Wuthering Heights Conflict Between Savage and Civilised

The conflict between nature and civilization in Wuthering Heights As Charlotte Bronte mentioned on sister Emily’s Wuthering Heights: †Ã¢â‚¬ ¦She did not know what she had done;† creative artists â€Å"work passively under dictates [they] neither delivered nor could question.† I can say that Emily Bronte knew what she was doing when approaching the issues of the Wuthering Heights. The antagonic play between nature and culture in Bronte’s vision were of great impact at the time and I could say that this is a reason why Wuthering Heights is a literary masterpiece. The Romantic elements come together and offer us beautiful and intense images. First, the â€Å"strange† story: non-normative, original, powerful, imaginative. Then the characters, intense,†¦show more content†¦Catherines decision to marry Edgar so that she will be the greatest woman of the neighborhood is only the most obvious example. The Lintons are relatively firm in their gentry status but nonetheless take great pains to prove this status through their behaviors. The Earnshaws, on the other hand, rest on much shakier ground socially. They do not have a carriage, they have less land, and their house, as Lockwood remarks, resembles that of a homely, northern farmer and not that of a gentleman. The shifting nature of social status is demonstrated most strikingly in Heathcliffs trajectory from homeless waif to young gentleman-by-adoption to common laborer to gentleman again (although the status-conscious Lockwood remarks that Heathcliff is only a gentleman in dress a nd manners). The environment the characters live in is another way to understand the conflict between the nature and the civilization in the writing. First, we must note that Wuthering Heights is a place of wildness, passion and life while the Thrushcross Grange is a place of convention and culture and stands up for a refined way of life. The constant emphasis on landscape within the text of Wuthering Heights endows the setting with symbolic importance. This landscape is comprised primarily of moors: wide, wild expanses, high, and thus infertile. Moorland cannot be cultivated, and its uniformity makes navigation difficult. It features particularly waterlogged patches inShow MoreRelatedThe Conflict Between Nature and Culture in Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontà « and a Room with a View by E.M.Forster1649 Words   |  7 Pagesreaders enjoy ‘Wuthering Heights’ as a form of escapism, a flight from reality into the seclusion and eerie mists of the Yorkshire moors, where the supernatural seems commonplace and the searing passion between Catherine and Heathcliff absolute. Yet Wuthering Heights reaches much further than its atmospheric setting, exploring the complexities of family relationships and Victorian society’s restrictions; similarly, in ‘A Room with a View’, E.M. Forster expands the relationship between Lucy and George

Youth culture Free Essays

There is a distinctive kind of expression by which young people demonstrate which is generally different from the accepted culture of their community. These methods by which the youth express themselves and communicate are known as youth culture. (Wikipedia). We will write a custom essay sample on Youth culture or any similar topic only for you Order Now It is said that young people have their own subculture that is unique to themselves. This was believed to have started because of the economic and political climate that was most dominant during the 20th century, after World War II (Wikipedia). Today’s youth are not entirely dependent on their parents for their knowledge and opinions. They have become more independent as time goes on. There are many changes that   they undergo and it takes extra effort to really understand all of their behavior (Taylor, Carl 2003). In most of the social problems encountered by today’s young adults, the critical factor is the role of parents and educational institutions in forming, molding and strengthening of children and young adults’ values.   This is best captured in one of the reflections given by a father in his encounter with his children. Just listening to his children, looking them in the eye, and getting himself into their minds and hearts establish a strong relationship of care and trust and openness. This paper maintains that smoking must be legalized at age 21, just as in drinking. Media’s influence Cigarettes are the most heavily advertised consumer product. Every year, tobacco  Ã‚  Ã‚   companies spend nearly $4 billion on cigarette advertising and promotion in the United States alone according to The Economist, published in May 16, 1992. Add to this the fact that young people rely on their peers for approval. When they do not feel that they belong, research sees the specific influence of family difficulties on adolescent depression that has been made linking it with smoking more and more cigarettes. The study was based on the clinical data summaries of children and adolescents who attended the Maudsley Hospital during the 1970s and 1980s. The study concluded that although depression is the largest single risk factor for teenage deviance such as smoking of cigarettes, family relationship difficulties make a significant independent contribution to this risk (Hollis, C. 1996). Thus, smoking cigarettes can be an outlet for these people who are of age to decide on their future. Psychology in raising the youth In raising teens, Covey (1999, 100) highlights the importance of being sensitive to the tendency of the youth to reject. According to him, this tendency of teenagers comes from their fear of being rejected. Their rejection experiences make them â€Å"pull back into a kind of shell to protect themselves from being rejected again.† This could be aggravated by parents who refuse to look honestly at what their children are doing; even denying that there is a problem, making excuses for their child, or blaming the school, teachers, family, friends, or society.   â€Å"Fixing† the child’s problems by giving in to demands, justifying rebelliousness is just a normal part of adolescence. Compromising the parents’ own values just to keep the peace at home or maintain a veneer of harmony is not an uncommon solution. If and when the worst situation comes up, the decision to intervene remains with the parents and not with the juvenile justice system.  Yet, parents are often at a loss on what best to do. Sensitive years Another possible cause why more teenagers are smoking now is because adolescence is the transitional stage of development between childhood and full adulthood,   representing the period of time during which a person is biologically adult but emotionally not at full maturity. The ages which are considered to be part of adolescence vary by culture. In the United States, adolescence is generally considered to begin around age 13, and end around 24.   Adolescence can be a scary time, full of angst and new emotions.   It is also a time when the tremendous amount of energy of young people can contribute to many worthwhile projects.   The more parents and teachers can do to engage teenagers, the more likely it is that young people will have a successful transition to adulthood. Adolescence is a time of emotional turmoil, mood liability, gloomy introspection, great drama and heightened sensitivity. It is a time of rebellion and behavioral experimentation. Taylor (2003)   continues in his journal about the youth culture today that it is important that people realize that the youth must be also be equated with positive values instead of the stereotyped association of urban youth with criminality and juvenile delinquency. This is important so as not to establish a self-fulfilling prophecy about this. In most of the social problems encountered by today’s young adults, the critical factor is the role of parents and educational institutions in forming, molding and strengthening of children and young adults’ values.   This is best captured in one of the reflections given by a father in his encounter with his children. Just listening to his children, looking them in the eye, and getting oneself into their minds and hearts establish a strong relationship of care and trust and openness. In raising teens, Covey (1999, 100) highlights the importance of being sensitive to the tendency of the youth to reject. According to him, this tendency of teenagers comes from their fear of being rejected. Their rejection experiences make them â€Å"pull back into a kind of shell to protect themselves from being rejected again.† This could be aggravated by parents who refuse to look honestly at what their children are doing; even denying that there is a problem, making excuses for their child, or blaming the school, teachers, family, friends, or society. â€Å"Fixing† the child’s problems by giving in to demands, justifying rebelliousness is just a normal part of adolescence. Compromising the parents’ own values just to keep the peace at home or maintain a veneer of harmony is not an uncommon solution. If and when the worst situation comes up, the decision to intervene remains with the parents and not with the juvenile justice system.  Yet, parents are often at a loss on what best to do. All too often, parents seek counsels from all who could give professional, religious and forms of advice. They meet with their children’s teachers, and consult doctors, ministers or other respected adults or experts.   But solutions remain elusive as problems arise due to lack of cooperation, resistance or sheer evasiveness of the child. These results in more tension-filled homes making those affected withdrawn and torn as their own parents.  Separation and divorce become handy devises for parents. Adolescents are particularly vulnerable to the effects of stress as adolescence is in itself a complex developmental stage. Smoking will provide a good alternative instead of possessing guns.   Besides there are a lot of factors that underscore the fact that the role of the family in providing a cushion for young people as they go through their adolescence. Resilience in youth can be built to create a positive mental health by the families and friends to which they belong. (Taylor, Carl 2003). Often, several youth cliques with similar norms and values coalesce into larger. More loosely organized aggregations. Not only do cliques permit adolescents to express their values and try out new roles as they begin their quest to forge an identity apart from their families, but they also pave the way for the establishment of other mature relationships (Brown, 1990). Conclusion Young people today are defining themselves through hip-hop culture, new breeds of alternative music and a host of other methods. (Taylor, Carl 2003). Dr. Wharton eloquently deemed it â€Å"tribalism† and the young followers of today’s musical genres, whether they are devotees of Marilyn Manson or Marshall Mathers, The failure of generations of parents and other adults to attempt to understand and communicate with young people has lead to countless incidents of suffering throughout communities. Legalizing smoking may help youth in that delicate transition stage and even make him aware of the benefits of healthy living and make more firm resolutions for life. We must ask ourselves how many unfortunate circumstances and situations might have not occurred had the proper interventions been used with a young person throughout the years. Today we have the opportunity to begin a new method of thinking and engaging our young, for the betterment of our society and ourselves (Taylor, Carl 2003). WORKS CITED Covey, Stephen R. Living the 7 Habits. (1999) Taylor, Carl. â€Å"Understanding Youth Culture.† Journal of Urban Youth Culture Introductory Editorial. February 2003 Trends in Child Databank. (April 2005)   Retrieved Feb. 6, 2007 at: www.childstrenddatabank.org â€Å"Youth Culture.† Wikipedia Retrieved Feb. 6, 2007 at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Youth_culture How to cite Youth culture, Essay examples

Hemingway Analysis A Clean Well Lighted Place free essay sample

Hemingway Analysis: A Clean Well Lighted Place Essay, Research Paper Explicate one of the narratives we have read. Interrupt the narrative down by analysing it portion by portion. Look at how the secret plan and symbols express the cardinal subject or subjects of the narrative. A Clean, Illuminated Topographic point This narrative was written by Hemingway in 1933. It inside informations an eventide # 8217 ; s interaction between two servers, and their differing positions of life. Hemingway uses an old adult male as a frequenter to show the server # 8217 ; s doctrines. Hemingway is besides seeable in the narrative as the old adult male, person who society says should be content, but has a important empty feeling indoors. What follows is a line-by-line analysis, seting accent on the doctrines of the servers. This narrative focuses on two servers at a coffeehouse in Madrid, and their differing outlooks upon life. Their positions are shown as they talk about an old adult male in the coffeehouse, and each contemplate their life. The old adult male, who may be a contemplation of Hemingway # 8217 ; s awaited ripening, enjoys imbibing in the coffeehouse tardily at dark. This may be a contemplation of Hemingway # 8217 ; s ain authorship in coffeehouse in Paris. The old adult male prefers imbibing tardily at dark when the ambiance is much more settled. The servers maintain a careful oculus on the old adult male, as he has been known to go forth without paying after excessively many drinks. As the two servers monitor the old adult male, they younger server references that the old adult male tried to kill himself in the old hebdomad. The older server asks why, and the younger tells him that he had no ground to kill himself because he had plentifulness of money. The older server lets the conversation bead after he hears this, because this statement shows the younger server # 8217 ; s position. The older server seems to hold empathy for the older frequenter, where the younger server has ill feelings to the client. The older server seems to be more cognizant of a larger sense of being where everyone dramas their function, and the younger server seems to believe that he has to merely expression out for # 8216 ; figure one # 8217 ; and truly couldn # 8217 ; t be bothered to travel out of his manner for the old adult male. The younger waiter rapidly argued that the old adult male # 8217 ; s justification for life should hold been his money, and it is interesting to observe that the younger server considers nil else in his rating of the attempted self-destruction. As the two servers sit at a tabular array, a soldier walks by with a cocotte. The older server remarks that they # 8217 ; ll acquire stopped by the local guard, and the younger server replies What does it count if he gets what he # 8217 ; s after? Again, this shows the older server # 8217 ; s consciousness, and the careless attitude of the younger server. The old adult male signals the younger server over for another drink, and the server declines to server him because he feels that the adult male is acquiring rummy and doesn # 8217 ; t want to acquire stuck waiting for him to complete. The younger server so remarks that the old adult male should hold killed himself last hebdomad, and how the server is tired and merely wants to acquire to bed at a sensible hr. The older server, sympathizing with the old adult male, grabs the bottle of brandy and pours a full glass for the old adult male. This, once more, reflects the regard that the older server has for the old adult male. This is the first existent intimation that the older server has a batch in common with the old adult male. As the older server takes his place at the tabular array with the younger server, the younger server remarks about the old adult male # 8217 ; s inebriation every dark. The old adult male asks the younger why the old adult male would desire to kill himself. The younger server answers that he doesn # 8217 ; Ts know why. They discuss the incident, and the younger server asks who cut the rope that the adult male was hanging from. The older answers that it was his niece, and explains that she likely did it our of fright for his psyche. The younger server inquiries the older about how much money the old adult male has, demoing his appraisal of what affairs in life. The immature server besides expresses his desire for the old adult male to go forth, stating how he wants to acquire place to travel to bed. This shows the younger server # 8217 ; s egoistic attack. He says that he # 8217 ; s got a married woman waiting for him, that old work forces are awful, and that he old adult male has no regard for those that must work. This lets the reader see that the younger adult male # 8217 ; s concerns do non ex be given yesteryear himself. The older server counters with the facts that this old adult male is ever a gentleman whom enjoys a drink in their coffeehouse, demoing his compassion for the older adult male. At this clip, the old adult male requests another drink, and the younger server attends to him and informs him that the saloon is shuting. The old adult male finally walks out after go forthing a paltry tip for the server. As the older server inquiries why the younger server closed the cafe early, the younger answers that he wants to travel to bed. The older server inquiries the value of the hr, and the younger server expresses that the hr is more valuable to him than to the old adult male. The younger waiter thinks that he abuses the older server when he says that he is moving merely like the old adult male. The older server rapidly evens the mark by inquiring the younger server if he # 8217 ; s afraid of traveling home early, possible happening his married woman with another adult male. The younger answers that he has assurance. The older server adds that the younger has assurance, young person, and a occupation. The older server says how he neer had assurance and is no longer immature. It is clear in this scene that the older server wants that he had his current cognition at a much earlier age. He besides states that he likes to remain tardily at the coffeehouse, with others making the same, others who need a light for the dark. He is hesitating to shut the cafe each dark, as there may be another individual who needs its warm visible radiation and friendly atmosphere. As the older server efforts to explicate the particular features of a friendly ambiance and how it can ease the darkness of dark, the younger server merely says Good dark and leaves. The older continues the conversation with himself, explicating how a coffeehouse was better than a saloon, the importance of visible radiation and absence of music, all things that show non merely how the server cares about what he does and the service that he provides, but that he is closely familiar with having the comfort of a all right coffeehouse. The older server explains the frequenter # 8217 ; s fright as a fright of void. He even goes so far as to name all cafe clients as sick persons of void, Some lived in it and neer felt it but he knew it was all nada Y pues nada # 8230 ; While the older server is walking home, he recites the Our Father supplication, replacing all of the nouns with nothings, about in an effort to acquire so familiar with his fright that he would no longer be afraid of it. He can see his hereafter as the old adult male who was in his coffeehouse, and he does non desire to stop up with nil, as that adult male has ( even though he does hold money, to the concern of the younger server. ) The older server finds himself in a saloon and ab initio orders a nothing. The bartender dismisses it and so pours a drink to the server # 8217 ; s petition. The server remarks to the bartender that The visible radiation is really bright and pleasant, but the saloon is unpolished. This state of affairs now has the server playing the function of the old adult male in the coffeehouse, and the server is trusting that his feedback will better the saloon for anyone who may necessitate it as he does now. The server leaves the saloon after one drink, and heads place. He resolves non to believe any more for the dark. He plans on merely traveling place and lying in bed until daytime, some three to four hours off, and so travel to kip. The server justifies this as # 8230 ; likely merely insomnia. Many must hold it. The function of the younger server is to demo a naif attitude to society, that he merely has to take attention of himself, and that # 8217 ; s all that will count. The older server is enriched by his old ages to the point where he is cognizant plenty to see that in a affair of clip, he could be ( is? ) a client in the coffeehouse. He gets every bit much out of working as he would out of imbibing. He is afraid of the dark, afraid of the nil, afraid of what may go on to him in clip to come, and how he many be treated. I think that it is besides possible to see Hemingway in this narrative as the coffeehouse # 8217 ; s old frequenter. The old adult male is person that has become a success by society # 8217 ; s criterions, but non by his ain. The old adult male is rich, merely as Hemingway was celebrated, but neither of the two were of all time wholly satisfied. Hemingway is represented as person ever on campaign, or some other showful interest, possibly seeking merely to maintain busy, to remain off from the nothing.

Preparing For Success free essay sample

Learning Reaction Evaluation Please help us improve our learning program by responding to our brief evaluation. Please use the following scale: 6=Strongly Agree; 5=Agree; 4=Somewhat Agree; 3=Somewhat Disagree; 2=Disagree; 1 †Strongly Disagree Course Title Start Date Delegate Name Duration Facilitator Name Cost Centre Strongly Agree Strongly Disagree 3 2 n/a 1. The facilitator was knowledgeable about the subject. 0 The facilitator was prepared and organized. 0 0 3. Participants were encouraged to take part in course discussions. 04. The acilitator was responsive to participants needs and questions. 0 5. The facilitators energy and enthusiasm kept the participants actively engaged. 6. The material content was appropriate. 7. The objectives were clearly explained. 0 8. The course content/ materials were sufficient to achieve course objectives. The length of the course was appropriate for the course objectives. 09. 011. 10. I learned new knowledge and skills from this course. This course was relevant to my work. 12. I will be able to apply the knowledge and skills learned in this course to do my Strongly Agree Strongly Disagree 13. This course will improve my Job performance. 0 If your response to 13 is n/a please skip to question 15. 14. This course will have a significant impact on: (check all that apply) 0 Increasing quality 0 Increasing productivity 0 Increasing employee satisfaction 0 Increasing customer satisfaction Decreasing risk Agree Strongly 15. 17. 18. I would recommend this course to my colleagues and co-workers. 0 0 16. What about this course was most useful to you? What about this course was least useful to you? How can we improve the course to make it more relevant to your Job?

The Shawshank Redemption Movie Review Essays - Free Essays

The Shawshank Redemption Movie Review Essays - Free Essays The Shawshank Redemption Movie Review The Shawshank Redemption Movie Review HUM/150 December 16, 2014 The Shawshank Redemption The Shawshank Redemption (1994) is an outstanding typical hybrid film of both the crime and drama genre (Clifton, 2009). The films director Frank Darabont adapted Stephen Kings 1982 novella Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption. The film relies heavily on great storytelling, acting, sound and editing to engulf the audience throughout the entire movie. The films debut in the box office was average at best but through word-of-mouth has gained popularity and became one of the best movies of all time. The Film and Analysis The movie has some very interesting narrative elements. The film is about a man named Andy Dufresne who is wrongfully convicted of murdering his wife and her lover. He is ultimately sentenced to serve two consecutive life sentences at Shawshank Prison. The film was set in 1947-1966 and follows his experiences over the next 20 years at the prison. He has a very difficult time at first, but eventually befriends an inmate named Ellis Red Redding, who is also the narrator of the movie. Red was sentenced to life in Shawshank prison at the age of 19 and is known in the prison as the man who can get anything. Throughout the film, we see the movie through the eyes of Red, who serves as the narrator that leads to a surprising ending. In analyzing the film, I find it to be a story of hope with religious themes of freedom and resurrection. The director uses powerful themes of patience, hope, survival, friendship, redemption and in the end salvation to develop the characters. The use of effective cinematography, music, lighting and deep symbolism greatly assist enhance the feeling of the story. Get busy living or get busy dying is a symbolic quote by Andy in that it makes us remember just how precious life is. The use of dark lighting and low angles are used to film the gray and depressed prison scenes, thereby giving them an ominous feel of misery. This shapes the audiences appreciation of the inmates desperate need of hope. The sunlight surrounding the inmates on the rooftop scene appeals to fundamental human empathy. The scene allows the audience to understand the pleasure and liberation felt by these inmates whom at the moment feel like free men as they have a hint of normalcy. The close-up camera shot of Andy's face as he receives a response to the many letters he submitted to repair the library depict his determination never to give up. The long camera shot of him relaxing in the chair after defiantly playing the Aria further demonstrate his perseverance with the use symbolical musical elements. The use of high angled camera shots and shots of the inmates staring int o the loudspeaker as if they were mesmerized, allow us to see just how far Andy is willing to go to provide hope and a bit of normality to his fellow inmates. His merits ultimately lead to his redemption at the culmination of the final scene of his escape. After crawling through 300 yards of a sewer pipe and triumphantly emerging at the end in clean water with his arms spread wide he rejoices in the symbolic salvation through the blessing of the rain. Conclusion I believe this film deserves four stars and is my favorite movie of all time. Below is an explanation of my review criteria: **** Outstanding movie. It has ambitions to be more than an entertainment. It has a strong script. It is not only well made with elements of poetry (beauty), but it has a strong emotional impact on the viewer. A must-see movie for everyone! ***A good movie that does not have quite the same aesthetic and emotional impact as the previous category. It is an interesting movie. It might be a mainstream movie intended primarily for entertainment, but with strong characters and some serious themes. **An acceptable occasion for spending eight bucks. It may, however, be quite ordinary, falling within expected genre boundaries, perhaps depending mainly on star appeal for its audience impact. It is probably well made, but has deficiencies in characterization, script, etc. that are obvious to the discerning viewer. *Poor example of a movie. How could someone

An Evolution Of The Atomic Theory

An Evolution Of The Atomic Theory The atomic theory has advanced since the discovery of radioactivity in 1898. And so much of modern technology is based on these advancements. They couldn’t have happened without the discovery of electrons (e-), protons (p+), and neutrons (n0) through experiments done by four key scientists. Atomic theory starts to develop in 1897 when J. J. Thomson discovered the e- through his cathode ray experiment. In this experiment (figure one) he had a partially evacuated tube (a) with a cathode (b) and an anode (c) attached at each end. The cathode and anode were hooked up to a power source with the cathode being negative and the anode being positive. An electrical shock was sent through the cathode and it emitted negative cathode rays that traveled in a straight line (d). But when a positive magnet (e) was placed next to the rays, the rays deflected toward the positive magnet (f), proving they are negative because opposites attract. Another important discovery in atomic theory is protons. In 1910 at the University of Chicago a scientist named Rutherford was puzzled over the structure of the nuclear atom. J.J. Thomson had suggested a â€Å"plum pudding model† (Figure 2) of the nuclear atom where the atom is a ball of positive charge with e- stuck in it, but Rutherford wanted to put this theory to the test, so he conducted the gold foil experiment (Figure 3). There was a round florescent screen set up with a radioactive source at the entrance. From the radioactive source Rutherford fired ÃŽ ±- partials at thin gold foil. He expected them to all go through with minor deflections but this wasn’t the case. (Figure 4) He observed some particles moving off course from the straight line he assumed them travel, and some particles being bounced back altogether. From this observation came the conclusion that when a particle comes extremely close to where all the positive charge is located, it will move off co urse and when it hits this core it will deflect back. Rutherford called the core he found the nucleus which also makes up most of the mass of an atom and consists of protons. He found (figure 5) that the nucleus is surrounded by positive charge and has e- particles stuck in it. In 1911 Millikan was back on the job of electrons. Thomson had proven what the mass/charge of a e- was, he wanted to determine what the actual charge on each particle was. To do this he created the oil droplet experiment (Figure 6). Oil drops were sprayed into a chamber will a very tiny hole at the bottom. When an oil drop passed through the hole it was observed through a microscope and zapped with an x-ray that removed all air particles from it. The positive charge given through the plate above the particles was manipulated and monitored so the scientist could see how much positive charge it took to balance the negative charge underneath and the positive charge above and make the oil suspend in mid-air. From this they could determine the negative charge on an electron. Another thing that stumped Rutherford was why the atomic mass was larger than the combined mass of protons and electrons in a substance. He proposed that it was because of a neutral particle, but never did any experiments to prove this. In 1932 Chadwick took on the challenge and designed an experiment (Figure 7) where he fired ÃŽ ±- partials at a beryllium target. This then emitted particles that were allowed to fall onto paraffin wax, then releasing more particles, protons. From energy calculations he saw that the particles released from beryllium, as a result of the arrival of ÃŽ ±- partials on it, are uncharged and have essentially the same mass as protons, he called them neutrons. Without these important advances in atomic theory, it would be still assumed that the atom is the smallest particle of matter. Technology would be stuck in 1803 with John Dalton’s theory, and until a scientist came along with an experiment as brilliant as these, there would not be modern technology or a understanding of science as current as the one today.

Should the government provide health care Essay

Should the government provide health care - Essay Example However, there is no sufficient evidence supporting the failures of government healthcare. Moreover, many developed countries such as Canada and Britain have successfully initiated a national healthcare plan. Therefore, governments should provide healthcare to the citizens. There are several arguments in support of government healthcare. Firstly, the initiation of government healthcare will ensure that everyone has access to healthcare. Many people do not have access to healthcare because many employers are not providing healthcare insurance due to increased premiums. Therefore, employees are carrying the burden of healthcare and many opt not to apply for health insurance. Accessing healthcare in hospitals is expensive for many citizens and this leads to deterioration of their health. The government’s provision of healthcare will ensure every citizen is able to access medical attention regardless of their financial status. Privatized healthcare is costly and not everyone can afford to pay for check-ups, health insurance premiums, and prescriptions. The healthcare provided by the government will be free for all citizens (Kaplan and Rodgers, 2009). Government healthcare would also improve the quality of healthcare as the health professionals’ time will not be wasted in processing insurance claims. Competition of insurance companies would be eradicated as the government would be in charge of healthcare administration. A lot of time is wasted in handling many insurance claims. A lot of insurance paperwork needs to be filled and claims need to be submitted. Therefore, the initiation of a government healthcare plan would ensure that healthcare professionals would only focus on treating their patients (Patel and Rushefsky, 2006). In addition, provision of healthcare by the government can help in regulating insurance companies. In privatized healthcare, insurance companies make a lot of money by raising premiums unfairly. Moreover, insurance

Global Recession Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Global Recession - Essay Example The boom in the housing market preceding the crisis was created through offering and promoting unregulated subprime mortgages in pursuit of stimulating demands to combat the slowing down in the aftermath of the busting of the dotcom bubble which led to a growth in the housing market that exceeded incomes finally culminating to the collapse. To understand the present global recession and its causes, it is pertinent to first understand any economic recession theoretically. According to Keynesian effective demand framework, a fall in real aggregate national income is triggered by a reduction in the effective aggregate demand (AD) which is composed of planned real aggregate consumption expenditure (C), a function of real aggregate national income itself, planned real aggregate investment expenditure (I), a function of the rate of returns on investment (r), Government Expenditure (G) which is usually taken to be autonomously determined and finally net export demand (defined as the difference between export demand and import demand, i.e., X - M). Now, in the Keynesian framework, there is sufficiently excess capacity to ensure prices and wages are sticky in the short run and thus a fall in aggregate demands leads to a fall in output. This fall again dampens demand for consumption expenditure which in turn leads to reduced agg regate demand and in turn reduced real aggregate output. This mechanism continues and the real aggregate income goes on falling which is tantamount to a recession. Thus it emerges that a recession must be triggered by a fall in any of the components of effective aggregate demand. (Mankiw, 2002) In fact a recession is a part of a business cycle that the economic growth of all advanced economies experiences. The idea of the business cycle is that the growth path of real aggregate output follows an oscillatory trend with the rise gradually moving onto a peak where after a reduction or contraction follows until it reaches a bottom and begins to move up once more. The movement towards the peak from the bottom or the trough is the period of expansion while the movement down from the peak to the trough is the period of recession. A period of recession is identified to be a depression if the real aggregate national income falls below the long run average trend. (McConnell & Brue, 2005) The expansion of the economy is supported and sometimes facilitated by monetary expansion on part of the monetary authority. This includes measures such as reducing the rate of interest to induce higher investment demand. This boosts the aggregate demand thereby leading to an upward spiral of rising real aggregate income. However, as the demand for investment rises there is a rise in interest rates which increase the cost of production. Further the rise in incomes which motivates greater consumer spending, thereby lead to higher commodity prices. Increased demand to invest in financial assets leads to risen asset prices. All these factors combined lead to a fall in real aggregate demand and thus a slowing down of the economy thereby triggering the downward movement (Foldvary, 2007). Often, to prevent or to restrict this downward movement, governments resort to expansionary monetary and fiscal policies to stimulate demands and motivate increased investment and consumer spending. As will be showed in what follows, the present

George Gittoes White Earth Essay Example for Free

George Gittoes White Earth Essay George Gittoes art piece, White Earth is a dramatic oil on canvas depicting the political corruption a 15 year old boy had been pressured into. Gittoes, the renowned Australian artist has always created his pieces by inspiration of his life experiences. He has an immense passion for art and humanity so being an eye witness to suffrage of humanity all over the world is conveyed in his work. White Earth is another successful and captivating work. Gittoes was witness to an Afrikaaner Weerstands Beweging (AWB) Rally in South Africa of April 1994, where he saw a 15 year old boy submerged in the propaganda of Nazi in youths. The young boy gets on the stage silent with resentment as photographers begin to infinitely snap at him. Gittoes sympathy for the boy is emphasized as he retells them raping and torturing him. Too young to understand the political corruption he is stuck between being used by the ABW and being tortured by the international press. Trapped, as the victim of this controversial saga, his only escape is to close his eyes, however it is impossible to close his to ears to the Hate Speech delivered by Terre Blanche. Gittoes sympathized for his entrapment and compelling distressed state, so he depicts and dramatically distorts this experience through the art piece, White Earth. Being one to love expressionism, his passion for it gives meaning to convey and express emotions and feelings. He exaggerates the boy giving specific detail and emphasis to his ears. The distortion of his ears expresses the impossibility of closing his now larger ears. The figure to the right is racist Terre Blanche driving the propaganda into him, taking advantage of his naà ¯ve and young position. Distinct lines and vibrant colours on the boys face determine his resentment and struggle in his entrapment of what is around him. Once again George Gittoes amazes us with his brilliant techniques and skills. The strokes and their positioning all are part of his meaning in this sad  piece. Distortion not only occurs in his ears but all over his body, he appears larger as if we had grown up, Gittoes portraying his growth is too fast and unnatural due to the boys youth and already political career. White Earth along with many of George Gittoes work depicts inhumanity, suffrage and the struggle of people everywhere. It is on of his best works portraying the struggle of a boy stuck between two corruptions and expressing his longing to escape the entrapment. Art lovers all over the world have passion for this renowned piece and those hating suffrage and inhumanity will also be touched by this intricate story ever so sad yet breathtaking piece, by the profound and magnificent George Gittoes.

The Social and Ethical Implications of Assisted Reproductive Technologi

The Social and Ethical Implications of Assisted Reproductive Technologies Test tube babies have long been stigmatized by society as the unnatural results of scientific dabbling. The words `test tube baby' have been used by school children as an insult, and many adults have seen an artificial means of giving birth as something perhaps only necessary for a lesbian woman, or a luxury item only available to the elite few. The reality is that assisted reproductive technologies (ART) have been helping infertile couples have children since 1978.1 The methods of in vitro fertilization, it's variants, and the other ART procedures are ways for persons that would otherwise have no hope of conception to conceive and, in a rapidly growing percentage of cases, give birth to healthy babies. As the technology has developed, the quality and range of assistance has developed as well. At present, the means of assisted reproduction and the capabilities of these procedures has grown at a somewhat dizzying pace. However, thought to the repercussions of the applications of ART a re being disregarded to some extent while the public's knowledge and the understanding of embryologists and geneticists surges forward. It is possible given consideration to things such as the morality of these techniques, the unexplored alternative uses of these procedures, and the potential impact they posses that further development is unnecessary and possibly dangerous. As of 1995, 20,000 babies had been born as a result of ART treatments.2 Since then, many women and couples have sought the services of IVF clinics all over the world with hopes of the miracle of conception. These people are usually ones who suffer from some sort of condition that renders them inferti... ... available today, his goal would have been easily attainable through the technology that is presently seen as giving hope to millions of couples who seek simply to exercise their right to raise a child. Is the development if such technology ethical? Is the possibility that it could do greater harm than good enough to terminate the development of such technology? These questions are most likely too much to answer, given what is known and understood about genetic engineering, assisted reproduction, and DNA cloning. But perhaps the best answer is to say that before things are taken any further, we stop to look at what we have, attempt to understand and evaluate those things, and determine whether it is truly necessary to make advances in the technology. Perhaps we are at a point where the most important thing is slow down the pace of change before it gets away form us.

Meaning of life †Existentialism Essay

? Throughout the story, Grendel is trying to find the meaning of life. He is trying to understand the purpose of living, and was looking for something to steer him in the right direction. In Chapter five, when Grendel finally meets the dragon, he finally believes that he has found the meaning of life. Grendel begins his life by being an existentialist. He was basically alone when he was young, and was left to figure out the world around him with no help. It was confusing to him, and that is how he developed the idea of existentialism. He believed that he alone existed. Existentialism stresses freedom of choice, and he had the power to do whatever he wanted to do, so it made sense. He eventually realizes that he does not control the world when he says, â€Å"I think, trying to suck in breath, and all that I do not see is useless, void. (Pg. 29)† After coming to this realization, Grendel looks for a different meaning to life. He then listens to the Shaper, who tells lies to make the Danes feel better about themselves and have a meaning to life. As much as he wants to believe the Shaper and live his life according to what he says, Grendel felt too ashamed believing in lies to do so. He decided that he would rather be an outcast if that was what it took to find the truth. He believed that he had found truth after talking to the dragon. The dragon is a nihilist. He sees no purpose in life. He claims to know everything, â€Å"the beginning, the present, and the end. (Pg. 62)† His basis behind nihilism is that everything eventually comes to an end, even himself. He thinks that there is no point in trying to better mankind because in the end it won’t matter. In the dragon’s mind, we are all fighting a lost cause, and there so there is no point in trying. He puts down humans, and especially the Shaper. He says that the shaper is just giving the Danes an illusion, and does not know any more than they do. The only important thing for the dragon is finding gold. The dragon tells all of this to Grendel, who is at first skeptical of what he is hearing. He began to take the dragon more seriously when the dragon says that humans needed him in order to think and scheme and that Grendel caused humans to have science and religion. This gave Grendel the identity that he had been looking for: â€Å"I was Grendel, Ruiner of Meadhalls, Wrecker of Kings. (Pg. 80)† Grendel became on board with nihilism. He now became â€Å"enraged† when he heard the Shaper tell his lies and felt like he was giving the Danes a purpose when he killed them, which only caused him to kill more. Grendel thought that he had found his purpose in life, although it ended up leading to his death. His belief in nihilism made him not stop killing, and also believe that he was important to the Danes. He believed that him killing Beowulf would be good for the Danes, and that is why he tried to kill him. Beowulf ended up killing Grendel. Had Grendel changed his views he would not have gotten killed by Beowulf and everyone would have been better off.

Succubus Shadows Chapter 7

â€Å"You're right,† said Roman the next morning, ruminating over what had happened with Gavin. â€Å"I didn't like that.† I was standing in the bathroom, going over my hair with a flat iron. It was a pain in the ass compared to shape-shifting, but I liked the challenge. Plus, I could always fine-tune the frizziness away afterward. â€Å"Not like it's the first time it's happened,† I pointed out, my eyes on the mirror rather than where he leaned in the doorway. â€Å"You used to never mind.† â€Å"Didn't I?† he asked dryly. â€Å"Well, being with him distracted me from wallowing in self-pity. Not that it made me feel that great either,† I admitted. â€Å"But it kept my†¦whatever†¦away. And hey, it couldn't have been as nasty as what you saw Simone do.† â€Å"True, but now that guy's just going to come trolling around all the time. He'll be showing up to borrow cups of sugar in the hopes he can score some more action.† â€Å"I'll deal with him. I've got a little practice in pushing guys away.† â€Å"Don't I know it.† I paused to shoot him a glare. â€Å"Will you lay off the attitude this morning? You're starting to sound like you're jealous or something.† Roman snorted. â€Å"Hardly. Why in God's name would I be jealous over the woman who got my sister killed and tried to unleash the forces of Heaven and Hell to destroy me?† Fair point. â€Å"It's a little more complicated than that.† â€Å"Oh, yes, I'm sure.† He crossed his arms and stared down at the floor. â€Å"But maybe the next time you're looking for distraction, we could rent a movie and microwave some popcorn instead of fucking the neighbors.† â€Å"You have horrible taste in movies,† I mumbled. But that closed the conversation, and Roman wandered off. A few moments later, I heard the TV turn on. I had to work today, but it was an afternoon shift. I was up and ready to go early because I wanted to visit Erik. I should have felt secure in Jerome's ability to figure out what was going on, as well as Roman's protection. But I'd had too much shit happen to me in the past to ever fully trust anyone. Erik had always proven a valuable resource. Roman went with me, covertly, but it took a while for me to actually get some quality time with Erik. He had customers in the store – which was great for him, but I could hardly discuss immortal affairs with others around. When the people finally thinned out, Erik turned his attention to me, ready with his typical friendly smile. His color looked better, and his movements weren't as jerky. He was still weak, just not as weak. â€Å"Your cold's cleared up,† I said. His smile grew. â€Å"Yes, I told you it was nothing. A mere cold isn't going to kill me off.† His voice was light, but I couldn't help a small frown. There had been something in his words – something I couldn't quite put my finger on – that made it sound like he did know what was going to kill him. A chill ran down my spine. I didn't like to think of those sorts of things. I sat down at his little table with him but declined tea. â€Å"I just wanted to see if you'd learned anything else.† It was a nervous impulse on my part. I knew he would have contacted me if he had discovered something. â€Å"No, but as I said, the information we have is vague enough for it to be any number of things.† â€Å"That's what Jerome said.† Erik looked pleased. â€Å"I'm glad he knows. I've always said that your own people are more likely to know better than me.† I couldn't help a small laugh. â€Å"Debatable. I might have something to make it a little less vague.† Briefly, I explained my recent encounter and how it had occurred to me that this force only visited when I was troubled and depressed. â€Å"It's like†¦it's like it's preying on my weakness. Trying to lure me in with promises of comfort.† â€Å"Then you must be careful not to give in.† If Roman had said that, I would have snapped at him for stating the obvious. â€Å"It's easy to say that now, in the cold light of logic, but when it happens†¦I don't know. I lose my grip on the world. Reason's gone. Hell, half the time I don't even know what's happening until afterward. It's like†¦sleeping. Sleepwalking. Whatever.† â€Å"And it always appears as a type of doorway?† I pondered this for several seconds. â€Å"I don't know†¦kind of. I don't know how to describe it – and I know I keep saying that. And how useless it sounds. I'm not sure if it's a door, exactly, but it's definitely trying to pull me into something.† Erik had made himself tea and sat for almost a minute sipping it, his brow knit in thought. â€Å"I'll think about all of this. In the meantime, I'd just advise†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He hesitated. â€Å"Well, let me put it this way. You are a delight, Miss Kincaid, and I always enjoy my time with you. However, you are also – how can I say this – someone frequently given to darker moods.† â€Å"Is that your polite way of saying I'm always down?† I teased. â€Å"No†¦not exactly. But if this thing is seeking out those in emotionally depressed states, then I'd say you are particularly susceptible. If it's at all possible, you should try to stay away from those moods.† I thought about it. One of my best friends was marrying my ex – an ex whom I was starting to fall for all over again. An ex whose soul I had inadvertently damned to Hell and who was now being stalked by another succubus. My own soul had long since been Hell-bound, and I was committed to an eternity of sleeping with men whom I often didn't like. Oh, yeah. Let's not forget that my roommate was given to sociopathic tendencies and had me on his hit list. â€Å"That might be easier said than done,† I told Erik. â€Å"I can imagine,† he said ruefully. â€Å"But it may be the only way to protect yourself. That and your own willpower – the strength of which I firmly believe in.† Erik's faith in me warmed up a piece of my heart, even though the rest of today's insight hadn't been all that insightful. I thanked him for his time and headed off to work, grateful Roman offered no â€Å"witty† commentary during our drive. At the bookstore, Seth worked alone in the caf? ¦. Simone was nowhere in sight, which was one bonus. The fact that it was Maddie's day off also improved my mood. Maybe staying away from my usual glum state wouldn't be as hard as I thought. â€Å"Yo, Kincaid.† Doug found me putting stickers on our rack of clearance books. They mostly consisted of out-of-print coffee-table books, things like Stone Arches of Tuscany and The Complete Book of Bridal Cross-stitch. I wasn't entirely sure what that last one was, but maybe it'd make a good wedding present for Seth and Maddie. The price was certainly a bargain. We'd reduced it three times now, and still no one wanted to buy it. â€Å"What's up?† I asked. â€Å"I've got news that's going to rock your world. And make you think I'm even awesomer than you already do.† â€Å"That's a bold statement.† He paused, apparently trying to decide if he'd been complimented or insulted. â€Å"I just found out that Gabrielle's a fan of Blue Satin Bra.† â€Å"She never struck me as that type. I figured all of her lingerie would be black.† Doug gave me a withering look. â€Å"No, Kincaid. I don't mean that she wears one. I mean that she likes the group. Haven't you heard of them?† â€Å"There's a group called Blue Satin Bra?† I shook my head. â€Å"Sorry. I can't keep up with every new garage band in Seattle.† â€Å"They aren't a garage band! They're the hottest thing to hit the metal scene. They're going to make it big.† I tried to hide my skepticism. Doug himself was in a band called Nocturnal Admission, and whenever he spoke about local bands, it seemed like everyone was on the verge of making it big. â€Å"What's this got to do with Gabrielle again?† Doug was clearly growing frustrated with me. â€Å"She's a huge fan – and they've got a concert tomorrow night. Unfortunately, it's all sold out. She was pretty bummed about it.† Despite his annoyance with me, I could sense the smugness within him. â€Å"Here it comes†¦.† Pride lit his features. â€Å"I'm friends with the bass player and managed to score some tickets. If your pal Cody approaches her with them†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I paused in my stickering. â€Å"You're right. You did just get awesomer.† â€Å"You've got to go too, you know.† â€Å"I – what?† Me trailing along didn't sound romantic in the least. Doug shrugged. â€Å"He can't just ask her out for an actual date. Not yet. He'll spook her.† â€Å"Then what exactly is he supposed to ask her out for?† â€Å"I do the asking. I'll just be all like, ‘Hey, Gabby, I got some extra tickets to the show. You want to go along with me and my friends?' Then she's off guard. She comes along, Cody's there, magic happens†¦.† â€Å"Wow,† I said. â€Å"Looks like you've got it all figured out. And I don't think she likes to be called Gabby.† â€Å"This is a good plan.† He was clearly very pleased with himself. â€Å"I've been around, Kincaid. When you get mad romantic skills like me, you'll understand.† I rolled my eyes. â€Å"We can only hope. So how many friends are going along exactly?† â€Å"I scored four tickets. So: you, me, Cody, and Gabrielle.† â€Å"Sounds suspiciously like a double date. You trying your mad romantic skills on me?† It wouldn't be the first time. â€Å"Hell no. Do I look suicidal? You're already claimed.† For a minute, Seth came to mind, then Doug added: â€Å"I'm not getting on the bad side of that guy you're shacked up with. I mean, I can hold my own in a fight, but he looks like he could seriously fuck someone up.† â€Å"You have no idea,† I muttered. No doubt Roman – lingering nearby invisibly – was loving this. â€Å"But we aren't involved. He's just my roommate.† â€Å"For now,† said Doug ominously. He began a retreat. â€Å"I'll go invite Gabs. You tell Cody the deal and that you're going to be his wing-woman.† I shook my head after Doug left, wondering what I'd gotten myself into. His absurd comments about mad skills and wing-women aside, the whole casual group thing might be a gateway outing to get Gabrielle closer to Cody. I just hoped word of his Goth getup the other day hadn't gotten around to her. I also wondered what kind of experience I was getting myself into with Blue Satin Bra. Doug's bizarre industrial alternative music had grown on me over the years, but I had a feeling this concert would be a very different experience. About an hour later, I was in my office when some unexpected guests popped their heads in. Well, one wasn't entirely unexpected. I'd found that even when Maddie wasn't working, there was never any real security. You couldn't count on her absence, not when her boyfriend and brother were often in the store. I could feel some safety when we didn't have the same shift, but I'd long accepted that Maddie could really show up at any moment. No, the real surprise was that Maddie was in my office with Brandy Mortensen, Seth's niece. He had five of them, and she was the oldest. When Seth and I had dated, I'd grown pretty attached to that brood. My longing for children and the girls' total adorableness made it easy for me to love them. They'd grown close to me too. Of course, at fourteen, I suspected Brandy wouldn't appreciate being called â€Å"adorable.† She stood with Maddie, who was holding a garment bag on a hanger. Brandy wore a surprisingly sullen teen expression. She seemed taller to me than when I'd last seen her. Just like with Erik, time was passing quickly for these humans. â€Å"Hey, guys,† I said, setting my paperwork aside. â€Å"What's up?† â€Å"More wedding errands,† said Maddie cheerfully. â€Å"We just came by to pick up Seth. We went back to that shop and got a dress for Brandy. She's a bridesmaid too.† Maddie lifted the edge of the bag, revealing the same dress Maddie had bought me the other day. â€Å"How embarrassing,† I told Brandy. â€Å"We're going to show up in the same outfit.† She gave me the ghost of a smile but stayed silent. â€Å"We also went and talked to some florists but didn't really come up with any ideas on what to get. If I get something purple, will it be too monochromatic? And if I get a different color, will it look weird?† â€Å"Hard questions,† I said solemnly. Ones I didn't want to answer. â€Å"Maybe you can come back with me and take a look at some of their books?† Maddie was giving me that hopeful, cheery smile that was so good at inspiring guilt in me. â€Å"I don't know,† I said vaguely. â€Å"Depends on my schedule.† â€Å"Well, let me know. Let me go grab Seth – maybe he has some ideas.† Good luck with that, I thought. Seth was notoriously awful at offering opinions, and he'd seemed particularly non-committal about this wedding stuff, no pun intended. Maddie left Brandy with me, and I gave her a genuine smile. â€Å"So how's it been going?† I asked. â€Å"Did you have fun shopping?† Brandy crossed her arms over her chest and tossed her blond hair over one shoulder. She was wearing a formfitting Rocky Horror Picture Show T-shirt. Really, I thought. She was one step away from turning into her uncle. â€Å"No,† she said bluntly. I arched an eyebrow in surprise. Last I'd known, shopping and having people buy you clothes was pretty sweet when you were a teenage girl. Maybe I was out of touch. â€Å"Why not?† â€Å"Because,† she said dramatically. â€Å"This wedding is a joke.† I cast an uneasy glance at the doorway. â€Å"Better not let them hear you say that.† Brandy looked unconcerned. She wasn't exactly scowling, but it was pretty close. â€Å"Uncle Seth isn't supposed to be marrying her.† â€Å"Why not? They've been dating for†¦well, a while.† That was kind of true, guilt-induced engagement or no. â€Å"He proposed. She accepted. Easy as that.† â€Å"She's not the one,† said Brandy stoutly. â€Å"He's supposed to be marrying you.† Yeah, I really wished the door was closed. â€Å"Brandy,† I said, pitching my voice as low as I could. â€Å"Your uncle and I broke up. That's how it is. People move on.† â€Å"You two weren't supposed to. You guys were in love.† â€Å"He loves her too.† â€Å"It's not the same.† This was not a discussion I'd ever expected to have. I'd known Seth's nieces still liked me, but I'd hardly thought I'd left this sort of impression. â€Å"Do you not like Maddie or something?† Brandy gave a half-hearted shrug and averted her eyes. â€Å"She's okay. But she's not you.† I didn't say anything for several moments. I wondered if Brandy's resentment toward the wedding was because she had greater devotion to me than Maddie – or if it was part of some romantic ideal girls her age often had about love and soul mates. â€Å"I'm sorry,† I said. â€Å"Love in the real world doesn't usually work out the way stories make us think it should. We don't always get fairy-tale endings. People split up and move on. Just because you love someone doesn't mean you can't love someone else.† I shivered. This was remarkably similar to a conversation Carter and I had once had, shortly after the (first) break-up with Seth. â€Å"It's still not right,† said Brandy obstinately. Seth and Maddie retrieved her shortly thereafter, for which I was grateful. I really didn't want to have to play devil's advocate and defend a marriage that I was hardly thrilled about myself. I felt that sorrow that always seemed to plague me when I thought about them surface†¦and then remembered Erik's comments. Don't give in to it. Stay away from it – that was what kept leading me into trouble. Easier said than done, just as I'd told him. Distraction seemed to be the key to it all, and I just didn't feel up to another liaison tonight. I certainly didn't need the energy. â€Å"Distract me,† I murmured when I was seated in my car. â€Å"Annoy me with your ‘wit,' or just make me outright mad.† No physical evidence of Roman appeared – no signature, no physical appearance – but his voice answered me back just as softly. â€Å"Go see your friends. Aren't they going to that bar tonight? You need to tell Cody he's going on a double date.† â€Å"It's not a double date,† I growled back. But Roman had a point. I probably should let the young vampire know what was in store tomorrow. I was also kind of curious how Roman even knew about the bar outing. I'd received a voice mail message earlier today that one would think would have been out of Roman's hearing range. He'd either been standing really close, or nephilim just had superhuman hearing. And, well, seeing as they were superhuman, I supposed that wasn't too far off. Another idea suddenly came to mind about tonight's social gathering, one that would most definitely provide a distraction – and possibly take care of a nuisance. â€Å"The bar it is,† I declared. I drove down to Pioneer Square, Seattle's historic district, and sought out the Cellar, a dive of a bar located in a basement akin to its name. It was a favorite place for immortals – well, hellish immortals. Since most angels didn't drink – Carter being the exception – you didn't usually find them hanging out in bars. They were more likely to be found at upscale coffee shops. For inexplicable reasons, a number of them also liked to hang out at the restaurant on top of the Space Needle. Maybe they thought it was bringing them closer to Heaven. And, indeed, as I walked down the stairs into the Cellar, I felt Carter's signature, along with those of my usual clique. Best of all, there was an additional signature I'd been hoping to find. â€Å"Hot damn,† I said, striding toward the table where Simone sat with my friends. She burned with the glow of energy that succubi stole from their victims. I hated to admit it, but hers was brighter than the one I still sported. I assured myself that it was just because she'd probably bagged someone today, rather than last night. Hugh scooted to make room for me, and I pulled up a chair from a neighboring table. â€Å"Didn't think you'd show tonight.† I waved a waiter over and ordered a vodka gimlet. â€Å"You know I can't stay away from you guys.† â€Å"You're just in time,† said Carter. His face was neutral, but I caught a mischievous glint in his eyes as he sipped his bourbon. â€Å"Simone was just regaling us with tales of the Underground Tour. Did you hear that Seattle burned to the ground and was rebuilt a century ago?† â€Å"Only every time I take the tour,† I replied. Which had been about a dozen times. It was a tourist hotbed, and I'd taken friends and out-of-town victims on it often. I gave Simone a curious look. â€Å"Did you do that today?† She nodded. â€Å"Figured I should take in the city while I'm here.† She was still using that librarian voice, but I had to admit she looked more like a succubus than the last time I'd seen her. Her neckline was cut so low, it was a wonder her nipples didn't show. Her lips were fuck-me red, and unless I was mistaken, her hair was longer and more voluminous than before. I couldn't decide if she looked like an angel or a beach bunny. And speaking of angels†¦Simone had her chair pushed right next to Carter's, so close that she couldn't help but brush her arm against his each time she reached for her drink. I suspected her leg was pressed up to his as well. He glanced over, giving her a look that wasn't exactly romantic but filled with deep interest I felt certain was feigned. â€Å"I find Seattle's history fascinating. I haven't been here that long, so it's great to keep learning new things.† Simone beamed. Across the table, Hugh choked a little on his drink. Carter had been in Seattle for a couple hundred years. True – not that long for an immortal like him, but he'd most certainly been here for the Seattle fire. Hell, considering how he'd once accidentally burned down my Christmas tree, he might have been the one who set the city ablaze, for all I knew. My gimlet appeared, and I took a long drink of liquid courage. â€Å"From what I hear, you've been checking out some of our local celebrities too,† I said sweetly. Simone dragged her adoring gaze from Carter and fixed me with a frown. â€Å"I don't think I've run into many celebrities.† â€Å"Well,† I said, still smiling like a fool. â€Å"I guess it depends on how you define ‘celebrity.' I certainly consider best-selling authors celebrities. You've been chatting up one quite a bit.† Immediately, Cody, Hugh, and Peter eagerly snapped to attention. They could sniff female conflict a mile away and were undoubtedly bracing themselves for a cat fight. â€Å"Oh, that,† she said dismissively. â€Å"I thought you meant like an actor or something. Yeah, he's just someone on my radar. One of many. Pretty cute. Nice enough.† â€Å"And a friend of mine,† I said. My voice was still cheerful, but I could see in her eyes that she was well aware of the escalating tension. â€Å"Still, fair game,† she replied with a shrug. â€Å"And what do you care? His soul's already tainted. He's not that good a catch. Not like I can do much more damage.† That wasn't true. Seth might currently be Hell-bound, but he wasn't beyond redemption – even though the odds of that were allegedly slim. If by some crazy chance Simone got him to cheat on Maddie again, his soul would grow darker and kill any lingering chances to save him. Plus, sin aside, Simone would shorten his life – which was something I was definitely against. â€Å"So, he's just a random guy you scoped out?† I asked. The politeness was fading from me. It was disappearing from her too. So. Bland Simone wasn't quite as oblivious as she played. â€Å"The fact that he's a friend of mine and someone I used to date makes no difference?† â€Å"You make it sound like I'm trying to get you back for something. I don't even know you. I'm just here on vacation. Getting guys is part of our life – and you don't have any territorial control like them.† She nodded toward the vampires, who had very well-defined hunting grounds. â€Å"Unless,† she added smugly, â€Å"you've got some kind of arrangement with Jerome.† I certainly didn't. In fact, my boss had made it extremely clear that he didn't care about what happened to Seth. â€Å"No, but I'd think you'd do it as a courtesy when you're visiting someone else's city. It's the nice thing to do.† My smile returned, filled with ice this time. â€Å"And it ensures that your visit stays nice too.† Maybe using her favorite adjective would drive home my message. Simone stiffened, attention totally on me now. â€Å"What is this, some kind of warning that you'll come after me if I don't back off?† I shrugged and finished my drink. â€Å"Just friendly advice.† She stood up and slung her purse over her shoulder with such force that it nearly hit Carter in the head. Apparently, he wasn't on the radar anymore. Well, at least for now. â€Å"I'm not going to stay and listen to thinly veiled threats. Especially ones over inconsequential men. If I want him, I'll get him.† â€Å"You'll be missed,† I muttered as she stalked away. â€Å"Oh,† said Hugh brightly. â€Å"There is nothing I like better than when succubi fight. Puts Dynasty to shame. You could have cleaned the floor with Tawny, but Simone might give you a match.† â€Å"Hardly,† I said. â€Å"And she'll have about as much luck with Seth as Carter.† Carter raised an eyebrow, apparently not agreeing with my statement. â€Å"She's really hitting on Seth?† asked Cody. â€Å"Yup. In a shy, starry-eyed fan girl kind of way.† â€Å"Isn't that how you won him over way back when?† asked Peter. I shot him a glare. â€Å"It's irrelevant. It won't work.† â€Å"Then why worry?† asked Hugh slyly. â€Å"Because an ounce of prevention – oh, never mind,† I groaned. â€Å"I need another drink.† Hugh and the vampires were clearly amused by all this and weren't particularly concerned. I think they too believed Seth would prove immovable; they just liked the idea of me making another succubus irate. The sad part was that I'd probably just encouraged Simone to try even harder. Two drinks later, I decided to head home. I was sufficiently angry that I didn't fear the siren song's comfort. Before leaving, I informed Cody about his impending date. Unsurprisingly, he freaked out. â€Å"What? I†¦I can't. What will I say? What will I do?† â€Å"Frankly, my dear†¦Ã¢â‚¬  began Hugh in an undertone. â€Å"You'll be fine,† I said. â€Å"Just stop stressing and be yourself.† â€Å"Sounds like a double date,† said Peter. â€Å"I can get more black hair dye.† â€Å"No,† I warned. â€Å"Do not even think about it.† I could still see faint streaks that hadn't entirely washed out from Cody's blond mane. â€Å"Just dress like you are now. I'll meet you at the club.† I started to turn, and then a thought came to me. â€Å"Carter, can I talk to you?† His lips twitched slightly. If that was his sign of surprise, I couldn't say. â€Å"Anything for you, Daughter of Lilith.† He followed me outside the bar, where we stood amid all the Pioneer Square partygoers. Once clear of the building's non-smoking interior, he promptly lit a cigarette. â€Å"If you're jealous of my relationship with Simone,† he said, â€Å"I can assure you, we're just friends.† â€Å"Oh, be quiet. You know that's not what this is about. Look, she was lying, right? About Seth being a coincidence?† Carter took a long drag before answering. Angels could tell when others were lying. â€Å"Yep. But she seemed pretty sincere in the last comment about going after him regardless.† I grimaced. â€Å"Why? Why would she target Seth? Is it some kind of way to assert dominance over the local succubus?† â€Å"Not sure. The ways of succubi – and all women – are a mystery to me.† â€Å"Jerome originally thought she'd come to spy. He had Roman follow her, but nothing came of it. She never reported in or anything. He pulled Roman from her – † I paused, suddenly turning over the events and analyzing them in a way I hadn't considered before. â€Å"But it wasn't until I told him Simone was hitting on Seth. It seemed like that was the moment Jerome pulled Roman. He seemed pretty adamant about leaving her alone.† â€Å"Did he now?† Carter inhaled on the cigarette again, but I could see thoughts churning behind his eyes. â€Å"What?† I asked. â€Å"Just a musing,† he said. A half-truth, typical of angels. â€Å"Did Jerome do anything else after that?† â€Å"Yeah, he put Roman on me.† This elicited surprise. â€Å"Why?† Apparently, Jerome and Carter hadn't been hanging out recently. I gave Carter the rundown on my latest bizarre situation. â€Å"That is weird,† he admitted. â€Å"Do you know what it could be?† â€Å"Any number of things.† He spoke flippantly, but I knew I'd piqued his curiosity – maybe even his concern. I sighed. â€Å"I wish people would stop saying that. No one's really helping.† â€Å"I'll help you,† he said, dropping the cigarette and stamping it out. â€Å"I'll follow Simone.† That was not at all what I had expected. â€Å"Why would you do that? Are you going to stop her from making the moves on Seth?† This earned his amusement. â€Å"You know I can't interfere with that kind of thing. But I am curious about Simone's activities.† An uneasy feeling bubbled within me, one that had troubled me since I'd first met Seth, and Carter had begun taking an active role in my life. â€Å"Why? Why do you care so much about Seth? You've always been curious about what he does – and how we interact.† â€Å"I'm interested in the creative process of a great artist. It's fun to watch.† â€Å"Another half-truth.† Like always, he answered the question without really answering it. I was astonished at the desperation in my voice when I spoke next. â€Å"I'm serious. Why, Carter? How does Seth – and me being with Seth – concern you?† He chucked me on the chin. â€Å"You've got better things to do than worry about the goings-on of a curious angel. Besides, wouldn't you feel better if someone was reporting back to you on Simone?† â€Å"Well, yeah,† I admitted. â€Å"But – â€Å" â€Å"Then it's settled. You're welcome.† He turned quickly away and disappeared into a crowd of partiers. I knew better than to go after him because he'd probably literally disappear once no one was paying attention. I sighed yet again. Fucking angels.

Free Essays on Streetcar V. 12 Monkeys(insanity)

Sanity v. Society as a Majority In an insane world, a sane person would be insane. I’m not sure if it makes sense to everybody else, but it makes perfect sense to me. In the next few paragraphs I will attempt to link two different stories and their protagonists to show the counterparts between any society and its views; made up by the majority of its constituents. A Streetcar Named Desire and its â€Å"insane† character show the side of society that doesn’t understand the outsider. The crucial aspect of this is to forget the traditional definition of sanity. The other plot is a science fiction story called Twelve Monkeys. In this story, James Cole (played by Bruce Willis) is an underground prisoner in the year 2035. He is sent back to the year 1996 to trace a virus that would eventually wipe out 99% of civilization. Cole, being outside his natural environment of 2035 and placed in the year 1996, although completely sane, appears quite insane. Much like James Cole, Blanche Dubois is rem oved from her natural environment of the wealthy Belle Reve mansion and is misunderstood by the rest of society. Blanche Dubois left her hometown of Laurel, Mississippi were she was the heir to a wealthy family. After her family slowly died off and the estate was sold she left to find her sister in New Orleans. Upon her arrival she finds her sister living in a cramped two-room apartment and married to a man she finds to be quite barbaric. Her expensive clothes and tales of wealthy suitors set her apart from the rest of the crowd. Already looking like an outsider, her actions only furthered her distancing from â€Å"normal† society. Constant lies and a shady past make Stanley and Stella constantly doubt her. However, it was a final act of truth, and complete sanity, that causes Stella to commit Blanche to the asylum. Blanche tells Stella that Stanley raped her and Stella cannot or will not accept. Although devastated, Stella has Blan... Free Essays on Streetcar V. 12 Monkeys(insanity) Free Essays on Streetcar V. 12 Monkeys(insanity) Sanity v. Society as a Majority In an insane world, a sane person would be insane. I’m not sure if it makes sense to everybody else, but it makes perfect sense to me. In the next few paragraphs I will attempt to link two different stories and their protagonists to show the counterparts between any society and its views; made up by the majority of its constituents. A Streetcar Named Desire and its â€Å"insane† character show the side of society that doesn’t understand the outsider. The crucial aspect of this is to forget the traditional definition of sanity. The other plot is a science fiction story called Twelve Monkeys. In this story, James Cole (played by Bruce Willis) is an underground prisoner in the year 2035. He is sent back to the year 1996 to trace a virus that would eventually wipe out 99% of civilization. Cole, being outside his natural environment of 2035 and placed in the year 1996, although completely sane, appears quite insane. Much like James Cole, Blanche Dubois is rem oved from her natural environment of the wealthy Belle Reve mansion and is misunderstood by the rest of society. Blanche Dubois left her hometown of Laurel, Mississippi were she was the heir to a wealthy family. After her family slowly died off and the estate was sold she left to find her sister in New Orleans. Upon her arrival she finds her sister living in a cramped two-room apartment and married to a man she finds to be quite barbaric. Her expensive clothes and tales of wealthy suitors set her apart from the rest of the crowd. Already looking like an outsider, her actions only furthered her distancing from â€Å"normal† society. Constant lies and a shady past make Stanley and Stella constantly doubt her. However, it was a final act of truth, and complete sanity, that causes Stella to commit Blanche to the asylum. Blanche tells Stella that Stanley raped her and Stella cannot or will not accept. Although devastated, Stella has Blan...

Beggar's Opera Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Beggar's Opera - Essay Example John Gay paved the way for a new theatre genre with the creation of Beggar’s opera that still exist today. The beggar’s opera is a three act ballad opera, a new form created by John Gay, an eighteenth century poet and dramatist. He has got the idea of the beggars’ opera from Jonathan Swift. Ballad Opera is a satire genre performed by actors, not by singers, in which dialogue alternates with song. The opera contains 69 songs. The opera begins with the introduction by a beggar. Hence the name ‘Beggar’s opera’. The later eighteenth century Britain was a place of corruption and turmoil .The authorities also turned a blind eye towards the corruptions. The era was termed as a century of ‘transition’ and of many ‘contradictions and complexities’. There were rigid ‘class distinction’ and the ‘low life was considered as a fit subject for comedy’. According to M Dorothy George â€Å"the dominating impression of life in eighteenth century London is one of uncertainty and insecurity† .She points out that Beggar’s Opera was an accurate picture of the manners of the time. The period of Charles 11 brought about changes to the politics and also livens up the dead theaters. The writers who could enjoy the audience with satire and pathos made their chance with the circumstances. The depiction of the current society with the criminal characters was supported whole heartedly and the play broke all the time record of theatre performance. Thro ugh the beggar characters and suitable plots, John gay had drawn the existing society of corrupted politics and degenerated, valueless life of the people, with ease and filled with satire. The typical eighteenth century English life was depicted with supreme care, even in the theme, characterization and dialogue. The writer skillfully pictured the chance of the values that prevailed in the current society. The England at the time of Sir Robert Walpole ( the first prime minister of

Effects of Caffeine on the Human Body Research Paper

Effects of Caffeine on the Human Body - Research Paper Example It is widely believed that caffeine is a drug which causes addiction and has many harmful effects on the body. This paper aims to research the controversy of these effects. Some of the effects reportedly associated with Caffeine intake are rise in blood pressure, high level of alertness, affects on length and quality of sleep and stunt growth. Though it has also been observed that all individuals do not provide the same response to the stimulus of Caffeine, it nevertheless has been an issue of great concern whether there are any general and noticeable effects of Caffeine on the human body. Introduction: Caffeine is a chemical compound regarded as one of the three most used drugs of the world that affect the mood of the user. Caffeine is said to be a potent and quick-acting drug that produces the same effect on the human body as stress does (Connelly). Caffeine is present in numerous everyday intakes like coffee, tea, cocoa and energy boosting drinks. The amount of Caffeine in the ene rgy boosting drinks is dangerously high, which is one of the major contributing factors towards the hyperactivity following the intake of these drinks. These effects of Caffeine occur instantly and can prevail for 6-8 hours after the consumption. Caffeine is regarded as a drug because of its addictive nature and withdrawal symptoms. The usage of Caffeine-containing beverages and products is very common, such that it has become an everyday need for many people to carry out their day-to-day tasks properly. Research has proven that the effects of Caffeine on the body is differentiated by size (like built, weight etc.) and gender (Rhodes). However, these may not be the only factors influencing the onset of Caffeine effects. It is commonly believed that Caffeine does not affect every individual in the same way. The purpose of this research paper is also the analysis of the effects of Caffeine on the human body. Materials and Methods: Different assumptions will require different sample sp ecifications and methodologies. For analyzing the effect of Caffeine on Blood Pressure, we will need to take a sample of 6 fit individuals; 2 adult males, 1male child, 2 adult females and 1 female child. Before the start of the experiment, all 6 individuals’ Blood Pressures will be noted. Then, 1 adult male, 1 adult female and both the children will be administered with Caffeine (a cup of coffee) while the remaining 2 will be given placebo compounds (sugar). Immediately after administration, the blood pressure will be noted again for all 6 individuals and this will continue with 15minutes time span for the next 6 hours. For analyzing the effect of Caffeine on Alertness, we will require a sample of 4 individuals at minimum. Each individual will be assigned a task to perform (solve mathematics problems) under three different conditions; without the administration of Caffeine, with the administration of a certain amount of caffeine (a cup of coffee) and lastly with another admin istration of the same amount of caffeine as earlier, i.e., double the amount of caffeine (another cup of coffee) (O’Brien). For assessing the effect of Caffeine on Growth, we will require a minimum of 2 individuals. 1 will be administered with Caffeine products while the other will remain away from Caffeine. Visible effects of Caffeine will not be observable; however, we will be able to analyze the effect of Caffeine on growth by noting its effect on Calcium absorption (Ho and Provis). Observation and Analysis: In the first experiment regarding blood pressure, we will notice that those individuals who were given