An Inhabitant Of Carcosa By Ambrose Bierce - 914 Words

In one of Ambrose Bierce s short story, An Inhabitant of Carcosa, an unknown narrator recalls his experience on traveling across an unfamiliar wilderness. How does he learn through it with his sense of perception or consciousness? Who is the narrator and why does he narrate his journey into or out of an unknown reality? These questions manipulate the reader that limits our human senses and perception when this narrator does not know what things he has seen or heard. The short section on page 58 describes the narrator s journey to a full extent because the narration contains imagery and meaningful symbols/motifs that would help us understand the prose that emphasizes the mystery behind the narrator s self-realization. Throughout the narrator s journey, he has nowhere to go in the wilderness because he felt a sense of exhilaration and vigor altogether unknown to me- a feeling of mental and physical exaltation (58). The narrator recalls his experience through the wilderness as mysteriou s and unsettling in which he encounters strange illusions or sounds he has not seen nor heard. At first, he observes the wilderness as a land of doom filled with cold air, and he does not hear any natural sounds of animals or people from within. Also, he becomes more doubtful about the wilderness as more silence breaks into the story further. Along the way, the narrator tries to relax his thoughts because his senses seemed all alert and he could feel the air as a ponderous

Storytelling Free Essays

STORYTELLING: LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD Storytelling  is a universal, traditional art form, that has featured strongly in all cultures as an effective communication tool. Important messages can be so skilfully conveyed through storytelling, as the listener is so entranced by the magic images the storyteller paints before your eyes. And it is in this way that we as educators of young children can promote their learning. We will write a custom essay sample on Storytelling or any similar topic only for you Order Now We have finished to do storytelling as one of our task given. The topic that our group chosen are Little Red Riding Hood. According from characters in that story, there are five character in that story. So our group consists five person in group are divide that each of characters. They are Little Red Riding Hood as main characters, mothers’s Little Red Riding Hood, grandmother, wolf, and woodsman. We also add narrator in our storytelling. The scripts we are use according to the each of scene in that story. Before we started our storytelling we have search some information in internet about this story. As we know Little Red riding Hood is the most favourite fairy tales story among children. Eventhough it is ages, but until now the story is still famous as activity in classroom. Our group have selection of material to show for each characters in that story. for example we have choose puppet act as narrator. Then we had print in colour the image each of the characters. Then our group put the image paper on the stick that we had bought. As conclusion storytelling is one of activity in classroom its well-suited for student exploration. As a learning tool, storytelling can encourage students to explore their unique expressiveness and can heighten a student’s ability to communicate thoughts and feelings in an articulate. Besides that, throgh storytelling is can gaining verbal skills, imagination which developing the imagination can empower students to consider new and inventive ideas. Developing the imagination can contribute to self-confidence and personal motivation as students envision themselves competent and able to accomplish their hopes and dreams. How to cite Storytelling, Papers

Vantage Systems Pty Ltd

Question: Discuss about the Vantage Systems Pty Ltd. Answer: Introduction: In the recent years the court have started showing the judicial trend of recognizing the fact that formation of contracts can take place through emails. In the case of Stellard Pty Ltd v North Queensland Fuel Pty Ltd (Stellard Pty Ltd v North Queensland Fuel Pty Ltd, [2015]) and Vantage Systems Pty Ltd v Priolo Corporation Pty Ltd (Vantage Systems Pty Ltd v Priolo Corporation Pty Ltd, [2015]) there were situations which were demonstrated that made the courts to recognize the fact that email exchanges too constitute as a binding and immediate agreement between two parties. There is distinction that has been drawn under the law of contract between what is to be considered as communication that is immediate and one that is delayed inherently or a communication that is non-instantaneous. There are ramifications of this separation on the determining as to where and when the offers acceptance of a contract is to be finalized. The non-instantaneous forms of communication are subjected to the application of Postal Acceptance Rule. This principle under common law deems that acceptance has been made at the place and time of the communication. For example, conclusion of the negotiations would be considered to have been made through the mode of a mail at the place and time where the acceptance has been made, irrespective of the fact as to whether the offeror has received the dispatch or not. Where it is through instantaneous communication form that acceptance has been made, such as through a conversation on the telephone, it is immediately that the contract is co nsidered to have been formed at the place where the same has been received rather than being from the place that it had been sent from. The distinction is required to be made between the different communication categories that are there since it is important to determine the law that will be applicable which will govern the contract, meaning thereby the jurisdiction that will be applicable in the case a jurisdiction clause is not there. It is essential to determine the jurisdiction correctly in the situation where there is a litigation that arises with respect to the contract, as if the proceedings are brought forward in a jurisdiction that is inappropriate either internationally or nationally it would lead to the plea of there being a forum non conveniens and the court will have the discretionary power of dismissing the case on the grounds that an incorrect forum had been approached with respect to the case. It have has been observed frequently that email and other communications that are based through internet have been treated frequently by courts as being instantaneous. Therefore, with respect to the law which governs all other types of communications that are formed through instantaneous communication, the formation of contract shall take place immediately at the place where the other party has received the email. However, in the situation wherein there is slightly ambiguity with respect to the receiving of the email of the recipient. In the case of Centrebet Pty Ltd v Baasland [2012] (Centrebet Pty Ltd v Baasland, [2013]) and in the case of Olivaylle Pty Ltd v Flottweg GMBH and Co KGAA (No 4) [2009] (Olivaylle Pty Ltd v Flottweg GMBH and Co KGAA (No 4), [2009]) it was determined that the receipts location would be the place to where there was actual sending of the email i.e. location of the computer of the recipient. An essential issue which arises is when will a contract, be said to have been formed through an email. If an email is to constitute a binding and immediate agreement between two parties, the contractual requirements which are required basically are that of offer and acceptance which must be met necessarily. It is required to be made to the courts evident that through the exchanges of the emails, circumstances that are surrounding and conversations that took place externally, there was an intention by both the parties to be form a contract as well as be bound by the same. In the Vantage Systems case, it was opined by the court that there would be contract that would arise as a result of there being an exchange of emails where there was an intention from both the parties for the same to get concluded and have an agreement that is binding on both the parties. Through email when the tenant agreed to the tenancy agreement that was revised by landlord, the parties were considered to be bou nd by that agreement immediately. The intention that was there for creating relations that are contractual in nature requires assessment that is objective of the state of situations and affairs that was in existence between the two parties prior conversations that had taken between the parties, the situations that surround them and the emails which were exchanges. There were all essential factors that determine whether there was such an intention that existed (Vantage Systems Pty Ltd v Priolo Corporation Pty Ltd, [2015]). Similarly in the Stellard Pty Ltd Anor v North Queensland Fuel Pty Ltd, there was a binding sale contract for a land that through exchange of emails was concluded between the two parties. Though the wordings that were stated precisely on the email of acceptance was that the offer would be subject to the contract still the contract was formed (Stellard Pty Ltd v North Queensland Fuel Pty Ltd, [2015]). The court in this case looked at the wider correspondence that took place through email, the discussions that were done previously on issues as well the parties conduct and it was found that the intention which was required for forming of a contract did exist at the time when the acceptance email had been sent forth despite the fact that the email stated that it would subject to contract. There being a mere intention of having a written agreement formally some time later did not invalidate the informal arrangement that had taken place and agreed upon through the emails. Further, the court also noted that the fact that it was mentioned that offer mentioned below was accepted in the exchange was essential in determine the intention since there was use of terminology of accept and offer which was made which are terminology that are contractual classically. It quite commonly these days that emails exchanges that are commercial in nature are observed and they do constitute of concluding and binding agreements between two parties. It is as a caution that these latest case can be observed for those who are negotiating frequently the terms of contract through correspondence by mode of email. The importance that is also highlighted in these cases is that of using decisive and clear language so that intention can be evidence as to where a person wishes to be bound and where the person does not wish to be bound by exchanging emails. References Centrebet Pty Ltd v Baasland[2013]NTSC 59. Olivaylle Pty Ltd v Flottweg GMBH and Co KGAA (No 4)[2009]FCA 522. Stellard Pty Ltd v North Queensland Fuel Pty Ltd[2015]QSC 119. Vantage Systems Pty Ltd v Priolo Corporation Pty Ltd[2015]WASCA 21.

The Human Race free essay sample

The human race is actually quite strange. We do so many things on a day-to-day basis without actually questioning it. For example, imagine visiting Earth for the first time to find strange beings just slapping their hands together simultaneously.â€Å"Wow, thanks guys. I feel really honoured that I was able to make you basically hit yourself a couple times for me.† Do you get why that’s pretty weird? If you haven’t realised already, I’m talking about clapping. Did someone just decide that that was a great way of showing others that you like something and everyone else was like â€Å"Sure, why not?† It sure does seem like it; especially as the entire population seems to mutually know what it is.But that’s not all. What’s make me question everything even more is sleeping. You’re either wondering how sleeping could possibly be abnormal or you know exactly where I’m going with this. We will write a custom essay sample on The Human Race or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page We literally lay down at a certain time, on a specific assigned man-made item, wearing special clothes (that are actually normal clothes but we have decided to give it a new name) and then, we close our eyes, pretending to be asleep, until we actually succumb into darkness. Yes, I know that’s very melodramatic but you can’t deny that it’s at least partially true. Also, who even decided that sleeping was a night-time task?Look I get that there are probably scientific explanations behind everything. This research has practically become guidelines to the daily lives of us humans. It has corrupted every mother that refuses to let their â€Å"precious little cinnamon roll† of a teen to step outside and be rebellious. Which in their case always seems to be not wearing a coat. â€Å"Wait dear where are you going without a coat? Have you heard the news, scientists have found that a dangerous virus is spreading in Africa. Don’t want you to be affected.† Mum, in case you haven’t realised yet, it’s the middle of the summer right now. Also, that’s in Africa!Don’t get me wrong, it is fascinating but, every once in a while, we all have the right to question the world. That’s what got us to where we are now, isn’t it?

Deadly Tubercolosis Essays

Deadly Tubercolosis Essays Deadly Tubercolosis Paper Deadly Tubercolosis Paper Despite predictions earlier this century that infectious diseases would soon be eliminated as a public health problem (Burnet, 1963), infectious diseases remain a leading cause of illness and death in the United States. The incidence of tuberculosis, which was presumably under control has increased in several urban areas throughout the country. Furthermore, control and prevention of the disease have been undermined by drug resistance as well as lack of federal funding. The homeless population is of particular concern as they are often immunocompromised, underserved, and disenfranchised from the traditional medical system. As a result, tuberculosis is most prevalent in cities among homeless individuals and has suffered from a twenty percent increase since 1985 (Bloom, 1995). Combined with the HIV epidemic and increased intravenous drug use, tuberculosis has become one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality among homeless populations as a reemerging killer. Currently, a combination of five primary drugs are used for chemoprophylaxis, as drug resistant bacteria have made single drug treatments obsolete. However, social and residential instability in homeless persons are a major obstacle in completion of the drug treatment. The most effective plan to ensure administration of medication is the use of Directly Observed Therapy, which calls for health care workers and volunteers to visit patients at shelters to visually confirm administration. DOT not only prevents the transmission of tuberculosis, but also combats the spread of multi-drug resistant strains of the bacteria. In studies done is several cities, DOT has been shown increase the number of completed regimens by over forty percent (Iseman, 1993). Nonetheless, despite DOT’s success, federal funding for such programs remains grossly inadequate. As a result, there has been widespread change and expansion of health policies in many major cities. Investigations into the policies of three major U. S. cities (New York, San Francisco, Chicago ) have presented the current state of tuberculosis treatment amongst the homeless. Information about the disease and its epidemiology was first obtained through articles found in the library. The general history of public health policy against the disease was then also researched in published articles found in the library and on the internet. The current programs in each respective city were then researched by accessing the city’s department of public health homepages on the internet and by calling faculty in the departments for specific information. The results of the research into the policies of the cities is as follows. New York is hardest hit by the reemergence of the disease, and suffers four times as many cases as other major cities. Due to the sheer size of the homeless population, the New York City Department of Health has issued a â€Å"Comissioner’s Order for Directly Observed Therapy† (CODOT) to ensure the expansion of the treatment in highly infectious areas such as homeless shelters. As a last resort, patients may even be detained until an adequate course of treatment is completed. An additional organization has been created: The Education and Training Unit. Conceived by the Bureau of tuberculosis control, health care providers perform â€Å"grand rounds†, visiting the many shelters throughout the city to diagnose potential cases and educate the homeless and shelter staff members. The city’s health department may also be noted for its extensive use of formerly homeless volunteers to execute policies. Although San Francisco’s population is much smaller than other major cities, it has the fifth highest tuberculosis rate in the country. The city’s Health Care for the Homeless program has extended PPD skin testing in homeless shelters and food lines. In addition, to increase patient compliance, patients under the DOT program receive transportation vouchers and food which act as incentives to complete the therapy. In 1992, Health Care for the Homeless instituted a respite program in several shelters where homeless persons with tuberculosis were allowed to rest and recuperate while medications were monitored. The health policy of Chicago against tuberculosis serves as the paradigm for effective eradication of the disease within a city. The disease has reached an all time low in 1996, due mostly to the city’s aggressive implementation of DOT. Backed by the CDC, DOT was made the standard for all tuberculosis cases encountered in the homeless population in 1993. Officials estimate that it has prevented over 550 cases, saving 7. 5 million dollars in hospital costs. The Metropolitan Chicago TB Coalition was also founded to help mobilize public and private resources to control the disease. The project brought forth an indepth look at the current policies of some major U. S. cities against tuberculosis, and exposed some general trends therein. It is clear that DOT is the only effective way to prevent transmission of the disease as well as the development of multi-drug resistant strains of the bacteria. Moreover, federal funding for these programs seems to be lacking, which has led some cities to create their own funding organizations. Tuberculosis has begun to be recognized as an epidemic among homeless populations, and projects such as this have helped to alert the public health community to this disease. There a few clearly needed improvements in public health policy against tuberculosis. Firstly, an increase in federal funding is imperative to the extension of DOT therapy. In addition, there is a great need for increased man-power in the homeless areas, and a need for more education amongst the homeless and their providers. Additional projects could explore specific aspects of public health policy such as the acquisition and allocation of funding, or the development of educational programs in the community and their actual effectiveness in preventing the spread of the disease. Upon completing the project, we have found that the deliverance of health care to the homeless is less about management and planning than logistics. The ability to provide treatment.

10 Geographic Facts About Easter Island

10 Geographic Facts About Easter Island Easter Island, also called Rapa Nui, is a small island located in the southeastern Pacific Ocean and is considered a special territory of Chile. Easter Island is most famous for its large moai statues that were carved by native peoples between 1250 and 1500. The island is also considered a UNESCO World Heritage Site and much of the islands land belongs to the Rapa Nui National Park. Easter Island has been in the news because many scientists and writers have used it as a metaphor for our planet. Easter Islands native population is believed to have overused its natural resources and collapsed. Some scientists and writers claim that global climate change and resource exploitation may lead to the planet collapsing as did the population on Easter Island. These claims, however, are highly disputed. Interesting Facts The following is a list of the 10 most important geographic facts to know about Easter Island: Although scientists do not know for sure, many claim that human habitation of Easter Island began around 700-1100 C.E. Almost immediately upon its initial settlement, the population of Easter Island began to grow and the islands inhabitants (Rapanui) began to build houses and moai statues. The moai are believed to represent status symbols of the different Easter Island tribes.Because of Easter Islands small size of only 63 square miles (164 sq km), it quickly became overpopulated and its resources were rapidly depleted. When Europeans arrived on Easter Island between the late 1700s and early 1800s, it was reported that the moai were knocked down and the island seemed to have been a recent war site.Constant warfare between tribes, a lack of supplies and resources, disease, invasive species and the opening of the island to foreign slave trade eventually led to Easter Islands collapse by the 1860s.In 1888, Easter Island was annexed by Chile. Use of the island by Chile varied, but during the 1900s it was a sheep farm and was managed by the Chilean Navy. In 1966, the entire island was opened to the public and the remaining Rapanui people became citizens of Chile. As of 2009, Easter Island had a population of 4,781. The official languages of the island are Spanish and Rapa Nui, while the main ethnic groups are Rapanui, European and Amerindian.Because of its archaeological remains and its ability to help scientists study early human societies, Easter Island became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995.Although it is still inhabited by humans, Easter Island is one of the worlds most isolated islands. It is approximately 2,180 miles (3,510 km) west of Chile. Easter Island is also relatively small and has a maximum altitude of only 1,663 feet (507 meters). Easter Island also has no permanent source of freshwater.Easter Islands climate is considered subtropical maritime. It has mild winters and year-round cool temperatures and abundant precipitation. The lowest average July temperature on Easter Island is around 64 F (18 C) while its highest temperatures are in February and average about 82 F (28 C).Like many Pacific Islands, the physical landscape of Easter Island is dominated by volcanic topography and it was formed geologically by three extinct volcanoes. Easter Island is considered a distinct eco-region by ecologists. At the time of its initial colonization, the island is believed to have been dominated by large broadleaf forests and palm. Today, however, Easter Island has very few trees and is mainly covered with grasses and shrubs. Sources Diamond, Jared. 2005. Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed. Penguin Books: New York, New York.Easter Island. (March 13, 2010). Wikipedia.Rapa Nui National Park. (March 14, 2010). UNESCO World Heritage.

Agustine and Aquina's justifications of the exercise of social and Essay

Agustine and Aquina's justifications of the exercise of social and political ruling - Essay Example ix). St. Thomas Aquinas was born in the early 13th century, of an affluent family, with direct blood lines to the ruling royal families of the day (Dyson, R.W., 2002, p. xvii). He began his religious training as an oblate, at the Benedictine monastery in Monte Cassino (p. xvii). Later, in 1245, became a member of the Dominican order, and furthered his education at the University of Paris where the German theologian Albertus Magnus introduced him to the study of Aristotle. In 1248 he followed Albertus to Cologne (p. xvii). It was earlier, however, while at the monastery, that Thomas studied Aristotle (p. xvii). Two great men, philosophers, separated by hundreds of years, whose interpretations and writings on political theory continue to influence the thinking of great men, women, religious, and political leaders today. This brief essay is an examination and comparison of the two schools of thought as they pertain to the governance of society socially and politically. The paper will rely on the works of St. Augustine, using his City of God as translated by Marcus D. D. Dodds (1950), and St. Thomas Aquinas’s Political Writings translated by R.W. Dyson (2002). To read either work without the benefit of a modern translation would be, at best, a slow and difficult endeavor that could perhaps, for some, take a lifetime. Under the guidance of the translators, we can gain a sense of the political ideologies of both Augustine and Aquinas. St. Augustine watched as the world around him spun out of control and into chaos, culminating with the fall of Rome, in 410 A.D (Dodds, p. ix). Rome’s fall brought crashing down the myths that Rome would last forever and rule the world (ix). It would have been a time when scholars, like Augustine, would be formulating thoughts and ideas, influenced by their philosophical teachings and interpretations, about world leadership and political and social manifestations of corruption and

River Island Strategic Marketing Report (Russian Federation) Research Paper

River Island Strategic Marketing Report (Russian Federation) - Research Paper Example Conclusions 14 Works cited 15 Name of the student Name of professor Course name Date River Island Strategic Marketing Report (Russian Federation) 1. Introduction & Overview River Island is one of the renowned and popular high street brands that operates internationally and has its stores in different countries. This company is headquartered in London and has its presence in many countries, including, many European countries, Russia and the countries in the Middle East. The company has a strong brand presence in Russia due to several factors; the rising interest of the Russian customers in international brands, the quality of products offered by the company and affordable range of prices (Karadakis, Kaplanidou and Karlis 175). Certain subtle changes are visible in the characteristics of the Russian market for consumer products. In recent years, Russian customers are becoming more interested in consuming products of brands have an international presence. This provides the opportunity t o the global brands to increase their operations in Russia (Bacon, â€Å"Reaching Russia’s lucrative layer†). River Island is considering certain strategic changes in order to utilize the new developments in customers’ preferences (Riverisland, 2013). ... River Island provides a good opportunity to make a marketing analysis of the company and develop a marketing plan that would help the company to make further progress in its growth path. 2. Marketing Audit Macro environment Analysis – PESTLE PESTEL analysis of Russian Federation would help in understanding the external macroeconomic environment of the country. This would facilitate understanding of the strategies and business policies of the company. Political Economic Social Technological Environmental Legal Internal conflicts Corruption Different political divisions External conflicts with several powerful economies; like the USA and the UK Rich natural reserves Export oriented economy; depends on export of oil and natural gas One of the largest GDPs in the world in terms of size of GDP Volatile exchange rate High price inflation Unequal income distribution Low foreign direct investment Higher proportion of skilled work force than unskilled work force Diversity in work force is high Presence of social unrest due to diversity in workforce as well as political diversities Existence of class divisions and social discrimination Low level of life expectancy Russia has strong industrial background Possess some of the most powerful scientific research frameworks in heavy industries and defence sectors (Carlsen and Andersson 86) However, IT communication processes are not well developed in all regions within the vast expanse of the country (Helms and Nixon 220) Displays low awareness regarding environment and ecology Industrial activities within the country creates various environmental concerns Unfavourable climatic conditions can sometimes act as barriers to trade Wide geographical territory is sometimes unmanageable New legal obligations Laws

Porters 5 Forces Essay Example for Free

Porters 5 Forces Essay Competitive strategy is a field of great interest to managers and is mainly based on a thorough understanding of the industrial, trade and service, competitors and environment. However, until the 80s, has offered few comprehensive analytical methods to obtain it. The competitive analysis and formulate corporate strategy, planning also helps to finance, marketing, value analysis and many other aspects of daily life of a business. One interesting for corporate strategy planning approach has been proposed by Michael E. Porter who states that there are five forces that influence the long-term profitability of a market or some segment of it. Therefore, the corporation must assess their objectives and resources against these five forces driving industry competitions, which are described below: 1) Threat of entry of new competitors or the market segment is unattractive depending on whether entry barriers are easy or not to cross by new entrants that may come with new resources and capabilities to seize market share. 2) Rivalry among competitors: for a corporation will be more difficult to compete in a market or a particular segment where competitors are well positioned, are very numerous and fixed costs are high, it will be constantly faced price wars, aggressive advertising, promotions and new product entry. 3) Bargaining power of suppliers: a market or market segment will not be attractive when providers are very well organized or trade union have strong resources and to impose its conditions of price and size of the order (with the aggravating circumstance if inputs that provide or have no substitutes are scarce and expensive). Nor if the provider decides strategically integrated forward and, for example, takes the distribution channels or where a product is distributed. 4) Bargaining power of buyers: a market or segment will not be attractive when customers are very well organized, the product has many substitutes, and it is not very differentiated or low cost to the client, allowing you they can make substitutions equally or lower cost. The growing demands of large buyers are focused on reducing prices, higher quality and best service; therefore, a corporation will be affected profit margins. The situation would worsen if buyers decide to integrate backwards and, for example, acquire d its suppliers or produce their own inputs.

Influences on Soil Nitrogen Mineralization: Implications for Soil Resto

Influences on Soil Nitrogen Mineralization: Implications for Soil Restoration and Revegetation Introduction Nitrogen is a macronutrient essential to the growth of plants and is also one of the most deficient nutrients in most soils. Insufficient levels of available soil nitrogen limit microbial growth and decay and growth of the plants themselves. Because site disturbance adversely affects the flow of nitrogen through soil-plant-microbial systems, the re-establishment of the cycle of nitrogen flow in the soil is crucial to revegetation attempts. Mineralizable nitrogen--nitrogen in forms readily usable by plants--is dependent upon a number of factors. According to Stanford and Smith (1972), those factors include soil moisture, pH level, temperature, microbial biomass, and amounts of other nutrients. Three of the more significant and interrelated influences--microbial biomass, temperature, and moisture--are discussed here. This is certainly not an exhaustive list of factors influencing soil nitrogen mineralization, but instead, a general overview of the more significant considerations. Microbial Processes Microbial decay of organic material is the main release process of soil nitrogen. Nitrogen is released from microbial decay in the form of ammonium, but can also be immobilized by microbes which take up nitrate and ammonium to satisfy their own requirements. The mobilization or immobilization of nitrogen is dependent upon the amount of N the decomposing material itself provides; insufficient nitrogen released from decaying organic matter will result in the absorption of ammonium and nitrate by the microbes. An excess of N will satisfy the requirements of the microbes and provide a surplus to be released into the soil... ...6-100. Campbell, C.A., V.O. Biederbeck, and F.G. Warder. 1971. Influence of simulated fall and spring conditions on the soil system: Effect on soil nitrogen. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 35:480-483. Cassman, K.G., and D.N. Munns. 1980. Nitrogen mineralization as affected by soil moisture, temperature, and depth. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 44:1233-1237. Myrold, David D. 1987. Relationship between microbial biomass nitrogen and a nitrogen availability index. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 51:1047-1049. Powers, Robert F. 1980. Mineralizable soil nitrogen as an index of nitrogen availability to forest trees. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 44:1314-1320. Singer, Michael J. and Donald N. Munns, 1986, Soils: An Introduction: New Jersey, Prentice-Hall, Inc., 480 p. Stanford, George and S.J. Smith. 1972. Nitrogen mineralization potentials of soils. Soil Sci. Soc. Amer. Proc. 36:465-472.

Aids Vaccine 1

Currently, there is not a vaccine for the AIDS virus, but things have been progressing toward an effective one for many years. An AIDS vaccine can be effective in two ways. Hopefully we can come up with a vaccine to prevent or delay illness in those already infected. A preventative vaccine is a substance introduced into the human body that teaches the immune system to detect and destroy a pathogen. Another way would be through a therapeutic vaccine to prevent or delay illness in those already infected. The basic idea behind all AIDS vaccines is to encourage the human immune system to fight the virus.Early vaccine research focused on teaching the immune system to produce antibodies that would block the virus from entering human cells. However, products designed to work this way failed in clinical trials because the antibodies worked only against lab-cultured HIV, not against the strains of the virus. Research has found that a small number of HIV infected people produce broadly neutral izing antibodies to HIV. Those antibodies neutralize a high percentage of the different types of HIV. These antibodies are now the basis for new research into vaccine development.There are several reasons that developing a vaccine is a difficult challenge for scientists. Currently no one has yet to recover from an HIV infection, so there is not a natural mechanism to imitate in a vaccine. Soon after being infected, HIV inserts its genetic material into human cells, where it remains hidden from the immune system. HIV also occurs in different forms and is constantly changing, meaning that HIV is highly variable. Another reason is that there aren't any good animal models to use in experiments for testing, except for the new research conducted by scientists located in Oregon.There have been recent developments from scientists at Oregon Health ; Science University in developing an AIDS vaccine in Rhesus monkeys. The scientists discuss cytomegalovirus, or CMV, which they claim most people become infected with during their childhoods. This virus persists in its human hosts for life without causing harm and they theorize that it may be an answer to help find a vaccine for the AIDS virus. â€Å"Using CMV as a vehicle may overcome the hurdles in discovering a vaccine for the virus.In the study, vaccinated monkeys kept a protective force of killer T-cells in circulation. ‘Because CMV persists and constantly stimulates the immune system, it maintains combat readiness', claims Louis Picker, a scientist at OSHU's Vaccine and Gene Therapy Institute and Oregon National Primate Research Center in Hillsboro, Oregon. † (Rojas-Burke). The basic idea of using CMV is that it remains in our system for life, which means that it could be used as a vaccine carrier and produce lifelong immunity to the AIDS virus. It keeps large numbers of immune system soldiers out at the frontlines all the time, basically for life, waiting for that pathogen invasion, and it catches HIV ear ly when it's still weak,† says Picker. He is still looking at ways to alter the virus to limit its ability to replicate in people, which he figures will take three years of work to make a vaccine candidate ready for human clinical trials. (Rojas-Burke). There is still hope though in finding a vaccine for the virus, since we know that it took many years to develop one for other diseases, such as polio.People remain healthy for several years after becoming infected with HIV. In addition, neutralizing antibodies that have been found among a minority of people suggest that the immune system can be effective in controlling HIV. Aderem, A. (2011). Fast Track to Vaccines. Scientific American, 304(5), 66-71. Retrieved from EBSCOhost Munier, C. , Andersen, C. R. , & Kelleher, A. D. (2011). HIV Vaccines: Progress to Date. Drugs, 71(4), 387-414. Retrieved from EBSCOhost Rojas-Burke, Joe. â€Å"An AIDS Vaccine Developed by Oregon Scientists Stops Infections in an Animal Model. † Th e Oregonian 11 May 2011. Web. 16 Aug. 2011.

Nature in Literature

Nature plays a huge role in many pieces of literature, but especially Basho’s Narrow Road to the Deep North and Voltaire’s Candide. There is a major difference between the two forms of literature and how nature is incorporated into each. This Japanese form of literature has a much lighter tone than that of the European style of literature. You can see a calmer, more relaxed intention into the nature that is in Basho’s Narrow Road to the Deep North.On page 413 in Basho’s piece, it says â€Å"As the year gradually came to an end and spring arrived, filling the sky with mist, I longed to cross the Shirakawa Barrier, the most revered of poetic places. † From this section, you can see that Basho gets his inspiration for his literature and poetry from the places that he travels, and this resulted in his linked-verse sequence. Even though Basho had a long, tough journey of travels; the nature takes his breath away. On page 416 of Narrow Road to the Deep No rth, it says â€Å"my body and spirit were tired from the pain of the long journey; my heart overwhelmed by the landscape. †This statement shows that regardless of the struggles, he could find a poetic sense in everything he went through. In Narrow Road to the Deep North, Basho also found religion to accompany the bright nature in his literature of his travels. On page 418, Basho writes, â€Å"the green of pine is dark and dense, the branches and leaves bent by the salty breeze—as if they were deliberately twisted.

Womanly Words †Gyn

Womanly Words – Gyn Womanly Words Gyn Womanly Words Gyn By Sharon Well, I couldnt let the men have all the fun. English has a lot of words that contain the Greek root meaning woman or female gyn. This appears at the start or in the middle of many common words. As with the andr- words, many of these have biological or scientific origins. Heres a list to start you off: acrogynous plants having female organs at the top of the stem androgynoid a male with female features androgynous having both male and female characteristics; also applies in botany. apogynous, apogyny referring to the condition of having non working female reproductive organs calligyniaphobia a fear of beautiful women (if youre scared of all women, then you have gynephobia or gynecophobia) ergatogynous describes insects who have worker females gyneceum harem or womans house gynander woman who has male characteristics (gyndandrous refers to plants) gynarchy government run by women gynecentric regarding women as primary or central gynecium the pistil, or female part of a flower gynecogen something that stimulates female sexual characteristics (hormone) gynecology the study and treatment of diseases that affect womens reproductive systems gynogamete ovum gynoid robot shaped like a woman Many more here. 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:20 Great Similes from Literature to Inspire YouWhen to Form a Plural with an ApostropheAdvance vs. Advanced

Birmingham Letter Illusions

Letter from Birmingham Jail Allusions in Section 3 Martin Luther King’s Letter from Birmingham Jail is one of the most well known documents in American history. King’s profound ability to articulate important ideas, values, concepts and Biblical perspectives made for some of the most powerful and inspirational pieces of American literature ever produced. One technique that King used in his public speeches and letters was his allusions to historical figures, the Bible and opposing congressmen. During the 60’s when cultural prejudice still held strong roots in Congress, it was King’s talent to inspire the public that revolutionized America’s racial injustices. King’s frequent use of allusions in his famous Letter from Birmingham Jail proved his intelligence and greatly attributed to his success and popularity during the 1960’s. His allusions demonstrated his referential capabilities while also making his messages readily relatable to the public. It was often said that it was not King’s intelligence that made him seem so acumen, but that he was â€Å"well read†(knew much from reading). His frequent allusions to major documents and famous statements in contest to his adversaries ultimately lead to his dominance in public speech. In the paragraphs 12 through 14 when king references the election of mayor Albert Boutwell, he states, â€Å"We are sadly mistaken if we feel that the election of Albert Boutwell as mayor will bring the millennium to Birmingham† in paragraph twelve. The millennium is an allusion to a specific verse from the Bible’s book of Revelation interpreted as the 1,000 years in which Jesus comes back to earth to restore peace. He made many correlations to the Bible and major public documents, such as the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights to make his arguments accurate and mainly understandable by restating vital rules and quotes that even the illiterate could comprehend. In these paragraphs he quoted the Bible by using phrases like â€Å"moral light, â€Å"abyss of despair† and â€Å" unjust posture. † King used the word â€Å"wait† in this section of the letter multiple times as a allusion to the current denial of rights to African Americans that had been going on for the last 340 years. He also stated that â€Å"justice too long delayed is justice denied† in correlation to the current racial dilemma in America at the time. All of these direct references made for some of the most significant and powerful American literature ever created and made Martin Luther King one of the most successful authors in this period of civil revolution. By reinforcing his argument with allusions that the public could relate to, King was able to greatly impact the civil rights movement of the 1960’s and ultimately bring around the social turning point of the century that provided racial equality to all and smother prejudice in America thereafter.

If Barack Obama Was Assasinated Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

If Barack Obama Was Assasinated - Essay Example Several newspapers have all brought up the idea that "A violent dispatching of Obama would leave the road to the White House paved for McCain, with Mexico and the rest of the world having to deal with four more years of Republican nightmare"(WorldMeetsUs). And there is certainly some truth behind this. At the current standings Hillary trails Obama in both the pledged delegate vote and the super delegate vote, and it seems that he support may be waning with the leave of her head officer in the past few days as well. And beside her Democratic fan base, nobody knows jus though well she would do in the general election. Comparing Obama to both Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcom X, there is a strong case made that any black politician that events so strongly into society is eventual taken care of. Who is to say the same couldn't happen to Obama. That leaves one to assume that if Obama was assassinated we would see a Republican White House again, something that many people sure don't want t o see again, and it would utterly defeat Hillary in the general election. Civil rights would then jump to the forefront of American life and become a full fledged problem again. Some people feel it would cause such an uprising in fact, that the situation " escalate into an all out civil race war. This will result in marshal law and the national guard will be deployed. "escalate into an all out civil race war. This will result in marshal law and the national guard will be deployed(GNN Tv). And this certainly seems like a probable reaction. Mass riots would break out, and the pot will have boiled over again, causing all racial tensions in the United States to bring us into a state of personal racial warfare. Some even fear that total extremes could be reached, and that the situation could end up with people seeing "guerilla warfare with black leaders and white leaders taking law into there own hands. Anyone and everyone has a gun these days and they will be used. Prisons are ultra full of black men that will riot and kill any white inmates and this will req uire more effort by the National guard and local authorities to contain leaving our streets vulnerable. People will try to leave the US but other countries will seal their borders for fear of a mass US migration. Power plants, factories, stores, and financial institutions will close out of fear of racial attacks. People will be cold, hungry and possibly homeless as the National Guard and guerilla groups take over cities and kill or imprison opposing parties. I believe you will see atrocities that will rival that of Hitler's concentration camps, and it will all be in high definition courtesy of our media which will further infuriate and feed the panic"(gnn Tv). And that ultimate result of war is not something we want to see happen, but is all too real a result if Obama was assassinated. The racism that would spring up around the assassination of Obama would be absolute, and could thrust the United States into even a possible second Civil War, again fueled by racial tensions. Noble Prize Winner Doris Lessing even echoed that she felt it was certain that he would be killed. ""He would probably not last long, a black man in the position of president. They would kill him",

Personality inventories Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Personality inventories - Essay Example uestions can be answered in a variety of ways designed so that the respondent's instinctive response would be the indicator of how they are most likely to respond to a situation, 8) answering truthfully will give the best profile for the respondent's personality (UNSW, 2003). The Big Five Theory was developed by Costa and McCrae (1988). The five components are used to assess personality traits. The five factors include: Extroversion, Conscientiousness, Agreeableness, Openness to Experience, and Neuroticism. Since they are considered as relatively stable traits, they are used to described variances in human personality. Extroversion measures the volition to seek the company of others and outside stimulation. This factor deals with social skills, how a person relates with other people, confidence in society, assertiveness, empathy towards others and warmth. Conscientiousness demonstrates the desire to achieve, self-discipline, and responsibility.

Winter the worst season of the year Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Winter the worst season of the year - Essay Example I imagine cold weather, blizzards, and total lack of pleasant outdoor activities. Winter in New York can be really challenging with snow storms and severe weather conditions. Not to mention that very often snow can block traffic, create havoc, and even cut communication utilities In this cases winter can be indeed the worse season of the year. For me, I can say that this is so, because I can not stay outdoors for a long time and do my regular activities due to the incredibly cold atmospheric conditions. Then I find it extremely depressing to see grey colors all around, occasionally some while spots of snow here and there. Finally, to add to the lower spirits is the extreme weather which makes me worry about family and friends, who might be stuck and in trouble in unreachable places.Scientists always recommend prolonged outdoor activities, in order to keep one's body and spirit in good shape. There are numberless winter sports practiced in the open air, however, for me exposing my bod y to harsh temperatures and having numb limbs is not the ideal situation. Going to the gym is also acceptable, but then you have to walk back home exposed to the cold wind, after you have taken a shower, so one can catch cold or flu. Winter can be very unexpected and bring unconditional weather, which can lock you at home for days. In such cases I become languid and my mood is down. I am not able to go outside and enjoy the terrific sunshine and fresh smell of grass. I once read an article about the effects of colors and how they can influence people's moods and emotions. Although, the white color - I may say the symbol of winter, speaks about purity, I associate it also with paleness and death. Besides the white, the predominant color of winter is grey. This leads to down spirits and lack to motivation either to work or to study. The greyness carries with it depression and uncomfortable emotions. That is why for me winter is the worst season. Finally, the extreme weather conditions that we witness in New York make me anxious about my family, relatives and friends, who in occasions might get stuck in snow-drifts and get into trouble. In such harsh weather communication systems are also cut down, and we can not connect with them at all. Consequently, people panic and think that the worst has happened. Winter is unpredictable with its severity and forces me to see that sometimes nature is bigger than human actions and activities and even though we have skyscrapers and telecommunications, austere weather conditions can ruin them. For me winter is the worst season of the year, because it shows how unpleasant nature can be. It can form blizzards and leave people in hazardous situations. They are unable to practice their outdoor activities and have all reasons to worry about their families in a cold winter day. The grey surrounding dominates the color nuance and establishes a deep feeling of helplessness and anxiety. That is why winter is the worst season for me. Winter is also the worst season, because it causes many car accidents. Commuters who use the public transport do not need to worry much. However, people who work in New York and drive from New Jersey can encounter dangerous, slippery roads during the winter. Although the government spends a lot of money to secure the proper highway maintenance during the winter, weather conditions can be so severe that they can impede all efforts done. Another reason why I think that winter is the worst season is because people are exposed to freezing. Applying moisturizing creams helps us a little when handling the cold, however, if the temperatures drop really below the freezing point, people can experience serious limbs infections

Pearl in the Novel Scarlet Letter

Pearl in the Novel Scarlet Letter The novel scarlet letter was written by Nathaniel Hawthorne. He wanted to expose the immorality that was committed by two parents of a daughter called Pearl. Nathaniels novel explores very clearly the themes of the themes of guilt, sin, and legalism. The plot of the novel takes place in the 17th century in Boston Massachusetts. The novel tells a story of Hester Prynne who gives birth to a daughter having committed adultery and tries all what she can so as to ensure that she live of repentance and dignity. In this paper we are going to explore the characteristics and influence of pearl, the daughter of Hester Prynne, and how she is used by the author in order to advance the themes of the novel. We are also going to look at how symbolism is used in this book and how it was successful in ensuring that Nathaniel Hawthornes massage was passed across. Pearl is among the characters that are complex and elaborate in the novel scarlet letter. Pearl is the daughter illegitimate daughter of Author Dimmesdale and Hester Prynne. As one reads through the novel they realize that she is a very dynamic individual who keeps on changing depending on the prevailing circumstances in order to survive and to also help in bringing out clearly the massage that the writer wanted to pass when he was writing the book (Mary, 99). The other members of the society keep on shunning and avoiding Pearl because of her mothers sin and she remains a constant reminder of to both the members of the society and also the reader of Hesters sin. They live in a bad house in the outskirts of Boston where they tend to avoid the humiliation in the hands the other villagers. Pearl is vividly described by Hawthorn in page 81 as the infant whose guiltless life was the product of inscrutable decree of providence (Mary, 133). He refers to her as lovely and a flower that that is immortal that does not realize the guilty that led to its existence. From the beginning of her life she is viewed as a punishment, a product of sin that should that everybody that has some dignity should avoid at all times. All this treatment affects Pearl and she is not like the normal of the society. Her only rescue is that nature and the animals around her treat her well and somehow accept her in a way that her community did not. It is also important to note that pearl was a very beautiful child. On page 81 and 82 Hawthorne describes her beauty very clearly. Pearl had beauty that really shone with deep and vivid tints. Unlike most of the other girls she had a bright complexion; she had eyes that possessed intensity of both glow and depth. Her hair was also beautiful; it had a deep brown that was glowed whenever she walked. All this physical characteristics made her really beautiful. She also had a good sense of fashion. She always wore lavish dresses that emphasized her beauty and many of the puritan people to think of her as a strange. The main re ason for this was that the other puritan children wore the traditional clothing and to them they could never consider a person who did not look liked them or dress like them as one of them. This treatment made Pearl a very troubled child and even when the other children for one reason or another showed her some interest she would be really irritated and pick up stones and fling them at them. Another characteristic of Pearl is that she is very strong and she turns every situation in to her advantage. Since other children are not willing to accept her as one of them she decides to live with nature and animals because these are the only things that show her acceptance. On page 168 hawthorn talks about the light that happily lingers about the child that is lonely as if it is glad to have found such a loving playing mate. We are also told that the sunshine accepts pearl as an equal. The great forest also becomes the playmate of this lonely child. The natural things become her only friends and this in the end makes this child a very weird child. Every child needs human company so that they may be able to grow in a way that can be considered normal. We are told that Pearl character lacked reference and she could not relate in any way to the world that she was born. She not affected in any way by the life of the Puritan life, the only thing that has influence to this child is on ly nature and its life. She has been thrust out of her communitys life and the only way of life that she can identify to is that of the forest and the things of nature. The people of her society views her as not only a weird and strange kid born out of a sinful act, they also consider and view her in very mixed feelings. Many people do not comprehend her. A good example is where Hester tells Dimmesdale that she hardly understands this child but she will love her to the end nevertheless. She goes on and states that sometimes she is afraid of little Pearl. To Dimmesdale, he is really confused in that he really loves the kid and in truth he wants to make peace with her and know her better but this is no possible because he is not prepared to lose his political and social status by acknowledging her in public. Pearl is a very sensitive and inquisitive child. These characteristics are brought about by the fact that she had a very elaborate and perplexing history. She is brought up without a father and she does not even know who her father is. The only person who she can freely identify with is her mother and even she is ostracized from the community as well. For this reasons she grows to be a very sensitive and a curious kid. She is always on her mothers case wanting to know what Hester would rather not tell her. She wants to know who her father is and why they live the two of them and not with their father like many of the other families in the society. Symbolism is used very much in this novel. Throughout the whole novel many of the characters represent other ideas. Nathaniel Hawthorne deliberately uses symbolism so as to enhance the themes of the novel. Pearl being one of the most misunderstood characters in the novel is used to advance different themes. Pearl throughout the book, develops into a symbol that is very dynamic. It is very important to note that pearl all through the novel symbolizes evil. She symbolizes evil in the sense that she is born through sin and therefore she represents the punishment that God inflicts on Hesters adulterous act. Pearl also symbolizes the guilt that her parents are experiencing. She defies the puritans law by being cheerful when she is associating with nature instead of suffering. Another way in which pearl symbolizes punishment is the fact that she keeps pestering and bothering her mother. All through this novel it is very important for the reader to note how mocking and pestering her mother, one may get the feeling that he is a witch baby send out to torment her mother. In many cases babies is a joy to their mothers but in Pearls case she was just the opposite and in this the author clearly and effectively used symbolism in pearls case to symbolize punishment and suffering. It is also important to note that the Pearl has strong emotions and she also has a bad temper with a capacity to do evil deeds. These characteristics ensure that Hesters life is full of misery and she once asked god what kind of being she had brought on earth. Her daughter constantly harass her over the scarlet A that she was wearing and in time Hester was the subject of a lot of ridicule from the members of the society and even her own daughter and when this became hard to bear she just decided to live on seclusion. Pearl as a person symbolizes the sins of both Hester and Dimmesdale. This child is the direct effect and results of the sin of adultery. She also represents the sin of lying. One has to notice the way; Hester and Dimmesdale keep on lying to the society about the affair that led to the birth of Pearl. These two keep on avoiding telling the truth about the biological father of the Pearl. Even Pearl herself did not have a clue who really was her father and this affected her life. We can also see the way Dimmesdale is undergoing a lot of internal pain in that He really wants to show his daughter love but the situation in which this girl was conceived makes it very hard for him to let the members of the society know that he is the real father of pearl. It is very important to also note that the Dimmesdale did not commit the sin of adultery but only the sin of concealing the truth that he was party to the act that brought Pearl to this world. It is very important to note that Pearl was a very clever child. She could read her surrounding and other people behavior to understand the things that she was not supposed to understand (Edwin and Louis, 143). A good example is where she was very perturbed by the behavior of Dimmesdale when he put his had across is chest just where his heart was. Pearl seemed to connect this to Hesters scarlet letter and know that something was not right. She is so smart to an extend that her mother thinks that she is not a real human being. Hawthorn also used symbolism in that he uses pearl to represent the scarlet letter. We are told that even when she was a baby she was attracted to the scarlet letter. This is confirmed on page 90 where we are told that her infant eyes could not leave the glimmering part of the gold embroidery. When she is a little bit older, Hester throws the letter on the ground and Pearl reacts very oddly when she screams demanding that the â€Å"A† be picked up. It is also important to note that the â€Å"A† is the only way that the colonialists choose to crime and punishment to the criminals in the society. The functions of Pearl in the novel are great. The reason for this is that she is the character that helps and guides the reader to really know what is happening in the story. There are some hidden meanings in the book and she also helps the reader to pick up these points so that they can really understand what the book is talking about. She aids the reader with her commentaries, her thought process and her inquisitive questions that she asks through out the novel (Edwin and Louis, 56). We can say that Pearl is an indispensable character to the reader that helps him to understand the themes that are being put forward by the author. One has to notice the way Pearl is different from the other children of her own age. She did not make any friends in the society. In fact any child that tried to make friend with were met with a moody child that preferred to play alone and only interact with the natural things. Being a lonely kid Pearl opts to communicate with her own reflection and this a lso helps the reader to know what is happening in the book. For her age, pearl is able to communicate effectively with adults like her parents. She relates with them in a very complicated way that other children her own age can not do and through this we see he asking her parents very hard questions. This characteristic helps the author to pass across the themes that he intended to pass when he was writing the novel like sin punishment and guilt. Work cited Budd, Louis, and Candy, Edwin. On Hawthorne: the best from American literature. Durham. Duke University Press, 1990. Cooper, Michael. The Scarlet Letter and Symbolism. January 2009. Retrieved on 30/07/2009. http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Scarlet-Letter-and- Symbolismid=78659. Hawthorne, Nathaniel, And Robinson, Herbert. The Scarlet Letter. Washington DC: Plain Label Books, 1954. Hurst, Mary. The voice of the child in American literature: linguistic approaches to fictional child language. Kentucky: University Press of Kentucky, 1990. Schmidt, Anja. Pearls Twilight Nature in The Scarlet Letter: Emblem of Sin or Self- fulfilling Prophecy?. Berlin: GRIN Verlag, 2007.

John Steinbecks Experience and Writing Essay -- Authors

At the age of thirteen, most children are still naà ¯ve to their future self-professions. However, in 1915, a boy at the mere age of thirteen was encouraged by his English teacher to become a writer (French 1). Unbeknownst to the teacher, the boy would arguably become a writer on equal terms to D.H. Lawrence, John Keats, or William Faulkner. The boy in question is John Steinbeck. Though Steinbeck’s era was a time of isolation and sorrow, between the economy and global conflicts the desperate times allowed many opportunities for Steinbeck. For example, he would intentionally immerse himself in unfavorable conditions that others experienced without a choice. In particular, the experiences with the Great Depression and World War II allowed John Steinbeck to change the world with a pen and paper. Perhaps the biggest influence in Steinbeck’s writing can be seen from his experiences of the Great Depression while he lived in California. Before Steinbeck made his living as a writer, he would experience the world from various points of views as he worked jobs such as a surveyor, bricklayer, ranch hand, and a store clerk (John Steinbeck). Seeing the world from the perspective of a hard laborer allowed Steinbeck to form his initial views that would become the basis for his early stories. The crisis that grasped California during 1930-1936 was the Dust Bowl, which according to a website dedicated to the great depression states â€Å"a million acres of farmland across the Plains became worthless due to severe drought and overfarming† (Causes of). Because of the despairing situation, Steinbeck was able to experience the severity first hand on many occasions. In fact, in 1935, Steinbeck was allowed to spend a week in Weedpatch where a camp wa... ... to realize before it is too late. Works Cited Bloom, Harold. John Steinbeck. New York: Bloom's Literary Criticism, 2008. Print. "Causes Of The Great Depression | The Great Depression | Causes, Effects, Timelines." Causes Of The Great Depression | The Great Depression | Causes, Effects, Timelines. Croft Communications. Web. 09 May 2012. French, Warren G. John Steinbeck's Nonfiction Revisited. New York: Twayne, 1996. Print. John (Ernst) Steinbeck." Contemporary Literary Criticism Select. Detroit: Gale, 2008. Literature Resource Center. Web. 7 May 2012. Noble, Donald R. The Steinbeck Question: New Essays in Criticism. Troy, NY: Whitston Pub., 1993. Print. Tedlock, E. W., and C. V. Wicker. Steinbeck and His Critics. Albuquerque: University of New Mexico, 1957. Print. Swisher, Clarice. Readings on John Steinbeck. San Diego, CA: Greenhaven, 1996. Print.

A Critical Review of Andrea Owens’ “The Mortgage Bailout that Worked.”

While the Harvard Business Review (HBR) has yet to publish anything specifically on the Obama Mortgage Stimulus Plan as of yet, this recent blog entry might give an idea as to what the HBR’s point of view might be. This is a very interesting piece, as it is a historical lesson on mortgage bailout plans and how they might work. In the 1920s, real estate, like in the 1990s, was considered a very safe investment. In New York just prior to the great crash, several dozen real estate guaranty companies sprang up, offering what amounted to â€Å"mutual funds† for investing in mortgages.These funds were guaranteed by the insurance division of the state of New York. Needless to say, with a few years, these investments sprang out of control. In fact, the companies themselves began to invest in their own guaranty schemes. They charged a fee of roughly 1% of the annual interest on the paper (not the real value). As soon as a slowdown hit, the guaranty firms put their marketing sche mes into a higher gear, selling more and more of them, even waving their fee for a time. When the collapse came by 1932, the marketing went even higher, and more mortgages were sold at more and more advantageous rates.Some were noticing that these guaranty firms were â€Å"on the hook† for some very questionable loans. They sold discounted mortgages to attempt to pay off already inflated mortgage values. It was a scam based on a lie. In 1932, the firms held the tremendous sum of about $2. 7 billion in paper, that itself represented about $809 million in actual value. The final collapse came in the Spring of 1935, and finally, the state stepped in. The measures the state took is really the lesson here. First, the state of New York passed two laws. The first was the Mortgage Moratorium Act.This basically stated that the homeowner cannot lose his home through foreclosure so long as the taxes and interest were paid. Second, the state created an institution called the mortgage Com mission whose job it was to take over the mortgages and seek to reclaim their value. The point of this latter institution was to maintain real estate values as close to the numbers on the paper as possible. It is here where the state met with some success. This commission hired a large number of researchers and investigators to track down each and every property that was represented (distortions and all) on the now worthless paper.Each property, once identified and appraised, was to be disposed of either through sale or rental. Those properties with unfinished improvements were kept afloat until the improvements were finished. The state assisted in any improvements at all on the properties that may maintain their value. But what is impressive is that, at least according to the HBR, by 1935-1936, the state had reclaimed about 84% of the paper value of these properties, which is quite impressive given the nature of the scam.Now, that being said, what are the issues that derive from th is relative to Obama and the mortgage stimulus/bailout? There are two: first, that those who are involved in the bailout/stimulus need to, like the state of New York many moons ago, keep track of all the properties that are recorded on the paper. And second, that the bailout/stimulus money be used to maintain property values to the greatest extent possible given the available liquidity. What the authors of such articles always forget is that there are real people under all this paper.People who have been taken advantage of for the profit of a few. Here, criminal acts have been perpetrated for the sake of quick profits: as a matter of course, it is the homeowner, rather than the schemers, that is punished. Hence, the remainder of this paper will deal with several issues that derive from the stimulus and the historical take on it from our chosen author. 1. Regardless of the nature of the stimulus, all foreclosures must be stopped immediately. It is not the fault fo the homeowner that they have been taken advantage of.Like the New York situation, no foreclosures should proceed even if the taxes cannot be paid. This is a form of reimbursement for the homeowner of the encouragement of such speculation under the fraudulent banner of â€Å"the free market,† which is neither free nor a market: it is the state’s guarantee of personal privilege. 2. All real estate taxes should be suspended for a single year. This will act as a negative stimulus for homeowners. That is, families that own their own homes should be free of real estate taxes for a single year.Like the New York case in the 1930s, the fact is that the regulators and the state was asleep at the switch while all of this was going on. The state, largely captive by the major speculators, refused to take action. Hence, the state that acted as a facilitator to these schemers/speculators. As a result, the state does not deserve the reward of smooth tax collection. If there is to be a moratorium on fore closures, then there also needs to be a cancellation of taxes on real estate for families who own homes, as well as a cancellation of any back taxes on property, etc.3. If the bailout is to proceed, then in addition to the above, the checks (which represent their own money anyway) should be made out to the homeowner, and not to the schemers or â€Å"guaranty firms. † 4. While it might sound extreme, the schemers and their hangers on should be sentenced to work camps for their role in the scam. If these people view money as the result of scam, then they need to be taught that the origin of value is work, that is, labor. Labor, not fancy financial footwork, is the source of wealth.The middlemen and speculators merely shift it around. If the value of the paper in their hands does not match the actual value of the real estate, that missing value did not disappear, it merely changed hands. The above ideas in terms of the bailout/stimulus itself, therefore, should be involved in re couping that value and transferring it to the taxpayer and homeowner. The fact remains that the middle class homeowner does not have an interest group or lobby that protects them. The schemers do, and the poor do, but the middle class taxpayer does not. 5.If the stimulus is to continue, then it seems reasonable to hold tha a certain percentage of the money should go to bringing the poor into the ranks f the middle class by subsidizing their entry into home ownership and financial stability. By the same toke, the state of indebtedness of the middle class should also be alleviated with this same money. In such a case, it will be a bailout in the truest sense of the word: not a bailout fo the financial system, but of individual poor and middle class taxpayers whose surplus value has been shipped to overseas tax havens and â€Å"foundations.† The reality here is that this crisis is systemic, not aberrational. The HBR’s primary sin is that they insist that this scam is not built into the system, but the result of a handful of criminal minds. In this they are wrong. The system has this kind of scam built into its very concept of value. The issues that can â€Å"unpack† this statement can be summarized this way: 1. The question of value: the manipulation of the value of labor is separated from the actual act of labor and work. In other words, the value of labor is taken by the schemers and manipulated for their own profit.But the fact is that that value is not theirs, but the labor that has created it in the first place: this includes the actual physical labor of building a house, but also the intellectual labor that provides the plans, the geography, the blueprints, etc. The surplus value of their work is taken by the likes of Madoff, and then gambled against other similar feats of labor. The fact is that this surplus value belongs to no one but the labor that created it. Hence, the scam is built into the system, and not aberrational. 2.Hence, i f taxes and foreclosures are all eliminated by state fiat (for a certain amount of time) it is merely a matter of financial reparation, not some sort of a gift, or a kind of state benevolence. This money and the labor it represents belongs to the middle class. Hence it is their own money that is being returned to them. 3. The stress in financial circles is not creation. The entire point of labor is to create things out of their natural state that makes life easier for humanity. While this seems elementary, the Wall Street mentality has no concept of it.Speculation itself is a kind of mystification in that speculation is a matter of gambling paper (in fact, representing labor on the ground) against other pieces of paper representing the same thing. When the value of this paper is inflated due to skillful gambling, who is to pay? The very same people who created the real (i. e. non paper) value in the first place. Therefore, the question of the bailout stimulus is misplaced, unless it aims not at the mortgage industry or finance in general, but the middle class whose chronic state of indebtedness is being exacerbated by more and more taxes.While it remains the cases that the system itself is responsible for the crisis, the middle class, always n the lookout for a good deal, made certain they were easy targets for the scam. But this is not the fault of this class–the very backbone of home-ownership. Hence, the schemers need to be punished, and the scammed bailed out, not the other way around. Value must be rejoined to the actual function of labor, rather than the fictional value of paper.

Greek mythological poem Essay

Subject: the poem is a Greek mythological poem about King Midas of Phrygia who had his wish granted everything he touches turns into gold. The poem is about the consequences of choosing money and greed which is presented to the readers through the wife’s perspective. Duffy presents a wide range of emotions through Mrs. Midas’s persona. Mrs. Midas complains about his husband’s selfishness and greed. Duffy gives a voice to women unheard in history. Duffy takes a historical character and translates them into present day. â€Å"Mrs. Midas† turns the noble king Phrygia into a pathetic greed middle-aged man.  The mood changes as the poem proceeds, reaching its peak of fear in the fifth to eleventh stanza then calmly comes down as Midas draws close to death. The language the character uses informs the reader about the mood of the poem. In the second and third of the first stanza Midas uses personified the kitchen as â€Å"its steamy breath gently blanching the windows†. This sets the calm relaxing atmosphere of the poem before the crisis. The poem is calm because Mrs. Midas uses smoothly and well-skilled sentences. The intonation changes suddenly, the sentences become short and factual lexis is used. For example in the fifth stanza Mr. Midas said â€Å"I moved the phone†. Mrs. Midas does this to make the situation seem more urgent chaotic and panicky. Short sentences are used in this poem to speed p the narration as the chaos happens in the poem. After the crisis is over, she reverts to her earlier relaxing mood. For example she said in last stanza Mrs. Midas said â€Å"I miss most, even now, his warm hands on my skin, his touch†. The language of the poem used by Mrs. Midas is elevated register. She uses descriptive lexis in the poem. This will be described further in the analysis.  The poem is a universal, therefore everyone can read it. The poem is moral lesson. For example in the sixth stanza Mrs. Midas said â€Å"it feeds no one† talking about gold. The moral lesson Duffy tries to teach us is money is a means to an end not an end, meaning money can be used to pay food to feed a person but it can’t physically feed a person. Money is not a solution to everything as she addresses the middle class who adore money. The class backgrounds of the characters are middle-classes as they drink Italian â€Å"wine†. Wealth is trivial if not used to solve problems like in this poem. Mrs. Midas uses adverbs such â€Å"gently† to emphasis how calm and relaxed she was before the crisis.  In the first stanza Mrs. Midas uses personification, for instance she said â€Å"the ground seems to drink the light of the sky†. The dynamic verb â€Å"drink† personifies the ground as a human. The quote means the day changes to night. Mrs. Midas uses symbolism in the poem; â€Å"rich† symbolizes gold referring to Midas having to spit out the golden corn out of his mouth. Another symbolism used in the poem is â€Å"work of art† which symbolizes a statue which her husband would turn her into like he touches her. What is Liberal Democracy? Liberal Democracy is an indirect and representative form of democracy whereby the right to rule is gained through success in competitive elections on the basis of political equality. In a liberal Democratic state the people are protected by individual rights such as the civil rights in America and a constitutional government which based on rules set out in a codified constitution like in the US constitution.  Mrs. Midas uses metaphors through out the poem. For example, Mrs. Midas said â€Å"turning the spare room into the tomb of Tutankhamun†. Her husband is turning his room into gold, mythological compared to the Egyptian pharaohs’ tombs which were dressed with gold. What is Democracy?  Democracy is rule by the people. This is reflected in the idea of government by the people therefore key political decisions are made by the people. Democracy reflects the idea of equal citizenship whereby each citizen has the right to influence political decisions. For example, in February 2003 one and a half million citizens took to the streets of London. They are protesting against UK’s involvement in the Iraq war. This reflects ‘people power’ to influence political decisions. England is an example of a democratic state while North Korea is an example of an undemocratic state. Duffy uses a simile to make an internal rhyme â€Å"its amber eyes /holding their pupils like flies†. This intensifies the interior personal life of the woman. Another internal rhyme â€Å"dream/streaming† is used to suggest that she will have a solitary life.  Duffy uses repetition in the poem. For example in the sixth stanza Mrs. Midas said â€Å"have wishes; granted. But who has wished granted? Duffy uses clever wordplay the first phrase is used as to notice that Midas has his wish â€Å"granted† and the second is turned into a question by using the past verb â€Å"granted†. Duffy does this to achieve a verbal humour. Define Representative democracy  Representative democracy is a limited and indirect form of democracy whereby the representatives act and speak on behalf of the people. The representatives can be chosen and removed by the public through elections. In a representative democratic state popular participation in government is limited and indirect to the act of voting very few years for a representative to represent them. There are uses of rhetoric in the poem. For example in the last stanza Mrs. Midas uses a repair â€Å"his hands, his warm hands†. Duffy uses repair to make Mrs. Midas’ character seem more realistic.  The poem is made up of eleven sestet stanzas. Most of the stanza are arranged perfectly to form a stanza. However in the in the fifth stanza the lines are merely joined together to make a stanza they are separated.