and significance of abuse; what, if any, risk there is to the public health; its psychic or physiological dependence liability; and whether the substance is an immediate precursor of a substance already controlled (Title 21, 2007.) Marijuana is currently classified as a Schedule 1 drug as it has met these three criteria for placement: it has a high potential for abuse, it currently has no accepted medical use in treatment in the United States, and if has a lack of accepted safety for use under medical supervision (FDA News, 2006.) Cannabis has not yet been assessed by the US Food and Dru g Administration and controlled trials are needed to determine side effects of the drug before deeming it safe to any individual (Marciano). People must know what the outcome will be when they put any substance into their body, whether negative or positive and all drugs have side effects. Marijuana is still illegal under federal law and those that grow or sell it under state law, can be arrested by the federal government. Medical marijuana was legalized in Washington State in 2007. For many of those with a terminal illness or chronic pain, this was seen as a godsend. Healthcare practitioners were given the right to authorize the use and write a prescription for those afflicted with conditions such as: nausea, vomiting, and cachexia associated with cancer, HIV-positive status, AIDS, hepatitis C, anorexia, and their treatments; severe muscle spasms associated with multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, and other seizure and spasticity disorders; acute or chronic glaucoma; Crohn's disease; and other forms of intractable pain (Chapter 69.51A RCW.)

Middle School and High School Intervention Programs

Middle School and High School Intervention Programs Intervention has become an important tool for servicing students who struggle academically particularly in reading and/or math. School intervention programs are very popular in elementary schools, but what about middle school and high school? The truth is that the older the student is, the more difficult it becomes to get a student who is behind back on grade level. That doesn’t mean that schools shouldn’t have intervention programs in place for their middle school and high school students. However, these programs should embrace the middle school/high school culture where motivating students becomes half the battle. Motivating students will lead to improvement and growth in all areas of academics. It is important to understand that what works for one school may not work in another. Each school has its own culture shaped by many external factors. Principals and teachers need to work together to figure out what aspects of a program are applicable to their school’s unique situation. With that in mind, we explore two different middle school/high school intervention programs. They were designed to motivate students to succeed academically to give those struggling students some much needed extra assistance 8th Hour/Saturday School Premise: Most students do not want to spend extra time at school. This program is aimed at two primary groups of students: Those students are below grade level in reading and/or mathThose students who often fail to complete or turn in work This  intervention program has been designed  with several strategies to help these students. Those include: Requiring students to complete incomplete or missing assignmentsProviding extra assistance on assignmentsProviding extra time to complete assignments when a student has been absentBuilding reading and math skills so as to prepare a student for state testing The intervention program should be run by a reading specialist or certified teacher and could be held during an 8th hour, or an immediate extension of the school day running every day. Students could also participate in this intervention by serving a Saturday School. This is not intended as student discipline but as an academic aid to success. Each of the four components is broken down below: Requiring students to complete incomplete assignments or missing assignments Any student who turns in an incomplete or a zero would be required to serve an 8th hour the day that assignment was due.If they complete the assignment on that day, then they would  receive full credit for that assignment. However, if they do not complete it that day, they should continue to serve 8th hour until the assignment is complete and turned in. The student would only receive 70% credit if they do not turn it in that day. Each additional day it takes to complete an assignment would also add to the count towards a Saturday School as discussed in point four.After three missing/incomplete assignments, then the maximum a student may  score on any missing/incomplete assignment thereafter is 70%. This would penalize students who continuously fail to complete work.If a student turns in a combination of 3 incomplete and/or zeros during a half-term period, then the student would be required to serve a Saturday School. After they have served a Saturday School, it would reset, and t hey would have 3 more incomplete/zeros before they are required to serve another Saturday School. This would reset at the end of each half term. Providing students with  extra assistance on assignments Any student who needs extra help or tutoring on assignments may voluntarily come in during 8th hour to receive that help. Students should take the initiative for this. Providing extra time to complete assignments when a student has been absent If a student is absent, they would  be required to spend the day that they returned in 8th hour. This would allow extra time to get the assignments and to complete them, so there is not as much to do at home.The student would  be required to collect their assignments the morning they return. Building reading and math skills so as to prepare a student for state testing After cross referencing state testing scores and/or other assessment programs, a small group of students could be selected to be pulled in two days a week to help improve either their reading level or math level. These students would be assessed periodically to monitor their progress. Once they reach their grade level, then they would graduate out in that area. This part of the program is intended to give students skills they are missing and needing to be more successful in math and reading. Fast Friday Premise: Students like to get out of school early. This program provides an incentive for students who maintain at least a 70% in all subject areas. The Fast Friday intervention has been designed to motivate students to keep their grades above a 70% and to provide extra assistance for those students who have grades below a 70%. Fast Fridays would occur on a bi-weekly basis. On Fast Friday our daily class schedule would be shortened from the traditional school schedule to accommodate an early dismissal following lunch. This privilege would be extended only to students maintaining grades of 70% or above. Students who have only one class in which they are below a 70% would be required to stay after lunch only for a short time, during which they will receive extra assistance in the class which they are struggling. Students who have two or more classes in which they have below a 70% would be required to stay until the normal dismissal time, during which they will receive extra assistance in each class they are struggling.

Enviromantal analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Enviromantal analysis - Essay Example The access to natural resources takes care of a wide range of critically relevant concerns in relation to the project which would cover the political, economic and environmental aspects. It has been evidently proven that there is an ethical and sustainable exploitation and sharing of natural resources by the indigenous population. Their approach towards these resources is very much environmental friendly as well. Thus communities depend on these natural resources environmentally and economically. One of the threats persisting in the implementation of the project is that this may limit or even totally prevent the access of the local community on these natural resources. This would serve as a political incorrectness of the project. Ethically, the resources are to be owned by the local population and the communities that had inhabit the place. The project holds the threat of denying this right to them. A possible way of addressing this problem is by ensuring local participation. The local people must be made aware of the potential benefits of the project. Employment possibilities must be generated for them. They must be convinced on the environmental, political and economical feasibility of the project. The initial discussions must include representatives from the local population. A project of massive level would involve displacement of the local population. They would loose their shelter and mode of living. The denial of access to the natural resources which they depended on would affect the sustainability of the population. This would moreover create a state of social insecurity among the people as well. A proper backup system for the reestablishment of the displaced communities must be ensured. Their capacity building and involvement in the project workforce would address the issue to a major extend. So as to compensate the direct economic loss in terms of access to livelihood systems, shelter, land and other resources, the victims must be properly

Design history Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Design history - Essay Example ifferent time periods and thus have different styles,, Lucian Bernhard’s Priester Matches (1905), and Stefan Sagmeister, AIGA poster (1999 they are all innovations that derive from the social problems at that time and given place. It is significant that these innovations were made to solve social problems. William Morris’s design of a chapter cover for Ruskin, The Nature of Gothic, clearly shows that it evolved from a social concern in which the Industrial Revolution caused a deficiency of aesthetic advertising and artwork. People did not want to spend their time on flyers that ultimately disappear and be surpassed with new artwork within a few days. William Morris realized that this problem came out of the Industrial Revolution and he attempted to fill society with beauty through decorative and ornamental artwork. He believed that beautiful designs would benefit the people and help to build morality in the people as well. Thus, his beliefs are clearly demonstrated in his design. As a leader of the art and crafts movement, he used very ornamental decorations on the borders of the cover and he showed how he considered aesthetics as an important part of his design. He borrowed medieval imagery and adapted it to a style more suited to the 19th century. His designs helped propel th e art and crafts movement and replaced amateur designs, which lacked aesthetics. Similarly, Bernhard’s innovation was also one of the most successful designs that met the social needs of the day. After the Industrial Revolution, many new businesses were established. At that time, every company’s advertisements followed Art Nouveau. The typical advertisement of the day was busy and crowded looking. Within this vast amount of companies, it was really hard to identify one from another. In contrast to the ornamental and decorative style that dominated advertising and artwork at that time, Bayer’s design was definitely an innovative style. Unlike other advertisements, he did not use

Information Communication Technology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Information Communication Technology - Essay Example From this research it is clear that a stand alone system can be helpful initially for the teachers to provide training to the users who are unfamiliar with the use of computer systems. A computer system helps in enhancing the knowledge new users who want to accelerate in this domain. A single or stand alone computer can only solve the issues who are just required in a closed vicinity. But when we have to think about the communication over the globe or whole world then the concept of computer networking can solve this issue. Networking helps in connecting computer systems over the globe and it provides an immense set of advantages in domain of ICT which we will have to discuss one by one.This paper highlights that  networking helps in file sharing between all the computers who are connected together. It provides a sort of more flexibility than using floppy drives and USB drive. We can share different types of data like photos, documents, music files, and many more. A network approac h also helps us in saving our important data on a different computer by using a home network. Home network helps us in making backup or duplicate copies of our critical data.  When a network facility is available and different computers are connected via media then it becomes easy to share a single printer among all computers.  When a shared printer will be available on the net then there would not be the need of jumping from one system to another one for printing purpose.

Amul Chocolates | Marketing Plan

Amul Chocolates | Marketing Plan Amul has been a market leader in dairy products for decades however Amul Chocolate is the only product which is not doing so well. Amul Chocolates was the market leader in 1970s but lost its place to Cadbury in the last 10 to 20 years. Amul has successfully extended its milkman image to ice cream, butter, cheese and other dairy products, but has made no headway in chocolate. The main reason behind the decline of the product is lack of promotion and concentration on other dairy products. Marketing Plan to increase the Sales of Amul Chocolates. Since Amul Chocolate as a product is declining incurring losses to Amul we now make a marketing plan to improve the performance of the product. We will concentrate on the domestic performance of Amul Chocolate which means we will make a plan to increase the sales of Amul chocolates in India. We would be using the SOSTAC model to describe the market plan for Amul to improve the sales of Amul Chocolates. SOSTAC is the abbreviation for Situation Analysis, Objective setting, Strategy Development, Tactics, and Action Control. Situation Analysis Situation Analysis is the study of trends within the economy and a comprehensive analysis of market, competitors and the company itself. Now, we will analyze the situation of Amul chocolates using Porters five forces framework which was developed by Mr Michael Porter of Harvard Business School in 1979. This framework helps us to identify forces that determine the competitive intensity and therefore attractiveness of a market. Porters Five forces framework for Amul Chocolates 1. Bargaining power of the suppliers: In order to produce chocolates the materials required are cocoa, milk, sugar, butter, milk powder, fruits etc. Amul is a market leader in India in products like milk, milk powder and butter so it does not require any other supplier. Other materials like cocoa , fruits and sugar can also be bought easily as there are many suppliers considering that India is a land of farmers where Agriculture is the backbone of the economy. Also there are millions of farmers who supply fruits and sugar so the bargaining power of the supplier is very less. 2. Bargaining power of the buyers: India is a fast growing nation and buyers have a lot of options when it comes to deciding which chocolate they want to buy. Hence the bargaining power of the buyers is high. 3. Threat of substitute products: In the last few years, Indian sweets have been substituted by chocolates. So there is possibility that people can go back to sweets because nowadays sweets manufacturers have introduced different varieties of sweets like fat free sweets, sugar free sweets etc. Also lot of people these days prefers power bars and protein bars which are also delicious like chocolate but healthier as well compared to chocolates. Also there can be other substitutes like waffers, cakes etc. India is well know for making duplicate products of big brands like Daily Milk for Dairy Milk(Cadburys ace product) Kir Kat for Kit Kat(Nestlà ©s ace product).Chocolate manufacturers need to make sure they differentiate their products well make consumers aware of the difference because a large number of people in India are illiterate. 4. Threat of potential entrants: In the Indian chocolate market there are 3 major players namely Cadbury who is the market leader, Nestle Amul. These 3 companies have been sharing 99% of the chocolate market in India for many years which clearly explains that there is no real threat of new entrants. However, in the last 5 years, foreign brands like Mars have entered the market with products like Mars bar, Bounty Snickers which have become quite popular in major cities like Mumbai, Bangalore and New Delhi. 5. Competitive Rivalry: The biggest factor that is affecting Amuls market share in India from last 10 to 20 years is the growth of its competitors like Cadbury Nestle. Now, with the entry of foreign players like Mars its getting tougher for them to increase the sales. Objective Setting Objectives are the motive of the companys operational activities. It is basically what the company wants to achieve. Nothing happens until we plan and good plans have goals and objectives. Setting objectives lays the foundation for the companys operations. It shows us the path to follow. Objectives can also be called as battle plans, the stepping stones on the path towards achieving our goals. Objective of Amul Chocolates The objective of Amul as a company is to give Value for money to its customers. Amul has a range of superior products, consumed by every age group. Since Amul chocolates is not doing well like Amuls other products like milk, yoghurt and cheese the objective of Amul Chocolates as a Business Unit would be to increase its market share in India from a 5% in 2010 to 15% in the next 5 years by carrying out proper promotion activities and to produce variety of chocolates to give consumer more options. Strategy development Now that we have set our objectives we need to make a strategy to attain the objective of increasing the market share by 10% in 5 years which is difficult because of the declining trend and competition however possible because of the Brand strength. We would be using the Ansoff Matrix, Market segmentation to describe the strategy of Amul Chocolates to increase its market share in India. Ansoff Matrix Market penetration: Market Penetration means when a company sells its existing products to the existing market. Amul can use this technique to increase sales in India. They also need to advertise and carry out lot of promotional activities to inform the consumers that they still exist and can provide them with what they want. Its been years that Amuls chocolate advertisement has been telecasted on Indias major television channesl like Start Zee. Sales promotions like discounts and free samples can help them to increase the Brand awareness and attract customers to switch brand from competitors. This is the Celebrity age and every big company uses a celebrity as a Brand Ambassador for its product. For example Amitabh Bachchan (Greatest Indian Actor) for Cadbury Rani Mukherjee (Indian Actress) for Nestle, Amul also use a brand ambassador for the promotion of its chocolate. Market Development: Market development is a situation where a company is involved in expanding into new markets with existing products. Amul as a company needs to target rural areas of Northern India like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and Uttaranchal because most of the people in these states are farmers who have many children. Also one more benefit of supplying chocolates in these places is that its competitors like Nestle and Cadbury do not have a big market in these places. Amul has a strong brand name in rural areas because of its other dairy products and also has a strong supply chain and logistics to reach these places. The Indian Government will also provide them subsidy or lower taxes because they would be contributing socially by entering into rural markets. Product Development: Product development means a company modifies its product i.e. improves it to appeal to the existing market. Amul needs to make changes to its product (chocolates) like introduction of more flavours and attractive packaging because the wrappers Amul uses is not at all attractive compared to those used by Cadbury and Nestle. Packaging is very important because of majority of the consumers are kids and youngsters who like attractive packages. Many kids buy chocolates not because they like it but because of attractive wrappers. This would keep them in competition with competitors like Cadbury and Nestle. Currently there is a trend for low calorie and fat free food because people want to be fit; introducing low calorie and less fat chocolates would be a strong recommendation. Amul must into market alliances with various portals to offer products (on those portals that were developed for festive occasions such as Valentines Day and Friendship Da0y. Market Segmentation Market Segmentation is a process of dividing a large market into identifiable segments having similar wants, needs or demands. The objective of market segmentation is to design a marketing mix that matches the expectations of customers in the targeted segment. Every product is produced with a target in mind. Amul must divide its market using 2 bases of segmentation. 1. Demographic Segmentation 2. Geographic Segmentation Demographic Segmentation: Demographic segmentation is segmentation of market on the bases of factors such as age, gender, income, occupation etc Amul must divide its target market on age factor. Age 2 to 15 Age 16 to 35 Age 35 above For children up to 15 years old, Amul should produce chocolates like plain bars filled with chocolate in other words high on energy and sweet. The product should be rich in chocolate, nuts and milk. For children they must have a lot of variety because children have the tendency to try different chocolates. This is the most important target group for Amul considering the product. Hence, major focus should be on the products targeted to this market. For the market in the age group of 16 to 35, Amul should produce chocolates which are low on calories and less fattening as this market segment is diet conscious. Before taste they think about calories and putting on weight. For this segment Amul should also introduce protein bars which have become a trend these days. Youngsters who work out and are fitness conscious consume lot of such items to keep them full and away from high calorie food products. For the market in the age group of above 35 years, Amul should produce sugar free chocolates because at this age many people in India are diabetic or have been asked to consume less sugar. Geo-demographic Segmentation: Geo-demographic segmentation is a segmentation technique that classifies people according to where they live. The concept is based on the presumptions that people who live within a particular area exhibit common purchasing behaviour. Amul should divide its market in to 2 segments Developed cities like Mumbai, Bangalore, Pune, Kolkata and Delhi Under Developed states like Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand etc. People in developed cities like Mumbai, Bangalore and Delhi have a high purchasing power compared to other places in India. The literacy rate is high in these cities, people have access to different mediums of advertising and infrastructure is developed. Amul should produce and supply high quality products in these cities with no compromise on price. However, they must keep in mind that their competitors are already enjoying a great amount of market share in such places. Cadbury to some extent enjoys a monopoly in such cities because of its quality of products, availability and immensely strong brand name. Amul must match Cadburys quality to excel in the market. States like Uttar Pradesh and Bihar are not developed like Mumbai and Bangalore. The literacy rate is less than 50% with poor infrastructure. Many people dont even have access to electricity. Majority of them are poor farmers. Amul has an advantage here because their competitors like Nestle dont have easier access to such places. Amul has a strong network because of its ace products like Butter, Cheese and Milk which are available all over the country. Amul should introduce chocolates which are cheaper but high on energy in these places. Tactics Tactics are the measures that help in achieving strategies. Tactics generally include the use and manipulation of the 7 Ps of marketing. In this case we would be using four Ps. Product: The major reason why Amul chocolate as a product is declining from the last 10 years is because of not meeting the demands of the consumers. Cadbury Nestle who are doing well in the chocolate market have continuously launches new products and have been successful. Every product has a life and it gets over one day. No product can live forever. Innovation is the key to survive in modern day. Companies need to modify and improve their product time to time. Innovation also led consumers to think that the company cares about their needs and changes time to time to meet their demands. For example, When Nestle launched Kit Kat in India it was a big hit. People just loved the taste of the chocolate its packaging. However after a few years it started losing its share then Nestle introduced couple of flavours Orange and Mint which increased the market share. Amul also needs to introduce new varieties of chocolates and improve its existing ones. They should introduce milk chocolates like Nestlà ©s Milky Bar, Chocolates with fruits and nuts like Cadbury has its Fruit and Nuts, Mint chocolates like Nestlà ©s After Eight etc. Introduction of power bars low calorie chocolates will also be a decent step to increase the variety of products. Also the packaging is a crucial factor because majority of the consumers are kids who are easily attracted by attractive and colourful packages. Amul has the history of unattractive packaging. If we compare the wrappers and boxes of Amul chocolates to Cadbury Nestle, the packaging of the competitors is far superior. Amul has to stop their ancient method of packaging and adopt modern methods. Amul must also spend a good amount of money on reaserch and development to identify the demands of the consumers and strategy of their competitors. 2. Price: Pricing is an important strategic issue because it is related to product positioning. Furthermore, pricing affects other marketing mix elements such as product features, channel decisions, and promotion. The objectives of pricing are to maximize profits, to signal high quality and also to survive in many cases. Pricing must take into account the competitive and legal environment in which the company operates. From a competitive standpoint, the firm must consider the implications of its pricing on the pricing decisions of competitors. For example, setting the price too low may risk a price war that may not be in the best interest of either side. Setting the price too high may attract a large number of competitors who want to share in the profits. Factors like cost of production, demand, competition, availability of substitutes and inflation should be considered while setting prices. Majority of people in India live in villages and have low disposable income. With such a heav y competition in the chocolate market, Price plays a very important role. In India, Brand loyalty is very rare. People will change their loyalty if they can spend less. Amul must produce high quality goods and sell it at a competitive price. Amul will have to follow competition based pricing technique which implies that they would need to set prices on the basis of what its competitors do in order to compete with them. Its said that India is a rich country of poor people. Since the sales are going down, in order to lift them they can sell at a comparatively lower price to boost their sales. For example, If Cadbury sells its Fruit and Nut for Rs 20 Amul can sell it for Rs 18. Place: Place in marketing is referred to the channels of distribution through which products flow from the manufacturer to the consumers. The channels of distribution mean intermediaries or middlemen who act as a link between the manufacturer and the consumers. Factors that need to be considered when choosing the place are the characteristics of the product, characteristics of the buyers, control and competitors channels. Since chocolate is an edible product, Amul should adopt an intensive distribution strategy where in they will manufacture products and make it available at various shopping malls, food joints, local stores, Chocolate parlours etc. Amul has a big brand name because of its dairy products. They can easily use it to increase the awareness of its chocolates using various distribution channels. Amul Chocolate Parlour Promotion: Promotion refers to exchange of information between an organisation and the consumer of its products. Consumers here include Customers, shareholders, employees, government and other parties related to the products like trade union and media. The aim of promotion is to inform the consumers, differentiate from other products and to persuade them to buy. There are many techniques of promotion like Advertising, Sales promotions, Direct Marketing Personal selling. Amul has been criticised for lack of promotion. Amul has a strong brand name because of its dairy product leadership. Amul must advertise its chocolates using media like newspaper, television and internet to inform the public about the quality the price of its product. Consumers have a short memory and its important for companies to remind them about the products. Amul has totally shifted its focus from chocolates towards milk and other milk products and have totally ignored chocolates. Using the mediums like Television and newspaper the company needs to remind the public that they are back with improved products at an affordable price. In order to survive in the competitive market where players like Cadbury Nestle enjoy the market share Amul has to be different. They need to give the customers a reason why they should buy their products. Amul has to use Sales Promotion effectively to announce their comeback. They can give price discounts, more for less offer free samples to increase their sales. Amul must also provide free chocolates to municipal schools where majority of children come from a low income family. Free gifts like pencils or Books can also attract their target market i.e. kids. Amul also has to focus on Business to Business customers. They can give special discounts or free samples to major retailers like Big Bazaar D-Mart to sell their products. Action Now that we have set the objectives marketing strategies, it becomes necessary to turn them in to action plans. Action includes 3 activities. Allocating tasks and responsibilities: Since our strategy is simple i.e. to innovate our product and promote heavily, we would allocate the task of product development to the manufacturing sector where they will check the products of successful competitors and manufacture chocolates in line with them. The manufacturing sector will be responsible for the quality of the product. The promotion of the product would be the responsibility of the marketing sector where they will advertise and provide special offers. The above Gantt chart shows the scheduling of activities of Amul Chocolates. $50 million would be the budget for product development and research related to production the activity will be carried from September 2010 to December 2010. The budget for Promotion would be $50 million (including Advertising Sales promotions). Here we have used the Objective and Task method technique of budgeting by estimating the cost of the production and sales activities. Control Control means taking corrective measures when anything doesnt go according to the plan. Amul must use the Sales Control method. They would be monitoring their sales every 3 months to check if they are meeting the set target. If anything goes wrong then they can take corrective measures. Advertising Sample as per the Marketing plan Value offered by Amul 1. Value for money: Amuls believes in giving value for money to its customers and it has always followed that principle. Its products are of high quality and available at affordable prices. Customer Driven: Amul as a dairy product manufacturer has always focused on customer satisfaction. Amul has consistently produced and supplied quality dairy products like milk, butter and cheese in India and other countries. Adapt quickly to the changing environment: Amul has always met the ever changing customer needs by being innovative in its dairy products. This is a major factor why they have been a market leader in dairy products for many years. Customer feedback: Amul has taken regular feedback from the customers worked upon the negative aspects to improve the quality and increase customer satisfaction.

Circulatory System Essay -- essays research papers

Circulatory System A simple definition for the circulatory system would be that it is the main transportation and cooling system for the body. Red Blood Cells have an important job in this system in that they carry all sorts of packages that are needed by all the cells in the body. Red blood cells carry oxygen and nutrients to the cells, which is needed in order for cells to survive. Besides red blood cells there are also White Blood Cells moving in the circulatory system. White Blood Cells can be considered as the paramedics, police and street cleaners of the circulatory system. Anytime we have a cold, a cut, or an infection the white blood cells go to work. From research I also came to find out that white blood cells also help cuts or wounds to heal quicker. Something I did not know was that puss which appears during an infection are actually white blood cells that are attacking the infection. The highway system of the Circulatory System consists off a lot of one-way streets. The main routes used by the circulatory system are the veins and arteries. Veins are used to carry blood to the heart. Arteries then carry blood away from the heart. Most of the time, blood in the veins is blood where most of the oxygen and nutrients have already been delivered to the cells. This blood is called deoxygenated and is very dark red. Most of the time blood in the arteries is loaded with oxygen and nutrients and the color is very bright red. There is one artery that carries deoxygenated blood and there are some veins that carry oxygenated blood. In order to get more research on this I had to look up some information on the heart and lungs. The heart is not hard to imagine in ones mind because it is simply a two sided, four chambered pump. The heart is mostly made of muscle and is very unique because it is the only muscle that does not become tired like other muscles. . Imagine what would happen if every 15 minutes or so ones heart becomes tired and decides to take a little break! If this were to happen it basically means that in a few moments ones circulatory system will shut down since the heart is the powerhouse of this system. Since it never rest, the heart muscle is always expanding and contracting, usually at between 60 and 100 beats per minute. Since the heart is divided into two sections this means that each section has a specific job. The right side of the heart ... ...ch it is then distributed to the rest of the body. The descending aorta goes behind the heart and down the center of the body. From the aorta, blood is sent off to many other arteries and arterioles (very small arteries) where it gives oxygen and nutrition to every cell in the body. At the end of the arterioles are, guess what, capillaries. The blood gives up its cargo as it passes through the capillaries and enters the venous system. The venous system carries the blood back to the heart. The blood flows from the capillaries, to venues (very small veins), to veins. The two largest veins in the body are the superior and inferior vena cavas. The superior vena cava carries the blood from the upper part of the body to the heart. The inferior vena cava carries the blood from the lower body to the heart. . Many people believe that the blood in the veins is blue but in actuality it is not. Venous blood is really dark red or maroon in color. Veins do have a bluish appearance and this may be why people think venous blood is blue. Both the superior and inferior vena cava ends in the right atrium. The superior vena cava enters from the top and the inferior vena cava enters from the bottom.

Frostbite Chapter 8

Eight Christian was kissing her, and wow, was it a kiss. He wasn't messing around. It was the kind of kiss that small children shouldn't be allowed to see. Hell, it was the kind of kiss no one should be allowed to see- let alone experience through a psychic link. As I've noted before, strong emotion from Lissa could make this phenomenon happen- the one where I got pulled inside her head. But always, always, it was because of some negative emotion. She'd get upset or angry or depressed, and that would reach out to me. But this time? She wasn't upset. She was happy. Very, very happy. Oh man. I needed to get out of here. They were up in the attic of the school's chapel or, as I liked to call it, their love nest. The place had been a regular hangout for them, back when each of them was feeling antisocial and wanted to escape. Eventually, they'd decided to be antisocial together, and one thing had led to another. Since they started publicly dating, I hadn't known they spent much time here anymore. Maybe they were back for old time's sake. And indeed, a celebration did seem to be going on. Little scented candles were set up around the dusty old place, candles that filled the air with the scent of lilacs. I would have been a little nervous about setting all those candles in a confined space filled with flammable boxes and books, but Christian probably figured he could control any accidental infernos. They finally broke that insanely long kiss and pulled back to look at each other. They lay on their sides on the floor. Several blankets had been spread under them. Christian's face was open and tender as he regarded Lissa, his pale blue eyes aglow with some inner emotion. It was different from the way Mason regarded me. There was certainly adoration with him, but Mason's was a lot like when you walk into a church and fall to your knees in awe and fear of something you worship but don't really understand. Christian clearly worshipped Lissa in his way, but there was a knowing glint to his eyes, a sense that the two of them shared an understanding of each other so perfect and powerful that they didn't even need words to convey it. â€Å"Don't you think we're going to go to hell for this?† asked Lissa. He reached out and touched her face, trailing his fingers along her cheek and neck and down to the top of her silky shirt. She breathed heavily at that touch, at the way it could be so gentle and small, yet evoke such a strong passion within her. â€Å"For this?† He played with the shirt's edge, letting his finger just barely brush inside of it. â€Å"No,† she laughed. â€Å"For this.† She gestured around the attic. â€Å"This is a church. We shouldn't be doing this kind of, um, thing up here.† â€Å"Not true,† he argued. Gently, he pushed her onto her back and leaned over her. â€Å"The church is downstairs. This is just storage. God won't mind.† â€Å"You don't believe in God,† she chastised. Her hands made their way down his chest. Her movements were as light and deliberate as his, yet they clearly triggered the same powerful response in him. He sighed happily as her hands slid under his shirt and up his stomach. â€Å"I'm humoring you.† â€Å"You'd say anything right now,† she accused. Her fingers caught the edge of his shirt and pushed it up. He shifted so she could push it all the way off him and then leaned back over her, bare-chested. â€Å"You're right,† he agreed. He carefully undid one button on her blouse. Just one. Then he again leaned down and gave her one of those hard, deep kisses. When he came up for air, he continued on as though nothing had happened. â€Å"Tell me what you need to hear, and I'll say it.† He unfastened another button. â€Å"There's nothing I need to hear,† she laughed. Another button popped free. â€Å"You can tell me whatever you want- it'd just be nice if it were true.† â€Å"The truth, huh? No one wants to hear the truth. The truth is never sexy. But you †¦Ã¢â‚¬  The last button came undone, and he spread her shirt away. â€Å"You are too goddamned sexy to be real.† His words held his trademark snarky tone, but his eyes conveyed a different message entirely. I was witnessing this scene through Lissa's eyes, but I could imagine what he saw. Her smooth, white skin. Slender waist and hips. A lacy white bra. Through her, I could feel that the lace was itchy, but she didn't care. Feelings both fond and hungry spread over his features. From within Lissa, I could feel her heart race and breathing quicken. Emotions similar to Christian's clouded all other coherent thoughts. Shifting down, he lay on top of her, pressing their bodies together. His mouth sought hers out again, and as their lips and tongues made contact, I knew I had to get out of there. Because I understood it now. I understood why Lissa had dressed up and why the love nest had been decked out like a Yankee Candles showroom. This was it. The moment. After a month of dating, they were going to have sex. Lissa, I knew, had done it before with a past boyfriend. I didn't know Christian's past, but I sincerely doubted many girls had fallen prey to his abrasive charm. But in feeling what Lissa felt, I could tell that none of that mattered. Not in that moment. In that moment, there were only the two of them and the way they felt about each other right now. And in a life filled with more worries than someone her age should have had, Lissa felt absolutely certain about what she was doing now. It was what she wanted. What she'd wanted for a very long time with him. And I had no right to be witnessing it. Who was I kidding? I didn't want to witness it. I took no pleasure in watching other people get it on, and I sure as hell didn't want to experience sex with Christian. It'd be like losing my virginity virtually. But Jesus Christ, Lissa wasn't making it easy to get out of her head. She had no desire to detach from her feelings and emotions, and the stronger they grew, the stronger they held me. Trying to distance myself from her, I focused my energies on coming back to myself, concentrating as hard as I could. More clothes disappeared †¦ Come on, come on, I told myself sternly. The condom came out†¦ yikes. You're your own person, Rose. Get back in your head. Their limbs intertwined, their bodies moving together †¦ Son of a- I ripped out of her and back to myself. Once again, I was back in my room, but I no longer had any interest in packing my backpack. My whole world was askew. I felt strange and violated- almost unsure if I was Rose or if I was Lissa. I also felt that resentment toward Christian again. I certainly didn't want to have sex with Lissa, but there was that same pang inside of me, that frustrated feeling that I was no longer the center of her world. Leaving the backpack untouched, I went right to bed, wrapping my arms around myself and curling into a ball to try to squelch the ache within my chest. I fell asleep pretty quickly and woke up early as a result. Usually, I had to be dragged out of bed to go meet Dimitri, but today I showed up early enough that I actually beat him to the gym. As I waited, I saw Mason cutting across to one of the buildings that held classrooms. â€Å"Whoa,† I called. â€Å"Since when are you up this early?† â€Å"Since I had to retake a math test,† he said, walking over to me. He gave me his mischievous smile. â€Å"Might be worth skipping, though, to hang out with you.† I laughed, remembering my conversation with Lissa. Yes, there were definitely worse things I could do than flirt and start something with Mason. â€Å"Nah. You might get in trouble, then I'd have no real challenge on the slopes.† He rolled his eyes, still smiling. â€Å"I'm the one with no real challenge, remember?† â€Å"You ready to bet on something yet? Or are you still too afraid?† â€Å"Watch it,† he warned, â€Å"or I might take back your Christmas present.† â€Å"You got me a present?† I hadn't expected that. â€Å"Yup. But if you keep back-talking, I might give it to someone else.† â€Å"Like Meredith?† I teased. â€Å"She isn't even in your league, and you know it.† â€Å"Even with a black eye?† I asked with a grimace. â€Å"Even with two black eyes.† The look he gave me just then wasn't teasing or even really suggestive. It was just nice. Nice, friendly, and interested. Like he really cared. After all the stress lately, I decided I liked being cared about. And with the neglect I was starting to feel from Lissa, I realized I also kind of liked having someone who wanted to pay so much attention to me. â€Å"What are you doing on Christmas?† I asked. He shrugged. â€Å"Nothing. My mom almost came down but had to cancel at the last minute †¦ you know, with everything that happened.† Mason's mother wasn't a guardian. She was a dhampir who'd chosen to just be domestic and have kids. As a result, I knew he saw her quite a bit. It was ironic, I thought, that my mom actually was here, but for all intents and purposes, she might as well have been somewhere else. â€Å"Come hang with me,† I said on impulse. â€Å"I'll be with Lissa and Christian and his aunt. It'll be fun.† â€Å"Really?† â€Å"Very fun.† â€Å"That's not what I was asking about.† I grinned. â€Å"I know. Just be there, okay?† He swept me one of the gallant bows he liked to make. â€Å"Absolutely.† Mason wandered off just as Dimitri showed up for our practice. Talking to Mason had made me feel giddy and happy; I hadn't thought about my face at all with him. But with Dimitri, I suddenly became self-conscious. I didn't want to be anything less than perfect with him, and as we walked inside, I went out of my way to avert my face so he couldn't look at me full-on. Worrying about that brought my mood down, and as it plummeted, all the other things that had been upsetting me came tumbling back. We returned to the training room with the dummies, and he told me he simply wanted me to practice the maneuvers from two days ago. Happy he wasn't going to bring up the fight, I set to my task with a burning zeal, showing the dummies just what would happen if they messed with Rose Hathaway. I knew my fighting fury was fired up by more than just a simple desire to do well. My feelings were out of control this morning, raw and intense after both the fight with my mother and what I'd witnessed with Lissa and Christian last night. Dimitri sat back and watched me, occasionally critiquing my technique and offering suggestions for new tactics. â€Å"Your hair's in the way,† he said at one point. â€Å"Not only are you blocking your peripheral vision, you're running the risk of letting your enemy get a handhold.† â€Å"If I'm actually in a fight, I'll wear it up.† I grunted as I shoved the stake neatly up between the dummy's â€Å"ribs.† I didn't know what these artificial bones were made of, but they were a bitch to work around. I thought about my mom again and added a little extra force to the jab. â€Å"I'm just wearing it down today, that's all.† â€Å"Rose,† he said warningly. Ignoring him, I plunged again. His voice came more sharply the next time he spoke. â€Å"Rose. Stop.† I backed away from the dummy, surprised to find my breathing labored. I hadn't realized I was working that hard. My back hit the wall. With nowhere to go, I looked away from him, directing my eyes toward the ground. â€Å"Look at me,† he ordered. â€Å"Dimitri- â€Å" â€Å"Look at me.† No matter our close history, he was still my instructor. I couldn't refuse a direct order. Slowly, reluctantly, I turned toward him, still tilting my head slightly down so the hair hung over the sides of my face. Rising from his chair, he walked over and stood before me. I avoided his eyes but saw his hand move forward to brush back my hair. Then it stopped. As did my breathing. Our short-lived attraction had been filled with questions and reservations, but one thing I'd known for sure: Dimitri had loved my hair. Maybe he still loved it. It was great hair, I'll admit. Long and silky and dark. He used to find excuses to touch it, and he'd counseled me against cutting it as so many female guardians did. His hand hovered there, and the world stood still as I waited to see what he would do. After what seemed like an eternity, he let his hand gradually fall back to his side. Burning disappointment washed over me, yet at the same time, I'd learned something. He'd hesitated. He'd been afraid to touch me, which maybe- just maybe- meant he still wanted to. He'd had to hold himself back. I slowly tipped my head back so that we made eye contact. Most of my hair fell back from my face- but not all. His hand trembled again, and I hoped again he'd reach forward. The hand steadied. My excitement dimmed. â€Å"Does it hurt?† he asked. The scent of that aftershave, mingled with his sweat, washed over me. God, I wished he had touched me. â€Å"No,† I lied. â€Å"It doesn't look so bad,† he told me. â€Å"It'll heal.† â€Å"I hate her,† I said, astonished at just how much venom those three words held. Even while suddenly turned on and wanting Dimitri, I still couldn't drop the grudge I held against my mother. â€Å"No, you don't,† he said gently. â€Å"I do.† â€Å"You don't have time to hate anyone,† he advised, his voice still kind. â€Å"Not in our profession. You should make peace with her.† Lissa had said exactly the same thing. Outrage joined my other emotions. That darkness within me started to unfurl. â€Å"Make peace with her? After she gave me a black eye on purpose! Why am I the only one who sees how crazy that is?† â€Å"She absolutely did not do it on purpose,† he said, voice hard. â€Å"No matter how much you resent her, you have to believe that. She wouldn't do that, and anyway, I saw her later that day. She was worried about you.† â€Å"Probably more worried someone will bring her up on child abuse charges,† I grumbled. â€Å"Don't you think this is the time of year for forgiveness?† I sighed loudly. â€Å"This isn't a Christmas special! This is my life. In the real world, miracles and goodness just don't happen.† He was still eyeing my calmly. â€Å"In the real world, you can make your own miracles.† My frustration suddenly hit a breaking point, and I gave up trying to maintain my control. I was so tired of being told reasonable, practical things whenever something went wrong in my life. Somewhere in me, I knew Dimitri only wanted to help, but I just wasn't up for the well-meant words. I wanted comfort for my problems. I didn't want to think about what would make me a better person. I wished he'd just hold me and tell me not to worry. â€Å"Okay, can you just stop this for once?† I demanded, hands on my hips. â€Å"Stop what?† â€Å"The whole profound Zen crap thing. You don't talk to me like a real person. Everything you say is just some wise, life-lesson nonsense. You really do sound like a Christmas special.† I knew it wasn't entirely fair to take my anger out on him, but I found myself practically shouting. â€Å"I swear, sometimes it's just like you want to hear yourself talk! And I know you're not always this way. You were perfectly normal when you talked to Tasha. But with me? You're just going through the motions. You don't care about me. You're just stuck in your stupid mentor role.† He stared at me, uncharacteristically surprised. â€Å"I don't care about you?† â€Å"No.† I was being petty- very, very petty. And I knew the truth- that he did care and was more than just a mentor. I couldn't help myself, though. It just kept coming and coming. I jabbed his chest with my finger. â€Å"I'm another student to you. You just go on and on with your stupid life lessons so that- â€Å" The hand I'd hoped would touch my hair suddenly reached out and grabbed my pointing hand. He pinned it to the wall, and I was surprised to see a flare of emotion in his eyes. It wasn't exactly anger†¦but it was frustration of another kind. â€Å"Don't tell me what I'm feeling,† he growled. I saw then that half of what I'd said was true. He was almost always calm, always in control- even when fighting. But he'd also told me how he'd once snapped and beaten up his Moroi father. He'd actually been like me once- always on the verge of acting without thinking, doing things he knew he shouldn't. â€Å"That's it, isn't it?† I asked. â€Å"What?† â€Å"You're always fighting for control. You're the same as me.† â€Å"No,† he said, still obviously worked up. â€Å"I've learned my control.† Something about this new realization emboldened me. â€Å"No,† I informed him. â€Å"You haven't. You put on a good face, and most of the time you do stay in control. But sometimes you can't. And sometimes †¦Ã¢â‚¬  I leaned forward, lowering my voice. â€Å"Sometimes you don't want to.† â€Å"Rose†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I could see his labored breathing and knew his heart was beating as quickly as mine. And he wasn't pulling away. I knew this was wrong- knew all the logical reasons for us staying apart. But right then, I didn't care. I didn't want to control myself. I didn't want to be good. Before he realized what was happening, I kissed him. Our lips met, and when I felt him kiss me back, I knew I was right. He pressed himself closer, trapping me between him and the wall. He kept holding my hand, but his other one snaked behind my head, sliding into my hair. The kiss was filled with so much intensity; it held anger, passion, release†¦. He was the one who broke it. He jerked away from me and took several steps back, looking shaken. â€Å"Do not do that again,† he said stiffly. â€Å"Don't kiss me back then,† I retorted. He stared at me for what seemed like forever. â€Å"I don't give ‘Zen lessons' to hear myself talk. I don't give them because you're another student. I'm doing this to teach you control.† â€Å"You're doing a great job,† I said bitterly. He closed his eyes for half a second, exhaled, and muttered something in Russian. Without another glance at me, he turned and left the room.