The Grinch Movie Analysis - 1125 Words

In the movie How the Grinch Stole Christmas, one of the characters, the Grinch, is a fictional holiday antagonist, his only goal is to stop Christmas from happening (Howard, 2000). The Grinch lives alone on top of Mount Crumpits outside of Whoville, his age is undisclosed but appears to be around 40 years in age and is unemployed. He does not have any social relationships to friends or citizens of Whoville, and rather spend his time alone. The only social companion the Grinch has is his dog Max. Additionally, there is no history of drug or alcohol use. Antisocial Personality Disorder is more prevalent in men than in women, and is characterized by a callous unconcern for the feelings of others. The person disregards social norms and†¦show more content†¦The Grinch had total disregard to the law, he purposely mixed up people’s mail, just for fun. He broke into everyone’s house in Whoville and stole their Christmas trees and presents while pretending to be Santa C laus. Additionally, the Grinch lied to Cindy Lou Who when she asked why he was stealing her Christmas tree, he said he was stealing it to fix the light bulbs. He also lied to himself, blaming others for his unhappiness. The Grinch also displayed impulsive and aggressive behaviour, while in Whoville a childhood bully (the Mayor) makes a joke at him, the Grinch loses it destroys the town tree and causes havoc. He shows no restraint. The Grinch failed to think ahead that he would not run into someone while stealing Christmas items out of homes, he did think about how his actions would affect the citizens of Whoville. He also did not plan how to get back up the Mountain, so he made his dog pull the heavy sled which also put his dog at risk of being injured. The Grinch did not care for people’s safety especially his dog max. He didn’t care that he was ruining Christmas for little Children. He also did not regard the safety for himself, the Grinch eats glass and displays an unhealthy living style. Also, the Grinch’s concern for his small heart can also be viewed as unhealthy. The Grinch had no regrets for what he had done, he showed lack of remorse. He did not regret what he did to those people, he wasShow MoreRelatedResearch Paper on Dr. Seuss1331 Words   |  6 PagesSeuss was born on March 2, 1994 and from there the world was changed. Theodore Geisel is a charismatic man who put his lively personality into his fun and lighthearted books like Green Eggs and Ham, The classic Cat in the Hat, and the iconic How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Born on March 2,1904 in Springfield, Massachusetts Theodore Seuss Geisel made his way into the world. His mother Henrietta and Theodore were very busy people. His father managed the family brewery and later supervised Springfield’sRead MoreLiterary Interpretations Of The Sneetches1868 Words   |  8 Pageseducation of youth for close to 80 years. This includes even after his death, through the continuing legacy of his books. The books have also made him a worldwide pop culture phenomenon. Their widely successful movie adaptations, such as The Cat in the Hat or an even better example, How the Grinch Stole Christmas which has become a holiday franchise of its own, help to carry the stories of Seuss into the 21st century. However, looking through youthful eyes at the bright colorful cartoons and marvelingRead MoreVarian Solution153645 Words   |  615 PagesCarroll (1832-1898), author of Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass, was a mathematician, logician, and polit ical scientist. Carroll loved careful reasoning about puzzling things. Here Carroll’s Alice presents a nice bit of economic analysis. At ï ¬ rst glance, it may seem that Alice is talking nonsense, but, indeed, her reasoning is impeccable. â€Å"I should like to buy an egg, please.† she said timidly. â€Å"How do you sell them?† â€Å"Fivepence farthing for one—twopence for two,† the Sheep replied

A Modern Adaptation Of Homer s Odyssey Essay - 933 Words

A modern adaptation of Homer s Odyssey – one of the most widely read ancient literary works in the world – Margaret Atwood s novella, The Penelopiad, retells this classic story, this time from the perspective of Penelope, Odysseus wife, who spent ten long years waiting faithfully for him to return form the Trojan war, and is now lameting her life from the greek underworld, Hades. The Penelopiad deconstructs the portrayal of penelope in the Odyssey, showing that instead of waiting and wasting away, she instead employed her wits, feminine charm and strength of character to build a strong empire and achieve her own ends, or at least, that s what she would like us to believe. Chapter 26 is a courtroom scene, where Odysseus is on trial for the hanging of the 12 maids, which he justifies by convincing the judge of their supposed indescretions. Atwood employs various literary devices, such as the exploitation of genre and dark humour, to convey the double standard between gen ders, the failures of the justice system, and the lack of consequences awarded to those in power. One of the most obvious themes in this chapter is how much the justice system failed the maids, who were, in essence, innocent. Having been raped by the suitors, the fact that they were put to death for not asking Odysseus permission to sleep with them is ludicrous, as the very definition of rape relies on a lack of permission. The choice of setting and style for this chapter is ironic, as, set in aShow MoreRelatedWhen It Comes To Adapting An Existing Story, We Must First1409 Words   |  6 PagesWhen it comes to adapting an existing story, we must first look at what literary adaptation is. Literary adaptation, is the adapting of a storybook source, such as a novel, short story or poem, to another genre or medium such as a film, stage play, or video game. It can also involve adapting the same literary work in the same genre or medium, just for different purposes. For instance, maybe to work with a smaller cast, in a smaller setting, or even for a different demographic group, such a s adjustingRead MoreMythology And Legends Of Ancient Greek Film The Traveling Players ( 1975 )1879 Words   |  8 PagesThere are lots of myths and legends of ancient Greek hero Orestes who have been widely discussed and appreciated throughout the history. From the Homeric poem The Odyssey to a more recent Greek film The Traveling Players (1975), Orestes both represents an example for vengeance of homicide. However, while the former regards Orestes’ revenge as a totally justifiable and glorious deed and sets him as a prototype for Telemachos to take on the journey in search of news for his wandering father, the latterRead MoreThe Fiction of Literature: Folk Tales, Fan Fiction, and Oral Tradition in the Internet Age2388 Words   |  10 Pagesremember ever reading or hearing any version of it.† This cultural awareness of a story is the direct result of the adaptations and additions Tolkien described. First with official illustrations, and later with an entire genre of Tolkien-inspired bands and musicians, and even a ballet, many other hands and minds have added to the majestic whole. In recent years, the Peter Jackson adaptations of The Lord of the Rings, a story once thought to be unfilmable, are considered to be among the best films of allRead MoreThe Greek Mythology : A Normative Critique1754 Words   |  8 PagesTruly Mythology? The Modern Greek Mythology : A Normative Critique.   Greek mythology is the body of myths and teachings that belong to the ancient Greeks, concerning their gods and heroes, the nature of the world, and the origins and significance of their own cult and ritual practices. It was a part of the religion in ancient Greece. Modern scholars refer to and study the myths in an attempt to shed light on the religious and political institutions of Ancient Greece and its civilization, and toRead More Tom Robbins Jitterbug Perfume Essay3119 Words   |  13 PagesJitterbug Perfume In his 1984 novel Jitterbug Perfume, Tom Robbins presents a narrative that rivals the often fantastical tales told in myth. Using classical mythology as a foundation, and, in particular, providing a loose adaptation of The Odyssey by Homer, Robbins updates and modifies characters and concepts in an effort to reinforce the importance of the journey of life and the discovery of self. Like the ancient myth-makers, Robbins commands the reader’s attention with outrageous situationsRead MoreDynamic Learning Program3987 Words   |  16 Pages | |7:40- 9:10 |90 | Science |Math and Computer Science | |9:10- 9:30 |20 |R E C E S S | |9:30- 11:00 |90 | Math and Computer Science |Science Read MoreEudora Welty a Worn Path12166 Words   |  49 PagesTable of Contents 1. A Worn Path: Introduction 2. Eudora Welty Biography 3. Summary 4. Characters 5. Themes 6. Style 7. Historical Context 8. Critical Overview 9. Essays and Criticism 10. Compare and Contrast 11. Topics for Further Study 12. Media Adaptations 13. What Do I Read Next? 14. Bibliography and Further Reading 15. Copyright Introduction Eudora Weltys A Worn Path, first published in Atlantic Monthly in February, 1941, is the tale of Phoenix Jacksons journey through the woods of MississippiRead MoreEudora Welty a Worn Path12173 Words   |  49 PagesTable of Contents 1. A Worn Path: Introduction 2. Eudora Welty Biography 3. Summary 4. Characters 5. Themes 6. Style 7. Historical Context 8. Critical Overview 9. Essays and Criticism 10. Compare and Contrast 11. Topics for Further Study 12. Media Adaptations 13. What Do I Read Next? 14. Bibliography and Further Reading 15. Copyright Introduction Eudora Weltys A Worn Path, first published in Atlantic Monthly in February, 1941, is the tale of Phoenix Jacksons journey through the woods of Mississippi

In 1794 The Temporary Capital Was In An Extreme St Essay Example For Students

In 1794 The Temporary Capital Was In An Extreme St Essay ate Of Political ExcIn 1794 the temporary capital was in an extreme state of political excitement. Federalist Thimas Fitzsimons, was challenged by Republican John Swanwick with vicious charges with the intent to attract voters. Fitzsimonss supporters called Swanwick an unstable person who was unknown by the political public until he got to know the enemies and made friends with them. John won a syunning victory over Fitzsimons, beating seven of the twelve votes and getting fifty-six percent of the votes. 1789 and 1801 were very crucial years for the young America. Franklin had said that Americans had proved that they were able to destroy governments. The candidates for this election were Thomas Fitzsimon, and John Swanwick. Fitzsimons was born in Ireland and later migrated to the colonies before the revolution. He first started low by working for a clerk, then later moved up and married into the principal merchants family. he was the original founders of the Bank of North America, and the president of the Insurance Company of North America. John was a Roman Catholic. He was a member of the Federalist inner circle in Philadelphia and a firm supporter of Alexander Hamilton. Swanwick was born in England. Him and his family arrived in the colonies in the early 1770s. John embraced the Patriot cause. Johnwas hired as a merchant in a firm where is fluency in French and German made him invaluable to the firm. He quickly rose to full partnership in 1783. then in 1794 he bought out his partner share in the company and became full owner. By 1793, he had fallen away from Federalism and had become a Democratic-Republican. The Federalists believed in preserving liberty. It was revealing the rulers who were chosen by the people and the government. Their views on the whisky rebellion were that they vowed not to pay taxes. The democratic-republican wanted war. They were letting the revenue officers arrange themselves immediately under the banner of treasury. The first account of yellow fever appeared toward the latter end of July, in a lodging house in North Water Street. During the month of august the funerals amounted to upwards of three hundred. The disease quickly spread through all sides, and in this month one thousand four hundred were added to this list of mortality. The disease was still progressing and towards the end ninety to one hundred were dyeing daily. The mortality total amounted to four thousand and forty one deaths. Benjamin Rush said to Mrs. Rush that she should be assured that that he would send for her if he would be stricken with the disease, and that he expected anyone else to send for him if they had been stricken down with the disease. The symptoms were followed by stupor, delirium, vomiting, dry skin, cool or cold hands and feet, a feeble slow pulse. The eyes would suffuse with blood, then afterwards become yellow, and then most common the yellow would then cover the whole body. The common remedies for colds had no effect what so ever of yellow fever. The yellow fever commitment was this that followed, Of the eighteen peoplecited for contributions to the Citizens Committee on the Fever, nice were definitely Democratic-Republicans. Of the remaining nice, only one was avowed Federalist. By 1800 most of the country had become involved in the gradual process of party building. By that time the Democratic-Republicans were the dominating political force, although Federalism still retained considerable strength in New England and the middle states. Swanwick had never seen the total triumph of the Democratic-Republicans because he had died in 1798 by yellow fever. Fitzsimons never again sought political office, he focused his energy on his already successful mercantile and banking career. Y 1826 many of the federalist problems had been resolved, but at that same time new issues had arisen that would test the durability of the republic. Andrew Jackson had threatened to break the Jeffersonian coalition, Westward expansion had carried Americans into territories owned by other nations, and Amercian cities such as Philadelphia were growing in both population and socioeconomic problems. .uafdc86c64acfcaac8f0b7722b63b45ff , .uafdc86c64acfcaac8f0b7722b63b45ff .postImageUrl , .uafdc86c64acfcaac8f0b7722b63b45ff .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .uafdc86c64acfcaac8f0b7722b63b45ff , .uafdc86c64acfcaac8f0b7722b63b45ff:hover , .uafdc86c64acfcaac8f0b7722b63b45ff:visited , .uafdc86c64acfcaac8f0b7722b63b45ff:active { border:0!important; } .uafdc86c64acfcaac8f0b7722b63b45ff .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .uafdc86c64acfcaac8f0b7722b63b45ff { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .uafdc86c64acfcaac8f0b7722b63b45ff:active , .uafdc86c64acfcaac8f0b7722b63b45ff:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .uafdc86c64acfcaac8f0b7722b63b45ff .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .uafdc86c64acfcaac8f0b7722b63b45ff .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .uafdc86c64acfcaac8f0b7722b63b45ff .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .uafdc86c64acfcaac8f0b7722b63b45ff .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .uafdc86c64acfcaac8f0b7722b63b45ff:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .uafdc86c64acfcaac8f0b7722b63b45ff .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .uafdc86c64acfcaac8f0b7722b63b45ff .uafdc86c64acfcaac8f0b7722b63b45ff-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .uafdc86c64acfcaac8f0b7722b63b45ff:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: The most dangerous game EssayWords/ Pages : 705 / 24

Nalysis Of Composed Upon Westminster Bridge Essays - British Poetry

Nalysis Of Composed Upon Westminster Bridge NALYSIS OF COMPOSED UPON WESTMINSTER BRIDGE, SEPTEMBER 3, 1802 In Composed Upon Westminster Bridge, September 3, 1802, by William Wordsworth, the speaker, again, his sister, reflects upon a beautiful view of the city by using such literary devices as rhyme, personification, hyperbole, and imagery. The speaker manages to create a vision in the reader's mind that is so vivid, that one can picture oneself on that very bridge. This poem is another example of Wordsworth's desire to create poetry using nature as inspiration. Earth is personified in the first line as a being that has possessions that he can show off, for example, its cities. The city is then personified in line four, as a person wearing a fine robe. The sixth line contains the breathtaking imagery of a primitive skyline in a clear, morning sky. The imagery in line eight, All bright and glittering in the smokeless air, calls to mind the image of endless clearness, endless purity. All throughout the poem, Wordsworth uses his trademark references to nature, painting the awesome picture in the reader's mind. The river is personified in line twelve: The river glideth at his own sweet will, showing a relatedness in the view of the city. the houses are asleep in line thirteen, a definite personification. The mighty Heart is lying still in the last line is hyperbole;e as well as personification: it serves to show that in the tranquility of the city, there cannot be a worry stirring in the heart, only peace. The speaker, again, is Wordsworth's sister. She also experienced this vision with him, and wrote about it in her journal. She wrote: It was a beautiful; morning. The city, St. Paul's, with the river and a multitude of little boats, made a most beautiful sight as we crossed Westminster Bridge. The houses were not overhung by their cloud of smoke, and they were spread out endlessly, yet the sun shone so brightly, with such a fierce light, that there was even something like the purity of one of nature's own grand spectacles (Parker 3). This journal entry does not resemble its corresponding poem as much as the one for I Walked Lonely as a Cloud, but there is still a lot of his sister's influence on his work. Again, their close relationship helped him to capture her feelings in his poetry. The poem depicts a vivid scene that is yet another fond memory shared between Wordsworth and his sister. He uses beautiful language and clever literary devices, especially imagery, to make the city come alive before the reader's eyes. The passionate picture that the poem paints is a memory that calms and placates. _________________________________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com. Share information about yourself, create your own public profile at http://profiles.msn.com. Poetry

Contracts and Corporations

Small business fate in the US

Small business fate in the US Small businesses continue to form the backbone of the US economy though the rate of their failure has escalated the past few years. This trend occurs because of many factors both internal and external; for instance, owners’ behaviors and environmental conditions among others.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Small business fate in the US specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More According to Small Business Administration statics (SBA), the rate of success of small of business in the US is seventy percent (Schaefer, 2011). Seven out of ten businesses survive after two years of establishment and this rate is an improvement from 51 percent, which was the rate of success a few years ago. Red flag The main reason cited for small business failure is poor management where business owners lack the required management skills in critical areas such as purchasing, production, finance, and hiring among others (Gill, Biger, Mathur, Shah, Bhutani, 2010, p.1). The ability to plan, control, and organize all the operations of a business lacks in most new business. This problem is indicated by inadequate cash to meet all the expenses of the business, high turnover among employees, and failure to meet the expectations of the customers among other indicators. Insufficient capital is another common problem, which is indicated by early closure of the business due to lack of funds to meet expenses of the business. Precautionary measures Many people start businesses for wrong reasons with the sole aim of just making a lot of money without considering whether they have what it takes to run the business. Those intending to start a new venture need to consider whether they have the right mental stamina, passion, and determination to run the business. Management skills are also paramount and new investors need to check their ability to organize, plan and control all business operations. In addition, they need to en sure they have sufficient capital to start and run the new business until it can meet all its expenses. Prevention from loss The ability of small businesses to absorb loss is very low compared to that of large businesses. The owners of small businesses therefore ought to be more cautious especially when taking risks such as borrowing capital from banks and expanding the businesses. Good management of the businesses is a key factor in preventing business loss both to the owner and to lenders. Securing the business through insurance will also help in restoring the business in case of a major loss that may occur in the course of operation. In addition, owners ought to know the right time to close their non-profit making businesses prevent accumulation of unnecessary debt.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Business succession plan Most of the small businesses ar e family-owned and it is crucial to have a good succession plan to ensure that the business operates for a long time. The owner of the business needs to prepare in advance those who will takeover after he or she retires. This undertaking is important especially if the business will continue to be a family business. The owner may also employ a manager for the business if there is no family member experienced to take over the management position. The owner of the business may take other options if he or she does not intend to keep the ownership of the business to the family; for instance, s/he might consider selling the business, buy-sell agreement transfer, private annuities, and limited family partnership among other options. References Gill, A., Biger, N., Mathur, N., Shah, C., Bhutani, I. (2010). Factors That Affect Canadian Propensity To Grow And Expand Small Business. Business Economics Journal, 6, 1-10. Schaefer, P. (2011). Small Business Administration statics (SBA): The sev en pitfalls of business failure and how to avoid them. Retrieved from https://www.businessknowhow.com/startup/business-failure.htm

Formal Analytical Report Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Formal Analytical Report - Article Example However, people are nowadays failing at devoting sufficient time to their loved ones whereas, sex is dying out and humans of the advanced era are spending useless hours in the front of a shiny screen and they think that they are â€Å"socializing† but in reality they are hallucinating themselves for their better part of the day. The practice of socialization is supposed to be accompanied with strong emotions and happiness while, people were eager to meet each other (Jansen, Zhang, Sobel, & Chowdury, 2009). Humans had been writing letters to each other for centuries and that particular trend made them writers. The past generations were masters of articulating their thoughts into words because they were habitual of writing letters but nowadays things changed dramatically and each time honored human activity is getting done with the help of computers. The current generation is having thousands and thousands of friends on social networking sites but they do not know them personally and yet they think that they have buddies when in real sense they are alone. The loner in the past was aware of his or her loneliness and therefore, he or she devoted his or herself to arts, literature and painting. In this fashion their self awareness helped them in many regards (Mathisen & Einarsen, 2004). However, each of the humans living in this time is having multiple social media accounts and because of this reason, he or she presumes his or herself is an extrovert. The outbreak of an urge to be an extrovert is killing creativity in people because innovation and newness can come from the dark rooms of loners who dissolved themselves into their works and caused the world of intellect to move forward eventually. The youngsters’ minds are stuck up in socialization and they cannot possibly focus on their studies, jobs and work. The illusion of globalized networking is eating away the warmth of emotions which defined humans

Recording labels and music marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Recording labels and music marketing - Essay Example In the article "Paying the Price" there is a new owner of EMI Universal. Rivals of EMI are challenged with an opportunity to expand all over the world. Moreover, our study looks at UK albums and singles sales between the beginning of 2011 and the artists and assets behind 44% of EMI's album sales, which will have to be divested in 2012 and about 30% of UK singles sales must expand. These impressive figures underline the fact that a challenging environment of the modern music industry sets the pace of a competitive development in this field. This is a complicated background for future performance of the Company internationally. Moreover, divestments experienced by the Company can lead it to huge losses. It is hard to believe, but the artists, whose creative works and developments were rooted in this Company, are now leaving it. Artists and assets are to be sold off by Universal behind 44% of EMI's UK album sales in 18 months to the end of June 2012. This Company sold 20.4 million albu ms in UK between January 2011 and June 2012 with to-be-divested Parlophone label behind more than 3 million of them. The Company must let go albums of very popular artists, such as David Guetta, Kate Bush, Eliza Doolittle and some others. EMI's to-be-divested share of the Now! Franchise equated to more that 2.4 million UK album sales in 18th months period. There are some interests of the competitors in the field of music industry, which are violated. Nevertheless, it should be mentioned that some artists stay with the Company.

Related Studies Foreign Essay Example for Free

Related Studies Foreign Essay Foreign Langer (Journal 2004 p. 76). The research team identified three types of teachers: 1. Effective teachers in effective schools; 2. Effective teachers in typical schools, and 3. Typical teachers in typical schools. In effective schools, students were â€Å"beating the odds† in test scores, and the effective teachers there found their work encouraged and sustained by a supportive school and district climate that: 1. Coordinates efforts to improve student achievement. 2. Fosters teachers participation in a variety of professional activities. 3. Creates instructional-improvement activities in ways that offer teacher a strong sense of agency. 4. Values commitment to the profession teaching. 5. Engenders caring toward students and colleagues, and 6. Fosters respect for learning as a normal part of life. Furthermore, the assumption in articles dealing with the teacher reflection is that analysis of needs, problems, change processes, feeling of efficacy, beliefs are all factors that contribute to teaches professional development, be it through enhanced cognitions or new or improved practices. Reflection is discussed and used in research in several ways. The studies in this decade centre primarily on reflection as an instrument for change and on the various ways in which reflection can be developed. A group of explicitly considers the contribution to reflection of narrative methods such as story telling (for example, about Professional Development School Experiences) and the construction of stories within professional development activities. (Breault, 2010), (Day and Leitch, 2001), (Doecke et al., 2000) and (Shank, 2006. Set in Lithuania Arl the U.S.A., the Article by Jurasaite-Harbison and Rex (2010) narrate two-year ethnographic study that looks at how teachers in three different types of schools perceive themselves as learners and how their school cultures create opportunities for teachers’ professional development. On the basis of their findings, the authors conclude that the most productive conditions for informal workplace learning is a teacher culture that encourages and values collaborative learning. Evidence shows that professional development has an impact on teachers’ beliefs and behaviors. Evidence also indicates that the relationship between teachers’ beliefs and their practice is not straightforward or simple; on the contrary, it is dialectic, â€Å"moving back and forth between change in belief and change in classroom practice† (Cobb, Wood, and Yackel, 1990; Frank et al., 1997; Thompson, 1992, in Nelson, 1999, p. 6) Wood and Bennett (2000) support this statement with the results of a study, in which a group of early childhood educators in England were helping to collect data concerning their theories of play and their relationship to practice. As a result, these educators changed their own theories or teaching practices, or even both. Similar results are reported by Kettel and Sellas (1996) in a study of the development of practical theory of student-teachers in Australia; by Kallestad and Olweus (1998) in a study involving Norwegian teachers, which shows that teachers’ professional preparation and development have a large impact on defining teachers’ goals for their students, and these goals in turn affect the teachers’ behavior in the classrooms and schools; and also by Youngs (2001). Following the examination of data assessing the effects of four different models of professional development (teachers’ networks, the use of consultants and inter-visitations, students’ assessments and school improvement plans) on teachers’ professional development and school capacity in different part of the U.S.A, Youngs found that all models generally strengthened teachers’ knowledge, skills and dispositions, and they had varied effects on other aspects of school capacity. Yet, there is still a need for more research to be done in this area. According to the latest literature, some studies have been carried out as a result of this initiative. For example, research reported by Baker and Smith (1999) identified the following characteristics of professional development as being the most effective in sustaining change in teachers: 1. A heavy emphasis on providing concrete, realistic and challenging goals; 2. Activities that include both technical and conceptual aspects of instructions; 3. Support from colleagues; 4. Frequent opportunities for teachers to witness the effects that their efforts have on students’ learning. As Ingersoll (2001) reports: â€Å"Requiring teachers to teachers to teach classes for which they have not been trained or educated harms teachers and students† (p.42). Ingersoll refers to data that show that most â€Å"out-of-field† teachers are more commonly found among first-time teachers, in low-income schools, small schools, and lower-achieving classes. Classes with â€Å"out-of-field† teachers usually generate lower student achievement. In her research, Little (2001) discovered that in restructuring schools, most of the â€Å"official time† devoted to professional development is based on the conception that professional development is a process of inspiration and goal setting where administrators have already set goals and objectives of change, and professional development activities are used to motivate teachers to strive to meet them. In summary, the professional development of teachers is a key factor in ensuring that reforms at any level are effective. Successful professional development opportunities for teachers’ have a significant positive effect on students’ performance and learning. Thus, when the goal is to increase students’ learning and to improve their performance, the professional development of teachers should be considered a key factor, and this at the time must feature as an element in a larger reform. Little (2001). Local Dr. Manila (2002) is a newly-installed principal of a public secondary school in Baguio City which ranked second to the last in the achievement test in the previous school year. As an initial step to make the school one of the best in the city she selected several teachers to undergo a professional development program that she designed, hoping to achieve the results she envisioned for the school. A year after the training, the principal expected a big improvement in the performance of their school. Unfortunately, there was no improvement in the schools’ making. It is important that you learn to decide on what training is best for and what training should come first. Professional development programs are more effective when the individual needs of teachers are taken into account. The conduct of needs assessment must consider the critical skills areas that are needed for successful performance. The strength and weaknesses of teachers in key areas that have been proven to impact directly on student achievement should be identified. In a related study entitled â€Å"Continuing Professional and Technical Education in the Philippines† by Divina Edralin, Ph.D., the author’s recommendations may also be considered in making Continuing Professional Education serves its intended purpose among professional organizations. These are: 1. Formation of a Unifying Human Resource Development Framework; 2. Review of Matrix on Continuing Education; 3. Greater access to education, training, and retraining; 4. Incentives for Professionals and Technical Workers; 5. Needs identification and assessment; 6. Effective integration of education and employment; 7. Active tripartite cooperation; and 8. Financing Scheme. Moreover, to keep Continuing Professional Education relevant to the professions, certain challenges have to be considered. Terso Tullao, Jr. 1999 (p. 32) underlines â€Å"the need to refocus CPE programs towards research, graduate education, inventions and publications†. He adds: â€Å"Professional organizations should have their own journals reviewed by national or international experts. They should also sponsor professional lectures where there distinguished members or outside experts are asked to discuss topics on their expertise. Similar to the quest of higher educational institutions to make research outputs of their professors published in international journals, professional organizations should encourage their members to publish in referred international journals. Ultimately, professionals must realize that they are the best â€Å"architects† of their personal professional development plans. They have to be more proactive and take the initiative in enhancing their competence and performance. According to Zenon Arthur S. Udani, Ph.D., 1995, on his study on â€Å"Continuing Professional Educations: Training and Developing Filipino Professionals Admist Globalization†, Professional updates which trigger build-up in knowledge and related skills more professionals to the next stage of competence-building. â€Å"As they realize that what they know and what they can do are no longer sufficient to be productive and effective professionals, competence-building becomes a more urgent concern. It calls not only for updates in professional school basic knowledge and skills, but also for education derived from pluralistic sources (continuing education for professions) found useful in assuming competence required by what professionals actually do for a living.† At the stage of competence-building, professionals, aided by their associations, would have identified their key areas of professional development and growth. Updating members of professionals associations on current issues in their field is unquestionally important. This appears to be the dominant thrust of the professional associations surveyed in this study. However, CPE in these professional associations must go beyond this stage. Competence-building and performance-enhancement must also be encouraged among the member of professional associations. Ultimately, it is the personal vision, professional drive, and sense of urgency of the individual members that would guarantee positive outcomes and improvements in professional competence and performance.

What Are The Driving Forces Behind Globalisation Politics Essay

What Are The Driving Forces Behind Globalisation Politics Essay From the end of World War Two there has arisen a trend within international relations towards increasing regional cooperation and integration.After the collapse of the Berlin wall this process has rapidly accelerated. Today there are a myriad of Regional Integration Agreements (RIA) that span all continents, regions and conceivably all nations in a complex web of political, economic, social and cultural ties European integration is one of the longest standing and most deeply integrated examples; however Asia, Africa and the Americas have all seen the need for greater cooperation and integration within respective regions. Exactly who, why and how states integrate varies greatly. As time passes and confidence grows between partners there is a trend towards a deepening of interaction and cooperation/integration may very likely extend to areas outside those originally envisaged. It can be considered that regional integration/cooperation is globalisation at a regional level, or globalisation is regional integration/cooperation on a global scale. Has increased regional integration and cooperation led to globalisation, or has globalisation led to greater regional integration and cooperation? Regionalisation and Globalisation are difficult to separate. While conceptually it is easy to recognise that regionalisation applies at a regional level there is considerable overlap. You may view the world as a system of international anarchy dominated by the nation state and motivated by national self interest; or you may have a somewhat more optimistic view of international relations and see people striving to work together for mutual benefit under a global system of systems where communities are divided into many varying subsets determined by historical, cultural, geographical and ideological factors. Regardless of viewpoint the, fact that the world is becoming more int egrated is impossible to deny. Kofi Annans quote at the start of this paper is very apt in highlighting this. Arguing against regionalisation, whatever your view on the relationship between regionalisation and globalisation, is like arguing against the laws of gravity. The aim of this paper is to determine the driving forces behind processes of regional integration and cooperation. This will be achieved by first defining what regional integration and cooperation is. This will be followed by a discussion of how regions integrate and cooperate and for what reasons using examples from Europe, South East Asia and Africa. The paper will conclude with a discussion of the driving forces behind regional integration and cooperation. WHAT IS REGIONAL INTEGRATION? Confucius once said If names are not right, words are misused. When words are misused, affairs go wrong.  [4]  With a myriad of terminology such as regionalism, globalism, regionalisation, globalisation, regional integration, global integration and so on, it is easy to misuse words and become confused by them. The problem with globalisation is that by its very nature it is complex and all encompassing. Regionalisation, which I will define as globalisation at the regional level, is therefore complex and all encompassing at a regional level. Following this logic it is therefore apparent that regional integration as a concept differs from global integration only in the geographic boundaries you place around it. So as to simplify this problem and free us from misunderstanding we need to be very clear about what regional integration is, what regional cooperation is and how these relate to the wider global environment. So that confusion is not introduced the concepts of globalisation, regionalisation, globalism and regionalism need also to be placed firmly in context. Globalisation is a term that refers to the acceleration and intensification of mechanisms, and activities that are allegedly promoting global interdependence and perhaps, ultimately, global political and economic integration.  [5]  Regionalism is defined as intensifying political and/or economic processes of cooperation among states and other actors in particular geographic regions.  [6]  Therefore regionalisation is a term that refers to the acceleration and intensification of mechanisms, and activities that are allegedly promoting regional interdependence and perhaps, ultimately, regional political and economic integration. Globalism would then be intensifying political and/or economic processes of cooperation among states and other actors throughout the world. To reiterate, globalism and regionalism are political processes consciously undertaken by states whereas globalisation and regionalisation are labels for the overall affect of the external environment, at either a gl obal or regional level, that therefore affects the choices politicians make. For obvious reasons globalisation is a much more prevalent term than regionalisation and likewise regionalism is much more prevalent than globalism. You may enquiry as to why this is and why this point is being somewhat laboured. The point is that globalisation represents the unknown or the influences outside a nations direct control. It is human nature to inflate your fears and concerns and therefore labelling the current environmental effects as a globes worth of issues is more concerning that focussing on your local or regional issues. To confront these issues however it is human nature to focus on what is being done closer to home. Thus the environment (globalisation) has a wider focus than the solution (regionalism). Integration and cooperation are best conceived as labels for progress along a line of increasing interdependence. Individual nations may start with limited or no interaction, progress to a point where they are cooperating and then reach a point where they can be considered integrated. The exact differentiation between whether a nation is cooperating partially integrated or fully integrated is outside the scope of this paper. Needless to say the example of a more integrated region is that of Europe while I will use South East Asia as an example of region that is best described as closer to cooperation than integration. To reinforce this integration is best thought of as a process. The process of integration can be viewed as comprising of four elements. The first part of the process is a movement towards greater cooperation between integrating states; another element is the transference of authority to an authority above that of the state; homogenisation of values is, whether intended or not, an outcome of increased integration; and finally the emergence of a regional/global civil society can be argued to be both a cause of and result of integration.  [7]   So what becomes more integrated during a process of integration? Integration can occur in many areas of political concern. Economic, security and social/cultural are the main areas of integration considered. Integration is a political decision made by nations leaders for political purposes. The reasons why and how integration occurs is almost as diverse as the opinions of world leaders and the challenges faced by them. Therefore in order to understand more clearly how integration comes about we need to investigate some examples of regional integration. EUROPEAN INTEGRATION Europe is considered by many as the example of the region that has progressed furthest down the road of integration. After World War Two Europe was economically ruined, socially stressed and politically divided by what was to become known as the iron curtain. The United States provided encouragement in the form of the Marshal plan to rebuild and strengthen Western Europe against the spectre of Communism in the east.  [8]  Europeans also felt a growing need to strengthen themselves against irrelevance in a bipolar world.  [9]  ,  [10]  These early security fears of Europe led to the establishment of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) in 1949. Economically the first evidence of European integration is in the establishment of the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) in 1951. The aim of the treaty was to contribute, through a common market for coal and steel, to economic expansion, growth of employment and a rising standard of living. The treaty created a supra national agency to oversee aspects of national coal and steel policy such as levels of production.  [11]   The end of the Cold War in 1989-91 has seen a further spur to European integration. With the fall of the Berlin wall and the dismantling of a bipolar world, Europe was able to incorporate further countries within an increasingly diverse framework of integration. While much of the integration was led by economic considerations, there has been increasingly greater integration at the political and social levels also. The Maastricht treaty was signed by twelve European nations in 1991 establishing the European Union (EU). Since then the EU has progressed further down the path of integration with the latest treaty being the Treaty of Lisbon that entered force on 1st December 2009. The EU now consists of twenty seven countries with a number of candidate nations awaiting entry sometime in the future.  [12]   As mentioned earlier, it was a desire to strengthen Europe against a competing ideology during the Cold War that was the first step in European integration. As it transpired, democracy proved superior to communism in the long run. Economically, liberal capitalism has enabled Europe to outperform the centrally controlled socialist markets of the Soviet Union and Warsaw Pact. With the fall of the Berlin wall it became even more apparent that liberal market philosophies provided a basis for greater efficiency and greater competitiveness. Europe in general and the EU in particular serve to highlight this point. OTHER REGIONS MOVE TOWARDS INTEGRATION While Europe is the most advanced down the path of integration, other regions have not been idle. South East Asia is an example of a looser cooperation in the form of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN). ASEAN was formed in 1967 between Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Philippines and Indonesia. Since then membership has expanded to include Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos and Vietnam. South East Asian integration is an example of cooperation being used to build confidence amongst developing nations. ASEAN has always been very mindful of being overly legalistic and binding. The ASEAN way of doing business has become synonymous with building close personal relationships between leaders, being flexible and non-binding in decisions and adhering to a respect of other nations sovereignty including undertaking a non-interference policy with respect to other ASEAN nations internal matters.  [13]   Despite criticisms of being all talk and no action and providing legitimacy to the military junta in Myanmar, the ASEAN way has shown a remarkable ability to engender cooperation and trust between its members. When ASEAN was first established most members were newly independent nations and the Cold War was in full swing. Indonesia was perceived by some as a threat and it was therefore felt that the best course of action was greater engagement to build confidence and trust between nations in the region. Therefore ASEANs initial aims were for social and cultural interchange. As time has passed and members have grown comfortable with each other aspects of cooperation have become feasible. Economic and military cooperation has increased and the level and diversity of programs conducted within ASEAN has increased. ASEAN now emphasises cooperation within three pillars. These are security, social/cultural and economic. As confidence has grown, ASEAN nations have also reached out further afi eld to first East Asia; in the form of ASEAN plus three (APT), in which China, Japan and South Korea are members; the East Asia Summit, which adds India, Australia, New Zealand and potentially soon Russia; through to the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) in which twenty seven nations are involved.  [14]   Like Europe, South East Asian leaders made political decisions that the security and prosperity of their respective nations lay in greater cooperation and collaboration. Given their shared colonial experiences and wary of being used as superpower pawns during the Cold War, ASEAN leaders charted a course where they could find common cause with neighbouring Asian nations and through cooperation achieve stability and then economic prosperity. Social/cultural cooperation served as a confidence building measure; increased confidence lead to greater stability and greater Foreign Direct Investment (FDI); and greater FDI led to economic growth and prosperity. While Europe is an example of developed nations integrating and South East Asia provides an approach by developing nations, they are by no means the only examples. The North American Free Trade Area (NAFTA), comprising Canada, the United States and Mexico was the North American response to the challenges of a globalising world and provides and example of the trend towards integration across the global North-South divide.  [15]  MERCOSUR and the Latin American Integration Association (LAIA) are likewise South American moves. Africa has had mixed success in achieving successful integration through the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), although of late as the African Union (AU), there appears to be more success even in this region.  [16]   NAFTA started with a free trade agreement between Canada and the United States and was expanded to include Mexico in 1992. NAFTA is an important example of a move towards integration between two developed economies and a developing economy. Integrating economies with such diversity of economic institutions has been challenging but successful. NAFTA has also led to greater integration throughout the Americas overall with the signing of the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) in 2001.  [17]  It is considered by some that NAFTA in particular and other moves towards regional integration were in response to a Fortress Europe mentality.  [18]   WHAT ARE THE DRIVERS OF REGIONAL INTEGRATION? Regional integration is nothing new. Historically however regional integration was achieved through conquest or colonisation.  [19]  Since the end of World War Two there has been a growing trend of regional Integration via treaty or international agreement. Although currently regional integration is often associated with economic reasons, fundamentally regional integration is a political decision and based on political considerations. Individual nations respond to the global climate to address their needs and move forward as a society. Amongst the most basic of national needs is that of stability and security both from internal and external threats. It has been argued that one means of protecting a nation from external aggression is to become so interdependent that aggression becomes too expensive to consider.  [20]   Under the bipolar structure of the Cold War many states were looking for ways to provide additional security from the threat of superpower conflict. While global war or nuclear holocaust was one level of concern, another was the threat of becoming a victim of a proxy war between the superpowers. While Western Europe was focussed on a very real threat from communism behind the iron curtain, other regions such as South East Asia had concerns from communist insurgency or the domino theory. Overall however the Cold War effectively divided the globe into two essentially disconnected parts. So while regionalism could occur in between some nations, others were excluded because they were either on the other side of the iron curtain or determined not to take sides with a superpower. With the end of the Cold War this brake was suddenly released and a flood of connections were soon to be realised. Figure 1.1below provides a graphical representation of the dramatic increasing occurrence of regional integration agreements after the end of the Cold War.C:UsersAkoDocumentsMTATTerm 1MTAT UM MODULE 2010AUFB 5102AssignmentGraph1.jpgToday the number of Regional Trade Agreements (RTAs) continues to multiply. The WTO notes: The surge in RTAs has continued unabated since the early 1990s. Some 462 RTAs have been notified to the GATT/WTO up to February 2010. Of these, 345 RTAs were notified under Article XXIV of the GATT 1947 or GATT 1994; 31 under the Enabling Clause; and 86 under Article V of the GATS. At that same date, 271 agreements were in force.  [21]   It is apparent from these figures that regionalism is continuing to be desirable for nations. It is worth pointing out again that economic integration is only part of the overall picture. Security and social/cultural integration also continues. The United States in particular is active in many regional security agreements. Whether they are treaties, agreements or understandings many nations in the world today have sought and continue to seek greater cooperation and integration of military capabilities to meet their regions security needs. NATO is the largest example of this and again the most advanced with regard to the level of standardisation and integration achieved. Within South East Asia the Five Power Defence Arrangement (FPDA) between Malaysia, Singapore, United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand is a smaller example. Social/Cultural integration can take many forms. From labour laws, immigration policies, education exchanges, tourism and even sporting competitions the world has increasingly become integrated. Often social integration is a first step. Sports in particular offer an easy, non-threatening manner in which people of one nation can learn about another. Regionalism is readily apparent in sport with examples such as the European cup in football, the Super fifteen rugby competition in the southern hemisphere, the National Hockey League (NHL) in Canada and the United States. While the increase in regional integration of sporting competitions is not as significant or prevalent as economic integration it serves as a reminder that integration can take many forms and is not just a single dimensional phenomenon. Having looked at regional integration in terms of economic, security and social/cultural terms it is apparent that regional integration has been a significant phenomenon, particularly in terms of economic integration since the end of the Cold War. There is no doubt that regional integration is a political decision based on politicians seeking to do what is best for their respective nations and citizens. So what are the driving forces behind regionalism? It is generally considered that there has been two major phases of regionalism since the end of World War Two. The first phase occurred under the bipolar structure of the Cold War and saw regionalism used as a means to bolster regions abilities to deal with the security challenges of the Cold War. With the end of the Cold War in the early 90s globalisation became the driver for regionalism as regions sought to achieve competitive advantage and economy of scale economically.  [22]   There is plenty of academic debate over how globalisation has influenced the trend towards regionalism. Some consider regionalism has been undertaken to protect a region from the effects of globalisation while other argue that regionalism is driving globalisation. This has lead to the terms open and closed regionalism. Closed regionalism is where a region attempts to protect itself from the external world by reducing barriers within the region while maintaining barriers to those external to the region. The trend however has been away from closed regionalism and towards open regionalism. Open regionalism is where a region integrates so that their common market gains in attractiveness to foreign investment and improves in terms of overall economic efficiency.  [23]  It is worth noting that that it is now against WTO rules to form a regional trade agreement where greater barriers are imposed on external nations.  [24]   CONCLUSION Looking back to the discussion on definitions earlier in the paper it is now clear that the driving force of regional integration has to be the contemporary environment. Globalisation is dominating the contemporary environment. Globalisation is a label intended to simplify descriptions of an increasing inter-connectedness, interdependency and increasing complexity of human interaction throughout the globe. As much as globalisations knockers wish it to go away, Kofi Annans analogy with gravity highlights the futility of fighting globalisation. Globalisation is a logical result of improved communication and transport technology. People are increasingly aware what is going on everywhere in the world. Personal contact with people from other nations and cultures is providing greater insight into the basic humanity of all peoples. With greater visibility however also comes greater fear and concern. Global society has many layers and those layers are increasingly accessible to all. Human so cieties all have the same basic needs but globalisation can appear to threaten as much as it offers. Regionalism is a graduated response to a scary external world. People cling to those they are more familiar with and feel safer because of this. Politicians are no different to anybody else. Whether it be an authoritarian regime that wants to protect itself from a threatening world or a democratic leader that has to consider the views of the people more directly, all politicians respond in some way to the external environment. It can be argued that the end of the Cold War was a driver of regionalism. But the end of the Cold War is just a signpost in history. If it were a driver why is regionalism continuing to occur? The significance of the end of the Cold War is just that a line dividing the world from itself was removed. Regionalism occurred before, during and after the Cold War. The reason regionalism is so topical is simply because the rate of occurrence has dramatically increased in this so called second phase of regionalism. Cheap instantaneous communication is rapidly engulfing the globe. Accessible and affordable transportation is available to a large proportion of the worlds population. This easy contact with the global community will continue to drive every significant issue for at least the next fifty years.

Failures of globalization Essay

Globalization has assisted Belize in increasing its literacy rate from fifty percent in the early 1980s to eighty percent in the first part of the twenty first century. The life expectancy of the country has increased to around seventy two. This was only forty percent an estimated four decades ago. The average worker is also benefiting with better wages. Better standard of living, higher wages, advances in science and technology and increase in democracy have been the successes of the globalization experiment in Belize. Globalization has also assisted in the increase of management and professional specialty jobs. Between 1983 and 2000 the total number of such positions has increased to a percentage of forty percent in Belize (Barnett 65, 2000). Many American and European firms have set up operations in Belize which has led to the introduction of advanced technology and business practices. This has also added the benefit of spillover effects into the rest of the economy as demonstrated by the robust and competitive private sector of Belize. Globalization has increased the number of jobs in Belize. It also has increased the efficiency of producing goods and providing services at lower costs and higher profits. The incentive to produce has also increased which has benefited the business sector of Belize. The standard of living has increased with technology making efficient transportation possible (Barnett 65, 2000). The division of labor has enabled Belize to maximize the value of its output while resources have not been wasted in goods production that could be imported more cheaply. Globalization has a considerable impact in social policy by the debt crisis and influence of international donors. This has greatly accelerated the integration of Belize with the international market. Opening the economy has also created greater vulnerability to external factors. This has resulted in loss of income and jobs. This leads to demands for systems of social protection, income support, and free or subsidized health care. Currently the government provides income support for old age. One major impact of globalization has the assumption that democracy will be sustained in Belize. The tradition of democracy is significant as it has led to better health and education services. GDP per capita has also increased which indicates that Belize has invested substantial amounts of money in health and education (Bary 125, 2005). However the size of the external debt renders the health and education spending to contribute to budget deficits because of extensive borrowing from foreign donors. A number of macroeconomic trends seem to indicate the government’s success in reducing inflation, modifying the structure of employment, and opening the economy for foreign investors. Local production systems are competing with each other in Belize which allows them to see their position within a wider integrated economy. Another negative impact is that countries like Belize do not have any choice about the restrictions and conditions which are associated with the policies of international organizations like World Bank and IMF. Transnational corporate also have been able to take advantage and demand favorable economic policies to invest in the country. This has alienated some of the domestic interest groups like business and labor (Bary 125, 2005). By opening up with the international economy, Belize has also suffered from a decrease in the amount of power it has over its economic policy. Pressure from international organizations like the World Bank and IMF has pushed the country to remove barriers and allow foreign direct investment to increase trade. Further coercive policies and regulations have created income equalities in the country. Despite the substantial increase in trade and foreign investment, the level of poverty remains high in the country. Liberal financial and trade policies have caused significant inequality and stability in terms of employment and income while reducing the ability of the Belizean government to control its policies. Diminished controls over monetary policies and exchange rates have created income inequalities (Bolland 46, 2006). Certain economic policies have bred increased poverty rates. The results of foreign direct investment on employment and growth have also been mixed. The foreign investment has been saturated in certain areas. Some sectors of the economy have minimal investment. The economy of Belize has become dependant on the international market by the growing volume of cross border finance, investment, goods, and services. The majority of Belizean residents live in the rural areas in contrast to the elite of the country. The differences between social classes have increased after the advent of globalization in Belize. Capital account liberalization has created a negative impact on the local banks of Belize as they are vulnerable to financial crisis and external shocks (Bolland 46, 2006). The decrease in tariffs has also led to decline in production of certain agricultural products.

Hurrican Katrina

Proposal /Disaster Research Proposal Page 1 * My disaster paper will focus mainly on the direct and indirect effects of Hurricane Katrina on New Orleans were made by the community and the state, which also affected New Orleans and surrounding areas. My initial research on this topic of Hurricane Katrina was that, although there was a slew of different aids and reliefs sent to New Orleans and other surrounding areas, there were periods where there wasn’t enough or too much time was taken so that the community and pretty much the federal government could have made a timely contribution. This makes my initial response to Hurricane Katrina and its effect on New Orleans and the things that were done to help them a negative response. This is why I am choosing to write about this touching topic, I want to inform readers and people who may not know some approaches taken (and not taken) to help New Orleans and the surrounding areas that were affected. * The purpose of me writing this a rgument will be to inform readers, of the direct and indirect effect of Hurricane Katrina.The tone will be informative, this strategy will suit me best for this paper because of the type of incident Hurricane Katrina was. Thesis will definitely be in the first paragraph. Most likely in the middle of the opening paragraph. There possibly will be a refutation, although, where I am going to put one at this point has not be determined. * My research question will be: What were the direct and indirect effects of Katrina on New Orleans, and what actions were made by the communities and government to effectively help Hurricane Katrina victims.Proposal /Disaster Research Proposal Page 2 * Books * Scholarly Articles * Library Database Proposal /Disaster Research Proposal Page 3 The intended audience for my informative paper will be teens and young adults, these seem to be the people who were involved and knew the most about Hurricane Katrina and the updates. Plus it is just an easier group o f people to write to. My audience is most likely between the ages of 15-30, because high school students were watching the news and getting updates by school and home, and because 30 year olds are still concerned with news.They most likely are middle class, being that most of the people effected by Hurricane Katrina were middle classed, so naturally other middle class people were tuned in. Gender probably wouldn’t matter, but education might play a big role. Being that people who were not as educated as others may not be so affected or concerned with what was going on in another state, because they themselves were not being affected.The major points that will be addressed in my analysis paper will be the indirect and direct effects of this natural disaster and the relief efforts and other helps that were made to help Katrina Victims. They will most likely find out how much Katrina victims were affected and what happened to them. Although, these will be things they have heard in the news there will also be other facts such as the economic effect this natural disaster had on New Orleans and surrounding areas.Not everything is for news, and although some people were concerned with this catastrophe, most people did not go and do their own research so they have been misinformed or left out of some things that actually did happen during this time. Some general beliefs that may be involved in his mishap, would be that when people need help, for example not being able to help themselves somebody of higher authority such as government should be able to step in and effectively take care of the situation. That is one example of personal beliefs. Proposal /Disaster Research Proposal Page 4 November 25- Type Proposal * November 26-Turn in Proposal, start research on Katrina and its effects * November 27- Research, find a thesis and begin to research on that * November 28- Research, start writing paper at least first 2 pages * November 29-Research, finish paper or co ntinue writing * November 30-Conference and feedback on what has been written so far or finished draft * December 3-peer reviews (on own time) * December 4-edit and review paper, consults notes and feedback from conference and peer reviews * December 5-Turn in paper, final copy

Haiti essays

Haiti essays Want to send this story to another AOL member? Click on the heart at the top of this window. PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) - Haitian authorities released an opposition candidate and four associates Saturday, nearly three weeks after they were arrested following regional elections, an opposition leader said. Authorities dropped charges of incitement to violence against candidate Jean Limongy and the four others, said Evans Paul of Limongy's Space for Concord five-party coalition. Limongy, a candidate for a lower house seat, and the others were arrested May 23, two days after local and legislative elections. More than 2 million Haitian voters, about 60 percent of the electorate, cast their ballots in the violence-free elections. The Lavalas Family party of former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide gained control of the upper house and was leading in most lower-house races as vote counting continued this week. Since the vote, police have arrested at least 37 opposition candidates and activists. Sixteen have been released. Space for Concord militant Laurore Noel, who was arrested with Limongy, remained in prison in Petit-Goave jail, about 35 miles southwest of the capital, Paul said. On Wednesday, three candidates projected as the winners for seats on the Port-au-Prince city council under Aristide's Lavalas Family banner were arrested on charges of having false police identification cards. Elections for legislative seats in Haiti's troubled Grand'-Anse district, where the vote was delayed due to technical difficulties, are set for Sunday, officials said. Haiti has been without a Parliament since President Rene Preval dismissed legislators in 1999 to resolve a power struggle. Copyright 2000 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, r ...

Barth Syndrome essays

Barth Syndrome essays Barth Syndrome is a genetic disorder that only effect males. It is an X-linked ressive genetic condition. A mother that carries the genetic code for Barth Syndrome will never show signs or symptoms of it. She will always pass it to her daughters, and will have a fifty- percent chance of passing it to her sons. The daughters will never show any signs or symptoms either. Barth Syndrome only effects only the males. If a male does inherit Barth Syndrome from his mother, he only has a 30% chance of living through his first few years. Of the 30% that are diagnosed, those who seek treatment have an 85% - 90% chance of living in to their fifties. Barth Syndrome had many effects on the male body. An effected male will be far below average in weight and height. The lack of growth in the boys is often looked at as evidence of poor nutrition or some other effects of an illness, the termed used for this is failure to thrive. The effected person will have muscle fatigue. This includes all muscles, even the heart. They have a cellular deficiency that effects their ability to produce energy, causing activities that require strength or stamina, extremely difficult. Activities like walking to growing to writing. The boys also experience Neutropenia. It is a weakness of the immune system. Specifically its a reduction in the number of neutrophils. A neutrophil is a white blood cell, whose responsibility is to fight bacterial infections. Neutropenia places the Barth boys at an increased risk of acquiring serious infections. These infections may include bacterial pneumonia and skin abscesses. Treatment of Barth Syndrome can be tricky. A doctor was troubled with the case of a 3-week-old male baby admitted for congestive heart failure. The doctor did an electrocardiogram that revealed an unusual camels hump of the T waves and progressive thickening of the left ventricular wall with increa ...

CELL BIOLOGY Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

CELL BIOLOGY - Essay Example Cholera toxin alters the ÃŽ ± subunit such that the G protein becomes constitutively activated. The result is an increase in cAMP and associated kinases that would amplify the cascade effect and therefore enhance the effect of norepinephrine. If the weaker interaction is still sufficient to activate the receptor but also allows for a faster exchange rate for norepinephrine molecules, then the result would be to enhance the effect of norepinephrine. If, instead, the interaction was not sufficient to activate the receptor, then the effects of norepinephrine would be inhibited because the inactive receptor would not respond to the norepinephrine signal. This will likely inhibit the effects of norepinephrine, because although binding of norepinephrine will still activate the receptor at the same rate, the receptor would no longer be stably associated with the G protein, and the signal will not be transduced from activated receptor to inactive G protein as efficiently. If the ÃŽ ± subunit is responsible for activating adenylate cyclase and signaling an increase in cAMP and activation of resulting cAMP-dependent kinases, then altering the interaction between the ï  ¢Ã¯  § and the protein kinase will have no effect. If instead, the ï  ¢Ã¯  § - protein kinase interaction is necessary for amplification of the norepinephrine signal, then weakening the interaction will have the effect described above (i.e. it will depend on whether or not the weaker interaction is still sufficient to activate the kinase.) ⇒By inhibiting protein phosphatases in general, protein kinases—activated by phosphorylation— and their downstream targets will have longer half lives because phosphatases won’t be available to hydrolyze their phosphate groups. If these kinases and downstream targets are required to potentiate the norepinephrine signal, then the effects of norepinephrine would be enhanced. 2. Receipt of extracellular signals can cause changes in cellular physiology. Some changes

Marketing 301 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Marketing 301 - Essay Example Each business organization wants to set a price which does not just cover all the costs incurred by the company but will also generate a sizable mark-up for the company. The profitability objective will be taken into account by having a sensitivity analysis which looks at the changes in profit when prices and volume varies. It should be noted that volume sales is often inversely related to price, that is, the lower the price the higher the volume and vice versa. In order to meet the volume objective, I will make sure that the price set will encourage the purchase of the desired volume. Next, in order to meet the competition objective, I will conduct a survey of the pricing of the different brands in the market to make sure that the price charged is at par with the local industry. Lastly, the pricing should support the prestige objective. Recognizing that the young women's apparel store should have a trendy and chic image, prices should not be kept too low in order to create this imag e. Low prices are often equated with lower quality and mediocrity. 2. Based on the direct mail marketing materials that I have found, a lot of firms are utilizing psychological pricing in order to entice customers in buying their products. Blouses are often priced around $5.99 or $8.95 in order to have the effect of being cheaper than it really is. This pricing strategy seems to be very consistent with competing firms like Wal-Mart and even Target.

Main dynamics driving the development of the modern state Coursework

Main dynamics driving the development of the modern state - Coursework Example In the current context of globalisation, the concept of State autonomy has been subjected to scrutiny, as regards financial and commercial activities (Cudworth, Hall and McGovern, 2008). Owing to these issues, scholars have started analysing the dynamics behind development and origins of the modern state, in order to comprehend the underlying processes and its future shape. This essay review the various dynamics that played a major role during development of the modern state, including the institutionalist, economic and security approaches, and connects these varied approaches to developing an understanding on the concept of modern statehood. Recent studies have emphasised the necessity of analysing the origin and subsequent development of a modern state, primarily owing to the hypothesis that a contemporary State has reached its peak and hence would start declining henceforth. Increasing powers of multinational organisations like World Trade Organization and supranational bodies suc h as European Union indicate an end to the nations-state’s authoritative power (Pierson, 2012). From this viewpoint, state sovereignty is shifting to supranational and multilateral levels of authority (Rosenau and Czempiel, 1992). At the same time, there are reports of states breaking apart into small and fragmented entities. A number of states that appeared as logical territorial bodies, have rapidly fallen apart and the centrifugal forces have not remained restricted only to developing nations, where there might be suppositions that ethnic unrest would arise naturally within the arti?cially imposed borders created by their former colonial rulers and post-independence weak economic conditions. However, developed socialist and capitalist states have also fallen prey to the centrifugal forces and broken apart, such as Soviet Union and Canada (where Quebecois lost a mandate or else territorial integrity of the country would have faced a serious challenges). In the post-Cold War era, there seem to be an uneasy co-existence of centrifugal forces and collective dynamics, and it is essential to examine the methods of historical transitions that help one to draw insights into the modern state and its current form. Development of modern state through warfare: an important dynamics that played a major role in development of modern state is the impact of warfare on the capacity of a state. During the fourteenth century, military technology started changing remarkably, where heavy and mounted cavalry (archetype of feudal warfare) were slowly removed, which led to the decline in the superiority of the mounted knight (Contamine, 1984). The widening scope of war also led to the formation of standing armies and various mercenary contingents, which forced the rulers to raise greater taxes for funding such armies. This transformation greatly helped royal administration to expand while causing a sharp rise in taxes levied on the common people (Ames and Rapp, 1977). The F rench Revolution brought in further changes where the government, instead of depending on large mercenary forces, looked at mobilising an entire national population to rise and revolt against ruling authority. Soon, other states such as, Britain, Russia, Austria and Prussia, after observing transformations in France, changed their army framework and the Ratchet effects swept all over Europe. The scholars that stress on warfare transformation as a major reason for emergence of modern state primarily focus on the dynamics at macro levels that put pressure at systemic levels (Webber and Wildavsky 1986). Recently, scholars have also analysed this cause at a micro-level, where it was derived that military contexts brought forth

The colonisation of Southern Africa Essay Example for Free

The colonisation of Southern Africa Essay To what extent did the colonisation of Southern Africa benefit the indigenous people of these territories? It is arguable as to whether the imperialism was of benefit to the indigenous people. However it would be false to say they gained nothing. The Africans had a culture totally different to the Europeans and less technologically advanced. The Europeans brought with them their culture, values and ideas, yet at the same time oppressed and demolished the original culture of the natives. They considered themselves to be superior and therefore correct. The indigenous people didnt consider themselves to be inadequate. David Livingstone was a more sympathetic missionary and once said The English are the most philanthropic people in the world.-David and Charles Livingstone, Narrative of an Expedition to the Zambesi. They thought themselves better than the Africans so that made it their duty to god to impose their own religious and cultural beliefs. Desire to bring civilisation to the African peoples, by furnishing the native with the means of instruction. The indigenous people benefited from new ideas and technology brought over from Europe such as medicine. Some were even educated in Western ways, learning administration and English, new laws were introduced. Voting and administration were also initiated. The Africans could learn from the Europeans and become more advanced. the most remarkable contribution of colonialism in Africa was in ideas and techniques- the ideas of justice, freedom of speech, worship, travel, the rule of law, and the techniques of voting and administration.-Kofi Busia, a native person. Some indigenous people did benefit from the colonialisation of Africa. Of course it was not all admirable, there were also detriments. The Africans were not treated as equals, they were exploited and were even enslaved to help the foreigners execute their desires. Infrastructure resulted in forced labour. Taxes were introduced, and so the Africans had to work. Railways were built and cities developed, all by the sweat and blood of the Africans. Land was stolen in order for the Europeans to build and mine, like Cecil Rhodes. Borders were rearranged, and so families were split and authority lost. Many died and some were forced to migrate. Only the males were educated and communicated with, the women who once played an important role in society were not equal to males. The white man killed my father; the white man, his hands red with black blood, with lordly voice, turned to me: hey boy, a drink, a napkin, water-David DIOP, A Sengalese poet. The attitude that the natives had was of hate and fear. They were treated terribly worse than animals, as animals dont have beliefs and are allowed to spend the day grazing. Weve become their inferiors from an Arabic poem. This also conveys feelings of animosity. They may have gained but they also lost. In the opinions of most Africans they benefited nothing. Africa did benefit slightly, though when juxtaposed to the impairment, one can conclude that there was more harm than gain. For what they benefited, they lost much more and had no choice in it. The indigenous people pf South Africa had little or no say in what went on. They didnt send for Europeans to come and design railways or tax them.

Essay --

All around the book of Deuteronomy, God gave quick directions to His people on how they were to live when they arrived in Canaan, the region that God had ensured to Abraham. These guidelines even consolidated the kind of government they should just structure. At the start, they could be supervised by a game plan of judges. By then, in Deuteronomy 17:14-15, God told the Israelites that rulers should just run over the people, however simply those masters who were especially picked by God. The Hebrews ended up in the same position as the first generation that left Israel. As the Israelites, all had consented to be in pledge with the Lord. Furthermore additionally like the Israelites, not each one of the said who submitted to the pledge truly accepted. God cautioned the Israelites to endure in their confidence yet the majority of the original did not. Just Caleb and Joshua from the original were permitted into the Promised Land. Similarly, it was conceivable that just a couple of the Heb rews being tended to in this letter might endure and enter into the guarantees of Christ. (The Nation of Israel) The most significant thing to recognize in 3:18–19 is the nearby association between insubordination and unbelief. In verse 18 we are told that God banned the insubordinate from the Promised Land. Verse 19 lets us know that the original did not enter the Promised Land in light of rebellion. This lets us know that noncompliance and unbelief are eventually synonymous. In the event that an individual proclaims to have faith in the Lord yet carries on with a life of ceaseless defiance to Him, that individual is in jeopardy of being considered as a real part of the heretic. That unbelief and rebellion are eventually synonymous and should not am... ...in and again, God sent prophets to the people to alert them that there could be grave comes about for their insubordination. The last fragment of the Old Testament records the articulations that God charged His prophets to say. Every desire God made through His prophets for the destruction and untouchable of Israel happened. (The Nation of Israel) To see the solicitation of the works of the prophets, we can put them into a chart equivalent to the one we made for the Israeli rulers. The events that were happening all around the times of I and Ii Samuel, I and Ii Kings and I and Ii Chronicles were the precise ones that the prophets tried to alert the people of Israel about. Israel's history substantiates the truthfulness of God's expressions. The individuals did not remain unwavering to God and they were determined from the area and the sanctuary was left in remains.

Twilight 2. OPEN BOOK

The next day was better†¦ and worse. It was better because it wasn't raining yet, though the clouds were dense and opaque. It was easier because I knew what to expect of my day. Mike came to sit by me in English, and walked me to my next class, with Chess Club Eric glaring at him all the while; that was nattering. People didn't look at me quite as much as they had yesterday. I sat with a big group at lunch that included Mike, Eric, Jessica, and several other people whose names and faces I now remembered. I began to feel like I was treading water, instead of drowning in it. It was worse because I was tired; I still couldn't sleep with the wind echoing around the house. It was worse because Mr. Varner called on me in Trig when my hand wasn't raised and I had the wrong answer. It was miserable because I had to play volleyball, and the one time I didn't cringe out of the way of the ball, I hit my teammate in the head with it. And it was worse because Edward Cullen wasn't in school at all. All morning I was dreading lunch, fearing his bizarre glares. Part of me wanted to confront him and demand to know what his problem was. While I was lying sleepless in my bed, I even imagined what I would say. But I knew myself too well to think I would really have the guts to do it. I made the Cowardly Lion look like the terminator. But when I walked into the cafeteria with Jessica – trying to keep my eyes from sweeping the place for him, and failing entirely – I saw that his four siblings of sorts were sitting together at the same table, and he was not with them. Mike intercepted us and steered us to his table. Jessica seemed elated by the attention, and her friends quickly joined us. But as I tried to listen to their easy chatter, I was terribly uncomfortable, waiting nervously for the moment he would arrive. I hoped that he would simply ignore me when he came, and prove my suspicions false. He didn't come, and as time passed I grew more and more tense. I walked to Biology with more confidence when, by the end of lunch, he still hadn't showed. Mike, who was taking on the qualities of a golden retriever, walked faithfully by my side to class. I held my breath at the door, but Edward Cullen wasn't there, either. I exhaled and went to my seat. Mike followed, talking about an upcoming trip to the beach. He lingered by my desk till the bell rang. Then he smiled at me wistfully and went to sit by a girl with braces and a bad perm. It looked like I was going to have to do something about Mike, and it wouldn't be easy. In a town like this, where everyone lived on top of everyone else, diplomacy was essential. I had never been enormously tactful; I had no practice dealing with overly friendly boys. I was relieved that I had the desk to myself, that Edward was absent. I told myself that repeatedly. But I couldn't get rid of the nagging suspicion that I was the reason he wasn't there. It was ridiculous, and egotistical, to think that I could affect anyone that strongly. It was impossible. And yet I couldn't stop worrying that it was true. When the school day was finally done, and the blush was fading out of my cheeks from the volleyball incident, I changed quickly back into my jeans and navy blue sweater. I hurried from the girls' locker room, pleased to find that I had successfully evaded my retriever friend for the moment. I walked swiftly out to the parking lot. It was crowded now with fleeing students. I got in my truck and dug through my bag to make sure I had what I needed. Last night I'd discovered that Charlie couldn't cook much besides fried eggs and bacon. So I requested that I be assigned kitchen detail for the duration of my stay. He was willing enough to hand over the keys to the banquet hall. I also found out that he had no food in the house. So I had my shopping list and the cash from the jar in the cupboard labeled FOOD, MONEY, and I was on my way to the Thriftway. I gunned my deafening engine to life, ignoring the heads that turned in my direction, and backed carefully into a place in the line of cars that were waiting to exit the parking lot. As I waited, trying to pretend that the earsplitting rumble was coming from someone else's car, I saw the two Cullens and the Hale twins getting into their car. It was the shiny new Volvo. Of course. I hadn't noticed their clothes before – I'd been too mesmerized by their faces. Now that I looked, it was obvious that they were all dressed exceptionally well; simply, but in clothes that subtly hinted at designer origins. With their remarkable good looks, the style with which they carried themselves, they could have worn dishrags and pulled it off. It seemed excessive for them to have both looks and money. But as far as I could tell, life worked that way most of the time. It didn't look as if it bought them any acceptance here. No, I didn't fully believe that. The isolation must be their desire; I couldn't imagine any door that wouldn't be opened by that degree of beauty. They looked at my noisy truck as I passed them, just like everyone else. I kept my eyes straight forward and was relieved when I finally was free of the school grounds. The Thriftway was not far from the school, just a few streets south, off the highway. It was nice to be inside the supermarket; it felt normal. I did the shopping at home, and I fell into the pattern of the familiar task gladly. The store was big enough inside that I couldn't hear the tapping of the rain on the roof to remind me where I was. When I got home, I unloaded all the groceries, stuffing them in wherever I could find an open space. I hoped Charlie wouldn't mind. I wrapped potatoes in foil and stuck them in the oven to bake, covered a steak in marinade and balanced it on top of a carton of eggs in the fridge. When I was finished with that, I took my book bag upstairs. Before starting my homework, I changed into a pair of dry sweats, pulled my damp hair up into a pony-tail, and checked my e-mail for the first time. I had three messages. â€Å"Bella,† my mom wrote†¦ Write me as soon as you get in. Tell me how your flight was. Is it raining? I miss you already. I'm almost finished packing for Florida, but I can't find my pink blouse. Do you know where I put it? Phil says hi. Mom. I sighed and went to the next. It was sent eight hours after the first. â€Å"Bella,† she wrote†¦ Why haven't you e-mailed me yet? What are you waiting for? Mom. The last was from this morning. Isabella, If I haven't heard from you by 5:30 p.m. today I'm calling Charlie. I checked the clock. I still had an hour, but my mom was well known for jumping the gun. Mom, Calm down. I'm writing right now. Don't do anything rash.Bella. I sent that, and began again. Mom, Everything is great. Of course it's raining. I was waiting for something to write about. School isn't bad, just a little repetitive. I met some nice kids who sit by me at lunch. Your blouse is at the dry cleaners – you were supposed to pick it up Friday. Charlie bought me a truck, can you believe it? I love it. It's old, but really sturdy, which is good, you know, for me. I miss you, too. I'll write again soon, but I'm not going to check my e-mail every five minutes. Relax, breathe. I love you. Bella. I had decided to read Wuthering Heights – the novel we were currently studying in English – yet again for the fun of it, and that's what I was doing when Charlie came home. I'd lost track of the time, and I hurried downstairs to take the potatoes out and put the steak in to broil. â€Å"Bella?† my father called out when he heard me on the stairs. Who else? I thought to myself. â€Å"Hey, Dad, welcome home.† â€Å"Thanks.† He hung up his gun belt and stepped out of his boots as I bustled about the kitchen. As far as I was aware, he'd never shot the gun on the job. But he kept it ready. When I came here as a child, he would always remove the bullets as soon as he walked in the door. I guess he considered me old enough now not to shoot myself by accident, and not depressed enough to shoot myself on purpose. â€Å"What's for dinner?† he asked warily. My mother was an imaginative cook, and her experiments weren't always edible. I was surprised, and sad, that he seemed to remember that far back. â€Å"Steak and potatoes,† I answered, and he looked relieved. He seemed to feel awkward standing in the kitchen doing nothing; he lumbered into the living room to watch TV while I worked. We were both more comfortable that way. I made a salad while the steaks cooked, and set the table. I called him in when dinner was ready, and he sniffed appreciatively as he walked into the room. â€Å"Smells good, Bell.† â€Å"Thanks.† We ate in silence for a few minutes. It wasn't uncomfortable. Neither of us was bothered by the quiet. In some ways, we were well suited for living together. â€Å"So, how did you like school? Have you made any friends?† he asked as he was taking seconds. â€Å"Well, I have a few classes with a girl named Jessica. I sit with her friends at lunch. And there's this boy, Mike, who's very friendly.Everybody seems pretty nice.† With one outstanding exception. â€Å"That must be Mike Newton. Nice kid – nice family. His dad owns the sporting goods store just outside of town. He makes a good living off all the backpackers who come through here.† â€Å"Do you know the Cullen family?† I asked hesitantly. â€Å"Dr. Cullen's family? Sure. Dr. Cullen's a great man.† â€Å"They†¦ the kids†¦ are a little different. They don't seem to fit in very well at school.† Charlie surprised me by looking angry. â€Å"People in this town,† he muttered. â€Å"Dr. Cullen is a brilliant surgeon who could probably work in any hospital in the world, make ten times the salary he gets here,† he continued, getting louder. â€Å"We're lucky to have him – lucky that his wife wanted to live in a small town. He's an asset to the community, and all of those kids are well behaved and polite. I had my doubts, when they first moved in, with all those adopted teenagers. I thought we might have some problems with them. But they're all very mature – I haven't had one speck of trouble from any of them. That's more than I can say for the children of some folks who have lived in this town for generations. And they stick together the way a family should – camping trips every other weekend†¦ Just because they're newcomers, people have to talk.† It was the longest speech I'd ever heard Charlie make. He must feel strongly about whatever people were saying. I backpedaled. â€Å"They seemed nice enough to me. I just noticed they kept to themselves. They're all very attractive,† I added, trying to be more complimentary. â€Å"You should see the doctor,† Charlie said, laughing. â€Å"It's a good thing he's happily married. A lot of the nurses at the hospital have a hard time concentrating on their work with him around.† We lapsed back into silence as we finished eating. He cleared the table while I started on the dishes. He went back to the TV, and after I finished washing the dishes by hand – no dishwasher – I went upstairs unwillingly to work on my math homework. I could feel a tradition in the making.That night it was finally quiet. I fell asleep quickly, exhausted. The rest of the week was uneventful. I got used to the routine of my classes. By Friday I was able to recognize, if not name, almost all the students at school. In Gym, the kids on my team learned not to pass me the ball and to step quickly in front of me if the other team tried to take advantage of my weakness. I happily stayed out of their way. Edward Cullen didn't come back to school. Every day, I watched anxiously until the rest of the Cullens entered the cafeteria without him. Then I could relax and join in the lunchtime conversation. Mostly it centered around a trip to the La Push Ocean Park in two weeks that Mike was putting together. I was invited, and I had agreed to go, more out of politeness than desire. Beaches should be hot and dry. By Friday I was perfectly comfortable entering my Biology class, no longer worried that Edward would be there. For all I knew, he had dropped out of school. I tried not to think about him, but I couldn't totally suppress the worry that I was responsible for his continued absence, ridiculous as it seemed. My first weekend in Forks passed without incident. Charlie, unused to spending time in the usually empty house, worked most of the weekend. I cleaned the house, got ahead on my homework, and wrote my mom more bogusly cheerful e-mail. I did drive to the library Saturday, but it was so poorly stocked that I didn't bother to get a card; I would have to make a date to visit Olympia or Seattle soon and find a good bookstore. I wondered idly what kind of gas mileage the truck got†¦ and shuddered at the thought. The rain stayed soft over the weekend, quiet, so I was able to sleep well. People greeted me in the parking lot Monday morning. I didn't know all their names, but I waved back and smiled at everyone. It was colder this morning, but happily not raining. In English, Mike took his accustomed seat by my side. We had a pop quiz on Wuthering Heights. It was straightforward, very easy. All in all, I was feeling a lot more comfortable than I had thought I would feel by this point. More comfortable than I had ever expected to feel here. When we walked out of class, the air was full of swirling bits of white. I could hear people shouting excitedly to each other. The wind bit at my cheeks, my nose. â€Å"Wow,† Mike said. â€Å"It's snowing.† I looked at the little cotton fluffs that were building up along the sidewalk and swirling erratically past my face. â€Å"Ew.† Snow. There went my good day. He looked surprised. â€Å"Don't you like snow?† â€Å"No. That means it's too cold for rain.† Obviously. â€Å"Besides, I thought it was supposed to come down in flakes – you know, each one unique and all that. These just look like the ends of Q-tips.† â€Å"Haven't you ever seen snow fall before?† he asked incredulously. â€Å"Sure I have.† I paused. â€Å"On TV.† Mike laughed. And then a big, squishy ball of dripping snow smacked into the back of his head. We both turned to see where it came from. I had my suspicions about Eric, who was walking away, his back toward us – in the wrong direction for his next class. Mike appatently had the same notion. He bent over and began scraping together a pile of the white mush. â€Å"I'll see you at lunch, okay?† I kept walking as I spoke. â€Å"Once people start throwing wet stuff, I go inside.† He just nodded, his eyes on Eric's retreating figure. Throughout the morning, everyone chattered excitedly about the snow; apparently it was the first snowfall of the new year. I kept my mouth shut. Sure, it was drier than rain – until it melted in your socks. I walked alertly to the cafeteria with Jessica after Spanish. Mush balls were flying everywhere. I kept a binder in my hands, ready to use it as a shield if necessary. Jessica thought I was hilarious, but something in my expression kept her from lobbing a snowball at me herself. Mike caught up to us as we walked in the doors, laughing, with ice melting the spikes in his hair. He and Jessica were talking animatedly about the snow fight as we got in line to buy food. I glanced toward that table in the corner out of habit. And then I froze where I stood. There were five people at the table. Jessica pulled on my arm. â€Å"Hello? Bella? What do you want?† I looked down; my ears were hot. I had no reason to feel self-conscious, I reminded myself. I hadn't done anything wrong. â€Å"What's with Bella?† Mike asked Jessica. â€Å"Nothing,† I answered. â€Å"I'll just get a soda today.† I caught up to the end of the line. â€Å"Aren't you hungry?† Jessica asked. â€Å"Actually, I feel a little sick,† I said, my eyes still on the floor. I waited for them to get their food, and then followed them to a table, my eyes on my feet. I sipped my soda slowly, my stomach churning. Twice Mike asked, with unnecessary concern, how I was feeling. I told him it was nothing, but I was wondering if I should play it up and escape to the nurse's office for the next hour. Ridiculous. I shouldn't have to run away. I decided to permit myself one glance at the Cullen family's table. If he was glaring at me, I would skip Biology, like the coward I was. I kept my head down and glanced up under my lashes. None of them were looking this way. I lifted my head a little. They were laughing. Edward, Jasper, and Emmett all had their hair entirely saturated with melting snow. Alice and Rosalie were leaning away as Emmett shook his dripping hair toward them. They were enjoying the snowy day, just like everyone else – only they looked more like a scene from a movie than the rest of us. But, aside from the laughter and playfulness, there was something different, and I couldn't quite pinpoint what that difference was. I examined Edward the most carefully. His skin was less pale, I decided – flushed from the snow fight maybe – the circles under his eyes much less noticeable. But there was something more. I pondered, staring, trying to isolate the change. â€Å"Bella, what are you staring at?† Jessica intruded, her eyes following my stare. At that precise moment, his eyes flashed over to meet mine. I dropped my head, letting my hair fall to conceal my face. I was sure, though, in the instant our eyes met, that he didn't look harsh or unfriendly as he had the last time I'd seen him. He looked merely curious again, unsatisfied in some way. â€Å"Edward Cullen is staring at you,† Jessica giggled in my ear. â€Å"He doesn't look angry, does he?† I couldn't help asking. â€Å"No,† she said, sounding confused by my question. â€Å"Should he be?† â€Å"I don't think he likes me,† I confided. I still felt queasy. I put my head down on my arm. â€Å"The Cullens don't like anybody†¦ well, they don't notice anybody enough to like them. But he's still staring at you.† â€Å"Stop looking at him,† I hissed. She snickered, but she looked away. I raised my head enough to make sure that she did, contemplating violence if she resisted. Mike interrupted us then – he was planning an epic battle of the blizzard in the parking lot after school and wanted us to join. Jessica agreed enthusiastically. The way she looked at Mike left little doubt that she would be up for anything he suggested. I kept silent. I would have to hide in the gym until the parking lot cleared. For the rest of the lunch hour I very carefully kept my eyes at my own table. I decided to honor the bargain I'd made with myself. Since he didn't look angry, I would go to Biology. My stomach did frightened little flips at the thought of sitting next to him again. I didn't really want to walk to class with Mike as usual – he seemed to be a popular target for the snowball snipers – but when we went to the door, everyone besides me groaned in unison. It was raining, washing all traces of the snow away in clear, icy ribbons down the side of the walkway. I pulled my hood up, secretly pleased. I would be free to go straight home after Gym. Mike kept up a string of complaints on the way to building four. Once inside the classroom, I saw with relief that my table was still empty. Mr. Banner was walking around the room, distributing one microscope and box of slides to each table. Class didn't start for a few minutes, and the room buzzed with conversation. I kept my eyes away from the door, doodling idly on the cover of my notebook. I heard very clearly when the chair next to me moved, but my eyes stayed carefully focused on the pattern I was drawing. â€Å"Hello,† said a quiet, musical voice. I looked up, stunned that he was speaking to me. He was sitting as far away from me as the desk allowed, but his chair was angled toward me. His hair was dripping wet, disheveled – even so, he looked like he'd just finished shooting a commercial for hair gel. His dazzling face was friendly, open, a slight smile on his flawless lips. But his eyes were careful. â€Å"My name is Edward Cullen,† he continued. â€Å"I didn't have a chance to introduce myself last week. You must be Bella Swan.† My mind was spinning with confusion. Had I made up the whole thing? He was perfectly polite now. I had to speak; he was waiting. But I couldn't think of anything conventional to say. â€Å"H-how do you know my name?† I stammered. He laughed a soft, enchanting laugh. â€Å"Oh, I think everyone knows your name. The whole town's been waiting for you to arrive.† I grimaced. I knew it was something like that. â€Å"No,† I persisted stupidly. â€Å"I meant, why did you call me Bella?† He seemed confused. â€Å"Do you prefer Isabella?† â€Å"No, I like Bella,† I said. â€Å"But I think Charlie – I mean my dad – must call me Isabella behind my back – that's what everyone here seems to know me as,† I tried to explain, feeling like an utter moron. â€Å"Oh.† He let it drop. I looked away awkwardly. Thankfully, Mr. Banner started class at that moment. I tried to concentrate as he explained the lab we would be doing today. The slides in the box were out of order. Working as lab partners, we had to separate the slides of onion root tip cells into the phases of mitosis they represented and label them accordingly. We weren't supposed to use our books. In twenty minutes, he would be coming around to see who had it right. â€Å"Get started,† he commanded. â€Å"Ladies first, partner?† Edward asked. I looked up to see him smiling a crooked smile so beautiful that I could only stare at him like an idiot. â€Å"Or I could start, if you wish.† The smile faded; he was obviously wondering if I was mentally competent. â€Å"No,† I said, flushing. â€Å"I'll go ahead.† I was showing off, just a little. I'd already done this lab, and I knew what I was looking for. It should be easy. I snapped the first slide into place under the microscope and adjusted it quickly to the 40X objective. I studied the slide briefly. My assessment was confident. â€Å"Prophase.† â€Å"Do you mind if I look?† he asked as I began to remove the slide. His hand caught mine, to stop me, as he asked. His fingers were ice-cold, like he'd been holding them in a snowdrift before class. But that wasn't why I jerked my hand away so quickly. When he touched me, it stung my hand as if an electric current had passed through us. â€Å"I'm sorry,† he muttered, pulling his hand back immediately. However, he continued to reach for the microscope. I watched him, still staggered, as he examined the slide for an even shorter time than I had. â€Å"Prophase,† he agreed, writing it neatly in the first space on our worksheet. He swiftly switched out the first slide for the second, and then glanced at it cursorily. â€Å"Anaphase,† he murmured, writing it down as he spoke. I kept my voice indifferent. â€Å"May I?† He smirked and pushed the microscope to me. I looked through the eyepiece eagerly, only to be disappointed. Dang it, he was right. â€Å"Slide three?† I held out my hand without looking at him. He handed it to me; it seemed like he was being careful not to touch my skin again. I took the most fleeting look I could manage. â€Å"Interphase.† I passed him the microscope before he could ask for it. He took a swift peek, and then wrote it down. I would have written it while he looked, but his clear, elegant script intimidated me. I didn't want to spoil the page with my clumsy scrawl. We were finished before anyone else was close. I could see Mike and his partner comparing two slides again and again, and another group had their book open under the table. Which left me with nothing to do but try to not look at him†¦ unsuccessfully. I glanced up, and he was staring at me, that same inexplicable look of frustration in his eyes. Suddenly I identified that subtle difference in his face. â€Å"Did you get contacts?† I blurted out unthinkingly. He seemed puzzled by my unexpected question. â€Å"No.† â€Å"Oh,† I mumbled. â€Å"I thought there was something different about your eyes.† He shrugged, and looked away. In fact, I was sure there was something different. I vividly remembered the flat black color of his eyes the last time he'd glared at me – the color was striking against the background of his pale skin and his auburn hair. Today, his eyes were a completely different color: a strange ocher, darker than butterscotch, but with the same golden tone. I didn't understand how that could be, unless he was lying for some reason about the contacts. Or maybe Forks was making me crazy in the literal sense of the word. I looked down. His hands were clenched into hard fists again. Mr. Banner came to our table then, to see why we weren't working. He looked over our shoulders to glance at the completed lab, and then stared more intently to check the answers. â€Å"So, Edward, didn't you think Isabella should get a chance with the microscope?† Mr. Banner asked. â€Å"Bella,† Edward corrected automatically. â€Å"Actually, she identified three of the five.† Mr. Banner looked at me now; his expression was skeptical. â€Å"Have you done this lab before?† he asked. I smiled sheepishly. â€Å"Not with onion root.† â€Å"Whitefish blastula?† â€Å"Yeah.† Mr. Banner nodded. â€Å"Were you in an advanced placement program in Phoenix?† â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"Well,† he said after a moment, â€Å"I guess it's good you two are lab partners.† He mumbled something else as he walked away. After he left, I began doodling on my notebook again. â€Å"It's too bad about the snow, isn't it?† Edward asked. I had the feeling that he was forcing himself to make small talk with me. Paranoia swept over me again. It was like he had heard my conversation with Jessica at lunch and was trying to prove me wrong. â€Å"Not really,† I answered honestly, instead of pretending to be normal like everyone else. I was still trying to dislodge the stupid feeling of suspicion, and I couldn't concentrate. â€Å"You don't like the cold.† It wasn't a question. â€Å"Or the wet.† â€Å"Forks must be a difficult place for you to live,† he mused. â€Å"You have no idea,† I muttered darkly. He looked fascinated by what I said, for some reason I couldn't imagine. His face was such a distraction that I tried not to look at it any more than courtesy absolutely demanded. â€Å"Why did you come here, then?† No one had asked me that – not straight out like he did, demanding. â€Å"It's†¦ complicated.† â€Å"I think I can keep up,† he pressed. I paused for a long moment, and then made the mistake of meeting his gaze. His dark gold eyes confused me, and I answered without thinking. â€Å"My mother got remarried,† I said. â€Å"That doesn't sound so complex,† he disagreed, but he was suddenly sympathetic. â€Å"When did that happen?† â€Å"Last September.† My voice sounded sad, even to me. â€Å"And you don't like him,† Edward surmised, his tone still kind. â€Å"No, Phil is fine. Too young, maybe, but nice enough.† â€Å"Why didn't you stay with them?† I couldn't fathom his interest, but he continued to stare at me with penetrating eyes, as if my dull life's story was somehow vitally important. â€Å"Phil travels a lot. He plays ball for a living.† I half-smiled. â€Å"Have I heard of him?† he asked, smiling in response. â€Å"Probably not. He doesn't play well. Strictly minor league. He moves around a lot.† â€Å"And your mother sent you here so that she could travel with him.† He said it as an assumption again, not a question. My chin raised a fraction. â€Å"No, she did not send me here. I sent myself.† His eyebrows knit together. â€Å"I don't understand,† he admitted, and he seemed unnecessarily frustrated by that fact. I sighed. Why was I explaining this to him? He continued to stare at me with obvious curiosity. â€Å"She stayed with me at first, but she missed him. It made her unhappy†¦ so I decided it was time to spend some quality time with Charlie.† My voice was glum by the time I finished. â€Å"But now you're unhappy,† he pointed out. â€Å"And?† I challenged. â€Å"That doesn't seem fair.† He shrugged, but his eyes were still intense. I laughed without humor. â€Å"Hasn't anyone ever told you? Life isn't fair.† â€Å"I believe I have heard that somewhere before,† he agreed dryly. â€Å"So that's all,† I insisted, wondering why he was still staring at me that way. His gaze became appraising. â€Å"You put on a good show,† he said slowly. â€Å"But I'd be willing to bet that you're suffering more than you let anyone see.† I grimaced at him, resisting the impulse to stick out my tongue like a five-year-old, and looked away. â€Å"Am I wrong?† I tried to ignore him. â€Å"I didn't think so,† he murmured smugly. â€Å"Why does it matter to you?† I asked, irritated. I kept my eyes away, watching the teacher make his rounds. â€Å"That's a very good question,† he muttered, so quietly that I wondered if he was talking to himself. However, after a few seconds of silence, I decided that was the only answer I was going to get. I sighed, scowling at the blackboard. â€Å"Am I annoying you?† he asked. He sounded amused. I glanced at him without thinking†¦ and told the truth again. â€Å"Not exactly. I'm more annoyed at myself. My face is so easy to read – my mother always calls me her open book.† I frowned. â€Å"On the contrary, I find you very difficult to read.† Despite everything that I'd said and he'd guessed, he sounded like he meant it. â€Å"You must be a good reader then,† I replied. â€Å"Usually.† He smiled widely, flashing a set of perfect, ultrawhite teeth. Mr. Banner called the class to order then, and I turned with relief to listen. I was in disbelief that I'd just explained my dreary life to this bizarre, beautiful boy who may or may not despise me. He'd seemed engrossed in our conversation, but now I could see, from the corner of my eye, that he was leaning away from me again, his hands gripping the edge of the table with unmistakable tension. I tried to appear attentive as Mr. Banner illustrated, with transparencies on the overhead projector, what I had seen without difficulty through the microscope. But my thoughts were unmanageable. When the bell finally rang, Edward rushed as swiftly and as gracefully from the room as he had last Monday. And, like last Monday, I stared after him in amazement. Mike skipped quickly to my side and picked up my books for me. I imagined him with a wagging tail. â€Å"That was awful,† he groaned. â€Å"They all looked exactly the same. You're lucky you had Cullen for a partner.† â€Å"I didn't have any trouble with it,† I said, stung by his assumption. I regretted the snub instantly. â€Å"I've done the lab before, though,† I added before he could get his feelings hurt. â€Å"Cullen seemed friendly enough today,† he commented as we shrugged into our raincoats. He didn't seem pleased about it. I tried to sound indifferent. â€Å"I wonder what was with him last Monday.† I couldn't concentrate on Mike's chatter as we walked to Gym, and RE. didn't do much to hold my attention, either. Mike was on my team today. He chivalrously covered my position as well as his own, so my woolgathering was only interrupted when it was my turn to serve; my team ducked warily out of the way every time I was up. The rain was just a mist as I walked to the parking lot, but I was happier when I was in the dry cab. I got the heater running, for once not caring about the mind-numbing roar of the engine. I unzipped my jacket, put the hood down, and fluffed my damp hair out so the heater could dry it on the way home. I looked around me to make sure it was clear. That's when I noticed the still, white figure. Edward Cullen was leaning against the front door of the Volvo, three cars down from me, and staring intently in my direction. I swiftly looked away and threw the truck into reverse, almost hitting a rusty Toyota Corolla in my haste. Lucky for the Toyota, I stomped on the brake in time. It was just the sort of car that my truck would make scrap metal of. I took a deep breath, still looking out the other side of my car, and cautiously pulled out again, with greater success. I stared straight ahead as I passed the Volvo, but from a peripheral peek, I would swear I saw him laughing.